/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46570574

A piercing gaze fell upon Hana in all but reality, of course she knew there was nothing there; nothing lurked in the darkness nor in the recesses of the mirror that suddenly gave her a sinking feeling. It was a strange fear, watching the shadows flicker behind her and how they cast shapes that caused your mind to inflame with its worst fears. It was a fear that caused her to turn her gaze away from the shadows, making her turn towards the light of the candle. However, it had little effect on how tightly her hands gripped the smoothed corner of the vanity, knuckles white and using her arms to support some of her weight.

That terror she knew well… Her hands clutching the end of the table, letting the sleeves dangle just an inch or so above the back of her hand, she remembered that piercing gaze. It was at one of the most horrifying times of any child’s life, when they realized they messed up right in front of their parent.

It was a simple story, one that she remembered starting with a sight much like this one, Hana staring down at her hands as her sleeves dangled an inch or so above the stone walkway that led to the main hall. She was on her hands and knees, one hand clutching a wooden tray, and the other grasping at a plate of offerings spilled and ruined.

Today’s story was a simple one, she would be assisting her mother in leaving offerings at the Hokora today. She was to help in honoring the folk spirits that resided in the shrine’s grounds as well as making sure the old seals were still standing, seals for what? She didn’t really know, only that her mother’s face went notably sour when she asked too much about them; she didn’t ask much after that.

While she walked behind the shrine proper, where the Hakurei orbs and other minor divine artifacts were enshrined and stored, a small and yellow leathery fruit peel was left out on the walkway that wrapped around the building. Where had that even come from? Hana didn’t really have time to ask that question, though she had a suspicion of the three who did.

Regardless of why it was there, why she didn’t see it till the last second, or why she felt three small presences vanish into the forest shortly after she saw an angry blur of crimson appear in the periphery of her vision didn’t matter really. She couldn’t even really remember what was on the tray anymore, treats her father prepared and a plain bottle of sake that had the misfortune of impacting a stone and bursting. What Hana could remember was the desperation as her fists closed around the freshly prepared treats, now ruined and only looking worse as they were disturbed further and rearranged hastily.
Reimu’s gaze on her back was fierce and hot as a bonfire, she remembered vividly how she looked around for help. None came of course, her hands only growing still the second she heard that rage fueled voice. That day her mother had already been frustrated, despite it being so early in the day, and with that dreadful voice she shouted a question she already knew the answer too, “You- What are you blind or just dumb?!”

Hana’s hands froze in the middle of their tasks, a clump of damaged rice cake split off from the mass in her hand, she didn’t dare look up. The footfalls grew louder, her three-toed geta impacted the stone and dirt quickly, not stopping even as she stammered an apology to the dust covered offerings and quickly draining sake puddle. The last two footsteps were rapid and Hana knew why before she felt it, crooking her head up to get a glimpse of the crimson and white fury. the last thing she saw was the rustling of her mother’s dress and a flash of skin as a heavy force impacted her side.

There wasn’t pain at first, just the shock of the blow and her mind scrambling to make sense of the damage. She remembered sitting there as she rolled onto her butt, her mind focused still on fixing the tray of treats as her hands tried to claw through the air to one of the dust covered delicacies that were flung with her for those few inches. That dogged determination was cut short, with a shout she remembered her mother’s voice command her to stand; though the exact words eluded her and judging by the wall of red incoming she didn’t have time to think on it.

By the time she felt gravity give and herself hauled upward by the back of her hakama she could only see her own dirt and food covered hands in front of her. She didn’t remember the exact details, blurred as they were by her tears, but she held them close to her face. She tried squirming, to fly despite not yet knowing how, to clutch at her exposed body, yet nothing got her further from the terror in front of her.

part one of Hanabanana's confrontation is complete, second part may be a bit slower given i'll be moving in the next few days. I should still have time to write tomorrow night though.