/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Finally, I shrugged and revealed the name. Yamame Kurodani, I replied. Minamitsu's eyes widened. "The - The Tsuchigumo?" She clarified. I nodded. "...Huh." She said, staring at me. "She came here, once. Said-" I knew what she had said, I replied through gritted teeth. "Woah, relax. I was about to say that Hijiri took it a little too seriously. I didn't think she was actually going to do it." Ah. Well, that was nice of her to say. I quickly apologised for my reaction. "No, er...I suppose you've been getting that a lot, huh?" A little bit. "Hijiri doesn't know yet, does she? Otherwise, she'd have been a little more wary before inviting you in." I was struggling to find the opportunity to tell her, I replied. Even though Yamame had changed a lot since then. Minamitsu looked thoughtful. "Hey, you're close to Reimu, right? I saw you with her at the party. Why's Hijiri even trying to get you to do your wedding here, anyway?"

I opened my mouth to reply but didn't get the opportunity before Byakuren poked her head through the door again. "I must apologise, but would you mind coming with me?" She asked me, and I nodded, bade goodbye to Minamitsu, then followed Hijiri out of the room.

We emerged at the front of the temple again, at the top of the stairs, and I found myself stalling. In front of me, Reimu had arrived in force. She'd brought an extremely long gohei, which was currently pressed against the shaft of a massive spear being wielded by a tall, imposing figure - One more imposing than Byakuren, even. She had blonde hair with black stripes - Possibly black hair with blonde stripes; It was hard to tell with the fight going on - and a lotus-shaped ornament on her head. Her outfit had a red vest with a golden ring attached by black string at her navel, a cloth wrapped around her abdomen with the tiger pattern that I regularly saw on Houso, and a red skirt that had an orange layer underneath, extending down almost to her feet. I could see the white trousers she wore underneath. She wielded her spear with practiced movements, carefully countering each of Reimu's swings.

"Shou Toramaru." Byakuren whispered to me. "Defending the temple from a dangerous intruder, I suppose."

Reimu tried her teleporting trick, but Shou tilted backward while stabbing the spear behind her, forcing Reimu to abandon the attack and sweep it out of the way. They continued, the attacks so fast and so numerous that I could barely keep up. "Perhaps I should tell Shou to join Minamitsu for her exercise sessions. It might burn off some of her energy more constructively. It really wouldn't do for an avatar of Bishamonten to be engaging in random fights like this." This...Didn't really seem like a random fight. "Well, the peaceful option was right there, but - Yes, I suppose Reimu Hakurei of all people might be a little hesitant to choose a peaceful option." I suddenly noticed that, behind Reimu, over by the Myouren Temple's gate, I could see another figure. This one with blonde hair, and one that I was immensely pleased to see.

Yamame had decided to come along after all.