/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45399905
best duo!

(1/-)
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Yukari wants to get pregnant and will likely keep Anon locked until she gets it… Knowing her, that wouldn't be the end of things.

Sighing, I glance at Toutetsu and Reimu training in the distance. It may harbor attention, but the area is concealed by my barriers, and Yukari just started her nightly sessions. I mull the thought of sharing this information with them—what would we gain from this? Toutetsu doesn't care much about Anon himself, so nothing from there. Reimu, though… I fear she might do something reckless if this comes to her knowledge.

It's unfair to store this information away from her, and according to Tetsu, she accepted Aya and her offspring pretty calmly. Hm… I'll ask Aya's direct opinion about this—

—Speaking of the devil, I looked at my side as a fluttering missile of jet-black feathers landed with care. "Aya." I greeted her, assessing the wound on her face. Looks better. The tengu nods, puzzled eyes on the danmaku fight between Taotie and miko. "They're training—Reimu is concerned with the possible decline of her abilities—" I huff as Toutetsu crashes through a tree, swiftly getting back to the fight with a wicked smile. "I think she exaggerated."

"Ugh… I'm thankful she's on our side." Toutetsu did say something about Reimu pulling her gohei on Aya as a symbolic gesture. I giggle at the pouting crow, but she brushes it off. "We gotta talk." Her tone kills my laughter, and I nod. With a gap snap in Reimu's and Tetsu's palms, their fight comes to an end. Aya looks tense, to my puzzlement—she wanted to talk alone?

"Sup, Ayaya!" Tetsu says, piercing her spork on the ground and squatting on top of it. Reimu bows with a slight smile to Aya before sitting down—talk circle formed—; the crow bows back, trying to hide her anxiety—terrible idea around two beings born in the Animal Realm. Toutetsu's playful glare said she thought the same. "What ya got today? News on Yukari, things we should know?"

"Well…" She moistens her lips, looking at Reimu, who frowns. "Two associates of Yukari were spotted conversing with Kaku Seiga—so it's safe to say they're allies—; you also heard the Flandre Situation?" Toutetsu trembles, scratching her hair; Reimu sighs. "Yep, all true—minus the terrorism threats; that's media decoration—; Alice gave Anon an automaton doll and… Where's Chen, by the way?"

I smile. "With a friend."

"Uh… anyway. That's all that concerns our efforts, but—" Aya glances at Reimu, then at me, and I scowl with her seriousness. "—I had a… civil discussion with Hana Hakurei," Reimu's breathing hitches, her body tensing, investment in the conversation growing tenfold. "And Hana wants to have a particular meeting with you, Ran." Hm, that's unexpected. The little miko—who's always staring at me as if searching for a breach to justify a temper tantrum. I can understand her disgust, but I'm hardly the cause of her or Anon's pain…—wants to talk.

… I gulp bitterness. What an awful lie. All goes back to sweet little Reimu, sitting on the porch alone and with a shrine to take care of. If only I—

Reimu stares at me, our eyes meeting. She gives me a reassuring smile that takes my breath away before returning to Aya. "… Is Hana okay? Taking care of herself, not alone?"

Aya giggles a bit. "Yeah, you can say that; she lives with both Aunns—she has a great war face, too. I almost felt threatened~!" Reimu snickers, a jovial sound unlike anything I've ever seen coming from her, a conversation about Hana blossoming between them, and it warms my heart…

… Yet, the thought I could've stopped all this suffering if only I had gone against Yukari—

I feel a pat on my back and look to see Tetsu has come down from her spork and is by my side. "I don't know what's going on in here," she drums my head. "But whatever you're thinking of, it's not your fault, dork." I open my mouth to explain, and Tetsu taps again. "Did I stutter, Ranni?"

… I huff, with a fond smile, "Thanks, Tetsu." And turn to Reimu and Aya, Tetsu returning to her spork, looking satisfied. "Aya—Hana said her motives for a meeting?"

"Yukari. She wants to ask you about Yukari's motives for obsessing over Anon… Don't look at me like that! I don't understand human teens either!" It did nothing to clean the flabbergasted looks of everyone. I stared at Reimu, she denied it with her head. Reimu then stared at Tetsu, Tetsu shrugged…

And I sighed when all eyes came back to me. "… I'll be sure to question that further." Gladly, everyone nodded. "Now—did she say anything about other people appearing at this meeting?" Aya slowly denied it, anxious—

We glanced at the miko, who, to my surprise, nodded. "I won't go. I don't want to exert the pressure of my presence over Hana—if she wants to talk, I want her to choose to come to me." However, she bit her lip. "But… If she asks, and only if she asks, about me—can you tell her…" Her smile shone. "I'm proud of her?"

The subsequent smile was collective, and the meeting of me, Aya, Tetsu, and Hana was set.