/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46739059
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The thoughts of one of many missions during that era fade as I open my eyes and stare inside the witch's eyes. An irksome feeling swims inside of me: Why remember that now…? Hm, it doesn't matter. What matters is the here and now, and now I'll be facing my greatest battle—the battle for this village.

Failure is not an option.

The fiery demon's wings horrify Sanae's apprentices, who clutch onto their goheis, perhaps realizing that a fair Danmaku duel against the red and white demon is impossible; death awaits. My samurai remain composed and quiet, a good way to hide fear. The people below yell and do whatever they feel like, though some make a run for it while others approach the fences like that one Akyuu would consider her sister. Sanae seems pensive to my side—a parasite of fear creeps up my spine, but I refrain from letting paranoia overwhelm me: unlike Reimu, she's a proper shrine maiden and can clearly see right from wrong… even if there must be harsh motivations to keep her straight—eyes jumping from me to the witch.

The witch herself was as if looking in a mirror, but I don't let that demoralize me. A mere reflection will never be greater than the real deal.

“… Do you understand why I've brought this festival to your doors, Hieda-sama?” Direct to the point. My eyes look past the immortal and at the masses below—despite the circumstances, 'twas nice to hear the Prismrivers playing again. Akyuu had talked about what they are: poltergeists… Poor things, incapable of death, mere eternal mirror images of long-dead loved ones—before turning back to the witch.

“Fear.” I approach, the immortal notably reacting: her wings tensing and flexing slightly as if part of her body. “Flaunt your numbers, your powers; demoralize my men by hiding behind these traitors; meat shields—” I stop near her, unafraid, showing to my samurai that this woman is not a messiah or unbeatable oni; she's only one woman. “—but there'll be one result today, Keine Kamishirasawa… As I live and breathe, I am not letting you destroy the village my daughter loves dearly.”

Ah…

Akyuu should return to her father from the shores of the Sanzu when all this is done, I see now… Perhaps that's why this is happening in the first place. She's testing her father's strength, determination in the face of evil…?

It seems right. It seems fitting.

It'll make all of this agonizing wait—the horrible nightmares—everything—worth it.

The hand over the handle of my katana tightens, but it doesn't scare the witch. “You've missed the point.” Her tone is iron and loud, audible even from down below. “This festival was my answer to you, Hieda-sama! To your armed samurai; to Sanae-san—to the Human Village!” There's not one droplet of doubt as the words leave her mouth, silencing all the rest. “I have shown everyone who'd come and see that our coexistence is possible! Humans and Youkai cheered and ate together, bought things together, talked about their lives, had the same gleam in their eyes as they watched the fireworks and jumped as the Prismrivers finished their encore! Under cloak and dagger, Youkai roamed our streets, but today they did so without a fear in the world; the same for humans, who enjoyed a day without fear! Do you really think this—” passionately she points towards the festival. “—will be our death? That it’ll be our downfall? That this is what an imbalance looks like?! That—” Her finger shifts to pointing at the ever-looming silhouette of the HSE. “—is what imbalance looks like!” She takes one moment to retake her breath, the flame behind those eyes undying. “What lies on your gates today, Hieda-sama, is the future my son and daughter will experience… This is the future Akyuu would've wanted to see.”

That name burns like acid as it leaves the devil's silver tongue, and I do my best to stay composed. I should’ve stopped her and the lies she spews, but I didn’t…

I am a proper man, the way Akyuu loved me…

The samurai stared at me with expectant anxiety. “You've only highlighted our greatest weakness and their greatest strength, woman: humans are infinite pits of empathy! Kindness—to the point of utter imprudence—and Youkai are experts in tricking and exploiting that terrible weakness! You see the HSE; you see Yukari Yakumo and what she's done to that confused man! Many of you have partaken in his suffering!” I yell to the crowd, boos and things flying over the fence, like empty cups and half-eaten food. I ignore all. “You're no righteous savior, and Akyuu would've seen right through this all! You, Keine Kamishirasawa, are nothing but a puppet whose ignorance has opened our gates to them…” May the world listen, may my samurai have boosted courage; and may these monsters burn in hell. “… And I'll fix your mistakes before it's too late.”

She stares, looking for something in my eyes. The world screams yet nothing but silence is shared among us… Then she sighs. “Talking won't do it, then.”

Finally, something we can both agree on.