/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Meiling lost her train of thought for a second, on the other side of the counter stood someone she was a bit too familiar with, blonde, kind of short, dressed in black and white was the unmistakable Marisa Kirisame, seemingly just as confused as Meiling was.
"U-uh what can i get you miss?" she finally broke the awkward silence
Marisa still a bit stunted replied "Uuuh, just sake is fine"
"Coming right up! Would you like to take a seat?"
"Wha-yeah sure" that request finally seemed to have gotten Marisa over her confusion
Meiling couldn't help but feel Marisa's eyes on her as she poured her some sake while she sat down
"So, they uhm... they kick-"
"They did not" cut Meiling "I am here to make some extra money during my vacations"
"Mmmh defensive are we?"
And there she is, the loudmouthed, cocky asshole Meiling knew the witch for
"Did Cirno finally get a win on you?
hahahahahahahahaha
hah....."
And then she drank her entire sake cup in one go
"ᶠᵘᶜᵏᶦⁿᵍ ᶜᶦʳⁿᵒ ᵐᵃⁿ"
"What was that?" Meiling asked
"N-nothing, just keep them coming will ya?"
Luckily or perhaps unluckily the bar was beginning to clear out at at this hour so Meiling only had Marisa to deal with.
She was being oddly civil, she was expecting way more sass from the girl that would openly intrude the mansion as if it belonged to her, that's not to say Meiling didn't had to endure a few witty remarks at her expense but it wasn't as nearly as much as she expected, and besides Meiling was beginning to sense a certain feeling welling within the witch, a feeling the gatekeeper herself was familiar with.
Inadequacy.
Meiling wasn't sure if it was to get a chance at getting back at Marisa or out of sympathy for her but she couldn't help but pry
"So miss Marisa, i couldn't help but notice you didn't bring miss Reimu with you tonight"
"Oh fuck Reimu! Why does it always have to be about her? Why is it always she who gets to save the day? I put my ass on the line way more than she does you know?"
Meiling was outright curious now "What do you mean by that mi-"
"She can just sneeze at the enemy and it's over, did you know that she sleeps walks? And she doesn't even know because apparently the less she tries the more the universe decides to give her freebies! It's fucking bullshit it's what that is! I burn my eyebrows studying every night! Make all of these potions that could melt my skin off if i don't wear the proper equipment! I lose sleeps for entire nights just so that i can learn a new spell, but do i get a compliment for that?! No! Of course fucking not!"
Meiling was speechless, not at Marisa's outburst but her pains felt so familiar, she would remember all the countless night she would spend training only to be easily trampled over the next day, all the sore muscles, the broken bones, the mockery, the humiliation.
"Just want someone to appreciate my efforts"
"YEAH EXACTLY!"
"...what?"