/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46637037
—
Okina's eyes go wide and she stares at me as if I had grown a fourth eye…

… Then she burst into laughter. It's honestly quite unsettling. “Oh, oh~can't you hear yourself, Satorin?! Gensokyo, becoming uninteresting! As if! Perhaps you're just all hots, no brains?” Such reaction should mean levity of sorts, but only brought forward bad omens. With a finger sweeping away the stranded tears that had formed, Okina let her hearty laughter die down. “The people of this place never quiet down, Satorin. It's THE land beyond common sense and expecting a society to settle peacefully; of achieving sagedom or even acquiring happiness through unorthodox ways like a mega brothel are merely human dreams; they're impossible. No, no—humanity is too amazing to let its edge of madness and chaos die down, to live with no prejudice and develop happiness, to give any worth to their pathetic lives, which perfectly reflects on Youkai~don't you think it's beautiful?” I… cannot say that I follow where she's going, my face giving that thought out as Okina sank on her chair and began tapping a finger against her cheek. “Yukari built this place as a paradise for Youkai—lie, she merely wanted her very own playground to fill her empty soul—; Kasen built Gensokyo from guilt to pay up for her sins; and I built Gensokyo because it being a land beyond common sense meant that it goes much further than Yukari's initial idea.” W-What the hell is she talking about…?! “A closed community like this should be peaceful and ethereal, Yukari thought. But beyond that common sense, Gensokyo shows its true colors as a land of misery! And I love it!”

I take a step back, utterly confused and wide-eyed. Okina's laughter returns, her eyes full of joy.

“Two thousand and five hundred I've lived, and I've yet to see a place as fun and chaotic as Gensokyo! People dream of happiness but never achieve it; dream of a better place, only to crash and burn down the line! A stagnant little show that I truly enjoy watching, full of challenges and new discoveries—even I, Okina Matara, will admit that the lie has seduced me: Aunn Komano, I love her as my daughter; I root for Aya Shameimaru as I watch she stumble through her life like a blind horse; I’m entranced by this cold war me and Yukari have built!” She moves suddenly, catching one of my shoulders and pulling me to herself. “I'll live another thousand years and even after Gensokyo and all trace of its existence dissipate, I'll remember it as the place that never disappointed me in its capacity to crush others' hopes and dreams! I love Gensokyo!” And, before I could do anything, she turned to me and—

She pecked the side of my mouth. No thought, only action: pinkish danmaku blasts the pervert grandma away, mind racing as I furiously clean my cheek. “W-What was that for?!” The goddess ignored my yelled question just as I ignored my racing heart. Okina was, obviously, unscathed; her eyes wide and thrilled, raking me.

“Sorry, couldn't control myself being so close~” I grumbled, utterly perplexed at what was happening—all those confusing words… “That's the answer to your question. I'll simply keep on watching Gensokyo after all is said and done and, mayhaps, everything that I've predicted will amount to nothing: perhaps the revolution Toyosatomimi is so interested in will end in a better Gensokyo; that couple will get their so-dreamed sagedom, and I even may entertain the thought of not slaughtering them; Yukari may kill me and get her idealistic world—who knows? I do not…” Her grin creeps me out, but, finally, the true answer appears: “… But I want to.”

“… You're insane. You're totally insane!” I shriek, body trembling for many reasons.

Okina shrugs, unbothered. “No one lives as much as I did without developing tastes beyond the ever-changing common-sense, my adorable Satorin… Added challenge, too? Those are the prey worth pursuing~” Her hungry golden eyes peer at my chest before moving to my legs, and I lend her my harshest scowl. Okina Matara grins as a backdoor opens to my side, to which I glance anxiously. “You should be on your way, Satorin. You got your answers and, being the ever-magnanimous goddess that I am, I won't charge you a penny… next time, however~” The dangerous gleam behind her pupils showers blistering cold down my spine, and I cannot bear to stay another second alone in her presence, rushing inside the backdoor to the sound of her low laughter.

I land on my knees, face covered in sweat and tears about to burst, whole body trembling. I scan my surroundings as I laboriously bring some cadence back to my heart, an awry serenity spreading. I'm in my office back in the palace.

I'm safe.

Weakly, I stand up and gather myself… What was all that? How one question made she go on and on about the nature of Gensokyo, her part in its construction and, ugh…

Yama, that was awful… At least things can't get any worse.

I turn to the windows, seeking solace.

I see a chained dragon.

… Of course.