Kirisame Magic Shop

[Anonymous No.]

Thread 13

[Anonymous No.]

Previous:
1 >>44121508 >>/data/jp/img/0445/50/1694087896359134.png
2 >>44290289 >>/data/jp/img/0445/50/1694087962441371.png
3 >>44383367
4 >>44437040 (3&4) >>/data/jp/img/0445/50/1694088027969245.png
5 >>44487600
6 >>44550620 (5&6) >>/data/jp/img/0446/22/1694614997949247.png
7 >>44622465 >>/data/jp/img/0447/13/1695377031281683.png
8 >>44713561 >>/data/jp/img/0448/28/1696349152839840.png
9 >>44828419 >>/data/jp/img/0449/36/1697321219911751.png
10 >>44936122
(10 - P1) >>/data/jp/img/0449/36/1698587659569048.png
(10 - P2) >>/data/jp/img/0449/36/1698587725286314.png
11 >>45089529
(11 - P1) >>/data/jp/img/0450/89/1699714714961830.png
(11 - P2) >>/data/jp/img/0450/89/1699714780422589.png
12 >>45217874 see picrel.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45294792
I literally start every morning with a KMS chapter. Having it end will feel weird for a while.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45292915
This pic makes me hard, sorry anon but your wife is hot

[Anonymous No.]

>Ran had mentioned human spirits, like...the dead kind. "Urgh." Ran groaned. "I got carried away. There are realms beyond Hell. I'll leave it at that." Like where those animal mob bosses that Reimu had pointed out during that party in the summer were from? Ran stared at me. "You...are dangerously well-informed for a human from the village. If it wasn't for Reimu's interest in you...No, never mind." I didn't much like the sound of that. If it wasn't for Reimu's interest in me, then what? I'd gone on a lot of strange dates and nearly all of them had either ended badly or resulted in me discovering something new - and then ending badly for good measure.
What is this supposed to be in youkai terms? A threat, flattery, or both?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45295618
Threat, villagers shouldn't see youkai as anything more than a threat and their enemy. Anon broke this rule and would be subject to punishment, but he got the Kosuzu loophole of being friends with a named cast member

[Anonymous No.]

>>45295835
don't let the intrusive thoughts win, Reimu.

[Anonymous No.]

Anon should have asked how Ran puts on clothes every day with 9 giant fucking tails coming out of her.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45297956
with gaps, duh

[Anonymous No.]

>>45295835
No wonder most youkai ladies struggle to find a hubby with this mentality of theirs.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45297956
Anon would be exactly the kind of an idiot to ask this...
I'm honestly surprised he hasn't asked about if Yamame has more spider aspects to herself, then again I think that has to wait for at least 1-2 more sessions with Eirin (preferably with Yamame present)

[Anonymous No.]

>>45298202
Anon doesn't really have to ask Yamame anymore since he got to see her body already

[Anonymous No.]

>>45294792
I literally start every morning with a KMS chapter. Having it end will feel weird for a while.

[Anonymous No.]

Later that night, after Reimu had fallen asleep and Tenshi had said that she should probably go and find out if Marisa was being forced to work for the yamawaro or the kappa as a prisoner of war, since one would involve significantly more drowning than the other, Yamame and I stepped outside to sit on the veranda in the chilly almost-Winter air. Since it was so cold, I managed to extract my coat from Reimu and had Yamame sit on my lap, then draped the coat over us like a blanket.

I heard light steps coming from the side, and I turned to see Ran approaching, her arms buried in her sleeves as usual. “Since Reimu’s gone to sleep, we’ll stop work for tonight and resume tomorrow.” She told me. “I’ve replaced the majority of the damaged storm shutters, and I’ll look into the kotatsu and see if I can source a replacement. The tatami mats will have to wait until Reimu doesn’t need use of the room. Can you relay all of this to her?” I nodded and told Ran that I would make sure she knew. “My thanks.” Ran bowed deeply, then turned from me to Yamame. “And – Miss Yamame, I would just like to thank you once more for spending time with my Chen. Her duties keep her busy, especially during the Winter months, so it makes me happy that she was about to talk to someone besides the cats in Mayohiga.”

“Oh, um, you’re welcome. I wasn’t joking when I said that I’d love to teach her more. She’s a good girl.” Yamame said with a warm smile. “I hope she’s happy with the little addition we made.”

“She loves it.” Ran said, smiling back. I couldn’t imagine this happening with Hearn. When Hearn had kidnapped Yamame and I to Australia, Ran had been entirely expressionless. “I think, perhaps, you have gained an admirer for life.” Yamame looked very flattered at that. “We shall take our leave for now, then.” With another bow, Ran opened a gap behind her and stepped backward into it. Through it, I caught a glimpse of what looked to be a house. Perhaps that was where Hearn lived. Just before it shut, I spotted Chen inside, waving at us, but the gap closed before we could respond.

I looked over at Yamame and rested my head against her, breathing in the scent of her hair. She smelled like vanilla. Once I was satisfied that she wasn't going to freeze again, I asked her how working with Tenshi had been. Then, she told me about the conversation she had engaged in with Tenshi on the roof of the Hakurei Shrine.


"Miss Tenshi!" Yamame called as she jogged over to the Shrine, leaving her human with Ran, the shikigami of that Hearn woman who had kidnapped them in the past. It was a little worrying, but he seemed to trust her enough. Although, her human had the uncanny ability to make friends with just about anything, so even if she did hate him, she would probably be polite enough to hide it.

"Whazzat!?" She heard the ex-celestial shout, her head poking over the edge of the Hakurei Shrine's rooftop. "What'd you want?" She asked, frowning down at her. Yamame hadn't gotten much of a chance to talk to her yet, aside from a frosty conversation at her front door and a few exchanged words of greeting when she'd arrived at the Shrine just a little bit earlier. Yamame looked up at her and then had to shield her eyes from the sun. Being primarily an underground youkai, Yamame didn't find herself looking into the sun too often, and it really was rather bright.

"I'd like to help!" Yamame called up, cupping a hand around her mouth. She jumped, using just a tiny bit of flight to rich the ceiling of the veranda, which she latched onto by the tips of her fingers thanks to her spider aspect. Swinging herself into a flip and using some more slight flight, she landed on the edge of the roof next to the blue-haired girl, who looked at her with a frown.

"Er, I think I can handle it myself." Tenshi told her, frowning. "Done it before, even. It's like the whole building's just too stubborn to stay in pristine shape, though, because the whole place starts breaking apart way too fast for my craftsmanship." Tenshi cast an eye up and down Yamame, who put her hands on her hips and frowned slightly. "Are you sure you can help?" She asked, her tone equal parts curious and slightly dismissive.

"I've got plenty of experience with construction!" Yamame insisted, trying to keep her tone polite. She'd learnt enough of Tenshi Hinanawi from her human to know that she was quite dismissive and rude to people she thought to be beneath her, but being kind to her was a good way to start getting into her good books. Of course, her human could make friends with just about anyone, but she wasn't about to give up. "Besides," She tried, "I wanted to see the construction techniques of a celestial." Yamame doubted that they were as vaunted as Tenshi claimed them to be. There was a reason that nearly every youkai came to her and her sisters for construction purposes, after all.

[Anonymous No.]

"Oh, is that right?" Tenshi had a curious smile coming over her face. "Well, I suppose you can stick around. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two." The smile shifted from curious to smug, and Yamame wondered if she always did that. Tenshi happened to look over to where her human and Ran were still talking, and Yamame watched a slight shift come over her face, like she’d remembered something she’d said and needed to keep it in mind. "Though, er, I'm sure your construction skills are excellent." She tacked that addition to the end of her sentence, and it made Yamame wonder if her human had said something to Tenshi, though she couldn't shake the feeling that 'for a surface dweller' had been said in Tenshi's head.

Still, things seemed to settle down after they'd spent some time looking around the slanted rooftop for leaks, cracks, and various other bits of little damage that could add up over time. "So, er..." Tenshi seemed to be starting a conversation, something that Yamame hadn't really expected from her given everything else of her she'd seen. "How - How's your business?" Yamame looked up from the tiny hole she'd found in the roof and looked at Tenshi, who'd come over to squat down opposite her. Tenshi clearly saw the way she was staring, because she sighed uncomfortably. "C'mon, work with me. I'm trying to make up for that...First meeting." Looking back down for a moment, Yamame filled in the hole with some dense webbing. It'd be enough to keep it from letting water through, as long as it was just the right height as the surrounding rooftop. She looked back up at Tenshi after she was done.

Yamame watched her for a few more seconds, then decided that she'd rather make friends than enemies. "...Er, fine. Business, I mean. It's fine. My sisters are still working on the hot springs in Former Hell, but they don't really need me around fussing for that, so I'm staying mostly on the seamstress side of things. I need to meet someone tomorrow, actually." She'd been halfway to shutting down when Kagerou Imaizumi had asked her where they would meet to discuss her cloak commission, but she'd been just about aware enough - thanks to her human's habit of getting overly worried about her - to give a place and a time.

Tenshi nodded, still watching her intently in a way that made Yamame feel a little self-conscious. "I see...Wait, hot springs? In Former Hell?" She looked a little incredulous. "Hang on, is that keystone still there!?" Tenshi drew in a sharp breath and looked like she was trying to stifle a laugh. "Oh, those idiots never got rid of it? Ugh, it was just a joke! I know I made it pretty big, but honestly!"

Now it was Yamame's turn to stare. "Wait, are you saying...It was you? You dropped it there?" Now it was time for Yamame to use every bit of self-control she had not to start yelling at the girl who'd just revealed herself as the architect of so many of the headaches Ki and Reiko had been having lately. "What the hell were you thinking?" She blurted out, then clamped her mouth shut. "Sorry, er..." She tried again. "Why'd you...?"

"It really was supposed to be a joke!" Tenshi whined, her brow furrowed. "I thought they'd like it! How was I supposed to know that a bunch of oni really didn't want their relaxation time to be disturbed? Rowdiness is supposed to be their thing!" She shook her head. "How bad was it?"

Yamame sighed heavily and stood, wandering over to a different section of the roof, somewhere above Reimu's room. "Rotted a whole lot of wood, plenty of houses in danger of collapsing, lots of angry oni...About what you'd expect. They couldn't get rid of the keystone for ages because the oni kept arguing over who would lift it like it was a challenge. Plus, there were plenty of oni who felt like being a nuisance to my sisters, even though they’re just doing their jobs." She decided not to mention that oni she had given an illness in revenge for hurting on of her sisters. It would only complicate things.

"See, that sounds more like oni. They love to cause problems." Tenshi commented, shaking her head as she followed Yamame across the roof. "Is the keystone gone now?"

Fortunately, Yamame had already learnt that Tenshi knew about Miss Kasen's true nature, so she was able to tell the truth. "Miss Kasen threw Suika into it from near the top of the Hot Springs Town." She said, deciding that trying to explain further would only complicate things. "It cracked it apart, and I think they're now arguing over who can clear the most rubble away instead." It honestly seemed like one step forward and about five steps backward with the whole project, and Yamame was immensely pleased with herself for managing to stay relatively uninvolved while simultaneously feeling very sorry for her poor sisters. Perhaps she'd have to get back down there soon.

[Anonymous No.]

"I - Huh." Tenshi remarked, placing a bundle of items on the ground. "Is she still moping over her arm?"

"Er, she doesn't seem to be...?" Yamame scratched her head. She'd come into that whole situation very uninformed and still didn't feel like she had a perfect grasp on the whole thing. "I think they're friends now." There was something bugging her about the rooftop here, and she crouched down to get a better look.

Tenshi nodded, following her gaze down to the rooftop. "At least something's going well, then." She squatted down next to Yamame. "When I saw that she was free again, I figured we'd all be done for, your boyfriend included. Glad it didn't come to that." She ran a finger across the wood. "Is this...?"

"Cracked, I think." Yamame replied, absent-mindedly pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and pulling a needle from the inside of her sleeve. "It looks like it. Hasn't broken through yet, but the water will get into that." She slipped the needle into the crack and experimentally ran it across. "I...Think we'll have to replace the whole section." She decided, slipping the needle back into her sleeve.

Yamame expected Tenshi to argue against it, but she looked on silently, then nodded. "I think so..." She looked like she had something on her mind. "Can I...Ask you a question?" Tenshi said quietly. Yamame looked over at her, curious, then nodded. "You - Um, do you get on well with your family?" Tenshi asked her hesitantly, and perhaps even slightly nervously.

It...hadn't been the question that Yamame expected. She'd expected some sort of pointed question about her relationship with her human, or perhaps something more about the Hot Springs. Not...That. "Er...Yes, I suppose so?" She finally said, though it felt like a strange conversation. "Um, why do you ask?"

Tenshi looked up at her, and Yamame was surprised to see that she looked a little nervous. "Can you keep it a secret from Reimu and Marisa?" Yamame slowly nodded, but asked about her human. "You can tell him. I trust him to keep it a secret." She spoke. "You've probably heard them call me an ex-celestial, right?"

"Um, yeah. I've heard that." Yamame replied, still wondering where this was headed. The ex-celestial in question looked vulnerable. Like Nai did when she'd made a mistake that she felt bad about.

"My father exiled me. I haven't seen my family since, and I don't know if I ever will again." Tenshi told her, her voice only wavering slightly when she mentioned her father. "I'm the eldest daughter of the Hinanawi clan. I had brothers and sisters, too, but...I don't think any of them liked me much." Personally, Yamame could think of one or two reasons why that might be, but it would have been cruel to say it, and she wouldn't do such a thing. "I just - You have such a big family and you all like each other. I never really got to experience that." Yamame watched Tenshi for a moment. She'd never really thought of someone being envious of her family before. Still, she seemed down, so Yamame tried her best to talk to her.

"I don't just like them." She said, smiling gently. "I love them. They're precious to me, of course. Sometimes they make me so frustrated that I want to tear my hair out, but at the end of the day, I know that I can rely on them to support me, and they can rely on me to support them." Ki, especially, frustrated her to no end, and the less she said about Yura's determination to inherit Ki's inability to act her age, the better. If she didn't know better, she'd have assumed that Ki was some sort of troublemaker youkai rather than her troublemaker elder sister.

She thought about her human. His family had died in horrible circumstances and every now and then, she'd catch him gritting his teeth in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare. And yet, he was probably right below her right now, talking to Reimu - who he considered his family.
"But I might never see my family again." Tenshi quietly said, looking down at her hands, which were clasped together in front of her. "And they might never even want to see me again. So...What have I got?" She looked sad. Her human would probably be throwing hugs left and right at this point, but she felt like she should say something more, and her human's generally curious behaviour seemed like a good starting point.

[Anonymous No.]

"Maybe...Maybe they won't want to see you. But...that doesn't mean you have to have no one." Tenshi looked up at Yamame. "It's, um, maybe a little bit rich of me to say, but, um, I think you can create a new family here on the surface." Yamame knew very well that she'd been the one to back out of the meeting between her human, Reimu, Tenshi and Marisa at the café in the human village recently, and she'd done it because she was nervous. "I don't think your family has to be someone you're related to. It just has to be someone you care for." This wasn't Yamame's area of expertise, and she wished her human was here, but Reimu had looked like she needed cheering up too, so she had to do her best. "Like, um, Marisa? You care for her a lot, don't you?" It certainly sounded like it from what Yamame's human had told her about the two of them. "Reimu and my human, too. I think you probably have a bigger family than you realise." It probably wasn't as good a speech as her human could give, but she'd tried her best. In fact, she was thinking about family a lot lately. Strange.

And happily for her, Tenshi seemed fairly receptive to it. Or, at least, she didn't tell her to go and kick rocks. "Maybe...Yeah. Maybe you have a point." She looked up at the sky and drew a breath in. "I'm being unfair. Of course, there are people on the surface that I like." She looked back at Yamame. "Thanks. For being willing to talk to me. I think a lot of people wouldn't have wanted to." She exhaled heavily. "So, uh, this crack?" She looked down at the bit of the roof that they'd been crouched over.

"Oh, uh...Yeah." Yamame was a little surprised at how quickly she'd managed to switch back to the work they were doing, but she supposed that Tenshi was just shutting it out for now. "Have you got anything to replace it with?"

"There was some stuff in storage, yeah...Over there." She pointed Yamame over to the other side of the roof, where Yamame found some fresh roof pieces that they could replace the cracked one with.

She carried one over just in time to see that Tenshi had already cut the piece of roof out and was now talking into the hole. "What are you doing down there?" She asked bemusedly. "Why are you in bed?"

Reimu shouted back up, so Yamame leaned over as Tenshi shuffled back so she could get in, and she explained the problem as best she could. Her human and Reimu were both lying on the floor right under the hole in the roof, a blanket over them and - If Yamame was seeing it right - the coat she had made for her human. "It'll be fine. Trust me." Yamame finished her explanation of the problem with the roof, hoping that Reimu wouldn't decide to come and supervise it personally.

Fortunately, Reimu decided not to come up to the roof, so Yamame and Tenshi managed to get the hole repaired as quickly as they could, and before they knew it, they were done. Hopping down from the roof, they almost crashed into Ran, who was removing and replacing several of the storm shutters. Chen, it seemed, was working on some water damage to the veranda, since Yamame caught sight of her coming around the corner from the back of the Shrine. She caught Yamame's eye and gave a happy wave, which Yamame returned with a smile. She was certainly a nice girl, and Yamame hadn't been lying when she'd said that she would like to see her again. Finally, they pulled open the door to Reimu's room and stepped inside.


I found myself hugging Yamame tighter as she explained the speech she had given to Tenshi. "I, er, don't know if it'll really work, but I hope that it helped." Yamame was saying. "I don't think I'm much of a speech giver." I shook my head and replied that she was too kind to not be able to give a good speech about something like that. "Probably not as good as you, though." She mumbled, and I told her that all I tried to do was tell people why I cared. It was the best I could do, so I would keep doing it until it worked, or I couldn't say anything more, and at least I'd know that I had tried my best. I thought that her words to Tenshi had been exactly what she'd needed. It had been a lesson I had taken a while to learn. "Do you, um, ever think that my family is...Too much?" Yamame asked me, fidgeting slightly. "Like...There's too many of us? Like we get on your nerves?" I didn't have to think much before I told her that I didn't think anything of the sort. For someone like me, a massive family was the sort of thing I'd never had, and getting to see Yamame with all of her sisters made me happy. "...Thanks." Yamame whispered. "I love you." I loved her too, and I didn’t think I’d get tired of saying it.

Once it was too cold and Yamame started to look like she was shutting down again, we slipped back inside and lay down next to Reimu, who I caught smiling a little in her sleep when I wrapped my arms around her. Yamame lay on my other side, her head pressed against my shoulder, and I smiled up at the recently repaired ceiling. Family was nice.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300719
>so it makes me happy that she was about to talk to someone besides the cats in Mayohiga
That's kinda rude! She also talks to Orin!

[Anonymous No.]

I just realized that Marisa lost another opportunity to find out who hooked up with anon

[Anonymous No.]

Yamame fixed her first girl proud of her

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300768
Orin is probably busy with the reactor and corpse fucking during the winter and chen's busy with yukari's autism list, so they probably only see each other rarely in that time

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300739
>In fact, she was thinking about family a lot lately. Strange.
Desire for babies is beginning to kick in
Anon's days are numbered

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300739
>In fact, she was thinking about family a lot lately. Strange.
heh

>>45300739
>For someone like me, a massive family was the sort of thing I'd never had, and getting to see Yamame with all of her sisters made me happy.
I never considered that aspect of their relationship, that's really touching. When you don't have much family, or the relatives you do have are terrible people who you'd be better off without, it's something else to be welcomed into another with open arms and treated like their own.

Man, I thought Yamame would go apeshit when she figured out Tenshi was the one who dropped in the keystone. That big reveal blew over way more smoothly than I expected. Yamame is too kind.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45301079
>Yamame is too kind.
because anon fixed her, yamame at the beginning of the story would curse tenshi

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300826
In fairness, she had no idea he would be there too. But now that Tenshi went to check on her (and most certainly implied this is her chance to learn what became of her client), she has only herself to blame if she doesn't bust out of prison and misses it.

>>45300859
>>45301162
I guess she's paying it forward.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45300739
>she was thinking about family a lot lately. Strange.
Naturally, as the youkai and human cohabitate the youkai will be further inclined to breed as the combination of passion and basic human kindness act as a potent motivator to start a family.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45302610
You know what they say.
"Youkai are weak to the milk of human kindness."

[Anonymous No.]

Meanwhile Marisa

[Anonymous No.]

Anon should have asked Ran if that was really human meat, she would have had to hold back her laughter because it was pork

[Anonymous No.]

The second morning at the Shrine dawned cold and sunny, just as the previous day had. This time, I woke up to Reimu trying to kick me in the shins, but failing because Yamame's legs had slipped across me and were blocking Reimu from moving. She was glaring at me. "Why do you always hug so - so tight!?" She growled at me. "And now I've got your girlfriend blocking my legs, so I couldn't even wake you up!" I blinked the sleep from my eyes. Was it really that bad to sleep in once in a while? "Well...No, I guess not. You're so lucky I like you." I know, said I. "But seriously, I do need to get up. The courtyard needs sweeping and I need to check that no tanuki came and stuffed the offertory box full of leaves again. I sighed heavily and arduously, since I was quite enjoying having the three of us just lying here, but Reimu clearly wasn't budging, so I tried to release my arms, only to find that Yamame's grip on my upper arms was causing me problems.

"Are you...Uh, okay?" Reimu slowly asked me when she saw me struggling. I explained the problem. "Is this normal with spiders?" She asked blankly, and I tried to shrug. Maybe? I wasn't exactly an expert. Fortunately, I did have a solution. I was just about able to free my arms enough for Reimu to free her arms, so I told her to gently, but firmly, squeeze Yamame's shoulders, like a massage. "That works?" Reimu asked me disbelievingly. I nodded. Like a charm. It was like Reimu's reaction to having the nape of her neck touched. "Wh- Shut up!" Reimu told me, looking a little scandalized. I give her a slightly smug smile, then told her to go ahead. Shaking her head, Reimu managed to get her arms over my shoulders and, looking a little confused by the whole thing, squeezed Yamame's shoulder.

As expected, it worked, and Yamame let out a long sigh and loosened her grip. I nodded for Reimu to keep going, and after a few more moments, Yamame finally released my arms properly, and Reimu was able to drag herself free and stumble to her feet. "Good thing I didn't drink last night. That would've been a disaster." I tried not to imagine that, and instead turned my head to look at Yamame, who was still fast asleep. "Stay there, if you want. I'll even refrain from throwing a pillow at you." Thanks, I said dryly. Yamame had a meeting planned today, so we had to be in the village before mid-day, which also meant that we'd probably need to go back to Yamame's house to get her some slightly more nondescript clothing. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea..." Reimu scratched her head. "As long as you're not too obvious, you should be fine. I'll only have to do something if someone's being a nuisance." I nodded and told Reimu that we'd behave ourselves. "I might be down there today, anyway. I could do with some shopping for winter." Reimu nodded and stretched. "Ugh, shouldn't have slept in my clothes..." She groaned. "Alright, er...Guess I'll see you in a bit?" She nodded awkwardly and left, pushing the door open and exhaling sharply. "Oh, it's really cold now." She shivered, then stepped back inside. "Winter clothes, winter clothes..." She muttered to herself as she walked past us and off down the corridor toward her wardrobe. I decided that I'd take Reimu's advice and stay here for a while longer, so I turned to Yamame, who had rolled over in her sleep, and wrapped my arms around her waist and held her closer, until I fell asleep again too.

And when I woke up, it was Yamame trying to get me to release my arms. "You - You snake! I'm a youkai - I shouldn't be struggling to..." She trailed off when she heard me shifting. "Uh." She told me intelligently. "Hi?" Hi, I said, seizing the opportunity to hold her tighter. "Your - Um, Reimu said that we should probably be going soon if we're going to get to the village on time." I sighed and released her, asking if we couldn't just stay here all day. "Lovely as that sounds…" Yamame rolled over onto her back and flicked me in the forehead, "It's work, so...No." She got to her feet and offered a hand to me. Taking it, she pulled me up with only a little effort. "Plus, I'd rather lie in bed with you at home anyway." She leaned in and dropped her voice to that low, husky tone. "Where I can wear as little as I want." My eyes widened and I looked down at her. She giggled and slapped me on the shoulder. "Don't get too excited!" She exclaimed, heading for the door and leaving me standing there and staring at her. "Now, come on. I need to get changed if we're going to the village!"

[Anonymous No.]

Once I'd mentally recovered and put away the futon, then pulled my coat and boots on, I stepped outside of Reimu's room and closed the door behind me. I blinked in the sunlight, then managed to find Reimu, leaning on the broom she used to sweep the courtyard and chatting to Yamame. "What, like a pinkish-red?" She was saying. The courtyard was far from the nightmare it had been the previous day, but there were still plenty of leaves scattered about and I could tell that it would take some time to sweep them up all.

"I thought something more...Uh, like velvet. Soft to the touch." Yamame replied. "It kind of looks like black until the sun catches it, then the red shows up. I think it'd look good because it’d go with your hair when it’s black, but your eyes when the light catches it." She spotted me coming and beckoned me over. "We were just talking about what Reimu would look good in." She told me. I looked Reimu up and down, then shrugged. Black would go against her normal colour scheme, I thought. The red and white was too important, I thought. "Hmm...Maybe. I'll keep thinking about it." She told Reimu, who shrugged and agreed. "Are we ready?" Yamame asked me, and I nodded, leading her to the torii gate.

"Yeah, I'll probably be in the village later for shopping, so...I guess I might see you there." Reimu nodded, waving at me with her broom. "I'll have to wait for those lot to show up so I can tell them what to do to the Shrine, though. Unless Marisa's somehow gone from a prisoner of war to a convict on the front lines, I guess..." That'd probably be bad. "Yeah, well, she can take care of herself, and if she can't, Tenshi can. Go, already! You'll be standing here all day otherwise." I nodded as Yamame pulled me down the first few steps and shouted a goodbye to Reimu.

The trip back to Yamame's house went by uneventfully, though we opted to avoid going through the village and instead skirted around the outside to reach the caves. The sun was climbing, but it was still some time before mid-day, which meant that we had plenty of time for Yamame to agonize over her outfit. I sat in one of her chairs from the Vampire's mansion and listened to her throw about various articles of clothing in her room. "Do people wear shorts in the village!?" She yelled at me. I frowned, then said that it was probably a little too cold for anything like that, not that people did tend to do that. "Oh, er...Do they, though?" No, not really. Maybe if Lady Hecatia's plans for her fashion brand to pick up in the village panned out, they'd be doing that. "Ooh!" Yamame exclaimed, and I heard the noise of something falling on her bed. "I hope she comes back soon! I really like working with her!" Considering some of the designs I had seen in Yamame’s sketchbook which Lady Hecatia had made some additions to, I wasn’t sure I wanted Yamame to be working with her quite so soon. I wasn’t sure the village could withstand the ensuing fashion disaster. Sighing, I let my eyes slide shut and just listened to Yamame throwing more and more articles of clothing around.

Finally, she stepped back out. "So, um, how is it?" She asked me as I got out of the seat to see her properly. She'd settled on a long skirt, down to about her calves, with her signature patterns relegated to only one set of criss-crossing gold running along the very bottom of the skirt. The skirt itself was the usual warm shade of brown, and she'd paired it with a crisp, long-sleeved white shirt which tucked into the dress. Over the shirt went a blazer that was a slightly darker brown than the skirt, and she wore smaller, less boot-like shoes to complete the image. On her head went the same beret she'd worn when we had previously gone to the human village, and I hoped that this trip would go better than the last one had. I nodded seriously, saying that she looked amazing.

"Shut up!" She said, but her smile indicated otherwise. "You think so?" I did, and I let her know with a kiss. The outfit was fairly similar to what she had worn previously, but I thought it would pass as just being eccentric, rather than obviously a youkai. Even so, as long as she didn't do anything weird, she'd probably be fine. "Well, I wasn't planning to go out and destroy half the village, if that's what you're worried about." She said with a frown. I was just repeating what Reimu had said, so after a few moments, we were ready to leave. "Did you change your shirt?" Yamame asked me. I had. I'd taken the sweater off and switched it with the black shirt that I'd used before, since I had decided that even though it was cold, considering the sunshine, I'd be a little too hot otherwise. "I think the black's not bad, actually..." She mused as we stepped back out of her house.

[Anonymous No.]

Once we were back in the village, it was just about to hit mid-day, so we headed to the café. I was happy to see that while Yamame did get a stare or two, it didn't seem to be fearful or nervous, and instead looked...Almost like admiration, or awe. Perhaps, I thought, they were wondering how they'd never noticed someone like her in the village before, or what that idiot with the big red coat was doing next to her. I tried to play it cool but couldn't stop myself from grabbing Yamame's hand regardless.

Finally, we reached the café. "Are you coming in?" Yamame asked me. "I can do this bit just fine on my own, but if you'd like to..." I thought for a moment, then decided that actually, I'd like to wander the village for a bit. I'd been so caught up in things for all of summer that I'd barely spent any real time here. "Alright, then I'll just...Come and find you afterward, I guess." We shared a quick hug, and then Yamame stepped through the entrance of the café, leaving me alone.

So, I planned to wander. A plan which fell apart immediately when, just two buildings up from the café, sat my house. I stopped across the street from it, wrapped my coat around me, and stared at it. It was just a house. I knew that. A house that my parents had lived in with me. It hurt slightly, like the scars all the way down my right arm and up to my shoulder. I had to face it at some point. Was that youkai still living inside? I squinted at the windows, where I'd once set a tiny plant pot with the pit from the peach that Tenshi had given me. I couldn't see any movement inside, and I couldn't imagine that Chiyari Tenkajin was still living there after all this time, but she'd never indicated a desire to leave, either...

Not today, I thought, and forced myself to walk onward. Not on my own. Maybe with Reimu. She'd understand best what it meant to me, even more than Yamame would. Instead, I walked through an alley that led to the canal, lined by trees and busy, even though it was hardly warm outside. Some kids were playing, some couples were walking by and holding hands, and I forced my hands deep into the pockets of my coat and walked past, wondering whether the market was open. I wanted to try and buy Yamame some spices. It was a ways up from where my house was located, somewhat near the Myouren Temple.

And happily, it was running today. I stopped by the first stall I saw to talk to the farmer who was running it. "S'that...Women from the temple. Name's...Uh, Kumoi. Came through last week, said we should keep the market running until Winter really starts." I nodded and asked why she'd been so insistent while I perused his wares. Vegetables, mostly. We were mostly stocked on that front. "Well, that's the funny thing. Said it was for the temple. What's she mean? Fuck knows, I just sell vegetables." I snorted and thanked the man for his advice. "Yeah, yeah, whatever...You ain't buying nothing? Why'd you even come here?" I shrugged and said that I hadn't been around these parts recently. "Where you been, eh?" The farmer asked, leaning over the counter to get a better look at me. "Out there, with the Shrine Maiden? Ain't you the one that people thought were dead?" Had that really spread that far? "Nah, mate. Rumour like that? Course no one cared. Just a mysterious disappearance and a screaming girl running through the whole bloody village shouting her head off about someone dying." He didn't seem that bothered by my presence, though. "Course I'm not. What do I care if you've come back from the dead? I'm just here to sell my produce. Speaking of, are you buying or not?" I shook my head, and while it looked like the farmer was about to start hurling abuse at me for wasting his time, some other villagers came up behind me and distracted his attention, saving me.

I decided to head further down the market instead of getting yelled at, and while there were plenty of stalls still up, it was clear that the lion's share of goods had gone already, so what he had said about Kumoi from the temple was probably correct. I wondered why they'd asked for the market to run for a longer period of time, but before I could put much thought into it, I was frozen in my tracks.

At the end of the street where the market was being ran, there were only a small number of stalls. Only one of these stalls caught my interest, though. It had clearly been put together haphazardly, and there was a scribbled sign on the counter saying 'Buy These Funny T-Shirts I Stole!' and a smiling face with a funny hat drawn next to it. I stared at the two T-shirts hanging from a rod stuck awkwardly to the sides of the stall.

[Anonymous No.]

They were mine. Both of them. They were the T-shirts that Lady Hecatia had made me. One was red and the other was yellow, and most importantly, they belonged to me. I'd lost them after returning from the underground where Satori had unlocked my memories of Eientei, and I'd honestly reached a point where I'd given up on seeing them again. But...Here they were. They looked like they'd seen a little bit of wear since I'd last seen them, but it didn't look like anything that a good clean couldn't fix.

But who ran the stall? There didn't seem to be anyone around. I tried calling out a hello. "Hello, hello!" No, there seemed to be no one home. "Huh? But I'm right here? You're kinda silly, Mister Hu-" I poked my head into the stall, then cursed when I felt a pain in my head. "Ouch! You headbutt me!" I pulled back and rubbed my forehead, wondering if I was getting a headache. "Wait, I know you! You're the one who trampled all over me! You were with Miss Yamame!" I frowned. This was just like that time that Yamame had pushed me into a tiny, empty alcove in the Old City. "It wasn't empty, Mister Human! I was there already! It was my alcove! You sat on me!" Wait, it wasn't like that at all. Anyway, I wanted my T-shirts back. "Too bad! They're mine now! I stole them fair and square! If you want them back, you've gotta pay for them! And you've gotta apologize to me!" Since no one seemed to be around, and they were rightly my T-shirts, I wondered if I could just take them back. I could hide them in my coat and give them to Yamame to keep safe. "Hey, hey, what are you doing? You've got a funny look on your face..." I reached out for them, but my hand fell to the side. "Hey, you can't just steal them back!" I tried again, but my hand crashed to the other side. "I'm gonna stop you!"
I tried once more, and this time, my arm seemed to get caught. I frowned. Caught on what? It didn't make any sense. I tried to pull it back, but couldn't "Hey, hey, can you see me!?" No, there was...Something. Right there, right...In front of me. "C'mon, Mister Human! Try harder! I'm right here!" I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. No, I - I couldn't seem to look at something. It was like...I knew it was there, but I didn't want to know. I forced my head to the side. Out of the corner of my eye. Where I didn't think to look.

And there she was. Her hair was an extremely light sort of mint green; Wild, frizzy and sticking in every direction underneath the wide-brimmed black hat with the yellow band and bow on it. Her eyes, too, looked slightly wild and unfocused. Where Satori Komeiji work light blue and pink, this girl wore yellow and green, with frills of pitch black accenting her collar and the ends of her sleeves. A trail of gem-like shapes ran down her shirt, acting as the buttons. The comparison to Satori Komeiji was apt, because the girl was surrounded by wires. They floated in the air and circled her body, forming a large heart shape over her left shoulder. "You can! You can see me, can't you!?" I stared at her with my mouth agape. Yeah, I said. I see you. "I knew it!" The girl finally released my arm and I pulled it back quickly as she cheered. "I knew you were something weird when Big sis said she wanted to see you again!" Big sis...? The girl's face did look familiar, and given the wires...Satori Komeiji's sister? "Yep, yep! That's me! Koishi Komeiji! And I'm really mad at you, Mister Human!" I stared at her blankly. Why?

"You totally sat on me and trampled all over me while I was minding my own business. And you ignored me! That was really mean, you know? I should have just taken your corpse to decorate the Palace of the Earth Spirits!" That sounded...concerning. "But I'm not gonna, Mister Human, because I got to steal your weird T-shirts instead! But they're really weird, so I don't want them now..." I crossed my arms and asked her what she was planning to do with them. "I was gonna sell them, but no one's interested!" I suspected that at least some of them was because it didn't seem like anyone could see her, but I decided not to voice it. "Maybe I should just destroy them..." Koishi Komeiji looked pretty downcast, as if she was getting rid of a cherished item. But no, they were mine! "Huh? But I stole them, so..." That didn't mean they weren't mine! "Well, why didn't you tell me at the time? I wasn't the only one stealing from you!" Maybe not, I said, but Koishi was the one currently trying to sell something that I'd received as a gift from the goddess of Hell. "Ooh, cool!" She said, suddenly looking very excited. "I can sell them back to you! I think she gave them to me, so-" No, I cut her off. She gave them to me. That was why they didn't fit her. "Oh, that makes more sense." Koishi took her hat off for a moment, and I saw that her hair looked even messier without it. "So, how much are you offering?" I frowned. I shouldn't need to pay for my own belongings. Koishi blankly smiled at me. "But it's my belonging right now?"

[Anonymous No.]

This girl was difficult. Still, I had an idea. So, I offered her a deal. She'd give me the T-shirts back, and I'd be her friend. "Ooh, really!?" That, it seemed, had garnered Koishi's attention. "Big Sis is always saying that she wished for more friends! Can you be her friend too!?" That...Was a slightly harder ask for me, but for the sake of getting my clothes back, I agreed. At the very least, I expected that Satori would understand what had happened better. "Then I'll give you a discount! And you can have - Oh, I don't own anything..." That was fine, I replied. I just wanted the clothes. If I refused the second offer, could I have the clothes for free? "I'll give them back to you if you can guess what I'm thinking!" Koishi replied with a wide smile.

I suppressed a groan. The girl was practically manic, and I had to guess what she was thinking? "You've got twenty seconds!" She cheerfully told me, ignoring my protest that I couldn't possibly guess in that time. So, I tried to think furiously. She was the sister of Satori Komeiji. The same Satori Komeiji who had the ability to read my mind. So, how did you beat a mind reader? Make it too hard to read your thoughts. And the easiest way to do that was to blank out your mind. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused very hard on thinking about nothing. Then, finally, I spoke. She was thinking about nothing.

"Wron- Oh, wait, that's right..." Koishi started to cheer, then stopped slowly. "How did you know that!?" She cried, slamming her palms down on the counter. I opened my eyes and sighed in relief and several kinds of amazement. I'd just assumed that if I kept my mind black, she wouldn't be able to read it. "I can't read it anyway!" Koishi protested. My only response was a bemused noise of confusion. "I closed my third eye, Mister Human! I can't read minds!" Wait, but then... "I just love not thinking!" I...Really didn't know how to respond to that. "Aw, I guess I lost... You’re really amazing, Mister Human!" So...I slowly spoke. That meant that I could have the T-shirts? "Uh-huh, Mister Human...But you still have to be my friend! And Big Sis, too!" I smiled weakly and nodded, reaching out to take the T-shirts before Koishi could either forget or change her mind. "Wait, what am I gonna sell now...?" She mumbled. "Ooh, maybe I could sell my shirt!" I was suddenly very worried that she was about to start stripping off right there, but then she could sight of a bird. "Birdy! New Okuu, come here!" She cried, jumping over the counter of the stall and running off down the street. No one seemed to take any notice of her except for a small group of passing children, who cheered her on as she chased after the bird.

I was left standing there, finally having reclaimed my lost clothes, but feeling just as confused now as I had then. This time, it was for very different reasons, and I hoped that my day wouldn't get any weirder.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45308798

[Anonymous No.]

>>45308823
>>45308829
Yo writefriend, both of these are just posts with blank images, are you ok?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45309025
Giving the yams a massage short circuits her brain and she still has a humanoid form, so she might just react like a human
When she sleeps in this story, she grips tighter though, so it's probably the massage specifically that makes her release them

[Anonymous No.]

>>45308829
>"Ooh, maybe I could sell my shirt!" I was suddenly very worried that she was about to start stripping off right there
kek
koishi is very cute here, I hope she appears again soon, good chapter

[Anonymous No.]

Only three posts today huh, I guess even write friend needs to take a break once in a while.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312371
Dude, KMSanon is a beast, I'd probably die if I'd try to write every day like that.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312371
try again anon, there's actually two secret posts that you can't see easily

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312393
Yeah, it does make itself apparent sometimes. In the form of mispellings and plot holes like how Anon just randomly found his clothes at the market.
I sure do hope he takes care of himself so we don't find out he's been running shirtless chasing birds at the end of this.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312487
the one that gets me is when an entirely different word is used in place of the one that was actually supposed to be used
>she could sight of a bird
poor guy's brain must be beyond autopilot at this point

[Anonymous No.]

Maybe the real KMS was the friends we made along the way

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312501
>she could sight of a bird
Where does it say that?
I even crtl f for it and only found your post

[Anonymous No.]

I literally translate the posts using google translate so I can't notice any mistakes, kek

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312552
why would you do this to yourself?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312552
basado

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312552
hermano...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312552
bom dia

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312563
I can read english but it's a lot of work (like reading upside down) so I just translate

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312577
Bom dia anão

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312525
sorry, you have to be at least this schizophrenic to read

[Anonymous No.]

>>45312585
bom dia, meu nobre! Passa tudo, por favor.

[Anonymous No.]

Does marisa count as an honorary redhead?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45314508
It goes against the current canon so no

[Anonymous No.]

>>45314508
There's only enough space for one redhead in Anon's hearth

[Anonymous No.]

>>45315035
Imagine if one of anon and Yamame's kids is a redhead
He'd spoil her to death and she'd probably be kisami 2.0

[Anonymous No.]

>>45314508
If she were she would already be a anon victim

[Anonymous No.]

Now that I was carrying my long-lost T-shirts from Lady Hecatia, I needed to do something with them. I was still standing outside the stall that Koishi had been running, and she'd disappeared off down the street, so I didn't want to look like I was up to no good. Especially since half the village thought I was dead anyway, so I'd look like some shady poltergeist stealing things if I hung around here. Surreptitiously looking around, I stuffed my two recovered T-shirts into pockets of my coat, thankful that Yamame had sewed a large pocket on the inside of the coat too. Now, I just looked like I might be a little fat rather than a thief.

And I couldn't spend all day walking around with the two T-shirts in my coat, so I decided to double back and head back to the café where Yamame was hopefully still discussing work with Kagerou, and see if she couldn't hide the clothes somewhere until it was time for us to leave. The fact that I was not considering my own house as a place to store my own clothes was not lost on me, and I almost stopped when I passed by, but I then had a feeling like my brain had just been submerged in a freezing river and so I decided to move on for now. Instead, I pushed through the entrance to the café. "Welcome to- Oh, it's you." My favourite greeting by my favourite waitress. I looked over at Oseki, who frowned at me. "Did you gain some weight?" She asked, and I looked at her strangely for a moment, then shook my head. "So...Are you here for something to eat or drink?" Not exactly, I replied, looking across the café. And happily, there they were. Kagerou was wearing that same cloak that she wanted replaced, and Yamame was talking animatedly to her about something that I couldn't quite hear. I pointed vaguely in their direction and said that I was with them. "With - Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense." I frowned and looked down at her. It did? "Huh? O-Oh, er, yeah. I mean, you were talking to Kagerou when she was working here last week, right? And that's your s- I, er, mean...Who's that she's talking to?" Oseki sounded very scattered and I asked her if she was feeling alright. "Fine!" She replied sharply. "Just go and sit down or, uh, whatever!" She awkwardly shuffled off back toward the kitchens, leaving me standing there and only feeling slightly confused. Oseki was nice, but it seemed like her general reticence when it came to talking was there for a reason. She seemed to get flustered fairly easily.

Either way, I shrugged and proceeded over to Yamame and Kagerou, who paused their discussion at my approach. "Hi, hi!" Kagerou greeted me cheerily, waving me over. "I need to thank you for bringing Yamame along again! She's so good at this clothing stuff!" I sat down wearily next to Yamame, who looked at me with a slightly weak smile.

"It's, um, nothing. I just try my best." Yamame said, sounding like the compliment was defeating her slightly. She looked over to me. "Are you okay?" She asked, and I nodded with a little confusion. Then, I reached into my coat and pulled out the T-shirts that I'd gotten back from Koishi and passed them over to her. I asked her quietly if she could keep them safe for me before I somehow lost them again, and despite the apparent desire to know just what I was talking about, she nodded. "Um, okay...?" She took them and placed them on her lap.

"What's, uh, going on over there...?" Kagerou asked, staring between us. We both whipped around and stammered something about how everything was fine. "Right..." Kagerou slowly nodded. "Should I, er, give you a minute?" No, no, I said. I was just checking in. I stumbled back to my feet and gave Yamame a kiss on the forehead. I was still happy to go for another walk around the village. But, I continued, it was good to see Kagerou again and I'd be happy to attend another Grassroots Youkai Network meeting in the future. Yamame, surprisingly, agreed and said that she would be happy to come too. I lightly rubbed the small of her back which sent a shiver through her and smiled encouragingly at her.

Business accomplished, I bade farewell for now and saw myself out, only pausing to give Oseki a curious look when I heard her mutter something about freeloaders who don't even buy anything. She simply stared at me in what I hoped to be mock contempt as I waved goodbye at her and stepped back outside.

Being that Winter was well on its way, the days were getting shorter, but I reckoned that I still had some time left in the sunlight, which I needed since living with Yamame had brought the amount of sunlight I was getting down by a fairly significant amount. I decided that I would go and sit by the canal and just watch life in the village go buy, so I turned down the first alley I saw.

[Anonymous No.]

And then, my usual luck kicked in. "Freeze, punk." I heard a feminine voice, clearly used to speaking at a higher pitch but trying to force it as low as possible, spoke sharply, and I felt something prodding me in the back. "Hands above your head." Slowly, wondering just what I'd gotten myself into this time, I raised my hands. "No sudden movements, y'hear?" Slowly, I nodded. "Now, I got some questions for you, so how about you come on down to the station with me..." At that, I finally felt my curiosity win out and turned my head so I could try and see over my shoulder. "I said freeze, dirtbag!" But my incredulity was now the winning part, because I found myself turning just slightly, so I could see her better. Mostly out of general confusion and disbelief at the absolutely absurdity that was now unfolding.

There was a girl in front of me. She was tiny, coming somewhere above my navel but not quite up to my chest. Nai-sized, I supposed. And, she looked like royalty. Her kimono was a rich purple - always a difficult colour to acquire and usually a sign of wealth - and had curious patterns stitched into it that somewhat reminded me of a flower. Her hair was a rich red, tied into a large ponytail at the back, yet somehow still managing to stick up in every direction at the front. Her eyes were also red, and looked like she was enjoying this whole thing way too much.

"That's it, buddy!" She yelled, then actually pounced at me. Actually pounced! I was still struggling to process it when she landed on my back. Despite her size, she was stronger than she looked, and she was hitting me in the head, so even though I had the overwhelming height and weight advantage, I did find myself stumbling. Eventually, I stumbled just a little too much and tripped, crashing into the floor on my stomach with a cheer of excitement from the tiny redhead. "I'm arresting you for obstruction of justice and resisting arrest! Get your hands behind your back!" I could probably have just...Stood up, but I didn't seem to be in any immediate danger and I somewhat doubted that this girl was going to hurt me all that much, so I decided to oblige her and then let out a few noises of discomfort when she pulled my wrists closer together behind my back. When I felt some sort of cold metal press against my wrists, and then realised that I couldn't actually pull my arms apart, I started to feel a little concerned, but at that point, I really didn't have much say in the whole situation. "Alright, get up!" The girl who I was starting to think was a little crazy shouted at me.

It was a bit of a struggle without the use of my hands, but I managed to struggle up to my feet eventually, the girl watching me with crossed arms. "I'm taking you in for interrogation, you crook! No funny business or I might just have to haul you in after you've been knocked out!" I somewhat doubted that she'd actually succeed at that threat, but I decided to just let things progress. I'd never heard of anything like this in the village before, and the girl was definitely human and probably young, so I figured I'd just play along and hope I ran into Reimu along the way so she could free me. I couldn't shout for Yamame even though I was right next to the café, since the crazy girl would probably attack me again.

And in a way, I supposed that it was good news for me that no one seemed particularly bothered by the sight of me stumbling through the village with my hands cuffed behind my back and a girl barely even half my size shouting at me to stop resisting as she stepped on the back of my shoes to make me trip every now and then. Some people looked with a sort of sympathetic smile, a couple laughed, and one or two drunken old men stepping out of the pub shouted for her to give me hell. I decided to ignore that particular set of comments and hope that the other comments meant that this was something a regular and non-threatening occurrence. Still, I couldn't say it wasn't embarrassing. "I've been wanting to have a little chat with you." She was speaking as she pushed me on through the village, making no attempts to spare me any embarrassment as I was seen by more and more people. "Apprehending suspicious characters are part of what being a good police officer is about, after all. And you're the most suspicious character I've ever heard of!" By this point, we were back to being somewhere near the temple, and as we passed through the market again, I saw that the stall which Koishi had manned was still empty.

[Anonymous No.]

Finally, the crazy girl pushed me to a building which looked like a regular house, but had a smaller side building attached to it. It was in the more affluent part of the village, so I assumed that the girl really was royalty. "Inside, punk! Into the interrogation room!" And she dragged me through the door and into a small room which contained a desk full of papers, a table and two chairs on either side. The desk, I noticed, had some sort of hooks in them, but I wasn't sure what they were for. The papers didn't seem to actually have anything on them, but I didn't mention it. She forced me into one of the seats and uncuffed me, only to cuff one of my hands to the hook things so that I couldn't leave the table. "Right!" She said brightly. "Right..." She stepped over to the desk, apparently searching for some things, then joined me at the desk and sat on the opposite side. "Officer Kotohime, interrogating detained suspect." She said, writing something down in the notebook she had carried over. "Now, I'll start simple." She reached into her kimono and extracted three papers, which she slammed down on the desk one after the other. "I've got witness statements, from members of the community. All of them evidence concerning your dangerous and strange behaviour!"

I cast my eyes down at the papers she had slammed onto the table. All of them were written in the same handwriting. Not one of them had identified me by name. And finally, none of them seemed to be anything that actually sounded incriminating. "Here, in the middle of summer, you were seen in the company of a strange woman!" That could be anyone, I protested. "Quiet!" Kotohime yelled at me. "And here, you were seen wearing strange items of clothing that had dangerous messages!" They were a gift, and even if they were a little strange, so what? I'd been trying to get back from- "Shut up! I'm doing the talking!" She shouted again. Apparently, I wasn't the first person she'd done this to, so even though I had actually done the things in the statements, I imagined that she'd just taken any old situation that I'd been seen in as her 'evidence'. "Finally, I've got a statement saying that you died after falling to your death out in the mountains. How do you answer that, wise guy?" I stared at her. Clearly, Kogasa Tatara's hysteria was just as widespread as I'd feared. That farmer I'd spoken to had said much of the same, but I'd hoped that he was just overexaggerating. Well, I said, obviously the rumours of my death were greatly exaggerated. "Oh, come on, you think that sort of weak excuse will fly with me?" Kotohime said in a mocking tone, slamming her hand on the desk again, which made me jump. "You're a youkai, aren't you?"

...What? "You heard me, a youkai! You died and came back as a youkai!" Surely, she realised how ridiculous that sounded. You couldn't just die and show up again as a youkai. What would you even be? A youkai of falling down a hole? "And how do you know so much about the process, huh? Because it's how you came back, am I wrong?" Common sense, I replied. And Miss Kamishirasawa's temple school, not to mention the countless hours I'd spent at Suzunaan as a child reading anything I could find, plenty of which had involved youkai being born in strange ways, but never in the way that Kotohime suspected that I was. "That's a lot of words for a pointless explanation! You're suspicious and I think you're conspiring with the Shrine Maiden to destroy the village!" With...What? This whole thing made no sense. "Aha! Got you now, haven't I!?" I just stared at her. She reached into her kimono and pulled out one last piece of 'evidence', this one a statement and a scribbled sketch that showed what could potentially be me along with Reimu, Tenshi and Marisa in the café, discussing something. "This is my eyewitness testimony, and it states that you were conspiring with three other suspects to destroy and attack people!" I...really didn't think that was the case. Surely, she was smart enough not to believe that? "You can't sweet-talk your way out of this one!"

If I'd thought that I was confused before, it was even worse now. "I've got more evidence, too." She began pulling more and more statements out, and I started to wonder where she'd been hiding them all. "You were spotted in the village wearing a strange new outfit - The same one you're wearing now - and in the company of a suspicious, unknown blonde girl!" My 'date' with Yamame, where Hearn had kidnapped us. I didn't mention it out loud, and instead said that she had no proof that I'd done anything wrong. "So you have done something wrong?" She asked, jumping to an illogical conclusion again. I shook my head. She stared at me for a few moments longer. "I'm calling for a break. Get your thoughts in order, and when I come back, you can tell me all about your conspiracy to destroy the village." I shouted that I had no such plans as she left the room and slammed the door behind me, leaving me alone.

[Anonymous No.]

This, I had to admit, hadn't been on my list of expected events to happen today. I'd half been worried about being kidnapped by Hearn again, since that always seemed to happen randomly, but I hadn't been expecting to be...Well, basically kidnapped by a girl who was, again, barely half my size. And honestly, I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do now. All I could really hope for was that there was someone else in the house with Kotohime who could come and free me eventually, or I might be stuck getting questioned by a crazy girl for ages, and she hadn't even bothered to kidnap me to an exotic locale and give me tasty food to eat like the last crazy girl to kidnap me.

I wasn't sure how long I was sitting in the room for, but it felt like a long while. After an experimental for minutes trying to get the handcuffs off, I was forced to admit defeat. They were made out of metal and even with the peach, there was no way I could just break them off. I did realise that the table wasn't secured to the floor in any way, so I managed to pull it toward the desk, and I was confused to find that nothing on the desk actually said anything. The stacks of paper were all blank, and the only things with any actual information on them were the things laid out in the centre of the desk. Even then, they were just more witness statements that didn't seem to relate to me in any way.

Realising that I'd probably be stuck even longer if Kotohime found me at her desk, I forced the table back over to where it had been and tried to meditate, like Lady Kasen had taught me. Yamame would be worried. So would Reimu, and that was a little heartening at least. There were people who would notice that I was missing.

The door was thrown open again and Kotohime strolled back through. Her outfit had changed. Gone was the kimono, replaced with a waistcoat, a long-sleeved white shirt complete with a tie, and a tight-looking skirt with dark tights. "Alright, let's continue." She told me, returning to her seat. "You were going to attack the village." I wasn't, I told her frostily. And I wanted to leave. "Answer my questions, and you can go." I was starting to feel claustrophobic, because it was starting to look less and less certain that I'd be leaving any time soon. It was starting to activate some of my deep traumas, that fear of being powerless and completely at someone else's mercy. "Answer the question! You were planning to destroy the village, weren't you!?" I wasn't, I shouted back. "Shut up!" She roared. "You wanted to kill all the humans like the youkai you are, didn't you!?" No, I roared in return. I tried to stand, but the cuffs pulled me back down. "Getting rowdy, are we?" She asked, her tone dangerous. "Perhaps a night in the cells will sort you out." She uncuffed me from the table, then secured the cuff onto my other wrist, leaving my hands bound, but at least they were bound in front of me this time. Then, she began to drag me out of the room and through the house. Before I knew it, I was in a room, and in the middle of the room were a lot of metal bars. Kotohime pushed me through the doors and slammed them shut behind me, locking me inside. I gazed at the key in her hand with mounting horror. At that point, I lost control and screamed, shaking the bars and alternating between threats and pleas for her to release me. "I knew you were trouble!" She smugly shouted. "Stay there and think about what you've done!" And then she left me there, slamming the door behind her.

[Anonymous No.]

I stumbled numbly to a corner and collapsed, holding my head in my hands. It was okay, I thought. Breathe deeply, like Lady Kasen taught me. In, and out. In, and out.

The wait was even more agonizing, but eventually, the door opened. "Oh, for - Seriously!?" I looked up in hope and relief. And there was Reimu Hakurei, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. She turned back to Kotohime, who was walking in behind her. "You know you can't keep doing this." She told the redhead. "It's about ten different kinds of wrong. If you've got problems, come to me."

"He was a suspicious character!" Kotohime replied sharply. "I can handle suspicious characters!"

"He's under my protection. Open it up." Reimu, my saviour, told Kotohime, who scowled herself, but did open the cell. I rushed out, wrapped my arms around Reimu, and tried not to burst into tears. "Y-Yes, it's, uh, fine. Come on, let's get you out of here." She led me out of the room, then out of the building and into the fresh air. The sun was sinking in the sky, casting a strange blue sheen to everything. "I'm telling you this for the last time, Kotohime. Stop trying to arrest people yourself!" Kotohime didn't respond, and instead stormed inside, slamming the door behind her. Reimu sighed heavily, then turned to me. "Come on, let's...have a chat." She led me toward a small green area, the grass not quite finished withering under Winter's touch. There was a bench there, so Reimu sat down and invited me to join her. I did, feeling like I'd tried to climb the mountain in one go.

"Yamame found me." Reimu said, looking down at her clasped hands. "Worried sick, as you might imagine. She couldn't find you anywhere. I managed to calm her down and told her that I'd have you back before sundown, which I've managed." She gave me a thin smile, but I didn't manage to return it. "So, I assume you have questions." I asked her just what the hell had happened. "That was...A scar. Like you. Like plenty of others that night. She's one of the pieces of scar tissue left by that youkai attack that took your parents." Reimu's voice was serious, and I wondered just what I'd stumbled into. "The attack happened, and she lost her parents too. Not to youkai, but to the fires that they started. But unlike you, she was taken in by her grandparents. They treated her like the princess that her name suggests, but the attack did an even bigger number on her mind than it did on you. She thinks that she's a police officer. I think she got the term from one of the outside world books in Suzunaan, but it's why she acts...Like that."

I stared at Reimu, then shivered. "That night was bad. It's why the Spell Card Rules were invented. It's why we don't tolerate youkai trying to disturb the balance. She acts the way she does because...Well, I think it's because it lets her feel like she's in control." I sighed heavily and dropped my face into my hands. "Try not to blame her." Reimu told me quietly. "She can't help it. I've had to come and free poor trapped villagers from her before, and I think her grandparents indulge her a little too much, but that's not my place, and she's fairly quiet otherwise." Did Reimu try and protect her, like she had with me? "No. Not really. You were a special case, and she's naturally strong. It's not real youkai she has to worry about. It's the monsters in her own head." I'd thought it fairly funny when she'd first accosted me, but I hadn't expected an outcome like this. Was she older than I thought? "She was a young teenager when the attack happened, but I'd met her before that. There was a race, a long time ago. Most of us participating were little more than kids. She was involved, but she didn't win. Neither did I, actually. The girl who won was...Uh..." Reimu frowned and scratched her head. "Elly? Eren? Something like that."

After a few moments, Reimu pulled me to my feet. "I'd better get you back to Yamame before she has a panic attack or something. Just...Try to put that behind you." I'd do my best, I told Reimu. It'd just join all the other bad things that I'd need to talk to Eirin about at some point. "...Great." Reimu told me, but she didn't sound all too happy about it. We set back off through the village, and I took solace in being in the fresh air again.

And when Yamame, waiting by the café, caught sight of me and tackled me to the ground in the tightest hug I'd ever had, tears streaming down her face, I felt a little better.

[Anonymous No.]

Officer...

[Anonymous No.]

The eventual remi meeting is looking more and more dire by the day

[Anonymous No.]

>>45318559
Honestly, i'd like him to meet Flan first somehow, only to exacerbate his eventual meeting with Remi.

[Anonymous No.]

I never imagined that a kotohime chapter would be a sad chapter

[Anonymous No.]

>>45308814
>I squinted at the windows, where I'd once set a tiny plant pot with the pit from the peach that Tenshi had given me
I totally forgot about it by now, weren't we supposed to come and see Yuuka and check how Anon's sapling is doing?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45322031
Might as well do it now, perhaps Yuuka wants to join the get together at the lake, that way anon introduces her to Hong.

[Anonymous No.]

Needs more witch bullying in the next chapter

[Anonymous No.]

>>45318228
>The girl who won was...Uh..." Reimu frowned and scratched her head. "Elly? Eren? Something like that."
Wait so if Ellen won PoDD in this story, does that mean she actually opened a magic shop on Hakurei shrine grounds? I imagine Reimu would remember what was basically her first freeloader.

If I didn't expect to see Koishi last chapter, then I would have thought it completely impossible that Kotohime would even appear in the story, holy crap. I was wondering where the hell we would be going with her once she was introduced, and tying her into the vampire incident is the last thing I would have guessed.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45325332
>reimu would remember her first freeloader
it's a miracle if reimu remembers who someone is at all, since she flat out forgets that rumia and cirno exist after EoSD
she probably got sick of it and kicked ellen off of the shrine grounds after a while, which also means that she might actually still be around but running the shop from somewhere else

[Anonymous No.]

>>45325358
>it's a miracle if reimu remembers who someone is at all
I'd say someone freeloading on her property counts as one of those miracles. She at least has a pretty good track record of remembering people who especially annoy her

[Anonymous No.]

>>45325358
marisa may the body of a fairy, but reimu has the memory of one, if she hasn't seen a person in a season they might as well not exist.
Poor girl lacks object permanence.

[Anonymous No.]

"She...Arrested you?" Eirin asked me, lowering her clipboard. "With - With handcuffs?" I nodded, trying not to betray my embarrassment. "And she took you to what she referred to as an interrogation room, which was itself a room on the side of...Her house?" I nodded again. "And there, she interrogated you on things that you are certain were false. She disregarded everything you said and shouted at you repeatedly, before locking you in a small room that you couldn't leave." Eirin finished, summarising the strange and wholly unpleasant situation that had befell me the previous day. "For hours?" I guessed so, but once I'd started panicking, I probably couldn't have told her what day it was, let alone the hour. "That is not going to be good for your mental state."

Yamame, who was always more or less an angel, gave me a hug. She had accompanied me to Eientei on this occasion, since Reimu had confessed that she was a little worried that Kotohime might fixate on some other poor villager and wanted to keep an eye on her, as well as having to supervise the Shrine's maintenance. I'd smiled weakly and thanked her after she had escorted Yamame, who was still fairly teary-eyed, and myself out of the village and in the direction of the caves. She'd told me to come back to the Shrine the next day, at which point I had told her of my desire for another session with Eirin. Thus, here I was, with Yamame. "I thought he'd been kidnapped by-" She cut herself off, her eyes slipping to the floor.

Eirin, as was usually the case, looked emotionlessly between us. "Ah." She spoke. "You thought that I had experienced a relapse and had attempted to kidnap him." She didn't carry any real blame in her voice. "As I explained to him on his last visit, the situation that led to my mental state during the Summer and Autumn months will not happen again. You have nothing to fear from me." Yamame, as expected, didn't look entirely convinced, but I put my hand on her knee and gave her a weak smile, and she slowly nodded. "I've heard of Miss Kotohime before." Eirin said, getting up from her chair and approaching her desk. She sifted through some files and pulled out a strange object, flat but thicker than a sheet of paper, with a dark, slightly reflective screen. "Delusions." she said, tapping the screen, which lit up in a way I hadn't expected. "However, I shall not reveal too much, for it would be betraying her trust." She turned the object toward me, and I was surprised to see a picture, like the ones in the books at Suzunaan, but far more detailed. On it, Kotohime stood, wearing her kimono and with all the aura of a princess, and none of the craziness that I'd seen on the previous day. "The issues only emerged somewhat recently. Previously, she was far more stable." Eirin took the object back and made the screen dark again, then slid it back into her desk. "Fortunately, you were left physically unharmed, although I'm certain that the experience was mentally straining."

"Straining!" Yamame repeated, taking hold of my arm. "How could anyone do that to another villager!?" She looked me up and down despite my quizzical glance. "Look at him! He's so cutesy and unassuming!" Cutesy? I repeated her words incredulously. I’d hoped for something more like ‘handsome’, or at the very least ‘Alright when drunk’, but…Cutesy? "If I didn't know any better, I’d-"

"Let me stop you there." Eirin said, raising a hand. "It would be better if you do not disclose any plans or potential plans that you may have. Especially if they concern harming a villager." My hand was still on Yamame's knee, so I squeezed it slightly and she tightened her grip on my arm just slightly in response. "Now, I fear that I have prior commitments, so I was have to bring this session to a close. Before I do, however, tell me something." Eirin levelled her steely gaze at me. "Are you still having bad dreams?" I'd had one the previous night, presumably due to being trapped in that small room. Otherwise...I couldn't remember them all, but I suspected that I was still having some. "Hm." Eirin hummed. "I can prescribe you some of my Dream Butterfly Pills, which would provide a temporary solution. Addressing the root cause of your issues would be more ideal, though." Well, I muttered, that was what these sessions were supposed to be about, right? Eirin gave me a thin smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Right." She repeated.

And that was the end of that. Eirin seemed to be busy with Winter approaching, but still told me to come back as soon as I could. Just before we left, She caught Yamame on the way out and asked if she was behaving herself. "If I'm - What?" Yamame replied sharply. Eirin stared her down. "I never deliberately spread an illness, you know. Only in self-defence, and that’s petered out recently, so..."

[Anonymous No.]

"I see. Ensure you continue to do so." Eirin told her, turning and disappearing into the halls that led back toward the clinic. Yamame and I were left standing there, watching her go, and Yamame shivered slightly.

"Ugh." Yamame mumbled. "Even when she's not trying to track you down and dissect you, she's still creepy." I shrugged and said that I felt like she probably needed someone to talk to just as much as I did. "Maybe, but even so..." She shook her head. "Let's just...Get out of here." She took my hand, squeezing it tightly, and I drew in as much comfort from the gesture as I could. We walked through the corridors of Eientei, which I'd happily remembered by now, so I could find the way back myself. In no time at all, we were in the clinic, where Tewi was manning the reception desk instead of Reisen. She didn't say anything, but she did wave lazily as we passed, and I waved back in acknowledgement.

The reason that Reisen wasn't at the desk became apparent as Yamame and I walked out of the gates of Eientei and made our way through the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Roughly halfway through, I spotted the Medicine Seller who appeared in the village coming in our direction. She'd clearly not been expecting us, because she was in the process of taking her hat off and letting her long rabbit ears stick up, which she hastily tried and failed to hide again. Admitting defeat, she gave a begrudging nod as we passed each other. "Was that the rabbit from Eientei?" Yamame asked me. I nodded, looking over my shoulder to see that she'd taken off in a sprint, holding the straps of her massive backpack with both hands. "Huh. I think I've seen her once or twice. She always looked a little stressed." That had not changed, I told her.

I was happy to get out of the Bamboo Forest of the Lost and back into the village, though I did feel like I had to watch over my shoulder slightly just in case any crazy redheads were watching me. It really wasn't doing any favours for my paranoia. Yamame, however, was, so I tried to focus on her as we headed down the street instead. I thought it was helping, and I felt like I could breathe a little easier, and then we turned onto a different street and my feet froze as I realised that I'd made something of a faux pas, which was a term I'd found in a book that I'd read at Suzunaan, but hadn't really taken full meaning of until just now.
There was a women in the middle of the street. She held a parasol over her shoulder and even at a distance, I could tell just how imposing she was. Her mossy green hair cascaded down to her shoulders in bushy curls, and I watched as her long skirt swayed with her steps and found that it made me more nervous than anything else. Yamame hadn't noticed her yet, and she turned to me with a frown. "Are you, uh, okay? You're kind of...frozen." I swallowed, then shakily nodded. I'd just...Made a mistake. I hadn't spoken to the woman since before I'd had to flee the village. I'd not even met Yamame when I had first met Yuuka Kazami.
And then she turned, her blood-red eyes catching mine, and when they narrowed, I felt that primal part of my brain screaming at me to run as she began to walk toward us. I wasn't sure I could regardless, and Yamame looked between me and Miss Yuuka, and then she made a little noise of realisation. "Oh! Is that...?" I nodded slowly, then finally took in a deep breath and got myself under control. I could handle this. I remembered her being fairly pleasant, if a little scary.

Miss Yuuka stopped in front of us. She was another abnormally tall woman, managing to stand above me by a small amount. "I told you to seek me out if you wanted an update on your peach tree." Her voice was still smoother than the sweetest sake, and all the more dangerous for it. She spoke as if she’d seen me just yesterday, even though it must have been months since we’d last spoken. She'd not actually done anything threatening to me, nor had she done anything of the sort when I'd first met her, but she had a feel about her that just made everything she said seem a little bit scary. "I told you to approach me if you saw me in the village. " She bore down on me, and I just barely managed to keep myself from shrinking back. "You have done neither. Am I to take this as an indication that you are not interested in the endeavour that you entrusted me with?" I somewhat frantically shook my head. I paused, then, because I couldn't think of a single sentence short enough to adequately explain everything that had happened since I'd seen Miss Yuuka. "No?" Miss Yuuka asked, her head tilting slightly. "And...Who do we have here?" She asked, her head turning to Yamame, who did manage to hold her ground. "You're a youkai, aren't you?" She stated plainly, but thankfully it was quiet enough that no one else heard her, though there were few people around anyway.

[Anonymous No.]

"Um, yes." Yamame said. "Yamame Kurodani. Nice to, um, meet you." She bowed awkwardly, unable to go particularly deep thanks to how close Miss Yuuka was standing.

"I've heard your name before." Miss Yuuka said curiously. She looked back at me. "Well, there is simply nothing for it. Will you visit now?" She looked between Yamame and I, and though she phrased it as a question, I found that it felt more like a statement. I cast my eyes over to Yamame, who looked at me and nodded. Turning back to Miss Yuuka, I slowly agreed. "Excellent." She said with a warm smile, and before I could say or do anything, she had grasped my wrist and lifted into the air, just as she had done the first time I had met her. I yelped slightly, but kept myself mostly under control, and once I was already hanging, I saw that Yamame - checking around herself to make sure no one was watching - had taken to the air and caught up with us at speed.

I really, really needed to try and learn how to fly. This was getting embarrassing. I'd mostly calmed down once we'd been in the air for a minute or so because I really didn't have much choice. The peach had protected me from the worst of the fall after Miss Yuuka had dropped me just a little above ground, but I still hoped that she wouldn't drop me now. The air was freezing cold, and even with my coat I could feel the wind rushing through the sleeves and chilling my arms. It made me wonder how the Garden of the Sun was managing in the Winter, because I'd seen it in the middle of Summer when the sunflowers had all been in full bloom. That said, I couldn't see anything except what was behind me from where I was being dragged through the air.

And suddenly we were over the fields. Inexplicably, the sunflowers were still present, though they did look like they were close to wilting. Still, that was a curious change from everywhere outside of the Garden of the Sun, where the flowers had already died off. As had happened the last time I was here, Miss Yuuka carried - Dragged - me along, over a large number of sunflower fields until other flowers began to crowd in, taking up the space until the field below me was awash with colours. And then, Miss Yuuka dropped me. Again, I felt like my heart had stopped until I hit the ground and bounced along a few times before coming to a halt and lying on my back. I groaned in pain, but nothing seemed to be broken or in actual danger. It just ached a lot. Slowly, I let my head fall back onto the ground.

After a few minutes, I heard talking, and managed to lift my head. Yamame was talking to Miss Yuuka, and after another moment, she jogged over to me. "You're okay, right?" I nodded but said that I ached a lot. "Come on, I'll help you up." She crouched down and pulled me first into a seated position, then up to my feet, where I staggered slightly but managed to regain my footing. “I wasn’t expecting her to drag you off like that. I nearly went to Reimu, but you didn’t seem as worried as I’d expected.” I nodded weakly. She’d done the same thing last time, too.

"Stand here." I heard Miss Yuuka say, and I looked over at her. She beckoned me over and I stumbled over, trying to massage some feeling back into my body from the fall. "Here." She said, taking my hand. "It will still hurt." She told me, and I remembered the pain I had felt the first time, just in time to feel it again. I groaned and staggered back again, massaging both temples as pain shot through them. When I looked up, it was to see the massive mansion that I had seen the first time I had been here had appeared again. "Follow me." Miss Yuuka said. I tried to stumble forward, but Yamame had to take my arm and guide me until the pain calmed down and I could think straight again. Then, I looked over to the side, where Miss Yuuka was walking and gasped.

There was a huge tree there. Massive, taller than the tallest building in the village. It was bare of leaves, but I was certain that it had not been there the last time I was here, and I was also certain that it was in the exact same spot that I had accompanied Miss Yuuka to on my last visit. I approached it slowly, staring up at it and trying to understand how something that massive could have appeared in only a few months. "It is my life to know about plants and trees, yet I confess that even I was somewhat stumped when this particular tree grew this fast." Miss Yuuka said, staring up at the tree with her arms crossed. Yamame and I stopped next to her, looking up in wonder. "I knew that it was a Heavenly Peach, so I suspected that it might have some additional qualities that I wasn't aware of, but this? No, I didn't understand at all."

[Anonymous No.]

I was surprised to hear her admit that she had no idea. I had thought that most youkai would have died before admitting to a human that they didn't know something, especially one who had the dangerous aura that Miss Yuuka had. I tentatively asked if this was really the tiny peach pit I had given to Miss Yuuka. "Yes. The same one. In the end, I chose to accept it. Trees and plants keep their secrets as readily as any human or youkai, and I respect them for that. It won't be in bloom until next Spring, of course, but the fact that it is already so large can only mean that it is a very healthy tree."

Miss Yuuka regarded it for a few seconds more. "Perhaps it is for the best that you didn't come for an update sooner. It allows you to truly understand the difference between when you helped me plant the pit to now. However, I would still appreciate an explanation. Come." Miss Yuuka turned, beckoning us to follow her as she walked toward the house. Suddenly, I remembered the threat she had made to me on my first visit, so I voiced my concerns and asked if I wasn't going to get my limbs torn off for this. To my surprise, Miss Yuuka laughed, a refined sort of giggle, the type I thought that I might have seen from a princess like Wakasagihime, and said that she was inviting us in. She was a curious woman, I thought. The contradictory feelings I got between her words and actions, which were perfectly pleasant, and her general aura, which made me feel a little nervous for my life made it difficult for me to understand her.

Yamame caught up with me and took my hand. "Is this your home, Miss Kazami?"

"It is, and it isn't." Miss Yuuka confirmed as she led us up the steps to the patio in front of the main door. "You could call it my Summer home. The one that exists in this world." I had no real idea what to make of that, and it didn't seem that Yamame did either. She swung open the double doors and stepped inside. "Please wipe your shoes before you enter." The youkai told us, disappearing inside. Yamame and I looked at each other, then realised that we really didn't have much choice unless we wanted to insult her, so we stepped inside and wiped our feet on the provided coarse welcome mat. Miss Yuuka was waiting for us, placing her folded up parasol into a small pot. "Follow me, and do your best not to stray. The inhabitants of this place may take offense." That sounded dangerous, so I took Yamame's hand and made sure that we stayed close to Miss Yuuka as she led us through the bright interior of the mansion. The hallways had rich, red carpets with darker walls, reminding me somewhat of the Vampire's mansion, but with far more taste. Sunlight poured in through the windows, which were large and plentiful. Perhaps, I thought with a slight derision that I forced down, it was because Sakuya Izayoi was not involved.

"Have you been here before?" Yamame whispered to me, and I shook my head. Only the outside, I whispered back. Miss Yuuka had threatened me more than well enough to not even dream of entering without her permission. "It's...Quite pretty, actually..." I agreed quietly. "I bet children would love to run around a place this big." I wondered privately where that had come from but chalked it up to Yamame thinking of her sisters.

"In here, please." Miss Yuuka said, leading us to a door somewhere deep inside the mansion. I couldn't say where we were in relation to the outside, but it didn't seem to be like the twisting corridors of Eientei or the monotonous, never-ending corridors of the Vampire's mansion either. Miss Yuuka pulled the door open and beckoned for Yamame and I to step inside. Inside was nothing but a tiny corridor leading to another, more ornate door with stained-glass patterns running through it. It was far lighter here. "The botanical garden. One of them, at least." She said, pushing us through the second door and stepping in behind us, then closing the door behind us.

[Anonymous No.]

It was a massive room, stretching much further than any room I'd expected. The windows immediately next to the door we'd entered from also had stained glass, though this was more traditional and consisted of coloured pieces surrounded by lead cames. The walls all the way down were clear glass, and the ceiling was also made of glass, though the very centre was a translucent white. And most importantly, the room was filled with plants. Everything I could imagine, from bluebells to foxtrots, red spider lilies to red camellia. I only knew those because each plant was meticulously labelled, despite the entire room feeling more like being in a wild garden rather than an indoor room. Ever colour I could imagine was represented here, and I imagined that trying to understand everything I was seeing would take me a very long time. Yamame looked very amazed too, because her mouth was hanging open slightly and she was staring, wide-eyed, at everything around her. "Miss Kazami, this is beautiful..." She mumbled breathlessly. Seeing an opportunity to make up slightly for all the times that she had taken care of me, I prodded her in the side and reminded her to breathe.

Miss Yuuka led us through the botanical garden. "Don't touch that one. It's poisonous to humans." She told me, indicating a fiery-orange plant that I kept my hands away from. Eventually, she reached a part of the room with slightly more space, where there was a table with four chairs, and another large plant in the centre. "Sit." She told us, and I sat without really thinking. After a moment, Yamame joined me. "Would you like some tea?" She asked us, and we nodded. It was a change from Miss Yuuka's usual personality of being very direct, but I wouldn't say it was unwelcome. Miss Yuuka disappeared for a few moments, but then returned with a tray on which sat three cups and a teapot. She placed two of the cups in front of us and then sat down at the round table.

"Um, are these all yours, Miss Kazami?" Yamame asked, taking a delicate sip of her tea. I followed suit and found it to be rather delicious.

"Just Yuuka." Miss Yuuka replied.

"Um, Yuuka-"

Miss Yuuka's sharp eyes caught Yamame in their gaze, "Miss Yuuka. And yes, these plants are under my care."

"Th-They're beautiful, Miss Yuuka." Yamame stammered slightly, and I grasped her hand tightly underneath the table. The impression that Yuuka Kazami had given me was that she was perfectly pleasant as long as she was not trifled with. Obey her rules, and you'd be fine. Break them, and...Well, you'd probably be feeding the flowers. "I, um, wanted to ask...Why are they still in full bloom at this time of year? And the sunflowers outside, too..."

"All that grows in the fields of the Garden of the Sun are exceptionally hardy. The recent incident during which the Garden of the Sun became permanently locked in the height of Summer has contributed to this, and the effects have been slow to fade. The plants outside will wither by the time Winter truly begins, but the ones in here are kept at the perfect temperatures and climates to thrive." She smiled, and I caught sight of her perfect, yet sharp-looking teeth. "I am very careful with those under my care." She told us. "I wish to understand what kept you from answering me when I asked you why you had made no effort to visit me." Miss Yuuka told me, her eyes now boring into me. "I returned to your home once, and it was being used by a youkai from the underground. Can you explain this?" She asked me, slightly more gently than she had acted outside. I paused again, because really, it was a very long story. "Judging from the look upon your face, human, there is more to this than I yet understand." I nodded and remarked that saying that was probably an understatement.

Still, I supposed, I could do my best. I took a sip of my tea and began trying to work out how to best go about explaining why I had been absent for so long. In the end, I decided to stick to Eientei, and skip all the other details for new.

Besides, if Shameimaru found out that I'd explained my entire life story to someone other than her, she might make good on her threat to kidnap me for the other tengu on the mountain.

[Anonymous No.]

PC-98 enjoyers eating real good with these last couple chapters. Wonder if we'll see Eri or Ellen or whatever her name is.

>>45326275
>"Look at him! He's so cutesy and unassuming!" Cutesy?
Heh, I remember that from one of the early threads. Those references here and there convinced me to finally give that comic a read. It was good.

>>45326293
>The hallways had rich, red carpets with darker walls, reminding me somewhat of the Vampire's mansion, but with far more taste. Sunlight poured in through the windows, which were large and plentiful. Perhaps, I thought with a slight derision that I forced down, it was because Sakuya Izayoi was not involved.
Lmao get owned koumakan. I've always thought EoSD's locales were too derivative of LLS's such that it would be impossible to reconcile both in the same setting, but juxtaposing them is a great way to go about it. Of course the two properties would be contrasted by their landowners, and what more apt way to put it than highlight Yuuka's fondness of the sun and Remilia's repugnance towards it.

>I bet children would love to run around a place this big.
Man, at least enjoyee your lifetime as a couple for several years before forming babby. Your husband is like 20 years old, you'll have the next few decades to take his seed.

[Anonymous No.]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
HEARN?! SHE CALLED HERSELF HEARN?!
HAAA....haaa...i'm sorry...
I just... i-*WHEEZE* HEARN!

[Anonymous No.]

*PFFT*
WHY WOULD SHE TOLD YOU TO SCARE HIM? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
THERE IS NO WAY YASAKA IS STILL SINGLE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Anonymous No.]

*SNRK*sleeping... *pfft*anti sleeping pi-pffthehahahahahahahahaahHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAH
At this point I began worrying for miss Yuuka's health her laughter was sounding more like the throes of a dying beast at this point and she had spilled tea all over herself, when i decided to voice my concern she waved me off.
"N-no no it's fine i just hehehehehahahahaHHAHAHA-AH haaa... haaa.
..haaa, oh you're giving me so much material...

[Anonymous No.]

is Yuuka ok...?

[Anonymous No.]

man i love this story, thanks writefriend

[Anonymous No.]

>>45326835
The answer is always no.

[Anonymous No.]

Yuuka is just lonely grandma, next we see anon he will have a muffin in mouth as Yuuka "just so happened to" be making treats.
Honestly I really want to see this scene from Yamames perspective, as writefriend has started to include that.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45326293
>"Follow me, and do your best not to stray. The inhabitants of this place may take offense."
it'll be gengeover for anon if he gets lost

[Anonymous No.]

>>45326651
>PC-98 enjoyers eating real good with these last couple chapters
AIfriend didn't abandon us, he was just making the pics predicting the future

[Anonymous No.]

Really love this meanie.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45329738
I hope he didn't leave because he got sick of the story being that his yamame story was one of my inspirations in the first place

[Anonymous No.]

>>45326835
She's just having a giggle

[Anonymous No.]

>>45330633
So it was he who destroyed the reimubros

[Anonymous No.]

>>45330633
I think he said in some thread he limits himself to a 1 image on the whole board per day.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45330805
Destroyed the Reimu bros? is this a reference to something?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45332507
Just anon being retarded, thinking AIfag had anything to do with silly mods doing silly things

[Anonymous No.]

>>45332593
>>45332507
I'm pretty sure he was referring to reimubros as in in the people who wanted anon to end up with reimu instead of yamame, and AIanon's Yamame fic being one of writeanon's inspirations meant that reimubros lost

[Anonymous No.]

>>45332601
Damn, he destroyed me then.
I was rooting for that shrine maiden, but posting about bullying her is just as good as rooting for her in my eyes.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45332601
yes, is that

[Anonymous No.]

Once I'd reached the conclusion of the Eientei Investigation, Miss Yuuka raised a hand. "If I am to understand this correctly...You were forced to leave the Human Village, live with a hermit, look after a sick Shrine Maiden, and eventually go and attack Eientei?" I nodded. "And...You met Miss Kurodani here, encountered various other youkai along the way, and were...kidnapped? By someone called Hearn?" Miss Yuuka frowned deeply. "Is this...A normal life for you?" Honestly, I hadn't thought so for a while, but it had been going long enough now that it might as well have been. Miss Yuuka stared at me. She wasn't smiling, and her eyes were boring into me. I squired a little in my seat, wondering if I'd upset her somehow. Was she angry? Was she about to attack me?

But then I caught her lips quivering, like she was holding something in. And suddenly I could see the way her eyes were straining as if she was really close to breaking. Tentatively, I opened my mouth to ask if she was okay. The floodgates broke then, and she burst into laughter. Loud, animated, high-pitched, and surprisingly girlish laughter for a youkai that I'd thought to be rather mature, and aside from that, serious. She seemed to enjoy teasing people, but I'd never expected to see her almost collapsing in laughter like this. It just kept going, and every time she tried to speak, she'd break apart into more laughter, and on it would go. Yamame and I exchanged a look of confusion, and as she managed to calm down from her latest laughing fit, Yamame tentatively spoke. "Um...Miss Kazami...?" Miss Yuuka raised a hand, having begun leaning heavily against the table a moment earlier, to the point that I was worried that it would flip over. "Are - Are you okay...?" Yamame asked gently, and we both watched the youkai sat opposite us with some nervousness.

"Fine..." Miss Yuuka said, wheezing slightly as she sat back up straight and took in a deep breath. "Goodness. I haven't laughed quite like that for a very long time. What a fun human you are. I should like to hear more of your stories. They are excellent...Material." She directed those last words to me, and I hesitantly said thanks, and that I'd probably be happy to tell her more in the future. Privately, I wondered just what material she was talking about, then decided that I probably didn't want to know the answer to that question. Exhaling, Miss Yuuka took another sip of her tea. "When I told you that I could feel multiple youkai in close proximity to you at the conclusion of our first meeting, I hadn't expected that you would go and make the situation worse for yourself." Miss Yuuka took a moment longer, then exhaled, apparently just about keeping herself from another laughing fit. "And as for Hearn - Well, you shouldn't concern yourself with her antics. She is an awkward and asocial creature that cannot communicate anything simply." Miss Yuuka, I thought to myself, was seemingly incapable of being anything but direct. I wondered how she knew about Hearn, but I knew that she was likely a lot older than she appeared, so I supposed that it wouldn't have been a surprise to hear that the two had met in the past.

I slowly nodded, though personally, I probably would still concern myself with any antics she had in mind. I wasn't as hardy as Miss Yuuka. I wasn't even as hardy as Yamame. So, I said once it was clear that Miss Yuuka wasn't about to burst into any more laughing fits, That was the main reason that I hadn't been able to see her any time recently. The other reason, I said, was a little more personal. I didn't really want to explain the circumstances of my parent's deaths and the situation that had led to me becoming incredibly youkai averse for a while, to the point that on the one occasion in that time period that I had seen Yamame, I had experienced an intense panic attack and she'd had to find someone to take me back to the Shrine. In the end, all I said to Miss Yuuka was that I'd experienced something that had left me struggling to leave the Shrine where Reimu and I were taking care of each other. "That lazy Shrine Maiden, taking care of someone else?" Miss Yuuka asked, her voice slightly coloured by surprise. I nodded and said that certain personal revelations had led to her making more of an effort. "Is that right?" Miss Yuuka asked me. "Interesting." She rested her chin on her interlocked fingers. "And here I was, thinking that she'd continue her pattern of shameful behaviour forever." I frowned and asked her what she meant be that. "Hmm? Oh, just some musing." Miss Yuuka said, her eyes growing sharper and focusing on me once more.

[Anonymous No.]

"Now, did you enjoy your tea?" I lost my train of thought, then nodded. "And you, my dear?" She asked Yamame, who also nodded. "Very good. Are you hungry?" This question was to both of us, and was mostly unexpected. The last time I had met Miss Yuuka, she had been very direct, but hadn't seemed particularly interested in small talk, let alone offering food and drinks. Slowly, I nodded, and Yamame did the same. Miss Yuuka clapped her hands together. "Perhaps this is your good luck, then. Do you know why I was in the Human Village earlier?" She'd been in the same street as the flower shop, so I'd assumed that it was just that. "That was part of it, yes." Miss Yuuka got to her feet and beckoned us to stand. "In truth, I was actually there because I'd been baking beforehand." She stepped over to one of the plants in the botanical garden and gently pulled on a leaf. It didn't seem to do anything, but Miss Yuuka nodded satisfactorily and stepped back. "And now, the bread should be finished."

Baking? I was, in truth, a little surprised. Not that I necessarily thought that Miss Yuuka wouldn't do things of that nature, but I'd just never actually imagined it. I'd always expected that she'd probably leave it to someone else, or she'd be too busy with other things to think about it. "Miss Kazami...?" Yamame ventured, and the tall woman spun on her heel to face the much shorter spider. "I just, er, wanted to ask...What kind of youkai are you?"

Miss Yuuka watched Yamame squirm for a moment, then turned and led us back through the botanical gardens in the direction of the door. "My, that's a rather personal question to be asking so soon, isn't it?" She looked over her shoulder as she pushed the door out of the botanical gardens open. "I'm a deadly, horrible youkai who mostly subsists on spiders. You've walked right into my trap." Yamame squeaked, but I grabbed her hand before she could progress to full-blown panic and squeezed it tight. That was unfortunate, I said. "Hm." Miss Yuuka hummed, leading us out of the small hallway between the botanical gardens and the mansion proper. As we passed her, holding the door open, she laid a hand delicately on Yamame's shoulder. "What's unfortunate is that I was lying." She spoke.

Yamame's head whipped around to look at her, and while Miss Yuuka's blood-red eyes were still sharp and she still looked at us as if she was looking right through us, there was a smug little smile on her lips at successfully teasing us, or rather, Yamame, though she didn't look all too happy about it. As Miss Yuuka began to walk ahead of us, I tried to encouragingly rub Yamame's back and she did offer me a weak smile, so I hoped that it had helped slightly. It was a bit of a mean joke to make, but at least it didn't seem to be true. Personally, I thought that she was some sort of flower youkai. She certainly cared enough about flowers for it. "Um, sorry." Yamame mumbled. "I didn't mean to-"

"I know you didn't, dear." Miss Yuuka said, not turning around. "An inquisitive mind, but perhaps in need of someone more appropriate to focus on." This time, she did turn her head slightly. "But then, it seems that you have that part under control already." She swept her eyes across Yamame and I with a slight smile, then turned back to the corridor. Yamame's mouth made several movements, but no sound managed to escape.

The sun was sinking slightly in the sky, and as a result, the many windows of Miss Yuuka's home were beginning to show long blocks of sunlight across the floors and walls. It made the colours almost glow in a dazzling and playful manner, and once again I was struck with the sheer difference between the Vampire's mansion and Miss Yuuka's mansion. Despite her words of warning about straying and potentially upsetting whatever the other inhabitants were, I found that Miss Yuuka's mansion felt...inviting. Inviting in a way that I had never really felt in my brief time inside the Vampire's mansion. I could see the botanical gardens from the hallway we were in, and the sheer number of plants looked possibly even more impressive from the outside. The hallway felt warm and welcoming, and as we reached an intersection between the corridors, I spotted a path leading to a room further inside the mansion that was flanked on either side by plenty of potted plants. The variety of colours were incredible, let alone the shapes and sizes of the plants.

Eventually, we came to another door, this one a wide double door, and Miss Yuuka came up to it, threw both doors open and stepped inside with enough space for Yamame and I to follow behind her. I could hear a clattering sound as if something had dropped to the floor. "Elly!" Miss Yuuka barked; her voice sharp. "How many times must I tell you not to drop the trays!?"

[Anonymous No.]

"Y-You surprised me!" A second voice shouted back, this one sounding a little less sharp and a little more scattered. Curious, I edged out from behind Miss Yuuka's back to see what I was looking at. The room we'd emerged into looked to be a kitchen, if the supplies across all of the walls were any indication. It was hot inside, and I soon saw that this was due to the large oven taking up the back wall, which looked like it was brick with a hot flame inside. A delicious smell permeated the room, and I hadn't smelt much like it before, which made me very curious as to what it was. Even here, there were windows which opened out onto what I assumed must have been the mansion's inner courtyards, though they had been converted into indoor gardens, and as such, were also full of flowers. The sun must have only been able to reach them for a short amount of time each day, and I assumed that they were hardier winter flowers, the kind that could survive without very much sunlight.

Of course, the girl at the other end of the room was the part that caught my attention the most. Blonde hair that curled in curious rings at her shoulders and around the back of her head, and a large hat even though we were all indoors. A red dress reached all the way down to her socks, and I spotted the frills on the dress as she walked. The sleeves were long, though she had pushed them up to her elbows, and there was a light sheen of sweat on her face. "Phew, I'd already taken the bread off the tray..." She sighed in relief, then took notice of us. "Ah, Lady Yuuka? There's two intruders behind you." She patted her hands on the apron that she was wearing over her dress.

Miss Yuuka cocked her head slightly. "I do not need you stating the obvious, Elly. Especially when it's untrue. Do you really think two intruders could sneak up on me in my own domain? Don't act like you're foolish." She stepped into the room further, then turned to the side and began to pull her vest off, leaving her in her shirt and long skirt. Hanging the vest from a hook at the side of the room, she lifted a large apron that was slightly dusty with what appeared to be some sort of white powder and hung it over her neck, then tied it at her back. Finally, she pulled a sort of headscarf from another hook and affixed it to her head. It had a large sunflower ornament on the side, which was rather striking in my opinion. With the whole ensemble completed, Miss Yuuka suddenly seemed to transform from a dangerous-looking youkai to a happy and kind-hearted chef of some sort. "Now, Elly.." She said with a bright smile as she turned and rolled her own sleeves up, "How did the bread come out?"

"Er...I think it's right? I'm not all too experienced with this, though..." The girl's name seemed to be Elly, and she looked a little unsure of herself. "Um, Lady Yuuka, who are those two?"

"Those two, Elly?" Miss Yuuka turned back to Yamame and I and beckoned us over. "They are two individuals whom I have taken an interest in, that's all. For now, you can think of them as taste-testers. We'll see how well the bread has come out, and they can have something to eat, as a thank you for being such excellent houseguests." The Yuuka Kazami that appeared when she was wearing the apron seemed a lot more relaxing to be around than the usual one, though I wouldn't say I didn't like the regular Miss Yuuka either. "And, for providing me with the pit of a Heavenly Peach."

"For pr- Wait, they gave you that!?" Elly asked, rushing over to Miss Yuuka. "I've been asking you for months and you've been brushing me off with mysterious answers!" The girl was much shorter than Miss Yuuka, but she carried herself stiffly. It reminded me of something. Some other person I'd seen recently.
"And perhaps if you'd deigned to learn some patience, I would have answered you properly." Miss Yuuka admonished Elly, though it was fairly polite, all things considered. "But yes, this curious human," She indicated me, "Did indeed provide me with the peach pit which is now threatening to grow taller than the mansion itself." She frowned and put her hand on her hips. "Are you planning to ask me questions all afternoon, Elly?" Elly restrained herself from answering back, instead shaking her head. A moment later, after Miss Yuuka had walked past her, I heard Elly mutter under her breath about how she wouldn't have to ask so many questions if Miss Yuuka simple gave the answers. "Did you say something?" Miss Yuuka asked, clasping her arms behind her back and leaning over Elly's shoulder to peer at her face. Elly frantically shook her head again. "Excellent!" Miss Yuuka beamed a radiant smile. "Why don't you go and clean yourself up, hmm?" She asked Elly, who nodded and darted over to the hooks in the corner of the room. She hung her apron on one and disappeared out of the room in a flash.

[Anonymous No.]

Curious, I asked if she was the other inhabitant that Miss Yuuka had mentioned. "Well...One of them. I really must recommend not attempting to explore this place on your own. It exists on the border of the Dream World and the Real World, after all." I felt my eyes widen slightly at that, but I managed not to say anything. Did that mean that Doremy Sweet could potentially be here? "Well, anyway, please come over here." She beckoned us over with some slight impatience. "Before the bread cools."

"What is this, Miss Kazami?" Yamame asked, joining Miss Yuuka at the counter by the oven. "It smells really nice." Miss Yuuka lifted one of the baked pieces of bread, a circular sort of thing with a dark swirling pattern.

"This, according to the recipe I obtained, is a type of pastry known as a cinnamon roll." Miss Yuuka told us. She placed the cinnamon roll that she had lifted back with the others, then turned to a bowl that had been waiting on the counter. "And this is vanilla icing." She explained, lifting it, and beginning to pour it over the waiting pastries.

"How, um, did you get all the ingredients?" Yamame asked curiously. "I didn't think you could get some of this stuff inside the barrier."

Miss Yuuka smiled politely. "I have my ways." She said, and I got a sudden image in my mind of Miss Yuuka casually walking up to wherever the barrier between our world and the outside world lied, and ripping it open enough for her to walk in and out without anything being able to stop her. "Did you know that it's actually very easy to terrify a mountain youkai into letting you enter their secret lair with a portal to the outside world?" Slowly, I asked her if she was teasing us. Instead of answering, she simply smiled even wider, which didn't fill me with confidence. "Anyway, I was able to retrieve the ingredients and recipes, and since I have so much free time, I decided to make use of it." Miss Yuuka looked over at Yamame, who was eyeing the cinnamon rolls strongly. "Feel free to have one, dear." Miss Yuuka said, sweeping her hand over the tray.

"U-Um, thank you!" Yamame said, her hand sneaking out to grab one of the rolls and immediately take a big bite. At that point, her face cycled through several strange expressions, her eyes widened, she let out some strange noises that I thought were of delight, and when she finally swallowed, it was with a very satisfied sigh. "Oh, it's the most delicious thing I've ever eaten!" Yamame cried, and I stared at her incredulously. Were they really that good? Not quite believing her, I reached out for one myself and took a bite from it.

Oh, I thought to myself. They really were that good. Intensely sweet from both the icing and the sweet itself, though there was also something more subtle from the cinnamon. Yamame was absolutely right. They were probably the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. "Enjoying them?" Miss Yuuka asked us, her hands clasped behind her back and a tentative smile on her face. After I'd confirmed that they were excellent, she smiled and stood up straight. "I'm glad."

We stayed for a while longer, eating a few more of the cinnamon rolls, but making sure that enough were saved for Elly and Miss Yuuka. Eventually, with the sun beginning to dip lower in the sky, Miss Yuuka clapped her hands against her fusty apron. "It's probably about time for you to go home, isn't it?" She asked us. "Come along." She beckoned us forward, though she didn't wait to take her apron off.

[Anonymous No.]

Once we were walking back through the corridors, she spoke again. "I'm pleased that you were both willing to humour me and enter my home." She said. Personally, I thought, it had been less humouring and more that I hadn't thought we had a choice. "The majority get hung up on my reputation and don't take the time to learn if there's more to me or not." I wondered what reputation she was talking about. I knew that there were rumours of a green-haired monster out in these areas, but assuming that it was Miss Yuuka seemed like a rude assumption.

"Miss Yuuka?" Yamame asked, though she seemed a little more reserved this time. "That, um, recipe-"

"I extend my invitation to approach me in the village and ask to visit me to you, too, Miss Kurodani. If you would like, I shall show you the recipe more personally." Miss Yuuka sounded just the slightest bit pleased at the situation. "I have one condition."

"Y-Yes?" Yamame replied, now sounding a little worried.

Miss Yuuka's eyes swept across the both of us, and she placed a hand on my shoulder which effortlessly held me in place. Once she was certain that we both were paying full attention, she spoke. "In the future, when it comes time to decide a date, I want you both to come back here. Under the peach tree that you planted yourself would be the perfect venue, would it not?" I stared at her blankly, then proclaimed that I didn't get it. Miss Yuuka laughed. "You will, but perhaps not quite yet." And off she walked, Yamame and I following behind her with some confusion on both our faces.

Before I knew it, we were at the entrance to the mansion and stepping outside into the cold air. It was still light outside, but it wouldn't be for much longer. "Well, I've rather enjoyed myself today. Miss Kurodani, dear, it was lovely to meet you. And you," She clasped her hands behind her back again, leaning down just slightly. "Ensure that it does not take as long for you to come and see me again, this time." I nodded, and she beamed again. "Can I assume that you can both find your own way back from here?"

"Er, yes. I think I remember the path you took to get us here." Yamame said, nodding her head. "Um, thank you for your hospitality, Miss Kazami." Miss Yuuka nodded, her demeanour shifting slightly back toward what it had been at the start of the day. I cast a glance at the massive tree just off to the side of the mansion, again wondering just how it had gotten so big, as well as what Miss Yuuka had meant by her condition.

"Goodnight, both of you." Miss Yuuka said. "I'd better get back to work." She nodded at us both once more, then stepped back inside the mansion, leaving Yamame and I stood outside. Remembering the way that the whole place had disappeared last time I had seen it, I decided to drag Yamame down the steps before anything strange happened. Then, we could figure out how to actually get home, though I could already tell that I would probably have to let Yamame fly me back.

I just hoped that Reimu wouldn't be mad at us for not having shown up earlier.

[Anonymous No.]

ELLY! cute
>>45334772
>I just hoped that Reimu wouldn't be mad at us for not having shown up earlier.
"So tell me, who kidnapped you this time?"

[Anonymous No.]

That's another hag down, so far the most civil encounter too.

[Anonymous No.]

I had a dream where I was dating Yamame this morning and she hugged one of her sisters so I sarcastically said 'how come she never hugs me' and then she gave me this really tight and warm hug
I blame this story

[Anonymous No.]

>>45337172
I had a dream where i was in a battle royale and Tenshi killed me with a chainsaw right after she killed Dallas from payday.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45334772
Yes! Wedding under the peach tree has been decided!

[Anonymous No.]

Look at these two

[Anonymous No.]

>>45334772
>"The majority get hung up on my reputation and don't take the time to learn if there's more to me or not."
She just wants friends..

[Anonymous No.]

>>45338840
best flower is an endearing autist

[Anonymous No.]

>>45334744
>"And as for Hearn - Well, you shouldn't concern yourself with her antics. She is an awkward and asocial creature that cannot communicate anything simply."
the sheer irony in yuuka of all people calling someone else asocial

[Anonymous No.]

>>45338976
Yuuka choose to be asocial while the other was born that way.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45339806
Yuuka thinks the Autism is her ally, but she merely adopted it.
Yukari was born with Autism, molded by it. She didn't have a normal human interaction till highschool, and by then it was nothing to her but blinding.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45338976
She's the most well adjusted hag we've met, she even did a better job at being ambiguously threatening too.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45337172
A couple days ago I had a dream about an update to this story where Yamame, Kasen, and someone else I forget (I think Parsee or Suika) were climbing up a mountain.

>>45338840
WAIT I JUST REALIZED
Angry flower lady giving out bread to people who are scared of her because she just wants friends... Was that a reference to this masterpiece?

[Anonymous No.]

I had a thought while I was dangling from Yamame's arms somewhere above the sunflower fields of the Garden of the Sun. Something that Miss Yuuka had said, that few took the time to learn if she was anything more than her reputation. It was the sort of thing that I'd been coming across a lot lately. Yamame was attacked by humans who couldn't see her the way I saw her. Ibaraki-douji's arm was judged by Lady Kasen before she could even attempt to prove herself as more than malice and hatred. And even I had spent most of my first meeting with Miss Yuuka assuming that she was seconds away from murdering me instead of simply trying to understand her.

I was starting to think that perhaps...Miss Yuuka simply wanted some friends. I could sympathise. In the end, I'd spoken to Marisa that very first time supposedly looking for romance, but I hadn't exactly had a wealth of friends either. Taking that chance had changed my life, and I supposed that I was trying my best as time went on to pay it forward.

And with that in mind, I had an idea. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, and I definitely wasn't sure if it would be an idea that would be particularly liked, but...there was a certain gatekeeper who was quite a dedicated gardener in the Vampire's mansion, and she attended meetings with the Grassroots Youkai Network from time to time. I hoped that if I was to bring the idea up to Wakasagihime, it might be possible to get her to accept Miss Yuuka attending. It would be possibly my most insane idea yet, getting an obviously powerful youkai to come to a meeting of primarily weaker youkai. Yamame may not have been a pushover, but even she was clearly not as strong as Yuuka Kazami was, and I wasn't entirely sure if Wakasagihime or Kagerou would agree to the idea.

Perhaps my empathy was getting the best of me. I saw that Miss Yuuka seemed a little lonely, and Meiling had seemed like she wanted someone who appreciated her work, so trying to connect the two seemed to be a good idea. Who knew if I'd manage to pull that together, though. "-You listening?" I heard Yamame call down to me, and I snapped out of my thoughts to realise that I was still hanging in mid-air, so I jerked and kicked my legs. "Wh-Whoa, calm down!" Yamame cried, her flight shaking slightly. "I might drop you!" After a few seconds, I calmed down again and got my bearings. We were near the edge of the sunflower field and in the distance, I could see the village. Sorry, I called up to Yamame as an apology for not paying attention. I had been thinking about something. Predictably, she asked me what I had been thinking about, but I didn't much want to try and explain the whole thought process while hanging high in the air with Yamame's arms wrapped around me as my only means of support, so I instead asked her what she had been saying. "Oh, fine. I'll get it out of you later." She pouted a little.

"As I was saying, what do you think Miss Kazami was talking about at the end? About that peach tree and dates?" I wasn't really sure, but I suspected that it would make sense eventually. Things surrounding me tended to only make sense long after I heard them, anyway. It reminded me that Wakasagihime had made a similarly cryptic statement when she had told me to keep the stone that she had found in the lake. "It did look pretty, I guess..." Yamame mused. "Oh, er, where are we going? The Shrine? The village?" She looked over at me, though I couldn't really look back properly from my angle. "Home?" Much as going home sounded lovely, I eventually settled on saying that we should head to the Shrine. Reimu would probably be going spare by now, since I'd agreed to get to the Shrine today before winding up at Miss Yuuka's house for so long. Not to mention, there was probably still work ongoing at the Shrine. Yamame, catching sight of the path toward the Shrine, began to follow it, but didn't drop us in for a landing, which I supposed made sense since we'd have to climb all those steps up to the Shrine if we had. "There's another reason, isn't there?" Yamame asked me as we floated lazily onward. I tried once more to look up at her and failed again, but I felt it when she kissed me on the head. "You're still worried about her, aren't you?" I sighed a little. Yes, I supposed. I was still worried about her. It wasn't like hanging out with her for one night would fix her being lonely. Yamame was silent for a moment, then tightened her grip. "You're so good to her." She whispered to me. I was silent for a moment, then replied. She'd been good to me, too.

[Anonymous No.]

Before long, I saw the Shrine in the distance, and the massive staircase that led up to it. I'd never really thought properly about it while walking up, but it was really, insanely high. How had I done that while carrying people? "Oh, look!" Yamame said, coming to a halt in mid-air. I yelped slightly, since I was already a little uncomfortable being so high with nothing but Yamame's arms supporting me, and then Yamame swung me around to look away from the shrine and off into the distance. Out there, across the forests and the lakes, up near the mountains, I could see a massive beam of light. Subconsciously, I felt a sort of twitch in my hands and an urge to scratch my skin, like it was raw. That was Marisa's Master Spark. After a few seconds, the beam faded, only for an massive explosion to replace it, and after a few seconds, I heard the echoing boom. "Must be a yamabiko out there..." Yamame mused. "That's Marisa Kirisame, isn't it?"

It looked like it, I replied. Tenshi had mentioned that she had somehow become wrapped up in some sort of conflict between the kappa and the yamawaro, but by the looks of it, she'd either broken free or been conscripted into fighting, both of which were outcomes that would probably have very interesting results. "I wonder if she's okay." I shrugged as much as I could while hanging in the air, then said that she'd probably be fine. She was more than capable of looking after herself, after all. Finally, I asked Yamame if she would mind getting me onto solid ground any time soon. "Soli- Oh, er, sorry." That distraction done, Yamame floated over to the top of the stairs and dropped me next to the torii gate. I stumbled slightly, then got my balance back and just appreciated being on the ground again. Yamame landed next to me, so I turned and pulled her in for a kiss, then thanked her for carrying me all the way here. "Huh?" She asked, sounding slightly dazed. "Um, you're welcome."

"Hey!" I heard a shout coming from across the courtyard. I turned to look and gulped. Reimu was storming toward me, gohei in hand and anger on her face. "Where the hell have you been!?" She shouted, reaching me just to whack me in the head with the gohei, even as I tried to defend myself ineffectually. "You never showed up this morning! I checked with Kotohime, I checked at Eientei, I even wandered through the caves to check your house!" The 'your house' portion was directed at Yamame, who raised her hands in surrender. "Come on." She growled, dragging me by my shirt. "You too, Yamame!" She yelled, glancing over her shoulder. "Now!"

We passed by both Aunns on our way, and the happier one spoke up. "You're safe! Miss Reimu said that you'd probably been kidnapped again!" That...was essentially true, I supposed. The angrier Aunn gave me a harsh stare and what appeared to be the start of a rude gesture before the happier Aunn slapped her hands down. "That sure seems to happen to you a lot, huh?" The happier Aunn asked me. I didn't get a chance to respond before Reimu had dragged me into her room and tossed me on the floor using that hidden strength of hers that had once almost punched my jaw off. I sighed heavily as Yamame sidled into the room behind Reimu, who turned and flashed a glare at her before telling her sharply to sit down. I felt like the floor was slightly different, and I looked to my sides, before back at Reimu. Had the floor in here been replaced? "Yes, as a matter of fact. While you were busy dropping off the face of the Earth, Ran decided to use my search as an excuse to replace the tatami mats in here." She'd calmed slightly as she spoke, but got right back into her anger mode afterward. Yamame took a seat next to me as I sat up and crossed my legs. Reimu responded by crossing her arms and pacing in front of us, only stopping to shut the door. "Well? Who kidnapped you this time?" She asked, sharply and with more than a little exasperation.

"Um," Yamame began, then cut herself off when Reimu's gaze switched to her instead of me. She was very scary in these moments, so I definitely understood. "It was, er, Yuuka Kazami, in the-"

"You what!?" Reimu all but roared, dropping the gohei on the floor. "You got kidnapped by Yuuka!? Both of you!?" Not trusting words right now, I nodded. Reimu crouched down and grasped my chin, turning me head from side to side. "And you're - You're fine? She didn't...Do anything?" Oh, I thought to myself with a little frustration. Reimu seemed to have the same notions that everyone else had regarding Yuuka. Sighing, I pushed her hand away and reiterated that I was fine. Miss Yuuka had been perfectly pleasant to both Yamame and I, and she'd even offered us food, drink, and shown us around her mansion. Personally, I much preferred her mansion to the Vampire's mansion. "Wasn't her mansion just a lot of weird teleporting magic that shot danmaku all over the place? Is it still near that massive lake of blood?"

[Anonymous No.]

"Er...No? It was in the Garden of the Sun." Yamame supplied, which caught Reimu's attention again.

"The Garden of the Sun?" Reimu repeated incredulously. "How'd she...No, I guess that's very her." She seemed to be calming down slightly. "What did she do with you?" She asked me. Shrugging a little, I recounted what had happened, both on my first meeting with Miss Yuuka, and on this, the most recent visit. The longer I talked, the more bemused Reimu became. Eventually, she sat down opposite me, her legs and arms crossed and a frown on her face. "Botanical gardens?" She asked me suspiciously. "Not...Full of dangerous plants?" I shook my head. Some apparently were dangerous, but Miss Yuuka had warned me before I could touch anything. "She warned you?" I was starting to get a better idea of what was happening here, so I sighed. Reimu, I said, Miss Yuuka was very kind to both of us. She served us freshly baked bread. She offered an invitation to Yamame to return and learn the recipe for herself. She hadn't tried to attack us. "...Yeah, I get it." Reimu said, still frowning. "She attacked the Shrine once. Long time ago, but it did happen. Maybe she's changed since then, but...I don't know. I've never really found it too easy to trust her." I supposed that she probably did act like that too, since teasing people seemed to be something she greatly enjoyed, but I wondered if perhaps, simply being respectful and polite was enough for her to extend the same courtesy. I didn't say it to Reimu, but I was fairly certain that what Miss Yuuka really wanted was a friend, and I came back to my idea about Meiling. But at the same time, I couldn't fix every problem in the world. "Okay, so - So, you're fine. You got kidnapped, but she was nice, so it's okay. She gave you food, so she's nice too. She offered an invitation for you to come back, so she must be kind. Is that what you're getting at?"

"Um, I thought she was pretty nice." Yamame piped up, raising a hand. "Apart from when she said that she was a youkai who subsisted on spiders." That had been a little mean, I agreed. "She and Miss Elly made really tasty food."

"Wait, Elly? Weird girl with a scythe?" Reimu asked curiously. She...Hadn't had a scythe. "Er..." Reimu looked like she was struggling. "Red dress...?" Yes, I said. She did have a red dress. "Wow. I definitely didn't think she was still around." I shrugged and said that she'd been helping Miss Yuuka bake. "...Okay, I'll let it lie. Please, please, please stop letting strange women kidnap you." I didn't exact have a choice in the matter, I said while crossing my arms. "Am I going to have to start accompanying you wherever you go?" Reimu asked sharply. Begrudgingly, I shook my head and said that I would be careful. Privately, I thought that these things just tended to happen to me and I wasn't sure how much I could really do about that. "And you, Yamame! Take care of him!" Reimu stressed toward Yamame, who jumped slightly.

"Wh- Huh? Er, I do my best, I suppose?" Yamame stammered, shifting slightly closer to me, until our legs were touching. "I'm trying, Reimu." She said, her expression growing more honest. "I don't want to see him get hurt again."

Here, Reimu's expression grew slightly shrewd. "Maybe you'll just have to stay with him all the time." She said, suddenly appearing to be the picture of innocence. I didn't trust her. "That's not a problem, is it?"

"U-Um, no..." Yamame looked at me with some panic, so I jumped back into the conversation and loudly asked Reimu about Marisa, since we'd spotted what looked to be a Master Spark across the valley and near the mountain.

"Urgh, I don't know what's going on with her anymore." Reimu got up, wandered off to the kitchens, then returned with a bowl of rice crackers. "She dragged her table over and placed the bowl on top, then beckoned Yamame and I to sit closer. Yamame, apparently having taken Reimu's comment as some sort of challenge, sat on my lap with a sort of defiant look on her face. "So, you know how Tenshi said that she'd been captured as a prisoner of war or whatever?" We nodded. "Well, while you were busy being kidnapped by Kotohime, she managed to talk her way up to someone in charge with the yamawaro. Next thing you know - Or rather, Tenshi knows, because she's the one who told me all of this - She's in a convict unit of the yamawaro. I don't really get it, but she's apparently doing missions for them for their war game or whatever it is. It's not affecting humans yet, so I don't really want to get involved." Was it not affecting Marisa? "Yeah, but if she gets hurt, she has it coming." I supposed that I couldn't argue with that. "Anyway, Tenshi said that Marisa seemed to be having fun, so she hadn't bothered rescuing her. I guess what you saw was one of her missions...Or whatever it they're doing."

[Anonymous No.]

"Um, Reimu? Where's the well? I think I need to wash my hands. They're all..sticky." Yamame spoke up, examining her hands. I supposed that the icing on Miss Yuuka's cinnamon rolls had done some damage. I'd only touched them with my fingertips, so I'd gotten by just fine.

"Huh? Oh, it's outside and to the left. Past old Genji's pond. You'll see it." Reimu nodded, waving vaguely somewhere over her shoulder. "Wouldn't want to stay out there too long though."

"I'll be quick." Yamame said, turning and giving me a kiss on the cheek before she hopped up and headed out of the door, leaving Reimu and I along.

Reimu watched me for a few moments. "You love her, don't you?" She suddenly asked me, leaning forward. "You really, really do." I found myself slightly bashful, and I asked Reimu what she meant. "Come on, don't try to hide it from me. You, little brother, love Yamame Kurodani." After a moment, I nodded. Yes, I said. I did love her. "Enough to stay with her forever?" I nodded before I'd even thought about it properly, but yes, I would stay with her if she would have me. "So...What's next?" Reimu asked, her question slightly leading. "Next is..." She continued, raising a hand in a gesture for me to fill in the rest. I stared at her blankly. "You can't be that dense, right?" Reimu asked me incredulously. "What do you do when you love someone enough that you want to stay with them?" I frowned slightly. She couldn't be suggesting... "That's right." Reimu said with a wide smile. "I'm suggesting mar-"

The door to Reimu's room slid open. Outside stood Ran, who's golden eyes swept over both of us without much emotion. "Reimu, I've finished procuring your last wish." She stated, reading her hand out and examining it. "May I suggest that you two make some space?" After a moment, we got to our feet and moved back to the corners of the room, and Ran waved a hand. Instantly, a gap opened in mid-air, positioned horizontally. From it, a large, square object fell, landing in the centre of the room. "Your new kotatsu. Kindly keep Suika from breaking this one."

"Ha! Result!" Reimu cheered, spinning around to Ran. "Finally! Thanks, Ran!" She spun back around, crouching and examining the new kotatsu. "Ooh, this looks good..." She was smiling widely, and I felt the excitement too, a little infectiously, so I moved over and crouched beside her. The Shrine was cold, after all. Even with all the repairs done for Winter, it wasn't exactly a hot place to be, so I was happy to see that Ran had supplied this.

"Now, then. I have two more instructions. The first, is to inform you that my master will be making a visit here within the next day. She wants to see you, Reimu. The second, is to inform you that with repairs finished for the year, I am to take my leave." Ran nodded stiffly, but I saw one of her fox ears flick slightly.

"Huh?" Reimu said blankly. "She wants to see me?" I wondered what had made her react like that. "Well, about time." Reimu muttered, and I was surprised to see that it was just a little bit frosty. "Anyway, thanks for all your help. Thank Chen, too."

"Of course." Ran said, nodding and stepping back. "I will likely be back several times over Winter, as usual. Farewell for now, Reimu." A gap opened behind her, and she stepped backward through it. It closed without a trace, leaving us alone once more.

At that moment, Yamame walked into the room from the side. "Okay, I'm back. That water is ice cold, Reimu. Did I miss anything?" She gazed at the large kotatsu in the middle of the room. "Huh." She said.

A while later, we were sat around the kotatsu, trying to warm ourselves up. "So, er, what happened to Miss Tenshi?" Yamame asked curiously.

"Urgh..." Reimu groaned again, falling against the kotatsu. "Far as I understand, she's decided to join the kappa as an opposing faction in her war thing. I don't really get it and I don't think I want to."

Personally, I imagined that a fight between Marisa and Tenshi would be a little beyond the scale of the kappa and yamawaro's war.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45343074
>Reimu seemed to have the same notions that everyone else had regarding Yuuka
Well Yuuka doesn't think very highly of Reimu either

[Anonymous No.]

>>45343078
>She's in a convict unit of the yamawaro. I don't really get it, but she's apparently doing missions for them for their war game or whatever it is
She did need a break from getting her shit kicked

[Anonymous No.]

Ah yes, Meiling is about to recreate the little shop of horrors.
I just noticed that these two have the same color palette.

[Anonymous No.]

So even Reimu's getting in on the 'get anon and yamame hitched' train now? Her sisters probably have betting pools on it
>>45343150
Don't worry, anon's very being can unite anyone, no matter how much they hate each other
Soon, Reimu and Yuuka will be best friends

[Anonymous No.]

And if Yameme accidentally dropped the hecatia shirts while flying... they were in her pockets right?

[Anonymous No.]

I keep getting the idea by anon's thoughts towards her mansion, anon's eventual meeting with Remilia is definitely going to be interesting even more so given his track record of being kidnapped unless they meet some other way, but I feel like he wants to see Patchouli again and has a lot to follow up with Meiling next time the Youkai Network meet.

[Anonymous No.]

Perhaps anon winds up having an unexpected encounter on the way to or after the next meeting if the Youkai Network meet again at the Misty Lake. Especially if it's at night.

Anon walking too far ahead took a few minutes to stop and wait not far from the vampire's mansion gates for Yamame who was helping a rather intoxicated Meiling to her feet to catch up. After his last run in with the cold, almost cruel seeming head maid he decided not to get too close dipping the lamp he was carrying and lowering it to be covered by his silhouette. Although there didn't seem to be anyone at the gate this time and there was a noticeable air of chatter, an occasional shout and laughter coming from the vampire's mansion gardens as if a party or some event was happening there. Anon still wanted to keep his distance in case he had to see Sakuya again, especially not a great idea if she were to see Meiling's current state.

Anon heard what sounded like a drunken Meiling mumbling something and a quiet 'ouch' from Yamame moving closer but it was too far to understand clearly, although Yamame was taking longer than expected to catch up. Perhaps the more drunk than he realised gatekeeper was more of a handful for Yamame and anon considered going over to help. But before he could start moving, anon noticed an unnatural cold sensation moving closer and up from his left leg and spreading. He felt a light tug on the cuff of his left sleeve. Anon froze for a moment and slowly turned his head, looking down to notice a small, finely dressed girl looking up at him with a devilish smirk beginning to run across her face in the dim light of the partially smothered lamp. He relaxed a little, but then the fear came back as he noticed her small pair of bat-like wings fluttering behind the girl and realised what or possibly who this was...
'Hey Mister, do you want to go to a party?'

[Anonymous No.]

>>45343627
>Hey Mister, do you want to go to a party?'
"Sorry, my shrine maiden told me to not get kidnapped anymore"

[Anonymous No.]

>>45345286
"Oh you are friends with Reimu? Great, now she'll have to come when I kidnap you!"

[Anonymous No.]

When you come to think of it, most youkai act strangely because very few people are willing to give them a chance to socialize without rejecting them right off the bat.
Can't believe we were the yooks all along.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45345695
HAH!
BAT!

[Anonymous No.]

If Remilia is the same vampire who caused the incident in this canon, of course not even anon with all his benevolence would forgive her (so I hope it's not her)

[Anonymous No.]

>>45348369
She will pretend to be her to look cool

[Anonymous No.]

>>45348369
I think it's generally accepted that it was remi in normal canon too
even to the point that it directly said it was her in the who's who books

[Anonymous No.]

>>45348949
But I think it's different here, because it would be strange for Remilia and Reimu to be "friends" even after the damage she caused

[Anonymous No.]

>>45349942
Maybe it was actually Kurumi, you don't see her around anymore right? Perhaps after Reimu split her in half Remilia stole the credit and Yukari told Reimu to let her do it for some 4D chess play

[Anonymous No.]

Hm, if Yukari is visiting Reimu tomorrow, there's a chance that Anon and Yamame might see her again, no kidnapping required.
I also thought of a dumb crackshot idea. After meeting Yuuka, what if Meiling eventually left Koumakan for Mugenkan, citing better working conditions? A radical concept for sure, but it doesn't necessarily have to be permanent or even go beyond her just considering doing so.
We know Orange is Meiling's sister in this story, and Orange has a tenuous connection to Yuuka in being from the same game (despite never interacting). Potentially, this could be a way to elaborate on the two's relation, further expand upon both EoSD and LLS characters, and perhaps even start a new arc.

>>45343446
It was stated that all this happens the day after Kotohime kidnapped Anon. The shirts should be safe and sound in Yamame's home

>>45348369
>of course not even anon with all his benevolence would forgive her
Good.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45350008
You are trying to tell me that this autistic loli is a terrifying assassin demon?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45350275
Well she was working under Yuuka during her edgelord phase

[Anonymous No.]

>>45350114
You trying to get auntie Elly sacked?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45350394
'lly...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45349942
>because it would be strange for Remilia and Reimu to be "friends" even after the damage she caused
Reimu is a surprisingly forgiving girl

[Anonymous No.]

>>45350394
Gatekeeping isn't what Yuuka would take an interest to Meiling for, it would be the gardening.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45352034
Reimu killed the fortune teller because he wanted to be a youkai, she wouldn't forgive someone who indirectly killed several humans in that incident

[Anonymous No.]

>>45352135
Because humans turning into youkai is something she believes will destroy gensokyo. Its the one line she let anyone cross, a youkai causing an incident is just par for the course

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353030
>a youkai causing an incident is just par for the course
But that wasn't a normal incident, she said it was the only real incident or something like that

[Anonymous No.]

>>45352135
Reimu has the memory of a diary and also lacks object permanence, literally all FT had to do is not gloat and be slightly less obvious and he would've survived by giving Reimu some tea.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353150
>Reimu has the memory of a diary and also lacks object permanence
what

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353236
Meant fairy

[Anonymous No.]

Out in the distance, somewhere over the Forest of Magic, I could see snow. It was coming down hard, enough that the whole spectacle left a strange sort of shimmer in the air. "Just in time." Reimu said, leaning against the torii gate. I'd woken up early enough to help Reimu with the sweeping of the courtyard at dawn, and after we'd finished, it had been to spot the sight of the snow coming down. "Good thing the Shrine maintenance was finished just in time. That'll be on us soon. Winter's finally here."

Reimu had pulled out her warm clothes after holding out as long as she could. They were starting to get threadbare, and I knew that she wouldn't be able to keep wearing them much longer. Already, I was thinking about how I could try and convince Yamame to make her some new clothes, but my spider seemed to be too sleepy to do much at all at the moment, so I'd left her curled up under every warm piece of bedding around. After I caught her shivering the second time, I asked her if those mittens and that slightly thicker vest were really keeping her warm enough. "The scarf helps." She muttered, putting the thing - which looked seconds from tearing apart- around her neck tighter. This, I decided, I couldn't bear to watch, so I pulled my coat off and tossed it over Reimu's shoulders. Since we'd already cleaned the courtyard, I wasn't too worried about getting the coat dirty, and bare shoulders in Winter wasn't a recipe for success. "What are you - Stop that! I don't need your coat." Reimu griped at me, and after I'd stared at her for a moment, I asked her if she was feeling warmer. "...Yes." She muttered. "Thanks."

I exhaled, watching my breath in the cold air. The clouds were heavy and at the height of the Shrine, it almost felt like I could reach out and touch them. The leaves were all gone from the trees now, and I couldn't see any sign of them around the rest of the valley either. The snow was starting to spread from the Forest of Magic, beginning to take over other parts of the valley. "Whole place will be covered in snow before long." Reimu muttered. "Clearing snow's such a pain, too. I wonder if Flan can blow up the clouds..." Flan...She'd said that name before. "Huh? Oh, er, yeah. Sister of Remilia Scarlet. Lives in the mansion over there." She gestured over toward the Misty Lake, where I could see the Vampire's mansion sitting near the shore.

I'd heard Remilia Scarlet's name mentioned plenty of times, but I still knew nothing about her. "Remilia? Oh, she's, uh..." Reimu trailed off, staring at me. "A child. A five-hundred-year-old child. With all the shifting interests and tantrums of one." She turned her gaze away from me and over to the mansion in the distance. "Been around for a long time now..." She said distantly. "First time the Spell Card Rules were used, actually. She spread that Scarlet Mist, if you remember." I frowned. Maybe? I kind of remembered something like that, but my memories from that time were still rather muddled and hazy. "She used to come over here, but I guess with all the rain recently she didn't want to be caught out. Vampires can't do rain, after all." Was she Reimu's friend, then? "Friend...Maybe. Maybe not. She says that she finds me interesting." And Reimu? What about her? "I suppose that I'm just...Keeping an eye on her."

I wanted to ask her what she was talking about, but she cleared her throat, sniffled slightly in the frigid air, then crossed her arms. "So - What we were talking about yesterday..." I looked over at her as I leaned on the opposite side of the torii gate. It had been a good thing that I'd remembered to switch from my shirt to my sweater before I'd gone to see Eirin yesterday, or I'd be freezing now. What was Reimu talking about? "You remember. I know you do - I can see it in your eyes." Now, I stared at her. "You and Yamame." Yamame and I? "Yes, you big idiot. You and Yamame. Could you ever see yourself being apart?" I frowned as I considered the question. No, I finally said. Probably not. I didn't think I'd ever wanted to leave her. It wasn't just because I loved her. I loved her family, too. They'd been kind enough to accept me even though I was just some human from the village. Plus, seeing how much they loved Yamame was heart-warming to me. I'd never had a life like that. And she was kind, and helpful, and empathetic and just a little bit awkward in a cute way and- "Okay! Okay, I get it. You really love her. Got it, great." Reimu cried, raising her hands in surrender. "When's the wedding?" Uh- "I'm serious!" Reimu insisted, pointing a mitten at me. "You love her and you can't even imagine not loving her. You could-" Wasn't this all moving a little quickly? "You could marry her!" Reimu forced out before I could interrupt her again. "You should marry her."

[Anonymous No.]

Where was all of this coming from, I asked Reimu curiously. Then, she looked away. "I just, er, I think that you shouldn't wait if you have something special like that." She crossed her arms just a little tighter. "I know that you're more durable than most, but even so...Don't take it for granted." I was starting to get a little worried. Slowly, I asked her if she was okay. "Huh? Um, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I've just...seen a lot of ghosts. A lot of regrets. A lot of unfulfilled dreams. She loves you just as much as you love her, so I think you should stay together." Reimu's eyes looked quite serious now. "Be happy." And then, she scratched at her cheek. "And, um, I always thought those big wedding things looked really romantic." I wasn't really sure what to say about that, or the whole thing in general, although I quite liked it.

Marry Yamame? I suppose that I wanted to, but I'd not really thought about it in those terms before. I'd just thought that I didn't want to leave her. What was I supposed to do? "Well - Start simple. The ring. You give her a ring with the promise to marry her. It might have a stone of some kind in it." Where was I supposed to find a ring from? "They probably sell them down in the village...But, I think you could come up with something better." I thought about it for a moment, and felt something like a pronounced shift in my mind as a memory clicked into place. Wakasagihime. The stone. She'd given me a stone! "You look like you've just realised something." I nodded, stepping over to Reimu and reaching into the pocket of my coat. The stone was still there, and I lifted it out. "Ooh, that's pretty." Reimu said, looking closer. "Where'd you get something like that?" I shrugged and said that it had been a gift, slipping it back into the pocket. I had an idea already about the ring, and I thought that it as the sort of thing that Yamame would appreciate more than something from the village. "Yeah?" Reimu asked me curiously. "What idea?" Yamame's sisters. One of them was probably capable of working with this sort of thing, and I wanted to involve them. "Huh. That's...Not a bad idea, actually. They could probably tell you what she'd want, too."

I felt like my heart was racing a little. I'd never really imagined a day where I'd be planning to marry someone. I also hadn't ever really imagined having a big sister who wanted to help me plan it out, but I was very pleased about both. "So...You'll have to get that done, and from what I understand, you shouldn't tell Yamame what you're thinking of." I could understand that. I'd want the ring to be a surprise, too, but I'd still have to ask her - at least generally - if she wanted to marry me. "I honestly can't see a scenario where she says no." Was Reimu's contribution, which was very nice of her, but still. "I'd try and meet her sisters quietly, if I were you." Reimu told me, and I noticed that she was shivering again. Fortunately, I had an idea for that, too, since Yamame would be engrossed in working on Kagerou's hood soon, so I'd have a chance to slip away and find her sisters down in the Hot Spring Town. "Ah...A proper wedding..." Reimu sighed, looking a little dreamy. "It'd be lovely, I think." She finished, clearing her throat. "You'd have to watch out for Kasen, though. That's the sort of thing she'd dearly love the chance to meddle in." Ah, that was a good point. I remembered Suika telling me something about that, actually. That Ibaraki-douji had been the sort to get very emotional about weddings. And considering that the last time I'd seen Lady Kasen, her and Raki had been a lot more amiable toward the idea of merging again...Well, it was a problem to deal with when the time came. "And then you could think about chi-"

"Reimu, are you putting strange ideas in someone's head?" I just about jumped out of my skin at the unexpected voice. "What a lovely coat you have on. It seems just a little bit too long, hmm? Is this some new fashion style you're testing out?" Spinning around, I was shocked to see nothing standing in front of me. Instead, floating at about chest height was one of those gaps, but it wasn't Ran who was present. It was Hearn, and she was leaning out of it with a long tabard on like the one that Lady Kasen wore, her hair still somewhat short apart from the two long strands hanging down to her ears. New was the massive floppy cap on her head with the big red bow, and her dress was white now, but she still had that look of smug intelligence. "Why, hello. How have you been, hmm?" She looked over at me, resting her chin on her palm. "I must thank you for your diligence in reporting to Ran. Thanks to that, I've got a very good understanding of what you've been up to, as well as how Eientei shook out."

[Anonymous No.]

"Yu-" Reimu began, but another one of the gaps opened over her mouth and her voice cut off. I almost started toward her, but Hearn raised a hand.

"Hearn, dear. Hearn." She said, with great enunciation on the second word.

She removed the gap and Reimu breathed in sharply. "Fine. Hearn..." She drew the name out, as if she was making fun of it. "How nice to finally see you. It's only been...What, half a year? Thought you would have forgotten my name by now."

"Now, now, don't act so childish, Reimu. It's unbecoming of you. I'm a very busy women, after all." She cast an eye at me. "As you can attest, given my usual sort of whereabouts." I probably couldn't actually attest to that, but I supposed that the two locations I had met her in were very strange and probably required lots of work to get to, so I nodded. "See? Excellent. And how are you, hmm? I may know what you've been up to in regards to Eientei, but what else? Ah, but perhaps we should go inside first? It is rather chilly out here, you know."

"Yeah, I do know. That's why your shikigami's been here fixing up the Shrine, isn't it? So you can go and nap for the next three or four months." Reimu muttered, shrugging off my coat and passing it back to me. I put it on gratefully. "Fine, whatever. Come on." She stalked off toward the Shrine, rubbing her shoulders.

"It would appear that she is rather upset with me." Hearn told me. I shrugged, saying that she was probably grumpy because she was cold. "Hm. Perhaps I'll have to give her a little present." Like...what? "Ah, don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud. Wise youkai do that, you see." I supposed I would have to take her word for it.

"Come on!" Reimu shouted at us from the other side of the courtyard. "Too cold for this!" She stomped off toward the Shrine, so I began following. As I did, I spotted another gap appearing, this time over the offertory box. Several slips of paper floated down, landing in the box. I looked back at Hearn, who just offered me one of her smug smiles. Well, I supposed that it would at least make Reimu happy, so that was okay.

As I set off toward the Shrine, I looked back and saw that Hearn had exited the gap, which shut behind her. I'd only really seen her while she was sitting before, but she wasn't all that tall. Not quite Lady Kasen's height, though I supposed that an oni would be hard to beat. That also meant that she wasn't as tall as me, though her general stature and posture did lend her an imposing sort of air.

I reached the Shrine first, stepping into Reimu's rooms to find that Yamame had woken up at some point and was still lying down, swaddled in blankets. Reimu was busying herself with making tea, and I stepped inside fully to tell Yamame what was going on, but she turned out to be in a surprisingly playful mood, because she jumped up, threw the blankets over me, then dragged me down to the floor with her. "Oh my, whatever do we have here?" Hearn's voice asked, and I mumbled a muffled curse as I tried to find the top of the blankets and free my head from the hell of warm and comfy sheets and spiders that didn't want to let me go. "Reimu, have you gained a pet? A jumping spider, perhaps?"

"What? No. You know, you've only been here for about three minutes and you're already saying stupid things." Reimu sounded annoyed, but I supposed that she sounded like that a lot. "Yamame, let him go."

Yamame gave a little gasp, then released me enough to get my head out of the blanket. Hearn was watching me with an amused look while Reimu was watching with an expression that was somewhere between annoyance and amusement. "Oh!" Yamame exclaimed, looking a little embarrassed. "I, er, didn't realise that there was a guest." She said, her face burning red. I found her hand underneath the blanket and squeezed it. "Um, sorry about that."

"Quite alright, dear." Hearn said, taking the cup of tea that Reimu had just poured with one of her gaps. "You're rather amusing. Perhaps I shall have to keep you." I raised my head with wide eyes, and Hearn laughed. "Just a simple joke." It wasn't particularly funny, but I didn't say that out loud. "In fact, my shikigami's shikigami might take an interest in you." She already had, but I didn't say that either. In fact, it was confirming the thoughts I had been thinking during my meeting with Ran, about how I couldn't imagine Hearn treating her shikigami like Ran treated Chen. This, it seemed, extended to Hearn's treatment of Chen. "So, this is rather nice, isn't it? New floor, repaired ceiling, a less rickety door...You're living like you're the Queen of the Nile, Reimu!"

"The what?"

"The - Oh, never mind. My excellent referential humour is lost on you." Hearn looked a little put out. I couldn't claim that I would have understood the reference either. "What I mean to say is that you seem to be in a good state for the Winter. And you're in much better spirits than I remember you being in last Winter."

[Anonymous No.]

"I guess you could say that. I'd be happier if I had some more donations, though." Reimu said, taking her own cup of tea and drinking about half in one go, even though it had to still be burning hot. Finally managing to free my arms, I sat up, dragging Yamame with me, and took my own cup of tea. Yes, It was still burning hot. I had no idea how Reimu could manage that. "So, did you actually have anything important to say?"

"Everything I say is important, Reimu. It just might not appear so to you." She frowned after a moment. "I'm not calling you stupid, mind."

"I didn't think you were." Reimu replied blankly. "Why would you be saying that?"

"Oh. Well, good." Hearn nodded sagely. "No reason, honest. I'm here because - Well, there are many reasons." She said, looking mysterious, or at least trying to.

"Then give me one?" Reimu said with some exasperation. "Seriously, every time with you. Why can't you just speak clearly?"

"There's a main one, I must say. It's almost Winter, which means that it's time for me to bid you adieu until Spring is upon us once more." Hearn said, spreading her hands. "I should like to say goodbye to these two as well. I see that they're looking closer than ever."

"A dew?" Yamame whispered to me. "What's that supposed to mean?" I shrugged and whispered back that it was probably some sort of outside world thing. Reimu seemed used to it because she didn't seem confused at all. "Ah!" Yamame exclaimed, realising that Hearn was still watching us. "Um, thank you, Miss Hearn."

"Wait, you've got her doing it t- Mmph!" Reimu was cut off when Hearn's hand emerged from another gap and slapped itself over her mouth. After a few moments, Hearn relented. "Right. Well, uh, see you?" Reimu didn't seem concerned, but I knew her well enough by now to see that she was keeping something back. "Off for Winter. Just like always, huh?"

"My, you make it sound like you might actually miss me." Hearn's smile was omnipresent. "And here I thought you only liked me for my dazzling charisma."

"Who said I liked you at all?" Reimu complained, crossing her arms. "You are very annoying, after all."

Hearn's pouted, then looked at Reimu more curiously. "Shall I give you a parting gift? Maybe you'll like me then."

"Am I going to have to pretend to like it? Because, honestly, those Outside World sweets-" Reimu was suddenly cut off when another gap opened, this one dropping something onto the table.

"Have a good winter, Reimu. Get Ran to tell me when those two set a date." Hearn said, pointing a finger at Yamame and I. "I should like to attend."

"Attend what?" Yamame asked blankly. "Um, I don't think I understand."

Hearn smiled mysteriously. "The happiest day of your life, I should imagine. I was always a fan of ceremonies. Ah, it's been so long..." She waved at us and then fell backwards, disappearing down another gap as if she'd never been there in the first place.

"Hate it when she does that." Reimu muttered under her breath, dragging what appeared to be a large box across the table. It was covered in weird patterns. "She wrapped this. You can tell because it's not wrapped very well. It's Ran who's actually skilled with that." She took a needle from her sleeve and slit the paper delicately, before pulling it free. "What's she got me this time?"

I finally freed myself fully from the blankets and lifted Yamame up before setting her down to the side, where she crossed her arms and pouted. Pulling myself toward the table, I watched Reimu open the lid on the unwrapped box. "Huh." Yamame said, coming over. "That looks like...bits of clothing?" Indeed, it seemed to be a lot of various items of clothing. A scarf, massive in length and multi-coloured, unlike Reimu's old one. A new pair of boots. Some sort of shirt called a thermal layer. The items went on and on, covering everything from socks and underwear - Which had made Reimu yell and almost turn the box from Yamame and I - to headwear and earmuffs. "I guess she didn't want you freezing." Yamame murmured. "That's nice of her. I would have charged you a bunch for that." I elbowed Yamame in the side. "What?" She asked, frowning at me. "It's true."

Reimu was staring down at the box, a small sort of smile on her face. "Huh." She'd fished something out. A small card. "'Dear Reimu. As a reward for all of your hard work, I've went and got you all the cute clothes I could find that'll keep you warm through Winter. With all my Love, Yu-'" Reimu coughed. "Er, 'Hearn'. That's weirdly nice of her."

I wondered if it was actually just Hearn's inability to say anything straightforward that had led her to cryptically gifting the box and saying strange things to Yamame and I before disappearing that had sent her in this direction. At least Reimu was happy.

[Anonymous No.]

What a nice conjugal visit

[Anonymous No.]

It's been almost a year since the story started and it got me wondering when anon's birthday is

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353945
Crazy, there's someone here with even worse time keeping than me
The story started in late July and seems to have started then in-universe too since the touhou 19 incident happened after the story began
Actually, given that his parents died and he lost his memory, he might not actually remember when he actually birthday is so it should be up to Yamame, Reimu, Marisa and Tenshi to throw him a surprise party and declare that today is his birthday which would be a really cute moment.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353983
I was trying to go off the seasons, i thought it started on spring.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353760
Yukari is such an autistic gap hag
She can't even properly handle saying bye to Reimu without having to put half of it into a card and giving her a gift as a pretense
She needs her own retarded anon to wow with basic conversational skills

[Anonymous No.]

>>45354040
That's why Ran is there

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353730
>I wanted to ask her what she was talking about, but she cleared her throat, sniffled slightly in the frigid air, then crossed her arms
She's hiding something...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45354065
Uh oh... is Reimu finally going to let slip a dark secret she's been holding a long time? Or did the topic and cold remind her of that one summer she had a personal air conditioner come and visit her for an afternoon?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45354289
I wonder how flan would react to all of that, she didn't leave the basement for the incident and her only experience with humans is Marisa and Reimu, since she doesn't think of Sakuya as human for some reason.
That and her morality is really childish, even if she's more mature than her sisters in other areas.

[Anonymous No.]

Yukaris spaghetti starts to spill the second she can't control the time/place/people involved when meeting people. Maybe if she was more straightforward and didn't spin so many meaningless lies she would have an easier time in keeping them all in check.

I actually suspect Anon has slightly misunderstood Meiling and his attempt to "help" will go tits up, he has a very superficial understanding of Meilings place at the mansion and has only seen her complain while drunk. And while Yuuka might be looking for interesting people, such as himself and now Yamame, I don't think she'd be too interested in Meiling outside of talking gardening once in a while.
But I'm interested in seeing nontheless what stupid scheme writeanon has in mind.

[Anonymous No.]

It would have been funny if Kogasa were the one to craft the wedding ring. Now I feel a little bad for not suggesting it sooner.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45356010
Is there anything else the resident blacksmith could craft? Surely she'll at least make a gift for them for the wedding, as a way to appease the scary ghost who refuses to move on of course.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45355819
to be fair, anon's pretty cautious about helping someone out like this, so I think he'd talk to meiling again, as well as waggysaggy and kagerou before attempting anything
still, I think yuuka might find some interest in meiling because she does know a lot about gardening and (though this is a superficial thing and would require a bit of suspension of disbelief) might actually have known orange
I'm of the opinion that starting a whole 'get meiling and yuuka to be friends' arc is a bit much though since this story will never wrap up at that point

[Anonymous No.]

>>45356130
Not sure if this would fall within Kogasa's field of expertise, but since she used to be a babysitter... maybe something for Anon and Yamame's future kids, such as a baby cart?
An eggplant-colored one, perhaps?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45356424
I meant to say a baby stroller. Sorry for my bed England.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45353730
>>45353741
What are the ceremonies for weddings like in Gensokyo? Has Writefriend done any research on what they did back then?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45358558
Probably similar to feudal Japan, also this is a human youkai marriage so there may be extra steps to it.
I know! Let's ask Kanako! She's an expert in these things!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45358748
>let's ask kanako
do you want this marriage to fall apart?
it's worth noting that for years prior to myouren temple appearing, most weddings in gensokyo were probably shinto weddings, meaning that it's carried out by a kannushi
the hakurei kannushi is ZUN

[Anonymous No.]

>>45358778
Didn't Reimu shared her religion with Byakuren anyways?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45356284
I'm not sure writefriend is actually planning to wrap up the story anytime soon, considering how new characters and plots are still constantly getting introduced. I'm just enjoying the rideヽ(^ー^)ノ

[Anonymous No.]

Too curious to resist, I tried asking Reimu why she thought that Hearn kept using that name, even though everyone involved knew that it was obviously not her real name. "Uh..." Reimu said, scratching her head. "I think she just wanted to appear really mysterious and aloof, which is great for your first meeting, but she must have forgotten that I know who she is, because now she's got to work twice as hard to keep the mystery up." Was that normal behaviour for her? "Honestly? It's not too far off." Reimu laughed a little, digging through the box. "Hey, is this...That scarf? Look at it! It's so long that it'll be dragging on the ground from here to Eientei! And why's it so many colours? Where'd she even find this?"

She'd been spending the last hour or so going through the box of clothes she had been given by Hearn. Nearly all of the items seemed to ascribe to Reimu's usual red-and-white tastes, which meant that she could pull off nearly all of the outfits very well. The clothes, she proclaimed, were the 'warmest things she'd ever owned', and I had to force down an urge to claim that Yamame could probably make something even warmer, which was good because Yamame seemed as interested in the whole thing as I was.

"That Hearn must really like you, Reimu." Yamame commented, lifting up a long-sleeved, crisp-looking red shirt. "This material is very fine. It'll probably feel like nothing against your skin." Next was a vest, more like the kind that Reimu already wore, but the material felt soft and almost fluffy. "Huh. Interesting choice." Yamame commented, feeling it. "Do these all fit you, Reimu?" She asked curiously, looking up from where she was sitting on the floor.

"Let's see..." Reimu pulled her detached sleeves off before tossing her normal vest on the floor, leaving her with her sleeveless shirt and skirt. "Give it here." She motioned for Yamame to pass over the vest that she'd been holding. "Oh, that does feel nice." She commented, raising her arms to pull it over her head. "I don't think I'd wear it out anywhere though. It seems a bit fragile. Why's the inside lined with fur too?" I wondered if you were supposed to wear the vest without a shirt underneath. "Huh?" Reimu asked, looking a little confused. "Uh...Well, I guess if you're not going outside, or if you're alone all day, that's not too weird..." I asked Reimu what she was so worried about. She'd been fine sleeping with me during the storm. "Yeah, but that's different. That was for sleeping, this is something more people could see me in." Reimu thought for a moment. "I guess I'll think about it. What's next?"

And on we went for a while longer. Hearn had packed so many things into the box that I thought it would never end, especially when Reimu began pulling out things like bracelets, rings, and necklaces. Who was going to want to wear all that, I thought. It seemed like so much stuff that it'd weigh you down before you could even move. Some of the things that Reimu had pulled out looked to be close to what I'd seen some people wearing on both occasions that I'd been kidnapped to the Outside World by Hearn, and I wondered if she'd picked up all of the clothing from there. Perhaps some of it was handmade, but I had a suspicion that if it was, it was handmade by Ran and not by Hearn. But...Then again, Hearn definitely seemed to have some strange sort of feelings going on with Reimu, if the meeting I'd witnessed had been any indication. The way she looked at her made me think that she was seeing someone else, though I didn't know what that could mean. It was the sort of thing that would go entirely over my head.

After a minute or so, I realised that Yamame was poking my side. Frowning, I looked down at her. "I think Reimu wants to try on all these clothes, and I need to get started on Kagerou's hood." I looked over at Reimu, who looked like she'd been caught out. "Do you want to go?" Yamame asked me, sitting up properly. I looked down at her and remembered the stone sitting in my pocket, and Reimu's conversation with me by the torii gate. If she was busy working on Kagerou's commission...Yes, I said. We could go. I turned to Reimu and promised that I'd come by again as soon as I could. Privately, I thought that with Marisa and Tenshi off fighting each other in some sort of war game, Reimu wouldn't really have anyone but Aunn to talk to. I thought that she might have Lady Kasen, too, but I didn't know where she was and it didn't sound like she'd been back to the Shrine any time recently. Perhaps Raki was taking up more of her time than she had thought.

[Anonymous No.]

So, we got up, Yamame smoothed some of the wrinkles out of her clothes since she'd been sleeping until Reimu had entered, and Reimu pulled her sleeves back on, then waited for me to pull my boots back on, and finally we were back outside and standing on the veranda. There, I pulled Reimu into a goodbye hug and remarked that the new vest really was soft. "Oh, shut up." Reimu mumbled, hugging me back. "Don't forget what I said, okay?" She whispered. I let her go and she shot me a significant look, so I smiled and nodded. Yamame looked between us with some confusion but didn't say anything. Shrugging, I grabbed her hand and headed off to the torii gate, turning one last time to wave goodbye to Reimu, who waved back and headed back into her room.

I begged Yamame to let us walk home, since I'd had a bit too much flying recently and could do with a break. "...Can we skip the stairs at least?" She asked me with a hopeful look in her eye. I eyed the massive staircase, sighed, then said to go ahead, and she sighed in relief, wrapped her arms around me from behind, and lifted off the ground. Once she'd reached the bottom of the stairs, she released me and I stumbled for a moment before I got my balance. Once I had, we began to walk. "What did Reimu mean?" Yamame asked me, playing with a loose strand of her hair. "About not forgetting what she said?" I swallowed uncomfortably, since I didn't want to tell Yamame what my plan was. Just to be careful about not getting kidnapped anymore, I said. I assumed it was because she was sick of worrying about me. "Me too." Yamame said, wrapping her hands around my arm. "I was really worried when you disappeared the other day. I love you and I don't want to lose you." I almost lost all of my trains of thought there and then, so I stopped in the middle of the road in the freezing cold Winter air and kissed Yamame deeply, then whispered that I loved her too. After a moment, I managed to let her go again and continue walking, hand in hand.

The village was quiet at this time of day, and even more so because of the weather. I saw one or two farmers on our way in, and they must have taken notice of Yamame, but none of them said anything or looked particularly interested. Perhaps they thought she was just some weird human girl who lived outside the village, like Marisa. Either way, we were into the village before long, which was just as empty. I spotted Miss Miyoi from Geidontei, who I'd forgotten was running the place as the poster girl. "Has she always been there?" Yamame asked me curiously as she spotted me staring. "I'm certain I saw that pub the last time we were here, but I don't remember a poster girl." I shrugged it off, assuming it to be just one of my memory problems and that Yamame just hadn't really known the village enough to tell. "Weird..." She muttered as we wandered past.

Other than that, nothing much was going on. With the harvest having just ended, most people had done all the shopping they felt like doing, and with the cold weather, no one seemed to watch to come out either. We made it through the whole village and only encountered one other villager, who just vaguely nodded at us as he headed off in the direction of the canal. Before long, we were at the caves, with Yamame telling me about her plans for Kagerou's new hood. She'd taken measurements while I'd been sitting in Kotohime's 'interrogation room', and she was determined to do a good job for her new acquaintance. I'd made some great strides in dealing with my new aversions, but Kotohime's treatment had brought some of them back, so I found myself squeezing Yamame's hand tight to get me through the tunnel.

And finally, we were back home. Yamame's house looked like a great comfort to me right now, and I breathed a sigh of relief once we were back inside, even though I knew that I'd have to brave the rest of the tunnels alone if I wanted to reach the Hot Springs Town. "It always feels like so long since we were here." Yamame commented, stretching until a few satisfying pops emitted from her back. She sighed happily. "Good to be home, hmm?" I agreed and asked her what she wanted to do now. "Now? Hmm, I can think of a few-" There was a knock on the door and Yamame glared first at it, then at me. "I hate you." Why me, I asked incredulously. "It's always when I try to do something with you that someone gets in the way!" She moaned, then shifted me out of the way so she could get to the door. "Yes, yes, what is it!?" She yelled, throwing the door open.

[Anonymous No.]

"Yamame!" Was the answer she got before something threw her to the floor, red hair going in every direction. "Oh, it's not even been that long but it feels like forever! How could you ignore your big sister like that!?" Kisami cried, showering Yamame with kisses despite her ineffectual protests. "Aw, you're so cute when you're embarrassed. Did you miss me? Ooh, why are your clothes all crumpled? What have you been up to?"

"Ki, get - Get off of me!" Yamame cried. She looked like she was struggling to breath. She looked over at me. "How come you're always refusing to help right when I need you to!?" I crossed my arms and frowned. What was wrong with having a sister who was so happy to see you? Yamame stared at me for a moment, and then a flash of shame came across her face. "...Sorry." She mumbled to me, then turned back to Kisami. "And, um, it's good to see you too, Ki, but please can I get up now?" Kisami looked like she was seriously considering the question, but finally relented and allowed Yamame to stumble up. The blonde spider came over to me while the red spider busied herself with meddling in Yamame's house. "I - I didn't mean-" I gently put my hand on her head and ruffled her hair, and I told her that I knew. "Sorry." She whispered again, and I hugged her tight. After I'd let go, she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment and took in a deep breath. "Okay, Ki. How can I help you today?"

Kisami was currently rifling through Yamame's bookshelf. "Ooh, is this a book on - Oh, it's something about clothes." She replaced the book. "C'mon, Yams, don't you have anything on jewels? You know how much I like gemstones." At that, my gaze locked on her. Kisami knew about gemstones? "There's nothing pretty down there, and the only place for materials for stuff like rings is, uh...Hard to get to." Well, that settled it. I needed to talk to Kisami. Alone.

"I do apologize that you barged into my house and couldn't find anything to read, Ki." Yamame said dryly. "Is this a social visit? I can make some tea."

Kisami looked sorely tempted, but then shook her fiery hair. "Really sorry, Yams, but I can't stay. I'm actually here because we need a hand from you. The work's nearly done, but someone needs to talk to the bigwigs like Hoshiguma, and apparently," Here, Kisami's voice began to sound very exasperated, "I'm not allowed. I'm 'too mean', apparently. The nerve! From my own little sister Reiko, no less!"

Yamame and I exchanged a glance, since we'd seen Kisami's mean streak in action, and it had truly been a sight to behold. Three big, bad oni - Well, one and two halves, but still - shouted into complete silence. "So, you want me to-" Seeing an opportunity, I cut her off and said that I could do it. Yamame turned to me with a frown. "...You?" She asked incredulously. "Are you sure?" I nodded. I had plenty of experience talking to Lady Kasen, and I'd spoken a fair amount to both Yuugi and Suika. Besides, I was starting to feel like I was a bit of a burden around here, since I wasn't doing all that much to help. I wanted to do it so Yamame could have the time to do the work she wanted to do, and so I could earn my keep in a manner of speaking. Helping her out in some way would make me happy, more so than just holding things while she was working on clothes. Not that I didn't enjoy that too, because it meant that I could spend time with her.

Yamame stared at me for a few moments, then looked over at Kisami and raised a finger, before pulling me into her bedroom and closing the door. She turned and watched me. "I've never thought you were a burden. You take care of me, and I take care of you. Isn't that how it works?" She said quietly. I smiled a little, saying that I knew that she was too kind for that. Still, I wanted to go with Kisami so Yamame could work on Kagerou's hood instead, because I could tell how excited she was to work on it. "It could be dangerous." She told me. I promised her that I would be careful, and I would try to stay with Yamame's sisters when I could. "They'll take care of you, I think. Probably because the younger girls caught us, er, on the stairs." I felt my heart stir a little when Yamame said that. I couldn’t help it. It just got to me, hearing Yamame say that her family would take care of me. It felt…Really, really lovely. Yamame stared at me. "Thank you." She began. I cocked my head and asked her what she was thanking me for. "Just - For being with me." I smiled widely and nodded. Thank you for exactly the same, I said. "I'll come down as soon as I've finished." She told me, taking my hands. I shook my head and told her to take as much time as she needed. I'd be fine. "Are you sure?" I nodded and pulled her into a kiss. My spider sighed and put her hands on my chest. "Love you." She whispered. Love you too, I replied.

[Anonymous No.]

"Hello~?" Kisami's voice called from outside. "Are you two okay? Do I need to come in?" Yamame sighed heavily and pulled me out of the way as she opened the door. "Oh, there you two are. I thought I’d have to come in and find you, little sister. Not even half undressed?"

"Ki!" Yamame cried, scandalised. "What are you trying to say!?" She put her hands on her hips, then decided that it wasn’t enough, so she crossed her arms instead. “Don’t say crude things like that!”

"Well, you were taking so long, so-" Kisami began, but Yamame slapped a hand over her mouth.

"No, Ki! Just what do you think I get up to, huh? No, you'd better not answer that." Yamame sighed heavily. "Look, just - No, I'm not removing my hand, Ki, I don't care what you do with your-" At that point, I could only surmise that Kisami had stuck her tongue out, because Yamame pulled her hand away like it had been burnt. "Ew...Um, anyway, Just take care of him, will you?" Yamame said, patting me on the shoulder.

Kisami stuck her tongue out at Yamame, then turned to me. "Oh, don't worry yourself, Yams. He'll be safe and sound. Everyone's been dying to talk to him properly, little sis." Kisami apparently couldn't resist the temptation, because she ruffled Yamame's hair again, despite her complaints. "I'll bring him back as soon as I can, dear sister. You'll never even know he was gone. Well, unless I take a liking to him. Maybe I'll have to keep him~"

"Ki!" Yamame cried, her face starting to redden. “He’s not yours to take!”

The redhead broke into laughter. "Oh, I'm only joking with you. You really are too easy to tease, Yams. It'll be your downfall, you know." She sighed happily, then crossed over to my side and took my arm. "Well, shall we be off? Poor Yamame might blow a gasket if I tease her any more." I looked over at Yamame and told her that I'd be back as soon as I could.

Sighing heavily, Yamame nodded. "Yes, um, take care. Ki, please behave yourself." There was that moment of fidgeting and hesitation again, and I had a feeling that I knew what was coming. Gritting her teeth, Yamame took hold of my collar, pulled me down, and into a kiss so intense that I forgot what my own name was.

"Wow." Kisami said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. "She really did a number on you." I blinked. I was not in Yamame's house any longer. "You've been staring vacantly like that since we left. It's kind of adorable, you know. Yams seems to love you just as much as I love her.” I was now in a tunnel somewhere, but Kisami was still holding onto my arm and even in the darkness, I could see her fiery hair. "So, I really want to know. Why'd you volunteer?" I breathed in and exhaled, trying to get my bearings somewhat, but the tunnels all looked the same, especially in pitch blackness. "You and Yams have been practically inseparable every other time I've seen you two. I thought that you’d just want to stay by her side forever."

Here was the reason I'd wanted to come alone, then. I looked over at Kisami and asked her if she really knew anything about jewellery. Or more specifically, about rings. "Rings? Er...Yeah. Plenty of us have something we got really into when we were younger. Yams got into clothes, Reiko got into management and languages, and I got into jewellery and gemstones. It’s kind of hard to do any of it with the whole Hot Springs Town restoration project going on. I’m spending so much time down there that I’m starting to get worried that I’ll have forgotten how to do it at all. Why do you ask?" I wanted to ask her to help me with making a ring. "Really? That's not something you see a human asking a youkai about. I thought that you’d have somewhere in your human village for that sort of thing. What do you want a ring for?"

We emerged into the Hot Spring Town, still as lively and full of steam, noise, and lights as it was the last time I was here. Already, I could hear the sounds of music, shouts, and conversations, and out in the distance, I could see that the keystone had finally disappeared. I watched it all for a moment, then turned back to Kisami.

Kisami, I said. I want to marry Yamame.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363078
>one and two halves
AH HE SAID IT! HE SAID THE THING!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363061
>But...Then again, Hearn definitely seemed to have some strange sort of feelings going on with Reimu
It's really stacking up for Reimu lately.. She lets slip the vampire has an unhealthy interest in her and now anon considers even the gap hag might be after some of that 'mu as well.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363271
Sir. That is her aunt you're talking about.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363088
Please pretend this is Ki, i don't know how to use ai

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363061
Poor autistic gap hag misses renko
Maybe reimu looks like her

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363078
I'm going to have diabetes over how fucking sweet these two are together.

[Anonymous No.]

Do you guys believe that Reimu got over her love for Anon or all this is just a extreme form of cope from her?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367706
Reimu needed to be impregnated by Anon before the spider got to him, it's over and I'm still malding.
Reimu will never know the love of a real man will have to deal with whatever person Yukari gaps in for her.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367723
this story is a prequel to the reimu abuse fic
that's why reimu got so abusive, she got used to dealing with an anon who could tank her hits

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367741
That Anon in that fic tanked her hits like a champ though. And without a peach too.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367757
Yeah, but he's green, everybody knows green humans are supernaturally resistant but weak to psychological attacks.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367741
>Yamame in the HSE, prequel to the og!AbuseReimu knows Ran, talks fondly about her man, becomes Chen mentor in knitting, who supposedly was mindwiped by Yukari after the supposedly terrible events of the KMS' ending
i-it's all connected...
which also means Yamame has to, canonically, have 192 children
we call it The shitposting multiverse!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367916
>after the supposedly terrible events of the KMS' ending
what...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367961
ishitpostheory.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45367916
Didnt he die of old age at that one? The ages dont match since Reimu is only around 40 at that one.

[Anonymous No.]

Guys if you wanna talk about the reimuabuse story just go to the general

[Anonymous No.]

>>45368007
I thought he died around 40, no doubt killed by a jealous Yukarin!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45363088
>Kisami, I said. I want to marry Yamame.
The final arc will be beautiful... until some random shit interrupts these two as usual

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369254
I can't think of anyone that would interrupt them at their wedding, not significantly at least.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369306
Somebody is gonna be blindsided by the time travel arc and it won't be me.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369340
I doubt

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369306
"You may now kiss the-"
Oseki's head rolled down the isle with a headless body chasing after it.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45330633
Obviously still around, but I fell behind due to IRL bullshit, missed one thread first, then another, then the next, so I've basically resigned myself to catching up once the story's finished and archived someplace I can easily pull it from onto an e-reader. Sorry.

It's been 11 years since the Shazbowl. I've gotten slow. For what it's worth, though, I've viralled your stuff around a bit.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369494
>For what it's worth, though, I've viralled your stuff around a bit.
how

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369556
He's shared it around to his AI and crypto bro friends.
Just wait until Twitter finds out about it and ruins the thread.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369564
AIanon would never do that...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369306
>I can't think of anyone that would interrupt them at their wedding, not significantly at least.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369597
Come on, you talk like she doesn't have self control or something

[Anonymous No.]

>>45369664
Just fucking around. Remi may be a brat but I genuinely believe that she has become a better person.

[Anonymous No.]

Wait, didn't Anon say he wanted to discuss his future plans with Yamame first? I mean, given what we've seen so far, it's not like things will go wrong, but it does feel a bit... fast.
>I'd want the ring to be a surprise, too, but I'd still have to ask her - at least generally - if she wanted to marry me. "I honestly can't see a scenario where she says no." Was Reimu's contribution, which was very nice of her, but still.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45370490
you need a ring to do the propose

[Anonymous No.]

>>45370553
Yeah but you need to discuss marriage and plans for the future before going through with the proposal

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371288
Yamame's planning to come down there after she finished kagerou's hood though, so it can probably happen then
probably should have happened earlier though, I'll just attribute it to writeanon's rapidly deteriorating mental state

[Anonymous No.]

I don't see anything wrong, you make the proposal, if she accepts you start planning (no?)

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371372
Right? thats how its supposed go isn't it?
You get cozy and the man is supposed to find a good time to propose while keeping it secret from his wife-to-be.
You know, unless you're some disgusting affront to nature like a millennial or gen whatever couple. That said, Anon is moving a little too fast. They should at least date for a few more months, but I suppose writeanon needs to wrap it up sometimes

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371394
you're supposed to keep it a secret, but you should also at the very least discreetly make sure she actually wants to marry you otherwise you're heading for divorce in two months
he might be aware that he's heading too fast, anyway, and he'll just keep the ring secret for a while

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371394
>. They should at least date for a few more months, but I suppose writeanon needs to wrap it up sometimes
It's a story and things can't take that long, we can use the excuse that in the past they got married much faster

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371414
>you should also at the very least discreetly make sure she actually wants to marry you otherwise you're heading for divorce in two months
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. When you marry someone, you literally spend the rest of your life together. Before doing so, you need to make sure you know each other well enough to be certain it'll work out, as well as confirm both of you are ready for it

[Anonymous No.]

/jp/ Marital advice

[Anonymous No.]

Just dropping by to say I've been enjoying this. I just reached thread #10, and pic related (and what happened to reach that point) was my favorite moment so far. The second time wasn't that great, but still.
Thanks writer Anon.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371968
>hearn.png
kek

[Anonymous No.]

>>45371394
Bold of you to lambast the younger generations and then criticize anon for acting upon his true love.

[Anonymous No.]

Kisami reacted in exactly the way I expected her to. "Huh...? You want - You want to...?" The words seemed to take a moment to break through into her mind, and then a moment more to actually settle there. "M-Marry? Yamame? You?" I nodded, and Kisami stared at me blankly, her mouth hanging open slightly. Then, it seemed, the dots began to join, because a noise began to emit from her mouth, starting as a sort of whine but blossoming into a full-bodied cheer. And then she was almost screaming, jumping up and down, and she grabbed my hands tightly. "You're going to marry my little sister!? My Yamame!?" I was a little taken aback, but I was determined to see this through, so I nodded again and said that I loved her too much to not make it more official. "Oh, I knew you two were adorable together! Have you asked her anything yet? Does she know? What are you going to say? when's the ceremony going to be? What are-!"

I found myself forced to repeat Yamame's trick and slapped a hand over Kisami's mouth. I whispered sharply that I wanted to have the ring to give to Yamame before I told her anything, but I really hoped that she would agree. "Well, of course she well." Kisami said, pulling my hand away. "She's my precious little sister and I know her better than anyone. She'll love that sort of romantic gesture, just you wait and see." I also wanted to actually have a conversation with Yamame to I could try and subtly draw out the answer to whether or not she wanted to marry me in the first place. "Of course she does!" Kisami insisted. “Haven’t you seen the way you two look at each other? It’s like you both think that the other has hung all of the stars in the sky, just for you.” That was actually quite a romantic way to put it, and I found that it was quite apt for what I did think of Yamame.

We were still standing around at the entrance to the Hot Springs Town, so I asked Kisami what exactly I needed to do while I was here. "Well, uh, forgive me for this, but I might have told a bit of a lie." I paused and slowly turned my head toward her. She clapped her hands together in a prayer pose and she bowed deeply. "Not a huge lie!" She cried. "Just a small one. tiny, really! See, the work's going fine - Better now that the oni aren't all playing around with the giant keystone, but there's still a lot of tidying up going on, and Yura - You met Yura, right? " I had, multiple times. "Good. Yura's been in charge of sorting out all of the teams, but she's starting to struggle because the less work we have, the harder it is to keep everyone busy. Plus, she's responsible for a lot of the payment and various money things for our work, and this job's been a real nightmare on that front."

Here, Kisami sighed heavily. "And Yura, she's a sweetheart, because she doesn't want to send everyone back up. She won't say it, but she loves having everyone around, no matter how much she complains about it." The redhead eyed me. "Now, if only Yamame could find more time to be with us..." I frowned and asked if Yamame was actually more estranged than I had previously thought. "Oh, no, not at all! She loves us, I'm sure, and there isn't one of us who doesn't love her, but she decided that she'd be more productive if she stayed a little more separate. Plus, she was the one who handled a lot of the oni back when we were building up the Old City, so..." Here, Kisami pointed a finger off in the direction of the gargantuan cavern that I could see in the distance, where the Hot Spring Town ended. Down there was the Old City. "A-Anyway, that's not important. What's more important is that you want to marry my little sister! I can't believe it!" Kisami's overwhelming excitement took hold again, and she was soon practically jumping up and down again.

Eventually, I realised that we would never get anywhere if this carried on, so I offered Kisami my arm and began to descend from the cave that Suika had once crashed into and into the Hot Springs Town properly. While walking, Kisami continued to chat my ear off about how Yamame and I were definitely a good fit and she'd known as soon as she saw us that we'd be good together. I appreciated the sentiments, but it was starting to seem a little repetitive. After we'd passed through a few of the twisting streets and crossed one or two bridges toward the area of the Hot Springs Town that the Kurodani family were staying at, I realised that Kisami still hadn't actually explained what I'd be doing, so I tried asking her again. "And she can make a dress and- Huh? Oh, er, Just...Whatever Yura and Reiko tell you...?" That was a very promising response, I said dryly. "Well, I'm sorry! You've dropped something enormous in my lap and then told me that I'm not allowed to go and congratulate Yams right now, so you'll just have to listen to all my burning questions."

[Anonymous No.]

I scratched my head with my other hand, since Kisami had taken control of my entire left arm. Then, a question occurred to me. Something I'd half been wondering since I'd met Meiling properly at the Grassroots Youkai Network meeting. Kisami looked incredibly similar to Meiling, which made no sense. So, finally, I let my curiosity get the better of me and asked Kisami if she knew someone called Meiling. "Mei...No, don't think so." She said, scratching her head. "Why? Are you marrying her too?" No, I said as I shook my head. It was a question I'd been meaning to ask. She was a Chinese gatekeeper at the Vampire's mansion. "A Chinese...Oh! I think I remember now. Back when we did the work at the mansion, I did meet a strange person like that." A strange person? I asked Kisami what had happened. "It was...Weird. That, girl - You said Meiling? I nodded. "Yeah, she, uh, hugged me. I think she thought that she knew me? She called me her sister, but I’m definitely not Chinese, so…"

That seemed to make some sense. Meiling had mentioned her sister, who probably had similar hair to Meiling herself. Kagerou hadn't quite remembered the name, but she'd thought it was a fruit, and Orange had been one of her suggestions, so I'd assume that it was Orange for the time being. And Meiling had probably confused Kisami for Orange, which did raise the question of what had actually happened to Orange, but that was neither here nor there. Instead, I asked Kisami further. "Sorry, but no, I've never met her before. I'm a Kurodani, through and through. I'm the big sister to a lot of the others, including your soon-to-be wife." That got me to draw a sharp breath in, and I felt a warm feeling inside me at the idea of marrying Yamame again. "Is that a blush?" Kisami asked, squeezing my arm tighter. "Aw, you're just so cute!" I frowned down at her, and she burst into giggles. “If you keep frowning like that, your face is gonna get stuck in that pose. We’ll see how Yamame feels about marrying you then.” Taking her words for the light-hearted jab I hoped they were meant to be, I forced my face to relax.

This continued until we finally made it to the section of the Hot Springs Town that the Kurodani family had all but taken over. Here, there were suddenly far more short girls with brown overalls and various flavours of black, brown and golden hair then there had been the last time I had been here. Curious, I asked Kisami about her hair colour. "Like it?" She asked, twirling a lock of it around her finger. It was currently completely wild, looking to be about the bushiest thing I'd ever seen. Even Yamame couldn't hope to compare to Kisami's hair in sheer volume. She could clearly tell the question I had on my lips. "Oh, yeah. It's all red." Wait, that wasn't- "I mean, it's naturally red. Yep." I decided to ignore her first response and instead asked her why her hair was red while all her other sisters seemed to have various shades of black, brown and yellow. "Uh...No clue. Some of my sisters - The ones who are the same age as me - have hair like mine, too. Must have just been luck." Luck? "Oh, definitely. Red hair? I wouldn't trade this for anything." Well, at least she was proud of it. “Who wouldn’t be?” She asked me with a raised eyebrow. “It’s part of me. I’m proud of all of me. What, do you not like your hair?” I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest. I liked it well enough, I supposed. “Interesting style, too…” Kisami muttered, reaching a hand up to flick at a loose strand. I grumbled a little, because at some point, I’d started putting it into the style that Reimu had once done to me without really thinking about it, even though I was certain that it made me look a little bit wild.

We'd attracted some stares from the other Kurodani sisters along the path, and I finally had to pull my arm away from Kisami in case someone got the wrong idea. "Aw, I was enjoying that." Kisami muttered, but conceded and released me. "It's okay!" Kisami called to some of the other girls watching us. "He's taken!" Now echoing Yamame even more, I said Kisami's name in a slightly scandalised tone, which sent her into a fit of laughter that delayed our arrival to the house that the Kurodani family had taken over even more. “Oh, you sound just like her!” She cried, holding onto my arms for support. “She’s really rubbed off on you, hasn’t she?” She tried to continue walking, then broke into another fit of giggles.

[Anonymous No.]

Still, we eventually got inside. "You remember where Yura and Reiko are, don't you?" I nodded. The top floor. "Come find me when you're done with whatever that mean little sister of mine tells you to do. Then we can talk all about your ring for Yamame." Which little sister? "Reiko, the meanest of them all! Honestly, I've never been mean in my life..." And with that, Kisami kissed me on the cheek, proclaiming that if I married Yamame, she'd be giving me the same treatment that she gave her. That sounded a little scary, so I just smiled and nodded, and she waved before disappearing back out of the door, leaving me in the building alone, which was a strange experience. I could also feel a bead of sweat rolling down my head, since I'd forgotten that it was very hot in the Hot Springs Town, so I went and looked for the same storage room that I'd stashed my coat in on my last visit. Fortunately, unlike last time, I was actually wearing something underneath my sweater. Unfortunately, it was one of my newly reclaimed T-shirts, which I had a feeling would stand out even more in Former Hell. Even more unfortunately, I clearly didn't have much of a choice, so I pulled my sweater off and stashed it, along with my coat, in a hidden corner of the room and stepped back outside into the hallway.

Funnily enough, all the outside sound seemed to fade once I was in here, and it was suddenly quiet. I headed for the stairs, intent on heading straight up, and as usual, my luck failed me, because I walked straight into a smaller spider on my way and knocked them down. "Ouch! Is that you, Kisa- Oh!" I recognized that voice. It was that other sister of Yamame's, the shorter one with the black hair that I had first seen with Yura and Reiko coming to Yamame's house to ask her for more wooden planks. I hadn't seen her since then, and I didn't think she'd seen me, but there did seem to be some recognition in her light brown eyes. "What's a human doing - Oh, hang on, I recognize you."

Did she? "Yeah, you're him, aren't you? The human keeping poor Yams so busy that she can't come and see her dear, loving sisters." Frowning, I tried to open my mouth, but she cut me off. "Oh, relax. I know she loves you, and if she loves you, you can’t be all that bad." I stuck a hand out and after a moment, the other spider took it, allowing me to help her to her feet. "Thanks. Name's Ruka, by the way. What's yours?" I gave her my name, then asked her how she had recognized me. "Oh, I saw you. When Yura, Reiko, and I were talking to Yams. You were up in her workshop, weren't you?" I'd thought that I'd done a better job of hiding. "Ha." Ruka dryly laughed. "Good luck hiding from an underground youkai. You humans are awful at stealth. I was watching you for half the conversation." Ruka shook her head with a small laugh. "Yams definitely knew I was watching, anyway. She was just nice enough to not let you know."

"So, uh, what are you doing here?" Ruka asked me, crossing her arms. I asked her I could get off of the staircase at the very least. "I dunno. I quite like you being the same height as me here." I stared at her blankly. "Oh, fine." There was something very Yamame-like about the way she said that, but she did shift back enough for me to get off of the staircase and onto the landing. Now that I was standing on a proper bit of floor, I explained that Kisami had needed someone to talk to the oni, as well as handle some menial tasks that needed doing. "Huh. Yams didn't go for that?" She'd wanted to, but I had insisted. "You're a very strange human, you know that?" Ruka told me, raising an eyebrow. I laughed a little, then said that I'd heard that plenty of times. "Well, I'll not keep you. Pass my love to Yamame, won't you?" I promised that I would, and Ruka slipped past me and headed down the stairs. I wondered just how many of Yamame's sisters knew about me as I headed up the rest of the stairs and up to the top floor of the building, which was less quiet.

"-Through their teeth! I'm telling you, Reiko, there's no way Hoshiguma can pay for this! I mean, we had to draw up at least two extra contracts just for all the wood, and the oni kept messing with the big fucking rock, and then we had to throw in another contract for dealing with said big fucking rock after they broke it, and-" I could hear Yura's muffled voice through the walls, and she didn't sound at all pleased.

"We've had this sort of thing before, Yu. It always works out." I heard Reiko reply, sounding tired. "Remember the coffee incident?" I certainly did, but it was for different, simultaneously happier, and more harrowing reasons. I'd barely made it out of there alive, no matter how much Yamame asserted that she was perfectly calm and in control. Coffee was to be kept well away from her without constant supervision.

[Anonymous No.]

"Ugh, don't remind me. I blame Yams, she said it was nice. Well, I guess it was nice, but it was much more than nice, and that wasn't so nice, so..." I'd made it down the corridor and was now stood outside the door to the room. I considered knocking, but before I could get the chance, the door was thrown open. "Yam- Oh. Huh." Yura started by shouting at me, then trailed off when she saw that I was not her beloved sister. "Yam's boyfriend." She finished. I decided to head off any potential disappointment and said that Kisami had brought me. "Ki did? Huh. I guess that works. If she trusts you, I trust you. Come on in." Yura stepped back from the door and motioned me in. "Well, maybe I trust you with talking to the oni." I asked her what she was talking about, and she cast an eye over me with what looked like concern and a bit of pity. "I don't think I'd trust you with fashion..." I looked down and remembered that I was wearing Lady Hecatia's T-shirt. "How does Yams let you leave the house looking like that?" I looked back up at her and shrugged. It seemed like she was okay with it. "Oh, my heart just breaks for my poor sister. Her fashion sense is being corrupted!" She seemed to like working with Lady Hecatia, though...

"Can we get back on track?" Reiko asked, looking as tired as she had sounded. I wondered if she was sleeping properly. "So, you're helping us out?" I nodded. "Good. Did Kisami tell you what we're doing?" She'd been a little vague, to be honest. Something about talking to the oni? "That's part of it, yes. Hoshiguma's got to go over all these contracts and sort out our payment. She's got Ibaraki and Ibaraki with her, too." They were still down here? I must have looked a bit incredulous. "Er, yeah. I think the one with the hair buns might have left a couple times, though." Well, that was good. At least that meant that someone was still looking after Lady Kasen's pets. I frowned. What about Suika? "Ibuki? She comes and goes. Every time someone catches sight of her, she vanishes into mist a moment later." That did seem like the sort of thing that Suika would do.

"But first," Yura said, stepping forward and brandishing several pieces of paper. "I need to find something for all of the girls to do so that they're not just sitting around idly." Curious, I asked her why she hadn't just sent them back home. She got a little bit shifty then, and her eyes slipped to the side for a split second.

"Yes, Yu." Reiko butted in, crossing her arms. "Why haven't you told them to go home yet? Do tell."

"Because - There's still...Er, There's still work to do!" Yura stammered, sounding very forced. I raised an eyebrow. "Shut up! I'll tell Yams on you!" I didn't especially think that would do much, but it was becoming clear that Kisami had been right when she had said that Yura was dragging her heels on sending home the other Kurodani family members. "S-So, er, where is Yams, anyway?" I recounted the explanation of what Yamame was up to yet again, and Yura nodded. "So she'll be down here in...What, a couple hours? Reiko?"

"Three, at most." Reiko supplied. I looked between them, slightly confused. "A hood? Yams will have that done in no time at all. Helps when you've got a bunch of extra limbs to use." I stared blankly. "Her spider limbs? Surely, you've seen them?" I didn't think that I had, but it seemed like the sort of thing that I should probably talk to Yamame about. "Wow, Yams. What are you doing?" Reiko muttered under her breath. "Well, anyway, she'll be done in no time, so you'd best get moving." I kind of wanted to dwell on the spider limbs comment some more, but Reiko snapped her fingers. "Best not dwell on it before you've had a chance to talk to Yams about it. Go with Yura, there you go." She told me, stepping around from the table in the centre of the room which she was standing at and ushering me over to Yura, who watched me approach with a calculating look on her face. Truth be told, I still didn't really understand what I was supposed to be doing. "Yu, you'd best take him to sort out the girls. You're so emotional, and we both know you'll never manage it on your own. You'll have a breakdown. Start crying. Bawling, even."

"Oh, shut up, you slave-driver." Yura muttered, pushing me out of the room. "I'll show you just how emotional I can be. Come on, Yams' boyfriend." I frowned as she pushed me out into the corridor and shut the door behind her. I had a name. "Shut it. I've got too much to think about without you having your own name too." She stared at me for a moment, then sighed. "Sorry, I didn't mean..." I raised my hands and said that I got it. The whole project looked very complex. "Yeah. Er...Yeah. Okay, let's get going."

I thought to myself that it seemed that I'd be having a slightly less relaxing time in the Hot Springs Town on this occasion as I followed Yura down the stairs, listening to her complain about getting stiffed with the bill on some other jobs the Kurodani family had done.

[Anonymous No.]

It's nice to get an update on Kasen and her hand puppet

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372649
You think this will be about the oni but as it turns out next part will be about Yamame being kidnapped by uh...Ci-uuh....Chiyu-nah uh...Marisa! She still doesn't know who is dating anon and she finds out that Yamame has been hanging out with him a lot and believes she may know something!

[Anonymous No.]

Now that he is in ancient hell the next one to kidnap him will be satori, since koishi said that they are officially friends now

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372771
Ah yes the satori arc where she kidnaps Anon cause she thinks he's seducing her sister as revenge for the whole memory thing

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372751
Marisa has taken over her Yamawaro unit as she takes them on a super special mission to capture Yamame for interrogation on details on who anon is seeing at the moment.
While Tenshi shows up with a squad of Kappa to put a stop to it before Marisa has managed to find anything useful.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372777
To clear up the misunderstanding, all she has to do is to read his mind and be bombarded with "Yamame Yamame Yamame Yamame Yamame Yamame"

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372777
Actually it's because she just wants a friend too...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372751
>chiyu
Reminds me that the only redhead left on anon's impressively long list is Yumemi
Writeanon introduced a whole new redhead with Kisami before reaching Yumemi

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372798
The history books on this war will be wild
"The turning point for the war effort came when Colonel Kirisame refocused the offensive on learning who a random villager liked. Unfortunately, the enemy's Colonel Hinanawi turned the kappa offensive toward preventing the yamawaro from accessing this very information."

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372343
>Kisami looked incredibly similar to Meiling, which made no sense. So, finally, I let my curiosity get the better of me and asked Kisami if she knew someone called Meiling.
Damn it am I being called out for my insane divorce conspiracy theory

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372858
Don't worry, I'm going to go a level deeper
Orange and Meiling became estranged, and in her wanderings, Orange met a man and gave birth to a son, locking the redhead gene into his bloodline
The son grew up and wandered around for a while, then made like anon and fell into a hole...where he met yamame's mother
Bam, yamame's mother gave birth to a girl with the reddest hair of the entire underground and the face of her grandmother

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372858
what
>>45372810
If we want to be precise, are still missing the nameless koakuma and noroiko

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372877
So... Anon and Meiling are related and he has reason to interfere in Meiling's life as her great grandson

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372877
Damn, that would make Meiling and Orange insanely old. And the Hong genes insanely recessive, if the other Kurodanis are any indication.
Speaking of the name Kurodani, that would also mean that Orange's husband was the original Kurodani (and probably wasn't even been a spuder at all kek), or that Yamame's dad took on his wife's surname.

>>45372879
When she was introduced, I theorized that Kisami's markedly different appearance from her sisters and the explicit comparison to Meiling was hinting that the two were related in some way. My speculation was that Yamame's parents divorced when she was young, one of them remarried another tsuchigumo with ties to the Hong family, and Kisami was a child from that step-parent's previous marriage.

>>45372905
No wonder he picked her out as a someone to potentially bond with Yuuka, he knew that Great Aunt Meiling would get along well with someone from the same generation!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372359
>"Her spider limbs? Surely, you've seen them?"
Typical siblings, revealing family secrets without a second of a thought.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45374522
I'm surprised she hasn't slipped up

[Anonymous No.]

But what if instead of extra arms she has extra legs?
Imagine the leg locks
I M A G I N E

[Anonymous No.]

>>45380862
delete this

[Anonymous No.]

>>45380862
Cute spoder to sit on your lap and leglock you

[Anonymous No.]

>>45380998
this is exactly what anon saw during that first week or two where Yamame was completely insatiable and fucked him to near death every day

[Anonymous No.]

>>45381047
The dream of every good anon...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45380821
I think she did very early on when he startled her in her room, but it was dark enough and he was disoriented enough that he didn't clearly see her spider legs and therefore didn't think too hard about it.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45380862
>Yamame waits until their wedding night to show anon -everything- and walks in the bedroom with all eight legs out.
>anon files for the quickest divorce in the history of Gensokyo the following morning
>is Reimu's husband by the end of the month

Surviving team 'mu bros, here's how we can still win the long game.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45381760
we only can win with a spin off...

[Anonymous No.]

"R-Right!" Yura cried over the murmurs of a veritable sea of Kurodani's. I'd not been into the rooms on the first floor of the Kurodani building, but it was clear that there were an insane number Kurodani family members. Yura had entered each room on the floor and yelled for everyone inside to come to the room at the far end, which was apparently the biggest one.

Inside, Yura and I stood at the front, with everyone else watching us. Some of them were having small conversations with each other about work and hobbies, some were trying to nap, and plenty more were just waiting for us to actually do something. Here, I found, was the problem. Yura clearly didn't want to say anything. She had sounded determined when she had been talking to Reiko, but that bravado had all but evaporated as soon as she had to actually address everyone. "S-So, how are you all doing!?" She called, to another wave of half-mumbled answers, and a lot of 'who's that human?' Yura looked over at me with a question in her eyes, and after a moment, I shrugged. It wasn't like it was much of a secret already, and I didn't want to try and hide my relationship with Yamame from her sister's. "This - This is the love of Yamame's life!" I incredulously asked Yura if there hadn't been a better way too put that. Well, I practically had to shout over the tsunami of whispers, cheers, and questions that erupted, but still. "Okay, quiet - Quiet!" Yura yelled, and after a few moments, the noise finally subsided. "That's not important, but-"

"Does big sis Yamame love that human!?" Someone shouted. I tried to see who it was, but there were a lot of short, black-haired girls in the group, so it didn't accomplish very much at all. "Why?" Something about the bemused nature of the question made me wonder if I just looked really dishevelled or otherwise poor in a way that would make Yamame loving me into a strange choice. “Is that one of those Hell brand T-shirts? How’d a human get one of those?” I chose not to answer that.

"Isn't he the human who fell through all of our webs!?" Someone else shouted. I was really hoping that they would have forgotten that by now. "How come he's here? Are we going to beat him up!?" I swallowed a little nervously. Hopefully no one would get any strange ideas like that, or I’d be done for.

"He's doing some work for me!" Yura sharply replied. "And if anyone's got a problem with him, then they've got a problem with Yamame, and if they've got a problem with Yamame, then you've got a problem with all of us and I suggest you think very hard about that." Happily, it seemed that Yura's words had managed to calm them all down. "Now...You've probably realised that - That more and more of you aren't doing much work lately." Yura had her hands behind her back, but I could still see that she was fidgeting. It seemed that much like Yamame's social awkwardness with new people, Yura's manifested in unwillingness to tell her sisters to disperse. And...Possibly public speaking.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" I heard someone ask. "How come we keep getting passed over for any work?" This, I had a sudden bad feeling about. It could get ugly quickly if they started blaming each other for who got to actually do any work.

"W-Well, that's - Uh, You're not getting passed over, it's just-" Yura's attempt at calming them failed entirely, because there was some very clear dissent brewing in the room. Muttered complaints about being ignored followed by some of the sisters wondering if I was stealing Yamame from them amidst questions on when everyone would be paid. Here, I realised that the meeting was no longer being ran by Yura. It was being ran by the younger sisters.

Thus, I decided to take a page from Yamame's book and used my best impression of her reprimanding intonation, and barked out a command for them all to be quiet. To my surprise, I seemed to have picked up more of Yamame's mannerisms than I'd thought, because the room fell silent immediately. I even heard one of them whisper that 'He sounds like Big Sis already', which I thought was pretty funny. Still holding Yamame's tone of voice, I told them to quiet down and listen to their big sister Yura, and all eyes turned toward Yura immediately. She quailed a little, but I gave her a Yamame-like pronunciation of her name, and she swallowed and nodded.

"Okay, um, the work's wrapping up, so it's probably time to..." She trailed off again, so I slapped her in the back and she squeaked slightly before swallowing. Then, a look came over her eye and I wondered if something had just changed. "To start planning the completion party!" She suddenly shouted, and there was a moment of silence before the room erupted in cheers loud enough to make me ears ring. My gaze very slowly slid from the crowd of excitable spiders to Yura, who looked at me slightly sheepishly.

[Anonymous No.]

Unfortunately, by that point we were truly through the looking glass, and there was no going back, so I whispered to Yura if I could put someone else in charge of handling this party business, and after a moment of biting her lip, she nodded. “Damn.” She muttered. “I think I’ve gone and caused some problems here.”

I shook my head in slight resignation and took on Yamame's cadence again, yelling for everyone to be quiet. Once they'd all calmed down, I asked if Nai was present. "H-Huh?" Ah, there she was, hiding in the back corner of the room. "Um, hi?" She got to her feet, and I was surprised to see that she looked a little unsteady and had a bandage wrapped around her arm. Had she gotten attacked by some ornery oni like that other sister of Yamame's had? I had a feeling that Yamame wouldn't be too happy when she found out about that, but I decided to try and ignore it for now, so I asked Nai to come over here. "Er, sure." Nai said, floating over the heads of all her sisters and coming to a halt in front of me. "Hello?" She said to me, sounding a little uncertain. "Is, er, Big Sis Yamame not with you?" She asked me and I shook my head but reassured her that she would be coming down soon. She hadn't forgotten her promise to Nai that she'd make it down again without such a long wait. "Oh, good!" Nai looked a little bolstered by that, then asked what exactly I had wanted her for. I pulled her to the side of the room while Yura told the others to talk amongst themselves for a few minutes, which immediately turned the room into a barely-audible mess. Still, now that I could talk to Nai properly, I asked her if she would be willing to help plan this impromptu party thing. "Huh? Me?" I nodded. "But - Why me? I'm just one of the workers." I shook my head and told her that she was wrong. She wasn't just one of the workers, she was Yamame's little sister, and I knew very well that Yamame absolutely loved Nai to death. She'd be really happy if Nai was responsible enough to put together whatever this party idea that Yura clearly wanted to make happen.

I eyed the bandage on Nai's arm, and then added that she'd probably also have an easier time forgiving Nai for getting injured after all of her worrying that Nai wasn't old enough to be partaking in the real work yet. "Oh, um...This was just, er..." I said Nai's name sharply. "I'm explaining!" She insisted slightly petulantly. "I fell off a roof near the big springs while getting some fragments of the big fu- Er, the big rock." I told her to stop letting Yura influence her language. "You're not my big brother!" She told me with some exasperation, and I decided to keep quiet that I hoped to be exactly that one day. "A-Anyway, I fell, bashed my arm against a rock on the way down, and Big Sister Kisami helped me patch it up. That's all." I told her that Yamame would probably be a little upset about that, but as long as Nai was certain that she could keep herself safe, I would tell Yamame to not overly worry herself about Nai. "Oh, um, thank you. I really like working with everyone, too. Before, Big Sis wouldn't let me come down here without going with one of my other big sisters." I did remind her that the first time she came down here on her own, she nearly got conned into going to the Hell of Blood Pools by a pair of con artists. "That wasn't - Okay, maybe it was." Nai seemed to have matured a little in the time since my last visit. Perhaps not being coddled so much had been better for her than Yamame could have thought possible? "But I've learnt! I'll never let that happen again."

That was good, so I nodded appreciatively and asked Nai if she was willing to do her big sister Yura the favour of helping to plan out her impromptu party. "Er...Okay, I'll do my best." I sighed in relief and thanked her profusely, and she scratched at her head. "Is she - Um, she just didn't want to send us all home, did she?" I watched Nai for a few moments, and then remarked that she'd gotten very perceptive. I told her to keep quiet about it, and she nodded seriously. I just barely restrained myself from trying to ruffle her hair, reminding myself that I wasn't actually her big brother and doing so would be a little weird.

Stepping back over to Yura, who was facing away from the rest of the group and wringing her hands, I told her that Nai had agreed to help with setting up the party. "N-Nai? Really?" Yura asked me, looking a bit perplexed. "But she's too yo-" I cut her off with Yamame's favourite trick of saying her name very insistently, and it derailed her train of thought instantly. "Sorry, er, yes. Nai. I guess we still think she's too young, huh? She's gone and matured a bit behind my back. Okay, so...I'll have to, er, help with this, won't I? I've started it." Sighing a little, I nodded. I was only a little worried that Yura had opened quite the can of worms, but I would have to handle talking to the oni on my own. Yura, it seemed, would need to go and tell Reiko.

[Anonymous No.]

"Oh, she's going to kill me. Then, Yamame's going to kill me. And after that, Kisami will kill me for good measure." Yura shook her head in some form of despair, so I tentatively put a hand on her shoulder and told her that I thought it was very admirable that she enjoyed being with all her sisters too much to send them home. After a moment, Yura sighed and nodded. "Thanks. Yams really struck gold with you, didn't she?" I broke into one of my smiles that I couldn't seem to bring myself to actually stop. "Okay, I'll...Go and talk to Reiko, then I'll come back and talk to Nai, and we'll see about getting something together. Maybe we'll have to budge a little on the money issue and take payment in food and drink for this party, instead."

Yura handed me the bundle of papers she had been holding. "Hoshiguma's your best bet. She's probably all the way up at the top of the Hot Springs Town. You know where?" I nodded slowly. Yamame and I had walked fairly high up on our last visit, but we hadn't gone right to the top. "If she isn't there...Well, she could honestly be anywhere, so you might just have to wait, actually. Still, you should be able to see her from that high up. Big blue kimono, massive ponytail, big red horn? Towers over half the other oni here, and still manages to look bigger than the other half through stature alone. Yeah, you'll see her." I did know her a little, so I hoped that it would be fine. "Alright...Er, good luck? Hopefully Nai and I can get this lot sorted out by the time you get back, and definitely by the time Yamame gets here. She'll blow a gasket if she finds out that I bungled this."

I told her that Yamame definitely loved her too much to hold it against her. I did not tell her that Yamame thought she acted immature for her age anyway. Instead, I nodded seriously, picked my way through a crown of Kurodani's who all seemed to either shy away or immediately start trying to get me to give details of my relationship with Yamame, and eventually I managed to drag myself out of the room and shut the door behind me, wondering just what sort of beating Yura was going to receive for saying the exact opposite of what she had walking into that room to say. I would probably be on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing too, since I was supposed to be helping her. Hopefully it wouldn’t be from Kisami, though. I wasn’t sure I could take that level of abuse without bursting into tears.

Well, I didn't see much point in thinking about it now, so I headed down the stairs to the ground floor and retrieved my coat, though I left the sweater where it was. I didn't have much hope that walking around wearing one of Lady Hecatia's T-shirts would let me pass through unimpeded. Even if it didn't get me attacked, it might very well have seen someone recognize it like Komachi had, and I figured that I'd look a little more imposing with the coat on. So, I threw it on, trying to ignore the heat, and stepped outside of the building and back onto the streets of the Hot Spring Town. Hopefully, I'd run into Yuugi without needing to wander through the entire place, but I didn't have much hope. If Lady Kasen, Raki, and Suika were still down here, the four of them could be anywhere. I began walking, angling to ascend into the heights of the place, and trying my best to ignore the occasional whispers I got from a pair or two of Yamame's sisters as they wandered the streets. I wondered where Kisami and Ruka had gotten to, but I supposed that they could be doing anything at all.

Fortunately, I was mostly ignored by the other inhabitants and visitors to the Hot Springs Town. I didn't know if they knew I was a human or not, but they mostly just looked past me, maybe watching me for a few seconds before continuing about their business. As it was, their business was mostly drinking and being merry, so I wasn't all to broken up about it. The Hot Springs Town was a very lively place, and I loved the atmosphere. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew an oni could get through the peach, since I had a lovely little bite mark on my shoulder to prove it, I'd probably be enjoying myself even more. I continued to walk, heading further and further uphill, and I was happy to see that my training with Lady Kasen and the sheer amount of walking around I did still kept me from feeling particularly out of breath.

[Anonymous No.]

I was about halfway up and the crowds had thinned out considerably when I heard the drunken singing that I recognized immediately as Lady Kasen. It was coming from a street over, and after a moment, I realised that I was hearing two voices, but they sounded identical, so I assumed that it had to be Lady Kasen and her wayward arm. I followed the path around, trying to find where it connected to whatever road the two Ibaraki's were on, and finally, I managed to catch up with them, only to find them with their arms over each other's shoulders, big bottles of sake in hand, staggering across the street. "Yuugi~! Where’ve you gone…?" Raki slurred, spilling some of her bottle as she waved it around. "Where's she gone, partner~?"

"Oh, I don't know, partner~" Lady Kasen replied in a bit of a sing-song voice. Fortunately, her voice wasn't particularly hard on the ears, so it wasn't as aggravating as it could have been. "We can beat her up any day..." the two got a bit further away from me, and I wondered if approaching them was actually a good idea. I'd dealt with drunken Lady Kasen before, and she wasn't...Too bad, but drunken Raki would be a mostly new challenge for me, and the both of them together would be rapidly approaching dangerous territory. The two looked like they'd been at it for a while; Their clothes were a little wrinkled and haphazard. I strongly considered calling out to them, but decided against it only because I knew that if I tried, they'd both have me stuck with them for hours. So, I waited silently until they made it to the end of the street and turned, shouting something about bog moss.

Distraction concluded, I climbed higher and higher, and after I'd passed the hot springs that Yamame and I had met Lady Kasen in, I found a ledge with a railing from which I could see across the whole town, which I found to be breath-taking. It was hard to see from the ground, but there seemed to be great waterfalls of steam falling through the ceiling and cascading off of the houses. It was amazing, and I wondered how something like this could go hidden underground for so long. I’d have thought that a villager or two would have wondered down here by now and returned with tales that were completely unbelievable.

Then, someone leaned on the railing next to me. "Enjoying the view?" I looked to my side and was surprised to see Yuugi Hoshiguma, one hand on the railing and the other holding her sake dish. "You're one of the only humans who's gotten to see it properly, you know." She seemed to be in a contemplative mood, if I was reading her face right. She wore the blue kimono that Yura had mentioned and had her hair in a ponytail tied with a red bow. "It's a nightmare to keep the place running properly, but I love it." I said that it was clearly worth the effort, and Yuugi cracked a smile. "Heh. Thanks. So, what're you doing here? And by yourself, no less." I lifted the sheet of papers I held. Business, unfortunately. "Ugh. I hate dealing with business. I'd much prefer to let old Komeiji deal with that, but I'm supposedly in charge of this place specifically, so...I'm rambling. Come on, step into my office."

Yuugi stepped back and stood up straight, which meant that she was tall enough that I even felt a little short in comparison. She turned beckoning me to follow her up to the top of the cavern, where the ceiling was close enough to reach with my hands. At the very top, the roof brushing against the top of the cavern, was what I assumed was Yuugi's house. "So, I assume the Kurodani sent you?" I nodded, then said that I was here to discuss the contracts. "Ugh..." Yuugi sighed heavily, drinking from her sake dish. "Of course. Work's coming to an end, huh?" I shrugged and said that I'd been sent only to deal with this because the others were busy with...Things. "Well, I do know you, at least. I was worried they'd send the redhead up here again. She's…Uh, kind of hard to deal with." I snorted. Of course she was, I said under my breath. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have managed to shout three big, bad oni into total silence. "What a vocabulary on her. Ugh." Yuugi said, shivering slightly as she slid open the door to her home, which was in surprisingly neat order. "Have a seat." She indicated the table in the room, and I stepped inside and headed over to it, sitting down. "Alright," Yuugi said, sitting down opposite me and slamming a full bottle of sake down on the table between us. "What have you got for me?"

I spread the sheets out across the table and hoped that I wouldn't be making every Kurodani in the underground mad at me if I said the wrong thing here. As far as I was aware, I was discussing the matter of payment, but I didn’t really know more than that, apart from Yura’s words about possibly trading a portion of the payment for food and drink for her party.

I had a suspicion that something like that would make marrying Yamame a much more difficult prospect.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45382251
>Yuugi stepped back and stood up straight, which meant that she was tall enough that I even felt a little short in comparison
Of course!

[Anonymous No.]

Yamame was feeling quite happy with herself, miss Kagerou loved her new hood and invited her to some tea as an extra payment, she had finally made a friend she thought to herself, unfortunately she would be rudely interrupted by what sounded like approaching screaming.
"YES! YES! YOU! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"
a cloud of dust kicked up as the screaming figure landed, despite this the silhouette behind it seemed oddly familiar to Yamame
"hehahahahahahaha... haa... haa, at last i finally found you Yamame"
As the dust settled Yamame could finally make out who was talking to her, it was Marisa Kirisame... Who was covered in blood and scratches and looked like she hadn't slept in days
Marisa slowly walked towards Yamame as if she was savoring the moment
This is bad Yamame already strugfled with strangers
Especially strangers who looked deranged and ready to kill someone
Especially especially strangers that had assaulted her in the past
"M-miss Kirisame" she began walking backwards "what could you need from me?"
"hahahahahahhahaha, you're the final piece Kurodani, i spent so many years in war...trying my hardest to gather information but Tenko...she just kept stopping me, but i finally beat her...she will be too distracted with the yamas XLR to stop me in time...'
'S-stop you from wha-"
"You're the missing piece Kurodani! But why, but why? why is it you?"
Yamame was more confused than scared now, what could she possibly mean?
Her fear took over again however as Marisa began reaching for her while muttering to herself
"I just need to talk to you for a little bi-"
Marisa didn't get to finish that sentence
Marisa didn't get to see who stopped her
Marisa was now trapped inside a block of ice

[Anonymous No.]

>>45382752
Poor yams never gets a break

[Anonymous No.]

>>45382752
It's always a good day to bully this witch

[Anonymous No.]

>>45382752
*phew* "She can get pretty demanding sometimes, well i should know so much"
Yamame looked towards the source of that voice, she saw a girl, a human, with red hair and clothes to match the color, she was wearing a smirk on her face as she approached her
"Okazaki" she said smugly "Yumemi Okazaki" she said once more this time extending her hand towards her
Unsure of what to do Yamame mimicked the motion which resulted on the girl grabbing her hand and firmly yet gently shaking it up and down
"Don't worry about her miss Kurodani" she said nodding towards Marisa "she won't be a problem for a few hours, but enough about her, let's talk about you! How are you feeling today?" miss Yumemi's seemingly unconditional friendliness seemed a bit untrustworthy but not wanting to end up like Marisa, Yamame tried her best to play along
"I'm feeling fine today, thank you, what about you miss Yumemi?"
"Oh I'm doing splendid now that I finally got a hold of you, now i would love to spend the evening chatting but I'm quite certain that we are both bussy women so I'll cut to why i was searching for you"
Yamame was really hoping this wouldn't end with kidnapping, she feared her human was rubbing off too much on her
'You see I've been trying to approach the Hakurei shrine for some time, it's a part of my studies on the grand unifying theory you see"
"I-i don't really know what that is" Yamame interrupted, Yumemi chuckled "no need to worry yourself with the details friend, that's my job after all, anyways, as i was saying I've been trying to get some answers out od the shrine maiden dor a few years now and every time she responds with unnecessary aggression, not a big surprise as you may know, she's not quite social" Yamame didn't know how to respond, even if it was a bit mean to say she wasn't exactly lying
"And yet some people do manage to become close with her, and among those people is you miss Kurodani!" she looked at Yamame hopefully
"A-ah well, there are others that are closer to her, miss Marisa for exa-"
"you don't understand miss Kurodani, you are an outlier, those who became close with Hakurei did so by interacting with her for years or by having a grandiose battle against her, but you miss Kurodani? You simple became friends with her over night!"
Friends...Yamame thought for a second, it is true that her and Reimu were on good terms now but does she really consider her a friend? Does Reimu consider her a friend? Perhaps it is a good idea to talk about it with her at some point, just to clarify things
"...and thus i humbly request your help miss Kurodani"
*bwuh?* Yamame snapped out of it "Help w-with what?"
"All you need to do is ask Hakurei the questionz i have written down on this piece of paper" she said as she handed it over to Yamame "do try to be subtle as well please, she's sharper than she looks"
"I'm not sure if I'm conformable with doing this" responded Yamame
"i implore you miss Kurodani, if you can pull this off i will grant you one wish"
A wish? Is a human really capable of such a thing, what wouls Yamame even wish for? Rare materials? Smelling good no matter what?... Healing her human's mind...
Yes, maybe if she did this she could help her human with his problems, it's worth the sho-
Yamame is once again interrupted
In front of here there was an unmobilized Yumemi
Encased inside a block of ice...wait

[Anonymous No.]

>>45383011
Quickly looking around Yamame spots the one responsible for miss Yumemi's entrapment
An...ice fairy...just floating there looking at her
"Umh excu-" Yamame couldn't finish that sentence before the ice fairy got right up to her face faster than she could see
T h i s i s i n d e e d a d i s t u r b i n g u n n i v e r s e
Yamame suddenly woke up screaming, hastily scanning her surroundings she realized she was inside Kagerou's living room
"Yammy?!" Kagerou came running to her side "are you okay? I heard screaming"
Still a bit disoriented Yamame blurted a few fractions of her dream
"Yammy you where just dreaming, you fell asleep after having some of my cupcakes, i guess i put a bit too many herbs on them, sorry about that"
"It's okay, i actually don't think it was that" Yamame responded finally sobering up "i guess I've been a little stressed out lately"
"oh you shouls try this thing i learned about, it's called yoga! It worked wonders for Baki you know! First we need to get you some yoga pants and then..."
Yamame smiled as her friend ranted about something she didn't quite understand yet she still found herself distracted by a part of her dream, are she and Reimu friends?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45382251
>I'd dealt with drunken Lady Kasen before, and she wasn't...Too bad, but drunken Raki would be a mostly new challenge for me
Very quick way to get Rakied, no need to turn this into an NTR doujin, after all.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45385213
yeah, she probably would have been at the point where she just goes 'well I'm drunk and horny, you're coming with me' and drags anon off, and drunk normal kasen would probably completely fail to stop it

[Anonymous No.]

>>45385213
>>45385378
youkai-on-human rape is to gensokyo what cheek kissing is to the outside world. not that a big of a deal desu

[Anonymous No.]

>>45385491
>>45385378
Getting dragged off and raped in old hell is about as eventful to an oni as a shoulder massage

[Anonymous No.]

>>45385378
>and drunk normal kasen would probably completely fail to stop it
You assume she wouldn't join in trying to justify it as more "training"?

[Anonymous No.]

The arm concentrates the entire 'youkai of sex' part, kasen is totally pure

[Anonymous No.]

Next episode Yuugi will confront her fears to save anon from a horny arm

[Anonymous No.]

>>45294802
Is there an easier way to read this. Screencaps of posts make me feel dyslexic.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45389551
If you have the 4chan X userscript, these dead post links will redirect you to the web archive version, e.g. >>/jp/post/44121508

[Anonymous No.]

sadly the Raki-rape route will not happen to this story. next time, perhaps....

[Anonymous No.]

>>45372338
I tried to imitate AI anon

[Anonymous No.]

>>45390779
it's an honest effort

[Anonymous No.]

As an aside, I thought that it would be good if Yamame and Raki got a chance to talk to each other properly. They'd both gone through great effort to try and change themselves. Yamame had done it to try and be with me, and as far as I was concerned, she'd succeeded. Raki, meanwhile, was trying to prove that Lady Kasen was wrong in sealing her without giving her a chance at redemption, and she was trying to get over what she saw as Lady Kasen's betrayal at the same time. I wasn't exactly privy to all of the details, but it seemed to be going okay, especially since they'd had that talk in the hot springs. I didn't know if they'd ever manage to contemplate merging into one being again, but it was an interesting prospect. I thought that Yamame and Raki could probably learn something from each other, or at least have someone who understood how difficult the whole process could be.

Unfortunately, neither of them were here, and even if they were, Raki had seemed dead drunk, which I imagined would lead to some very...Unhealthy behaviour, probably toward me. I got the feeling that she did represent the more uninhibited side of Lady Kasen, compared to how generally uptight Lady Kasen was until she'd gotten drunk too. Actually, I supposed that meant that I was probably in for a bad time no matter which of them I got stuck with if they were dead drunk. So I guessed that my best bet was probably to just stay away from the pair of them until they were sober enough to regret their actions. “So, what have we got here..." Yuugi muttered, sliding one of the pieces of paper towards her. "Hang on, I've got..." She glanced around the room, then turned and got to her feet, heading toward a bookshelf. Curiously, I asked her what she was looking for. "Just, er, a reading aid. Well, I say reading aid...more of a reading enhancer, really. Helps me keep focused." I was only more confused after that, and even more so when she came back, holding a pair of circular reading glasses which looked tiny in her hands. Before I could stop myself, I'd incredulously asked if she really needed those. "H-Huh?" Yuugi looked slightly self-conscious now that I'd drawn attention to it. "U-Um, no, but...I think it helps get me in the mood...?"

Every time I met this oni, I seemed to come away learning something I could embarrass her with. It was a good thing I wasn't the kind of person to use this as blackmail material. "Anyway..." She slipped the glasses on, which made me blink at how innocent it made her look, and then she lifted one of the sheets. "So this was...The first contract. I think that was with the black haired one." Reiko? She was the tall one. "Uh...Yeah, I think that was it." I asked her what exactly that contract had covered. "Oh, it was just the initial stuff. An agreement that the Kurodani lot would repair the damage done by that blue-haired idiot, and we oni would handle the keystone." I nodded slowly, since that sounded like what I had seen.

Really, I needed Yura here, but she'd gone and orchestrated a party that meant she was otherwise engaged. I took the contract and read through it, relieved to see that it was in a readable language. Not that it was much more understandable, but I got enough out of it to see that Yuugi owed several things in exchange for the work being complete. "Is it complete?" Yuugi asked, and I watched her silently for a few moments. "Yes, I suppose it is..." She said one it was clear that I wasn't going to be forthcoming with any answers. "But I need to inspect it first." She told me, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. I'd not exactly seen many contract negotiations, or whatever it was that I was doing, but I knew what reluctance to pay up looked like. I doubted it was malicious, but came more likely from a place of understandable concern for the quality of work. Eventually, I sighed and told Yuugi that honestly, this wasn't something I particularly understood, but I'd been asked to help and I was determined to do my best, as long as both of us were honest.

Yuugi looked like she was thinking hard, and then she nodded and took the second contract. "So this - Oh, and this one too - was...When they needed more wood. That was most of those idiot oni down there's fault, so...Yeah, that's fine." Yuugi pulled one last contract over. "...And this was when Kasen and Raki broke the stone, so we had to bring in the Kurodani to actually deal with it." I'd been there for that, so I nodded. "Yeah, so...That's fair, too." Now, I had to bring up Yura's little outburst, so I quickly explained it and swore that no one had known that she was planning it.

[Anonymous No.]

"She wants...A party?" Yuugi slowly asked me, her eyebrows raising. "Here? In the Hot Springs Town?" I nodded slowly and tentatively. "Is she...okay? In the head? Does she know what she's getting herself into?" I was fairly sure that she was okay in the head, but I didn't know what she was getting into, which I supposed was part of why I was here. "Look, oni don't exactly need an excuse to throw a party, and if they hear that there's one happening...Well, we'll definitely want to join in."

I hadn't seen an oni party, but I had seen an oni throw another oni directly through a wall on my first visit to the Old City, so I imagined that it would be something like that. "Look, I've not got a problem with paying some of the money for this whole project in the form of a party, but..." I had an idea of what the problem was. "Aren't a lot of those spiders of yours...Young?" I shrugged and said that they were at the very least excellent at taking care of each other, so I wondered if it would be possible to limit the number of oni who showed up. "Hmm..." Yuugi pinched her brow and closed her eyes in thought. "There's a particularly big hall just a ways up from the springs. It's near the area of the town that the Kurodani have been staying in, so there might be less oni over there." I figured that Yura and Reiko - Well, Reiko once she'd finished beating Yura up - would already have found that exact place. "Are they planning it for..." As soon as possible, I imagined. "Ah. Well, this'll be a busy day. If I get Suika and the two Ibaraki's..." Yuugi trailed off, clearly thinking about it. "Okay, yeah, that should keep a lot of them away."

I opened my mouth, but was interrupted when the door behind me slammed open. "Yuugi!" A drunken and sadly recognizable voice shouted. "I've been looking for you for-" I turned my head, hoping that it wasn't- "Hey~" Raki greeted me, sounding very drunk and looking more than a little...Something other than drunk. Suddenly, I felt like I was in dangerous territory.

"Raki." Yuugi said with a slight grin. "What's up? Where's your better half?" Raki stumbled forward from the door she had been leaning on and swiped up the sake bottle that had been sitting on the table. "Enjoying yourself?" Yuugi had a very deadpan look on her face as Raki drained the entire bottle in one go.

"Ah..." Raki sighed happily as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "She's, uh..." Having trailed off, Raki frowned. "Dunno." She eventually settled on. "She'll show up...Probably. "She'd started to reach the level that she'd been at in the hot springs, which had concerning implications. "She'll turn up, probably. Now, you're supposed to be drinking until you pass out with me! What are you doing up here!?" Yuugi pointed a finger at me. "Oh...Oh!" Raki's eyes were hazy and seemed like they were shifting in and out of focus. "Hmm..." She hummed, rubbing her chin and staring at me. "Hey, I just remembered something." Without a moment's pause, she stepped right in front of me, then crouched down and got very close and personal. "Remember our talk at the hot springs~?" She asked me. I could smell the sweetness of the alcohol on her breath, as well as the smell of the soaps that the hot springs had for cleaning yourself with. Now that I thought about it, her hair did look wet, too.

I was starting to think that I only noticed these sorts of details when something weird was happening to me. "H-Hey!" Yuugi cried. Just remembering who was in front of me, I threw my head to the side right as Raki's head turned, just barely avoiding one of her horns spearing me in the brain. "You - You can't just do - do that sort of stuff in someone else's house!" Yuugi was starting to go red and fidget, and I was trying to shuffle back from Raki before she could do something else. I really hoped that Lady Kasen was somewhere nearby, because I didn't see anyone else having much hope of reigning her in. "S-Stop, um, Raki." Yuugi didn't look like she was going to be much help, so I continued trying to shuffle back.

"I'm trying to help you, Yuugi!" Raki cried, waving her hands around. Her chain cleaved through the air right where my head had just been and I breathed a sigh of relief as it missed. "You'll never get a man if-"

"I don't need your help!" Yuugi cried, burying her head in her hands. "You just like to make fun of me for-"

[Anonymous No.]

At that point, Raki noticed that I had moved, and when she saw that I was edging further into the corner of the room, she began moving back toward me. Crawling. On her hands and knees. With a drunken, lewd smirk on her face. Suddenly, I had what I could only call a premonition of what would soon be happening to me inside this room, and I found that it was only Yamame I was thinking of instead. I tried putting my hands on Raki's shoulder to keep her at bay, but I'd clearly forgotten that she was an oni, because it didn't do very much at all. Still, she did stop once she was close to me and leant forward. "C'mon..." She whispered to me. "It'll be fun." I shook my head and told her that I wasn't up for it. "Just a little..." She said, and I started to think that perhaps she'd forgotten what she was trying to change from. I opened my mouth, but before I could speak, she tried to go in for a kiss.

And that was as far as she got, because suddenly, she was stuck. She tried to push forward again and failed. Quizzically, she looked back, and I watched in some amazement as Yuugi lifted Raki off of me by the back of the neck. "No more." She muttered. "You're not doing this stuff to me anymore, Raki. Not with him or anyone else." She seemed a lot surer of herself now. "Not just for me. You kept saying you were trying to change, right?" Raki was struggling in Yuugi's grip, but Yuugi's arm held firm as if she wasn't holding a full person at all. "I think you need a splash of water." Yuugi said, walking to the door.

"A splash of - Oh, seriously? Look, if I apologize, will that make you feel better?" Raki said as she continued to struggle. "Look, just don't tell my partner." I stumbled to my feet and said that perhaps she did need to talk to Lady Kasen some more. "Oh for - It was a joke!" she cried, before falling silent for a moment. "Guess I've still got a way to go, huh?" She said with a slightly humourless laugh. I wondered if her conscious had only just managed to break through.

"Well, you can think about it on the way down." Yuugi told her, sounding a little excited. "And - I'm with you on the changing stuff. You don't have to act like this." And then, Yuugi reared back before breaking into a forward sprint for the last few steps toward the entrance to her house. With Raki screaming all the way, she hurled the arm of Ibaraki-douji into the open air. She flew forward, spinning in the air completely out of control, and began to fall. I'd expected that she would use her ability to fly to prevent that, but Yuugi told me that no oni worth their salt would try and get away from being thrown at something. I guessed that it was some sort of weird oni pride thing, so I just shrugged and kept watching as Raki tumbled out of control out into the middle of the Hot Spring Town before slamming into the middle of the largest spring to the sound of cheers. She'd landed right where the keystone had been.

With things silent once more, I turned to Yuugi and thanked her for helping. "Er, yeah. Y'Welcome." She had reverted back to being slightly awkward. "She knows how I feel about that sort of stuff...I'm not - Weird, or anything! I just...Want to meet a nice man naturally..." She was blushing again. So, feeling a little awkward about it myself, I reached up to pat her shoulder. She breathed in deeply, exhaled, then turned and walked back to her table. "Okay...So, are we fine with the contracts?" She asked me. I'd half forgotten, with Raki trying to do...things, but I thought so. "I'll go and round up some food and drink and get it all to the party as quick as I can, then. Raki should have cooled off by then, and Kasen should be there. Suika's probably already heard..." Yuugi seemed to have switched into planning mode, so I went to pick up the contracts, then realised that I was supposed to get Yuugi to sign them as proof. After doing so, I bid farewell for now and stepped outside of Yuugi's house.

"So, Raki's still up to her old tricks, huh?" A voice said, making me jump. I looked to the side and saw that Suika Ibuki was leaning against the wall of the house with her arms crossed. "Still," She said, pushing off and indicating for me to keep walking. "She's better than she was. Try not to hold it against her. Creatures made to inflict suffering we may be, but our own faults sting twice as much." Suika placed her arms behind her head and strode alongside me. "Saw your spider, by the way. Just entered the district." That put a smile on my face. "You know, Yuugi likes her a lot, too. No wonder she stopped Raki from-" I cut her off before she could say anything further, and just said that I was thankful that she had stopped her. "...Hm." Suika hummed. "Well, good for you. You get to keep your sense of fidelity. But, just remember, there is a reason why you don't see many humans in these areas." She eyed me with a grin that showed sharp teeth. "Best not wander around on your lonesome."

[Anonymous No.]

It was hard to remember the kind of people I was interacting with regularly were youkai and usually had rather sordid pasts. I asked Suika what had been happening in Former Hell since I was last here. "Well...We sorted out the whole keystone issue, but you saw the start of that. There was some weird stuff with a vengeful spirit, but that's a usual sort of thing around here. Satori Komeiji's pet nuclear raven accidentally blow a hole in the ceiling..." She scratched her head. "So, honestly? Nothing much." Suika was still watching me with something like a restrained curiosity, so I finally broke and asked her if there was something she wanted to say. "Are you really planning to marry that Kurodani?" She asked me, her voice slightly more serious. I asked her how she had known that, and she shrugged. "I know everything."

After a few silent moments as we made it further down toward the centre of the town, I confessed that I really did love Yamame, and I really did want to marry her. "Can't say I rightly remember what it's usually like with you humans, but is that not a bit fast?" I frowned. How long had it been? A lot had happened in that time, and I felt like I'd bonded a lot faster with Yamame as a result. But still, maybe it was a bit fast? "Well, no business of mine, I guess. If you want to marry her, go right ahead." I told her that I was still thinking hard about it, but I hoped to ask her soon enough. At least, once I'd had a chance to actually confirm that she wanted to marry me. "Never seen someone quite so taken by a youkai. If you weren't - Well, you, Reimu would probably have come to check if you were possessed by now." I shrugged and said that things had just worked out that way.

"Kasen's thinking about asking Raki to merge again." Suika said quietly. I looked down at her and saw that she had crossed her arms as we walked, and she looked conflicted. "I was - So certain...That I wanted them to merge again, because that's my Ibaraki. But now...I think I like them both, as themselves. They're all different aspects of her wrapped together. I don't think I want them to merge forever." She looked over at me. "Sorry, I know it's not your concern. You're just easy to talk to." I'd probably been called worse, so I nodded and said that I understood. "I mean, the two of them merged could still be everything that they are separately, but it's not quite the same, right?" I didn't exactly know the original Ibaraki, so I couldn't really say, but hadn't Reimu cut her arm off to seal her again? "Huh? Er, yeah." So, didn't that mean that if they did merge again, it might be possibly to separate again. "Well, er...Maybe? My Ibaraki might have some opinions about that." Still, it was a possibility.

Finally, we were down in the busier parts of town again. "Down there," Suika said, point at another winding path. "Then take the first right, third left, up the stairs and past the tofu store, and then you'll be at the hall that Yuugi was talking about." I wasn't surprised that she had known what we were talking about already. "Your Yamame is...Oh, there she is." I turned back and saw that Suika was pointing down the street. There, at the bottom with the crowd splitting around her, was Yamame, and I sighed in relief.

[Anonymous No.]

It felt like an eternity. She had spotted me, so I left Suika behind and waded through the crowd to meet her halfway, where I wrapped her in my tightest hug. "Whoa, what's the matter with you?" She asked me, and I just buried my face in her hair. I hadn't really realised, but Raki's nearly successful attempt at...Whatever she had planned to do had really gotten to me. I didn't want it to be anyone but Yamame. "O-Okay, well, this is nice too. Really nice hug. Yep."

And then a moody oni yelled at me to stop blocking the way, so I was forced to break the hug and pull Yamame out of the way of the crowds. "Um, what's going on?" Yamame asked me once we had a bit of space. "I saw one of my sisters on the way and she said something about a party." I sighed and explained Yura's little outburst. "Oh, that girl..." Yamame growled. "I told you she was too immature! You should have stopped her." I raised my hands in my defence and said that I really hadn't been given much of a warning, so I'd just done the best I could. "Right..." Yamame didn't look entirely convinced with the whole thing. "Did I see Miss Raki go flying into the hot springs? I thought I did when I arrived." I slowly nodded, but said that I'd explain later.

Suika was still waiting back where I'd left here, but she didn't look all that interested. "Well, I'll be off, but I'll be sure to show up for your party." She said, scratching behind her ear. "Need to find my gourd, anyway..." She muttered as she wandered past us.

After a moment, I asked Yamame if she wanted to start heading in the direction that Suika had told me to go, and she chewed on her lip for a moment before agreeing. I said that her sister would probably be there anyway, and I needed to hand back the papers I was holding in my other hand. On the way, I asked Yamame how Kagerou's hood had gone. "Oh, it was easy. Came out looking great, too. I might have beaten my speed record." I congratulated her, then slowly asked how she had finished it so fast. "Oh, it was just an easy design. Why?" I was silent for a moment, then finally said that Reiko had mentioned something to me about limbs. "Limbs? What does - Oh..." Yamame trailed off. I squeezed her hands tightly and told her that I just wanted to know why she hadn't said anything. "I just..." She trailed off, looking away from me for a moment. "Does it matter?” She asked with a bit of a whine. I told her that it mattered to me, because it was part of Yamame and that meant that I wanted her to know she could share it with me. “…I was scared. I hid them because I was scared." She mumbled, and I held her close once more. "I was scared that you'd reject me." I didn't think I could reject her anymore, so I told her that I'd like to see them once we were home. "A-Are you sure...?" She asked me, and I nodded seriously. It was important to me because I loved her.

Yamame was quiet as we took the twists and turns of the streets. As we climbed the stairs and went past the tofu shop, she finally replied quietly. "I Love you too."

[Anonymous No.]

I hope that on the way back they find parsee
>>45392239
>so I told her that I'd like to see them once we were home
a-anon, what are you thinking to do...?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392239
>"Need to find my gourd, anyway..."
Wait is this happening during jobbing detective Satori or the whaletits extravaganza?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392646
Suika was executing a plan to gaslight Marisa using her gourd and break her spirit.
For some reason.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392646
Those two don't even make sense with each other in canon, since everyone assumed that CDS takes place in a small period of time while LE is following real time, and then LE randomly referenced CDS events as if they were just happening now.
Anyway Miyoi probably has the gourd and is at Geidontei because she'd be forced to follow the gourd if it was somewhere else, so perhaps there will be a miyoi cameo here?

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392223
>"She knows how I feel about that sort of stuff...I'm not - Weird, or anything! I just...Want to meet a nice man naturally..."
Imagine a Yuugi spinoff where she inquires with Marisa about her "romantic fulfillment" services, which gets her into a bunch of dates that all end horribly, and eventually through pure happenstance she meets a nice lad in an incredibly strange, possibly life threatening scenario, whom she gradually gets to know better until the two eventually settle down together as husband and wife. That would be a wild sequence of events, huh?

>>45392460
8x LEG LOCK COMBO

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392713
There is only one man that can keep up with Yuugi

[Anonymous No.]

>>45392713
Only if they meet by attempting to get their hands on the same rare trading card

[Anonymous No.]

yuugi reading glasses cute

[Anonymous No.]

If Arm-chan got violent Yamane would have no chance against her would she? Arm could even use Yam as a blackmail token with Anon.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45395659
Not a chance, I don't like powerlevelfagging but fact is that Kasen is a sage and on par with Okina and Yukari even after splitting.
We just don't see her bullshit powers much even in her own manga so its easy to forget that she has her own broken abilities

[Anonymous No.]

Does armsen have anything that prevents disease or gets rid of it? Yams might have a chance if so

[Anonymous No.]

>>45395755
the sake box could heal it, but I doubt kasen would give it to her once she found out why yamame had attacked her since it would mean that she has failed to change in any meaningful way

[Anonymous No.]

>>45395755
healing arm-chan arc

[Anonymous No.]

I was reading the first thread again and I didn't remember that it was so different, anon replied to the posts and the other characters didn't speak too

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396499
I think it's changed for the better.
It will end with anon stating his full name and saying "I do"

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396524
his name is anon

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396524
I, Dongus Barbunkle III take Yamame Kurodani to be my lawfully wedded wife

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396537
Anon the XIII, Descendant of House Anon, more specifically
https://www.houseofnames.com/anon-family-crest

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396499
I think that at first threads there where different writers.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396524
>I think it's changed for the better.
Yes, but simpler times were good too
the date with seiga is so forgotten

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396668
Not as forgotten as Iku

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396674
If the wedding is going to have all the characters that appeared as we think she will need to apologize first

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396756
she'll be there to seethe about someone else finding a husband before her, and then seethe even more when she realises that it's the guy she ditched
I wonder what the iku route might have looked like

[Anonymous No.]

>>45396771
>I wonder what the iku route might have looked like
anon would become iku's maid

[Anonymous No.]

Fun irrelevant KMS fact: one of Yamame's sisters shares her name with Tenshi's canonical dad.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45397507
Fun irrelevant answer: I kept getting 'Nashi' in my head for Nai's name but it was reminding me of nakadashi too much and it was too close to Hachiashi from Kurodani Yamame Has No Gods

[Anonymous No.]

aaaaaa

[Anonymous No.]

aaa~

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400505
>>45400516
Raki stop it

[Anonymous No.]

We killed writefag, it's over...

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400542
dont know if I go to sleep or I wait

[Anonymous No.]

I think he is waiting for a new thread since this one is close to the bump limit.

[Anonymous No.]

"The hood?" Yamame clarified, looking up from the bowl of noodles that she was currently devouring. "Yeah, I went with the fur-lined design. It's winter, after all. I had that finished really fast because I wanted to get down here." I asked her what her plan with the hood was now. "Well...I'll have to get it to Kagerou somehow. I was thinking either giving it to her at one of her meetings, or...You know she lives in the Bamboo Forest of the Lost, right?" I nodded, having parted ways with her just after the big fight at Eientei. "Well, I thought that if you want to see Eirin Yagokoro again, we could go and find her home afterward. What do you think?"

We'd almost made it to the hall before Yamame had confessed that she hadn't eaten all day, which reminded me that...I didn't remember when I'd last eating. It might have been the cinnamon roll at Miss Yuuka's mansion? I didn't think I'd eaten with Reimu. Either way, I didn't know how long it would be until Yuugi was able to get food together for Yura's party, so Yamame and I had doubled back and found a shop to buy some fried noodles and strips of meat from, which Yamame had seemed very happy about, despite the fact that she had to pay for it. I really needed to get back on top of that. Surely Lady Hecatia was expecting an answer by now? I probably needed to ask her some questions about both the job and what would happen to me should I choose to accept it? Would I become a youkai? Would I need to live in Hell?

Yamame snapped her fingers in front of my face once or twice. "Are you okay?" She asked me, and I nodded. I'd just been thinking, I said. "Ah. So, er, I was asking what you thought of going to Kagerou's house?" I nodded and said that I thought that I'd been to somewhere near that area, so I was happy to come with her. I mean, I wasn't sure exactly where Mokou's house was, nor Kagerou's house, but I imagined that we'd be able to find our way. I watched Yamame take another big bite of her food and smile slight, so I asked her if it was good. "Oh, it's delicious!" She told me cheerfully. "How's yours?" Since I never really ate very much, and whatever I did eat seemed to keep me going for days, I'd gone for simple vegetable tempura, and I nodded and agreed that it was rather delicious.

The shop we'd found was between two streets somewhere on the second level up from the largest hot spring, next to a musical instrument store and a store for souvenirs. Every now and then, between the general murmur of the crowds and the sound of the water in the springs below whenever some particular oni got rowdy - Or possibly Raki, I supposed, since she'd been hurled right into the centre - I could hear the strumming of strings on the instruments inside the store. We were sat at a table just outside the shop, and I could watch the crowds passing by idly. A bunch of oni in various shapes and sizes, some of Yamame's sisters, a couple people that Yamame identified as snakes, and all other sorts, idly passing by without a care. I'd been half worried that I'd be attacked because I was a human, but so far, I'd been mostly ignored. In fact, Yamame had been accosted more than me by various oni who seemed to want to say hi to her. I didn't recognize any of them apart from one, who I realised after he lumbered off was the one that I'd hit in the face with a wooden board. One person did stop when they saw me, a fairy who was dressed up like a sort of corpse, who identified themselves as being from the Palace of the Earth Spirits, and said that they liked my shirt. I was a little flattered, but they lost interest in me before long, so I guessed that perhaps Lady Hecatia hadn't quite spread her fashion line all the way across Former Hell yet. Still, here I was, doing some free marketing for her.

And here I was, more importantly, watching Yamame eat happily and thinking hard. I wanted to ask her a question, but I didn't want to make it obvious. I wanted to know if she wanted to marry me. I didn't know when I would ask her that particular question, but I wanted to be sure that she actually wanted that beforehand. I thought that she probably did, but it was best to be sure.

I watched as a group of Yamame's sisters wandered past, then blinked when I realised that it was Ruka who was shepherding them forward. She spotted Yamame as she passed. "Oh!" She exclaimed, causing the other, much younger-looking spiders to come to a halt. "There you are, dear sister." She said, striding over and holding her arms out for a hug which Yamame dutifully returned once she’d put her utensils down. "Eating well, I see."

[Anonymous No.]

"Oh, of course." Yamame replied through a mouthful of noodles. She took a moment to swallow after noticing that I was mouthing the word 'swallow' to her. "Ah. Have to eat a good meal sometimes, you know." One of the younger sisters gingerly poked me in the shoulder and asked me where I had gotten my t-shirt, which I said was quite a long story. The girl - blonde, ruby-coloured eyes - looked at Yamame and Ruka, then said that we probably had time, so I shrugged and explained it as having been a personal gift from Lady Hecatia Lapislazuli herself. That seemed to get another round of questioning going, so I sighed and explained myself further while I tried to keep an ear on Yamame's conversation with Ruka.

"-But keep your manners in mind, hmm?" Ruka was saying. "No talking with your mouth full. Kisami would smack you silly if she saw you doing that." I could see her doing that, actually. She was definitely the sort of person to discipline her sisters like that. For the first time, I wondered about who Yamame's parents were. No one, neither her nor any of her sisters, had mentioned them. Perhaps they weren't around anymore, or perhaps they lived much further afield and Yamame simply hadn't found any real reason to bring them up, but it seemed a little like Kisami and whatever other elder sisters Yamame had were probably the ones mostly responsible for raising her. In which case, they'd done a rather amazing job, I thought, since I'd obviously fallen in love with her. I wondered if I'd meet any of the others at the party. Then, one of the younger sisters asked me if I could get them a T-shirt, which got the others asking too, and I had to try and explain that I couldn't just get whoever I felt like clothing.

Meanwhile... "Ki mothers me too much as it is, and she's not even my mother." Yamame muttered, pushing her finished bowl away and eating one of the leftover strips of meat. “The last I need is to hear it from you as well.” Her eyes flashed. "And I don't think I need you in particular telling me how to mind my manners, Miss I-Don't-Need-To-Wear-A-" Ruka's eyes widened, and she slapped a hand over Yamame's mouth before she could get another word out.

"Point taken, point taken. Silence, you little monster!" Ruka told her, finally removing her hand from her mouth so Yamame could pout at her properly. "All I'm saying is," Ruka snagged the last strip of meat from the plate quick as a flash and chomped down on it, making Yamame cry out in annoyance, "How are you going to raise kids of your own if you can't keep your manners in mind now?"

"Kids of my - What?" Yamame asked, sounding very confused and a little panicked. I was now very interested in this conversation, so I began paying more attention to it, and I was fairly certain that whatever it was I was saying to the other spiders began to get wildly inaccurate. I might have already told them that I was from the moon and lived in the Dream World for all I knew. "O-Of my own?"

Ruka looked a little surprised by Yamame's reaction. "Uh...Yeah? I mean, you want to have kids someday, right? Used to be all you talked about when we were young."

"S-Someday!" Yamame replied sharply, and just slightly nervously. "Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?"

Ruka put her hands on her hips. I think I told the younger girls that I'd met Lady Hecatia in a dream. "Well, I was just saying it...But now you've caught my attention." She leaned in closer, getting right in Yamame's face. "Yams, dear, why has me mentioning kids of your own got you so rattled? Could it be that you’re thinking-"

"Huh?" Yamame seemed to be shrinking away from her sister now. I wondered what Ruka had been about to say. "No reason! Stop trying to tease me, Ruka, it's cruel!" She went for her drink and tipped the whole thing back into her mouth. “You and Yura are the worst, you know. It’s always teasing with you two.”

"Hmm..." Ruka said, standing back up straight. Her eyes flickered between Yamame and me, and then she shrugged. "Perhaps. Perhaps not, dear sister. You know we only tease you because we love you." Her hand shot out and ruffled Yamame's hair into a total mess before she could stop her, and then Ruka hopped back. "Come on, you lot!" She told her younger sisters, who were still clamouring for a T-shirt. "Leave him alone!" There were some moans and groans, but the younger group did step back over to Ruka, who offered as an exaggerated bow. "Well, we'll be off. See you at the party, you two." And with a wave, she ushered the others off and away down the street, leaving Yamame and I sat there on our own.

[Anonymous No.]

"Oh, why do they always go for my hair?" Yamame grumbled to herself. I looked over and watched her try and get her hair back into its usual state, which was hard when there was so much of it. "You included." She added when she noticed me. "Actually, especially you. You always run your fingers through it when we're-" I decided to cut her off right then by reaching over the table and ruffling said hair again. "Oh, for-" She slapped my hand away. "Stop that, you snake!" She reprimanded me. "What is it about my hair that has you so fascinated? Honestly..." She got back to work. "Maybe I should start doing that to you, hmm? See how you like it!" I laughed a little, and she frowned at me. "This is no laughing matter! My hairstyle is very important and - And..." She watched me try to conceal some more laughter, and finally she cracked a bit of a smile.

And then I asked her why she'd gotten so flustered about Ruka's comment. "H-Huh? You're going on about this too?" She asked me, sounding a little dismayed. I didn't break eye contact as I nodded. "J-Just, um..." I said her name sternly. "Look, when I was young, I really liked the idea of having kids one day. And then, I grew up and forgot about it." And now? "And now...Um, I hadn't spent as much time as I should have with my sisters, and it's been coming back to me." I raised an eyebrow at that. "Look, it's just something that Ruka's teasing me with!" She cried, finally getting her hair back to some semblance of control.

I already wanted to ruffle it again. I didn't even want to attend the party. I wanted to go home with Yamame right now. I wanted to ask her to marry me right now. I didn't do any of those things, and instead, I looked up at the sprawling heights of the Hot Springs Town, the way it curved around the cavern's walls and slopes, and exhaled slowly. Then, I asked Yamame what she would do if she had kids.

"H-Huh?" She asked me nervously. I repeated the question and told her that I was curious. "You won't laugh?" She sounded tentative. Never, I replied. "Um, I always imagined being married and taking them to see different places..." I felt like there was something in my chest, battering on the walls to my heart. "I guess I always kind of wanted to have lots of kids. Enough that they'd never feel lonely." At that moment, there was nothing else in the world except myself and Yamame Kurodani. "Since, er, that's what it was like for me. I have so many family members that I hardly know what to do with myself sometimes, and I love knowing that I can help them with anything they need." Hoarsely, I asked her if she thought about who she was married to in those fantasies, and she looked back at me for a moment before her eyes shifted to the side. "Um, I didn't really when I was young...But, W-Well, I might have started to, just a little..." She glanced back at my face for a split second, then back down at her hands.

At that point, I was just staring at her. I think I felt a tear rolling out of my eye, and her face shifted to concern and worry. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She mumbled, reaching across the table to grasp my hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I know - With your family and..." I sniffled slightly. Yes, I'd never known what a large family was like. I'd still not quite gotten over what I'd lost, and I wasn't sure if I ever would, truly. But...I'd found Reimu, the big sister I'd wanted. I'd been welcomed by Yamame's family and that knowledge still made me feel so happy that I wanted to burst. And to hear that Yamame wanted a big family herself...I wasn't exactly the brightest person in the world, but I tried my best, and I thought that I could figure out what she wasn't saying when she said that she was starting to imagine who she was married to. And that...

I was fine, I managed to say. Really, really, fine.

"O-Oh, um..." Yamame stammered a little, and I finally swallowed and stood, helping her out of her seat. We should get going to the party, I said. "Are you sure?" She asked, and I nodded, inhaling sharply. "Okay, er, lead the way?" I took her hand tightly, then headed off in the direction that Ruka had gone in. I wasn't sure how many times I'd done it by now, but once the crowds had thinned out, I stopped in an alleyway so I could hug Yamame again. "A-Again?" She stammered, but I noticed that she was definitely hugging me back with the same tightness. I whispered a thank you for answering me truthfully into her ear. "W-Well, I don't want to lie to you, so..." If anything, that made me tighten even more. "Oof! Are you sure you're okay?" She asked me, sounding slightly strained.

[Anonymous No.]

I loved her, I replied. I really, truly, loved her. "Me T-Too..." She wheezed, and I finally managed to convince my brain to loosen me arms slightly, and she breathed in and out heavily in relief, her hot breath tickling my ear. "Oh, that's better." She gasped. "Honestly, I think you squeeze tighter than any spider could." I buried my face in her hair, trying to get my rampaging emotions under control before I asked her to marry me right there and then. "Argh, my hair, you oaf!" She groaned. "Will you stop messing it up? I'm begging you. Honestly, I might as well let you style it at this rate."

Fortunately, some drunk oni happened to look down the alleyway and shouted at us to get a room, and I was finally able to disengage my arms. "Okay, before you get carried away again, let's get going." Yamame told me, taking my hand herself and dragging me along with her. "Or before I get carried away." She muttered under her breath, but I still heard it. "They said it was down this street, wasn't it?" I agreed, saying that Suika had claimed it to be just a bit past the tofu shop. "Let's hope so..." Yamame trailed off, and I looked ahead of us.

Ahead of us, the crowds had settled down to a lot of Kurodani family members. There was a single, large building ahead of us, wider than the Hakurei Shrine and deep as the whole courtyard. It could probably fit Yamame's entire family with room to spare, without even accounting for the fact that they could all fly. "Guess that's the place." Yamame said faintly. "It's good to have friends in high places, isn't it?" I nodded, wondering how news seemed to travel around this place so fast. “I’m pretty sure that Yuugi got everyone in here, right? Seems like the only way on short notice.” Well…Yeah, I suppose that was what had happened.

"Ah, is that - Excuse me!" I heard someone calling, and I looked away from the building and at the street, where I could see something tall and pink pushing through toward us. Lady Kasen looked harried and a little bit overworked. "There you are!" She exclaimed, doubling over and panting for breath. "So many Kurodani's here that I can hardly breathe." Yamame snorted and Lady Kasen wiped her brow and breathed out heavily. "I'm practically stuck on my own out here. My dear partner's vanished, Suika's spending half her time in mist form, Yuugi showed up only to tell me to try and keep too many oni from trying to join in, and I honestly don't know what's even happening!" I blinked, then said that Raki was probably floating in the hot springs after Yuugi hurled her there from the top of the town, Suika had disappeared somewhere behind us, and Yuugi was sorting out food. "...Huh." Lady Kasen said, scratching her head. "How do you get around so much?" I shrugged and said that these things just seemed to happen to me. "Um, okay, I can try and find Raki, then. I don't know about keeping the other oni out, though..." I didn't think it seemed very likely, so I just said that doing whatever she could manage would probably be fine.

"I think they'll be a little bit more respectful than you think, anyway." Yamame said. "Especially when they see that it's a work party, at least for now. Later on, they'll get rowdy." I supposed that was probably the best we'd get, so I shrugged and asked Yamame if we should go inside. "Oh, I suppose so. If only so we can watch Kisami and Reiko beat Yura up." That sounded like a nice bonding experience. "Do you know what? It actually kind of is." Yamame said, looking a little smug about it.

"Right..." Lady Kasen said as she looked between us with a frown. "Er, go easy on her, I suppose. A good lecture will accomplish the same results as a thorough beating, though I wouldn’t discount that either. Helps with oni, at least. I'll be off to find my partner before she does something stupid, then." She nodded at us, then continued pushing through the other people walking around. This time, she was heading in the direction of the stairs downward, toward the largest of the springs.

"She's got way too much on her mind." Yamame commented as we headed closer to the entrance to the hall. The place was definitely big enough for this whole thing, but I had to wonder how many of the Hot Springs Town’s resourced would have been drained by the end. "I suppose we all do sometimes."

Yeah, I thought as I spotted a flash of Kisami's red hair by the entrance. Some of us more than others.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400564
>>45400553
>>45400542
I am absolutely fine
for whatever definitely of fine writing 370,000 words about marrying a spider fits under

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400646
Only 191000 words to go and a Touhou fan work can flex on War and Peace, get pichuun'd Tolstoy

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400646
My, my. Children can be so impatient!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400759
w-we were just worried about writeanon!

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400646
Proof of just how absolutely fine I am comes in my ability go write the word 'definition' instead of 'definitely'
100% fine

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400646

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400803
>go write the word 'definition'
definition
... w-was that good enough?

[Anonymous No.]

New thread up >>>45400914 if recap anon wants to upload the story so far now we're at the bump limit here.

[Anonymous No.]

>>45400922
Gotcha, I'll post the recap as soon as I can.