/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45063772
Aya never really appreciated Momiji’s heightened senses. It always gave away her position when trying to take photos of her in the showers or sleeping on the job. Now that it helped her get over a searing headache, she promised to herself that she’d only ever photograph Momiji with her consent. As long as it wasn’t an emergency. Or a really good shot that wouldn’t ever come again. Or even-

“Aya? Your eyes started going blank again, are you okay?” The white wolf’s concern was all over her face. Right, she was in Momiji’s house. It was fairly spartan, probably because the girl spent all day outside either patrolling or playing shogi with the kappa. The soft pillow placed under her head smelled of dog, but it tempted her to such a soothing sleep… no, no, there’s only a few hours free from the pervert. Sitting up on Momiji’s bed, the crow collected her thoughts and began to explain the nature of Okina’s alliance to her host.

“So if you and Sanae are handling it, why do you need me?” Momiji was starting to get tired: Both of Aya verbally taking up her night and physically blocking her from getting in bed for a good night’s sleep.

“That’s because I need a backup. Someone who’s not on Yukari’s side or Okina’s side, but mine!” Aya sidled up towards Momiji and lowered her voice. “I’m not looking to put Anon in anyone’s hands but his own. If we can just get him back with his daughter, maybe they could find sanctuary with the Moriyans, Marisa, the SDM, anyone but Yukari and Reimu.” She started to blush, but her voice stayed firm. “I’d even let them live with me if they needed to…”

“That’s very noble, Aya, but how does dismantling society help?” Momiji’s concern went from warm and nurturing to wary.

“The tengu know, see and tell everything. They’ll tell Yukari where he Anon is before he’s there. Even if she’s defeated, someone’s bound to stir up trouble. If we cut off ties to her now, the Youkai Mountain will become a safe place for Anon. And if I can’t spirit him away, then you, someone neither Yukari now Okina knows about, can.”

“I understand. I’m surprised you gave this much thought into doing good for our people. If the path of treachery is needed, I’ll take it to make our society a shining beacon for Gensokyo! Now, how do you plan to convince our daitengu to cease relations with Yukari?” Momiji’s ears were perked up, ready to hear every detail of Aya’s plan to pursue justice.

“I’ll blow up the printers. If they prepared for that, I’ll find a way to use this backdoor to sabotage them or get somebody who can. Maybe Nitori can us out!” If she weren’t proposing terrorism, Momiji would find Aya’s exuberance child-like. “Oh, look at the time! It’s getting pretty late. Before we’re done, I need to give you something!” Aya rushed out of Momiji’s home and back in less than a minute. She set a large, heavy box down by Momiji’s front door and a baggie of 3 pills. “Here’s an account of every single detail I’ve had with the HSE! I can’t trust that hikkikomori with it, since she’ll just put it in her 3rd-rate newspaper. But you, you have some… uhhh… that thing that makes you bad at reporting…” It was at the tip of her tongue, but the tengu’s headache blocked it from her memory.

“Are you looking for ‘morals’?”

“Yeah, that’s it! If something happens and I end up biting the bullet, I want you to spread this to as many people as possible. Yukari would never let this run, and it has some details I’d rather publish after I can’t be punished for them.”

“I see, but what are these pills for? Wait a minute, you fed me this… earlier.”

“Oh, those negate the effects of that stupid incense inside the HSE. It lasts for hours. Just take it before you enter so Ran doesn’t see it.”

“You had something this powerful on you?! Where did you even get such a thing?”

Looking to her left and right, Aya got close to Momiji’s ear and whispered quietly. “Go to Eientei and ask Eirin, no one else. Then, somebody that looks like Reisen will sell them to you behind Eirin’s back.” That had to be far enough from the truth to that Eirin wouldn’t catch it.

“Oh, and just one more thing: If something happens to me after about, say, two months or so, look underneath my bed. There will be something important there.”

“Why couldn’t you just bring it now? You already brought this… bunker of records.” Momiji was straining to move the dense cube of newsprint.

Aya gave her an odd smile. “Hopefully you won’t have to know. But if it does happen… you’re the most responsible person I know.” Leaving Momiji with ominous words and a package heavier than her sword, Aya went home, satisfied with her hard effort today. Momiji was her ally, but she still had to make an effort herself to subjugate her bosses.

(Part 36)