/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45746212
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It is as beautiful as it is frightening—my chest clenches, legs all wobbly.

Life has shown me weird, confusing things—geometry-based powers, a good start—yet never something struck me as… mystical. The Gap, maybe, but even that has a set of rules, no matter how convoluted and confusing. It makes sense. The condensed ball of faith and fire makes it hard to breathe, its bright light and flames melting away the snow around the pond, the scorching air bears this supernatural feeling…

That's mother. Those are the flames she'd used to destroy the statue…

What's happening here? What is she doing?

Sensei watches awestruck; same for Aunn, though I don’t pay attention to them as, ethereally, the flames start to… rise. Yes, but rising as if a cohesive unit of bone, flesh, and blood—a limb of fire.

As the cocoon dematerializes, Mother appears in its center, closed eyes and in a meditative pose, looking as peaceful as a Buddha. The fire starts to make sense and gain massive form and sense as she, after a short sigh, gets up from the meditation on the surface of the pond. She stretches her arms, the limbs of flames mimicking the movements and feelings in an entrancing show.

Wings. Butterfly wings.

Then, Mother turns to us—the wings following each movement with tear-inducing fluidity—and something gets immediately clear with the fire framing her scarred body as if a sacred heart… Mother's very much naked.

Despite carrying an inferno on her back, she freezes.

I gawk at her bare body: the plump breasts and fair skin, the bewilderingly strong physique, wide hips and thick thighs; her well-maintained femininity, and…

… I feel nothing.

Lust has predominated my recent life like a fiendish influence, taking me down routes and paths I've come to immensely regret every day of my life. Father's body was my doom; Yukari's my forbidden fruit. The pattern was clear and something deep inside whispered about how stunning Mother’s body was, expecting me to follow the patterns, to sin again…

I don't feel an ounce of lust.

I just watched in shock before an arm hid my eyes and a shriek echoed, followed by the sound of someone falling into water. “REIMU! W-what the hell was that?!” Sensei yelled, her hand trembling like crazy and her voice loaded with aggravation. Aunn whimpered lowly, probably hiding her eyes too.

Mother's characteristic hacking cough echoed as her head—I guess?—left the water, shock still processing inside my mind. “H-Hana?! I-I… Bhuwrr, so cold…” I take Sensei's arm off my eyes, something inside withering with the lack of those weird crimson flames, the last embers disappearing inside Mother's shivering skin… It's cathartic to see her suffer.

Just a bit.

“W-What are you doing here?! It hasn't passed a d-day! S-Shouldn't you t-think—aaah—can you all j-just turn for a moment, please?”

We immediately do as she says, and Sensei sighs, scratching her scalp… Though a mischievous grin rises, “So saggy~I'm much prettier, am I not?”

I look at Marisa-sensei's chest. I could use it as an ofuda drawing board. Her hips, thighs, too…

Better not to say that out loud—though she seems to have psychically picked up on it, giving me a long stare—and, in this weird line, look at my chest…

… Don't think I'll ever get to Mother’s level. Aunn leans on me with a kind smile. “Yours are very nice, Hana-san! Don't feel down!”

Sensei giggles, making me blush terribly— “You can turn now.” Mother's voice is tense and loaded as we turn; she's dried off—floated, or those flames?—and is draped in her miko outfit, slightly flush—embarrassment drowned by overwhelming confusion and hope just as great. I wonder if her heart is pounding like mine… “Sorry for the immodesty—my clothes aren't fireproof—”

“We fear Yukari might come back for Hana.” The blush and awkwardness fade away with Sensei's strict and firm voice. In the span of a second, Mother looks ready to battle. “… We fear anywhere else, she'd manage to do it—so we wanted Hana to stay with you as a safety measure.” Mother grimaces, hope scattering as understanding settles; inside, the war of feelings rages on, and the nauseating inclination to throw it all up nags my soul.

“You'll stay here with them?” She asks Sensei, arms crossed, eyes on her pregnant belly with an impossible-to-read expression. Sensei gestures a 'no'. “… You two go inside; I'll be there in a few minutes—” She seemed like she wanted to say more but held it back… Agony.

I peeked at Aunn and was met with a frown mirroring mine. The sudden shift in the atmosphere cools my lungs…

“Go inside, Hanarin, Aunn,” she says, fixing her hat. “Me and the 'Mu have postponed a conversation for some time now.” Marisa-sensei's smile didn't reach me; her eyes wide and posture tense. “… I'll be okay; ze~trust your teacher!”

Another second of silence passed, and, with a distressed Aunn pulling on my hand, we went inside the shrine, wide eyes jumping between the women.

The war inside of me has turned into a storm…