/jp/ - Otaku Culture

"Miss Takane, she's at it again." The Kappa told me as I directed the movement of some baking goods.

Ughh, such needy guests.

"Take care of this then, see that they put things where they belong and not just in a pile in the storehouse." I said, gently pushing her to the train of Tengu handling sacks.

"I, uh, haven't been in a management position before." She said, looking at the eyes of the white wolf Tengu that were staring her down.

"Well how fortunate for you. This'll be your first experience!" I said. "Straighten your back, repeat every instruction twice, and make sure they acknowledge it. Tengu respect procedure." I whispered before giving her a final push toward the cargo train.

"Alright then, to the storehouse with these. The storehouse understand?" She said, forcing out confidence.

I let myself smile slightly and enjoy the moment, before switching once again into management mode. Preparations for the Winter Solstice festival were ramping up and beyond just being a celebration, it was preparing for war. Making redundant support for key infrastructure because nothing would be sturdy enough to survive a single hit, sourcing as much information as possible about enemy movement and possible attack vectors so we could refine our evacuation plans, rehearsing and triple checking code rotations and communication methods so we could react as the situation evolved, it was all rather exhaustive on top of preparing for a celebration.

Festivals in Gensokyo could make or break the reputation after all. Put on a good show and you'll be inedited with contracts and offers, make a bland disaster, and you'll find yourself blacklisted, at least until someone else becomes the new laughing stock.

Then there was our guests...

"Is there really no other glassware? I tire of this one, the balance is off and it's color does a dis-service to the drink." Yachie berated, to the struggling small Tanuki, Kuma.

"Of course Miss Yachie, but glassware is quite rare in Gensokyo. I've sent some workers to antique shops and artisans, they'll be back soon." She said.

Good girl, acknoweldge the problem, tell them what you're doing to solve it, and above all be brief.

Yachie sighed. "Honestly, it might be faster if I send someone back to Hell to get something from my private collection, even if I would risk it breaking on the way back."

Kuma's face lit up. "If you could tell me where to find it, I could have one to you within the hour."

The mob boss looked inquisitively at the Tanuki, but ultimately jotted some instructions on a pad and handed it to her, which the girl took, bowed, and ran off. Probably to find Ran or Yukari to ask politely to use their gaps, which would have been unthinkable at the start of this endeavor, but the two had grown... softer. The HSE had been starting to feel less like a popup business and more like a functional institution. It was an odd feeling.

"Ah, Yamawaro, you're too late it seems, your subordinate is on her way to solve the problem." She smiled, crossing her arms.

"Very good Miss Yachie, I do apologize for the inconvenience and am glad your being accommodated." I said.

"Don't think I'm some stuffy royal who needs coddling girl, I too once worked in the dregs of logistics and descend from my tower to see it fixed now and again." She said with a flick of her tail.

"Speaking of, is all of the Yakumo's allies gathered here yet? I want to take stock of our forces." She asked.