/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Byakuren kept an eye on her, then slowly shifted across to me. "...Your fiancé." She stated. I nodded. I was marrying Yamame Kurodani. "...I see. And - you are aware-" I knew who she was, and I knew what she was. "Reimu? May I ask what your stake in th-"

Reimu poked me in the side, then placed her gohei against the floor and leaned on it. "Here's the short version. He's my brother, she's going to be my sister in a way, they're getting married because they love each other, and they are - Not - getting married here." While that was all the case, I did think it was a little heavy-handed, so I thanked Byakuren for showing me around and for her commitment, but I was happy enough with the arrangements I'd already made.

Here, Byakuren looked a little conflicted. "Miss Yamame, you once came here to-"

"It was a bit of poor judgement!" Yamame replied quickly. "I don't eat - Uh, do that sort of thing anymore." She stared at Byakuren like she was trying to will the point of what she was saying into her. "I'm sorry for what happened then." She continued. "But it isn't what I'm like anymore."

Thankfully, Byakuren seemed, at the very least, willing to hear her out. "Do understand that I place great importance on peace. The safety of the villagers who come here, as you once said, with their worries, is very important to me. Very important indeed." I wondered what she was getting at. "Have you changed?"
Yamame nodded seriously. "I have." She replied. "And I have him to thank for it." She looked over at me, squeezing our joined hands. "I'm not going to cause you any trouble, so I would appreciate it if you wouldn't stare at me like you're trying to spot lies in what I'm saying." Byakuren looked at her a little closer when she said that.

"No, I'm just...Hmm..." She trailed off, looking between us thoughtfully. "He's really your brother?" She suddenly said to Reimu, who blinked like she'd forgotten she was part of the conversation.

"Er, yeah...Sort of. I mean, not like - blood-related, but - Well-" Reimu stammered, her eyes shifting from side to side like she was looking for an exit. Finally, she got herself together. "Don't all of your youkai friends here call you sister, anyway?"

"Well...Some of them." Byakuren replied with a smile. "But I was curious because I'd have thought that you wouldn't approve." She said to Reimu.

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Reimu asked testily, her gohei now resting over her shoulder. "He showed me that Yamame really isn't all that bad. I wasn't sure at first, but I got over it, and now I think they're great together." That made me feel pretty happy. I wondered what the exact moment was that Reimu had finally changed her mind, though I supposed that I wouldn't find out unless I gave up and asked her. Maybe when she had walked in on us? No, that was stupid. "Now, can you hurry up and forgive Yamame? I've got a nap to get back to." I raised an eyebrow at her, and she gave me a sideways glance in response.

"Forgive?" Byakuren repeated curiously. "I wasn't aware that she needed forgiving." Now I was starting to misunderstand things. "I forgave Miss Yamame here not long after I was forced to send her away. At the time, I believed that as a youkai, she was just doing what was in her nature. While the Myouren Temple strives to help youkai overcome themselves through meditation and careful control, I would not force it on anyone."

"And the way you told everyone what I'd done? I had to stay away from the village entirely for a very long time after that." Yamame replied, now sounding about as frosty as Byakuren had when she'd seen her at the start of the meeting.

"Who's to say you wouldn't have tried something?" Byakuren didn't seem like she was willing to avoid this topic. "Miss Yamame, I concede that you've changed if Reimu says you have. I think it's wonderful that you've fallen in love with someone who loves you just as much back, and I very much would like to know more about the two of you. I'd like to learn of the struggles you've been through. In fact, I'd like to parade you around the village as proof that it is possible for humans and youkai to co-exist." Reimu rolled her eyes, and somehow, even though it didn't actually make any sound, it was practically audible.

"However, I do believe my actions at the time were just." Byakuren crossed her arms. "I said as much in the Symposium that Miss Hieda and Marisa Kirisame organized. I said that if one were to approach you simply to speak normally, I didn't think you'd do anything to them. So far, it seems that you've proven me right." Pointing out the attempted biting and having to explain the peach to her seemed like a lot of work, so I decided to just ignore it. "So...I don't apologize for what I did, but I do acknowledge that it would now be unnecessary, and I wouldn't do anything like it now. If you did wish to join the temple now, I wouldn't see the need to reject you. Would that be acceptable to you?"