/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46148524
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The jiji's face was contorted, his arms were shaking, and he was uncomfortably resting them on his lap, near the revolver—as if he'd have a bone of decency in that wrinkly body. “How dare you… How dare you?!” He spits, unrest growing. My body was prepared to lunge in front of my woman and babies to protect them. “All those words about my Akyuu, as if any of you knew her better than her father—you never held her when she cried in her sleep, thinking about her curse; you didn't walk alongside her on every step of her life, hoping every day the next step wouldn't be the last—I can forgive these; you said yourself, her passing impacted all of us.” His furious gaze lingered on Aki for what seemed like an instant before returning to Keine. “… But then you act as if I have not done my very best to keep this village running and the people inside of it safe? And even use that wicked place as an example of good?!” Keine tried to say something, but Mr. Hieda cut her, suddenly getting up from his seat and approaching. My fire rose to the sound of raised guns, stopping the fucker from getting closer. It didn't do anything to clear the scorn on his face. “You want to know why I haven't lifted a finger against the HSE? Devil, I will tell you why: I am human. Look at this!” He spins and points at his men, who shudder at the sudden attention. “Samurai that tremble! They're humans, too! Humans that cannot lift a finger to a Youkai like Yakumo Yukari! Do you think I want to become a problem for her? She doesn't need me alive—none of my men alive—to conduct whatever plans she has! And who’s solving this? The Hakurei Miko is a mess, and the Moriyans refuse to interfere! We're powerless to destroy that cancer—”

Suddenly, the old man starts coughing, “Hieda-sama!” One of the samurai closes the distance, and with my heart thumping and hands shaking, I look around: Suzu seems haunted, but also as if wanting to say something. Mystia wings go up and down in clear distress, eyeing Keine…

silent; the picture of calm, thought. She quickly glances at Mystia. What the…?

“B-But here you sit, pointing a finger at me as if I were the one who opened the floodgates, the man who cried wolf, or the monster that has been choking this village! No, Keine Kamishirasawa, I'm none of that!” He finally recovers from the hacking cough, immediately pointing a finger at the woman. “I'm one man without the support of an immortal! Who lived through numerous incidents and kept pushing anyway, even if my world was threatened to ashes because of almighty youkais, the very things you want to have a place in our society! I can not defeat Yukari Yakumo, but who do you think will lead the village back when someone does bring on her downfall or when she’s done with her plans? That'll do his very best so us, humans, are safe, educated, and fed? Do you think it'll be you and your wide-eyed dreams? Your miserable little halflings…?” The next words come with such spite, yet Keine never turns her eyes away from the man's. “You have divided this village once, and when push comes to shove, all you'd do is divide it again. Change history, see it as you may, look so forward into the future you forget the common person by your side… But their leader won't do so. This conversation is over, and I bid you my farewell.” Without another word, the man turns and begins walking away, the silence thick as stone.

Inside, rage burned brightly, flames threatening to grow, though they remained at bay as my focus was on Keine, who kept her silence and calmly rocked Aki up and down as if the Hieda hadn’t just said all those words.

What’s going on…?!

Suzu looked on the verge of hyperventilation, mouth opening yet closing soon after, eyes jumping from the man, Mochi in her arms, then Keine. The crowd watched, expecting something—anything—to be done by the silent revolutionary…

My rage just kept growing. So many words wanted to leave my mouth, a conflagration of thoughts and truths… But it was just so hard to articulate them—anxiety at its maximum after an uncomfortable day full of people—I just needed to say it! Help Keine in any way possible, because all of Mr. Hieda's words were nothing but—

“Do you have anything you want to say…” Keine’s low voice sounded like a gong. “… Mystia?”

“—excuses!” The old man was stopped in his tracks, the samurai behind him tensing, fingers on triggers, as a yell reverberated throughout the room. Mystia Izakaya caught everyone's attention as she stood ‘tall,’ fists closed, eyes blazing, fluffy wings displaying intense rage. “Excuse after excuse! Nothing but excuses!” Keine smiled as if eased, watching Mystia's back from below—a tinge of jealousy inside was swiftly snuffed out. “You think weakness is a valid excuse?! That you should avoid trying because of weakness?! Mr. Hieda, let this one—the Weakest Youkai of Gensokyo—give you a piece of her bird brain: to be weak is okay… But to be satisfied in weakness? That’s nothing but disgusting!”