/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>47552785
But there was another crisis to deal with. Leaving Mokou to herself, I turn back to the makeshift hospital. Sanae had been brought in, and many concerned onlookers were crowded around, muttering to themselves. Today Sanae might have been against us, but she was still beloved by many. A living goddess that had been apart of their lives for years. Whatever reasons she had for standing by Hieda were all forgiven. Even the youkai seemed saddened by her state, the animosity between youkai and shrine maiden forgotten in this dire moment. Mystia was here, on the verge of tears as she watched on.

I squeeze through the crowd and crotch down next to her, iniba and a man- a doctor maybe- already starting to unpack supplies to treat her. It’s not looking good, A sea of red slowly growing on the front of her outfit, her breathing slow and ragged as she laid there on the ground.

“I don’t think they hit any vitals. We can extract the bullets and make sure she doesn’t lose too much blood. That should stabilize her” The doctor mused as the iniba prepared a drip and surgical tools. Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out some scissors, a syringe and a small vial. As he carefully filled the syringe up, an inaba cut open the front of her dress just enough to allow access to her wounds but still preserve her modesty. The doctor injected the substance into her midsection, Sanae simply moaning slightly. “We’re going to have to extract the bullets here. Do any of you have surgical experience?”

“I do” said a inaba with short brown hair as she shifted to adjust her pregnant belly.

“Good. I want you to extract them for me” The doctor said as he removed a cloth bundle and unrolled it on the ground next to the inaba, revealing it to be an assortment of surgical tools. “You. You’ll be her assistant. Follow her orders and watch the patient closely to see if something seems wrong” He pointed a finger at Mystia, who could only mutter out something that seemed to be an agreement. “How’s the IV drip going along?”

“Give me a moment here, almost done” came the response of the other inaba as she worked to secure a small bag to a metal stand.

I continue stare down at Sanae as everyone prepared to save her life. To think the great Sanae would be brought slow as something as mundane as a bullet. It was gut-wrenching to see a friend so close to death and knowing there was nothing I could do to help her. I stay there, just silently hoping that it would all turn out alright, that this unprepared surgery would be a success.

As the Inaba carefully makes an incision to widen a bullet wound, I notice someone suddenly standing right near me. I glance up at the newcomer and see...Hana?

Why is she here? I wouldn’t wish this hell on anyone, but for a teenager who had been through so much, it must be devastating for her. She should have been safe, with the Moriyans and not here. But the wail of the mourners all around me gave me an answer to that. She’s the next Hakurei Shrine Maiden. Whenever there’s a disaster or an incident she’ll be the one to put an end to any danger. A massacre in the village would be someone she’d have to put an end to.

Hana stepped forward shakily, her eyes locked into Sanae. The teenager looked ready to collapse at any moment. Sanae was always sweet with her, almost motherly in a way. I couldn’t even imagine how devastating it would be to her after everything she’s been through.

As she gets nearer, I step away to give her space. Hana bends down to hold one of Sanae’s hands. The doctor pauses in his work and started to reach over to her, but I held his hand and gave him a small shake of my head.

As Hana grasps Sanae’s hands, it seems she’s breathing just a little easier. The IV drip was prepared and attached to her free wrist, the Inaba nurse successfully dug out a bullet from Sanae’s gut, it seemed Sanae started to breathe a little easier, her pained gasps coming less often and less urgent.


It seemed like there were all busy. I turn around, collecting myself as to not let my despair show. Maybe there was something else to do, however minor. But as I turn around, I come to see Miko staring at the two Moriyan goddesses. I’ve never been more relived to see them. With two powerful goddesses at our side, we’d be able to pull out a victory. They’d see reason and join us to stop Hieda from doing anymore damage.

Or they would have, if Sanae hadn’t been shot as a result of all of this.
I gulp and adjust my cloak a bit more as I head over.

>>46545325
Here I am, cutting up vegetables for dinner. It’s sometimes I’ve done hundreds of times before but now it feels so unreal. I had just gone directly into the den of the enemy alone. I had managed to get my hands on one of the most powerful youma texts I’ve ever seen and managed to get a read off of it. Now, after all of that, I was cutting up carrots. It seemed almost unreal after what I’ve done, to do something so mundane after something so heroic. Was this how all heroes felt? Did all the incident solvers just head home after stopping whatever was threatening Gensokyo and just do their chores? Settle back down until they were needed again? I couldn’t believe that I had succeeded and left Yukari’s den alive.

I heard heavy footfalls behind me and my breath froze in my chest. Could they have have found me out already​? Was I that sloppy? I gripped the kitchen knife tighter, even through I knew it would be useless in the hands of someone like myself against one of Yukari’s goons.

“Suzu, we need to talk” That was my husband’s voice. I let my breath exit my body and turn around.

He crossed his arms “You shouldn’t be around Keine any longer. She’s your friend and I know you want to help her. But things are getting too much. Tell them it’s getting too dangerous, and they’ll understand”

“I know how dangerous it is. But I have a duty to stick with them. I can’t just abandon them when it gets difficult, you know” I put down the knife and lean against the counter.

Kato steps forward “You haven’t heard? The Heida family is preparing for a conflict. People have seen them move all sorts of weaponry into their estate. They have armed men guarding the entire place. They even have the Moriyans on their side. An entire squad of shrine maidens marching right down the street to the Heida estate. They even had the head priestess with them”

Sanae? Her devotion to the cause to crush the HSE couldn’t be denied. She had been a friend to all of us for years. The possibility of her turning traitor and working against us was non-existent. So why would she do something like this? Did the Hedia really have that much money and pull that even a goddess had to obey? Did he spin some story about how a wicked schoolteacher trapped his daughter in the afterlife and was plotting to overthrow the village and force it under youkai rule? Did she just have her duty to step in when a situation like this occurred? Maybe, Maybe. But with Moriya on his side, things would get worse.

If what Kato was saying was accurate, then Heida wouldn’t be coming in with a gang of armed with swords and handguns anymore. He’d have more men, all armed with the best weapons he could muster. Sanae and her shrine maidens would be forced into the battle and so many innocent would be-

“I can’t” I find the words just slipping out of my mouth. Kato grabs my shoulders, irritation flashing on his face.

“Damnit, listen to me here. He’s got an entire army. Sticking around puts your life at risk. You might believe in what she’s doing, but you have no reason to risk your life for it. Stay out of it. If he decides to come for us later, we figure out some way to handle that. We could get one of your friends to vouch for you, something like that” He pulls me a bit closer to him. “Just be safe, please. For us”


It would be so easy. I could just sit at home, wait for the fireworks to end and crawl out and throw myself at the feet of the winner, begging for forgiveness. “Has anyone come for us yet?” I asked.

“No, not yet. No letters, no visitors, nobody skulking around the store. No doubt we’ll get someone coming over after everything is done. But I’m sure we could do something to appease him. He’ll want things to be over, I’m sure he’ll let us off”

(42)