/jp/ - Otaku Culture

The tunnels were still frigid, and I rubbed my hands together as I walked through. It was a good thing that Yamame had chosen to live so close to the surface, because I couldn't imagine how I'd manage if she lived as deep as Kisami. Speaking of, I wondered how she was doing with the ring, but it wasn't like I could easily go and ask her, so I would just have to wait and see. Turning down the tunnel, I saw that it had been entirely blocked by snow yet again. I slapped my head. I convinced myself that everything would be fine. Then, I turned back to ask Yamame to break through the snow for me.

Several minutes later, I wanted to die. "There!" Yamame said cheerfully, now illuminated by the white light of the snowy morning. "How's that fit?" She asked me with a very victorious look. I had a mutinous one to give her in response as I lifted the very wide-brimmed hat that I'd seen the head monk at Myouren Temple wear from time to time. Awfully, I replied. I thought I'd best leave it behind. "Sorry, that's the price for my help. Wear the hat." Scowling, I put it on and told her that she would pay for this later. "Hmm...Looking forward to it." She hopped closer, gave me a kiss, then turned and took off back down the tunnels. I sighed and began to negotiate my way through the powdery snow right where Yamame had broken through until the snow became densely packed enough to stand on. Maybe I needed something like snowshoes, the kind that I'd seen Miss Sanae wear in the village one winter. Or maybe, I reflected, I needed to take Lady Hecatia's offer, assuming it was even available anymore. I hadn't seen her in quite some time. It was something I'd let slip between dealing with Lady Kasen and Raki, then Yamame, Reimu, Marisa, and Tenshi. It was hard to keep everything balanced.

I felt like I was already being laughed at with the hat on, but there wasn't anyone around, and I made it out of the village and onto the path toward the Shrine in short time. I might have even made it all the way to the Shrine itself, but I got as far as the fork in the road that led up to the mountain when I spotted something in the path. Quite a way up, I could see a figure. They were too far away to make anything out, but I was sure that they were in trouble, because they weren't moving in any real direction, but they were certainly moving around in a very small area a lot. I looked in the direction of the Shrine, then shook my head and started on the path toward the mountain instead. If someone was in trouble up there, I'd best go and try to help.

Of course, once I got closer, I found myself more confused than anything. The girl on the path wasn't barefoot, but her shoes didn't look particularly suited for the snow, which was concerning enough, but she wore a dress with the entire bottom cut in the shape of maple leaves, along with her collar. There was another leaf in her hair, too. She was like the perfect picture of Autumn...Here in the middle of a snowy Winter. "Hello?" She said to me. "Are you okay? You're staring." I frowned, then asked her what she was doing up here. "Here? I live up here. What do you think I'm doing up here?" She sounded a little annoyed already. Usually, it took me longer to say something wrong and get beaten up by a girl. I raised my hands and said that I saw her from the bottom of the path, and I was wondering why she wasn't moving. "Good!" Rather sharply, she cried. "Good, yes. Er, can you help me out? Please?" I blinked, then asked her what exactly she needed help with. She did look like she was worried about something, though she was trying to remain calm. "Well, er, it's easier if I show you. It's my little sister, you see." I wondered why I seemed to run into so many people who had troublesome little sisters. Yamame was one thing, but Satori Komeiji, too and the Yorigami sisters. The girl began leading me further up the path, then pointed toward the woods.

I felt a little cautious at this point, so I asked her for her name and what exactly I was doing. "Surely you know who I am?" She replied, her brow furrowed. I probably knew, since the Autumn-themed dress was a bit of a giveaway, but I wanted her to confirm it. "Shizuha. Shizuha Aki." She replied, sounding very put out. I supposed I understood that. She was one of the Aki sisters, the gods of Autumn. Her sister, then, was Minoriko Aki, the god of the harvest. I asked her what the matter with her little sister was. "Well, she's got a bit of a one-track mind. Doesn't notice things. That's why it's me that does the leaves, and she does the harvest, since she'd never be able to handle it. Anyway, she, uh, wasn't paying attention to where we were walking, so..."

>>40878597
For some reason she does that whenever we meet, in the street or anywhere else. What's going on?