/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45914686
>>45914854
I can't decide who's right…

>>45634597
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But Yukari is not in the position she is by being easily dissuaded or prone to implosion under pressure. Her smile remained smooth, slender hand brushing Hana's hair and looking at her eyes as if saying 'trust me'. It worked—the girl mechanically nodded, flushed—yet the seeds of doubt, of challenge against authority, are the hardiest in nature.

Yukari turns to us, composed and sharp: "When winters turn to spring; Reimu is a better person and Anon is apt to leave without clinging to me, wide-eyed, looking at every shadow—then, yes, Yuuka-san, we shall visit your garden." Wait… "I'm sure he'd like to see it after all of your visits—even the unsavory ones~" Yuuka's smile withered with her words; Hana frowned.

"What do you mean…?" The little miko asks, looking at Yukari for guidance; Yuuka is mortified. Alice tenses, and Anon's doll by Hana's side starts to pat her arm tenderly.

"Oh, hasn't she told you the full story?" Yukari hums, hiding her lower face with her fan.

"H-Hana, I—" Yuuka tries, but the red miko's gaze into her eyes is death, sapping her strength. The Flower Master moistens her lips, heart pounding, wordless.

Yukari smiled, small yet visceral, giving no one time to think of words: "Oh, sorry—didn't mean to bring out bad memories." She casually shrugs. Hana's confused glare jumps between everyone. Tewi watches between amusement and interest. "But, you see, Hana-chan, Yuuka there is—"

"—Anon's sweetheart, if I'm not mistaken. Heh, if only you'd know what other guests say about her." Mamizou interferes, looking tranquil, yet a good intuition reveals the small shake of terror behind her irises. Marisa was by her side, faking a pout, Suzu lying on the couch covered by dolls, a booklet in her hands, sleeping—if she's pretending or not is beyond me—Sana, Aunn and Sara nestling with her. "Something about hard kickoffs, but rapidly changing into Anon beaming after Yuuka's visits, especially those where they'd spend the entire time working the garden. And, oh, oh, the gossip about her blushing like a schoolgirl! HA! If one would become your new mama, I’m betting on that lovey-dovey dork there—you don't hear the same from others, eh, Yukari?"

"The garden is really appreciated, usa~! My girls love to sunbathe there when we visit. You just don't get THAT much sunlight inside a bamboo forest." Yuuka's eyes shine, her body straight as a line. Hana smiles, her frown turning into a hardly concealed giggle upon hearing the gossip, and Yukari…

It lasts a moment, but the utter rage she throws at the Tanuki could fill an entire mountain. Mamizou's fear threatens to show, but she quickly hides it.

Yuuka’s face is a blushing mess, a trembling smile taking over. "Exposing a lady like that? Don't you have a heart, Mamizou-san?"

"Gah, so goddamn unfair!" Marisa pouts, arms over her pregnant belly.

"Suck it up, my student—in the looks, height, and presence department, you're severely outclassed." Mima taps her uncovered golden hair.

"I wouldn't say that; Marisa-chan can be… endearing to look at." Alice offers.

"Stop! Marisa-sensei is very pretty! She and dad would make a beautiful, human couple!" Hana yells, pouting. Then the looks fall upon her, puzzled at the specification, which prompts Hana to cringe. "Uh… s-sorry—I, uh—"

Marisa sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Just shut up; you're not helping-ze…"

My frantic heart slows down. The planning was of haste, so it’s unsurprising Yukari managed to fool us.

The nerves were still blossoming despite the lighthearted conversation. Hana probably thinks whatever Yukari had to say was to embarrass Yuuka as Mamizou did; Mima and Marisa, professionals in trickery—it was trickery, right…?—, carefully managed to turn away her attention in a natural way. It's a quiet battle of words, unlike any danmaku, yet it’s still the same song and dance: one mistake, and it means destruction.

Our goal? Get her away from Hana.

… And the best way of doing that is by ending the party.

"Marisa's lacking looks apart," I start, the pregnant woman groaning and Hana pouting at me. "Now that everyone is present, why don't we go gift-unwrapping and cut the cake? We were about to do that before you got here, Yukari-san." I explain, the other guests quick to agree and start making predictions about what gift everyone got. Marisa, a maddening grin on her face, went to the back for a moment and returned with a Viking horn—wait, what? By her side and mirroring the grinning face, yet somehow looking even more like a menace, was Tewi… which explained everything—to wake Suzu, the rabbits, and Aunn up. Hana sighed, watching but not interrupting.

The Gap Sage hummed, composed as ever; a battle lost doesn't mean the war is decided. We cannot lose sight of this; otherwise, she'll exploit the breaches and snatch Hana.

At this point, the girl is still savable, and I swear by the flesh clung to my bones that I will see to that.

Hana must be saved from the clutches of that viper.