/jp/ - Otaku Culture

inb4 possible autosage for the image

Captcha: HATA(te)

[All entries of the HSE here in chronological posting order!]
>>45324110 | Part 1
>>45324120 | Part 2
>>45324127 | Part 3
>>45324134 | Part 4
>>45324150 | Part 5
>>45324163 | Part 6
>>45407358 | Part 7
>>45442424 | Part 8
>>45515189 | Part 9
>>45587647 | Part 10
>>45678494 | Part 11
>>45774613 | Part 12
>>45888588 | Part 14
>>46097700 | Part 15
>>46241111 | Part 16
>>46406705 | Part 17

[Last thread chapters]
>>46406742 | 29-Mokou
>>46411767 | 4-Seiga
>>46417874 | 38-Keine
>>46417884 | 30-Mokou
>>46420209 | 15-Meiling
>>46420402 | 12-19-Patchiouli
>>46420408 |
>>46420413 |
>>46420421 |
>>46420426 |
>>46420437 |
>>46420441 |
>>46420447 |
>>46432516 | 1-2-Clownpiece
>>46432534 |
>>46437214 | 20-Patchouli
>>46443926 | 16-Meiling
>>46443934 | 21-Patchouli
>>46450849 | 169-170-Yamashiro/Seija
>>46450857 |
>>46457142 | 1-2-Tsukasa
>>46457156 |
>>46459794 | 34-35-Kosuzu
>>46459800 |
>>46465038 | 11-Mima
>>46465385 | 22-Patchouli
>>46465390 | 17-Meiling
>>46465395 | 23-Patchouli
>>46465399 | 18-Meiling
>>46465406 | 24-26-Patchouli
>>46479341 |
>>46479349 |
>>46487772 | 1-Easter Special, Reisen
>>46488011 | 1-3-Easter Special, Tewi
>>46488930 |
>>46490005 |
>>46491918 | 7-8-Reisen
>>46491956 |
>>46498150 | 27-28-Patchouli
>>46498161 |
>>46503062 | 174-175-Hana
>>46503080 |
>>46504495 | 29-37-Patchouli
>>46504505 |
>>46504512 |
>>46504515 |
>>46504521 |
>>46504526 |
>>46504532 |
>>46504538 |
>>46504542 |
>>46512642 | 1-3-White Wolf-chan
>>46512646 |
>>46512650 |
>>46518778 | 1-2-Shou night-out
>>46518785 |
>>46520915 | 1-4-Mr. Hieda
>>46520923 |
>>46520928 |
>>46520938 |
>>46521163 | 176-177-Hana
>>46521166 |
(1082 entries)

[for phoneanons that can't access the dead threads, here's the last thread. Link to all others in the 'all entries']:
>>/jp/thread/46406694 | 24th thread

>>46529617
>thread doesn't get bumped to the top of the page
oops! Will be re-baking then tomorrow with a milder cover. Sorry, boys!

Welp, I proclaim this thread for shitposting and shitposting-related activities.

Out of the 3 pin-up tengu, Hatate never got Anon'd. She remains the purest tengu.

wait what the fuck, thread is actually bumping! No shitposting-related activities, only extremely serious silly porn and trauma.
>>46529660
if you think about it, though, she likely has been seeing him fucking a lot through thought-photography. She likely wants to go there but it's too embarrassed/lazy to do so

>>46529170
Imagine not picking up a big project the second your writing hit saturation, so you get to take a break at a near perfect time, couldn't be me.
I actually got a good idea from delaying the Kasen convo. Should set up some nice closure.

>>46529603
>Mima and Seiga have a hag battle, with Mima getting mogged by the chinese hag even with support from Genji from beyond;
I completely forgot about this due to an argument which was already settled threads ago breaking out immediately afterward.
Anyways, damn Chinese women!
>Takane moans about the place crumbling now that the boss, Yukari, doesn't give a fuck anymore and is content with letting all go to hell.
It's always nice to see her miserable, if only her misery would rub off on Gojo and Seija more.
God I like them but I want them to suffer, as long as Cirno or the Myourens, or the Komeiji's, or SOMONE has a bad end I'll be happy.
Well anyways, I'm very busy today so it'll probably take until tomorrow for me to come out with the next edition, maybe add some more memes of my own since I didn't get many suggestions.
Anyways have a Miko.

>>46531283
At first I was mad at zun for making such a seemingly dumb allegory but now i appreciate it! The Big D Trump, like Miko, is an arrogant blonde Machiavellian politician charismatic asshole who wants to make a certain place for a certain race great again!

>>46531406
I like how Aya didn't edit the photo so Miko's wife was just waving a "Humans First" flag behind her while she worked up a sweat talking about sweets.
Something about the usually calm and respectful talking crown prince sweating a lot when she becomes impassioned is cute.

how are you faggots not done yet? do you really like filler that much?

>>46532030
Is this the Le'en they talk about?

>>46531448
it's a shame we don't get more Miko, though considering the state the Myourens find themselves, fewer characters is the smart choice

>>46533920
Considering Seiga is out and about causing problems I'm actually surprised miko isn't even trying to tard wrangle the situation.

>>46533935
the deal she made with Goro earlier about not interfering with either attackers or defenders the HSE must prevent her from acting, which in retrospect is a goddamn great move by Seiga to align herself with Yukari. Bitch managed to perform atrocities and sins without any repercussion

>>46533935
Well, the mikos response to the hse has been to do nothing and observe so far, the question is why did the Miko simply observe? Disgruntled with gensokyo? Curiosity? Bribed to stay out of it? Sheer confusion as to what's going on? I think it's perhaps knowing the situation is either very fragile and interfering would make shit worse, or a knowing that nothing needs to be done on her end for off they destroy eachother gensokyo is practically hers, so staying out of the limelight is in her interest?

>>46533935
Miko seems to treat Seiga like that one family member everyone hates. You're not going to completely cut them out of your life, but you're going to keep your distance from them as much as possible. The only real way to stop Seiga from being evil would be to just kill her, and Miko doesn't want to do that.

>>46533935
>>46533985
also the story already had 20+ characters

>>46533991
likely the latter, there's nothing to gain by fighting or allying herself with Yukari, but there'll be massively investments post-Solstice with Keine's revolution, which she'll likely try to find a way into worming herself inside in her goal of becoming leader of this new order; the Myouren/Yamashiro orphanages and even the re-structuration of the Sages, with Kasen probably stepping down and Yukari being sealed away. If she manages to get the free spot, she can start to shape Gensokyo as she sees fit; she also has a better chance of achieving it than Seija and Goro, who fought for Yukari.

>>46534023
That's pretty much canon, lol.
Hijiri: manipulating a corpse as she pleases, evil pure evil.
Miko: she may have been a pioneer in the Taoists arts, but she abused her power and strayed from the path, becoming a wicked hermit. Watching her has taught me what not to do.

>>46531283
>It's always nice to see her miserable, if only her misery would rub off on Gojo and Seija more.
Some of my Solstice plan is they should be running on less then fumes by the end of it and lots of blood loss/broken bones/trauma, total exhaustion from all the fires that have to be put out(not like Seiga, Konngara, Flandre, the Yakuza, or Yukari when she gets desperate are gonna do it) only held together by mutual grit and the fact that their children's lives are at stake. So this is kind of the reprieve before that.

>>46531283
>I want them to suffer, as long as Cirno or the Myourens, or the Komeiji's, or SOMONE has a bad end I'll be happy.

>>46534928
not him but everyone getting a happy ending in a fic like this is both illogical and boring
realistically few of the characters should be getting out of this either physically or mentally intact

>>46534972
I mean that's obvious but I swear this is the 5th time I've seen people asking for The Komeijis or Cirno to suffer
Why /jaypee/ bully the strong ice fairy-turned-ice cream god?

>>46535032
Because I like her, that's why. Also it's like two people calling for it.
I mean my original ending idea for her literally has her being betrayed by Okina and used as an improvised explosive device, the Myourens were going to be sort of miserable, Chisazu stuck in a job she hated for a god that would never return her affections, and Koishi stuck on going down a path that would once again ruin all of her relationships and burden with great suffering.
The only person I didn't think of a bad end for was Okina and that was because she's evil so there's nothing sad about her getting a bad end.

>>46534972
The people to most likely make it out fine are very very likely the sdm cast ngl, remi fate manipulation is pretty good.
Only things remi cares about all of this is okina to permanently cease eyeballing her sister and the people she cares about to end up ok. The moment remi learns about yukari getting a little weird about her sister It's an all bets are off kinda deal, with sekai being the only force I'm aware of that could conflict with remi with the only thing she could want to conflict is "don't kill my main mom, mom!".
So it'll be interesting for sure.

>>46535922
>"don't kill my main mom, mom!".
how effective would be that compared to Hana and cat therapy?

>>46465038 71

It takes almost no time to track down Seiga, she’d only moved a short distance away to the village graveyard and was making no effort to hide her presence.

It is a trap, that much is obvious. She intends to lure her into whatever preparations she’d made and use them to turn the tide against Mima. The tactically sound decision would be to wait outside of whatever Seiga has prepared and attack her when she must inevitably leave.

Unfortunately, such an option is not in the cards. For one, it defeats the purpose of this whole mission. To gather faith she must show herself worthy of it, and the best way of doing that is by confronting foes head-on. Beyond that, the longer this skirmish persists, the more likely Yukari is to intervene. For better or likely for worse, Mima flies off to the graveyard.

The location is about what Mima expected. There are stones, dirt, and buried under them are the dead. Seiga leisurely waits by some hastily scrawled sigils on some of the stones.

Mima hesitates for a moment, the danger is clear. A necromancer enters a cemetery for only one reason and Seiga is clearly a rather skilled necromancer. Still, she quickly resolves herself, there is a battle to be won.

As Mima descends, Seiga greets her. “Still following me? I’d expect you’d turn tail and run after such a poor performance. Or perhaps is that why you don’t run? You can’t accept that you’re outmatched?”

Mima growls back, “Meaningless insults from a meaningless woman. We both know what must happen.”

Seiga nods before tapping her hairpin against a gravestone, causing the ground to shift. As the dead rise, Mima pulls back and unleashes a barrage of spells at the witch.

Seiga negates the spells with a few talismans that crumble away after absorbing the attack. She does not need to use many as Mima’s attention is quickly drawn to the risen dead.

As expected of all undead, they’re disgusting. Rotten carcasses possessed by Seiga’s bounds spirits. Still, they number only six. Seiga seemingly is unwilling to employ any more of her captured souls.

Before the dead can freely free themselves from the earth, Mima hacks into the first’s chest and splits it horizontally. The next two closest, a ‘woman’ in the vaguest sense of the word who’d long succumb to rot and a seemingly freshly buried young man, attempt to grab at her while she frees her sword, but she quickly disavows them of that notion by slashing off their arms and then heads.

Seiga fires a few shots at Mima, but they’re unpowered for a hermit of Seiga’s level. A mild distraction to buy time for something else. What that something else could be however eludes Mima.

No matter, she blocks or evades the attacks easily, and the next three undead are slashed into pieces. As the last undead falls, Mima senses Seiga gathering power and makes a quick retreat as Seiga unleashes something…

It is wholly without color, just an indistinct mass of darkness that Mima only has moments to study before it launches at her.

The thing is fast, but Mima is faster and takes to the sky only to impact a barrier hemming her in. It’s a floating Yin-Yang symbol blocking the air above connected to transparent walls boxing in the sides of the cemetery. Again, Mima has only moments to attempt to decipher whatever it is Seiga has unleashed before having to evade the shadow.

As she shifts to the side, it doesn’t. Rather, it stops suddenly and moves in the opposite direction with no issues. Reacting on muscle memory, she unleashes a deluge of curses at the thing, but it warps its form so that they pass harmlessly through.

In a moment it is upon her, attempting to tear her apart with the curses engraved onto its being. It’s… frankly insulting. Seiga clearly knows that spirits may consume each other given she attempted it against her, and yet she throws this thing at her.

It may have been human or Youkai or something else long ago, but whatever made it up is long gone. Even compared to her other bound spirits this thing is hollow, without the bindings driving it forward with frenzied abandon it would do nothing. While torturing a soul to such an extent makes it extremely easy to control and shape, the same is true no matter the shaper.

Mima takes the thing into herself, pulling it in and severing the connection. A normal soul would struggle and attempt to take control of its host when it finds itself in such a position, but the broken thing just there sits inert like a puppet whose strings were cut.

>>46537438 72

With a moment of respite, Mima turns to see Seiga making yet another abomination. The served limbs of the dead are being fused together by some sort of cancerous mass. There’s a stark contrast between the necrotic, rotten flesh and the smooth, pink malignant growths holding them together. Mima wonders for a moment at what possibly could be a source of the connective tissue, but that question is quickly answered as an unborn child is pulled from her bag and manipulated by magic. After it is stretched out and bent to a horrific extent, she grafts it onto the abomination. It grows after that, bubbling and writhing all the while.

The wicked hermit pauses in her work to turn to Mima, “Amazing, isn’t it? The potential of a fetus that is. Each one could be a poet who binds some ephemeral moment into eternal text, a king whose wisdom brings an era of prosperity, or a peerless warrior who could topple realms with his sword. Still, I think I prefer them this way.”

What senseless cruelty. How could one do such a thing and delight in it? What depravities must one know to even think to make such a thing? How can one dream and not see such a thing in their most horrid nightmares? Mima had believed she’d gasped the lowest depths humanity could sink, but…

No matter, Mima focuses on what must be done. “You will die in agony.”

Seiga smiles, “Certainly, but you’re not the one who’ll do it.”

Following some unseen cue from its creator, the wretched thing let out a noise. It would not be accurate to call it a roar, no it’s more a wheeze, a pained death rattle emitted from atrophied lungs out too many mouths.

Despite the clear wrongness of its existence, the monstrosity lumbers forward with unnatural speed, smashing its own burial stones without the slightest recognition.

She won’t run, she can’t anyway, bound as she is by Seiga’s barrier, but even had she not been should would never leave until this thing was destroyed.

As it lumbers closer, she slows it with whatever spells she can muster. Curses do nothing to it and neither does fire as it seems to be coated with some oily fluid that Mima’s mind asserts must be embryonic fluid. Raw force though seems to have effect as it tears chunks of the creature off, though all lost tissue is replaced rather quickly by new growths from the fetus-flesh.

In a moment the thing is upon her. Still, despite its speed it is misshaped and awkward. Mima dodges the pillar of muscle that generously could be called an arm before cutting into the monster’s side, infusing everything she has into the blow. Her blade cuts through flesh and bone, but it slows as the flesh begins to grow all around the blade.

Seeing this, Mima attempts to wrest the blade from the creature’s ‘stomach’, but the flesh holds firm from all sides. She moves to pull desperately, but a sudden impact sends her flying across the cemetery.

She has no bones to break, but the force does disrupt her material rendering her hazy and indistinct. A wave of curses from the witch hit her as she lay dazed, sapping her of her strength.

Seiga and the thing approach slowly, leisurely. The witch is terribly pleased, “I suppose this was worth the effort, it only to show off a new toy. Alas, it seems I’ll need someone stronger if I wish to truly test it. No matter, I suppose I can use this time to refine it, add a few more parts.”

Seiga smirks cruelly, “But where to get them? Hmm… I heard that you’re Marisa’s teacher, is that right? I hear that she’s pregnant. Maybe I can pay her a visit soon. Oh! When you’re bound, you can come along, won’t that be sweet?”

She’s going to tear Marisa’s unborn child from her. She’s going to rip out Marisa’s fetus, and there’s nothing Mima can do. No, Mima is going to help. She’ll wind up like all the other souls this witch controls. Tormented tools driven on to help in terrible deeds.

She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be beyond this, a great spirit whom none would trifle with. She was supposed to be able to protect those she cared about. She was supposed to stop these monsters and yet Yukari, Seiga, and their ilk roam free.

They’ll torment the weak and helpless. They’ll feign morality and justifications when convenient but whenever it is not, they’ll do whatever they please to any who can’t fight back. She can’t stop them.

Though she lacks any true biological mechanisms for it, Mima begins to cry.

Seiga tuts, “Wait until I’m there to cry, the tears of a vengeful spirit are not something to waste.”

>>46537475 73


Mima hates this woman. More than anything, she hates this woman. If she could just kill this bitch, she could pass on happily.

Mima looks up at the stars. She always found them beautiful, but one seems to draw her eye. It steads resolute and points north, an unmovable sign for all the world.

It’s not a matter of if. She can kill Seiga, she will kill Seiga.

Mima rises, Seiga and her abomination are almost upon her. Seiga says something, but she doesn’t listen.

She doesn’t think, she doesn't need to. All she must do is pull strength from the stars and shape it the way it must go. The thing is upon her, but she’s ready.

The beam is a gentle silver color unlike her apprentice’s spell, but it carries far more power. In an instant, the thing is burnt away to ash. The strings binding the souls possessing the abomination are cut and they disappear to begin their long journey to the next life.

Her blade is undamaged, it seems to shine in fact. It returns to her hand in a moment. Seiga, the wicked hermit is shocked, she’s readying something. The isn’t there to burn Seiga to ash like she did to the hermit’s monster, but that doesn’t matter. The magic’s residue remains and she is all stronger for it.

Before Seiga can finish whatever it is she intends, Mima slashes at her throat. The hermit just barely evades death by throwing up a ward, but Mima continues undeterred.

Something shifts within her, the hollowed soul flows into the sword and takes a wicked form to bring revenge against its tormentor. Mima readies another attack, but Seiga runs, attempting to flee from retribution. The world conspires against her though as a creepy vine rises suddenly and entangles her leg. As Seiga falls, Mima attempts to capitalize off of this to land a kill blow but only manages to lightly cut her cheek.

She moves to finish the job, but before she can bring the blade down on Seiga’s neck, the hermit slams her hairpin into the ground and flees beneath the earth like a worm.

A voice calls out to her, “Are you okay there Mima? You look a little…”

A turtle, Genji. She pauses for a moment as words fail her. Taking a breath, she attempts to clear her mind, “I’m as well as can be expected. Seiga isn’t dead yet, but her days are numbered.”

Something hisses at that, it’s the fat little snake on Genji’s back. The turtle translates, “Tsuchinoko is very pleased with himself and demands praise for his deeds.”

Mima nods, “That is warranted. You did very well Tsuchinoko, I am proud.”

The fat snake gives a pleased wiggle atop the turtle.

Mima adds, “There are no other wicked beings stalking the night, I believe I earned some rest.”

Genji nods, “That you have. Sit, I’ll carry you to the shrine.”

And so they leave behind the watchful eyes of the villagers.

After the village moves far beyond earshot, Mima sighs, “That was a disaster.”

Tsuchinoko crawls up Mima’s shoulder and attempts to pat her with its tail as Genji asks, “How so?”

Mima answers, “I was supposed to show my strength, show I was a powerful being worthy of worship and yet…”

Genji interjects, “You did?”

Mima grunts, “Huh?”

Genji continues, “What the villagers saw was a radiant Goddess descend to fight a powerful, evil witch and despite great danger drive her off. Trust me, they don’t care much about struggle. Had you failed it’d be another story, but you’re the god who came down and defended them when the others did not. That holds value.”

Mima hesitantly concedes, “Perhaps.”

Genji is not done, however, “Not to mention the political successes. Any attention this draws to Seiga’s actions is going to cast Yukari in a very poor light. That it was a wicked Taoist you drove off will also win you points with the Buddhists. That should make synchronizing with Myoken easier.”

Hallo! I was quiet for a minute because I accidentally cut my left hand with a serrated cheese knife and had yet to master one-handed typing. The cuts aren't bleeding anymore though so I'm back and powered through this scene. Combats are always a little rough, but the opening of the Mima temple should be more in my wheelhouse. Apologies if the grammar is rough, I am very tired.

You think we'll ever get an updated version of this

>>46538352
Needs more patchys and meilings.

>>46528881
I meant to say that you're free to write more meiling/patchouli if you want. They're essentially at the point where if the finale began tomorrow, they'd be good to go already since everything they do between now and then can be summed up as 'they studied the book to prepare'
so if you want to write some fluff, feel free to write whatever they get up to (plus you probably understand the whole world tree stuff and what they actually need to do to prepare better than I do). You've handled them both more than well enough that I wouldn't have any problems with it

Mostly updated the top left area, clarifying some things over there.
I couldn't think of many jokes to add.

>>46539596
Maybe it's time to add Meiling and Patchouli with Sekai

>>46537505
>seiga actively targeting villagers
Isn't that a "deploy Reimu" tier of no-no?

>>46540223
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be enough abortion/missing babies cases for reimu to be aware of it and gain incident status.

>>46538352
oh shit, I had forgotten this image. So sweet~
yup, will do an updated version eventually, probably good now since we've reached the 75 tags in the Ao3 archive and can't add more characters...
>>46538494
you read my mind

>>46540223
if I'm understanding this correctly, Seiga only targets women that wanted to get rid of their kids and this one had a change of heart and so activated Mima's talisman, so it's expected why this came so out of nowhere. Better to not have any more of this, otherwise Reimu/Sanae will have to interfere and there goes plans for Seiga during the Solstice with Keine and Mokou

>>46538662
>so if you want to write some fluff, feel free to write whatever they get up to
I see, wasn't expecting to write them in physical form, but can try my hand at it. Thanks for clarifying!

>>46542250
Don't forget that you've been carrying them this whole time. I'm working to your template, after all,, since I'd not actually done much with either meiling or patchouli when I had to stop writing them months ago and I never would have come up with the things you did with their spectral forms They're just as much your characters in this project as they are mine.

Heavenly Gods Watch party

In the center of the most important civilization, situated inside a multilayer barrier, surrounded by four oceans, and with countless slaves, artisans, technicians, and scientists attending to its every desire, the Dragon Palace sat lifeless, still, and as pure as ever as it overlooked the impure earth.

In the center of the most important civilization, situated inside on a cloud, surrounded by golden light, and with countless Deva, Celestials, and creatures of higher realms attending to its every need, The Dragon Palace sat resplendent.

But in one corner of that pure horse, sat a coalition of unlikely friends gathered around a remote viewing screen as they watched the eastern paradise below through the eyes of their noisy messengers and spies.

“Sister, pass me the popcorn will you?”

“Very well, Yorihime.” The resignation was feigned and over-emotional intone, contradicting the flat looks of the faces of the sister gods and the enraptured emotions that tugged at their heartstrings as they watched a madman, whose only notable achievement was fathering a gloomy bookworm, babble about youkai.

The Most Awesome and Terrifying Duo: The Watatsuki Sisters

“I do not understand what you see in this show, especially that ‘Goro Ackechi.’” He said the bookish man’s name with suspicion. “A real man would take his wife, not subject himself to the humiliation of being taken.” The warrior god who sat on the opposite side of the couch them complained.

Renown for the Strength of his Blade: Takemikazuchi

“Come on you shitty old man! You’re just jealous you aren’t in her position.”

The Devic Delinquent: Tenshi Hinanawi

“What is this brat even doing here, I thought we were on the moon?”

“No, we’re in heaven!” The bratty celestial complained as she pointed out of a window, the golden light of the heavenly realms streaming through.

“I suggest you look outside the window, pipsqueak.” The gargantuan god had risen, his full height towering over the celestial of which he was many times the age.

“I know for a fact I haven't left the heaven realms you-”

“It’s on both, if you have a problem with it, take it up with Lord Dragon God.” Yorihime had long since stopped questioning the Dragon God’s decisions, even though she too had little patience for the odd celestials and their Buddhist bureaucracy.

“Now shall we return to the show, perhaps the snake god shall finally do something of interest, yes?” Toyohime continued.

“That pitiless welp of a goddess had half the brain her brother and father had, she will not amount to anything.” Takemikazuchi dismissed with a wave of his hand as the viewing screen switched to a crow’s eye view of the Moriya shrine.

“The same goddess who you spared, allowing her to subjugate the up-jumped fairy-turned-frog god,” Torahime noted. Of course, as the Lunar capital had its own Imprisoned froggy goddess who nonetheless was an executive of sorts, the sisters were more than hypocrites in this matter.

The sword god scoffed. “I did her a great justice by crippling her and confining her to that meager portion of the impure earth.” waved a hand as if to imply both the sister's comments and Kanako were much beneath him. “Perhaps whenever that rabbit or another part finally makes their move on our paradise, she could be granted to honor of losing to me once again.”

“Ah…” A smile bloomed on Yorihime’s face. “I suppose this is what the inhabitants of the earth would call a ‘tsundere,’ am I correct dear sister?”

“You damn!-”

“I believe we are here for a watch party, not for a spat between you too,” Toyohime complained as she spread her fan, fanning herself with it as she eyed the two gods.

Takemikazuchi and Yorihime crossed their arms as they sat back down and turned their gazes away from each other.

“Pffff, hah!” The delinquent exploded in laughter

The warrior god, famed for inserting himself onto his own sword in order to threaten the woman he humiliated and her useless brother frowned but did not respond at the celestial's taunting laughter.

Toyohime, seeing the destitute state of the mood, grabbed the controller, switching from the crow sent to monitor the Myouren temple idol to the crow's view of the vengeful spirit turned wannabe god. “How about we see what that vengeful spirit has been up to.”

“Yes, if my meager opinion is worth your time, I too would like to return to the show.”

The most Extraordinary and Burdened Mudfish Maid: Iku Nagae

The viewing screen flickered, then split into two, each screen showing a perspective of a bird as birds each held their view on Gensokyo’s upcoming god and the wicked Hermit she battled.

“I see something interesting has finally begun,” Takemikazuchi said as he sat forward.

“Damn that Hermit, she never does anything I tell her to,” Tenshi complained as Mima was pushed backward by the abomination.

>>46542601
“Yes, my lady, your will as a celestial is that which all Hermits should bare themselves openly to.” Tenshi’s mudfish maid answered from her corner as she held a popcorn bucket, watching the screen intently.

Pushing back onto the Hermit, the would-be-god obliterates to abomination born of impurity before following up, narrowly missing the Hermit as she flew backward and then tripped, once again narrowly escaping justice and slamming her hairpin into the ground, disappearing before the once-vengeful-spirit could finish her off.

“Disappointing,” Takemikazuchi complained as Tenshi booed the wicked Hermit as she wormed her way into the earth and disappeared from the view of the crows.

“Regardless of the witch’s performance, Gensokyo’s resident Saint should’ve taken action against such a disgrace upon her reputation, or perhaps she simply lacks the ability to stand against her master.”

“Yeah!” Tenshi agrees with Yorihime as she pumps her hand into the air. “The Saint always says she’ll do something but she never does!” Tenshi sends her forcefully into Iku’s bucket of popcorn.

“Please, It's clear what the Hermit purpose the saint has for that wicked Hermit.” Takemikazuchi waved off the celestial’s complaints. “She proved a useful tool and a threat, as long as the wicked Hermit lived she could be hung over the heads of prospective enemies and act on behalf of her student.” The warrior god sat forward in his seat, resting his hands in a scholar's cradle as he watched the witch and her pet turtle waddle away. “But now that she has grown brazen and outlived her usefulness, I highly doubt that the Saint is still extending her support to the wicked Hermit. Doubtless, the Saint shall use her as an extension of her plan to attain greater power over Gensokyo once this incident runs its course.”

“Sister could it be-”

“Yes, I think it is-”

“The sword god is unexpectedly canny.” The sisters said simultaneously.

“Unexpectedly…” Takemikazuchi took a breath to calm himself as he sent a glare to the smugly smiling sisters.

“It’s okay Mikazuchi, people don't give me the time of day either.” Tenshi crossed her arms as she shook her head in affirmation, extending sympathy to the god over twice her age.

“And rightly so, what celestial loses a fight to an Amanojaku and her man-whore pet.”

“H-hey, they cheated!”

“Such is the cry of losers everywhere,” Yorihime commented.

“don't fault her excuse sister, I would be ashamed if I was embarrassed in such a manner on live crowvision. Currently, I could not show my faith to father if such a thing happened” Toyohime offered words of condolence, although they were quite things and acted only as another vehicle for insults.

“Do not mind them, miss Hinanawi, I am sure your father loves you.” The mudfish maid said.

Tenshi hung her head in defeat, the kind words of her maid doing more damage than any of the Lunarians present could hope to achieve.

“No matter.” Takemikazuchi said, “We shall see what happens next, perhaps we shall see that strange ice fairy again soon, or maybe the Chinese woman.”

“Strange for you to express interest in such an impure and weak creature such as that fairy, I predict she shall be eaten by the disabled god.”

The gods all shook their heads, bigger divinities consuming lesser ones for even the slightest increase of power was not uncommon

“A upencomer like her is certainly more promising than the inhabitants of the Moriya shrine.”

A smile returned to Tenshi’s face as she laughed, soon joined by everybody except for the humorless mudfish, the uselessness of the Moriya shrine had been an ongoing joke they all enjoyed.

"Although, Celestial, have you heard anything from your Buddhist brethren of the activities of the backdoor god?" The sword god questioned.

"Yes, she has done remarkably little in this affair." Said Yorihime bored, disappointed at the lack of fighting.

"Please, as if they tell me anything." Tenshi crossed her arms.

"If you are not pleased with them, the moon could always use more assistance." Toyohime offered.

"As if, I have my own thing going on you know, even if heaven rejects me I'm not going to turn my back on what I believe in." The celestial turned on her heels in place as she grinned.

"And that would be?" Toyohime opened her fan.

"A world where no child has to cry."

"How naively disgusting, perhaps you were really born for for the Buddhist bureaucracy." Takemikazuchi picked a popcorn kernel from his teeth with a sword.

Tenshi and the lunar gods laughed.

--

I think I've gotten back into the groove recently and unfortunately, although there's no harm with small slice of life chapters which don't matter to an ongoing narrative.
I guess I just like this sort of cutaway which shows what other people are doing, just makes the world seem more alive.

>>46542613
>>46542601
kek, funny chapters and a harmless expansion of the “yep, the Moon is watching all this” nightmarish scenario
thanks for the chapters!

>>46542298
of course, not forgetting that!
thanks for the heads-up, I'd like to say! It made me feel oddly very nice. Probably attributing it to the ol' saying that it takes little to make a writer happy

>>46540556
More or less yeah. Seiga was very much skirting the rules by coercing but not totally forcing villagers into abortions knowing Yukari more or less gave her free reign to do so. Now that she's met resistance, she'll likely go back to lick her wounds and get ready for round 2 at the solstice.

In hindsight it was again a little much, but what'd done is done.

>>46543490
Personally my only problem with that was the lack of Yoshika.
She should've comically eaten an aborted fetus to the disgust of everyone(except Seija) present.

>>46542601
>>46542613
For all the talk Moonies have about being pure, they sure have bizarre tastes in media.

>>46543490
>spoiler
idem the other Anon, some Yoshika could've been nice. Otherwise nope, don't think it was too much, you did a nice job man!

>>46544091
Reminder that the moon has been watching Anon since, at the very least, the first time Reimu drunkenly raped him on the veranda. Like pottery.

>>46544074
I admit my weakness, I love Yoshika too much to write about harm coming to her. It's like kicking a puppy, I just can't do it.

>>46544188
How do you feel about slander?

>>46544091
It's rather hilarious, probably one of my favorite on going jokes.

>>46544188
Different approaches to writing characters you love, I like to torture characters I love, especially if they're tragic. But for Yoshika I prefer dark humor so I probably would've killed her comically or somehow end up homeless but still happy.
Although now I'm thinking of what an unemployed Yoshika would do.
Would she move, search for employment, would Byakuren take her in, Who knows.
Although I agree she is quite cute.

>>46544932
she'd beg someone to somehow kill her and let her soul be welcomed back into the Samsara

>>46545114
I know, but it might not be in character for her, she's quite forgetful and animalistic while still being joyful.
What we do know of her when she was alive is that she was a poet and thus recites poems idly from time to time.
Inspiration wise, she's a Touhou version of Miyako no Yoshika, who Kasen/Ibaraki is a fan of, although Kasen does not seem to recognize her even if she.
Kasen does recite Yoshika's poems she made when she was alive during chapter 1 of WaHH, so she still remembers Yoshika and her poems, she probably just hasn't connected Yoshika the poet she was a fan of and Yoshika the zombie. It is also worth noting that the poem Kasen quotes is one that is said to have been created by Yoshika and Kasen in collaboration when they happened upon each other during the early Heian period.
On the note of the historical Yoshika, he was a famous hard working court official and poet who worked himself to death at the age of 46, holding three positions at the time of his passing.
So Yoshika has a surprising amount to work with, especially since she would be the sole true friend of Kasen before she lost her arm.

>>46459800
“The Suzunaan seems to be doing pretty well for itself lately , I saw you got plenty of new stock. How your husband? We never did get the chance to meet” Anon said. A simple and boring question, but the most one could do when freely exchanging information would be punished.

“We’re doing well enough. I’m always looking out for new stock, so I was lucky enough to snag these out for a good price” That much was true, I had gotten plenty of new books in lately. The truth was it was as much about as giving the Suzunaan more stock as it was therapy for me. I had always been happy with books. Reading them was something that I always loved. But the act of collecting them, of having more was something that had always made me happy. Not just youma books, but any book. Finding books on topics I enjoyed, finding books on things I never even heard of. Getting a big pile of books and flipping through them, carefully organizing them and watching my shelves fill out. Finally managing to finish a collection or series of books and feeling proud I owned the full set. Nobody else really understood it, Even Akyuu found it strange how much I enjoyed simply collecting books, and my husband simply accepted it as a quirk that came with running a bookstore. The only one that seemed to understand was the librarian from the Scarlet Devil Mansion from the very few and short conversations we had over the years. Even then it was hard to tell when she was being serious or not. From the very moment I had learned the truth about Anon’s imprisonment I had been putting much more effort into getting stock for the Suzunaan. At least my customers apereractied it. “Kato is well, thank you. Maybe the two of you can meet up after this is over. ”

“Your kids still causing you some trouble?” Anon nods, a slick smile on his face.

“No, they’ve been good. It’s just that sometimes I think I don’t know what I’m doing. If I say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, it might be bad for them” I sigh out. Pushing my problems onto someone who had so many already was selfish, but the confused faces of my children were stuck in my mind.

“Well, nobody said raising kids would be easy. Did something happen with them recently?” He says, his practiced mask slipping a bit to show some concern.

“Well, kind of. I made a decision recently that I think they might not really understand. It might have ruined their option of me” It was the best way to put it. I had told my children I had broken one of the great laws of the village, the one told to them over and over again since they could talk.

Anon looked me for a second. Did he suspect I was hiding a lot from him? Of course he did. “Kids are complex” he finally said “Sometimes it seems like they soak up everything like a sponge, other times they live in ignorance. You can never be sure when they’ll get upset over something. You’re lucky in a way. At the age Daisuke and Fumiko are, they’re quick to forgive these things. I mean, do you still hold grudges towards your parents for something that happened when you were that age?”

I honestly couldn’t think of anything. Of course, there had been a few times where I had made things difficult or them or had been scolded, but I never hated them for how they treated me. Of course, they weren’t secretly working with youkai.

“Whatever you did, it’s good you came clean. Kids have a knack of finding out things that they shouldn’t and as long as they can live a childhood without much worry, they’ll forgive you” With those words, the real Anon showed up. Not the dutiful husband who had a smile for everyone that walked through the door and existed for their own desires. But the man who had spent far too long just trying to keep his head above a sea of misery and found his life becoming worse by no means of his own. Just what had he and Hana gone through?

He grips his tea cup, looking off into the distance. “When Hana was born, I thought things would change. Reimu stopped drinking for the babies sake and everyone seemed so eager to forgive her. Me included” He sighed “When she started to abuse me again, all I wanted was to make sure Hana would never find out. I told her so many lies back then, I thought it was for her own good. Looking back, I was so stupid to think I could keep it up forever, but the idea of her finding out just made me-” he suddenly cuts off.

>>46545295
The conversation had taken a bad turn already. I knew I shouldn’t have opened my mouth and just talked to him about some book I read recently, but the boat was already approaching the rocks, and all I could do was steer it away. “Hey, I’m sorry for bringing this up. If you don’t want to talk about it, then I could leave. Is that fine?”

As I stand up to walk out the door, face turned away so he couldn’t see my embarrassment, he stops me. “No, just stay. This has been on my mind for a while. I wanted to discuss this with someone, with a fellow parent” I sit back down, still feeling guilty for sparking all of this.

“I thought the best I could do was to grin and bear it. That somehow, she would just target me, or come around to her senses when she realized Hana might find out. So I tried to placate her, keep it behind closed doors. When Hana got curious or asked questions, I lied to her. I said that it was just a normal fight, or I had gotten hurt in an accident when she noticed by bruises. It was all I could do to just cling onto the hope that I could at least give her a normal childhood. Naive, I know. I hated lying to her, but what could I do?” The glamour of this place had vanished fully by now. The front of the suave lover that always wore a smile was gone, now there was just the middle-aged man who had gone through so much in his life.

“You sound like you’re blaming yourself, don’t do that. You did all you could do just by yourself”

“Maybe. Maybe things would have been better if we had more of a family, if there were people for us to depend on, to keep her in check. Reimu doesn’t have one, and rarely even brought them up. It was something personal to her so I never bothered pressing her much. As for me, I can’t exactly bring them around” He looks down into his tea cup. Twenty years since he left the Outside World, from...wherever he was from. I had never even thought of it. “I know Marisa tried to be an aunt to her. She always found a reason to be around to play with her, and stuck around for as long as she could. All the others, Like Kasen and Sanae and Alice, they did all they could for us. I’m grateful for that, always will be, but I just wonder how things could have gone”

The ship had fully crashed into the rocks by now, there was no use trying to steer it away. “Ah, the birthday party we had for Hana was really fun” I blurted out the first thing that came to mind that I thought could fix the situation.

He looks up at me with a hint of a smile on his face. Although it didn’t do much to fix his sad tired eyes. “It was?”

“Yeah, he had cake and a lot of food, there were gifts and Yuuka put on this amazing show with her powers, it was so cool!” That much was true. It was a lot of fun until Yukari showed up but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

“Sounds like a lot of fun. I was wondering how it turned it. We never really could have a party like this we she was younger, so she must have really appreciated it” That same smile remains, but his eyes seem to shine a bit more brightly. “Despite everything, she’s still just a normal teenage girl. So to have a day for her to just spend time with people close to her and have fun is something she really needed. Thank you for that”

I can’t help but feel a bit of pride in his words. It really was a nice party, for the most part. “Oh, don’t mention it. I said, squirming a bit in my seat.

“A day off was what she needed. She’s always working so diligently, with all the jobs she took on back in the village and her training with Marisa on top of that. I think she got one of her mother’s better qualities. Reimu always knew when to stick to a job and finish it when it needed to be done.” Something in his tone changes. Nostalgia? “That’s why I have hope things will turn out right for her no matter what might happen. It’s why I think you shouldn't fret over whatever made your children upset with you. As long as you made the choice you knew was right and there’s a future for them, they’re come around. I know it”

A chime suddenly sounds out. Like a dog, Anon freezes up and looks around. “Ah, looks like our time is up. Thank you for having me, and I’ll make sure to read the books you give me” All hints of sadness and wistfulness had vanished from his face, his normal mask slipping back on. All for the next guest’s enjoyment. Finishing up my last sips of tea, I sit up.

“Thank you for the talk, it really helped” I said as he acknowledged me with a nod of his head. With my time up, I walked down the path again.

>>46545308
“But the advertisements said you’re still serving this package” The first thing I saw coming out of the doors was a group of annoyed youkai crowded around the front counter. They were a diverse group, different tails and ears poking out from their clothing. One of them was holding a flyer in front of Ran, pointing at a line on it.

“I understand your disappointment , dear guests. But that advertisement is outdated. That was a special package, and we are no longer offering Virgin Sacrifice: Do as you wish to him” Ran seemed to spit those words out with some spite “Please understand. We could see what else appeal to you if you look through what we offer” Ran pointed up to the board behind her.

“But we already made a reservation for this, You’re telling me between now and then you stopped offering it? We all paid for it, so you should at least try to get us what we paid for” The leader among them insisted.

Ran closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. As someone who sometimes had to face annoying customers, I felt some pity for her in this moment. Opening her eyes, she saw me and turned her head. “Ah? If you have the receipts for us, then you could just go to the records room and deposit it there. They’ll let you through, just mention I sent you if they give you any trouble. Now, there are a few similar experiences I’m sure you would enjoy, and I could throw in some extra services as well to make up for our mistake” With just a wave towards one of the Employee Only doors, she turned back to the frustrated group of customers.

This was it. No turning back now, I stepped towards the door and pushed it open. The hallways here were as plain as ever, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Like hallway seemed to stretch on for too long. It was too big for this building. Even knowing there was strong magic behind this place, it still made me feel strange. My heart started to beat faster. I had my excuse for being here, but now all I had to do was steal from it. I could just drop off my receipts, turn back to the others and tell them it was too difficult. It wouldn’t be a lie.

But I couldn’t do that. This wasn’t about me. This was about all those who were hurt by Yukaris’ scheming are were ready to put their lives on the line to stop it. It was so I could look my children in the eye and tell them I made the right choices, that I could ensure a better future. A parent is someone who sacrifices for their children, after all. No matter how much it hurts you, or how much they might not understand you at the time, once your child is born into this world you have a duty to look after them. If Anon could spend years baring blows and insults to support Hana, I could spend a day putting my neck on the line.

So I took a step forward, Then another, and one after that. Each step bringing me deeper into the bowels of this place. I had no plan in mind, or even an idea what I was looking for. All I knew is that there were only two ways this day could end. Victory or death. I’m weak. There’s no denying that. My interest in danmaku fizzed out when I realized I couldn’t handle the years of training my mgaciail abilities and remaining calm under intense pressure. My power as much use as I had gotten out of it, wouldn’t be of any use in a fight. But letting your weakness control you, to be satisfied in it is disgusting. Isn’t that right Mystia? All those weak youkai, hated by humanity, forgotten ans mistreated by stronger youkai had nearly transformed the village in the short time they had banded together under Keine. If they could do that, then weak old Kosuzu could do something as well, right? Despite trying to reassure myself, my heart still ached.

The door to the archives loomed before me. Here it was. What sort of secrets would this place hold? Relaxing and letting my other sense work, I could feel it. I might not know how to summon an elemental, or how to fire off homing danmaku but I knew the energy of a youma book. These were more then financial records and old flyers. There were things in here radiating powerful energy. So powerful that it could only meant there were things written by Yukari’s own hand was here. I had no idea of telling what they were, or how many were stored here. But there was only one way to find out.

I opened the door and what I saw shocked me.

>>46545316
This place was a mess! Filing cabinets, shelves , and tables were crammed into this place with no rhythm or reason, as if they had simply moved them over here and left them where they stood, with no attempt at organization or how someone would get by. The door had even hit a shelf as I opened it. This place was even more cramped then the storage room of the Suzunaan, which was quite the accomplishment. I entered and tried to find my way around the room when my eyes fell on the bookshelf in front of me. Someone like me is easy to distract in that way. But instead of interest, I found more horror. There were a few financial ledgers, that was to be expected in a place like this. But they weren’t even in order. It was almost like they had been pulled out and out back in without anyone bothering to arrange them. But it got worse form there. The rest of the shelf was crammed with miscellaneous books. Manuals on plumbing and heating, an employee handbook, reports on the market out on the street, even some of the dirty books being sold outside were all shoved here without a care. Looking to the other shelves, I saw this was the case for all of them. Disorganized, stuffed to the brim. Even a whorehouse should be run better then this. Walking by a table, I did my best to ignore a book being used as a coaster for a coffee mug. Yukari might be evil, but there was no excuse for this. Who was reasonable for this?

I found my answer tucked away behind a similarly messy desk. A Crow Tengu who looked just like the room and her desk looked up at me, a brief glare of annoyance appearing on her face. “What do you want?” she groaned out.

“I’m Kosuzu, the bookseller. I’m here to drop off a receipt for your records, but this place is the bigger issue. Is it always like this?” My librarian’s heart couldn’t help but focus on the bigger issue here.

She sighs “I know, but everything keeps piling up. Then people come in and move things around without asking, and Takane complains to me to fix it even if she’s been busy running around the village instead of working lately. I swear, they got the wrong tengu for this job, but those long-noses never come off the mountain”

“I could help you” I say, without really knowing why.

“But why?” she says looking doubtful

“You’re busy, right? I arrange books like this for a living. You do your work, I’ll fix this place up, and your job will be easier and my receipts won’t get lost. Win Win” Call it an obsession or a disorder, but I knew I couldn’t leave this place without doing something about it.

Her face showed the battle raging without her. There was the desire to toe the line and not lose her job, but also the desire to make her job easier. “I suppose you could help out. I’ll just be here doing some work” It seems like the latter won out after all.

I took a few laps around the room judging what I had to work with. Messy, for sure. But doable. So I began the librarian's dance. The dance is simple, but It can get complicated if you let it. Organize the books you have in the best way you can but be conscious of the shelf space you have. You always got to plan ahead and make changes, otherwise you risk disorganization. I swept over the room, gathering up all the ledgers. Shifting off some books from a shelf made space for them. Now for the other pieces of the puzzle. Ah, the security reports could go right next to the ledger, that left some more space for the future. If I gathered up all the books that didn’t belong here that could leave more free space. I crossed by the tengu’s desk again, carrying a stack of books when I felt the familiar tingle of youma energy.

Wait, what the fuck was I doing? I came here to steal intelligence and I’m cleaning up after them. Even if it was a muhe mess in the first place, there’s no excuse for helping the energy. Feeling out the waves, I could tell there were coming from a cabinet behind her desk. It was locked tight. There was no target. After I put away the books in my hands, I came back around to her

“What’s in there?” I asked as I pointed out the cabinet.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. It’s locked for a reason” she said.

“Are you sure? If anything important got misplaced, it would be trouble” I said, trying to act naturally.

“Damn, I saw that hermit poking around there days ago. If she- ” She opened a drawer and grabbed a key before she spun around and opened the cabinet up. The files within looked mundane, but the youma energy told another story. One of them let it off in heavy waves. That was my target.

“I think something might be missing, but I’m not sure. and just when my break is coming up” She mutters out.

I got a wicked idea. “I’ll fix this place up, and you take your break. When you come back, it’ll be easier to find things you can find it easy.” I tried not to show a devious grin.

“Really? Thanks!” She locked it and tossed the key back in the drawer. I waited until she left to dive for the drawer.

>>46545320
I hid at a table hidden from the entrance. Just by holding the paper in my hand, I could tell it was something worthwhile. Something with energy this powerful and concentrated had to be something big, It might be even stronger then the night parade scroll that caused me all that trouble years ago. So all I had to do was sneak it out-No. They’d find it missing, figure out it was me and then I’d be dead for real. I needed something else. I grabbed a pen and some paper that were laying on the desk. “A form for asking for days off, but the backside would do. I unfurled the document, taking up almost the whole table. It was crammed with writing and numbers and diagrams and drawings, some of them definitely magical. Looking at it, it almost seemed like the lines shivered and moved, like it was a living being. But the writing on top was clear enough “Hakurei Shrine Experience: Systems”

I’d struck gold.

Now all I had to do was get my impressions from this complex document, write down my impressions from it and put it back in place before that tengu came back from break. It was dangerous. But I felt it. The thrill of holding something esoteric in your hands, of knowing you could crack open the secrets within. The feeling of brushing so close to something you shouldn’t and coming out with knowledge known only to a few. How long had it been since a youma text made me feel this way? Too long. I knew this was going to be a challenge, but it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t excited for it. All I had to do was touch it and-

Numbers. That was the first thing I saw. So many numbers, calculations growing more and more complex. I knew it had something to do with this place, but I could hardly understand just one of the, let alone the dozens-hundreds-filling my head.

I tried to reach out for something else, and I got it. Flesh. Flesh upon flesh, moaning and twisting and intertwining. Pure lust and passion. It was a familiar feeling to me, even mow I felt my body heat up my mind drifting off to-I shook my head to keep it together. Now is not the time-but in other ways it was not. The feelings were too primal, too animalistic. It was like there was some invisible drummer standing in the distance, banging a beat on his drums-bodies writhing and moaning perfectly to the rhythm. The drums making them go deeper and deerp into carnal pleasure.

I took a moment to compose myself and let the heat die down. Another dead end. Maybe if I moved my hand to a different part of the page-

Magic sigils. Enough reading reading through occult books and asking magicians made them recognizable, although I wasn’t skilled enough to tell what the did. But they were powerful and carefully made, threads of magic weaving between them like a spider’s web, glowing with arcane power. As much as I focused on these sigils, their purpose didn’t come to me. But I felt something different. I let myself drift towards it, ducking and weaving through the threads hanging around me-this what a danmaku duel feels like, oh how fun. I can see the threads converging, and I arrive.

Threads, thousands of them, if not more all converge on this spot. There was something in the middle. A glowing ball of energy, surrounded by some clear protective haze. The threads all join here, tampering off to being almost invisible as they meld into it. I let myself drift around trying to get a feel on what it is then-

A white shape bolts down and strikes the ball, pushing into it briefly until it’s gone. I could feel that this was some sort of foreign influence. A moment of peace before it all happens.

The threads glow brightly and start to get pulled in, the shape in the middle rapidly growing mass. As it swells, faces come into my mind. Hundreds? Thousands? There were too many to keep track of. I feel my body-my actual body-shake and grow cold as this all happens in my mind’s eye. Even with the faces, I could pick up all the threads still being pulled in as the mass starts to turn into-something.
The threads are all gone and the faces stop flashing through my mind. All is still as the mass quietly shivers. Something starts thumping and I swear not only my mind-self, but my actual physical self could feel it as well.

Then my mind is taken over by a pair of eyes staring back at me.

I rip my hand away from the plans, sweat forming at my brow. I breathe in and out, trying to hold back the urge to vomit. In all my years of using my powers, I had never had anything this intense. Not even when my mind was taken over by the scroll. That was more like having a candle snuffed out by a dark gale. This was peering into something far greater then me. I couldn’t get a reading like this at all, it was too much for someone like me.

“But you’re doing it wrong” I heard a voice in my head say.

>>46545321

Was the voice in my head right or was I just going crazy? It was possible after doing the deep dive I did, but I couldn’t outright deny it. I was doing something wrong. That’s why all couldn’t get anything out of the readings or they were nonsensical nightmares. Was I approaching this in the wrong way? I was doing my best and steeling my ground against what the readings sent at me. It’s not like I could push back any harder then I was-

I suddenly remember an old story I once read. An oak and a reed stand up to the storm, but the oak is too rigid and breaks while the reed survives. I was trying to be like the others. They had the strength and bravery to stand up to forces like her. They could bust through any obstacle if it meant reaching their goal, all they had to do was tap into that power. I was just flailing against the storm, hoping it would obey me. A direct assault wouldn’t work. Mima was wrong, Yukari’s mind was too much for me. Too complex, too different. We had nothing in common.

Or did we? I saw how she acted during the party. Her threats, her sick desires. How she puffed herself up when things were going well and twisted the knife when everyone learned what she did to Hana. As bizarre and awful as they were, Yukari had emotions just like a human.

When you write something, even if its just a list of things to buy, a part of you rubs off. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes a little. Something like this, where everything she planned laid bare, should be overflowing with it. It was wrong to charge in and try to directly get information. I put my hand over the paper. All I had to bend to the wind and feel-

-It’s cold. I’m standing outside, staring at towers of metal and glass, lit up so brightly. I’m waiting for someone. I hear their voice and turn around. I’m so glad but I also feel the stabbing pain of loss-

-I’m clawing at the frozen dirt with my bare hands. I’m not making any progress and my hands are filthy, but it doesn’t compare to the pain I feel at this moment. Why did I fail her? There was so much I could have done for-

-I’m watching a man and his young daughter walk down a forest path. He looks injured. I don’t like seeing him like this. But I can’t do anything about it. Not yet. The daughter starts to cry and the man unsteadily bends down to reassure her. How nice-

Any other time I would have been thrilled to get a glimpse in the mind of a Sage. But now, these are just useless memories. I don’t push them aside. I let them float past. Feeling a tinge of pride somewhere in the paper, I try to coax things along. The feeling of pride gets stronger and stronger and then it’s like a fog has lifted. No more memories. No more confusing intricacies. Just pure emotion. I look over to where my hand is, some mess of lines with an inscription next to it. But the pride I’m getting from tells me Yukari must think it’s something very clever. I grab my pen and jot down everything I’m getting. Like a woman possessed-and I should know what that feels like- I move from impression to impression, writing down what I was picking up and what part of the diagram it corresponded to. Annoyance, worry, happiness. It wasn’t as good as directly picking up her thoughts, but the emotions she left left behind worked wonderfully. Hell, even I could make sense of it. With a speed I thought was beyond me, I had picked up on the strongest feelings. There was no time to be complete, so I got up and hurried to the cabinet. Did I have seconds or minutes? I was so lost in the diagram I couldn’t tell. Back goes the diagram. Here turns the lock. There goes the key, back to its place. I hurry back to the table and pick up the paper to see what I wrote down.

Names and shapes I couldn’t quite recognize, but I assumed they were some sort of magic or traps. Next to them I had written the impressions I had picked up. Things like ‘Anger: Why can’t they get this to work properly?’ It would have to do. Rolling the paper up, I stuffed it down my shirt. Now I should get back to work.

---

It was a few minutes later when the tengu returned. “Sorry I’m late. Got dragged into a dispute by two white wolves playing shogi. I swear they love bickering over rules more then playing. How’s this coming along?”

I had made some progress here, but there was still some work to be done. “It’s coming along, but I think I should get going. I’ve got dinner to cook, you know” I start to edge towards the door, heart thumping face starting to pale. If I get caught now it would-

“Oh, I getcha, you did it for out of kindness anyways. Thanks for the work” she heads back to her desk, starting to leaf through some documents.

I didn’t have to be told to leave. My feet were already moving. Down the hall, through the lobby, it looks more natural that way, I push open the doors to the street outside. The paper held close to my chest, a treasure. My feet keep moving until I’m far away.

I did it. I fucking did it.

>>46545325
I apologize for the delay, but with this the Suzu is out of Brothel Namek. She's close to being wrapped up, depending on how things turn out of course.

>>46545365
I'm sorry, I've been holding my tongue on this matter as long as I could, I can no longer tolerate it without comment
>“The Suzunaan seems to be doing pretty well for itself lately , I saw you got plenty of new stock. How your husband? We never did get the chance to meet”
Should be.
“The Suzunaan seems to be doing pretty well for itself lately, I saw you got plenty of new stock. How's your husband? We never did get the chance to meet.”
Always punctuate the end of sentences, and commas should always be attached to the word that precedes them. Also you forgot add an Apostrophe and an s to "how," it should be "how's," which can either mean, "how is," or "how has."
>>46545316
>>46545320
These two also have orphaned commas and there are too many un-punctuated sentences for me to number, even if it looks awkward, sentences, even spoken, need to be punctuated and that punctuation needs to be within the quotation marks.

>>46545325
>>46545321
>>46545320
>>46545316
>>46545308
>>46545295
Suzu before bed is just as good as Suzu after waking up! Especially these ones! Look at her go! LOOK AT HER GO! She's a very courageous middle aged lady, maybe the most courageous of them all! A tasteful talk with Anon, laying a more grounded view on growing up with the feeling you're failing people that should matter the world for you is a great read on Suzu's character in the project; and then the internal monologue pulling strength from others' struggles as to march forward into the scythe of Death, that's the essence of courage right fear: fear, but action nevertheless.
The archive scene with she immediately getting distracted by the mess but then concocting a plan to get the yama books felt very silly, like straight up from a cartoon, but in a good way~
>I did it. I fucking did it.
SHE FUCKING DID IT! Ah, if I could hug a character before shaking her shoulders while yelling, "yeah, you god-damned did it!", oh well.
>>46545365
eyyy, nice! Waiting warmly before chucking her into the hellfire that'll be the next Keine chapters~
thanks for the chapters!!
>>46545399
All very sound writing lesson.
Don't feel pressured and end up overworking yourself, Suzuanon. Writing here is not a job; take it easy and better your writing on your pace!

>>46457156
It was the messiest night Tsukasa had ever seen with her clothes on. The kudagistune was so excited, she could barely sleep. After the baby shower turned into a premature birthday, All the tengu were excited to crowd around Aya and make empty promises to help her out in lieu of a husband. Megumu’s probably had some merit to it, but nobody else was serious: A tengu got herself knocked up and failed to bring the father back. That was a black eye on her social standing. But the father? Why, he probably didn’t even know. How could he, when he was so occupied with his job? The rest of these freewheeling crows had their own squeezes; No real guarantee Anon was the only guy that could’ve egg’d them. But Aya “Too Busy to Find a Man” Shameimaru? You’d have a harder time proving apples didn’t fall from trees. Of course, motherhood would leave Aya far too busy too inform her baby daddy about the good news.

So, it was Tsukasa’s civic duty to tell Anon for her. And wouldn’t you know it — Tsukasa’s heat just started!

Tsukasa paced around the village alleys and checked the time: just a few minutes until Anon’s evening break. No clients would be allowed inside, but employees and partners had special privileges. Those wolf tengu got spoiled rotten by him, even that tsundere Inubashiri that would never admit her feelings out loud. It also helped that with just a few exaggerated reports, they’d be in hot water with their daitengu. The only issue, then, was the guard fox… But even she had some loose ends to be exploited. Two loose tails, to be precise.

Tsukasa waited until the very second Anon’s break began, darting towards the illusory exterior of the HSE and entering through one of the panic exits. The tunnel branched a few times, connecting to other hidden routes to different parts of the building. For today, Tsukasa went towards the office. Based on her observations, Ran would still be at the front. But the shikigami’s shikigami would be inside, all alone. Lo and behold, spinning around in an office chair was the bakeneko that was instrumental to her plans. Opening the hidden tile in the room just loud enough to catch Chen’s attention, Tsukasa put on a big smile and made her presence known.

“Hello there, Chen! Is your master here right now? I have something very important I need to tell Anon, and I wouldn’t want to interrupt anyone’s plans.” Finding a guest chair, Tsukasa turned its back towards Chen and sat facing her. A suspicious cat is never any fun to deal with, so it was worth taking all the little steps that made the kudagitsune less intimidating.

“Umm, no, Miss Kudamaki. Ran-sama still has to make sure everything is in order.”

“Really? You’re so responsible, holding down the fort for Ran. In fact, since we’re coworkers, why don’t you just call me Tsukasa? There’s no need to be so formal around friends~” Children are so much easier to leverage than adults. All you have to do is win over their trust once and they’ll never doubt you twice.

“Okay, Miss Tsukasa!” The kid only got it half-right: Cute, but annoying. “If there’s something important, you can tell me! I’ll make sure Anon hears it!”

The thought of Chen naively bursting through the doors and telling Anon he’s just fathered some crows nearly split Tsukasa’s sides. But, she could still still get some fun out of this. “Really? Well, it’s very important news for adults-”

The office door nearly swung off its hinges. Chen jumped in her seat when the wooden door clattered against the wall, sending a box of folders skidding across the floor. “Chen, come here. Now!” The bakeneko scampered over to her angry master’s side. Ran broke her rancorous gaze for a moment to kneel down and pick up her shikigami, her gentle action in stark contrast to her perked ears. “Anon’s hours are over. You can leave now.”

Now things were getting interesting. “Really? I have something important to tell Anon. He simply has to know now! Although, it will take me quite a while to explain every meticulous, languid detail~”

A low growl vibrated in the room, coming distinctly from Ran’s throat. “It’s not important enough to disturb his rest. Now go!”

Poor, naive Chen made an attempt at mediation between the two foxes. “I-I can tell Anon! Then Miss Tsukasa can leave and Anon won’t be disturbed!”

“Great idea, Chen!” The tube fox walked right in front of Ran, ignoring how her lip quivered to bare her fangs. “You see, someone visited Anon a few months ago, and they did something veeery naughty-”

“STOP!… Go ahead. Don’t say another word, and you get half an hour. Then, no matter what state I find you in, I’m dragging you out of this building. And if I do that, you won’t be in one piece.”

Tsukasa strut past the shikigamis, laying one hand on the concerned Chen’s head as she did. The hard part was over. Now came the fun part.

(Part 3)

>>46545614
After her failure to instill a prey’s instinct in Anon during her last visit, Tsukasa knocked on his front door. As much as she boasted, that nine-tailed hag’s time limit was an issue. Anon was supposed to satisfy her heat in just 30 minutes? Ahh, this time Tsukasa couldn’t just let Anon do all the work. Well, she was going to get her fun one way or another.

Anon’s voice came from inside, more jubilant than during her sessions. “I’ll be there in a minute, Chen! Why didn’t you just come… Oh, Tsukasa! I wasn’t expecting you. What’s the matter?” Time to put on the waterworks!

Tsukasa pressed her body against Anon’s burly chest, making sure he could feel her body shaking and her knees buckling. “*sniff* A-Anon… I’m so, so sorry to bother you now. I just can’t hold on any longer. I-I’m in my heat! I need you, please!” She whimpered just a little, trying her best not to oversell the performance. She had gone over this roleplay in her head a thousand times before, and saved it just for today. This was just the hook.

Anon brought his warm, strong arms around the kudagitsune’s body. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you. Just try to relax…”

“No, n-not yet! Wait in bed, and I’ll make a drink. It’s a special blend for tengus. They don’t like outsiders knowing about it, but it keeps you hydrated while you’re with me… Both of us need it. I don’t want to hurt you just for my selfish needs!”

Anon broke the embrace, staring down at Tsukasa with a gentle, genuine smile. “I’m happy you’re concerned about me. Take all the time that you need. Maybe you can show me what kinds of herbs you use after we’re done? You can’t be held liable for letting a little trade secret slip in these circumstances, after all”

Still shaking and breathing heavily, Tsukasa looked up at him with glossy eyes. “O-Okay. Thank you, Anon. Thank you so much…” Now that her line was cast, Tsukasa slowly followed Anon into his home. While Anon went into the bedroom to prepare, Tsukasa walked with unsteady footsteps into his kitchen and got to work.

First, she threw some cinnamon, lemongrass leaves and ground ginger in the bottom of both cups before filling them with orange juice. It should taste weird enough for Anon to think it’s exotic. Then, Tsukasa tip-toed her way to the medicine cabinet, careful not to let the hinges creak or shake any of the pill bottles. Right where it always is, she found the fertility boosters. The seal long since broken, Tsukasa just picked two pills out and plopped them into each drink. After a moment of consideration, she added another pill to the cup she intended to give Anon. It probably wouldn’t kill him after everything he’s already gone through. Wearing a satisfied grin, Tsukasa returned everything to its place before letting her body’s weight rest on her feet again. Returning her face to her desperate, demure expression, Tsukasa walked into the dark bedroom. Her sinker was ready.

“I-I’m here Anon.” Walking quickly towards the undressed Anon, she thrust her hand out to him, presenting the drugged juice. Once he took it, Tsukasa didn’t give him a single moment to doubt her intentions. “You have to drink it all, okay?” The kudagitsune quickly chugged her cup down, the ginger burning in her throat. Maybe she added little bit too much. But, it was worth it when Anon followed suite, trusting the fox’s seemingly impulsive behavior.

“Haaah, that’s strong! Well then, are you ready?” As soon as Anon set his cup on a nightstand, Tsukasa jumped into his lap and wrestled his tongue with hers. Poor, poor Anon. The only mistake worse than trusting a fox’s word is underestimating a fox’s heat. All pretenses gone, the kudagistune got to work making her first of many litters.

(Part 4)

>>46545794
Anon wasted no time inserting himself into Tsukasa. Her estrus made her far more sensitive than usual, already surpassing her last visit. No longer her cocksure self, Tsukasa moaned and yipped with each thrust, pressing her small chest against Anon’s as she desperately tried to cover her skin with as much of his as possible. She couldn’t form words as she thrust and gyrated her hips against Anon’s, trying to stimulate as much lovely friction as possible while hating every centimeter of his dick that pulled out. Her insides pressed and constricted hard against his dick, massaging him while her womb eagerly waited to accept his seed.

As Anon got closer to his climax, he pressed Tsukasa back against the bed and started pounding her pussy from above while looking her dead in the eye. Her eyes nearly glazed over from the pleasure, seeing her mate rut inside of her. Anon was getting closer and closer, and so was she. Tsukasa pieced together the words through the pink haze in her head. “A-Anon, I’m close, I’m so close! I wanna cum together with you!”

Anon started thrusting faster, nearly at his limit. Anxious for his cum, the kudagitsune wrapped her legs around Anon’s waist, already giving him the answer to where he needs to shoot his semen. With just seconds before she hit her limit, Tsukasa barked out her last command: “Kiss! Kiss me!” He locked lips with her, hips quivering as his hot load finally splashed inside of her. Tsukasa moaned into his mouth, letting out all her lusty thoughts and desires. Partway through, she broke off, and started whispering sweet nothings into his ear. “Yess… I love it. It’s so warm. Shoot it deeeep inside me. Knock me up, Anon. Just

like

Shameimaru.”

His hips gave out. His pupils dilated. His strong, muscled arms started to shake. But his dick twitched again. Anon tried to speak, but Tsukasa shut him up by shoving her tongue down his throat. Taking advantage of his pliable state, Tsuakasa flipped Anon over and straddled his waist, burying her cock back inside of her and giving it long, slow strokes into it was fully revived. This, this was what she was wanted. His tongue fighting hers. His pinned limbs fidgeting under her grip. The muffled pleas in his mouth and the fear in his eyes.

It was all so delicious. She just had to savor it.

“You’re a veeery naughty man to do that to a girl, you know? All alone, having to keep her eggs warm when she already has such a demanding job. But it’s not all your fault. You’re a real stud. Aya knew what she was getting into, fucking a man to ease her loneliness. And you just did your job, making her feel good while you pounded her into a quivering mess and left your permanent mark on her.” Tsukasa didn’t even try to hide her smile, nuzzling her cheek against Anon and nibbling his ear.

“No. No, I-we didn’t”

She pressed a finger against his mouth. “You don’t have to have to worry taking responsibility. You’re Gensokyo’s best breeding stud, after all. All you need to do is pump these lonely, desperate girls full of your spunk until you’re kids are running across every corner of the map. So don’t feel bad, “Daddy~” Just let yourself feel good.”

The harder Anon thrashed against her, the harder he thrust into her cunt. Combined with Tsukasa bouncing in rhythm with his attempts to buck her off, it wasn’t long before he was pushed to the edge again. “Aww, you don’t want to come inside me again? That’s fine, Daddy. You can’t impregnate me more. You already held me down and made me a mommy. But we can still try.” Tsukasa pressed her chest down against Anon, hammering her hips against him and grinding until she hit her climax. Her spasming tunnel was enough to coax one more ejaculation out of him, flooding her womb with his potent sperm.

“AHHHHH! That was a good one, Anon. Thank you for your service~” Anon lied in bed, staring at the ceiling while Tsukasa gave him a peck on the cheek before dressing. Without a second glance, she left the bedroom and shrine. All that mattered was that she got what she wanted and had a great time doing it. She was going to miss this place when it inevitably collapsed on itself, but at least she’d always have fond memories. As soon as Tsukasa got back to the HSE as a building in the village, she darted into the first tunnel she could find and got out. No way in Hell would she let Ran ruin her afterglow!

Once outside the upstanding establishment, a sigil roared to life on her left palm. The kudagitsune sighed and ran outside the bounds on the Human Village. What did the Makaian want now?

(Part 5)

>>46546003
Tsukasa made her way to a cliff facing the moon. Remembering the course of the heavenly bodies was bothersome enough to meet with her associate, but dealing with her was even worse. Tsukasa had to wait until the big orb in the sky reached a certain point until a figure wrapped in black wings shot out from the night sky and unfurled before her. Blonde hair and a red bow, seems to be a common thing among Makai demons. What set her apart was a glowing red star on her left cheek. Coupled with the ridiculously long katana she held in her left hand, she surely would have been imposing to any unaware voyeurs.

“REJOICE! I, the Eastern Star, Spawn of the Dark One, have descended on this mortal plane!” Her blade shimmered in the moonlight, the tip stained with a drop of blood, before transforming into a far less imposing star-shaped wand.

“Well, Miss Eastern Star, you shouldn’t shout and announce our meeting place in the dead of night! And flying through the night sky just makes you more conspicuous, even if your wings are black.” This wasn’t the first time Elis had pulled this stunt, but Tsukasa knew better than to hope this would be the last time.

“They’re not black, they’re EBON! There’s a huge difference! Black is the color of evil and despair, ebon is the color of avengers and bats!”

“I don’t care. Listen, what is so important that you had to call me out today? Did the tengu track you down?” As stupid as this girl could be, her magic was powerful. There was no way Aya could have found out who she was with how little evidence there possibly could have been to reveal her.

“HAHAHAHAHAHA! No mere crow could ever hope to trace my magic! As soon as she even thinks about me, I know about it and the Cursed Seal of Unholy Blood Rites causes her unbearable pain! The only way she’d ever stop the pain is by seeing me directly, and I only show myself in the moon’s silvery glow, just like you said to!”

Tsukasa pinched her nose. “When did I ever say that?”

“Back when we infiltrated the Hag of Holes’ fortress! You had me wear those chains to wear so I could hide my true power and avoid scaring the innocent mortals while investigating the Irresistable Arousal Source hidden in the core of her dastardly domain! Only the moon’s glow can hold back my power, bequeathed to-”

“STOP, stop it, Elis! Just tell me why you called me out here already!” Even Tsukasa couldn’t believe how easily this girl believed the bullshit she fed her. It’s a miracle and disaster she slipped out of her mother’s supervision with how huge her delusions of grandeur are.

“Ah, right. I have to show you my newest disciple! I saw her in a graveyard, hunched over and immobile. Her skin was pale white, so I knew immediately she was a fellow user of unholy sorcery like me. But, she can’t control her power like I can, so I took her under my wing. Literally!” With a flourish of her wand, the demon pointed at her right wing. Materializing in reality was a corpse Tsukasa recognized from the HSE’s second-most perverted hermit. The only change to her outfit was a star hastily drawn on her forehead’s ofuda.

“Where did you say you stole her from again? Wherever Yoshika is, she’s never too far from Seiga.”
“Oh, some graveyard near the village. A green-haired hag and some blue-haired liberal were arguing about turtles or something.”

“Yoshika, what do you think about this?” Tsukasa wasn’t completely sure how this whole jiangshi-necromancy business worked, so she wanted to at least confirm her loyalty.

“I’m Pallid Phantom, faithful apprentice to the Eastern Star, Peon of Chaotic Forces…” the poor girl kept rambling off meaningless titles with either “Dark” or “Chaos” in them.

“Uhhh… Good job. Keep up the good work. You’re dismissed, Elis.”

“It’s Eastern Star! Come, Pallid Phantom! We must away into the depths of night! Our work won’t be done until the Hole Hag’s wicked empire crumbles and peace is restored to Gensokyo!” Casting a spell to summon tendrils of dark energy around her, Elis took her captive apprentice in her arms and flapped her wings, taking off into the night. Finally, it was quiet enough for Tsukasa to think.

Tsukasa wasn’t completely lying to that devil. She really was going to dismantle the HSE. But peace definitely wouldn’t follow. No, in Elis’ terms, it would be pure, unadulterated chaos.

(Part 6)

Man, I should probably sleep or something. This is the last Tsukasa POV, I'll get back to Aya with the long-teased "Aya teaches Chen about lying" fluff. Thx 4 waiting warmly.

>>46546220
Poor Yoshika, she just wants to go back to being dead because being a zombie sucks dick and now she's stuck with a chunni daughter of the devil. In other news seiga is gonna be pissed her favorite toy got stolen.

>>46545399
Noted. I should have spent more time proofreading, but it was already getting late.

>>46546220
>“They’re not black, they’re EBON! There’s a huge difference! Black is the color of evil and despair, ebon is the color of avengers and bats!”
Elix is a wonderful Chunni, I love her already, also "Hag of Holes," is a hilarious name for Seiga.

>“I’m Pallid Phantom, faithful apprentice to the Eastern Star, Peon of Chaotic Forces…” the poor girl kept rambling off meaningless titles with either “Dark” or “Chaos” in them.
Yoshika! So easily influenced, at least she's getting back to her theater kids roots.
Also reading the myth where the historical Yoshika met Ibaraki, really makes Ibaraki seem cute. Turns out she's the type of person who needs an excuse to do things with people, so Ibaraki would always say that Yoshika's poems were mediocre, so he should return to her so that she may amend them.
During their final meeting, she demanded he return to her just as poor a poet as when he left so they could continue where they left off. Also as a note, their meetings went on for 10 years before Yoshika was banished from court for associating with Ibaraki, and had to leave
I can't believe it, Kasen one of the original tsundere's. Explains why I've seen so much Yoshika and Kasen art, these two were very cute.

>>46546277
Yoshika, Kasen and a Hermit do actually have a discussion about immortality, specifically hermit-dom.
The Hermit is rather enuthusastic about it, telling Yoshika to spend 100 years training so that he will be able to meet Ibaraki again, Yoshika was rather undecided, and Ibaraki hated the idea since she considers it a waste of Yoshika's life is the process were to fail.
Kasen being a hermit's pretty funny, especially since Ibarakisaid on the subject of Hermits.
>“No, I simply find the existence of beings that walk among the clouds, away from all suffering rather insufferable.”

>>46546220
>>46546003
>>46545794
>>46545614
considering Tsukasa's reputation and the obvious heat, Anon likely thinks that's just her massive breeding kink, to which he should be used to considering the sheer quantity of animal youkai that come to the HSE on a regular basis.
And it was Ellis this whole time? Damn, could've never figured it out. Kek, she'll be getting traumatized by Seiga very quickly for stealing her favorite sin against Mother Nature
Also, Ayaanon...
>[...]Tsuakasa flipped Anon over and straddled his waist, burying her cock back inside of her and giving it long, slow strokes into it was fully revived.
careful with 'her' and 'he', woman-futa!Anon is not fun thought imagery
>spoiler
waiting warmly~!

>>46548133
>breeding kink
True, I even wrote that during the Aya scene so long ago. Thougheverbeit, Tsukasa's complaints about her pregnant coworker having a mate that's stuck at work should give him pause. Anon may be nice and forgiving, but he's not quite stupid and I figured he'd put the pieces together. One of these days, someone should probably take a look in that cabinet. At least, someone that isn't trying to get knocked up. Maybe Goro can do it, he seems like a normal guy and he's already pregnant.

>>46526326
/ourgirl/ is not surviving after publishing this issue.

>>46549074
I see that pin. Of course only Nega Hana, a momma's girl with a fetish for seeing other people have sex with her family, would do such heinous things to Anon!
Although Reimu, no matter which reality she comes from, is too jealous to do this. This is clearly Moriya slander against the Hakurei name and should be treated as such.

>>46551131
She's either making a reference to the fabled Blue'mu, or JP will point to that pin and say "it's not Hana Hakurei, it's someone else!" As a means to avoid copyright claim

>>46551131
The mind broken hakurei closed incest loop ending, sponsored by yukari yakumo!

>>46551899
too real (am writing right now)

last thread's flowchart coming through! Didn't even take the entire thread down to page 9 during sage to do it now~
https://files.catbox.moe/r6ab3b.png
for writeanons to guide themselves and readeranons to get a silly smile, because this flowchart also comes with a little video~! Hope you enjoy this small thing I did for our boys
https://files.catbox.moe/ayo8au.webm

>>46552123
Thus, flowchartanon finished his characters' arcs before some of the writefags.

>>46552123
Glad to see our boys in black get out of there alive, shame for the delivery guy though.
Though, just asking, but when was the last time Doremy and Sagume were mentioned, I have an idea for another short on the moon involving those two.

>>46529603
oh my god i love boobs!

>>46552448
>when was the last time Doremy and Sagume were mentioned, I have an idea for another short on the moon involving those two.
if I'm not mistaken these Goro/Seija chapters 109-115, part 9 here >>46529625. Treat Doremy with care, she's been through a lot watching all this

>>46546220
Truly a wicked critter. The Devil-Fox allegiance will be the end of Gensokyo.

>>46552123
>good fucking god, what a women
man you need to restrain your patchouli lust

>>46554006
it's not lust, it's respect! I swear!

Heavenly Gods Wrestling Match

An earthquake resounded throughout a corner of the Dragon Palace as a body impacted and dented one of its walls.

“Hpm, certainly not the most impressive oarfish I’ve wrestled, Iku, correct?” Takemikazuchi said as he approached the oarfish he embedded into the wall.

“Correct, that is the name given to me by my master,” Iku responded, popping her head out of the dent it had been in so she could nod respectfully.

“Very well, I’ll make sure to remember it.”

“Hey! Stop chatting up my maid sword god!” Tenshi yelled from across the room,

“Chatting up…” Takemikazuchi took a breath, calming himself so he would not yell at the celestial brat.

Turning to her family's servant, Tenshi demands. “Iku, show this muscle head what for, kick his ass! That’s an order!” Tenshi jumped up, pumping a fish in the air.

“Very well young miss.” Iku popped the rest of her body out on the indent in the wall. “I’m sorry Takemikazuchi, but for the sake of the Young Miss’ honor,” her veil unraveled, then coiled around her arm as lighting ran along it. “I cannot allow you victory.”

--

“And I'm pretty sure that stupid tree brat’s been hanging around in the dream world as well.” Doremy cried, complaining about all the trouble she’d been dealing with lately.

Pitiful and Sleepless God of Dreams: Doremy Sweet

‘It currently sounds like you’ve been busy lately.’ Sagume brought up another card to show her friend. ‘Perhaps if you were more reliable, you would receive more support in turn.’

“I-I do the best I can, you know!” Doremy complained, ignoring her own failure to give the Lunarians her full support during the fairy invasion of the moon.

Another earthquake resounded through the palace, knocking over the figurines in Sagume’s room as Doremy shuddered in her chair across from her. A card in the god’s hand read.
‘Are those two still at it?’

“Ugh, I hope whoever they are, they aren’t here for me,” Doremy said, dried tears crusting her face from the recent crying too she’d subjected Sagume before a slight smile crossed her face. “At least those two love birds have been doing well for themselves.”

Sagume’s wing fluttered at the mention of Doremy’s favorite couple. Doremy, much to Sagume’s dismay had even written several fanfictions about them, although much like Sagume’s own fanfiction, it was illusory in nature. Or rather, Doremy wrote dreams that were unlikely to happen, and Sagume wrote events that wouldn’t happen.

Or wouldn’t happen since she had written them, but tomato, tomato, potato, potato, there was little difference practically.

But, before she could bring out another card, the wall opposite her, and behind Dromey, burst open.

“Argh!” Iku grunted as she was thrown through another wall, charts, graphs, pieces of wall, and figurines raining down on her as she landed on the ground.

Before she could get up, there was a flash of red black, and gold, and then she was forced back down into the ground as Takemikazuchi landed atop her.

But before the sword god could open his mouth, another voice pierced the room.

“NO, NO, NO! I don’t wanna go back, I’m not gonna go back, YOU CAN’T MAKE ME!” The dream goddess cried, jumping away from the newly made hole in the wall and the offending gods and across the desk of Sagume into the bosom of the one-winged Amanojaku-esq god.

The offending gods raised their eyebrows in unison as the oarfish looked on impassively at the shameful display from the ruler of dreams.

The one-winged god’s eyes narrowed as she advanced towards the sword god and the oarfish he lay atop. Pulling out a sigh from behind her back, ‘Please leave.’ The god patted the head of her friend, before turning the sign around. ‘She’s very tired right now.’’

>>46556919

The Goddess who Speaks no Evil: Sagume Kishin

“Eh?” Yorihime cocked her head as she stuck it through the hole in the wall. “Sister," what’s wrong with the dream god.”

“Hmmm, I wonder?” Toyohime responded, holding her fan in one hand as she stepped through the hole into the room.

‘That show of yours.’ Sagume flips her sign around revealing a logo of the letters HSE. ‘Has been causing my dear friend a loss of sleep.’ Sagume bowed her head slightly, her writing and attitude overly respectful.

“Well, it’s not like she helped us during the Fairy Invasion Crisis,” Takemikazuchi said, stepping off of the oarfish maid he had pinned beneath him, causing her to wince as he stepped on her.

“And you call yourselves gods, I wouldn’t bend to some fairies!” Tenshi laughed.

Takemikazuchi grabbed his sword to swing at the celestial but he was interrupted by a wave of Toyohime’s fan. “Regardless of what happened, we would’ve triumphed, that Divine Hermit would’ve never tolerated the destruction of Gensokyo. No earthly force can oppose the moon with the strength of arms.” Of course, omitting the fact that the Lunarians had lost in games of guile against the inhabitants of the earth.

‘Regardless, I would appreciate it if you took your wrestling game somewhere else, you’ve already destroyed my power ranking chart.’ Sagume flipped her sign around. ‘?Que?’ Before speaking

“Y-yeah, don’t scare people like that!” Dormey agreed, nuzzling Sagume’s meager breasts as she hung onto her.

"You can't rightfully call it 'our' show anyhow, Yakumo is the one who'd begun that mess, we are simply watching," Toyohime said.

"Ignore it, people will say what they want, people attribute that Divine Hermit's efforts to fairies, just like they'll blame this affair on us somehow," Yorihime said, giving Takemikazuchi and Sagume a pointed look.

"Not to mention all those picture books and such which we have no part in," Toyohime said.

"Doubtless that troublesome rabbit trying her hand at being clever, perhaps she'll appreciate a good skinning?" Yorihime suggested.

"Please, if you can't even catch her how are you going to even do anything!" Tenshi crossed her arms again, smiling smugly at the Lunarians.

"Faf, if that rabbit had any balls, she'd be a real woman and take us head-on. Not hide from beyond our sight." Takemikazuchi propped himself up against a bookshelf covered in charts, crushing it with his weight.

"Balls?"

"Such a strange turn of phrase to use when referring to a woman, I do suppose you take it in the back end, don't you?" Yorihime offered the sword god, an earnest smile.

"You goddesses make it harder than it needs to be controlling myself..." Takemikazuchi's hand spamsed, searching for a blade as he restrained himself.

The Yorihime sisters smiled.

"What were you even doing knocking down walls!" The ruler of dreams complained

"It's called Sumo, perhaps you've heard of it, me and that snake god invented it after her useless brother turned tail," Takemikazuchi said.

"Yes, it's a sport I'm quite fond of," Iku said, still lying on the floor.

"Maybe if you enjoy it so much, you'd win when I tell you too!" Tenshi crossed her arms and stamped her foot onto the ground in complaint.

"Very well, 'monkey king,' perhaps you'd like me to grab you your stick?" Takemikazuchi mocked, picking the arm of an action figure out of his teeth with a sword.

“Well, I wouldn’t want his majesty the Dragon God to get involved in your game after all.” Sagume crossed her hands as she spoke, a smug smile on her face.

Tenshi cocked her head as if to ask a question, before Toyohime deployed her fan, interrupting the celestial before she could speak.

A distant rumbling reverberated throughout the palace, as an ancient voice spoke.

Takemikazuchi raised his eyebrow, “Ah, Lord Dragon God.” the anticipation thick in his voice.

Ignoring the words the Watatsuki sisters looked at each other, “I suppose it’s time for us to leave sister.”

With a nod of her head, the other spoke. “Lets.” The two sisters disappeared.

“Huh?” Tenshi asked, looking at Iku as she lay on the floor as if to ask her a question.

“Now, Doremy, this had been an awful time but thankfully you don’t have a job to get back to”

Tears welled in Doremy’s eyes. “You-”

And Doremy was gone as well.

“I get it, I get it, c’mon Iku let's get going.” Tenshi exited through the door, acting as if her maid and the sword god had not put a hole through the wall.

“And here I was hoping for a dance-off.” Iku smiled as she followed behind her master, leaving the one-winged angel and sword god to deal with the irate dragon god.

Sagume shook her head if only people could be like her, reasonable.

>>46556928
>>46556919
a good ol' HSE shitpost, fun to read among a fucking revolution; Yukari leaving her Leviathan to rot; the birth of a God child and the highest gross porn market this side of the ocean
thank you for that!
>just like they'll blame this affair on us somehow
heh

Yesterday, I cried.

Today I feel wet grass blades tickling my feet and the soft, palatable breeze moving my hair—my hat with its shining, waning crescent moon resting on top of the table next to the tea set—, the snow kept at bay by this sturdy oak by the Misty Lake. After an entire year—about three months outside the HSE; these new feelings and memories were like watching life through someone else's eyes—this is nigh surreal. “In all my many years, I must say that's the strangest reason I've heard for someone losing their sleep.” Remi called my attention after sipping her tea. Assuming the perfect picture of a stone gargoyle, Sakuya stood by her side, holding a parasol over her head.

I sip my own tea, enjoying the genuine pleasure I've missed—Remnant Patchouli missed; yet it still feels like it’s been forever… Hm—for so long. Anon's spectral tea was subpar at best, bound to never achieve the blends I've myself concocted in a hundred years of connoisseurship… A hundred years lived—more than half of my life, according to Sekai.

“Is that the full extension of what you can tell me?” Remi asks, placing her elbows on the table and looking into my eyes—not an ounce of suspicion behind her red gaze.

I've told of the year inside the HSE, the lengths I went to escape and my time with Meiling, but all of Sekai was hidden from her. “Telling you the whole truth could gravely affect plans already set in motion, and it'd be best for the one behind it all to remain anonymous until after foretold events unfold. Be assured, I'll tell you everything after all is said and done, Remi.”

She hums with a sly smile. “I'll wait warmly, my friend.” It fills me with delight that what happened yesterday in Remi's arms—cascading tears and a trembling body—was accepted and internalized, yet didn't change how she approached me. She doesn't see me as a beaker of fragile glass or someone in need of help.

A friend whose presence is comforting and who’ll help if deemed necessary… She used to be my only one, but now—

— “HA!” A yell echoes as if thunder and our eyes turn to the Misty Lake ahead, its namesake—mist—exploding upwards together with tons of liters of water in what could only be considered a super-geyser. Rather respecting gravity, though, the pillar of water remained still and straight, held together by invisible force for about five seconds before it all came crashing down back onto the lake, still contained so the water wouldn't 'dare' disrupt Remi's morning. Hm, would she reprise King Cnut if so…?

Yes. She totally would.

From afar, a blazing red was seen in the middle of it all… Though the many bandages clinging to her flesh made the sight rather amusing, “Patchouli Knowledge; smiling. May the Heavens crash down onto Earth.” Remi jabbed and I hummed in acknowledgment, quaintly sipping my tea. “Friendships are a beautiful thing, aren't they, Sakuya? The things one would do for the other.” In my mind's eye, I see yellowish bones and an apple; in my arms, a shallow cry for help… In my mind, a child and a tree. Sakuya agrees with words I ignore. “… You went through a lot, Patchy; it's good you’re whole again.” The vampire finished by putting down her empty cup of tea.

“Hm, idem.” Cheeky, but made her smile.

“Thank you for keeping me company, but I have affairs to attend; wine to taste; letters to write; and a visit to pay to Yakumo—Flandre hasn't returned yet.” Remi shares without a droplet of concern—it's Flandre—and I nod: after a year of observation, Yukari hasn't shown pedophilic tendencies, unlike the other just-as dull sage.

Perhaps it'd be a good thing if Yukari and Okina killed each other during the solstice.

“Farewell, Remi. Thank you for listening.” I nod to Remilia and watch as she and Sakuya leave, sure not to show I know she's excusing herself merely to give me and Meiling privacy to talk about the things I couldn't tell her.

Not ten seconds pass after she's out of hearing range and someone lands to my side. “Yo, good morning, Lady Patchouli!” Meiling greets, a cheerful intonation to 'Lady Patchouli' unheard of prior to yesterday, yet feeling quite natural. I look at her and the many torn bandages covering her arms and neck, all the movement and exercise destroying their tight grip, to Sakuya's displeasure. Not that Meiling seemed to care, eyes of fire and body almost vibrating—Ki is truly remarkable: I was half-well when I woke up thanks to a treatment of sleeping healing magic and rest in my dream world; however, numbness magic is necessary to mask the pain, same for deliberate movements so I do not collapse like a stringless doll.

“Meiling, good morning.” Acclimatizing to newfound memories, habits, and such is still novel—this teacup I hold almost fell three times as I expected to grab its weightless spectral version. Ignoring that and gesturing to the now empty seat across me, I gazed out at the lake where she was training. “… Is that your idea of resting after coma-inducing harm?”

Meiling laughs.

>>46557311
—
I laughed.

Yes, perhaps it was unwise to get up as soon as possible—reads two after midnight—and go train my Ki control, ignoring all those concerned fairies and Sakuya; at least Lady Remilia understood me and let me go without asking any questions—it's impossible not to smile while reminiscing about the moment I woke up in the makeshift medical ward and saw the often apathetic Lady Remilia, so cold and distant, tenderly caring for us along with the fairies and Sakuya.

Arms wrapped around me—arms that soon developed a flow of Ki; life.

'… A formidable and vital ally.'

Heh~

Seven hours have passed since I woke up, meaning Lady Patchouli, after all she did for me and against Sekai, slept only 20 hours in that healing spell and is already up! Magic is so incredible~ “What were you doing there, anyway? If I'm not misremembering, your favourite way to avoid work is slumber.” She asks, and me from one year ago—three months ago, but also not really as time still passed and, ugh… So confusing—would be all tense now. I remain calm as I perceive a note of good humor there; one slight lifted eyebrow says she already knows what I was doing.

“Training my Ki conduction.” She nods, humor fading as determination sparks behind those purple eyes, a mirror of mine. If this body is gonna bear—even if for mere seconds—the weight of the entire world, all to give one little girl the life she deserves…

… Then this body must be as ready as possible.

“Commendable actions, Meiling,” a familiar sigil opens above the table and I am quick to move the tea set—Lady Patchouli uncharacteristically freezes, eyes wide. Then she sighs, continuing her work, glancing at my puzzled eyes and the question forming there. “I have grown… accustomed to the HSE's seclusion; I didn’t even consider someone might try prying into our conversation—but then I remembered you exist.” She nods to herself, and, a little blushed, I smile at the subtle approval. From the edge of the Misty Lake to the lowest innards of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, with my Ki, I can feel the faintest changes. “Am not committing the same mistake twice.”

“But you never commit any mistake twice, Lady Patchouli.” I ponder.

Lady Patchouli simply smiles. “Indeed.”

As if punctuating her word, the massive book Sekai gave her fell out of the sigil and onto the table with a loud thud. It had no markings or identification and was as thick as the oak's bark that shadows the table, exuding into the air raw power, both magical and strings of Ki—it was as if the book itself were alive.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked around it, trying to find the core of the power that licks into the air with the same fury of a volcano spewing lava towards the sky. “Ho, this power… It was impossible to feel it inside Sekai's world.” Lady Patchouli remarks, another sigil opening and landing a small wooden stick in her hands, which she neared the book and minimally touched its cover—

—the entire stick abruptly evaporated. Wow!

My heart leaped out of my mouth, though, when Lady Patchouli boldly reached out to touch the book. “WHA—W-WAIT! DON'T DO THAT, PATCHY—”

“Settle down, Meiling.” She expressed calmly, hand firmly touching the book, a knowing smile on her lips… Wait, did she do that on purpose? “The book has a potent anti-theft spell. Only we two can touch it.” I blinked dumbfoundedly, just now realizing my hands were holding her wrist and trying to keep it from touching the book.

Embarrassed, I drew them back and sat down, really uncomfortable with being so tall and thus unable to shell myself away from the gallows that were her eyes. “… I'm very s-sorry, Lady Patchouli.” Still, I couldn't help but giggle lowly.

“… Hm, you are taking the new memories much better than me.” She says, studying the book without looking at me.

“I couldn't protect myself from the hit that was the merge, but deep in meditation and, well, that conversation of ours,” her smile heightens a little. “I managed to center myself—there are greater things than me in play.”

“You mean the life of one misbehaving child?”

“Yes.”

Patchy looks away from the book and towards me, her characteristic bored eyes analyzing my face. At this time, I expected a lot of things, remembering well Lady Patchouli before we got entangled in the mess that was the HSE…

But then she simply nodded, looking past me and at something in the distance, maybe seeing a sight only she could see. “She is really lucky to have us, that brat.” Her hands tightly grasped the sides of the book and, without hesitation, opened it, likely expecting to see the same things she saw back at Sekai's World…

Yet she stopped, curiously gazing at a… Letter? One simple white letter, neatly folded, rests innocently among the first pages. On its front and written in simple black ink: 'With love, from your misbehaving child.'

Five words, enough to make this tired and strained body fresh out of its biggest battle, followed by its near death, feel absolutely unbreakable.

>>46557316
>>46557311
raining hard today, so posting early in preparation for the eventual net down. Fuck you, Kanako!!
for Patchyanon, sorry if I didn't get Remilia, been a couple of months since I last wrote her, though tried to stick with her being the kind yet secluded type of person that'll always help you, but respects your personal space until she deems necessary intervention of some type.

>>46556919
>>46556928
Good work.
Because my autism runs out of control when it comes to moonies and moon-adjacent hus: Doremy's not a god, she's a baku and the ruler of the Dream World (a title which, by her own admission, doesn't really mean much and she considers herself more like a zookeeper than a ruler)
Also, Sagume's ability doesn't really work like that. And Tenshi doesn't even remember Iku's name in SWR, so it's unlikely that she'd call her her maid.
Lastly, always remember to check your punctuation. There's a lot of commas where there should be full stops, and a lot of missing full stops altogether.

>>46557397
>Doremy's not a god, she's a baku and the ruler of the Dream World
I know, but I wanted to bully her and making burdened administrator types is the best way I know how.
>Sagume's ability doesn't really work like that
It does when I want it to, i.e for comedic effect.
>Tenshi doesn't even remember Iku's name in SWR
I'm aware, she just learned her name. Besides I wanted Sumo between Takemikazuchi and a big fish, Iku is an oarfish, who're related to earthquakes like Takemikazuchi is, so she needed a reason to be there.
But then, how do I get her there, Tenshi. But wait why is Tenshi there? Easy, The Dragon Palace is where she lives and The Dragon Palaces location is a meme among lore type like myself so I can make a joke about that.
Why did I want Takemikazuchi, answer: because I think he's funny.
Also if my Punctuation looks weird, I use google docs, then the free version of Grammerly, so that's why, also I tend to write run-on sentances as I go on tangents explaining things.

>>46557316
Cute couple, Meiling and Patchy is underrated.

Anyways look at this funny picture of Takeminakata, I find the Takeminakata = Kanako thing pretty funny. Since as per ZUN's rule "Danamku is Girly." aka "I can only draw polite girls," only women are allowed in Touhou.
So Takeminakata is made female by merging him with his wife and Yasaka, but wait, having a wife/female partner connected to the native religon is pretty important to Takeminkata.
Bam, merge his wife with the native Suwa god, which is pretty funny, at least to me it is.

Quick question: is the Dragon God even aware of what is effectively a cold (soon to be hot) war between the sages?

>>46557877
no for plot's sake, otherwise he'd just descend and poof the conflict out of existence at this point, same if the Lunarians just decided to use the conflict as a way to dethrone the Sages and trade them for puppet leaders; with how fragmented everyone is, their win would be swift.

>>46557921
the ancient texts foretold his arrival
>>/jp/thread/44478667#p44792096
and that he'd be sending whacky whoo hoo pizza man to take over
>>/jp/thread/44478667#p44792230

>>46557948
>and that he'd be sending whacky whoo hoo pizza man to take over
>months later, we had a special chapter where Yukari was actually Virgil's adopted daughter
The HSE lore goes unfathomably deep...

>>46557948
He has my vote, although like most polticians I'm doubtful if he'll keep his promise to introduce a style meter to the spellcard system.

>>46557877
I think he knows, it could be very well all according to keikaku

>>46557326
you've got her down just right. I confess that the way I chose to write her may have been at least somewhat because I was very much not a fan of the way she was written earlier (both her being written as overtly chuuni, which is a personal preference, and then being written as agreeing to work with yukari and to the prospect of running a train on anon, which I just can't see remi ever agreeing to even if yukari does have flan on her side) so while I'm trying to not step on anyone's toes, I am doing my best to, uh, redeem her in some way. She'll go as far as it takes for those she cares about in my eyes.

>>46557550
>Cute couple
they ain't a couple, anon, just good friendos.

>>46558590
Of course anon, of course.
Just friends raising a child together.
Just friends living in the same house.
Just friends knowing each other's deepest secrets.
Just friends being each other's closets, deepest, most intimate confidant.
Soon just friends sleeping in the same bed.

>>46559001
Patchouli would bash her own head in before engaging in that sort of impropriety
the lunarians definitely have shipping wars over it though

>>46558473
Nta you're replying too, but I agree for the most part. My only disagreement is that I can totally see remi lying through her teeth and play the noble social game, who knows what bullshit scenarios with other vampires that she put up with and navigated through. Perhaps some of them she got fed up and chose violence idk.

>>46559001
Sagume hands typed this

>>46559079
I assumed so too, which is what I figured this line was about. I'm not sure if the writer of those scenes intended for it to be seen that way though
>Patchouli looked up at her friend. She'd kept a secret. A meeting with Yukari Yakumo that she'd refused to share. Knowing Remi, Patchouli knew for certain that she would never truly join her. Even if she did, it was for a temporary, hidden goal. Especially now that she knew about Patchouli's own problems regarding the building. No, Remi would not truly join Yukari Yakumo unless she had a reason. And...There was a possible reason. Flandre Scarlet...

>>46559079
nta
I thought it was pretty cute of Remi, and I don't really think she'd have an opinion of Anon either way.
He's a human and not someone she's especially close to so he might as well just be a blip on her radar, if it's beneficial for him to be raped he gets raped, if it's beneficial for him to be free then he goes free.

>>46559085
>>46559074
Very fitting considering the chapter I wrote.
If I was in charge of the story Okina would've already forced Aunn and Hana into a shotgun wedding and Kokoro and Koishi would be enjoying a short period of marital bliss before their lives go to hell.

>>46559001
Silly anon, the HSE is a mostly straight heterosexual project with only one lesbian couple, Keine and Mokou, engaging in steamy lesbo sex!
... Ignore Yukari and Kasen, of course. That's just power play
And Hana and Aunn and Yukari, that's just her massive trauma speaking
A-And Aya and Momiji, that was one singular tengu unfortunate accident!
And Koishi and Kokoro sleeping together, Koishi is retarded and doesn't see the problem with that
And Okina simply existing , bitches like her aren't people so she doesn't count
And Satori lusting after Kanako and Byakuren, that was the stressful situation she found herself in!
And Chen and Flan exploring each other's bo... Ah, wait, I didn't post that one.
See? Straight, full-blown heterosexual posting. It's a pleasure to post with other Anons that are also into sex as God intended

>>46559132
remi was reimu's close friend, so she was probably fairly close to anon before reimu went off the deep end, but remi's far too interested in being elegant to be interested in rape, let alone in sharing with four other rapists

>>46559157
Also Yukari and Renko and Yuyuko. The latter two are dead (or mostly dead) so it doesn't count.

>>46559101
Yeah, patchouli is a smarty dress, she's figuring it out one day at a time.

>>46559157
>And Koishi and Kokoro sleeping together, Koishi is retarded and doesn't see the problem with that
Doesn't count since I wrote that.
>And Chen and Flan exploring each other's bo... Ah, wait, I didn't post that one.
If we're counting non-posted snippets than Byakuren has lobotomized and raped Seija and Okina has done the same to Cirno.
Greasy old man.

What is this thread for again?

>>46559612
>>46529603
>This thread is for the spinoffs of the spinoffs of a fan work, read below to catch up.

>>46559159
I don't think any, except an ero Remi, would rape someone herself.
But I guess I have a very inhume view of Remi, she's not someone who values humans intrinsically beyond being a food source, while also having her be pretty childish and chuuni.
Reimu going off the deep end would just be a shoulder shrug for her and she wouldn't care about Anon.

>>46559183
Let's see
>Yuyuko was her first and only true friend after the harrowing loss of Renko, the shocking unlocking of her powers and the confusing way in which she found herself thousand of years into the past all alone
>when Yuyuko committed suicide, Yukari became forever changed and traumatized for millennia to come, even trying replacing Yuyuko with Ran and Chen, failing miserably in the process and coming to bitterly despise "made-up love". Friendly still with Yuyuko's ghost, but unable to move on from her failures and the shattering guilt and loneliness that led her to ultimately create the HSE in a desperate attempt to feel anything again, love or hatred whatever; if it's real like what she shared with Yuyuko that's good enough
After analyzing all that I don't think there were something between them, chief. They were just REALLY good friends, you know?

"Ughh damnable Makai hag." I uttered as I roughly tore another scrap off the jerky I'd nicked from the kitchen.

She had the nerve to bust down our doors, ruining my morning afterglow, toy with us, and lecture my partner about how he wasn't being a good son to that hypocrite witch? And on top of all of it, Goro just let's her pass? I wanted to jab him in the stomach for being so spinless, I couldn't even bear to look at him right now.

"Hughh." I sighed, tossing the last of the jerky at one of the white wolves who was giving me a nasty side-eye, hoping she'd lose out to her instinct and chomp it down, but I was disappointed when instead she nicked it in the air with her fingers and gingerly tossed it in a bin.

I was no stranger to biding my time for a big payoff and the solstice would be the mother-of-all turnabouts, but could it hurry up and get here already? We could've flushed that woman into nothingness, seen how that "god of creation" likes being somewhere antithetical to idea, maybe turned our bullets inside-out and see if she can deflect that, at the very least we could've flipped that silly dress of hers and seen what intricately-crafted under ware she was rocking, but nooo, we had to hold ourselves back for the special day!

I punched the wall, feeling the facade of a building and the nightmarishly complicated geometry that laid beyond. No, I wasn't angry or even anxious, I was upset because for what seems like the fifth time, some granny laid hands on MY precious person and gotten out unscathed. When that celebration finally rears it's ugly head, I'm not gonna let that happen. not to my partner, not to my children, Tsukuyomi and Oiwa, and fuck it, woe to anyone who makes that little vampire brat cry or bullies these wage-slave Yamawaro, Tengu, hell even-

"Hello Seija." I heard a perfectly dictated voice say.

Slowly I turned my head and grimaced "Vixen woman? What do you want?"

Ran's eye slightly twitched at the comment, her flawless composure haven been worn down by constant customer annoyances. Good, I can't wait to see the day where she vents even 10% of that bottled up frustration.

"Well I couldn't help but notice you on your lonesome and thought to ask-"

"If I'm having a 'lover's quarrel'? Nah, make yourself useless and go back to drinking coffee. gods, your a more inept guard dog then the mutt we have at home. At least he barks up a storm if someone comes within a mile radius of us." I complained, missing that dumb hound.

"Actually I was wondering if you might give me some advice?" She asked innocuously.

I raised my eyebrow. On one hand, you might imagine I'd like nothing more then to tell someone like her to get bent in her time of need, but on the other, that black pussy of hers was definitely a plant and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so maybe I might learn something juicy out of this. That, and I can't imagine what the fox would ask me for.

"Spit it out then." I commanded.

"I want to know how to have a stable relationship with a human man." She asked in complete monotone.

My eyes went wide and my face went flush. "Idiot! What the Hell are you asking me for! I don't know squat about that crap, go ask a priest! Besides, Isn't your kind supposed to be born seductresses?" I stammered.

"First of all" She said, raising a finger, "that's an offensive and completely incorrect stereotype, some Kitsune are tricksters and a percentage of them do seduce humans, but many have other ways and many more are benevolent servants of..." she trailed on, giving me a history lecture on her species, as if I, an Amanojaku, deserved a lecture about being type-cast.

"Second of all," she continued, sighing a little as she did, "from what I've observed, your relationship seems stable despite your predisposition. I think I could learn something from you two that the odd village couple, who masks their affair, couldn't teach me."

Huh, how candid of her! Of course, she was probably fishing for a leg up in this whole "Anon Cup" coming up post-Solstice, I wonder how Yukari would feel if she knew her favorite Vulpine was traitorous in more ways then one? Not that I would be the one to tell her, oh no, in fact, I smelled a juicy opportunity to cause some mayhem! Ran may be as stiff as a board and totally placid 99% of the time, but with a little of my help, she could leverage that bombshell body and high-class youkai status into a nightmare relationship competitor for Anon's poor little heart! I can smell the solstice after party ashes...

I put my fists on my hips and donned on a wicked, toothy smile. "So, you want to know the Kijin way of long-term romance huh? Well ask away then!"

The foxes eyebrows raised, surprised I agreed so easily and without any demands(favors owed are much better of course), and put a finger to her lip, carefully considering her question.

"How do you keep him... interested?" She finally asked.

>>46560543
"Oh, that's easy. I just give him the cold shoulder every once in a while, then when he's working and least expects it, I hop on his lap or sneak up behind him and nibble on his ear. Hot-n-Cold get it?" I said, proud of myself.

Ran thought about this for a moment, "But won't that be annoying?" she asked.

"Listen Foxy." I said, reaching up to put an arm around her neck. "You think men want to date some porcelian doll that does whatever they tell them and only that?"

"I think good manners still-" She tries to say.

"'Good manners' are for servants, you want to be part of the help or do you want to be wed?" I asked.

She looked at me, her expression somewhat strained. Good, I've struck at the heart of the matter.

"It's like this my fluffy sister-in-arms, decorum will get you high in the world, kissing asses and maybe net you a thankless husband, but if you want something REAL you gotta toss that shit aside and let your instinct do the talking every once in a while. Tell him when he's being a bookish bore and then smother him with affection when he tosses some heavy tomes your way, let him have you in the middle of the woods even though you're afraid someone might be watching, be a little pathetic when you're lonely and a little standoffish when you're pissed he keeps fixing your shoes at the door." I boast.

"But Seija, we're Youkai." Ran says.

I stopped for a moment and looked at her, my eyes squinting. "So?"

"So, what if I... hurt him and do something that can't be forgiven."

"Then you track him down, get on your hands and knees, apologize, and tell him how you feel? It's not that hard." I shrug.

Actually it's extremely difficult and Shinmy still held that little event over my head as blackmail, but a little lie never hurt anyone.

"See, the fact is you're going to hurt him whether you want to or not and if you can't fight through that to make amends, then you didn't deserve the love you got in the first place." I say, rubbing the back of my head.

"I see." Ran nodded, seemingly somewhat at ease.

"I heard everything!" a voice suddenly yelled as the most annoying blue-haired hag made her appearance around the corner, huffing and puffing.

"Oh, these silly walls, so hard to navigate-ah, had to run over here-hah." Seiga huffed as she struggled to regain her composure.

"Miss Ran, Ran, Ran, don't be swayed by this little lovesick girl's romantic tales! She's an Amanojaku after all and her man's tastes are questionable at best!" Seiga began, grabbing the foxes hips.

Said 'Man of Questionable Tastes' had told me: 'sometimes you should let people dig their own graves' and for once, I wholeheartedly agreeded with his anecdote.

"No, it's none of this whishy-whashy expressing your emotions, or playing little games, even this 'fighting for love' idea is all just sophistry. No, what really keeps a man in your clutches are these!" She said, cupping the foxes breasts in both hands, to which she hardly reacted.

"All the beauty in the world cannot overcome a man's instinctual, nay, intrinsic desire for a woman with childbearing qualities! A man's first love is his mother after all, so all you must do is become his first and last romantic interest for all his years. It's not something this girl, with her boyish body and flat chest, can ever understand!" Seiga preached, squeezing Ran's chest periodically as she did.

"How unsightly and misguided of you wicked hermit." a low and cutting voice said, stealing my chance to retort.

Yachie, that arrogant and perverse mob boss, waltzed into our growing little circle, gingerly bobbing a pipe in one hand, her horny monkey companion following on the other.

"A milk maid is merely an immature teenage fantasy, one second to what truly captivates men above all else: Power." She said, gesturing to the procession of otter spirits servants behind her, ready at her beck and call.

"Any woman can be born a seductress, but few can climb to the top and be worthy of the power it brings, and once upon the summit, only the most worthy of men will come to beg for a place at your side." She bragged taking a drag off her pipe.

"And how many 'worthy men' have you seen in oh, the last five years?" Seiga asked, placing a finger on her lip.

"For one such as I, it's not a measure of quantity-" Yachie began.

"So none? As expected, a career woman to the end! Not a man in sight." Seiga teased in a sing-song voice.

"Tell her Biten." Yachie directed to the horny monkey.

"Uh, oh me? Ah, well there was that one time not too long ago..." She looks at me and wisely shakes her head. "...well uh, the human spirits in Hell don't have much of an ego and it kind of is a measure of quality if you can rally a lot of them cause... uh, well there's THIS GUY!" She struggled to say, pulling an elderly looking human spirit out of Yachie's procession. The same accountant who'd sat in on our meeting with the mob boss back in New Hell.

>>46560551
"Miss Seija, It's been quite a while." he bowed, before turning to Biten "Miss Biten, that was an exceptionally stupid move."

"Agreed." Yachie murmured, biting harder on her pipe. "And I don't see a man on your side Miss Wicked Hermit."

"Tis different when one has already been a mother I suppose?" Seiga said with a smirk.

"Enough of this farce." Konngara coldly stated as the Swords-woman stepped into the ring. "The Amanojaku is right, if you want something, you fight for it and take it. Everything else is a mere illusion."

And after that, all hell broke loose among the bitches. Seiga started gloating about how many men she's turned down in her life(probably all just hermit prospects, let's be honest), Son Biten began asking everyone about their favorite positions, Konngara sat bitterly in the mess she stepped into, rarely popping out some stoic one-liner, Yachie couldn't get a word in edge-wise after her last embrassement, and even some of the HSE staff was starting to join in on the conversation.

A pretty good, chaotic outcome considering it only took me giving the fox some honest advice. At least that was until...

"Pretty." Chen, who had apparently been eavesdropping on the conversation said. And we all turned to look.

It was Takane and she was drop-dead gorgeous. Instead of her usual work wear or camo, she instead wore a bright green yukata, her silken hair was tied up into a bun on her head, exposing the nap of her neck, subtle makeup brought out her feminine features in a way that'd make you feel dumb for not having noticed them before, and her expression was serene and well-adjusted.

Not one of us could speak, instead we all stared in stunned silence.

"Oh, what are all of you doing crowding the halls like this?" She asked.

"Boss uhh," One of the Yamawaro was the first bold enough to speak up. "Where are you off to?" She asked.

Everyone leaned in to hear the answer.

"Sorry, I know how this must seem, but I swear it's formal business. You see, I'm off to propose marriage, swear I won't be long." She said, bowing slightly before making her leave.

The instant she left the building, the entire crowd of woman became incredibly self conscious. White wolves checked their complextion in the reflection of their broad swords, Yamawaro began sniffing themselves and making for the locker rooms, Yachie adjusted her poise to be a little more girlish, even Konngara un-crossed her arms, Seiga looked like she was frozen, unable to process what had just happened, and I just toyed with my hair a little, split ends again shit...

"Ran! Ran! Can you show Flannie and I how to apply make-up?" Chen asked the vulpine, hopping up and done in excitement.

The fox promised to later and the cat, as well as everyone else, silently began to shuffle back to their duties, until once again it was just me and Ole' Nine Tails.

"I guess you asked the wrong Youkai." I shrugged, gesturing off in the direction Takane had left.

"No, I think you were just perfect, thank you Seija. If you ever need anything, just ask." She replied, bowing to me with her hands crossed in her sleeves.

"Bah, blow it out your ass and go lay some bite marks on that lover of your's why don't you?" I answered with a middle finger. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go make sure what's mine isn't mingling with the help."

That big, leashed, horny, annoying calculating, varmint might well be a double agent, but who cares? Hell, my kids'll probably be older then her's, so we can start a multi-generational bullying tradition! And they say Amanojaku can't think long term...

There's not many images of Takane being girly. Sad, but her cute face/hair combined with her rough outfit is part of her charm I suppose! I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Yakumo Empire: Girl Talk and hope you'll forgive any mis-characterizations, I know I touched on a bunch here.

>>46560571
>>46560551
>>46560543
how many times you think Ran wished she could just kill everyone in that hag circle during the conversation and had to bitterly remember herself in doing so Yukari would break their contract and take with her the Gap and then fucking kill Chen? I bet at least 20 times!
And considering it's an advice from an Amanojaku that completely destroyed her man's life and afterlife, perhaps it's a better idea to do the whole opposite of it; hopefully without needing Yukari whipping Ran's back before each major step in her relationship
The hag banter was fun, though, thanks for the chapters
>so we can start a multi-generational bullying tradition!
>Tetsu sees some kids trying to bully her nephews and nieces
>devours their faces
Bad idea overall, Seija, bad idea

>>46559157
Memes aside I find it funny how the only real lesbians in the series are also the only ones that are shoehorning in a cultural revolution with the potential to accidentally all the youkai or a slim chance make it into a true paradise thanks to Anon's back breaking breedathon; 50% chance of either really. Their only real enemies have been things generally opposed to mother/womenhood like Old man Heida, the village with its shunning of Keine, and Seiga the 'bad mom'; which is thematic and the 'women/mothers forced into masculine/fatherly roles' a nice contrast to the Anoncentric chapters which have always had an overarching theme 'things fucking up bigtime for the male forced to play the feminine role.
The best part is I know you peanut brains didn't plan this at all, well one or two of you might have but that guy literally makes private flowcharts for his own works across what seems multiple private OC works. He doesn't count.

>>46560543
>that black pussy of hers
No idea what this means but I burst out laughing.
>"I want to know how to have a stable relationship with a human man." She asked in complete monotone.
Same here, actually now that I think about it, Arm-chan and Seija are probably one of the more qualified 2hus for this, which is saying something.
>>46560551
I see the divorcee, Seiga is coming our with her own opinion, surprised she didn't given Ran a book on Toaist sex or something, but that's probably more Miko's area since in her first life she had multiple wives.
Asking Futo(Granny and Tojiko's mom as well as murder) or Tojiko herself would've been funny, I can't imagine them giving good advice.
>"A milk maid is merely an immature teenage fantasy, one second to what truly captivates men above all else: Power."
Says the woman who can't get any men, phhbbb.
But if a man really liked power they'd probably go after Saki, not Yachie. Sucks to be a dragon.
>>46560571
Ahhh, looks like the ground turtle is already making a move, so sweet!~

>>46559666
I disagree, Reimu going off the deep end would've been rather hard on Remi. All sources i can think of that show their relationship post-EoSD show a good friendship where they engage in deep talks often. Remi considers Reimu interesting and would've been very disappointment by her degeneration and the destruction of Anon. Though arguably she would've cared for him less, they would've still been friends.
Other humans? If they're not interesting I doubt she'd care much beyond whatever merciful/mean-spirited whim she had at the moment.

>>46559132
>If I was in charge of the story Okina would've already forced Aunn and Hana into a shotgun wedding
Wouldn't make much sense, fat chance even Okina could have the political capital to marry the Hakurei to an aspect of herself. Be a fun attempt at least, Seeing Reimu have to get off her ass and show Okina whats gonna happen to Yukari for molesting her daugther would be a fun side story.

>>46562302
so what I'm getting here is that reproduction is based, forcing a parent to fill each other's shoe is cringe and the possibility of an ethical cleansing of Youkai is pretty much real?
Why the fuck didn't Keine accept the swastika?!

>>46562285
I don't get why she asked that at all
shouldn't she fucking hate Seija and Goro for working to keep the HSE going? why would she ever want to ask them for advice? honestly she should have snuck off and asked Yamame, at least she had a happy marriage

>>46562475
>>46560571
>and hope you'll forgive any mis-characterizations
Seija dreamed it all that she had friends who'd ask her for advice.

>>46562519
You really like that picture, don't you?

>>46562546
I'm not Takaneanon, but I do like the picture
or am I lying?

>thread 18 is 111 pages long
makes sense, it's where the bulk of the party + Christmas specials happens, but damn

>>46562400
>Be a fun attempt at least, Seeing Reimu have to get off her ass and show Okina whats gonna happen to Yukari for molesting her daugther would be a fun side story.
I know, but I haven't thought of a way to execute that that fits my tastes perfectly.
But it's definitely on the shelf alongside an Advent Cirno short.

>>46562302
Anon(you) is an american, so cultural revolution plots were segregation is dismantled is just something he gravitates towards.
And I'd argue the exact mechanics of canon are vague enough that as long as an explanation is provided it's fine for the youkai and humans to be intermingling, that's basically what has happening in PMiSS

>>46562285
>>46562475
>shouldn't she fucking hate Seija and Goro for working to keep the HSE going?
I think Ran's smart enough to tell that they aren't bad people or sees them in a similar light to Takane in that, circumstances pushed them to it, especially since people like Seiga and Konngara are waltzing around for comparison. Okay, maybe Seija's still bad, but it's hard to hate someone you saw your kid get along with and in the same vein, the nerd is probably happy to have someone else to discuss manifolds with.
>I don't get why she asked that at all
The way I see it, if Ran's serious about having a good relationship with Anon and gathering info on how to do that, she wouldn't ignore her co-worker and would at least ask her. Notice she doesn't say: 'I'm asking you and only YOU Seija and will definitely trust every word coming out of your mouth 100%, no questions asked.
>>46562374
>No idea what this means but I burst out laughing.
You're about to feel very silly the black cat of Ill Omen.

>>46563183
Also don't worry about either of the Duo getting to smug.
Every time they have to good, I receive a vision on how to swat them down.

>You're about to feel very silly the black cat of Ill Omen.
kek, you got me there

>>46564512
>>46563183

>>46564533
t-thank you kindly, Anon; hadn't even noticed I forgot the post number...

>>46564548
It's okay, he was responding to me anyways.

for Hanaanon: hey man, noticed you're stuck in a rut recently because of the stress from your moving and your new lifestyle, so if you need some help with writing I'll be up to speed this week; I could lay the basis of a Hana and Kasen meeting, for example -- or something else --, just give me the details and I'll write it for you, get the 'Ana to a nice spot and you can sail from there. Don't feel pressured to accept or even give an answer; saw last thread you saying you were gonna write even if was deep into the night, with Anons even remarking the 'good' you spoke of Yukari, kek~
stay well, man!

>>46560571
>>46560551
Was there meant to be an extra post between these two?

>>46564741
nta, but:
Introduction of the soul man
>She struggled to say, pulling an elderly looking human spirit out of Yachie's procession. The same accountant who'd sat in on our meeting with the mob boss back in New Hell.
Man's soul speak to the closest person to him
>"Miss Seija, It's been quite a while." he bowed, before turning to Biten "Miss Biten, that was an exceptionally stupid move."
doesn't seem like there's a missing post; though if there is it'll be funny as fuck

>>46564741
No, it was just a little awkwardly worded and the character count split in a bad place. The geezer accountant ghost is a secondary I introduced back in New Hell, since I thought it would be funny if Yachie had a dry, no-nonsense accountant.
>>46564769
>doesn't seem like there's a missing post; though if there is it'll be funny as fuck
We can all just pretend Biten did something really dumb in an imaginary post. A monkey spaghetti incident.

>>46537505 74

Mima’s shrine looks very similar to the Hakurei one. She isn’t quite sure how to feel about that, but nevertheless, she’s grateful for the help her allies have provided. Doubly so given the bulk of the work was done by dolls.

Speaking of which, the head doll ‘Shanghai’ as Alice calls her approaches with a crisp salute. She, of course, returns the salute. “Greetings Shanghai, do you need something?”

The doll nods before gesturing her to follow into the building proper.

Genji remarks, “Of all the servants operating at the beck and call of the various powers in this land, I cannot think of one I would prefer to the dolls. Can you?”

Mima considers this for a moment. There certainly are stronger servants, the Yama commands (in theory) a vast number of Kishin and Shinigami, though as she understands said servants can be quite unruly.

There are the wretches of Yukari who are quite powerful. Though having seen the truth of their twisted nature last night, Mima certainly would not want any of them in her employ.

Perhaps then Shinki’s subjects, the children of Makai? They’re certainly strong and more pure in comparison to others, though if Shinki is to be believed they can be quite the handful and do not provide much tangible aid.

Mima shakes her head, “No, while the dolls are not the strongest beings in Gensokyo, they are still excellent servants. Any lack of power is made up by numbers and tenacity. That is not even speaking of their clear loyalty and good nature.”

Shanghai begins to move strangely after Mima finishes, moving with a strange flare and showiness. Genji makes no comment on it as he replies, “My thoughts exactly.”

Arriving at the rather spartan entrance to the main shrine building, Mima is led to Alice. The Magician is wrapped up in a blanket and reading aloud from a book in her lap. The majority of dolls in the room seem to cozied up to her in various positions. Some rest in her hair, others on her lap, her arms, her shoulders, and so on.

Shanghai joins her kin, a spot being quickly made for her on Alice’s shoulder so she can lie against the Magician’s neck. Said Magician ceases her reading to look up to Mima and her Turtle companion. “Were you successful?”

Mima’s lips tighten in a supposedly neutral expression, “Partially. I drove off the Witch, though I failed to kill her. I’m unsure how much attention it shall bring, but we must make do with it. I doubt another opportunity shall arise until the solstice.”

Alice begins to shrug but stops suddenly and glances at the dolls clinging to her. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Mom… err, Shink-Mom left a while ago to talk to the Buddhists about securing their spiritual support. Though she’s likely just drinking their tea and teasing Byakuren.”

A voice interjects from one of the dolls, “Which serves our plans well enough. If they’re so close, I cannot imagine a world in which Byakuren would refuse a mutually beneficial arrangement. Ah, Good morning Mima.”

Genji interjects, “A good morning to you too, my lord.”

The voice though still rather indistinct carries an air of wistfulness, “It has been a long time since I’ve been called that Genji, I am not complaining though I wonder if it is really the case anymore.”

The Hakurei God is… as always cavalier. While it may be logical for the two of them to ally for this incident and even beyond that, to go from enemies to allies so quickly… Well she didn’t take advantage of his confinement and served more as a guardian of Reimu during that time (fat lot that got her), so it may be wrong to say they were enemies at that point. S-Still, she’d been confined in his shrine for quite a while, and before then…

Ah, the other two (and the dolls) are looking at her. Mima replies, “Morning. I’ll be going to join Shinki then. Have you gotten the…?”

Mima doesn’t finish before a host of dolls break off and return with posters advertising the grand opening of Mima’s shrine.

Taking one from the far too-pleased dolls, Mima comments, “I had my doubts but this Kosuzu is proving reliable, though I can’t help but feel the wording is too mercantile.”

The Hakurei sounds mildly amused, “Such is the nature of our relationship with humans. Faith for blessings. Still, I believe the text suits you ‘The Goddess of the North Star shall be your shepherd in these dark times’ maintains a suitable regalness. I think the greater concern should be opening in three days. Is that really going to be enough time for the message to spread?”

Was there a mocking undertone with that regal comment? It is hard to tell when speaking to a disembodied voice. Regardless, Mima replies, “Every day the shrine is not open is a day it is not gathering faith, it will be enough. Now if you’ll excuse me, I shall see to securing worship from the Myouren temple.”

With that, Mima and Genji depart.

hey remember when we had a pastebin for the finale?
scratch that, remember when four threads ago it was the last edition before the finale?

>>46565149
Not a lot of pictures between Byakuren and Mima, so I'm stealing this one so you can't use it.
Anyways, Byakuren has gotten woefully little screen time, I think even Shou, Nazrin, maybe even Nue have had more by my reccolection.
So I'm interested in seeing how she'll appear, especially since she'll be with someone who can out-hag her.

>>46565242
life is a highway, and writers are running at 10mph...
guess that's life for you, Hananon is hard focused on his new job and his moving, Mimaanon has some cursed family dynamics, Takaneanon is writing the Hag of the Hill, and this motherfucker >>46528881 will write another half of the HSE before the Solstice starts

>>46565242
Don't worry, next thread will surely be the last thread.
As long as anons keep writing filler the HSE can stay alive indefinitely, so we have all the time in the world for someone to write an ending.

>>46565278
>Takaneanon is writing the Hag of the Hill
Lol.
I have a dependency on Kasenon atm before I'm ready to go for solstice. Not that I can't write other things so no pressure on them!
>>46565262
>Anyways, Byakuren has gotten woefully little screen time, I think even Shou, Nazrin, maybe even Nue have had more by my reccolection.
Can't write Kasen, so I'm about to write Nue and Mamizou
Can't write Nue and Mamizou because I want to wait until Mimanon does there stuff so I don't run over any of their planned developments
FINE I'll guess I'll finish Takane!

>>46565462
>I have a dependency on Kasenon atm before I'm ready to go for solstice.
guess who also has a dependency~
I know how to solve this, boys: ONE more lane! ONE more road lane will solve all of these problems!

>>46565242
>JUST
>TWO
>MORE
>THREADS
in all seriousness though, not counting things like the Oni meetup we only need like 4 more characters left to finish. It might be a little slow but we're getting extremely close to the finish line.
Anybody got the checklist? I don't think anybody has updated it since Keine/Mokou

>>46565583
*I don't think anybody has updated it since Keine/Mokouanon finished

>>46565583
I think I'll be bummed out to see it end ngl, it's been a fun read so far.

>>46565689
pfft, the solstice is like, two thirds of the way through
the final third will ALL be endings

>>46565698
True, we haven't even hit the story's peak. After all, the Juban Tsukumogami ending hasn't been posted yet.

>>46529603
Artist is montygluey1203.

>>46565149
Mima is already on her way to becoming the top god of Gensokyo , all the others better watch out.

>>46557316
—
I peered at the verse for a brief moment, letting a puff of white smoke—thanks to the cold weather—leave my mouth. “At least she writes to her parents.” Meiling laughs at the joke, though the melody of her voice carries a more… guttural intonation, and I look at her face to try finding its source; was it the shining eyes? Or was it the faint blush on her cheeks, combining with the voracious red of her hair? Perhaps it was one or it was all at the same time, but all I could read on her face was joy. “Do you want to have the honor of reading the brat's words for us?” I offer the letter, Meiling gently nodding with a mumble of 'sure' before taking the letter from my hands—carefully, likely still a bit tense after the comical display with Sekai's book—and leaning back on her seat with a beaming grin. The sight of a behemoth I've personally seen redirecting Yuuka's beam of sheer power, cast by a goddess on top of it all, holding such a small piece of paper as if a great treasure, made me feel joy too.

And to think, after such imprisonment, it was Sekai who showed her the world—a world I saw myself inside her head, with an oppressive tree looming in our futures.

Yet…

“… If we fail, this letter may be all that remains of Sekai.” Meiling's words freeze me, my eyes darting to hers. The tenderness eternally lies there, swimming in the green but tainted by frowned eyebrows and tense musculature—

—'That's the way it is', A glacial wave comes and hits like Marisa's spark, the words twisting something inside of me. Sekai had told Meiling those words just after assuming her suicide—a scar born together with the sight of Sekai's first ounce of Ki. With understanding comes pain not even numbness magic can hold back, and I moisten my lips, the world around us feeling a tad colder as no immediate words come to the forefront.

Usually, I'd have stayed silent. Silence is often the wisest of choices, and only a fool speaks because they need to speak.

… Still, something beats inside, akin to a drum…

Remi's skeletal arms, speaking so very much yet so little at the same time; holding Meiling in my arms and taking on half her burden; holding Sekai's cheek, feeling her tight, emotional-driven hug, and for no reason but an innate desire, tenderly petting her head.

Everything loudly yells one thing and one thing only: action.

And action I take—uncharacteristic action, probably still affected by yesterday's tearjerker—reaching my hand forward… and slamming it on the book's pages, silencing the violent brewing storm.

Meiling jumps a little, staring at me wide-eyed. “W-Wha—?”

“We made two promises, Meiling!” I say it with a harsher tone than usual, getting up from my seat, hand still against the pages brimming with power. The pain is acute, but bearable. “One to Sekai, the other to each other. If you dare think you can break the promise you made to that little girl, then how do you expect me to believe you'll be able to bring ours into effect? Heed these words, Hong Meiling: I won't fail. I will save that little girl and give her a life… Then, I'll see the Wudang Mountains, and I'll eat good food in the monastery that lies there.” I gaze inside her eyes, burning the snow and, hopefully, scrubbing away the last remnants of doubt from her mind. “And you, Meiling? Are you really expecting to fail her when she's put so much trust in us? I'll make sure to find another suitable Ki Master if so.”

Meiling… stares. She simply stares for a long time.

Then she bursts into laughter, clutching with her free hand the bandages that'd popped off during the small fit of giggles.

I watch it all, mystified like I was again that wide-eyed girl learning the absurd and lunatic ways of the magical world. To think all that would bring me here, friend of the—scarlet, hm—devil, mother to a greater being and yet acting so humanely… What a perplexingly fascinating world. A world I'm sure to show you, Sekai.

“Another Ki Master? In such short notice…?” The smile remains there as she pulls up the plain letter, reading the words in black once more.

An infinite moment of waiting, confusion, and expectation.

“… I'm very sorry, but you're not finding a better Ki Master than me!” Despite the joking tone, my mind echoes: Of course not, fool! You're the best one in this world! “So, to spare you the search, be assured, Lady Patchouli! I've heard your words loud and clear! Sorry for even doubting we'd succeed in saving our 'misbehaving daughter' and give her the life she deserves!” She rises and her towering height is one that resonates with truth and safety—memories of pink lightning being perfectly deflected. The green of her eyes shone with fervent determination, not an ounce of doubts remaining to smudge our promises…

“Good, good.” Simple, effective.

Perfect.

Meiling snickers as we slowly take our seats back, the atmosphere soothing this aching bones and flesh. “With these such truths out of the way, would you kindly start reading, Meiling?”

>>46567308
—
I could only nod to Lady Patchouli, gently ripping the top of the letter with a fingernail and pulling it aside, doing my best to ignore my thumping heart.

Can you see this, Sekai? This mother of yours—really not special, just one of many, I'm sure—is a goddamn idiot! Thinking she was merely the expendable gatekeeper, that she wasn't up to par to save you, a goddess in the making…

What does being an accomplished Ki Master mean against one speck of doubt lurking inside?

… My eyes glance at Lady Patchouli, who hides her eagerness to hear your words.

In moments like these, Sekai… it is good to have friends.

The first thing I pull out of the envelope is a folded piece of paper, and my heart melts with the words written on its cover:

'You're very special to me!'

It was as if winter didn't exist; my body warming at such words and a silly grin spreading. “Everything okay, Meiling?” Lady Patchouli asks, amusement behind her eyes.

I merely nod with a quick giggle. “Heh, nothing, just Sekai being herself~” Patchy blinks, then hums lowly, gesturing her head—no more explanation was needed so, recouping myself and unfolding the paper, I took a deep breath and began reading.

—
Hello again, mamas!

Sorry for the merge, I'd like to say: I couldn't make it any easier than that—Mother Remilia would get mad if the whole mansion exploded…—, but I never doubted you'd survive, nor that you'd save Mama Meiling's life, Mama Patchy. I wish I could be there to give each of you a big hug… Oh well, everything in its time.

Time is stopped as I write this, but I know you don't have all the time in the world, so I'll save the talk for our trip to China—I wanna go too!

—

Patchy smiled cutely.

—

The book I gave you serves two purposes:

First, teach Mama Patchy how to create the body of a god. The faith, feelings, and so on that the HSE has accumulated will disperse, but the power will remain, meaning my new body must be powerful enough to house all that. You could live a hundred lives and not come close to amassing enough magic for that, Mama Patchy, so the second purpose of this book is to be a battery; its magic core has enough magic to create my body.

DON'T TRY WITHOUT IT!

—

I paused, frowning at the explicit, demanding words, and looked at Patchy. She seemed deep in thought, staring at the book… Immediately following was her frown creasing. “Why'd she tell me that? She can manipulate the future…” She mumbles, sighs—looking so tired all of a sudden—and nods for me to continue.

—

And, Mama Meiling, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can give you instructions on; there's only one way you can transfer my soul to my new body, and that is by using your Ki to conduct it.

It could kill you, Mama Meiling; we know that. As I'm about to die, I’ll give you this body’s Ki—but even that might not be enough.

So, please, don't be mad at me…

—

I pause, unable to speak the next line out loud, hands trembling and heart clenching. I knew it from the moment I made our promise that I could die under the weight of the entire world; I was prepared, and I was at peace with the knowledge.

Death is just another part of the journey…

… Yet, a child's death? “Meiling,” Patchy calls, her voice carrying this tenderness that pierces through the sudden agony the few words were able to instill inside. “What did she say?”

I take a deep breath, one hand massaging my temple and the other holding the letter, my lower lip bitten. “She… If it becomes too much, she asks me to let go…” I turn to Patchy, and her eyes grow together with understanding. “She asked to let her die if I feel that it's becoming too much.”

“W-What?!” Patchy's frown is more than understandable. One year, a faithful promise…

And she wants to throw it all away just so I, the adult, can survive?!

Rage flourishes but fades as soon as I read the last paragraph out loud, eyes shining and agony growing tenfold.

—

But I know you're not dying~ You're Hong Meiling! The strongest Ki Master to walk this earth that I so much desire to see! You're gonna save me; give me a life like you promised and, with Mama Patchy, we'll go to a lot of cool places! I'm so lucky that it were you two that got caught in the barrier…

Isn't that right, Mama Patchy?

We'll live, eat a lot of food and have so much fun~! We'll see the end together, Mama Patchy, Mama Meiling!

… It’s time to let you go back home. I’ll miss you so much…

With enough love to flood the world—yours truly, Sekai; AKA: 'misbehaving daughter' and 'brat'.

P.S. The panda said you were VERY cool during our battle!

P.S.S: look inside the envelope~

—

It's impossible to resist; I'm smiling like a goddamn fool. Under Lady Patchouli’s analytical gaze, I lay the letter on the table, laboriously cleaning stray tears and reaching inside the envelope, fishing a smaller piece of fabric…

One hand over my mouth, eyes shining, and the dam breaks.

Gently, I hold a photo of us three—on its bottom, shakily written: “My family ”

>>46567313
—
A lot of information was gotten from the letter. Important information Sekai didn't tell us: like how all points that, after her death, she holds no power over fate, a problem Remi has never met for the simple motive she's a vampire. Such knowledge makes my heart clench, but I don't let the seeds take root and cast this fear aside. I have all the necessary tools—a book that might as well be a magical nuke; knowledge on how to create a godly homunculus; and, most importantly… someone just as foolish as me to fight tooth and nail against the tidal waves of fate for one single soul. A soul as big as the ocean and just as cheeky.

Meiling turned the fabric and showed me the photography, certainly taken during stopped time. Sekai even put us in position and…

Ah, my face threatens to burn with tears once more, to which I resist not for pride or to pass on a semblance of control but because one of us already cries for two.

Brat, are you happy? Meiling might not want to wait for the Solstice to go save your miserable bloomers if you keep acting in this manner.

Still, better not dwell much on this; crying won't strengthen our bodies and souls. “Could you pass me the letter and photo, Meiling? I'll be storing them in a safe place; with Marisa now welcome on the premises, I trust no stone to remain unturned.” I call Meiling's attention, who, taking a moment to recompose herself, nods with a bit of strain, giving me both mementos that were swiftly stored for posteriority—not before I took a good look at the photo, of course—a weird finality washing over me as I closed the sigil and breathed out. “Now, seeing you've already begun your training, Meiling, it'd be wise of me to start my studies of this spell too. A homunculus by itself is work for a lifetime; one tailor-made for a goddess…? Hm.” I get off the table with one just too quick step and, as if a sack of hazelnuts, my body goes nigh limp and I find myself to collide with the cold ground. A shame, really: I'm not used to this weak physical body anymore.

Some lessons you learn the hard way—

—strong arms catch me. Of course. “Are you okay, Lady Patchouli?!”

“This frail body is not made for dexterous activity, and it embarrasses me greatly that that little show of,” I simulate my hand hitting the pages of the book and my sudden movement. An already weak body, coupled with many wounds and mental exhaustion, the recipe for almost disaster. “Has had this much effect on me.”

Meiling, unexpectedly, laughed. This crash course on adaptation to a sudden year of new memories has been truly arduous. “I understand, Lady Patchouli~” She seemed about to, hopefully, offer to release me or guide me back to the Voilé, but then something else shone in those green eyes. “This is a perfect opportunity for you to learn Ki, Lady Patchouli!”

That… I did not expect. “Our time is essential, Meiling—learning is a passion, but it must be postponed.”

“A minimal control of your Ki could help you study more, Lady Patchouli. Unlike back in the HSE, where we didn't need rest, here you'll eventually get weakened and not work at 100%! Sekai deserves our 100% always~!” She speaks like a true teacher of the martial arts; with so much crescendo it makes my ears ring a little.

… Still…

If a minimal control of Ki could—and, in her words back at the HSE, will—help with the fragility of this ill body, then it'd be better if treated as an investment. Time spent now as to spend less time then.

So, with a small sigh, I say, “Very well, then. Guide me on the basics.”

Rather endearing but highly unprofessional from my, hm, 'sensei', who pumps her fist, her red hair and bandages following the motions comically. Making sure to store the tome first—for others' safety, mostly—I am gently guided to the massive oak that shadowed the moments with Remi and Mei…

… Mei.

“Mei,” I utter to Meiling's confusion as she cleans the snow with a Ki burst—a nice gesture, even with magic veiling my clothes from the elements. “Remi for Remilia; Flan for Flandre… Patchy for Patchouli; Koa for Koakuma.” I look into her eyes, understanding flashing there. “Mei for Meiling.”

“… That's nice~though; does Sakuya get any?” She asks, sitting to my side.

I hum, back against the strong oak as the cool breeze sways my hair; the lake nearby quiet yet full of perceivable life—ugh… My bones ache, and my flesh grieves acutely. “… Maid.”

Meiling chuckles, though it wasn't funny.

… Hm~

Then class starts, and I can safely guess I'm lucky; despite her aloof personality and not great way with words, the way she teaches Ki is pristine. “Ki is life.” It was the first absolute rule I received, one that followed every subsequent word of hers and the very thing that finished the little class, my avid comprehension having soaked all as if a sponge.

Back against the strong oak as the cool breeze sways my hair, the lake nearby quiet yet full of perceivable life—life that flows…

Inside, a subtle—if feeble—measure of strength.

>>46567313
>>46567318
>>46567308
Hey, saw the discussion earlier and wanted to bring out terrible news, boys: sadly, Patchouli and Meiling WILL NOT be engaging in hot and bothered hardcore lesbian sex with great emphasis in height difference and their contrasting physical characteristics in an Iron Giant sex dynamic, as they are just friends.

>>46558473
nice~
about these chapters, that's my fluff for them and lore about Sekai's book; and a small tearjerker, of course, because I'm about to trademark those. Proceed any way you like~!
Patchy merely learned the basics on how to unclog the goddamn Paria pipes disaster she calls her Ki points, nothing major
And about Meiling's nickname, it's just something to cement their friendship; though if you prefer Patchy not to use it, it's okay—as she said, 'still adapting to this'

>>46567318
It's nice seeing the cutest newely weds of Gensokyo, although I think the Sekai sweetness had gotten a bit too much for me.
Feels like she's purposefully trying to pull on my heartstrings.

>>46565462
Thinking about writing and the most recent chapters, Mister Heida is being a Schizo and contacting the Moriya shrine, Mokou and Keine are planning their thing, Mima fought Genji and is going to the myouren temple, and Shou, Suwako + the girls are all having a party.

The Lunarians were watching Shou and Mima on the same night(?), or at least I've been visualizing both of those chapters taking place on the same night. Looks like I didn't mention what Shou was doing, so technically these two events don't have to take place at the same night, but it can go either way depending on if the authors plans to include Shou.
Personally I like to think they take place on the same night, as it gives something Shou to do so Byakuren has a time to shine with Mima and Shinki, with her other temple member being Muramasa or Ichirin who also have woefully little time.
And also that could lead to a rare lecture where Shou is on the receiving end, which is funny.

Also the comedic potential of Shou and Suwako having a party while their respective factions undergo crisis is funny. Of course, the party's length is left sort of up to interpretation, so I think a person attending it doesn't stop them from doing something else later that night.

>>46567318
Our favorite very close friends (not lesbians) working hard to save their daughter (who they are both the mothers of) and making sure she will have a happy childhood she deserves.

All very heterosexual here.

>>46567824
>Feels like she's purposefully trying to pull on my heartstrings.
Of course she is pulling strings on the background, Anon, she's Yukari's daughter! It's my last time writing Sekai before the Solstice, so wanted to indulge in heavy fluff
>>46567905
There is no gay in the HSE.

>>46521166

A frustrating uncertainty crept into the forefront of Hana’s mind with the ease of a skilled burglar. A frustration compounded by her own eyes as Hana looks upon the blend of Hakurei and Yakumo symbology with feelings that mocked her in how they refused to settle. Deep down she knew it’d only been a few days since the party, she learned very well that Yukari’s love was a twisted thing, she knew that her desire to control Hana wasn’t pure, yet she did accept Hana in full.

There should be a firm and solid rage when Hana remembered how that perverted sage tormented her for months until she broke, yet it was shockingly easy to erode that rage into something almost nostalgic. The feelings of lust that clawed at her body as she remembered how Yukari would take advantage of her dug deeply into her mind. Too many times to count was she visited in the night, in the evening, during her baths, and many more times where that hormonal lust out was dragged out of Hana without a care for context.

Hauntingly, Hana realized that she might never be able to forget what happened between them. Yukari had taken all of her firsts without remorse and even helped Hana realize her desires with the only man she loved. The visons that flashed behind her eyes as she caressed the outfit were as disturbing as they were enchanting. Almost unconsciously she poured some more magic into the dress, feeling the hints of old magic embedded into the magical circles; power flowed through spectral lines that amplified reactions and channeled power in a way that was almost subconscious for its user.

Gulping down tension she didn’t know was building she blinked to cut the memories short, she had to focus. Feeling out the effects on her body without any of the mental practices she’d been taught to actually see its layout was too much for an apprentice like her, but it was a personal matter.

Focusing or not, Hana could feel her heart pumping a bit faster and her body warming as an elementary magic automatically heated the air around her. In all honestly just the bare effects were impressive, Hana knew that you could arrange the spell’s layout to only trigger on special conditions; Hana also knew that the more you include in any formula the more magic and the spirits have to work to feed the effects. The fact that something like this was able to function so finely and without the need of oversight spoke volumes about a level of magical control that was well beyond someone like Hana, even if she did help peddle a self-styled goddess of magic’s charms.

At the very least, there didn’t seem to be much of a danger in the uniform itself despite its enigmatic air. ‘Maybe I should try it on?’ it was like the thought formed before Hana even dredged it up from her subconscious, though the whim was sudden it wasn’t like she wasn’t wearing it earlier.

With a flick of her wrist Hana wrestled the knot that held her too-small juban together, letting the belt go loose as she pulled it apart. The belt fell as the cloth that robed her chest parted, before Hana could rationalize it further, she shrugged out the shoulders from her bed robe and let the rest of the gown fall to the floor.

Letting her underclothes hold off the chill she deftly unfolded the dress, letting the accessories fall to the vanities’ tabletop and the frilly white hem of the dress brush the tatami. There was no way to ignore the elegance as it swept the floor like a galloping horse, it was eye catching enough without an occupant. The thought of modeling it without the terror of that day hanging over Hana’s head was tempting in its prospect.

It wasn’t for vain reasons at this point, just because Hana may have always wanted to dress in something elegant, but was never able to admit it, didn’t mean that she didn’t have legitimate reasons to try it on again! Hana avoided thinking too much about that logic as she opened the back of the dress and untied the purple ribbon that bound the oufit’s white and crimson trim together.

>>46570559

After fumbling the ties and opening the dress Hana let the growing chill of winter dictate her actions and slid on the dress as quickly as she could. She could already feel the thin material of her white under-blouse give in to the chill of the air by the time the chill of the dress replaced it. Hana shuttered quietly as the initial chill subsided to the warmth of her body. Without thinking much about it, Hana let her magic feed into the dress, it was ridiculous how smoothy it used her magic and reminded Hana of Mima in terms of mastery.

Quickly the air around her was warm again, even the sting of the icy air in her lungs vanished into the air as quick as the vapor from her breath did. Pushing and pulling the dress into place, she wiggled her arms and torso till it fell into place; and quickly she tightened the strings in the back lightly to make sure it was formfitting as intended.

Finishing the quick work of tying the string into a loose knot Hana grabbed the locks of her hair that hung disheveled and smoothed them to frame her face. With a gulp the nervous-miko raised her head and pushed the loose bangs out of her eyes, she almost didn’t recognize herself at first. To affix it all she secured her hair in place with her pin and tied her lockets with the frilled deep violet tubes.

Inside the unassuming mirror Hana saw something other than herself, the miko that had crawled through the dirt to get her life on track only to get kicked in the face when her goal was just within reach was gone. Instead, standing before Hana was a girl that had someone truly and terribly powerful to rely upon, there was a girl that could have the world to call upon, and someone who enjoyed a love so deep and endless one could get lost forever inside it and never find their way out.

Clearing the visions out of her eyes like dust from a windowsill Hana remembers the very stark reality, behind that girl there was indeed someone in her shadow calculating and cold, the world promised is one she would be forced to fit into or lose it in a heartbeat, and that would indeed suffer from a form of control insidious and just as painful as the one she left. It would be just like her mother is… was, yet somehow even worse in that Yukari would play the loving and doting mother admirably. Her love and anger forever metered and given at the behest of an intelligence beyond what a human could hope to understand.

Mother was right, Yukari’s love wasn’t real love; she was so much of a monster that she couldn’t understand something as basic as family. It was why… why Yukari played with her like she did without a care, the nightmare of living under the constant fear of assault was still a fresh and vivid one. Just being alone in this little room made her a little antsy, even though she knew that it was safe, and like Eirin explained, the only youkai here were the ones that she let live in her head. It reminded her of the times back before Aunn lived shoulder-to-shoulder with her, back before the illusionary safety net even dared to exist.

Hana could feel her mind grazing a phantom cold, the shadows that made up the far walls of the room felt deep and foreboding. Like she was a child again she felt the unnamed fear build, except she knew the face of her monsters well and truly understood their terror.

>>46570574
Poor girl, the irony of having a power that grants unfettered freedom...

>>46570574
>>46570559
I was really fully expecting her to just pop back into the HSE because the uniform has an inactive Gap like that one Yukari placed on Satori's powers and having to run for her life in this nightmarish scenario using her powers to outrun Yukari's gaps, but Hana is still safe... Until she decides to give in to the illusion she's looking straight into the eye
nah, she ain't doing that... r-right?
thanks for the chapters!

>>46570574
Yakumo outfits are in style this year it seems!

>>46571466
they're very cute after all.

>>46567824
>I've been visualizing both of those chapters taking place on the same night.
So Shou and the gang were partying while Mima was fighting for her life against Seiga? I suppose that could work and it'd definitely be funny. My only question is how that'd result in Shou not being there for the conversation unless idk Byakuren sent her to timeout or something.

>>46573610
Yes, Shou being in timeout is cute.

>>46573715
forgot pic.

>>46570574
>>46570559
don't lose yourself, 'Ana!! Do justice to your name's power!

If there was anybody hit the hardest by needing to adjust to the new Makaian lifestyle, it would most certainly be Ruukuto of all people. One of the very first rules given to any temporary "guests" is that you’re not allowed to perform certain actions such as preparing your own meals ‘n refreshments or operate electronics like leaf blowers or vacuums by yourself. Now, this wouldn’t necessarily be a deal breaker for most people. I mean, free room service while you don’t need to pay a single penny or move a muscle? Who wouldn’t accept such a luxury?

A robot whose favorite pastime is serving people, that’s who. Having your favorite job get usurped by a Maid with an uncanny resemblance to The Scarlet Devil Mansion kinda stinks. But, hey, it’s not completely horrible! Sure It admittedly does sting a little knowing that you’re never getting some of your deepest questions answered like “Reimu, why did you abandon me for a measly 12 dollars?” or “Mistress Yuuka, why are you so attractive?” or even “What the HELL is Yukari doing with Reimu’s daughter?” but I guess a multiple month and counting getaway isn’t the worst fate to be subjected to. Yeah! Just give it another 2 weeks, you can get through this, Ruukuto…

“Ah! There you are, whatsyourface! We need your help!” Yuki exclaimed. The Novice Ebony Witch and the White Witch Mai quickly paced towards the Robotic Maid. Hey, speak of the devil! A request? For Ruukuto?

“What do you require, children?” She asked with a pep in her step.

“...” said Mai, ever so inquisitive.

Yuki scoffed. “I’m not a child! Don’t go assuming my age, cuz I’m actually-”

“Little Miss Alice JR. is missing. I wanted to play the salt and ice challenge with her again but I couldn't find her.” Mai spoke.

Ruukuto laughed. “Oh, you mean Lemontene? She’s likely been hanging out in our room. She's been a little demotivated recently, so I'd-”

“Nope. We already checked there twice. Did Lady Shinky maybe force her to sleep outside in the shed of shame? I haven't seen anybody subjected out there since I was 6, but it's possible…” Yuki asked both the robot and herself.

“Don’t be stupid!” Mai said, shutting up the fellow witch. ”She’s been all mopey since that golf game & the whole thing with the dumb scientist you guys came here with. I bet she just ran away to Hokkai or something. Watch, she'll be crawling all the way back when she finds out that being good at producing sour fruits & nothing else doesn't get you very far in a world built on bullets.”

Wait what? But she should be back in the room? Where else could Miss ‘Tene have gone? Logically speaking, That little devil couldn't have gone anywhere else save for… oh no… she wouldn't. She couldn’t! Even if she did, the basement’s doors are surely locked tight. They must be.

…but then again, Ruukoto had never checked if they even kept the entrance to Makai’s dungeons locked in the first place.

“Hey! Where are you going?!?” Yuki asked. The witches had become confused over seeing the calm viridescent maid had suddenly broken out into a swift, panicked jog.

“APOLOGIES, MISS YUKI. BUT I NEED TO CHECK SOMETHING URGENT.”

>>46575326
Hey would you look at that, Ruukuto's finally getting some focus for once! Only took like 5 months.
This was originally supposed to be connected to a larger post but not only is this and what's happening next mostly unrelated, but it's also taking me wayyy longer then expected to finish so I'll just send this out now to confirm I'm not dead again. And as always, sorry for any potential mistakes.
I have no idea where the gag about Ruukuto being coo-coo crazy for Yuuka came from but it's really funny to me for some reason so I'll let it slide

>>46575326
Hell yeah robo meido investigations

>>46559183
wait, has there been any indication here in the project that Yuyuko and Yukari where at any point a thing? Have had an idea for that since the True Hatred arc with Yukari and Anon, but didn't put into effect for I was busy.

>>46329036
Clarity. For the first time in months, Aya had clarity. A thunderstorm of hormones, regrets, promises, grudges, love and pain ravaged her brain up until she passed out from laying her eggs. Then, the clouds parted. The rain stopped. A crisp breeze revealed the vast, unending globe that was Aya’s mind. Just like the pristine sky, her thoughts and emotions stood where they were, perfectly organized and transparent to her cognition. And just like a bare ray of sunlight beaming through a hole in the ozone layer, the realization of Aya’s mistakes and shames scorched her until she begged for mercy.

After the party ended, Aya woke up on a couch-pillow bed with abysmal back support. Ignoring the pain in her spine, she made a full investigation of her home, checking for video and audio recorders and making a mental list of how large of a mess she had to clean up. Most karasu tengu (Hatate excluded) liked to keep their homes clean, but few ever took responsibility for trashing another venue. Aya’s home was yet another statistic to add to the list. Picking up a bottle here and a plate there, the reporter made sure her home was completely empty before heading into her room. There, laying on top of her neatly-folded sheets, was the incubator she bought from that shady kappa and her 4 eggs, all standing perfectly upright. A single note was left on top, written in obnoxiously-good handwriting for how drunk that dog got:

__
Aya,

I apologize for my trespass. I understand
this device was meant to be discovered
only after an emergency. At the time, I
considered childbirth enough of an
emergency. Iizunamaru-sama and I took
the utmost care in aligning your eggs
and creating the optimal environment for
incubation. Tsukasa left before we did
so, but Hatate insisted on supervising
while Iizunamaru-sama handled the eggs
herself.

Hatate found a damaged bag in your
closet and insisted on taking it for
repairs. I doubt the veracity of her
claims.

On the back of this note are a list of
names Iizunamaru-sama insisted we
leave for you. Her justifications were
quite passionate.

Your children are aligned oldest-to-
youngest from left-to-right, relative
to facing east.

I hope our next meeting will be just as
enriching and less stressful

Best wishes,
Inubashiri Momiji

P.S. - Please read page 5 of the
pamplet from Eientei. It holds very
enlightening information in the lower-left corner.
__

Hatate took her bomb bag? That’s fine. Even better would have been Megumu not seeing the incubator, but Aya had to take the victories she got. There were so, so many losses she had to make up for. In fact, the source of many of her problems was stored in an innocent-looking pamphlet that was tossed into her closet, next to a pair of empty cases that were thankfully devoid of explosive devices. There were no fingerprints on either case, but there were shifted slightly out of place. Probably nudged with a clothed shoulder or a shoe to see if there was any weight to it. Damn nosy daitengu...

Aya flipped the pamphlet open and appreciated how the cutesy pictures of tengu couples were arranged on each page. She read through the fifth page again: Just a primer on the changes her body would go through during her pregnancy. Stuff like heightened metabolism, changing taste buds, sensitive body parts, etc. “The wonderful efficiency of karasu tengu gestation”, If she remembered Eirin’s particular phrasing correctly. Nothing seemed out of place or unusual. Focusing on the left corner, it was a bold choice switch to a cold blue margin when the rest of the sections used warm yellows and reds. Now that she was focused on it, there were lines a shade darker than the rest of the margin. Holding the book in front of the window, the tiny characters stood out to form the most haunting sentence Aya had read in her entire career:

TO FACILITATE EGG FORMATION, COGNITIVE ABILITIES ARE RAPIDLY SHIFTED TOWARDS AUTONOMIC PROCESSES. SOME STUDIES REPORT UP TO 90% OF MENTAL RESOURCES FACILITATING EGG FORMATION.

The pamphlet fell out of Aya’s hands. Turning towards her incubator, she could finally understand the full gravity of the consequences of her actions. Now that she thought about it, the pamphlet did mention letting the husband take care of her quite often. And all the reporters that she knew that became mothers stayed home until after their pregnancies were over. No wonder Megumu was being so damn nice to her…

Aya was no longer begging under the sunbeams of truth. She was screaming for death to finally take her. She made a small mistake and was punished with retardation for 2 months? No, that’s too wordy.

She was fucked stupid. Short, informative and true.

Aya trudged over to her desk and cracked open a new notebook. She wasn't quite certain how many pages she needed, but she knew what she was starting with.

Mistake #1: Not reading the fine print.

(Part 90)

>>46575492
Meta [aka blogposting]:
I started the Aya story just to make a funny gag about her leaving the HSE with more than just an article. Then I thought about how hyped Aya is in fanon and in the games as always holding back her power and acting dumb to hide her intelligence. Since "super smart and powerful character that loves Anon" is synonymous with "Mary Sue" I figured making Aya pregnant would gimp her physically and mentally (hormones excuse) enough to fit into the story while staying as far away as possible from MS territory. Then I got... carried away, to put it shortly. I do like the protrayal of Aya as overconfident and being foolish for an ancient reporter that's been around as long as mankind, but there's a time and place for that. She's still not going to solely persuade the Tengu and Yamawaro to give her the codes to Anon's room, implode the HSE's forces with her deception and also solo Konngara with her own sword before unleashing her 9 Chakras to kill Yukari a thousand times in all realities, but she's going to have a real brain now.

Also she has to suffer through knowing how retarded she acted. The suffering stays.

Not meta: I promised a Chen-Aya-Eggs meeting I swear that's coming I just need a to add a little more preface to Aya and make sure to account for timeline discrepencies. New ideas keep entering my outline, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

For a second I was thinking, "should I go magical realm?"
The answer was that it was always my magical realm from the start. I did this, I'll do it again.
This is enlightenment

>>46575557
w-what...?

>>46575557
Is this what you're supposed to chant before you go through the portal to Gensokyo or are you supposed to do it in Japanese?

>>46575492
>She made a small mistake and was punished with retardation for 2 months? No, that’s too wordy.
some people get a lifetime of that, so she's lucky. Not really considering in-universe the Solstice is in less than two months and we're gonna be trusting the retard to fly Anon to safety...
Eh, sudden schizo could throw off the enemies, so maybe it's a plus?
>>46575535
>Meta
Interesting introspection, I don't think anyone expected where their characters would end when they started them. Thought Yukari would just be an one dimensional villain; that Keine would just be a simple pregnancy joke; that Kasen would just be some sex bait and then a good guy and redeeming Reimu was impossible so would have Ram try and give up really fast...
>Non-meta
brother, please calm down! Chen's not gonna barge into your room with a shotgun and demand cutesy chapters... I-I guess, at least. Take it easy!
Thanks for the chapter!

>>46575492
>TO FACILITATE EGG FORMATION, COGNITIVE ABILITIES ARE RAPIDLY SHIFTED TOWARDS AUTONOMIC PROCESSES. SOME STUDIES REPORT UP TO 90% OF MENTAL RESOURCES FACILITATING EGG FORMATION.
I have accepted this cool bird fact as canon tengu biology. The wonders of Karasu Tengu biology! The birdbrain arc has come to an end.

>>46575416
It was just my impression from the Yuyuko/Yukari chapters where Yukari announces her pregnancy that they might have been a little more then friends before Yuyuko's suicide.

>>46575416
Nothing, please random yuri nonsense to an acceptable minimum

>>46575492
Aya being embarrassed is cute.
Makes me wonder how Shou's eggs(?) are doing, especially since she still doesn't have names which might be important if she gives live birth.
You can always wait to name an Egg afterall, not so much a baby tiger.

>>46575567
It's a /tg/ Realm, a "Magical Realm," is a thinly veiled Fetish, with the archetype being a piss forest with monsters that want to be pissed on.

>>46576850
For such a gay board in such a yuri infested Fandom I never got why some people hate shipping the girls too much.

>>46577006
>For such a gay board in such a yuri infested Fandom
Thats just like, your opinion man.
Tbh i don't care, but I'd rather not have /u/fags think they're in good company. Keine and Mokous story already suffered from an overly flowery and preachy gay romance imo. At least for me, I had trouble reading through it a certain point, the shift in POV to Akyuu's dad made the story much more interesting, even if it was still rather silly of a plot.

>>46577036
>flowery and preachy gay romance imo
True, what's why I stopped reading it as well.
But as long as it isn't overly flowery it's fine with me, I thought some of the Reimu and Aya moments were also like that.
But I thought that was a problem with the writers who wrote hearthwarming stuff in general, Sekai, Meiling, and Patchy also felt like that too me.

>>46577081
I think a lot of writers forget their own characterisations when they start getting into the gay stuff and suddenly you're reading about a 2hu-shaped character being gay with another instead of actual 2hus who are gay
I'm someone who doesn't mind if a romance is straight or yuri as long as it's well written, and I like flowery prose, but I felt like a fair bit of it was falling into the trap here. a good comparison is probably seeing how original patchyanon writes meiling and patchouli scenes compared to how new patchyanon writes them

>>46577109
>but I felt like a fair bit of it was falling into the trap here
Thats the hardest part of writing romance, I do my fair share of flowery prose in romance scenes as well, but it's important to leave those chapters at that: Chapters. When the entire story is like that it just gets a bother to read, I'll admit I dropped off a bit after the confrontation of Keine/Mokou with the Heida clan mostly cause I didn't have time to read, but now that i'm back to it I have to force myself to read it again. The recent POV shifts have been a godsend.and actually made me want to go through the 3ish threads I missed.
>suddenly you're reading about a 2hu-shaped character
The only way i've found to counter it is to shut off the prose and focus on the actions until it's time to go all introspective. Theres plenty of time for fluff romance, but only as a treat after you finish all your PLOT

>>46577081
Yeah I get the complaints about being too flowery and trying to be all deep and philosophical. To cover my ass, I blame Touhou's endings being all naval-gazing in the first place. After Reimu or Sanae blasts the shit out of someone the narration just goes to some metaphor about nature or time or the ever-shifting idea of faith. The only games that don't do this are the PC-98 ones so only Rikakotene and Mimafag are free from it.
But, blaming the japanese for writing weird ends is not a good excuse. As a writefag and reader it can get a bit tedious to interpret shit while reading instead of having it outright stated, but it adds flavor to what would otherwise be just a screenplay. It's like cinnamon: Add a dash of it, but not enough to choke a bitch.

Made up boardgames are also important plot elements and you aren't allowed to skip them. All endings to the HSE will be locked behind a series of questions sourced from each writefag that asks about the most obscure, flowery, pretenious detail from each of their stories.

>>46581422
That's gotta be the biggest cop out of an answer I've ever heard. Anon, touhou endings aren't to blame for writing something that people are finding boring. A good craftsman never blames his tools, and a good fic writer doesn't blame the source material. If people think that what you wrote is overly flowery or preachy and they're losing interest, then that's on you for not writing engagingly enough and not on the games. I really hope there is sole sort of writefag ranking at the end because there's definitely a couple who are a cut above the rest in skill here

>>46581422
I am unbeatable. I alone can insert a female relationship and not have people get pissy about it. I alone have like 0 canon characterization about my characters for people to ree about.

>>46581477
Let's rank the writers on what really matters: How much fun they've had writing and how they're adjusting their writing due to constructive criticism and the obvious mistakes they've made.

>>46581477
Best case scenario a Stylometry AI should be able to intelligently identify distinctive styles, and thus writers, then after that posts can be organized by writers.
After that tier lists and polls should be able to be made with a significant degree of accurate due to how advanced and accurate the science of Stylometry is.

>>46577261
I like the Keine romance. She really needed a rock after all she'd been through, and Mokou worked out well for the well in that role. Anon wouldn't work because he lacks the agency to support her when she urgently needs someone right by her side.

>>46577261
>"after you finish all your PLOT"
Speaking of that: With Keine & Patchouli finished, we've grown ever so closer to the Act 2 finish line!
>Hana
>Aya
>Goro & Seija
>(Job Squad) Marisa, Alice, Mima, Yuuka, Shanghai, Kosuzu, Shinki
>Rikako & Lemontene
>Fairy Wars
Whoopee

>>46581626
Thanks for writing anons, don't forget to sleep in once in a while and get a real good rest.

>>46581626
>With Keine & Patchouli finished
Keine is not finished yet though, am waiting Suzuanon to finish with the Suzu and then post the Keine act 3, then she'll be finished. Patchyanon also probably would want to write more Patchy, likely for Marisa interactions and such, but that's speculation and not up to me.

The library lay in ruins. When Patchouli had first opened the door, she had paused, then very slowly turned to look at Remi. "Undamaged. You said 'undamaged,' did you not? Isn't that correct, Remi?" Her voice was frigid now, and yet Remilia Scarlet remained unflappable. For once in her life, and even considering the moment they had shared just after Patchouli's Remnant self had re-joined her, Patchouli Knowledge felt an intense urge to set the Scarlet Devil on fire. Just a little. Just once.

"Ah, but I said that the library was undamaged. I never said anything about the room containing the library. Wouldn't you agree that the library refers to the collection of knowledge? The vast multitudes of books contained within? The shelves, the walls and the floors - They are just a container for the library." Remi spread her hands - Looking as if none of the events of that day had any effect on her - and smiled.

Patchouli stared back incredulously. The worst part was that she was right. As far as Patchouli was concerned, the collection of books trumped the building containing them by far, and each individual book within the Scarlet Devil Mansion's - Former - Library could have withstood a supernova with nary a scratch. Nothing less was sufficient in Patchouli's eyes, especially when there had always been the chance that Marisa Kirisame would actually manage to pull such a feat off with that miniature furnace of hers.

None of this changed the fact that through the doors of the library lay nothing but destruction. Few of the shelves had survived, and books lay everywhere. Her desk was upside-down in a distant corner of the room, and great stretches of the floor had been torn away. Looking to the west, Patchouli could see the remains of what had once been the West Wing, where the unfortunate experiment had occurred. Patchouli closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to call on some of the basics that Meiling - Mei, if she was feeling affectionate - had just taught her. "If I didn't know how you think, Remi, I'd set you on fire for saying something like that." Patchouli finally muttered, opening her eyes. "I thank you for saving me, my familiar, and what you could of the library, but...Please let me know that I am about to walk in on something like this ahead of time, yes?"

"I shall keep it in mind for the next time that you blow up the room, then." Remi replied lazily. "I suppose that it was only inevitable. If it wasn't you, it would have been Marisa Kirisame. Taking charge, are we?" The vampire moved to Patchouli's side, then patted her on the back. "Do not worry yourself, especially after what you have been through. The library - And I refer to the room as a whole, now - Will be rebuilt."

"But not yet."

"But not yet." Remi agreed, nodding. "The Kurodani, perhaps. I hear that they've become even faster over the years. You know as well as I do that we have greater things to worry about. When all is said and done...Then we can worry about reconstruction." Then, Patchouli thought to herself, there would be greater things to worry about than construction. The aftereffects of saving Hata no Sekai, for one. The potential damage that could be incurred. The shift in the paradigm of Gensokyo. "I suspect that whatever it is that you cannot tell me about will play a part, will it not?"

"Quite so." Patchouli agreed. "And I do apologise for not being able to tell you, Remi. You know that I would not ask if it wasn't important." Remi merely nodded with a very slight smile. "Well, at least enough of the room remains intact for my purposes. Small mercies, I suppose." She breathed out, then stepped into the remains of the library. Immediately, she took to the air, floating over the massive hole in the floor. Nothing could be seen through it - Most likely some side-effect off the Head Maid's spatial manipulation. Fortunately, the library was far from the only thing strangely scaled in the Mansion, and it would pose no issues as far as eventual repairs went.

"I'll leave you to it, Patchy." Remi called from the door. "Do take care to sleep for a normal amount of time, hmm? Ah, and no blowing up what remains of the library!" Remi nodded, then disappeared back out of sight. Patchouli watched the empty space for a moment longer. Remi had plenty to do, of course. Plans for the Solstice Celebration, plans for Yakumo, plans for Flandre...

And all of them paled in comparison to the plans of one little girl, born from a maelstrom of negativity and suffering.

Hata no Sekai's plans were the key. They were what everything revolved around. Everything else - The HSE, the petty schemes of Yukari Yakumo and her sycophants, the schemes of those seeking to save Anon, and the schemes that lay between...They were all a distraction. They meant nothing when weighed against the being known as Sekai. At the end of the day, the rest was theatre. It was all a performance, and in the end, it would come down to Patchouli Knowledge and Hong Meiling saving Sekai's life, and nothing was more important than that. The Solstice loomed, and with it would come the end of everything, and the creation of something new.

But, that was then, and this was now. Patchouli eyed the hole in the floor and began to wonder about what form the eventual repairs would take. She had been wondering about verticality for a while, and the deeper underground she went, the cooler her surroundings would be. The library had already been set deep within the building, but perhaps...Perhaps a visit to Yamame Kurodani was in order. Hiring the Kurodani family would see the place restored within weeks. Decisions, decisions...

She floated back over solid ground and raised a hand, lifting her desk from where it lay on the floor, half-buried under splintered wood and piles of books. Her spells had held, and both the desk and the books were undamaged. She twitched her fingers, flipping the table the right way up, then surveyed what remained of the floor for the most structurally sound spot. By the wall, near the door to the library, yes...

She had a space cleared in short order, leaving nothing but scorch marks on the floor which were definitely angled toward what remained of the West Wing. The movements ached, and using her magic was somewhat disconcerting as her body still continued to piece together the differences between her memories. She was more or less there, but her mind still echoed with a lack of physical limitations and significantly more freedom to use her abilities to their full potential against a target who just wouldn't go down. Sekai had been the first time in a long time that she could really cut loose, and she had forgotton how cathartic it was. She couldn't imagine how Meiling had felt, finally able to exercise her full capabilities without being restricted by the Spell Card Rules. There had been a light in her eyes in that battle, trapped in the HSE. A light that spoke of the thrill of battle and the joy of the fight.

Sentimentality toward Hong Meiling was not something the Patchouli Knowledge of a few days ago could have expected, but the Patchouli Knowledge of today found that she rather liked the Chinese gatekeeper.

"Koakuma!" Patchouli called, magically lifting a chair from where it hung precariously off of one of the remaining shelves. She dropped it behind the desk, pulled it out, and finally sat back down in the library of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. If she ignored the scorch marks, the missing floor, the debris and destruction everywhere, and the faint smell of roasted flesh that had yet to abate, it was almost as if nothing had happened. She really would need to thank Remi properly. Perhaps Reimu would be ambivalent to a recreation of the Scarlet Mist Incident. Just for a day or two.

"Lady Patchouli...?" Patchouli looked to the side as Koakuma opened the door to the library and poked her head through, looking uncharacteristically timid. "Um - You, um...Called?" Her voice echoed rather loudly, given all the freshly emptied space. "The library...Are we, um, safe here?" Her redheaded familiar looked nervous and a little bit timid. "There's so much damage..." She mumbled, her eyes wide as dinner plates and staring out across the room.

"Safe, as long as you do not venture too far toward the damaged floor. Remain in this area, and you will be fine." Patchouli went to draw up one of the runic control circles that she'd embedded in the library to highlight where it was safe to walk, only to find that the blast had damaged all of those, too. Well, at least that made the prospect of hiring the Kurodani family for remodelling much more attractive. No baggage to deal with, and endless possibilities. She could even lay new routes for the magic in the floor to flow. Still, Patchouli had called Koakuma for a reason. She stepped out from behind the desk and strode over to her familiar. "Koakuma, I must say something to you." She stopped, face-to-face with the little devil, who looked very confused.

"U-Um, Lady Patchouli, what's...?" For once, her worry at the state of the mansion and whatever Patchouli was planning had overridden her chronic need to cause mischief.

Patchouli Knowledge bowed her head. "I am sorry."

"S-Sorry...?"

"I am sorry, Koakuma. For my behaviour in recent weeks. For my short temper and my erratic actions. I am sorry for running that experiment while in a compromised state of being, and I am sorry for sending you into the middle of it. I am sorry for causing the destruction of the library, and I am doubly sorry for any stress I have caused you because of my actions." Patchouli let her head remain bowed as she waited for her familiar's response. "It will never happen again. I never commit the same mistake twice. This, I promise to you."

Silence reigned in the empty remains of the library. And then, Patchouli watched as Koakuma reached for her hand. "Ah, er, Lady Patchouli. I, well...Forgive you. It was scary, but I trust you as my Master. I'm just sorry that I never picked up on the signs sooner. I should have noticed." Patchouli raised her head and regarded her familiar. Truth be told, Patchouli had the same sentimentality issue that she had with Meiling toward the rest of the mansion, now. She had missed them terribly and she had buried the emotions deep in the back of her psyche. Well, now that her Remnant self had passed those feelings along, it was the real world's Patchouli who had to deal with them, and she found herself wanting a more...Gentle approach to Koakuma than she might have favoured in the past. "A-And the library...It's in ruins. Oh, Lady Patchouli, what are we to do?" Koakuma preferred an ordered environment, if only because it made causing mischief much easier. "Ah...Even the magic that flew through the floor and the walls...Lady Patchouli, I should have tried to-" The little devil's face was beginning to tremble and Patchouli could practically sense the tears about to flow. Koakuma thought that she had failed her.

"Hush, Koakuma." Patchouli murmured, raising her hand. "I'll have none of that. No tears, and no trembling." Her familiar froze, staring at her in confusion. "The construction of the library was some of my greatest work, yes. It was a marvel the likes of which the greatest magicians in the Outside World would have liked the study. Fortunately, its destruction rests solely on my shoulders, not yours. And..." A bird, sitting on a windowsill. A tree, taller than any other. And...An ordinary witch. "I've had cause to think of the benefits of starting afresh, recently. Change is not something to fear. We shall rebuild, and we shall improve on what came before. For that, I will need you by my side." Koakuma continued to stare for a moment, but a wide smile split her face a moment later.

"Understood, Lady Patchouli!" She cried, and before Patchouli could blink, she'd thrown her arms around her. At that point, sentimentality be damned, Patchouli Knowledge summoned the first heavy book she could see from a random pile and slammed it down on Koakuma's head. "Wah!" The girl cried, letting Patchouli go so she could hold her head. Patchouli raised the book and looked at the cover. One that had helped her devise a whole school of spells based on the movement of Phobos. At least it was something that wasn't of much use at the moment, then. "Ooh...I - Er, sorry." Koakuma mumbled, holding her head.

Patchouli tilted her head and wondered if the blast had done something to Koakuma's temperament. She wasn't usually so...Forthcoming. "By my side, I believe I said. Perhaps not clinging to it, thank you." Koakuma sheepishly nodded. "Now, I don't expect that we will accomplish very much within what remains of the library, but I would like it if you could begin sorting some of the books scattered around the place."

Koakuma's eye twitched. Ah, Patchouli thought to herself. There was a sign of the mischievous little devil. "Y...Yes, Lady Patchouli." She would be mislabelling books and shuffling piles for the rest of the day, but they would all be getting recategorized during the remodel regardless, so it was hardly the worst thing that she could be doing. It would also help to keep her mind off of her fears regarding the destruction of the library.

As Koakuma got to work, Patchouli turned and took her seat at the desk again. Sweeping any last debris from it, she raised her hand and activated the sigil that stored perhaps the most important book in the world. Certainly the most important book as far as the next month went. A moment later, the loud thud echoed through the library and made Koakuma jump as the book landed on Patchouli's desk. She stared at it for a few moments, wondering what other secrets it contained. She hadn't managed to look through it properly yet, as her body had forced her back into bed not long after her time spent outside during the previous day. The thing contained immense stores of power, of course. Meiling had confirmed that, though Patchouli could easily feel it herself. She was expected to use it as a battery.

For a split second, she felt annoyance. Sekai had given her a task. She had looked at Patchouli, a figure she considered her mother, and decided that Patchouli needed to do what she said. As if Patchouli wouldn't have known what to do by herself. As if Sekai, who had a sum total of zero time spent alive, knew best. And she'd casually created a book that stored an amount of power that Patchouli couldn't readily calculate, but had been referred to as more than a hundred times what Meiling could amass in a single lifetime, in a few seconds.

...What an impudent brat.

Patchouli reached out and flipped open the book to a random page. The second note slipped out from between the pages and into her fingers, and Patchouli found that she wasn't even surprised. Hata no Sekai had that sort of touch, it seemed. Oh, Patchouli was still very much of the opinion that the brat was still unclear on exactly what she was capable of, but it didn't make her less of a brat.

This one wasn't a letter, but a scant few lines. She raised the note, then snapped her fingers with her free hand to ignite a flame so that she could read it properly.


You'll be strong enough to create a book like this, one day! I'd never accept anything less from one of my parents! Please don't think that I'm underestimating you - I know that you'll succeed.


A second, smaller note slipped out from within the first. Patchouli would have to lecture the foolish child on being more succinct. She moved onto the second one.


I almost included a section on trigger phrases, but I realised that I needed to show my trust in you better. I know that Meiling is far more trusting than you are, after all. The year you spent in the HSE told me that. I'm sure you'll be able to bring this whole book down to a single trigger phase, Mother. Make it a good one, okay?


"A good one..." Patchouli murmured to herself. Oh, it would take some work, but Patchouli Knowledge would die before failing to accomplish a task as simple as that. And then, to her chagrin a third note fell from the book. If this was Sekai's idea of a joke, then Patchouli would be locking her in a room with nothing but books on comedy as soon as she was freed from the HSE. Grumbling to herself, Patchouli picked up the third note and read through that one too.


Mother, I leave this message to you and you alone. I believe that this is a style of writing that will speak to you better. I write this in frozen time. In front of me sit my true father and my true mother, each concealing a wellspring of pain so great that I cannot help but wonder how they can continue. I am afraid, Mother. I am afraid of death. And yet, I am afraid of anyone else dying for me. This is my request to you. Should anything go wrong, it may be my last request. Please save Hong Meiling. I may be unable to see any further than the destruction of the HSE, but I know that she will put my wellbeing before her own. I really love you both. Please don't get hurt on my behalf.


At the bottom of the message, it was simply sighed 'Impudent Brat.'

Patchouli Knowledge stared at the words silently. In her mind, she was clamping down on a feeling that she was struggling to place. Anger, but not directed at the child. Yet, it was directed at the child. Oh, of all the asinine, altruistic, aggravating traits to inherit, Hata no Sekai had ended up with self-sacrifice. A trait that was good in some respects - It had seen Remilia Scarlet save her life at great physical pain - But not when faced with death. No, the impudent brat would not die. No, Meiling would not die. No, none of Sekai's fears would come to pass.

Because Patchouli Knowledge would save them all.

Three notes, each one smaller than the next. It matched Patchouli's patience neatly. The Solstice wasn't far from now, yet it seemed to approach at a snail's pace. She slid the notes to the side of her desk, then thought better of it and hid them from view. She flipped back to the start of the book and began to read.

"Hey, Patchouli! I came to-" Patchouli looked up from the book, wondering what form this new interruption would take. She had reached the part of the book that began to go into detail on the alchemical processes required to construct a body for Sekai, The details weren't exceptionally important for a god, even a childish one. She could refashion herself as she saw fit once she was free, but she still needed a body that she could reside in when she was freed, so Patchouli would need to get to work as soon as possible.

...Something that wasn't happening right now, because there was a new distraction. "What the fuck!?" She looked to the side, at the doors to the library which had burst open. There stood Marisa Kirisame, her broom clutched limply in her hand. Her eyes were just as wide as Koakuma's had been, and her mouth was hanging open. Patchouli wondered what conclusion she would come to by herself. "Hello!?" Marisa called. She hadn't seen Patchouli yet, given her new location to the side of the door. "If you've blown yourself up without me, I'll be very disappointed!"

Patchouli rolled her eyes. That was about the most Marisa-like response she could think of. "No, Marisa, I have not blown myself up." Technically, she had, but she hadn't been caught in the blast, so... Marisa looked over at her, breathed a sigh of relief, and gingerly stepped onto the floor of the library. "You are perfectly safe in this area." Patchouli explained, indicating the space around them. "Simply refrain from moving too close to the damaged areas. I can imagine that in your current state, you would prefer not to take any risks."

Marisa stepped closer, though she kept glancing back to look at what remained of the library. "...Yeah, you got that right..." She hesitantly replied. "Not really looking for a fall onto Flandre's head, after all." Patchouli raised a hand and summoned one of the other undamaged chairs from underneath the remains of a bookshelf and dropped it in front of her desk. Marisa took the seat with a long, tired exhale. Pregnancy seemed to be taking its toll on her, if her energy levels were anything to go by. "Pregnancy sucks, by the way. I'm tired all the time and I'm so heavy that just walking around gets me exhausted. Not to mention all the stupid cravings. I was eating chargrilled sardine dipped in honey just the other day. Er, night." Patchouli understood the effects of pregnancy well enough, even if she had absolutely no interest in experiencing it. Cravings sounded like something excruciating. "Hey, I guess that's one thing I've got over you. I've got first-hand experience."

"You may think of it that way if it makes you feel better. I hardly need food, regardless." Patchouli conceded. Personally, she couldn't imagine a fate more horrific than enduring pregnancy. How would Marisa feel when it came out that Patchouli was, through strange metaphysical and slightly occult circumstances, a mother? "As you can see, the library is in a rather poor state to be hosting guests. What is your purpose here, Marisa?" She would have summoned Sakuya, but with all the magic lines in the library damaged beyond repair, she couldn't. Sending Koakuma in her place would have worked, up until her needs boiled over and she snuck off to replace the sugar with salt. That was why she was restricted to serving tea rather than making it.

"Oh, er...I just wanted to come by. Not much to do at home. My old mentor's disappeared somewhere, Alice and her mother are busy bickering, Reimu's fighting for her life to get Hana's approval...Lots going on, but none of it really involves me, so I'm just sitting around at home when I'm not going to Eientei for check-ups." Well, none of that was Patchouli's concern. As she had already realised, none of those schemes and plots mattered aside from ensuring that Hata no Sekai was freed from the HSE. Everything else was secondary. "Eirin says I can't do anything strenuous. It's killing me, Patchouli. I'm begging you, give me something to do!"

Well, far be it from Patchouli to ignore a willing volunteer. She'd just been having a thought about Sekai's book, too. There was a very potent anti-theft spell inscribed into it. Patchouli couldn't find the source, but she suspected that, given the scale of the rest of the book, it was likely inscribed in such tiny letters that the naked eye wouldn't be able to see it. "Something to do? More dangerous words are scarcely ever uttered." Patchouli shook her head at Marisa. "Very well, I shall give you something to do. Something non-strenuous, as much as I would like to make you assist Koakuma in extracting the book collection from the remains of the library."

"...You'd really trust me to do that?" Marisa asked with some confusion. She frowned. "Even with all the books I stole from you in the past?" She tried to take what Patchouli assumed was a habitual pose, only to remember that her belly was in the way, and settled for crossing her arms instead. "You sure you weren't blown up?"

It wasn't an entirely impertinent question. It did seem like a rather insane jump in terms of trust, but Patchouli was interested in seeing how much of a change Marisa had really made. "Well, I would receive a far better demonstration of your current magical prowess, and it would give you an opportunity to demonstrate to me that you truly are beyond your casual thievery. Unfortunately, you went and got yourself impregnated, so that option is off the table."

Patchouli swept her hand over to the aforementioned table. "Fortunately, something else is on the table, and I've an interest in seeing what you make of it."

Marisa looked over to the book. "Whoa. That thing is huge. Well, you don't have to worry at all about me stealing that. I'd collapse from exhaustion before I even got to the gates." She almost headed over, but paused. "Wait, hang on. How would making me help Koakuma clean up all the mess you've got in here tell you anything about my magical prowess? Wouldn't a fight be better?"

Patchouli shook her head. "A fight tells me your combat prowess - Or as much as Spell Card Rules will allow, in any case. Useful in some cases, but I'm not interested in assessing your combat prowess at the moment. No, having you clean the library will tell me your general magical prowess - It will tell me what spells you use without thinking. It will show me what degree of difficulty you have in using certain spells, as well as what spells you do and don't know for purposes other than combat. If you are able to unthinkingly cast a spell to manipulate whole scores of books at once, I will know how fine your control is. Liken this to a story. If your combat spells are the major story beats - The battle scenes, or the important plot developments - Then these are the scenes that fit betwixt them. The walking scenes. The talking scenes. The scenes that connect each plot point."

Marisa stared at her blankly. "Continue talking in metaphors like that and I'll give you a walking scene right now - Me walking out." She broke into a slight smile a moment later. "No, but I get what you're saying. Yeah, I guess I focus a little too much on the combat spells. Shame, because some of those non-combat spells would have made pregnant life a hell of a lot easier."

"Some things are obvious in hindsight. Perhaps you should have focused on stealing some books on household spells twenty years ago." Marisa let her head drop in a half-laugh, half-sigh. Patchouli even found just the barest smile playing at her lips, though she immediately clamped down on it. "Now that the tangent is done, let us go back to this book." She indicated Sekai's book once more. "If you touch it, you will die. I am not joking, Marisa." Marisa stared at her like she thought that Patchouli was joking, but quickly swallowed uncomfortably.

"Understood. So...What about it?" She didn't seem to want to look at it now that Patchouli had said that.

"Well, I would like you to try and examine it. Tell me what you think."

"With - Without touching it?" Marisa stared at Patchouli like she had grown another head. "How do you know it's not going to make me explode just for looking at it? It's not just my life I have to worry about anymore!" One of her hands went down to cradle her stomach. True, Patchouli hadn't really considered that, but while she hadn't deciphered the entire book, she was fairly certain that laying one's eyes on it would not cause any adverse affects.

Fortunately, if there was one thing that Patchouli knew about Marisa Kirisame, it was that it was not a difficult task to goad her into doing something. So, she simply raised an eyebrow as she said her next words. "Unless you don't think you can handle it...?" The question hung in the air like the Sword of Damocles, and in three seconds, Marisa's eye twitched. the Sword swung, then fell as Marisa huffed.

"Oh, fine! I'll have a look at it. But only a look, alright? I'm not getting near it just in case it...I don't know, turns me inside-out." Patchouli murmured a thank you, trying to restrain the more victorious smile at successfully convincing Marisa to have a look at Sekai's book. Patchouli spun the book around, though she didn't offer it to Marisa as she watched the witch rummage through her pockets.

"Sure I brought it along, gotta be somewhere..." She was mumbling to herself now. "Wait, is that- Aha!" She finally pulled something out of her pocket. A pair of goggles. Patchouli watched with slight interest as Marias pulled them over her head and onto her eyes. "Not just any old goggles, before you ask. Look, here." She tapped the sides of the goggles, and Patchouli angled her head slightly to see it more clearly. While doing so, she twitched her fingers to activate her favourite detection spell. Yes, Marisa had inscribed runic structures along the sides of the goggles. Quite a lot of runic structures, in fact. Detailed, too. It looked like the goggles replicated an array of different detection and examination spells.

She supposed that it made sense for someone who was so doggedly fixated on being an ordinary magician. Patchouli made modifications to her own body; Marisa made modifications to objects. "Alright, let's - Whoa!" She immediately pulled the goggles down and squeezed her eyes shut. "Bright..." She groaned as she rubbed her eyes. "What the hell is this thing?" Patchouli looked down at Sekai's book and shifted the spells on her eyes. Yes, she had seen the same as Marisa had, but unlike Marisa, she could adjust the light exposure in her eyes to keep things bearable. Marisa picked up the goggles once more and pushed a small amount of magic into the side, causing a section of the runic structures that she had inscribed to light up. Immediately, the glass lenses darkened. "Alchemic process." Marisa explained as she pulled them back on. "Changes glass to-"

"To a darker opacity. Yes, I thought as much. It's very fine craftsmanship for someone so young." Patchouli wasn't lying. For Marisa's age, it was very delicate and patient work. She had certainly done a good job. "Now, tell me what you think of the book." She tapped the cover twice.

Marisa pushed the goggled up on her eyes. "Right." She went to lean forward, then stopped. "You said this would kill me if I touched it?" Patchouli nodded. That had been her conclusion from her first look at it the previous day. "Is that more of a, uh, exploding death, or set on fire?" In response, Patchouli summoned a chunk of wood from the shelves of the library. On the way, she nearly caught Koakuma with it, but she just barely missed her in a way that left her oblivious. Catching the wood, she slowly brought it into contact with the book. Immediately, it evaporated from her grasp as if it had never been there. "...Right. Yeah, that'd be bad."

"I imagine so." Patchouli replied dryly.

"But...That said, this is...Well, a marvel. I've never seen anything like it, not even in here. Where did you get it?" Marisa looked at Patchouli curiously.

"I'm afraid that that information is...Under wraps. For now." She was certain that Sekai's birth would not be an event to be missed, but that didn't mean she could get careless. "Anything else?"

"I haven't even started yet!" Marisa replied hotly. "So, first...That chunk of wood. It got destroyed when it touched the book, but the table didn't. Why is that?" Marisa went to lean down, then thought better of it. "Hang on..." She reached into another pocket, pulled out a hairband, and tied her hair back into long twintails. "Okay, so, clearly whatever made the wood explode doesn't affect everything, or it would be tunnelling its way into Former Hell right now by evaporating the floor." Patchouli nodded along with her analysis. "So...You've noticed where the runes are, right?"

"Yes." Patchouli replied, knowing full well that she hadn't had a chance to look yet. "Of course."

"Yeah, so..." Marisa pulled her chair closer so that she could lean out over the desk slightly more. She pointed a finger down at the spine of the book, being very careful to keep from touching it. "There's a line, flowing through the spine...But it's also covering the whole surface of the book. Not like...Have you got a, uh..." Marisa snapped her fingers a few times. "A thing. A dampener."

Dampeners were typical magician affair. No magician worth their salt wouldn't have a few lying around. They could temporarily weaken a magical item in a very small area. Not long enough to actually be of any use, but enough for the magician to spot various features of an item. How the magic flowed, or what caused certain effects in parts of the item in question. Using one on Hata no Sekai's book was...A concerning prospect to Patchouli. Of course, she had never seen an item in her life that didn't immediately bounce back after a dampener was used on it, but when a child's life was at stake...

Regardless, there was a reason that Patchouli did not possess one. With a deadpan expression, she indicated the library, or what remained of it.

"Ah." Marisa replied.

"Ah, indeed." Patchouli muttered, trying to restrain her annoyance. "No, I haven't any of my usual tools. It would appear that I am currently the least equipped magician in Gensokyo." Not in terms of mental capabilities, of course, but in regards to tools? Unless she went and painstakingly located all the things that had survived, she was going about as unequipped as possible.

"Right. Okay, let me just..." She fiddled with the sides of her glasses even more. "You can lower the sensitivity of the light receptors in your eyes, right? Lower them to...I dunno, something low." Patchouli frowned, but did as Marisa asked. "So, are you going to tell me?" Marisa suddenly asked, looking up at her.

"Am I going to tell you what?" Patchouli asked, squinting to see the witch in the suddenly much darker room.

"Why the library looks Satori's pet bird was let loose?" Marisa vaguely indicated the space around them. "I mean, 'a rather poor state' is a bit of an understatement, right?"

"It is, but it's not incorrect. An experiment went wrong. Before you make assumptions, it was for complicated reasons that I am not sharing at this current time." She thought about denying that it was her fault, but...Her perspective on many things had changed recently. "I made some errors that compounded into a bigger problem that was exacerbated by events outside of my control." And inside her control, though it had been her Remnant self's control and she certainly couldn't have predicted what Patchouli had been doing in the real world at that time. "Regardless, I am taking it for the opportunity it represents. Change is welcome, from time to time."

"You're remodelling?" Marisa asked, raising her eyebrows. At least, Patchouli thought that she was raising her eyebrows. She couldn't really see well enough to be sure. "That sounds a bit..."

"It's not as daunting a prospect as it sounds. I'm sure you're familiar with the Kurodani family." Marisa's eye twitched. How interesting. "Youkai can hire youkai constructors. There are none as efficient as the tsuchigumo." Patchouli spread her fingers. "I imagine that you would never know of the damage in a very short period of time once Yamame Kurodani and her sisters have been through here."

"R-Right..." Marisa mumbled. "Of course it'd be the Kurodani." She muttered under her breath, shaking her head. "Of course." Patchouli considered asking her what it was that stuck in her mind in regards to the Kurodani family, but decided that it was hardly important. "A-Anyway, I'll make you an offer. While you're remodelling, I'll try and break in to steal books." Patchouli raised an eyebrow. "Should tell you where any weaknesses might be." That, Patchouli thought, was very impressive. Marisa Kirisame was offering to help her secure the library from theft. "I told you that I was trying to grow up, and I meant it, too. What better way than to help protect the library?"

Patchouli felt a slight laugh escape her before she could stop it. "What better way indeed. Perhaps I shall take you up on your offer when the time comes. Now, shall we get back to the task at hand?" Patchouli indicated the book once more. "You were, I think, telling me something about the magical flow?"

"Yeah. Okay, if you've dimmed your eyes, then look at this." Marisa indicated - Vaguely, because she couldn't touch the book - The cover. "Closely. You wouldn't be able to see it without either a dampener or lowering the amount of light your eyes can take in." Patchouli frowned, then looked closer. Ah, no...She could see it. The cover wasn't blank as she had initially thought. The entire cover, spine, and back of the book...They were the runic sequences. All of them, written so tiny that to the naked eye, it just looked like a black cover. That was why the book glowed so brightly with the detection spell, too. Every single runic character was being lit up at once. "It's all runes. Good gods, Patchouli. What the hell is this book? What kind of contents needs this much sequencing?"

Obviously, Patchouli wasn't going to actually tell her. It was good enough of her to assist Patchouli in understanding the runic sequencing. "I do apologise, Marisa, but I cannot tell you. Not yet. When the time is right...Perhaps." To her pleasure, Marisa only watched her like a hawk for a moment before nodding. "Thank you. Believe me when I say that it is more important than you know."

"Whoa, no need to sell me on it. Say anymore and my fingers might start to itch." Marisa raised her hands with a slight smirk. "Actually, I like my fingers. Having them evaporate wouldn't do me any good. That said..." She leaned back down, tilting her head to the side. "Look at this sequence, here." She indicated the very top of the spine, and Patchouli turned the book to the side in order to get a better look. "Obviously, there's so much here that you can't tell, but...Assuming this follows any sort of logic, then the sequence covering access to the book might be near the top." Patchouli could see the logic, so she simply nodded. "And if that's the top bit, then..."

She reached into her pockets and pulled out a pair of glasses. "I keep all sorts of junk for this stuff." Marisa explained as she pulled off the goggles and put the glasses on. On her left eye...Ah, a set of lenses that were screwed onto the glasses themselves. Patchouli had seen those before, though it had been some seventy or eighty years ago. Marisa pulled down two of the lenses for magnification, then tapped the side. "Covered these in runes, too. Should be...Uh, double or triple the magnification. Not entirely sure. It was a boring night."

"Has it ever occurred to you that you have quite the aptitude for reverse-engineering?" Patchouli asked before she could stop herself. Marisa looked up at her, blinking from the different levels of magnification in both of her eyes. "It's a talent many magicians never develop. We are often too absorbed into our own schools of work." Marisa continued to stare at her blankly. "What?" Patchouli finally asked.

"It's just - You...You're complimenting me." Marisa said slowly, with wonder in her voice. "You never compliment me on anything. Oh, except that time you complimented me on my "Continued inability to develop higher brain functions." But I don't think that counts." That had been on a particularly frustrating theft Marisa had committed. Patchouli once more considered resurrecting her spectral self from deep within her psyche so she could beat her to death for daring to develop sentimentality. Even toward Marisa Kirisame? What was she thinking? "W-Well, er, thanks. Really, it, uh, means a lot." Marisa looked back at the book before either of them could really see what expression was on each other's face.

Patchouli wondered if things would be less awkward if she set Marisa on fire for old times' sake. "Just tell me what you've identified with the book, please." She finally forced out.

"Right. Sure. Um, okay, so..." Marisa looked back up at her, then flipped the third level of magnification onto her glasses. "I'm pretty sure I can see what I'm looking at now. The first sequence identifies the book and the next one defines what constitutes a touch. That's why it isn't burrowing through the floor right now - It doesn't consider it as, you know, something touching it unless the surface area is smaller than the book." That explained the stick and the chunk of wood. Had Sekai simply wished for the book to work like that? "After that, there's some bits I can't identify, but eventually it defines access permission. I think, uh...It's using some weird language for it."

"Like?" Patchouli asked. She had a reasonable suspicion of what it was.

"Well, you know how it's usually parent and child in stuff like this? Like, the parent is the original, and the child is the- Yeah, okay, I can see that you get it. My point is, it's the other way around here. The child is the original." While Marisa was looking down, Patchouli pressed a hand to her head. Sekai needed either a lecture or a slap. There was a sense of humour, and then there was just being silly. "I see." Patchouli finally said.

"Oh, and...The parent bit seems to, uh...Not list any names. I figured that you had special permission to touch the book and that was why I couldn't touch it, but...It's less defined than that." Marisa was very good at this. Possibly too good. Patchouli might need to take the book back at this rate. "It's like...Whoever set all of this up had some sort of criteria in mind for who can touch the book. Rather than just having clear-cut names, I mean. It's possible that I meet whatever criteria this is..."

Marisa let those words hang in the air just long enough for Patchouli to look down in alarm, and then she stood up straight. "Ah, but I'm not going to test that." She said, breathing out and pulling up the lenses on the glasses. "It's a great theory and all, but I'm not sticking my hand on anything that might vaporise me. I could probably figure out the criteria with enough time, but..." And here, Marisa eyed Patchouli. "You've been very serious about why you can't tell me, and...I want to prove that your trust in me wasn't misplaced, so...I'm not going to pry. Maybe whenever you say that I can look at it, I'll, uh, look at it." Marisa nodded. "Thanks for including me, though. Feels like no one else is because I'm so, uh..."

"Round?" Patchouli asked blandly.

"Pfft. Thanks. I needed a laugh today, and hearing Patchouli Knowledge make a joke really worked." Marisa did seem to be in fairly high spirits. "Yeah, I'd probably get in the way if I tried to join in on anything else that's going on nowadays. Still, I'm probably not far off..." Marisa patted her stomach gently. "Well, I'd best get going home. All this walking around, it's...Exhausting."

"Welcome to my world." Patchouli replied, spreading her arms. "Why walk when you don't need to?"

Marisa laughed again. "Excellent point." She stopped by the door. "I'll see you later."

And with that, she was gone. Patchouli stared at the doors of the library in silence, wondering when she had become capable of sustaining casual conversation with Marisa Kirisame. Her spectral self had a lot to answer for, improving her conversational skills like this. Patchouli shook her head in dismay and fell back into her seat. She cancelled her detection spells are fixed her eyes before she could get a headache, then lifted up the book once more. How many more secrets laid in the runic sequencing written across the covers? Reverse-engineering that could allow her to make batteries of her own. Especially ones with the capacity that this book had.

She lifted the book, and a fourth note slipped out from between the pages. Patchouli Knowledge stared at it in disbelief. That absolute brat. She took a minute to compose herself and finally summoned the courage to pick it up and read it. It was only a single line.


Perhaps you should invest in some of those magnifying lenses too, Mother.


Patchouli Knowledge stared at the note. Patchouli Knowledge felt her eye twitch.

And then, Patchouli Knowledge left the library and went straight to bed.

>>46589688
>>46589683
>>46589678
>>46589673
>>46589671
>>46589670
>>46589662
>>46589655
>>46589650
>>46589643
Ah, segments like these are always a heads-up and make me itch to write. Fucking torture, though, since I'm sneezing my brains out these last two days on my bed... But I must say, the reading made me feel all nice. Thanks!
>Sekai asks them to let her die if her birth shows to be impossible without their deaths
>Meiling promises to not let it happen, will give her life to get the kid alive
>Patchy promises to save the two retards
self-sacrifice runs in the family, eh? Very cute~
An interesting point with Sekai' message to Patchy about her self-sacrifice, though, is that the one she gave Meiling rapidly redirects her attention with compliments and ends quite immediately, meaning though Sekai wanted to give Meiling a boost to her determination, either she couldn't bring herself to beg Meiling or understood trying to argue, especially through letter, would get her nowhere -- it depends on who you think she took more after, Anon or Yukari --; With Patchy's, the intent seemed like a cry of help and a warning...
The part with Koakuma was so delightful, and also brought forth a funny outlook of Patchy's character after the struggle that was the HSE; this woman cannot solely be cool anymore, and that is a major personal hurdle.
Best way I can describe it is she yelling to the clouds:
>"Woe be you, Remnant me, who traded part of my coolness for, hm... genuine care towards my other closest peers!"
Likely there's a -dere for that~
The book, though, was an interesting detail that I hadn't considered much. The way the anti-theft spell, or group of them, was written makes me think Sekai wrote it like that because she was mad base classes couldn't be written structure latter, vectors first...
Patchouli, please, belt the child with knowledge!
Captivating use of that tangent and application of Marisa's role!
And, ah, all the small bits of Sekai pranking her mother... Kek, can you imagine the pranks she'd pull around the SDM? The kid is a fucking menace! The book might as well be filled to the brim with those -- words of encouragement; tips here and there; asking her to go sleep or eat; advices and even something like 'the pen you let fall is under that green book to your left, mother!', and they'd for sure drive Patchiouli insane~
Thanks for the chapters!

Patchioulianon your stuff is too good
it zapped activity away from the rest of us

ey, look at this! We broke 4k in the archive some time ago! Great job, /HSE/!

>>46589688
Cute Patchy, very stressed, very sleepy.
Let's hope she has sweet dreams.

>>46594599
>Let's hope she has sweet dreams.
Very unlikely considering her experience at the HSE, one worthy of the first ever 0/5 stars rating. Though she can to an extent control her dreams, so maybe not? Otherwise it's just pain, suffering and magician's deep vein thrombosis...

>>46589688
Great chapters, It's been a delight to see Patchy's character development and see her start to care more about others.

>>46598102
At least they gave him room when he was seeing clients, so her dreams will only be about witnessing the slow breakdown of a man's spirit as he loses everything he holds dear and desperately tries to cling onto any hope he can get instead of being R-18 content.

>>46589670
>>46589671
>>46589673
>>46589678
>>46589683
I'm so happy that Marisa got to actually do something in these chapters, and it wasn't just the usual Marisa affair of an action scene or something, but her actually showing off her magical research skills from over twenty years of experience. Giving back those books must be one of the best decisions she's ever made.

>>46581504
>I alone can insert a female relationship and not have people get pissy about it
Shinki isn't even real, my headcanon was them having a familylike relationship. Ironically I can't see either actually forming a relationship, they're both too autistic in their own ways

>>46598311
>At least they gave him room when he was seeing clients
We know for a fact they've been around since ran and him went dirty in the forest... several times... and the tengu, and Inaba, and the more rough patrons. Lots of fucking that happened everywhere, entire place is built for it.

poor girl, the birthday party was not a fun time for her...

>>46604624
Pathetic? Yes, such is the life of a teen girl actively being exploited by someone she trusted, right after became independent and more emotionally well-rounded.
Thats why I love her!

>>46605507
>Hana fumo
when are you lazy fucks going to contact AmiAmi to get the Hana fumo into production?!

>>46605694
No one is ready for the Hana fumo anon.

>three days since the last update
how the fuck can there be like four or five writers and no one's managed to push anything out since patchyanon

>>46605963
I'm bedridden right now and can't write
shitposting, though...

>>46605963
Cirnoanon here, I have three chapters all of carrying degrees of completion, but my favorite flop video game has received a re-release and all of my free time has been dedicated to playing it.

>>46605963
I'm back to writing fantasy slave stories.

>>46605845
one day, the world will bask in her glory

While we're on somewhat of a downtime, I'd feel like now would be a good time to point out some errors I've noticed in the AO3 HSE reupload
>Lemontene 10, the post that was nothing other then just a sneak peak at 11-13 for the thread, was accidently included at the tail end of Chapter 11
>Konngara 3-4 is missing
>Konngara's name is shown in their first few chapter's subtitle (this one isn't a big gamebreaker or anything but it was sort of intended that the reader isn't supposed to know who the chapter is about for suspense)
There's likely more then what I posted here but I wouldn't know because I have yet to fully reread through all the previous chapters via the website. If anyone else knows about any additional ones then feel free to post them here.

>>46607124
>If anyone else knows about any additional ones then feel free to post them here.
I'd gladly take those, thanks for pointing them. Will be fixing right now.
Also, funny thing, but that wasn't the only fix today: an Ao3 reviewer pointed out that, because of Momiji's three chapters in thread 5, the tag of 'Mating Cycles' was technically necessary.

/ourgirl/ was heavily censored in this one, otherwise she'd have lost the license she bought from the HSE to sell at their doors...
and likely her life too, but that's not priority for an artist.

>>46607406
are we gonna get a doujin edit for every main character
based if so

>>46605963
I don't think a break would hurt, these anons have been practically writing and thinking about the hse nonstop for months.

>>46605963
Patchyanon is catching up for the literal months of being dead and people seem fried from posting so damn much.

>>46605963
I have been gradually taking longer between releases so that my plot lines will never be resolved and we'll all be stuck in Act 2 forever, ensuring the original Hanafic never continues.

We've also been trending towards block releases for the past few threads. I'd wager the writers are polishing up their stuff before it comes out. There's 10 fucking posts of seamless literature in the last patchy block. I'd definitely make sure to dot "i"s and cross "t"s if I were following immediately after it. Little typos and shit might have been fine when the plot was lighter, but you start to hold yourself to a higher standard of literacy and scrutiny. You don't want to be the guy that acidentally mispels Yukare so close to the climax or something equally as bad.

>finally recovered and already posted the Ao3 update
thanks, Eirin! Back to writing I am now; any ideas for a warm-up chapter? My goal as I wait for Keine, Kasen and Reimu to get free is writing for the Underground Alliance, but am up to some silliness before that.

>>46608372
>>46608407
Aren't there two patchy anons now? Besides if its just one or two they're on fire right now, thanks sekai.

>>46610719
I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Shanghai's Big Adventure. Or Dolly, considering she either stayed with Alice after the birthday or witnessed Yukari reach maximum copium levels as she undulated on top of/underneath Anon's agonized body.

>>46611290
Patchyanon solely writes from Patchy's POV; I write Sekai, Meiling and Patchy's POVs, so while our stories intertwine, there's just one Patchyanon and me who writes the trio -- if you want an -anon to call me, kindly Reimuanon, as it's my personal favorite

>>46611332
>Dolly returning to the HSE with the Hakurei God tagging along
feels like a nice plot for a 'take it easy' chapters; will see what I can do~!

>>46611332
Shanghai agonizing being caught underneath the pillow yukari's head was resting as anon absolutely destroyed her because she decided to be a little rebel and investigate? That'd be pretty funny.

one of the weirdest things in the HSE must be how "Dolly" was a placeholder name for Anon's doll and that it was up to Aliceanon to get her a cool name, but then Dolly just kinda stuck and became her official name.

>>46601431
Honestly, writing them has made me adopt a similar view, but they must have fucked at least a couple of times in the last, what 3000 years? Shinki can't still be a virgin, right? Right?
>>46605963
I've been busy, though I've more free time to write this week.
>>46611376
I suppose I can work around that, though I'll need to rewrite some stuff for Alice's update.
>>46611420
RIP Seiko, the name was solid, but after Dolly gained traction it didn't make sense to replace it and potentially cause confusion.

>>46611969
>Shinki can't still be a virgin, right?
Definitely, only penises go in vaginas, and only men have penises! Fake ones can only mimic the real deal!

>>46581504
>>46573610
>>46611969
Seeing all these cute images of Mima makes me want to write an epilogue on how one of the children coming out of this becomes incredibly infatuated with her and proposes marriage in 20 years time.

>>46612256
jokes on you, we're never getting to the epilogues
I've had mine planned out for ages

>>46612256
That child? Me, but child aged and understanding Heien period Japanese to propose to Mima properly.

inspired by this
>>46590258
>The book might as well be filled to the brim with those -- words of encouragement; tips here and there; asking her to go sleep or eat; advices and even something like 'the pen you let fall is under that green book to your left, mother!', and they'd for sure drive Patchiouli insane~
decided to make a little thing for Patchy!
https://files.catbox.moe/09zwdw.webm
hopefully the HSE doesn't become marketable. That'd be quite sad.
Sekai fumo if anyone wants it. Don't use it for nefarious purposes!
https://files.catbox.moe/ykid7c.png

>>46611969
>I suppose I can work around that, though I'll need to rewrite some stuff for Alice's update.
will try to keep it most concise and tone down, with focus solely on Dolly as to not fuck with any possible cute interaction between Anon and Alice.

Shanghai cares a lot for the dolls under her command, and a big part of the job is to know what the dolls need. Some of them necessitate hugs and petting to properly function more than others—those, of course, inherently being part of a doll's rights—while others will get all feisty and tense if they cannot cuddle Alice or someone just as cuddly.

But some dolls have special needs, and that's why Shanghai gingerly approaches the newest face in the family: Dolly, the one that speaks for the Hakurei God, who's been all gloom and doom as of recently. Hugging and petting her head didn't solve the problem, nor did Alice find any fault in her composition.

No, it's no problem on the outside. Shanghai can see the issue as clear as day, and she knows it lies on the inside.

Dolly sits on a stone by the entrance of the shrine, basking in the sun and looking rather tired after letting the Hakurei God speak to Mima a few minutes ago, her eyes looking in the same direction as always. Shanghai knows what's in that direction; she had to desperately scurry out of the place and back home when Alice had forgotten her that fateful day, though it is doubtful Dolly misses the HSE; no doll likes that place. Rather, Dolly misses her home. Home is not the maker's table and their chisels and needles—tools as a whole—certainly aren't the furniture either. Home is the people you love.

Touching the younger doll's shoulder to call her attention, Shanghai can see Dolly holds something: a small patch of green fabric with a white four-leafed clover knitted in its center; to her side, needles and thread supported on her hardhat. The art wasn't as great as Alice's and it was hard to discern what it was at first, but it's cute. Dolly stares at Shanghai and then back at the patch, her eyebrows falling as if a kicked puppy. She hides the patch inside her dress and the nails inside her upper dress, not bothered by the stingy things with pearly skin of porcelain, but Shanghai stops Dolly as she's about to reach for her hardhat.

Dolly stares perplexed; then Shanghai points towards the HSE and it takes Dolly a moment to understand. She tensely looks toward the shrine in the back, but Shanghai merely gestures a 'no!’ with her head and points more fiercely towards the HSE—

—of course a spoiled doll like Dolly would immediately jump at the opportunity when the chief confirmed it wouldn't do harm, holding Shanghai tightly into a hug that almost takes the older doll to the hard stone, but in all her mightiness she stands. Despite her young age, Dolly then flies off with impressive speed, and Shanghai watches it before sighing…

Well, at least she isn’t sad anymore. Shanghai hates seeing young dolls sad.

Ugh, perhaps she's getting too old…

… Definitely not old enough to allow Hourai to take over as leader! So, pulling herself by the bootstraps—or better, puffy blue dress—Shanghai went to do Dolly's part without one complaint.

———

I'M FREE!! Of putting in enormously hard labor without receiving Anon’s bear hugs in return; of Alice's—so sorry…—mediocre cooking that’ll never compare to Anon's! I'm free of incredibly short pauses—just one hour to rest?! Seriously?!—and am getting back those days when we'd—Anon, maybe Chen, Ran and even Flan—just laze around drinking tea and playing together~!

Sprinting through the green thickets and nearly bursting with excitement, I twirl in the air.

“It seems all of my maidens are on the slothful side…” The Hakurei God whispers inside with what one could perceive as a sigh. I ignore him: I'm not lazy; it's just that working with Anon is much more fun and rewarding. At the very least, I'll miss the other dolls' team working, which is offset by the fact I'm returning to him! “Careful now, humble vessel. That man has already spread my blessings tenfold and solely guaranteed the name of Hakurei to forever live—which means it's unnecessary that another of my maidens turn to incest.” In-what? Eh, just cryptic God talk, completely unnecessary and boring! “Love him like you love the girl, Alice, is all that I ask.” Oh, that's easy! I already do it all day, every day!

The snow-covered foliage starts to thin as I get closer to the Village of Humans or something like that, tiny heart beating very fast, hair flowing with the wind like crazy as memories flow even quicker inside; seeing Alice for the first time and understanding life; being told my purpose and then meeting him; all the time we've spent together, the fun things we've done~

… Of course, there were times we cuddled because things got so very hard; the bad people did bad things to you and you cried. I hope me being there helped you, Anon…

An entire year of good and bad memories, a year with you.

I'm going back home and it's so good!

“Be careful!” Not even the God's voice could stop me—

—The sudden wooden branch, however, did stop me. The Hakurei God sighed out loud…

Nuh-uh, not even that!

Taking flight again, I kept going, ignoring the boo-boo on my face.

>>46612549
Sekai is putting her abilities she gained form Alice to good use, I see.

>>46614369
Dolly is finally returning home. Hopefully the Hakurei God will be able to handle all the unholy things he'll see happen there.

>>46615793
>Hopefully the Hakurei God will be able to handle all the unholy things he'll see happen there.
Perhaps he'll enjoy how widespread his blessings and so his future servants are thanks to Anon, though certainly dreads what comes next when the children of the population boom start to, well, build their own families. Gensokyo about to fully become inbred paradise

>>46614369
—
“Hm… The energies of the village are complex. I feel many of my followers and blessed ones shall be affected by catastrophe sooner than later.” The God comments to himself in a tone I've never heard him use, but I pay no further attention as I fly through the village, eyes centered on the approaching HSE, the boo-boo across my face forgotten. “If only the sages weren't such embarrassments.” Ran or Mima would probably understand his words better, but I cannot feel or have an opinion about the world as they do; I really just want to be with Anon again. “As a vessel, you shouldn't worry much. Time will come where my presence calls as necessary, and at such time I'll take over your body to do the talking.” Just return it in one piece! I need it to help Anon water the flowers and cook! “Of course—all in one piece, my tiny maiden. It's a promise.” Good~

The time spent inside my head is enough that the HSE went from something in the distance to be right in front of me, paying no attention to the doors—curtains? Bleh, whatever—and rushing to the closest person I knew, Ran. Her pointy ears reacted first, her eyes turning away from the person by the counter to me, as did the whole room as I bumped into the lined idiots on the way. “Oh? Dolly?” I stop in front of her face, frantically nodding. The person behind me—a weird-looking human/chicken girl—, rubbed her head with words of annoyance, as did the others I had bumped into. They deserve it, always making Anon's life harder than it needs to be! “Sorry for the inconvenience, dear clients. I'll be disciplining this rogue doll and someone else will be attending to you.” She Gaps a perplexed, wide-eyed, tiny green person from somewhere in the building and talks a little with them, their expression recovering very fast, as if this isn't the first occurrence, and then walks away from the room full of weird people behind, me promptly tagging along, though a bit tense with her words about 'disciplining'; what'll she do…? I cringe a little as we enter the sparsely populated corridors and she glances towards me…

… Then she grins modestly. “Anon has missed you, Dolly.” She sticks a finger and scratches beneath my chin—enough to clean up any fear of possible punishment. “And look at that, returning with a wound, too? Try not to pick too much from Chen; I ask of you~”

“Another powerful entity marked by my blessing!” The Hakurei God speaks to himself, smug in his intonation. “Anon is truly a remarkable resource—shame are these circumstances; could've used someone like him during the Sengoku Period. So many of the Hakurei Clan fell like flies. We never properly recovered; until very recently, we've only had one heir for each generation…” It sometimes seems like he just wants someone to talk to; being a God can be lonely if you are stuck inside some balls. “I'll let that one go unchecked, humble vessel.” He sounds as if trying not to sound pissed off. Heh~ “I'll too spare you the magical effort of channeling my presence, so I oblige you through spoken means to find a suitable way to reward the nine-tailed fox.” Hm? What do you mean? “Can't you see how strained the woman is? She's one of many to be giving her life and blood for Anon; however, she's also one of the few to do the same for Reimu. That… capricious maiden, despite being the almost-death of my entire clan, has shown one of humanity's greatest assets: forgiveness of others and of self—even when she was an unremarkable child shrine maiden, she'd show it by befriending her foes.” He pauses, as if reminiscing. “A God knows the power of forgiving, and she's used it to pave a path of redemption for herself, the clan, and my incestuous maiden. Thank her in my name, the nine-tailed fox; because of her, my maiden doesn't bear the blight that is the 'Yakumo' name.”

Oh…

I didn't understand it thoroughly, but I guess Ran did some good stuff for Anon's family and I need to thank her in a 'suitable way'… In that case, there's only one thing to do!

Ran jumps a little as I advance and catch one of her ears in a tight embrace, squeezing it so hard as if to draw blood; she doesn't seem affected, merely giggling as she joins her sleeves. “Oh, my… Are you feeling needy? Save it for Anon; he was so anxious with you going out for so long~” I kept hugging anyway, even as we descended the corridor, some white wolves and little green people staring for a moment or two. Ran hums a soothing tune, ignoring them and enjoying the hug, looking much better than a minute ago.

It culminated as we finally got to the shrine, the nostalgic vision filling me to the brim with excitement and heartache. I was quick to leave her hair and fly towards the shrine—

—though I stopped, turning to Ran. “I’m not coming; I'm very busy and need to return to my spot before Yukari, ah…” She exhales tiredly before nodding to me with a kind smile. “Forget me and go see him already, you silly little doll~!”

She soon leaves through that scary gash of eyes.

>>46618729
—
“What a travesty.” The God comments after Ran leaves and all that remains is us and the shrine, an otherworldly nudge inside my head making me turn to the torii gates. “A worthless copy of greatness with the sole purpose of conducting rituals against the practices of my temple—even the magic inside the gates has been twisted to, rather than protect, imprison my subject! That Yakumo woman deserves no swift death, and her children will suffer as mine did!” His ire overflows in my porcelain vein, making my heart clench and mind burn; but it goes nowhere, as seen by the Hakurei God sighing inwardly. “Doesn't matter. This outrage shall be destroyed before long. My maidens will make sure of that. Proceed to Anon now, humble vessel, and make sure to delight in your time together.” And, without another word from the moody God, his almighty presence recedes to the depths of my mind.

Suddenly alone, what comes next is tiredness, just like all the times he exerts himself through me—Alice really didn't create me with the purpose of containing a sliver of a god…

… I fear I'll blow up one day.

Letting the grim thoughts fade and replacing them with happy, cheerful ones—Anon and I cooking, constructing my personal chair and so many other memories—is something I've grown used to inside the HSE, heart beating fast as I took up flight again towards the inside of the shrine, ruffling of beating pans and utensils discernible from outside pumping me with liquid joy, the mere seconds to go from the gardens to the kitchen feeling excruciatingly long…

But at last, it was finished: there he stood, humming a sweet tone as he fetched pans and separated the ingredients—I recognized the setup; he's making Chen's favorite meal—visibly tired yet never letting the bad stuff of this place get to him; Anon.

—A Gap pops next to his ear, and he turns to me.

… His smile was as wide as it was sudden. “Finally found your way back home, hm?” He spoke, cleaning his hands on a piece of cloth. I ignored, of course, rather preferring the approach of launching myself to his face and gluing there like a spider, hugging with all the might these short and quite thin arms could amass. Anon laughed out loud, hands rising and hugging me back. “It's so good seeing you again, Dolly! Where have you been?! Alice said she was taking you for four days—it's been almost three weeks, you dumb doll! I was worried sick!” He expresses a mix of happiness and fake wrath, and if I were human, I think my eyes would be wet, but I am not, so I have to be content with ferociously hugging. The feelings overflow a bit more as he picks me by the sides and gleefully lifts me up like a baby, watching me from below with big eyes. “And you're hurt, too! Dolly! How reckless can one doll be?!” He sighs and places me on his shoulder, my arms rapidly springing to hug the side of his face; this spot is so very comfortable~

What proceeds is him speaking on and on about what the last few weeks have entailed as he covers the condiments, so nothing nasty gets into them.

I listen intently and soak his words like a sponge—a lot of fun was had without me, just as much as bad days… And, being away, I couldn't help him; the notion aches my tiny heart, but I soothe it by promising to cuddle him extra hard to make up for the missed time—so, with lunch put on hold, he rummages through one of the kitchen's cabinets, picks up a white box with a green cross on it and sits us on the kotatsu: me placed on the wood facing him and the box to my side.

“Sheesh, did you at least have fun outside?” I frantically nod before groaning as he uses a small piece of cotton to clean my face with a burning-cold solution. “That's great to know—is Alice well?” Another set of nods, and his fake rage disperses with ease. “That's great to know; she's so well organized, but never seems to properly take care of herself. I'm glad dolls like you and Shanghai are there for her~” I wholeheartedly agree: Alice is important to us, after all! “What about Yuuka and Marisa?” The conversation goes on and on, finishing with him placing a cut piece of adhesive bandage on my face; feels so oddly sticky, and I want to badly pull it out… but that would destroy his efforts, so I resist! “To the extent of my medical knowledge, that won't heal porcelain—but at least it doesn't leave it exposed to the elements.” He pats my head, and I smile with delight.

I've missed this so, so much!

“Hopefully Alice can fix it next time she comes around—you hurt yourself in the way here, by the way?” I nod, embarrassed. Anon merely laughs. “Clumsy doll~”

Pouting and itching to recuperate my pride as NOT a clumsy doll—terrible offense—I fly around him with a puffed chest and frantically pull on his juban towards the stove.

The message is clear. “So, you wanna help me with lunch?” I nod, a fire in my eyes and determination in my heart. “Sure! Better, since you’ve slacked off so much on cooking duty, I’ll be the sous today!”

Oh, it’s on!

>>46618729
>>46618756
The Hakurei God is good at looking on the good side. He's looking forward to the future extended power of the Hakurei linage instead of how bad things are now.

>>46618756
>… I fear I'll blow up one day.
you stay the fuck away from my angel

What if Marisa and Byakuren had to fuse in Act 3 to defeat the filthy Yamawaro race

>>46622171
that's an adorable fusion sprite, but the implications of fusing two pregnant ladies to commit genocide upon a race already despised by the superior tengu is not really something I'd like to tackle during a war between sages.