/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>37735116
It felt like a while after Wriggle's departure before Yuuka began speaking.
>"You...you are frightened of me aren't you?"
The moon has gone behind the clouds and you can't see what kind of face she's making. Even if you could, you can't bring yourself to look at the one sitting before you. Tonight has been so bizarre, you don't even know how to reply any more. So you just say the truth,
>"Yes...I am frightened of you. I've heard rumors about you, that you were a monster, so when I first meet you in among the flowers I thought that you were going to eat me. B-but at the same time you don't seem that way at all, Yuuka-san. You've been very kind to me. For a yokai you are..."
The moon came out again. Her face was illuminated now. You look and you find a face unlike what you were expecting. Her eyes are downcast, and they don't shine like before. Her face is drawn tight, not quite sad, not quite angry. It was as if her noble air she has thus far maintained was threatening to break down. Indeed, it was more expressive than the faces she had shown you before. And for a moment, you felt no fear at all, for her face was not of a monster, or even of a yokai. She stands up.
>"For a yokai..."
Until now her voice had sounded to you otherworldly, but now it seemed filled with longing. She turns around and says before continuing to the door,
>"The night is dangerous. You should stay here until the morning. I'm sorry to say that I don't have a guest room, but you'll find that the couch is not at all uncomfortable. I will leave you a blanket."
Her voice had returned its former tone. She went into the house, and after while of reflecting on this most strange day, you followed her. That night, you didn't dream at all.

You shoot up in fright, but all is peaceful in the house. Sunlight is filtering through the window, and it seems to be well past morning. You get up and look around the house.
>"Yuuka-san!"
You call, but there is no response. You walk outside onto the porch, and there sitting on the railing kicking her feet is Wriggle from the night before.
>"Good morning mister. Yuuka-san asked me to show you the way back."
>"...and where is Yuuka?"
Wriggle only shrugged.
>"Wriggle doesn't know where Yuuka-SAN went, but you should come visit Yuuka-san again mister! Yuuka-san doesn't get many visitors, since she has a bad reputation...but Yuuka-san is really nice! You'd see if got to know her. And Wriggle knows that you made Yuuka-san happy by visiting, even if she doesn't say so."
You decide not to tell Wriggle that you didn't actually mean to come here, nor that you seem to have said something that hurt Yuuka last night. You say nothing and follow Wriggle. After sometime she leads to the edge of the sunflower field, and she says goodbye.
>"See ya around mister!"
You begin the walk home, your mind filled with thoughts about this very odd occurrence. And though in the following days you would try to forget about what happened in the Garden of the Sun, this would not be the last time you meet Yuuka Kazami.

Yuuka's done some horrible things in the past. She wonders if the world will ever forgive her. Or more importantly, if she will forgive herself.
The blood will always be on her hands.

She has always been sustained by fear, the same as other Youkais. But as the fear fades through time, what will she do then? Some Youkai find another means of sustenance. Love.
But such a think was never meant for someone once as cruel as Yuuka, irregardless of repentance. Like most strong youkai, she won't go out in a blaze of glory, but merely fade away...

That image makes my heart hurt...

It's down until the owner decides to put it back up again.

I'm going through severe Minecraft Gensokyo withdrawal right now, by the way.