/jp/ - Otaku Culture

First

[RECAP!]

“Why's there a hole in Youkai Mountain? A Master Spark-shaped hole nonetheless.” Mima asked, staring at Marisa holding a fuming mini-hakkero, covered in branches and leaves and cradling a pristine jar filled with souls. Marisa simply shrugs. “… I see. Do you have a plan if the Tengus come knocking on our door?” Marisa shows her the mini-hakkero. Mima sighs. “Guess that works. Also, why aren't you pregnant anymore?”

[last time in the HSE]
>Anon is happy to spend time with his kiddos and Marisa. Cute~;
>Yukari watches from the top of the HSE as the village burns, likely playing Candy Crush on her cell phone and drinking Coca-Cola. This thread of the HSE is sponsored by both~!
>Hana prepares to leave the Shrine, embarrassing herself TWICE in the process: once by calling Reimu 'mom', which sends the Hakurei miko into a frenzy of pampering Hana; and second by skinny-dipping a mountain of snow in front of Sanae. Both women do their best not to laugh at Hana or gossip like old ladies; they share their plans about the Solstice, and Hana decides it'll be a good idea when things go down to fuck around;
>Marisa joins with Patchy to create a DIY ritual to rid herself of pregnancy responsibilities, first testing on rats that Patchy conveniently had lying around and then on Marisa. The tests go all well thanks to Sekai feeling sickened by seeing pregnant rats get liquified, much to Patchy's chagrin. Marisa gets a pep talk from Patchy and can vent a little of the shit she's been through since before the inception of the HSE, a key aspect being her old age and diminishing strength. That done, she gets her children plucked out of her and discovers she's getting triplets~! The first thing she does after discovering that?Broom surf at immense speeds, carrying her children on her literal shoulder like fucking Pikachu and wearing no belt... Jesus fuck. The obvious happens when, high on nostalgia from her heydays, Marisa flies about 2000m up into the atmosphere and, magically, slips off her broom, letting herself and her kids fall to their demise. Luckily, she catches her broom in time and, after casting doubt and fear aside, she uses the Master Spark as nitro, catches her babies, and dodges at sonic speeds everything inside a patch of forest as if Danmaku. Rad, but highly irresponsible. Following that, she has a moment in front of the mirror before going to the HSE, showing Anon his children and cementing her change as a person. Adorable moments~;
>Aya fucks around her lawn, sulking about her 10 minutes of maternity leave, before going inside and having a showdown with Megumu about which of her children is the oldest, with Aya winning in the end, her children named Midori, Takezo, Tomoe, and Waku. Adorable names~; Megumu sends her to check on Keine's cult;
>Things are still going down in the Village, with Suzu carrying Keine's body and Mystia running for their lives as chaos spreads and no visible way out can be found with everything quickly kindling on fire. Mystia kills a man attempting to kill Yamame, joining her group and splitting off Suzu; with Yams' group, Mystia witnesses union and discovers the guy that was previously hitting on her can divide himself into another two. Suddenly, a golden pillar goes out and people desire to go to it for safety, Miko's work. The magic outside protects the inside, which swiftly fills with villagers as the only safe spot amidst this hell. Suzu soon arrives inside and rushes to Miko, who has her unconscious family nearby, a bait of sorts, and starts talking with Suzu, who believes Keine will pull off a Jesus speedrun any%, smashing the previous WR of 3 days. Needing someone to lead the revolution; otherwise, it crumbles, Miko methodically guides the Suzu into becoming the new leader, giving her Keine's blood-soaked cloak and standing by her as her shadow;
>Sagume writes down recent events and how interfering with Gensokyo's affairs (talking to Goro/Seija and so helping Sekai) was a mistake, pondering what led her to do so: Sekai herself, who's become a hot topic on Luna because of the possibility of Junko visiting the HSE at any point, and so making Sekai inherit her pure hatred. Decides to leave for a walk and meets the Watatsuki sisters quarreling in the streets about their favorite soap opera, discovering they've been bribing and blackmailing the media that transmits the HSE for their liking. Gives them a pep talk, which ends relatively 'well';
>Utsuho talks about nuclear holocaust as if it's a fun game with Koutei, who listens as if a tired but proud dad, even when Utsuho says she's fucking poisoning his water with enough alpha radiation to create a second Gensokyo. Suika and Yuugi join soon after, with Suika joking about their near nuclear destruction and the settling panic, and then starting a conversation with Koutei about Kasen, the HSE and Yukari. Okuu and Yuugi discuss the same, though Utsuho doesn't understand a word. Oh, and Koishi's has gone into labor-wait what…?

>was about to link this to the other thread
>it just closed
quite the unfortunate timing... Anyway!

[All entries of the HSE here in chronological posting order!]
>>46767340 | Part 1-20

[Last thread chapters]
>>46768892 | (Non-canon) Cirnoanon ending
>>46768902 |
>>46768912 |
>>46768919 |
>>46771483 | 16-18-Marisa
>>46771489 |
>>46771496 |
>>46772571 | 91-92-Aya
>>46772575 |
>>46778511 | 19-21-Marisa
>>46786409 |
>>46786427 |
>>46789824 | 49-52-Kosuzu
>>46789833 |
>>46789836 |
>>46789843 |
>>46794224 | 22-23-Marisa
>>46794231 |
>>46807180 | (Non-canon) Cirnoanon ending
>>46807188 |
>>46807199 |
>>46807210 |
>>46813407 | 1-4-Mother's Day special
>>46817702 |
>>46819149 |
>>46819156 |
>>46824394 | 10-Mr. Hieda
>>46824401 | 1-Mystia [Toutetsu Feast]'s a man danmaku
>>46824408 | 1-Toyosatomimi no Miko, manipulator of middle-aged women
>>46826350 | 15-Sanae
>>46830038 | 191-Hana
>>46832216 | 2-Toyosatomimi no Miko
>>46832243 | 1-Utsuho threatens mini nuclear holocaust
>>46841470 | 4-5-Sagume
>>46841478 |
>>46853967 | 2-Utsuho
>>46855316 | 53-54-Kosuzu
>>46855372 |
>>46858920 | 192-194-Hana
>>46858928 |
>>46858939 |
(1251 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/46766934 27th thread

-Chapter 5-
Marisa piloted the Doll drone as she kept the view of Mima and the Big-Mini-Hakkero Artillery and Shield Drone. Okina’s advance warning about the destruction of the human village by an interdimensional tree.

Alice made this sort of thing look far easier than it was, but at least she didn’t have barrier duty and was actually doing something despite being several months pregnant.

Sending one of the drones over the forest she searched for Seiga, unlike her master who still had to maintain the barrier in person she was free to keep looking for the wicked hermit.

Looking over the expanse of the forest of magic, Marisa distantly hoped that she wouldn’t find Seiga so close to her position, but she gasped as she saw Seiga’s reforming body. hairpin in place as it shambled away, underneath the tree cover. She’d found her target.

--

Seiga pushed off the ground with her one hand, her other arm had only gotten up to its elbow, sending herself into flight as her hermit arts continued to work their magic, returning Seiga from nothing.

Smiling to herself she counted her losses. While she hadn’t sensed Yoshika’s death it was unlikely she’d escaped with that Vengeful Spirit prowling about.
Sighing to herself she surveyed her surroundings, the forest of magic wasn’t optimal. But at least it wasn’t the bamboo forest of the lost, or youkai mountain. Really she should’ve made her escape earlier but doing so would put her too much at risk of being captured by her erstwhile ally.

“So, this is where you got off to.” Seiga spun around, as the voice broke through the silence of the forest.

“Ah, miss Kamishirasawa.” The Hakutaku stood in the shade of a tree, an ornamental-looking scabbard strapped to her hip.Stalking as she draws her sword, the steel soundlessly exiting its scabbard and her eyes burning with barely concealed fury. “I would apologize, but we both know I’m not sorry about what’s coming next.”

“Likewise.”

Seiga gave her a false smile, and took a moment to remind herself that she didn't have to win, just get another opening to escape.

Seiga pushed backwards, weaving through the trees as Keine broke into a dead sprint, slicing clean through the obstacles in her way with her blade.

Seiga continued fleeing until she reached a clearing in the trees. Large and circular, here she had enough room to move and nothing to obstruct her, unlike in the forest where the schoolteacher could effortlessly slice through the trees around her, here Seiga had a chance of escape.

It took only seconds for Keine to emerge from the brush. Sword out and ready for battle before meeting eyes with the wicked hermit and continuing her rapid attacks.
Seiga dodges Keine's swipes as the Hakataku lunges forward, ready to hit back with a laser of her own. It was rather unfortunate her opponent was one skilled in melee combat, she was significantly more fleshy than her last one and would likely find a hole in the abdomen more than an inconvenience.

Suddenly though, her momentum stopped.
The word ambush jumped to mind as she felt a laser hit her in the back of the head, sending her towards Keine. Seiga panicked while trying to maintain her expression, firing off a laser while sending her arm forward to intercept Keine’s sword.

Keine’s sword bit into Saiga’s arm, but she onlt distantly registered the sensation of pain as a Danmaku bullet hit her in the back. In return, Seiga swiped Forward with her claw-like nails, hardening them with magic.

Keine jumped back from Seiga’s swipe, disengaging and reliving Seiga of the sword's painful pressure. Only for Seiga to feel another laser impact her head, forcing its momentum onto the rest of her body as she flew through the air, landing against the trunk of a tree.
Seiga’s eyes widened as out of the corner of her eye she saw a second doll standing on the branch of another tree branch, dressed like Marisa and holding her mini-hakkero in her hand. Seiga tried to dodge, but couldn’t the hit from the other doll had already sent her on her course and there was nothing she could do in such a weakened state; momentum carried her to the edge of Keine’s blade.

For a split second Seiga's face broke out into panic and then horror as it was severed from her neck.

She tried to right herself as her head momentarily flew through the air, only for her vision to distort and then freeze as a barrier erected itself around her.
“Hah! Gotchu!” The Marisa doll exclaimed, holding the time-locked barrier Seiga’s head was trapped inside.

Keine nodded to Marisa as she approached. “Yes, but now isn't the time for celebration, as long as Yukari is free justice hasn't been done.”

Marisa made the doll bob its head in agreement. “Don't worry, I'll move her to my house for the time being, you can go the the Myouren temple to help them with the villagers.”
Keine nodded in agreement, sheathing her sword before turning away from Marisa.
Much would had to be done.

>>46870080
-Ran-

The last of the Wolf Tengu patrol slumped to the floor, they hadn’t been many, most were probably at Youkai mountain, but those that were left acted as the only significant enemy roadblock for the escapees.

“So cool! So cool!” Chen cheered, jumping up and down as she stood next to Anon, excited at all of the violence and hand-to-hand her guardian had to do in order to defend them.
“Chen…” Ran wanted to object, but it was her own behavior that was causing Chen to act like this, at the very least she wasn’t a rebellious type of teenager. They’d have to have a talk later, she didn’t want to encourage a ruffian-esq personality in her charge.

Ran turned to look at Anon, he had a worried look on his face. While not his friends, and likely to have been among the number of women who abused him while he was trapped in the HSE’s confines. He didn’t like seeing anyone hurt. “They’re okay, right?”

Ran bit her tongue, Anon was a nice man, far too nice, far too willing to extend an olive branch, it was his best and worst quality, and to her own shame had taken advantage of him as well. “Don’t worry Anon, I wouldn’t hurt them too badly.” Ran’s smile was beatific as she spoke.
For a while then they continued venturing outwards from the nucleus of the Hakurei Shrine Experience until they came to an intersection and the world shook.

“Ugh” Chen held her head as the world rearranged itself, before the three of them, the four way intersection had changed into a branch path. Right and left, on the right path __, and on the left path __.

“C’mon, what's with this confusing place.”

“I fear Yukari and Okina’s battle has had more side effects than I was led to believe.” Okina could’ve betrayed them, she could’ve, but did she? What motive would she have? A distraction for Yukari?

Ran terminated that line of thought, she didn’t trust the backdoor god, but they didn’t have any other choice, they had to stick to the plan. They had to either find Goro and Seija, escape of their own, or send our a call of rescue and find somewhere to wait it out.
But if the god did betray them… Ran was beyond human, but she was not beyond rage.

Anon just shook his head, he’d heard a lot of Okina and Ran’s planning, but it also sounded mostly beyond him so he hadn't picked up much.

“Alright.” Ran turned to Anon, her serious tone of voice causing Chen to flinch. “Anon, I need you to trust me about this next part, Yu-”

Suddenly Ran froze, stopping. Ran gulped, taking as large a breath as possible before her body shuddered, and she dropped her Shinki-Talisman to the ground. Ran dropped, almost falling over entirely, but instead, a resolute spirit flamed in Ran’s eyes.

Anon had almost gone to help her before he saw the same change undergo Chen, but instead of managing to stay awake, she shuddered before the light went out in her eyes and she began to fall.

Anon moves before he is able to think, barely scooping Chen up into his embrace before her head can hit the floor.
“A-Anon…” Ran rasps out, taking measured and careful breaths. “My connection to Yukari, c-can you hold Chen for me?”

Ran had expected to have longer until Yukari noticed and for Yukari to resist Ran’s effort to break the connection more. Something was wrong, but in this state being able to hold herself together was a minor miracle. Of course, she'd get more coherent over time, but she was under the impression that Goro and Seija would’ve found them by now.

Distantly Anon could hear the clicking of shoes heels and claws against the hardwood floor, the Yamawaro had appeared in few today and they did not go barefoot. Immediately one word appeared in Anon’s mind, Otters. The Kiketsu had noticed their missing men.
Anon tensed before sharing a quick look with Ran, they needed to move, and now.

>>46870086
The giant cursed hand threw Yuugi, her body sailing through the air and Toppling backward. almost falling off of the branch she eventually landed on.
Before she was even able to regain her senses, she was seized by the neck, Kasen’s bandages acting like vipers as they constricted around Yuugi’s neck.

Kaen had already arrived, floating up in the air towards her one-time sister as her eyes remained in shadow. Yuugi looked down at Kasen, pleading with her sister to stop as she joined her on the luminous white branch.

“Looks like I got here a moment too soon, eh kid?” Suika said, half in jest, half in apology. Realistically she was the only one who could breach Kasen’s Senkai in time.
Kasen turned as quickly as she could, letting go of Yuugi with her bandages so she could whip them at Suika.

But she wasn't fast enough, her bandages were too tangled around Yuugi and Suika had already gotten too close before announcing herself. By the time Kasen had fully let go of Yuugi Suika was already on her, showing the stump of Kasen’s cursed hand towards her like a dagger.
Kasen's vision went white as pain suddenly overtook her. Falling onto her Knees Kasen twitched as the arm forced itself back into her body, feebly grabbing it as it writhed.
Suika flipped over Kasen’s prone form and landed in front of Yuugi.

Yuugi shook her head at the irresponsible blue little Oni. “Huh, well I guess this is it.”
Looking back to their fallen foe, the Oni saw as Ibaraki rose to her feet, flexing her hand as her gaze remained transfixed on her palm, a single word escaped her mouth. “Koutei…”
Peering down off the the branch of the tree, Ibaraki ignored the two looking down at her dragon's prone form, wriggling among the roots of the tree.

“So, we gonna still have a problem?” Suika coughed, bouncing on the heels to her feet, before bringing her Ibuki gourd to her mouth as she did so. “Or are you free from Yukari’s control?”
Ibaraki didn't even turn to face them waving them off with one hand dismissively and in a dismissive tone. “We’re fine.”

“We’re?” Yuugi questioned, looking at the reformed Oni warily.

Ibaraki looked over her shoulder annoyed. “Yeah, ‘we’re,’ you two, me, we’re fine now.” The remade Oni brushed them off, flicking her hand and the remnants of her bandage, droplets of cursed liquid flung away as they dissipated into nothing.

“So, uh, I guess we should go kill Yukari now?” Yuugi shrugged noncommittally, it was something she really wanted to do, but Suika was fond of her for some reason and Ibaraki was quickly making things awkward.

Ibaraki rolled her eyes. “Yeah, Whatever, I have my own shit going on. You guys can do whatever the fuck you want.” At that the Oni jumped away, leaving a crater behind in the branch.
“Dramatic much?” Yuugi complained. Ibaraki had always been theatrical and prone to wild outbursts of emotion, even when she tried to appear calculating or to be taking her time it was often due to her own anxiety and inability to properly understand her own emotions

Suika shrugged. “Eh, kid can go do what she wants, not like she's gonna help Yukari.” Suika just shook her head, sometimes she really didn't get these youngsters she surrounded herself with. “But we can’t kill Yukari, her power is interwoven with Gensokyo; the most we can do is seal her away.” Suika might’ve made a more impassioned defense, but she couldn't defend her long-time friend, she had gone too far.

Yuugi just sighed, this thing had gotten all too complicated anyway, they might as well help take out Yukari. Besides, she really shouldn't be putting Suika into a situation where she has to be the serious one.
--

It only took a second for Ibarak to land among the roots beneath the trees. Koutei, still possessed, wriggled in pain as he sensed her presence. Tring to get up and fight her he reared his head, the gap-eyes still plainly visible.

A pained smile crossed Ibaraki’s face and with a voice like that of greeting an old friend, she muttered “Yukari…” And then her bandages, her whisps exploded outwards, grabbing onto Koutei before releasing a burst of white energy. “That should fix things.”

Small motes of the white energy lingered as Koutei went to her, groveling. The motes of light burned against her skin.

“Mhhh, yes we should get home Koutei. Komachi is probably worried sick about me.” The thought of her friend brought a smile to Ibaraki’s face, although she would’ve preferred it if-

“It’s been washed away-”

What was that, there was a voice, faint and distant but unmistakable. A human voice, weren’t they all evacuating, that was poetry wasn’t it, who cou-

“-The waves wash the old moss’ hair”

Ibaraki’s heart sank as she heard the voice more clearly.
It seems like the Oni had one more piece of business to take care of before she could head home.

>>46870091
The nothingness split open, from top to bottom, and the gap formed in an instant, leaving Yukari little time to react as something moved even faster than her.

“Yukari.”

And at that word, she felt a thundering impact, in under a second her barrier buckled and then broke. Then she registered a falling sensation, she shouldn’t be falling, she could fly after all.
But for what seemed like an eternity she kept falling, and her mind jumped to the immediate conclusion, the moment was being drawn out, and even her thoughts were being stretched like taffy.

But before she could finish her thought, the world exploded into pain.
--

Reimu stood on the other side of her gap floating mid-air and backlit by the warm and hungry glow of the Hakurei orbs appearing as if a specter of vengeance made manifest. Hana followed quickly behind, bounding through the still-open gap.

“Mai, Satono. You may leave.” Her two servants quickly scampered out of the gap the Hakureis had entered through, only staying open for a moment longer before Reimu closed it. “It's so nice of you to finally join us, Reimu,” Okina said, smiling. “Oh, and you as well Hana, my dear Aunt won't stop talking about how GREAT you are.” Okina burst into laughter, although there was a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Hana choked on air, as Okina laughed, slapping her palm against the stone of her chair. Reimu raised her eyebrow at Hana, sighed, and floated past Okina. “Let’s just get this over with-”
A shadow was cast over her eyes as she looked down into the crater, pointing her aged Gohei at Yukari. “Quickly and painfully.”
--

Tewi shuffled into the office, carrying a stack of papers taller than her. Reisen for her part rummaged through a file cabinet, perusing the contents of multiple files before moving on, partially wishing Eirin hadn’t taken on so much work and partially happy they were doing their part to stop the current incident from escalating.

“So much work lately Usa~” Tewi complained, putting down her stack of documents so she could stretch, putting one arm in the arm and another behind her shoulder. “Hmm.” Tewi pressed her lips together worriedly, stopping mid-stretch as her ears twitched.

“Eh? Tewi, is something wrong?” Reisen said, not looking away from the file cabinet she had her nose in, despite their current work, something that’d make even the normally completely unfazed Tewi pause was probably going to be a problem.

“Oh don’t worry,” Tewi said, waving off Reisen’s question as she began to pace towards the door. “It’s nothing you gotta worry about, that said, I should probably go take care of something.”
Reisen sighed as she shifted through the filing cabinet, barely registering Tewi’s comment. “Well okay, as long as it-” Before realizing what Tewi had said, and remembering what sort of comment from the little rabbit usually meant.

“Hey, wait, no!-” Before Reisen pleaded, stumbling after her smaller senior as she bounded around a corner.

“Tewi…” Reisen’s eyebrow twitched as looked down the hallway, it was entirely straight with no side entrances, windows, or exits. Yet defying all logic, Tewi had entirely disappeared. Her scent did not linger, there were no recesses, impressions, or even the slightest hint of Tewi’s bounding, and there was nothing of the little rabbit to hear, even to Reisen’s senses it was like Tewi was simply never there in the first place
She just sighed, Reisen really wished Eirin would be harsher with her sometimes. But there was nothing she could do about it, long ago she had already accepted the fact that Tewi was there sometimes and other times she wouldn’t be, you just had to plan around that fact. It was probably her favorite stunt to pull

-end-

Note:
>>46870086
Let a little error here, please ignore that. I'll fix it in the complete upload.
Which will be on Ao3 after the HSE ends.

Ah, a good Saturday. Did nothing~

So iz there anyone still left that needs to finish? I remember there was a list but that never got updated

>>46870971
The girls at the festival still need to finish that, Okuu has her mini arc.
I think Marisa is doing something and maybe some more chapters of Mima as well, I think we still have a thread until the writers can get started with the ending.
There is some Lemontene and Kongara stuff as well but we haven't heard from Lemonanon in a bit and he's a bit busy writing for the TF thread so that stuff is entirely up in the air.
It is worth noting since he's written the last characters which can be killed off since nobody else is dying except maybe Reimu.

>>46871031
>Marisa
I finished her character with her talk with Anon, though. Can't think much more to add to her character now that her pregnancy is solved, she has had her talk with Anon and Reimu and is ready to fight in the Solstice

>>46871057
That's good, if nothing is heard from Lemonanon I suppose you guys can start on the real ending can start next thread just sans Kongara.
Although Satori, Reimu, Seiga/Yoshika being the kill-off-able characters left is probably bad news for them. At the very least I don't see Seiga and Yoshika surviving.
Perhaps you can start talking specifics since you already have the planning doc? --> https://pastebin.com/zqS1Krp7

>>46871108
Is the festival shitshow gonna get done in one thread? Seems like a lot still has to be done with that.

>>46871152
Looking at the pastebin I think it'd take a few threads, like two or three.
But I'm not the writers and they write at their own pace, I've managed to squish my own ending down to 10~ chapters, but that's with me ignoring stuff, off-screening a lot of things, and my trouble with writing long single scenes.
Some like Patchyanon tend to dedicate large 10k chapters to relatively small amounts of time, but in the end, it ends up being what it ends up being and I don't think anyone can truly say how it'll end up.

>>46871152
writer here; not much, and the next batch should get that across~

>>46871152
Its just keineanon and hananon finishing up, we can start finale at anytime.
Unless mimaguy and some others have shit to do

>>46870971
Takanon here Takane has one more chapter, Seija/Goro have two or three, but I'm dependent on Kasen to be available first before I finish those two.

>>46871190
patchyanon probably needs to get the whole body creation part done with but he might be waiting until the festival ends for it because the kurodani family is all tied up

are you done yet?

>>46875567
act 3 hasn't even officially started yet

>>46875567
We finished two weeks ago, writefags have begun working on the sequel.

>>46875606
we'll be following the plans of an AU where Yukari stepped much sooner into Hana's life and that prevented the HSE entirely, meaning we'll see what changes!

>>46875625
I know that would enter spinoff cubed territory at that point, but that does sound like it would be an interesting way to explore the non-sexual side of Yukari and Hana's relationship that was basically killed during the Birthday Party arc.
Though thinking about that does remind me of Shrine Daughter of Paradise... How the hell is the original spin-off planning well, everything? Does the original writer for that still have their plan for where that story was going to go pre-HSE or have they been writing for this project for so long that they've forgotten where that was going to go?

>>46876174
Yukari looks different from what I remember...

>posted the last archived thread in Ao3
ho boy, it's that time of the month again

>>46876379
I'm too late for this but you probably shouldn't have put the gakkuran special in the main story section since it's long enough that it could have been its own story in the collection

>>46876405
I can always remove them and let Ayaanon post it as separate in the collection if he wants to. Just hope he's still alive and hasn't died due to cuteness overload, since apparently he was writing chapters involving Chen and Aya's four eggs.

>>46876017
>explore the non-sexual side of Yukari and Hana's relationship that was basically killed during the Birthday Party arc.
I was having a bit of fun writing Hana sperging so hard she was actually melting Yukari's immense autism. Shame about how their relationship ended up, now its more equivalent to an abusive ex prowling around rather than sucking up to a step parent

>>46876931
If, "If" Yukari and Hana talk again, would there be a mirror to Okina's answer to Satori when Hana asks why?

>>46876931
she was always an abusive ex, it was just that she was reimu's ex (emotionally) and hana became her replacement reimu and in her warped mind she came to the conclusion that making hana sexually dependent on her would keep them together since being emotionally close to reimu didn't do it
there's not a single point in this story where she was anything less than absolutely awful for hana

>>46876981
Yes, the answer is what would Yukari says, something about family and friendship I guess.
But the joke answer is because Yukari likes to rape?

>>46876981
>would there be a mirror to Okina's answer to Satori when Hana asks why?
That moment kind of happened, back when Hana got scalped for the Yukari empire. Though, was Yukari telling the truth? Doubt it.

>>46877016
oh shit, just remembered that. Fucking empathy making me forget why I hate the evil woman...

This is as dumb as when Satori-sama explained to me that we aren't a 'Nuclear Family'—despite me being part of our family—because she's not married… What is the connection between being MARRIED and NUCLEAR?! The same goes for 'labor' and 'delivering the baby'; that's just plainly dumb!

… Ugh, I want to bury my head in so much cement; it's unreal.

Yuugi sighs, patting me on the back—ouch, ouch, ouch—as we fly towards the palace; Koutei and Suika staying behind for one obvious reason and the other I've already forgotten during my initial panic. “Don't be so rough with yourself, Utsuho.”

I groan, the eye on my chest staring at me from below. “Koishi-chan is delivering her baby and she's only got Orin to her side… That's, like, bad news, no? Satori-sama told me when her mama had Koishi that her papa almost lost his hand! I don't want Orin to lose her hand; how are we playing kancho then?!” I suppress the overwhelming desire to scream and release the fission building inside, but refrain from doing so. The huge oni flying over to my side laughs heartily and pats my back… It's wonderfully soothing, though the boom burst that's her voice almost makes me wish she'd touch the arm cannon strapped to my lower back and get at least three cancers from high dosage of gamma radiation…

… Nah, that's just the situation speaking. 'Remember not to give others cancer', that's one of Satori-sama's strictest rules.

“That's what you're worried about? Games~?” She flies a bit further ahead, calm despite our predicament. “Orin and Koishi are strong; they can hold by themselves until we get to them—and if I'm not mistaken, Kokoro is still with Koishi, right? So it's likely—”

“—That Okina transferred both to Eientei.” The sudden voice takes our flight to a stop, gazes turning to a frowning Satori, the palace about 300m ahead. “What has happened to Koishi and Rin, Reiuji? Are they al—”

“SATORI-SAMA, KOISHI IS GIVING BIRTH!” I yell, rushing over to Satori-sama and locking her in a tight hug. I know she doesn't like affective shows in front of others, but I'm a nervous wreck right now, so it doesn’t count! “O-Orin told me, but I didn't understand! I thought she'd gotten a job or something! But how'd she get a job while pregnant?! Sorry, Satori-sama!” I cry, my wings fluttering recklessly. Unlike the usual, Satori-sama doesn’t push me away, her eyes widening with the information.

… Softly, she breathes in and then out, one hand rising to pinch the bridge of her nos, the other patting my back—I prefer hers~ “I… see. Sister is having her child…” She let go of the hug, eyes on Koutei in the distance. Her expressions, always on the subtle side, are more prominent than ever up close; she looks agitated, tense and bears a gaze I can easily distinguish, even perceptible through her slightly narrowed third eye…

Satori-sama is afraid.

“Oki—”

“—My, my~isn't that wonderful? A new family member!” I recoiled in surprise at the suddenness; a woman with golden hair abruptly appeared from behind Satori-sama, her elbows resting on top of pink hair and her chin on top of her wrists.

… Satori-sama is afraid of her.

That woman is dangerous.

Oh, I'll need my big iron to deliver proper Armageddon!

Following muscle memory, the arm cannon is swiftly taken out of my back and expertly cocked to my right arm, hatches opening and letting air enter and cool down the hadron engines. Stress gone; all that remains is protectiveness. “Oi, leave her alone, grandma!” I yell, pointing the output exit straight in between those golden eyes.

Satori-sama looks on the brink of a panic attack. “Reiuji, stop!!”

“Grandma…? That's one blow to my pride.” She creepily caresses Satori-sama’s chin. “You think your pet is gonna shoot me, Sato—”

The air above us melts into boiling white vapor as a flash overpowers all other lights and a fission cluster with twice the sun's power whizzes towards the blonde grandma. “I hate creepy ladies! You're the worst!”

—but, before the pest can be vaporized, Yuugi slaps the reaction into nonexistence. W-What?! Why is she— “Heh, Utsuho, you drank a lot, didn't you?” She chuckles and, for no motive, comes onto me and passes an arm around my shoulder, holding me close. Satori-sama has clenched teeth; that old grandma rhythmically beating a finger on top of her head. Her gaze is amused. “Sorry, she said she wasn't allowed to drink because she'd go haywire, but I got her wasted anyway~my bad!”

That's… just a lie! I didn't drink a droplet of alcohol!

Satori-sama speaks before I can explain myself. “Ah, I'll be punishing you accordingly, Reiuji.” Her stare, unlike a moment ago, is calmer. Huh…? “Sorry for the actions of my pet, Okina. It won't happen again.”

“Hm… Okay! Apologies taken! We discuss my reward for not disposing of her where she stands later~” Oh, is this a threat?! Just as I'm about to say some mean words, Yuugi squeezes my shoulder sternly, halting me. GAH—Why?! “Now, let's talk about our problem…”

Her eyes turn to Koutei.

>>46880619
—
“No, we need to go to Koishi! She just gave birth!” I scowl and raise my fists in the air, not letting the cannon's extra weight stop me. Okina—who is this grandma?!—stares blankly at me, her creepy smile growing bored as she keeps tapping on the top of Satori-sama's head, making me want to just vaporize her, but Yuugi's display and hold prevent me... Still, nothing changes; Koishi just had her baby! “Koishi needs her older sister, c'mon! It's a new life, a new f-family member; you wouldn't want to lose that, right, Satori-sama…?” My heart pounded as frantically as thunders surrounding a mushroom cloud, mouth slightly agape and mind about to give up; so much thinking… Why are they stopping me from clearing us off this old lady?! Just because she may be strong? I AM THE FUCKING SUN!

“Calm down, Reiuji! I'll figure this out.” There was a trembling in her voice, and the words of appeasement felt bitter. “Okina, are my sister and Kokoro at Eientei?”

“… I'm starting to feel like you three are wasting my time,” she muses, and I'm about to prepare my arm cannon for a second bout, but again, Yuugi stops me. Perhaps I should've given her cancer. “Feh, yup; Kokoro called in 'distress' yesterday, so I took the two of them and the cat to Eientei. You're lucky I'm the most benevolent goddess to have ever lived~” Something flashes across Satori-sama's face—an anger without name that causes her lips to purse—yet nothing comes out. “… But I fear we'll need to make adjustments; Satorin here is very important to me, especially now with that problem right there.” She glances towards Koutei, her sickening smile growing ever more punchable. “And I see our disappointing friend is talking to him right now, but her powers aren’t enough. Everyone lies, even dragons—but one's mind doesn't lie~” She shrugs, and Satori-sama looks away. “That is why you two are going to check out green mama and green baby, and Satorin will be touring me around.” Suika, disappointing…? That thought is just a spark in the massive reaction that courses adrenaline through my veins; why is she stopping an aunt from seeing her sister’s newborn?! Can't she just wait a couple of hours before getting Satori-sama's help— “Do you have anything to say, little bird? Your feathers are so ruffed; reminds me of Shameimaru~” Beneath her arms, Satori-sama freezes.

Oh, do I have some mean words for this creepy old hag—

“She does not.” The tone kills my thought process and I stare at Satori-sama in utter disbelief. “Make sure Koishi and my… nephlings are being competently taken care of. I'll solve this problem.” No—no, no, this ain't right! She should be there for her sister, not being caught in whatever schemes an old lady is putting her through! I try speaking again; my fists clenched so hard the knots are white, but Satori-sama doesn't bulge. “This is an order, Reiuji. Go.”

“Go, you've overstayed your welcome, Ms. Clean Energy~” Okina repeats mockingly and, in front of us, opens a door that leads to somewhere very bright and green. That's the world above…

I try saying anything, reaching for whatever possible to get through her, but nothing comes, so my mouth just opens and closes multiple times before—rather tenderly—Yuugi leads me inside the door, my brain processing it too late, the magical door closing with a loud bang. “HEY! Open this thing! We're not done yet!” I shriek, frustrated and oblivious to my surroundings, and then a small, floppy-eared woman sprints toward me and stops right in my face, seemingly unafraid of the enormous oni or of me. “Wha—”

“SSSSHHHH!” She makes a sign of silence, annoyed and frowning, and I feel compelled to obey her command—perhaps it was her protuberant belly, similar to Koishi's until recently, or all the other weirdos, all seemingly annoyed, staring at us? “Silence in the hospital, you fool! There are patients sensitive to sound!”

“Sorry for her; she's a little stressed.” Yuugi takes over, standing nearly four times the size of the fluffy monster. “We're here, um, searching for Koishi Komeiji.” And sounding shy as if half her size… The nurse looks between us, at least a little suspicious, before checking the brown board filled with papers she carries.

Remembering where half of my anger stems from, I turn to Yuugi. “Why did you stop me from atomizing that pervy old hag?!”

Yuugi stares at me for a while—… s-surprised? What’s she surprised about…? “Huh, I thought you'd have picked up by now.” The paper flipping continues, and a slight blush grows on my cheeks as I watch her fetch her plate of sake, which instantly fills with booze—should I be aware of anything else? “Okina would obliterate us in a duel, Utsuho. Me, you, Suika; the entire Underground—Satori even works for her, too, which means Okina is also your boss.” I can only blink. “Ah, you're really off the loop, huh?”

I feel like I know her now that Yuugi says it… but from where?

“Oh, you match the description—the portal and all, too—follow me, ladies~”

My eyes are open, yet my vision is the same as that of closed eyes: A sea of burning red and black, visible from east to west, expanding and with no end in sight. Thick smoke blocks the sun, and the flames gleam against the scarlet sky like meteors. My housemaids tend to the people they can or lie motionless in pools of red, just like my samurai do as they run and shoot or are shot at. The mortars are being prepared, and our weapons, rifle and mounted, are experiencing famine of ammo already—80 years of accumulating ammunition, preparing… Not even an hour of full warfare—screams, gunshots, the weird sound of Danmaku and the cackling of the constant fire are the melody of this day.

The day of my greatest fight.

Akyuu stands motionless at my side, watching over the hell I have unleashed upon my enemies.

She remains just as perfect as the day I saw her close her eyes for the last time, but her light purple bangs hide her expression, and with these hands covered in blood, I dare not touch her pearly skin— “Whose blood?” When Akyuu asks, I turn to look at her, just in time to avoid a Danmaku bullet with a small head movement. Not even my men or I could perceive it, so absorbed in their own personal hell.

It's rather sad her voice is drowned out by the cacophony, but I drink off it anyway, as in all episodes so similar to these, though no nostalgic memory comes, my mind fixated on the here and now. “Enemies. Blood of enemies.” I look back at the golden shields of light piercing the skies, keeping the filth inside protected; it doesn't matter. Even magic succumbs to the might of the rumble of human triumph, as Hieda texts of old recount the day the Great Barrier shook, for humans outside had brought the sun down from the sky twice, if only for a few moments.

“… You have many enemies.” She muses. “This is the death of our clan.”

Sanae is fighting the immortal above; their destiny already decided. Not just theirs, no. Today was a declaration—a declaration that we will never give up, that humans will overcome all odds, and that, should the need arise again, the scorching sun will kiss this land once more.

Today is just the beginning.

I try blinking, but I cannot do it… What…? I cannot blink, not even manually, meaning I watch with no respite as the Human Village crumbles.

Behind the samurai mask and beneath the broken kabuto bearing two horns anyway, these eyes—wide open like plates—never close.

They hurt.

I try rubbing them, force them to blink, or just close a little… But nothing happens, and the pain grows tortuous. “You have no clan anymore, father; it's uncertain if I’ll ever live again… All you have are enemies.” I cannot cry in hopes of offsetting the agony, and Akyuu's words continue to hammer inside my skull. It takes monumental effort to look in her direction; mouth struggling to not scream—

—I gawk at Akyuu's face… She has horns like those of Onis, her eyes are blood-red and her wrists bear shackles.

Youkai.

There's no thought, merely reaction.

I slash Akyuu’s neck open.

… The sword she wrote many haikais about, that she innocently hurt herself with while struggling to reproduce her father's movements…

Like the witch, she slumped off the fence and plunged to the consuming flames below, and my eyes followed suit, never capable of straying or closing.

I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. Why? Crying is a human! It does not matter why—

“You…” Her faint voice reaches me as her body is engulfed by flames, heart aching to jump after her in frantic despair and my mind racing as my hand holding the sword stretches to the pit of charred tar; catch the blade, please, Akyuu, come back to me—Akyuu smirks as her face melts and exposes the ruptured cranium beneath, her lips wilting as if flowers under a blistering sun, and the foul smell of burnt hair shakes my entire body. “You don't even have your humanity anymore, father…”

And so, my only child perishes in those flames.

Flames I created.

My trembling hand recedes, and these eyes that never close watch as, from beyond, shackles of iron bind the wrists of my samurai armor, heavy chains hitting the wooden floor…

This samurai armor, once a family heirloom, feels like a coffin.

These flames I created, the weapons I fired…

… They would never have been used if the witch, the immortal demon, and her legion had not forced my hand, seeking to destroy my home so thoroughly!

My Akyuu had just returned—she smiled like a human, burned like one too—and they've killed her—they did it, my Akyuu—

— “Hieda-sama!” Eyes jump to the samurai who had approached, his eyes as wide as mine, but they close and look down. Fear. “M-Mortars are ready, and we'll be using 35% of ammunition against Toyosatomimi’s golden pillar—”

“Use everything.”

“… H-Hieda-sama…? Y-You can't be serious; we must save some for future com—”

“Use. Everything.”

A moment of silence hangs before, in fear, he bows and leaves.

These people—murderers—die today…

… My Akyuu.

These eyes cannot cry.

>>46880619
>>46880625
that's half the second part of the Utsuho little story~
>>46880633
and this one just a small tidbit I felt didn't match with the rest of the next batch of the Keine story, so posting this standalone while I finish the rest.

>>46880625
Feels like Okuu is jumping the gun too much here, how does she even know Okina is a perv. I imagine she'd be more sedate, but still excited about and wanting to go see Koishi.
Okina basically did nothing.
Other than that the idea of Satori working for Okina is extremely weird to me, though that isn't something you came up with.

>>46880633
Honestly, a racist character expressing surprise a person not of their race is cry and showing emotions doesn't really hit home, it feels a bit trite and worn out by this point.
But it does remind me of this rudolph hoss's journal where he concludes jews can't be human due to how utterly dead inside the half-dead jewish slave he's bossing around is, that hit way closer to home because the guy was so close to empathizing with the plight of how the jewish guy's entire family was killed 30 minutes prior.
But due to his sheer inability to comprehend the level of "dead inside, living corpse" the poor guy was on, and of course hoss's own racism came to a wildly inaccurate conclusion.

>>46878940
>Fucking empathy making me forget why I hate the evil woman...
Just how it is, this rendition of Yukari just does something for me. Every Hana rape chapter is crack just because of that bitch

>>46880633
I've thought about why I didn't like the crying thing more, that sort of thing seems like a survival or redemption flag for Mr Hedia.
Like it's showing that he's still human in the sense he has morality and is capable of sympathy so can be convinced of the other sides perspective and stand down, or it's just showing how crazy he is.
Both of which I dislike since the idea of him not dying and learning to sympathise with a group he's hated all his life and I think has at least some reasonable reasons to, even though his dislike is targeted towards bullying and trying to kill a school teacher rather than Yukari the mastermind behind the current incident. Which is really quite pathetic of him.
And by having mister Heida not cry I feel like that's trying to emphasize his de-humanity in an overly wishwashy way, there are tons of reasons a person might not cry in a stressful situation.
But other than my personal strong dislike for crying tropes I don't really have any problems with this, people arguing with a reflection of hallucination they don't realize isn't real will always be something I enjoy.

>>46882599
I see the crying as him mourning the total loss of his humanity which happened when he killed Akyuu, even the oni chains and such. Man's far gone and cannot return, and seeing from the ending things are just spiraling down. That's a death flag for me

>>46880947
>how does she even know Okina is a perv
Satori is still tense as fuck from the talk in the LoB; Okina is touching Satori inappropriately during all the 'conversation', just after Okuu remarked that Satori doesn't like to be touched in an affective manner in front of others ([...]She creepily caresses Satori-sama’s chin.[...]), and Okuu's general stress and disbelief towards the whole situation. Though considering her innocence, perhaps just 'old hag' would've done the trick
>Mr. Hieda
understandable; I like the trope personally -- though I don't remember him expressing surprise Youkai can cry, only extreme bewilderment that he cannot cry anymore, ignorant of the loss of his humanity by his own actions and, following the line of him never managing to face the death of Akyuu and move on, he blames others. In a way, I wonder if Reimu could've followed this path should her rehabilitation never blossomed and, instead of accepting loss of family and changing like she did, internalizing all her anger and going haywire on everyone, becoming 100 times worse than before...
I'm glad I didn't follow that path, thinking better now.

>>46858939

A small period of idle chatter set in after Reimu came back with a small snack, rice crackers. After the plate was set down, then a nibble, and another nibble saw the crackers vanish into the maws of the peckish women. Tea was sipped with renewed fervor as the crackers dried out their mouths, Hana’s own cup was sweetened with just a scoop of sugar, contrasting her mother who drank it bland and Sanae who put in two.

The lunch hour was quickly approaching as the vestiges of the morning flashed by. In tandem with the sun’s power, the importance of the conversation seemed to ramp up, which was for the best as far as Hana was concerned. Sanae and Reimu didn’t really talk to each other much, and aside from business and pleasantries there was an undeniable awkward air between them, they could never engage beyond small talk.

Hana figured they must not have realized it, but at least to Hana it was obvious. They both seemed to primarily focus their conversations on keeping Hana’s ears hot from the constant barrage of questions and stories. It was like dancing between Marisa’s guiding streams of danmaku as they crisscross, she was rather happy to have this barrage time out.

After the crackers were a memory and the tea started running low, the bubbly miko steered the conversation from planning to show Hana some of her more… performative prayers, into how they’re planning to keep her safe. The change in subject made Hana a bit uncomfortable, glancing at her mother and Sanae’s reaction she saw that they were very keen on continuing. A strange pang of guilt fired off in her head, she hated the fact that Sanae had to go out of her way just to help her out of problems she made in the first place…

Taking one last sip of her tea and placing it onto the table with a dignified clack, Sanae seemed to slip back into her role as the shrine maiden of the Moriyan gods, “Yesterday we were able to get the bulk of the work done preparing the shrine, and this morning I was able to get all my cute acolytes to put the finishing touches on the decorations!”

Sanae seemed to beam at that last part, a sort of parental pride made her puff out her chest as she continued, “You’ll love to see the all the color we put on the onbashira Kanako-sama placed down around the shrine! Suwako-sama even drew a bunch of frogs on some, but I think she was teasing Kanako-sama in some weird way. Those two always butt heads~”

With a sigh from the living goddess, and a short dry cough from the human shrine maiden opposite of her, Sanae found it in herself to slip back into her business mask, “Of course, none would be able to easily breech that barrier easily. Even a sage would have to pause before testing a barrier Kanako-sama went through such pains in showing off for.”

Hana couldn’t help but feel the sense of guilt rising up over this, it did make her happy to be loved like this, but to go to such lengths…? Before she could speak up and answer those gentle eyes that Sanae stared at her with, her mother piped up, “It won’t do much when it comes time for her to leave, I assume you’re not trying to adopt her right?”

Her mother smirked a little at her own joke, which made Sanae smile in turn and bat her hand in front of her face like a gossiping granny, “Oh please, don’t tease, you know we don’t have any young men in the family for Hana to date~ I haven’t had time for that, and there’s no way Kanako-sama has some hidden family somewhere!”

At that, for a reason Hana didn’t understand, the two mikos shared a laugh that lasted for a few seconds too long. Once Sanae recovered, wiping a tear from her flushed face, she shook her head and stammered out, “N-no, nothing like an adoption. Instead, they should just be putting the finishing touches on their homework for today!”

Sanae pushed her hand into a small pocket on the hem of her hakama, before rummaging around and pulling out two little figurines. Mother’s eyes grew wide for a second, as she seemed to recognize them before stifling another laugh, Sanae seemed rather proud as she presented them. A small figure of that hat thing Suwako wore with its googly eyes in a smile, and an onbashira with its shimenawa vaguely resting along it’s middle with the shide sort-of forming a dress.

As if remembering good times, Sanae’s wide smile continues with all pretense of business gone, “Reimu-san, remember that time I formed that idol group with Kanako and Suwako-sama? I was super lucky to have held onto a few extra Pyontas, they got super rare after they sold out every time we made more! And since they’re already made to carry their spirit in them like little shrines, they’re perfect for our plans! Ah the real ones are back at the shrine; these are just extras~”

>>46885701

Plans? Yeah, technically a shrine’s space doesn’t matter, only that it’s marked out as being for the divine. Why it mattered eluded Hana, she glanced between Sanae’s smiling eyes and her mother’s own understanding feeling entirely left out. Some of the confusion must have shown on Hana’s face, because mother spoke up, “So… If I’m getting your idea right, you’re creating talisman containing the power of both the gods enshrined. Since they’re shrines already, they can hear and see out of them, and once you put a piece of them inside… I see, it’s an easy enough security system, but would that be enough?”

Sanae’s smile faltered a bit, but it rebounded quickly enough, “No, not entirely alone anyways. But with this, no matter where she is she can easily communicate with either god, or both! And if you get in a pinch Hana, you can call upon an avatar of them in case… just In case something bad happens, Okay?”

Those last words were delivered kindly, a mercy that made Hana want to avoid her gentle eyes. She felt the guilt in soul grow a bit, both Sanae and her mother looking at her like a child… Aunn told her that she shouldn’t hide things anymore, it hasn’t her burden alone and those words made sense. She wants to believe them, a part of her knows everyone needs help and there was no shame in getting it. Hana would help others with her full power if she loved them, its natural.

It was natural, yet she hated being the one receiving this pity. She hated that they knew everything that went on in the dark, even though they all choose to stay at her side it gave her a strange sense of dread. What the hell did she do to deserve it, and why did they stay at her side despite never lifting a finger before?

>>46885706

With a voice like it was trying to handle fragile glass, Sanae spoke as she returned the trinkets to her pocket, “You okay, Hana-chan? You looked like you were about to cry for a second...”

It gave Hana a start, she realized that she could feel her the edges of her eyes were a bit wet. She blinked once, twice, with purpose to clear that feeling from the side of her eyes, she could feel her face flushing as red as her outfit was. Shifting where she sat, Hana nodded and quickly mutters, “I-I’m fine, I’m just grateful that you and Kanako-sama would still want to help me, e-even though I lied and-“

Her mother’s face shifted, but didn’t get quite as far as showing any real emotion, she folded her hands together instead. Sanae’s face was much the same, but instead it formed into a soft smile, she reached towards Hana, taking her hand in her own, “Nope! Theres nothing to apologize for, Kanako-sama’s been busy but she still found time to gush over dinner about how solid her advice was last time to you, even Suwako-sama has been wanting to play again, and all that overgrown brat likes is dessert and lazing about!”

Hana nodded, she felt the guilt grow as Sanae’s genuine smile washed over her. She glanced at her mother, who nodded and tried her own version of a comforting smile, at least Hana supposed… given the sharpness in the rest of her face, the effect was just…

Her mother spoke up next, “Sanae-san, I do believe time is flying by. I’d be fine to keep you for lunch, but you said you have business this evening”

Sanae nodded, pulling her hand away along with the warmth that came with it, “That’s right, the nonsense with the Heida… Well, you already know the gist of it.” She turned her attention to Hana, “Nothing to worry about, just some feud in the village I’ll have to oversee. Anyways, come on Hana, are you ready and packed?”

Making to stand, Sanae gracefully rose to her feet, despite the stretching that made less than dignified noises leak out. Mother and herself rose as well, Hana silent and her mother’s glancing gaze watching Hana like a hawk. It made Hana a bit uncomfortable…

It didn’t take long for the girls to find their way outside, the sunlight called to Hana after being cooped up inside for so long. Gifts in hand, and Yakumo outfit tucked away deeply in the sack of gifts she carried, she turned one last time to her mother.

Her mother seemed a tad bit unsure after opening her mouth and calling Hana’s name, “So… Like we talked about, the training… you were still interested in learning, right?”

Ugh, there it was again. That discomfort, she did say she wanted to get stronger the other day, right…? Well, she could say no and just be done here forever, she didn’t want to see this women’s face any more than she had too… However, if it was the sake of father then even a fraction of her mother’s… no, that training was supposed to be hers by birthright, it was stolen and this is merely her mother making things right…

Hana nodded, she didn’t feel any particular joy as she nodded her head, but she felt a smile rise to her face. It was only for the sake of leaving quicker, a smile made all the difference sometimes, “Sure, it was nice…”

Drawing a blank on what to say, Hana let the silence linger. It was supposed to be awkward, but instead her mother’s smile grew wider and blasted the perpetual grumpiness away for just a moment.

Reimu nodded and stepped back, Hana was already lifting off the ground as Sanae gave a quick bow to mother before lifting off as well. Before Hana knew it, Sanae had grabbed her free hand and the two let her home fade into a speck, only to find the busy Moriyan shrine forming itself out of the greens and browns of the youkai mountain.

>>46885711
>>46885706
>>46885701
very cool of Sanae to give Hana her prized funko pops, I know how hard it must've been to our green shrine maiden
and the daughter is off~! It was a fun ride in the Hakurei Shrine, but Reimu's and Hana's characters do need a break from one another; mull over the things they went through -- Hana's arrival, their talk in the middle of the night, Hana's realization, the episode with the frens and Hana's flashbacks come to mind, though that bottled up pressure will probably be reserved for the Solstice or the talk with Kasen~
will do a few chapters with Reimu later, just some fluff and digestion of the Shrine Daughter Arc
thanks for the chapters!

>Hana's sin kink doesn't trigger because she doesn't see Reimu as her mother
>Sanae jokes about adopting her, Hana already had a fondness for her equal or greater than Marisa's
>Still isn't free from Yukari (the Yakumo uniform)
oh no bro...

>>46875625
CUTE
also fuck yukari

-Yukari Yakumo-

The second Yukari regained full control she moved, gapping herself through space just in time to avoid Reimu’s follow up. An explosion rippled outwards from where she was moments prior, the crater on the sandy island being made even deeper.

Yukari suppressed a shudder as Reimu rose slowly from the smoking crater. “Reimu, this really isn’t like you, you know?” Yukari offered, half in insult half genuine question. While Reimu could be angry, she wasn’t usually the all out offense type.

Reimu ignored her comment, rushing forwards and launching a wave of talismans with a swing of her Gohei. In turn Yukari launched her own bullets to intercept them as well as a pair of familiars to intercept whatever Hana and Okina would throw her way.

Yukari realized a second too late that Reimu’s Hakurei Orbs had disappeared. Then, the first explosion hit, dissipating one of the familiars she summoned and sending the other one flying, only for it to be shot down by a stream of talismans.

Yukari rolled back through the air and gapped out before the second explosion could hit, and shatter her barrier.

As Yukari exited her gap she gapped again, not giving herself nor her opponents a moment of rest or even time to construct another defensive barrier. She had to find Hana, that girl was her only way to beat Reimu and Okina without significant sacrifice on her own part.

Just as she was done with that thought and exited her gap, another stream of talismans and needles shot towards her right and harmlessly shattered against her barrier just as Reimu gapped in. Yukari smiled, there was nobody else those shots could’ve come from.

Finding Hana using the projectiles she fired, Yukari entered another gap, grazing a strike from Reimu’s Gohei as she disappeared.
Yukari grit her teeth in pain. barely able to see the surprised face of Hana before a green and red laser slams into her barrier the second she exits the gap. Sending her rocketing towards the island below like a hamster in a plastic ball.

Rolling across the surface of the island, her barrier shattered after another red and green laser slammed into it, scattering dust and smoke around the crater Yukari found herself in.

Through the parting of the clouds, Yukari’s eye’s widen as she sees Okina walking towards her.
“My, my, trying to go so soon Yukari?~” Okina mocked, walking casually across the sands of the island as she held a shining sword in one hand.
Yukari opened another gap to escape, only for Okina to slash through it and towards her neck like an executioner with a guillotine.

the world shifts again and Okina. Yukari proactively dodges Reimu’s next swing as the shrine maiden gaps in, quickly spinning up a simple barrier as she flies back and turns to face Reimu.

Distantly she could feel the presence of Hana behind her, preparing another barrage of needles and talismans.

Down a Shikigami and against three, no two capable combatants, even with the battlefield in her favor she couldn't win. She’d been far too lenient in her fight against Okina, too secure in her eventual victory. But somebody else had been interfering in their battle. Yukari smiled, she hadn’t taken it into account, but it was clear as day to her who it was interfering in this fight.

It was her dear, dear daughter. The ghost girl of the Hakurei Shrine Experience, Renko Yakumo.
Somewhere, practically right next to her, an invisible, young girl shuddered in revulsion.

Reimu followed, gapping into melee range again and swigging her Gohei.

“Yukari!”

“You’ve really gotten on her bad side, haven't you Yukari?~” Now that everything was going according to plan, Okina decided she should thoroughly enjoy these brief moments of respite.

The world slowed down as Reimu swung her Gohei And Yukari knew what she had to do. Refusing to gap away she left herself open to attack.

As the time slowed, Reimu's Gohei approached and Yukari saw Okina stop as well, but why was she smiling? Reimu on the other hand, pushed forwards through the distorted time and space.
“I don’t know what you're doing Yukari, but I’m going to stop you.”
Greedy at the chance to vanquish the enemy before her, and the lights of her Fantasy Seal begin to flare.
Hana’s pupils widened in panic, realizing a moment too late that something was wrong.

As Reimu attacked, rushing forwards and casting her Fantasy Seal, spheres of incandescent energy shot out from her. The world around them warped as she slammed into Yukari and her Gohei shattered.

Yukari had just enough time to reach into her cloak, only to find her backup plan missing and panic.

>>46887487
-God Squad-

The mountain, had become destitute looking in only a few short minutes, Tengu still running from their destroyed homes, the mountain side pockmarked with craters, tree stumps still glowing red from where the trees were cut, countless iron pillars embedded into the bare dirt and rock, slivers cut out of nearly every surface of stone.

But among all the chaos, the Myouren shrine lay tranquil and creepily undisturbed, looking just like it had minutes before with nary a scratch. Even the half-frozen over pond was entirely silent and still among the chaos of Youkai Mountain.
In the midst of the tranquil but chaotic landscape, a ice fairy crested the stairs back up to the Myouren shrine.

“Wooow!” Cirno exclaimed, carrying a large block of ice over head head one-handed. “Man, this has been a day hasn’t it!” Cirno exclaimed, a bright expression on her face.

Following her up the stairs, Suwako responded glibly. “That’s one way of saying it. So, ya’ know who this is.” Suwako asked, gesturing to the figure frozen in the block of ice Cirno carried.

“Nope.” Cirno shook her head as she sat the block of ice down next to the torii gate. “I think she told me her name, but I didn't commit it to memory.”

Kanko, who was quickly following behind the two sighed. “Well it’s probably best to just keep her like this until this is all over.” Her mind already racing with how she’d be able to take advantage of this crisis.

“Yeah, let’s deal with her later, now where’s that Sanae?” Suwako agreed, laziness and the current crisis triumphing over her curiosity about the oni woman who kept going on about Reimu.

“Hey, guys, we finally got her!” Sanae announced walking out of the forest while dragging the Lord of Youkai Mountain, the Tenma by her feathered head and beaked face. The large old bird's entire body bound with Sanae’s snakes.

Shou waved them overlooking slightly worse for wear. “Shou! Are you okay!” Cirno said, jumping up and through the air towards her senior.

“Yes, I’m fine Cirno.” Shou chuckled, waving off the fairy with one hand.

“Same here guys, but we need to discuss what we’re going to do next.” Sanae said, waiving to the giant tree that had overtaken the village, barely constrained by the blue and star pattern barrier containing it.
Then with another hand she waved to the sky, still partially destroyed with its ‘top’ missing and various artifacts and things still visible through the hole in the sky, Sana could swear she could see Miko up there smiling at them from her Senkai in Gensokyo’s ‘orbit’ only the horizon had been entirely restored.

“But I think I’d like to talk to our guest here first.” Shou gestured her head to Sanae. Each of them, sans Cirno, had their own suspicions and reservations to serious degrees about this whole affair, but Shou was the most suspicious of the incident.

“Oh yeah.” Sanae removed the writhing gag from the old bird’s mouth as she was laid on the floor as she looked at the gathered plotters with hatred in her eyes.

“Be done with me, tool of false gods, or would you rather and me to her alive.” The Tenma spit out her words like venom as she looked up at Shou.

“I serve Bishamonten,” Shou cared little for the games of Tengu and foxes, or Youkai for that matter even if her indolent followers indulged in such. Although she did judge them harshly she knew of her own hypocrisy.

“You serve that wheelchair god, or that wannabe youkai, working towards their interests and plotting against me, Just like all those other-” Shou ignored the rest of the old crow’s ranting, petty complaints about the gods and Buddha’s. Strangely the old bird seemed to focus on the favor granted to female non-tengu Youkai by some male ones, Shou wondered about that as well sometimes.

Idly she tied the Tenma’s beak shut with a rope as she thought. Shou had sensed that something was wrong, but the Tenma’s words... Nobody wanted the old bird alive, and unlike the other sages she was unnecessary to keeping the barrier maintained, her inclusion among their ranks was their concessions to the interests of Mara.

Shou put her hand to her chin. Nobody wanted the Tenma alive, everybody benefited from her death. But she was nonetheless important to the balance of power in Gensokyo.

The Tengu’s interest in the HSE while genuine, began to look alot more suspicious, Okina should’ve rightfully done something before the situation escalated this far.

“Was this entire thing a setup?” Shou questioned out loud. Her voice, cold and accusatory as her normally golden eyes became shadowed.

“Huh?” Cirno questioned as the form of the Tenma squirmed underneath her. Kanako and Sanae looked surprised, while Suwako just raised her eyebrow.

Shou sat down on the Tenma, earning her a grunt from the bird. Looking her allies with a hard expression, she asked them. “How much do you trust Okina?”

>>46887500
-Anon-

Anon and Ran sucked behind a corner as rapid foot steps approached them in the dim lighting of the maze like corridors of the former Hakurei Shrine experience, another group of otters no doubt.

The corridor they’ve ducked into is dark, almost barren of light and ends abruptly, the only source of cover other than the darkness of the corder being a lone door along the wall the pair have pressed themselves up against.

“Hey I think I saw someone.” Ran and Anon held their breath as they crept slowly along the wall of the corridor, inching closer to a door and trying to not arouse the attention of the otters.

“Ugh, HEY ANYONE THERE!” A louder, brash voice called around the corner. Ran and Anon instantly recognized it, Son Biten. The weird monkey who told barefaced lies with a straight face, and the only individual stronger than Yacchie within the ranks of the Kiktesu

Ran and Anon stepped lightly over the floor, ducking into the doorway as they heard Biten’s loud voice round the corner.

The room was sparse, with only a few disused storage cabinets, likely used for holding supplies for the festival, but now laid barren and unlikely to ever see use again. As the softly closed the door behind them, Anon was blinded into darkness, only Ran’s youkai sense to guide the in it’s total pitch blackness.

They heard a smaller voice, masculine but worn with age and meek. Although they couldn’t make out what it said over the sound of claws and shoes as they tapped across the floor..

Anon and Ran heard the footsteps getting closer. “I told you, no one’s here, even the old man doesn’t think so.”

“So, he’s a human, what does he know?” The small chittering voice of an otter responded, the footsteps grew closer to the door.

“Here…” Ran said, opening the dresser on the far side of the room for her and Anon, still carrying Chen, to climb into.

“Anon…” Ran squeezed his arm as they heard the footsteps approaching the room's door. Pressing herself against the inside of the dresser.
Anon returned to her a look of reassurance masking worry as he held Chen in his arms.
The footsteps were coming closer.

-Seija and Goro-

“Huh?” Biten’s ears twitched as she turned away from the dresser and back towards the open door. The otter and old man accompanying flinched as they saw the figure creeping into the room.

In the pitch blackness Seija stood creeping into the doorway, her eyes glinting red as she stared down Biten. Behind her an unassuming and worried looking man.

“Seija!” the man chided, grabbing onto his wife’s shoulder and tanking her back before affixing a smile and turning to Biten. “Ah, Biten sorry to be so sudden, but have you seen Ran and Anon, we’re looking for them.”

Biten spun her staff in one hand and stalked towards Goro and Seija, forcing them to back up and out of the door. “Hmm, well I don't know about that.” Stepping out of the door and into the hallway, Goro’s smile became strained and Seija’s hand went words her side pouch, doubtless containing some tool. “But what I do know is that someone's been taking out members of our family, and right now you're our enemy.”

Biten’s staff extended, cutting into and through the walls of the HSE. “So I can only ask you to resist and try to beat be the best you can.”

Seija drew her red Scissor blade, and silver blue dagger.

>>46887509
-Yukari-

Yukari cursed, grasping at air. Someone had either interfered with her gaps or taken the item from where she stored it, either way she had another back up.

Pain raced through her body and the world warped again, but her dear daughter wouldn't be able to save her in time. Yukari decided, she’d have to use that thing.
Her back-up, back-up plan, the second child born of the Hakurei Shrine Experience and her most Dangerous weapon.
-Koishi-

The underground gathering around the pond of curses can be clearing away slowly after Koishi's arrival. With only a few dozen worshippers left to maintain their distance from Koishi and the womb of the hateful god.

Koishi eye’s shot open as she took her hand away from the pond. She thought It was still a bit disappointing that the girl wanted to save everyone, but Koishi wouldn’t fault a child for thinking such things.

“Mister Oni.”

“I-” the Oni priest stammerd as she back away as Koishia pleased in front of him, having crossed the distance between the congregation and the pool in a second.

“Shut up, please. Things are about to get a bit hectic, so you should probably leave.” Koishi slid a pair of knives out of her dress, a butcher knife and a chef’s knife.

“A bit messy in fact.” At the very least she could help deal with this rowdy soon-to-be-be child.
Of course she couldn't go all out, Koishi giggled as she looked down to her child, the third eye budding from her tendrils.
She flexed them nervously as she walked slowly away from the puddle, right before it exploded into a torrent of curses.
-end-
Edit: the scene with the god squad should have been included in the last chapter, but I forgot about it, things were minorly moved around to make room for it.
A bit short since everyone is where they need to be for phase 2. Also I realized I’ve been forgetting to put the -charter name- things in between characters, that will also be fixed later.
Also I forgot to add the chapter number so...
-chapter 6-

>>46886253
I can't wait for the 'Hana and Kanako gush over Anon to regretful effects' episode. Wherever Hana is, she must rape!

>>46869922
>>43744518
>>43776208
hey i was here a few threads ago
I made this with a voice sample of patchouli from that one touhou mobage
https://voca.ro/1e0pRHucnXDX

Should I continue and make a full animated SD video with BGM out of this?
capcha AMV D

>>46888117
>should I continue
she just sounds like a retarded american and no one is going to hear that and think "yep that's patchouli," so no, I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that we'd prefer you don't continue

>>46888304
forget the patchy thing then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrj1v7UATM0

Guess ill just render it for my own use then

>>46888320
I'd forget the whole thing if I were you. No one's going to sit there and listen to this much writing, especially when a lot of it is honestly not all that great quality anyway, especially in the early days. Even looking at the AO3 upload, there's like one guy who actually reads the new chapters and all the hits are people skimming a single chapter and stopping there.

>>46888338
>the AO3 upload,
can you link this?
whats AO3? Age Of empire 3?

>>46888338
Anon you aren't supposed to give (you)s to trolls, retards, or shit eaters.

>>46887869
Kanako asks strange questions about Anon such as "What kind of food does he like?" or "Does he talk about me?" To the point that Hana is just confused.

>>46888117
You might want to make a proof of concept video first rather than just have audio.

>>46888494
To an experienced hag crusher like Hana, Kanako's autism is but a pebble on the side of the road

>>46888775
>another victim of the Hag Throngler

>>46869922
currently on thread 25ish?
Thanks for all the stuff written so far Anons luv ya all.

>>46888991
Love you too, my anon

>>46871031
I'm just gonna confirm that I'm probably going to be sitting out/watching for Act 3. I have like 5 others projects that I've been yearning to work on & I kinda sidelined a lot of them for the HSE. I really underestimated how long we'd be going for lmao.
If the rumors about Act 2 coming to a close soon are true, then it's pretty shitty timing for me cause this is looking to be a busy week for me that I cannot really afford to give much attention away from. But I DO have some smallfry shit I wanna do before we move on. I have an idea for an ending that I could get done for Stooges Uno, Dos and Tres in about 2 chapters. I feel it's the least I could do to honor the this cracked out wildfire of a project
Feel like I could've formatted this better but eh It's 1 in the morning where I'm at and I just wanted to quickly confirm that I'm not dead just yet. If you have any questions then just ask and I'll respond in the morning.
>he's a bit busy writing for the TF thread
I've been trying to think of some funny quip to write here for 5 minutes but honestly I'm not sure if there's anything funnier then the knowledge that me following through with a dare lead to the creation of an entire pesudogeneral

>>46855372

Why did I? I was told to watch over her and guard her from any further harm. Once it became clear that there was no safety to be found in this place. I had no obligation to stay, and doing so would have resulted in my death. But I had picked her up, knowing she would weigh me down. If I were just a bit less lucky, the flames spread a little further or I had been a little more tired then I would have never escaped while carrying her. So why?

A faint but familiar pitter-patter breaks my train of thought. The golden walls of light surrounding us slope, allowing droplets of water to swim down; I wasn’t expecting rain in an inferno like this. More and more people enter the safety of the walls, not all of them are in good shape. Some managed to hobble in by themselves, others had to be carried or dragged. The wounded were laid down, and a handful of Inaba emerged, getting to work treating them despite their pregnant bellies. I guess that’s Tewi’s handiwork.

Some of the wounded might not make it. There must be many more dead out there, already consumed by flames. If I had left Keine where she was she would have joined them. But I didn’t let that happen, I couldn’t without betraying the dying message she left to Mokou and I.

“I don't know…” I sigh out. “E-Every moment I carried her, I was lashing out inside, thinking I was committing a mistake. Mokou's embers wouldn't last forever, and I-I could've died at any time… If Keine were a ghost, she'd be begging me to let her body go so I'd run faster…” I try to laugh, but only manage a weak choke. Looking down at Keine, I lift her out once again and move her just a bit to the side; so we wouldn’t have her just lying there next to us. “B-But I couldn't, because…” I continue, wiping tears away. “… I t-think she'll come back to us!” It sounded ridiculous, but I still clung onto that faint hope. After all, from what I heard the woman in front on me had died and come back, and there was that Western saint who came back to life and left his tomb days after his death.

“It wouldn't be the first time; I saw it happening at Eientei; at that night with Mr. Hieda and his s-samurai…” She had faced down death and won before, so to die right before she could achieve victory to someone’s trigger finger just felt wrong, a story that died with a whimper “If someone could squeeze from the Yama a second chance at life, I think it'd be her.” That would make for an amazing ending. The brave hero dying, only to return to the living to complete what they set out to do, fitting for someone like her.

“You thought highly of her, didn’t you?” Miko says with a brief glance to where Keine lay. “Okay, I believe you.”

“H-Huh…?!” I stammer out. That convinced her?

Your desires speak truthfully of your experience, so I choose to believe our revolutionary leader shall return—I'll even send a message to Eiki~” A glowing ball emerges from her head and shoots up to the skies, disappearing into the thick clouds of smoke. “So, until Keine walks amidst the living again, I think you should hold the fort. Our enemies don't have infinite ammo, and these walls shall hold on until I deem it necessary; we'll let them waste everything they have, then we'll attack them with all the rage this revolution has built for its entire existence… But to make it work, we'll need a leader—a leader that doesn't need to fight, yet a leader that'll keep the people's spirits up! Someone to shine brightly and show them a smile; confidence—we need you…” She steps behind me and slips the cloak into my shoulders. “The fight is not over yet, Kosuzu Motoori.”

I look down at it as it flutters despite the lack of wind. How odd. Even so, it seems to weigh down on my shoulders, it’s way too large for me. It was made for Keine in mind, after all. “It's… v-very heavy.”

“As it should be—it bears all of these people's futures and by wearing it, so do you. Don’t worry, I’m here with you~”

>>46890874
“Well, what will your first orders be? Your people desire them, and now would be the best time to plan” Miko asks as she tilts her head to the side a bit, staring a hole in me.

Me? A leader? Nonsense. The only people I’ve ever ordered around were my children, and the only thing I’ve run was the Suzunaan. Nothing that compared to holding the lives of so many people in your hands. I look around, and saw so many eyes look back at me expectantly.

In this enclosed bubble, there would be no outside help to depend on, no time to think things over. . Anything I said or did would have consequences would have to live with for the rest of my life. The weight of the cloak pressed down onto me further but as I considered taking it off and handing it back to Miko with an apology, somehow it felt different. It almost felt like two comforting arms wrapped around me.

Keine..

She would hate to see me cry and push these duties off someone else. I may not be the best choice to lead these people, or even the second or third best, but Miko saw something in me. If I could at least varry the flickering flame of the revolution until Keine returned, save everyone here; then I has no choice but to take on this role. I adjust the over-sized cloak to be more comfortable on me, I looked like a child playing dress-up in her mothers clothes.


I breathe in. “We need to stop the fire. There might be attempts to stop it already, but it might be too scattered to do anything. The rain might dull it a bit, but we’d need a miracle or a whole fire brigade to put all of this out” A miracle? I push an idea into the back of my mind.

“For Heida’s men, you’re right. They don’t have infinite supplies, and the fighting has been intense already” Turning my gaze outwards, even through the thick smoke and haze, I could see the Hieda State was in ruins. “They’re likely already suffered significant losses already, and the village is burning. They have no idea if their loved ones are safe or not. If I were up on those walls, my morale would be close to cracking” I turn back towards Miko to see what she thinks. She only gives a curt nod in response. “If we were to swing things our way, maybe if we had some more strong combatants” Miko doesn’t respond at all, seemingly noncommittal to idea, or doing a good job of hiding it. “-Or if we could get Sanae to abandon them they’d give up hope altogether. Maybe?”

I look towards Miko again. No response. Talk about throwing me into the deep end.

“Once that is done then we should, uh-” My gaze falls on the wounded. “-get the wounded treatment. It’ll be safe to move them out then” Seeing all of the injuries among them made my stomach churn. There were too many wounded, their injuries too severe and too few Inaba and supplies to treat them. We didn’t have much time to waste.

“Everything else; the rebuilding, the political mess, we’ve just have to worry about later” I groan out as I rub my forehead. No use piling in more stress by worrying about solutions for problems that didn't matter right now. This was already the greatest disaster the village had faced in my lifetime, probably many lifetimes. All that mattered was getting as many people out of here alive, and if- when Keine comes back she’d just have to deal with the aftermath.

“Well said. We shall save our worries for tomorrow’s battles when they come. For now, we just survive” Miko said as she turned her attention back to the battle raging outside, nonplussed to the madness going on.

Then, the ground rocks with a deafening roar. An explosion goes off just above my head as it slams into the barrier. I stumble back and fall right on my ass. Miko I am not.

“Do not worry, I told you those walls would hold. It would take more then mere mortars to crack these defenses” Miko shouts as she attempts to reassure me.

“How long will this last?” I shout back, almost being cut off as the second barrage slams into the barrier.

“They could be almost done, or it could be hours depending on how many they have” Miko responded, calming standing as the walls took on the full force of the mortars.

“Hours? We don’t have that kind of time!” I yell over the echoes of the mortars as I gesture to the wounded laying in agony “ But we also can’t move them under this fire, so we need to stop them; but we don’t have the-” My mouth races along with my mind, thoughts jumbled as I try to think of something, anything.

I feel the cloak weigh down on my shoulders again. No, panicking wouldn’t do any good. These people were depending on me.

“I’ll tell the inaba to get ready to move the wounded and unconscious at a moment’s notice. They need to get treatment as soon as possible. I’ll see who’s able-bodied and willing to stay here and fight, so we know what manpower we have"

Miko smiles slightly. “You’re already getting the hang of this, do not let your heart be clouded by doubt. Go”

I spin around to make preparations, heart thudding in my chest.

>>46890910
>>46890874
oh shit, wasn't expecting the added chapter in the end, nice~
and Suzu is rising above the occasion despite all the misery that comes with shouldering a revolution in the brink of obliteration, her family will be so proud, I know I am~stay strong, Suzu, that's what your whole character arc is about!

>>46880625
—
“What's a brothel…?”

“A place for, um, adult entertainment.” The nurse escorting us gives Yuugi a funny look over her shoulder as the oni struggles to speak. The people around also decided it was fun to stare as if we were weird animals, and if I wasn't so enthralled by the fascinating shifting bamboo forest outside the apparently infinite corridors of Eientei or our conversation, I'd be very mad—Yuugi seems so, with a weird redness painting her face.

I blink, frowning. “Adult entertainment?”

“Y-Yeah, uh…” She scratches her nape, sake plate forgotten, dodging gawks from flammable dummies. “A-Ask Satori if you wanna—”

“But why do I need to ask her? The Sun is older than Gensokyo, so it means I'm an adult too! Can I go to this 'HSE' and h—”

“No.” She turns to me, eyes wide and suddenly serious; my wings snap straight and even the eye of Yatagarasu widens at her tone. “Whatever happens, whoever asks—even if it's Satori; say, she does ask: that’s not the real Satori—you don't go to the HSE, Utsuho.” The nurse stops to stare at us, her face twisting into something hard to read and her free hand falling on top of her pregnant belly. I only pay a tenth of mind to that, eyes on Yuugi's peering at me from above… An odd feeling that’s been building inside since I met Mr. Dragon, a feeling now impossible to ignore, decays like the half-life of tellurium-128: rage.

“But why?” I demand.

“You'll know later, Utsuho; let's just—”

“—I don't want to know things later; we're here now!” For how long have things been happening right under my nose? Serious stuff—Okina's hand caressing Satori-sama's chin; the terror in her pinkish eyes—that I could've done something about; so many things I could've solved—with overwhelming power—if I was aware…

Critical mass rumbles inside, even more when Yuugi sighs. What does she know?! “Utsuho, there'll be a better—”

“Why am I so out of the loop? What's happening with Gensokyo that I don't understand?! This is ridiculous!” The nurse recoils, Yuugi tenses and the people that come and go leave, eyes on the eclipsing sun soaring above my head and eclipsing all lights around us. “I should know, well, stuff that happens—I control the outflow of energy for the surface and the Underground! HSE; Yukari and Okina, that sword—why must I remain in the dark about things happening to people I am fond of?!”

Yuugi stares, sighing, as she notices the wide-eyed nurse hiding behind her… She moves forward fearlessly and, without any warning, slaps the sun above my head, snuffing it out like a flea. My frustration is about to reach 513—

—A strong hand gently pats the top of my head.

Huh… It feels nice~

It's also the second time that it has happened today… “I know how it must feel, Utsuho. I've been in the dark for quite a while too—Koutei suddenly appears, battling Yukari after discovering the shit she's been doing to my sworn sister… It's worse than any hangover, but unlike me, it's for your protection.” She pauses, mulling over something; whatever it is, it leaves a shadow on her face. “Things are bad in Gensokyo. It's become an angry place, a mess—Gensokyo is as angry as it gets… And Satori wants to protect our little newcomer, Orin, Koishi, and you from that anger. Utsuho, do you realize what she's gone through?” Her words cut cruelly, and in my mind I see Satori-sama—the fear and strain of her frail body under the creepy hands of that despicable portal hag…

My hands clench, but no fossil fuel feeds the flames of anger, leaving residues of cold fusion behind in the form of a sigh, hands joining and wings coming forth, enveloping me as I lower my head. “… I don't want to be protected. Utsuho is a big girl!”

“You sure are, Utsuho.” She takes her hand off my head. “But we’ll deal with that later. Your master's sister has just given birth, and she needs our support—that’s what's important, okay?”

Pouting hard, I suppress the desire to coat myself in cement and hurl myself to the bottom of an ionized lake. “… Fine.”

“Good girl~” She pats my head once more before turning to the observant nurse, squatting to her height, draining her plate, and saying, “Sorry for that commotion; can you keep guiding us, please?”

The nurse giggles serenely, “It's fine, it's fine, usa~we've been experiencing a lot of meltdowns recently because of the many pregnancies around Gensokyo.” She resumes her walking, me and Yuugi following. “I'm glad Miss Nuke have you around; Dr. Eirin hates to be called during these hours… Well, all hours, actually. She's such a busy woman, usa~” I don't know why, but the sporadic gossip takes my mind away from the bad feelings lurking inside—her voice is very soothing… To deliver so many babies, though, the storks must be working nonstop. Glad I work with nuclear energy; just the thought of being responsible for the life of a child and getting them to their parents gives me the creeps…

At least Koishi-chan got hers before they ran out of babies.

Heh, hope we get a cute one~

>>46896930
“WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN?!”

Orin looks terrible: her eyes are baggy yet wide, her pristine red hair is disheveled, her skin wrinkled, and she has the sad, drowned-out expression of someone who’s spent two days straight awake dealing with the stress of frantically searching for a good place to dispose of nuclear waste. The nurse doesn't care, invading Orin's personal space with a finger pressed against her lips. “SHHHHHH!! The mother is sleeping!” She fiercely points towards the closed door, to which Orin sulks/hiss tiredly before, again, turning to me and Yuugi, who looks very apologetic yet struggles to hide her laugh. Sitting on the bench by the Kasha, Kokoro watches idly. “I'll check out Komeiji-san and if it's all okay, you may come in.” With no other words, the nurse entered the room

“That nurse is an ass.” She growls, one hand harshly cleaning her eyes. “What are you two waiting for? Laugh already, nyan…” Damn, Orin's more fatigued than when we play kancho. I prefer to focus on that… Tsc, even after that pep talk with Yuugi, the frustration hasn't settled down. I don't need protection, so why does Satori-sama feel like I need to?

Why not trust me…?

“Sorry, sorry~how are you two doing?” Yuugi asks.

Kokoro was going to say something, but Orin ran over her. “It was awful, simply awful—there was so much screaming; so much water everywhere before that hag of doors got us here, and we had to stay by Koishi, a-and she's suddenly a professional grappler…” Mumbling in phantom pain, Orin holds carefully to her b-bandaged hand, sounding as if on the verge of tears. “It is crazy how much easier handling corpses is than a laboring woman; what the hell! Did you know there was still more after the baby popped off?! Like, a massive sack of something so gross I puked! But I couldn't puke all over Koishi; that'd be rude, s-so I had to, I had… 35 hours of that torture…” She hugs herself, face nearly green, tail bushy and ears pressed against her hair. Kokoro gives her a gentle pat on the top of the head, and Yuugi offers her plate. Orin takes it right away and guzzles down the alcohol as if there were no tomorrow.

Guess she doesn't care about Satori-sama's orders for now…

Seeing her opportunity, Kokoro followed with a deadpan. “It was traumatic.” And, without ceremony, she falls to the side, head landing on Orin's shoulder, yet eyes sport a thousand-yard stare.

“A-At least it's over—so, so, tell me~boy or girl?”.

Orin groans and rubs her eyes, and as the exhaustion subsides, a small smile creeps onto her lips, almost against her will. Her hands move to support her chin, seemingly proud. “… Boy~”

To my dismay, the oni yells, “Ha!” and pumps her fist, her cheeks flushed. “Suika owes me so much food now~” Oh… What? I don’t get it. Orin laughs softly, her tail wagging in evident delight, and Yuugi follows energetically, ignoring the still-drinking Orin, asking, “Is he cute or—”

“—all's okay with Komeiji-san and her baby,” the same nurse from before appears from behind the now open door, smiling with flushed cheeks. “However, per the doctor's orders, only one at a time—Komeiji-san needs to rest.” She looked between us, fluffy ears down, and patiently waited while her free hand massaged the bulging belly.

Not a single glance is exchanged before Orin says, “Okuu, you should go in.” All eyes are on me, though I focus on Orin's and Yuugi's, my body abruptly tense for motives beyond me.

“Don't look at us like that; it's doubtful these two want to go back there so soon, and someone needs to get them back in shape~!” Yuugi rises to her full height, smiling big and boisterous—that shadow I saw earlier completely gone, though not from memory.

She hides it pretty well…

I wonder if it's the same for Satori-sama.

… Man, this sucks! If I knew I'd be feeling this bad after discovering so much nasty stuff going around me, I'd rather have remained ignorant. Life was much easier when the use of overwhelming force solved all my problems—now I have to think, ugh… “Oi, Okuu.” Orin calls me, eyes turning to her, a silly smile likely spawning from the amount of sake she drank; still, a sharp cleverness remained behind her crimson eyes. “No need to think so hard about it, nyan~it's you, Okuu, the nuclear menace and cutest birdbrain to have ever lived! Koishi and her kiddo will be delightful to have you close by.” She gives me a double thumbs up and, due to erratic movements and tiredness, falls out of the bench; Yuugi snappy to catch the kasha and Kokoro before they hit the floor.

Her words are weird and mix with the ones already bouncing inside this head of mine… A smile opens anyway, though strained, and wings fall a little as a notion is born out of that chaos: nuclear menace and a birdbrain—perhaps that's why Satori-sama doesn't trust me anything about what's happening?

I think of Koutei, the palpable sadness in his eyes as he watched people bow down to him…

With a quick nod to them, I follow the nurse inside.

>>46896941
—
My prayers were answered, because that's the cutest baby I've ever seen~

I'll need to thank his designated stork when I get my own cute baby. Tiny tufts of green cover his scalp, and even with his eyes closed, I can precisely superimpose Koishi's eyes over his, the blanket wrapped around him of a verdant hue. Whoa, that’s a lot of green! I wonder if his papa liked green too… Though, unlike other satori, his third eye was nowhere to be seen—heh~—all I could see was a purplish cord dangling around his body, connected to Koishi's backside by a round bulb the size of a pebble. Koishi held him with dazed, tired eyes, too focused on the kid to pay us attention. “Fascinating, isn't it?” The nurse says, grinning and pleased with my reaction. I stare oddly at her. Why is she so goddamned invested in this…? “His third eye hasn't developed yet and must remain connected to the mother's to properly mature, so Komeiji-san is bound to him for about three months… Ever wondered why you don't see many satori around?”

H-Huh… No? I don't say it aloud, a little embarrassed—and majorly confused—so I just nod, much to her enjoyment. Koishi's eyes light up when she finally sees me. “Okuu, hello! Look, look! This thing came out of me~!” She moves the baby to be more visible, and though curiosity spreads inside, my legs feel weirdly static. Why?! Just move already, you dumb bird! Stop being so confusingly sentimental… GAH, SO MANY WEIRD FEELINGS—

—The nurse gives me a quick tap on the back to stop my racing thoughts before I can pull my hair out, her smile smug. “Afraid of a lil' baby~?” I pout: o-of course not! She laughs, then there is another tap, and at last these legs take me to Koishi’s side, wings tense and rubbing my arm awkwardly. The cannon in my back feels unnaturally heavy—I should probably keep it away from the little man; babies are not radiation-proof yet.

“You don't seem fine, Okuu! And that’s coming from me—look at the size of this boy’s head! It was a pain to push him out!” She giggles, presenting the baby ever closer to me. Heart and mind spent, I do not feel like laughing, idle and restless; Koishi seems to realize it, her weary eyes shifting to the nurse. “Ms. Rabbit, could you leave us be? I'd like to have a private heart-to-heart!” The nurse's ears perk up briefly, but all she does is nod and, by the next moment, leave. Koishi stares at me now, her smile softening to a small thing as she moves to be more comfortable, the little baby groaning but not waking up. I find myself shyly perching on the stool to the side of the bed, faint sunlight illuminating the room with tender golds. “… Well?”

I don't want to disturb her with my petty and rather silly problems, especially not after she just gave birth and is holding her child… But the way her eyes stare through me, the lack of that black hat, and kind smile compels me like nothing else: “Do you… understand there are a bunch of things happening around us?” She remains silent, encouraging me. “There's this HSE and Yukari is doing a lot of bad stuff—whatever a brothel is and how 'adult entertainment' relates to creating that sword in the Underground and chaining a goddamn dragon to it—, a creepy 'Okina' is being bad to S-Satori-sama and… So much stuff happened that I didn't know; that I had no say about, even if it affected the people of the palace…” I pout harder, frowning with arms crossed, heart frantic and wings ruffling. Koishi-chan's smile cracks. “Why was I kept in the dark by Satori-sama? Doesn't she trust me to help? Is it b-because I'm… stupid and dangerous?” I fight back the desire to cry—as if the mighty sun w-would shed tears! That'd be silly!

Struggling to remain strong, I focus on Koishi's face; her smile was nowhere to be seen, arms clutching a little harder to her baby… That gesture seemed to change something and, before I understood what was happening, Koishi shoved him into my arms. “B-Bwuah?!” His soft body felt weightless, hands first clutching too hard and making his small face squint, Koishi simply whispering—'lighter, lighter~'—guiding me, a confusing set of events that destroyed the pacing of my heart. What's happening? What's she trying to do…?

So many questions—all erased when, eventually, I managed to hold the boy properly, wings shaky and eyes wide, sensitive to everything as if he could fall at any time… I'm holding Koishi's baby, his purplish cord stretching due to the small distance—I could walk maybe 2 meters away before it starts pulling Koishi—eyes closed still.

He looks so precious…

… Why put such a special, small and fragile life in the arms of the Sun itself? “Sister isn't very smart, Okuu. She tries to be cold and reclusive, but deep down she’s an idiot who never learned to deal with others' emotions—heh, guess I am the same; I don’t even know what my baby's father looks like~” I blink. H-Huh? What is she saying? “And, because of that, she tries to do everything by her loneself… Such a dummy, isn’t she?”

>>46896950
—
This is a side of her I… have never seen.

Yes, she is abrasive and carefree, and she does not have much attention span—it made her prenatal a nightmare—but rare glimpses emerge from time to time; glimpses of the person Koishi was before she closed her third eye, which is now watching like a hawk over the sleeping child in my arms. Koishi exudes a sweet and gentle personality—maturity like Yuugi’s and Orin’s—while Satori-sama hides a childish side… That, I suppose, explains why the storks chose her to have a child. Still, her words shake me, clarifying and untangling the puzzling mess that, as the day proceeded, became more and more muddled. But I need more, and the mother in front of me was happy to offer. “It is always the same song and dance with sister: dealing alone with the Palace and Underground affairs; all the work with spirits, onis and so much more, all which she does by herself—no wonder she never found a man; she is a pain in the ass!” She giggles wearily, and now I find strength to do so too. “… I know, Okuu, about what's happening around Gensokyo.”

The words stopped me completely, eyes bulging. W-What?!

“I had my baby in the HSE when I was still dead to the world; I was present when everyone got together to help Kasen and… Sister and I had a fight by that sword in the lake when I discovered Yukari could've used her Gap to open my third eye.” She looks at me, the tone shift weighing down my stomach. “I'm not sure about what'll happen when me and…” A faint smile comes as she reaches forward and gingerly ruffles the boy's hair. “Me and Junya separate; if I will or not close my third eye again now that my pregnancy is over. It's scary: to know the love I feel now, the thoughts and fantasies I have of us for the future will just… Fade. I cannot go to Yukari—not like this, at least—and sister's warnings are fair…” A 'but' lingers in the air yet never comes. Her trembling hands, even for this birdbrain, are enough of an answer. Her back hits the plush mattress, and she breathes a sigh of relief. “Despite all that, Okuu, that I may at any moment lose myself again and there's nothing I can do to change that… I know it won’t be as bad as before.” She turns to face me, eyes bright with life, though tired. “Because my little boy won't be alone—he'll be in good hands~” She muses, and foolishly, my eyes turn down.

My hands, holding him.

… Oh.

“Everyone has their flaws. You may be dumb and reckless,” ouch, hope that burn doesn't cause cancer… “But you're so incredibly passionate about us—your loyalty and your love for the things you do~I wouldn't have you any other way.” Pride swells inside, the eye on my chest rolling. “Sister hasn't told you anything because she cares too much; she wants you and those close to her to be safe—from Yukari, the HSE and others… Even if it costs her.” Koutei's sad eyes come once more to the forefront, though no mess of feelings follows. Things are much clearer now, which means I’m not settling down! Koishi notices and giggles. “Look at you, beaming like the sun again~”

A surge of energy fills these limbs like nuclear steroids, a flame burning within akin to a meltdown. “Yes! Now that you did the thinking for me, I can finally function again—the answer is clear!” I lift myself from the chair, my smile reaching critical mass. “I must nuke Satori-sama…” The mother pales. “… with words!”

Koishi didn't look amused. “I just gave birth! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” Her voice, slightly louder than before, awakens Junya in my hands and, in sudden panic, I pass the newborn back to his mother's arms. We whisper among us, pointing at his twisting features—cute~—before Koishi is able to get him back to napping. “… You’ll be talking to sister, then?”

“Yup!” I show her a thumbs up, feeling revitalized in mind and body!

Wow, a good talk sure helps with the problems of the brain! I wonder if there's someone who does it professionally… Eh, likely not; Gensokyo would have one otherwise.

“It'll be a talk so insane, I'll overwhelm Satori-sama and so force her to stop being a dumdum~!”

Koishi smiles sweetly, one hand playing with her green baby. “I wish you luck—”

“—You're coming too!” I invade her personal space, hands firmly on her shoulders. “You and Satori-sama never solved that fight of yours, right? Then we'll solve it on top of a cool dragon's head, drinking soda and eating fish!” Koishi looks at me wide-eyed, unsure what to say, but I do not mind. I'm fed up with secrecy and mysteries! All's being solved between everyone—oh, everyone indeed~! “You said you had Junya-kun in the HSE, right?! So I'll go to the HSE and fetch the man AND the stork that got you pregnant!”

Oh, it’ll be glo—

“Stork…?”

“Yeah; how else would you have gotten pregnant if not by holding hands with a man, then phoning a stork—”

“—By the traditional method, Okuu: Anon, the father, penetrated my vagina with his penis and ejaculated inside my womb! There was no stork!”

… W-What…?

>>46896954
>>46896950
>>46896941
>>46896930
and this is part 2 of 3 of the little Okuu arc done~! Will let the storyline rest a little to focus again on the Village storyline now that other writers are catching up~

>>46896966
Thanks kosh

>>46896954
Oh no poor okuu learning about babies the hard way. I'm looking forward to see how this arc concludes.

>>46896930
>>46896941
>>46896950
>>46896954
Talk about being blunt, Koishi You're confusing Okuu with this "Sex" talk.

>Whoa, that’s a lot of green! I wonder if his papa liked green too…
If only she knew

I know I'm about 2 years behind but I love the idea of Reimu's husband leaving her and she burns down her shrine and is convinced that it's a major incident and not the natural result of her actions. Namely: beating him to a pulp every night before raping him.
I imagine she was going around with this energy asking people why her husband just left her only for people to shrug and look the other way. Somehow that is hilarious to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXbmD43_E64

>>46899033
can't believe you stole Hanaanon's plot for the Hanafic and exposed it like that, shampoo on you, Anon.

-Sekai-

Time slowed as the ground around the tree, around Sekai’s first immense in the physical world exploded outwards. A geyser of hate and malice, sickly metallic black liquid full of hate and malice reaching towards the sky like daggers pointed at heaven.

The heavens(sky) for its part remained parted, utterly shattered only it’s horizon intact, but in such a short time a match sphere, an orb, an egg made of the same hateful material had appeared. Its presence alone shattering the blue and star-patterned barrier Mima had constructed as if it was paper.

The spirits face warping to one of surprise and rage at her hard work undone, and the tree it was meant to contain, rolling with power, electric and even in the warped space and time coming undone and spreading.

Above the chaos and below the sphere, a young girl wearing brown stood. Sekai, the Ghost Girl Born of the Hakurei Shrine Experience, the Miniature God Born of Transgression.
At her word the world warped, the power over her inner, non-existent world leaving her body and manifesting in the world around her.

“Hello brother.” Her voice was strained, warped, and stressed as she tried to hold herself back, for the enormity of her power and form was such that without effort her rapid descent into reality would only further damage the. In her eyes shone hope for the future and a pleading innocence.

“How dare you.” A million, million hateful eyes stared at her. From the oil bellow which tried to climb it’s way up the trunk of her physical form and the ball of hate suspended above Gensokyo, the second Sekai stopped holding it back it would all come crumbling down.

“How dare you call me brother, sister.” His words were soat out with endless venom, a literal creeping poison Sekao could feel crawling it's way up her bark and through her roots.

“Please, I don't want to fight you, I don't want to fight mama, any of them, anybody, please everybody can still make it out alive if you help me.” Sekai was pleading, pleading, she’d do anything for her family and she just wanted everybody to get along.

“Do you think so little of me, so little of my resolve, so little of my hatred, that I would give up the second you came begging to me like a dog sister?” Sekai didn't say it, but it was clear where the more grandiose and egotistical traits from her mothers had gone.

“brother, you don't have to love with hate, can't you see, even if you're born as a grudge you don't have to be one.”

“Nobody can control the circumstances of their birth, and I will not cast that away. By giving up my grudges I would give up on vengeance for the sake of that weak and pathetic man I despise for his weakness, for Father.”

“But-”

“If I give up on this hatred, all of this suffering would have been for nothing.” Sekai realized this would go nowhere. “I am the righter of wrongs, and many wrongs have been done.” He was completely dead set on following down this path, accepting all of its consequences good and bad with complete understanding. The single mindedness resolve of a grudge like him was a terrifying thing to be realized.

“...The Righter of Wrongs, huh? That’s not really a good name.” It was kind of embarrassing actually, Sekai had thought of her own name but Koishi pointed out the same issue.

“Hmmm…” Her brother paused, his eyes rolling around in his sockets as he thought distractedly. ”You’re right, it’s more like a title, and I need a good name for a strong first impression.” His eyes rounded on Sekai. “You already took the grandiose and succinct name…”

Sekai, world, was a rather interesting name, but it was something she wasn’t going to back down on.
Lest she accept ‘Renko Yakumo’ as a name, the idea made her want to vomit.

“Hehe, well that’s one boon of being a big sister I guess.”

“Hmph, well I suppose… Gensou-douji will do.”

Sekai gave him a kind smile. “Don’t you think that’s a little too on the nose.”

Gensou-douji huffed. “I don’t need naming advice from the girl who named herself ‘Sekai,’ little miss ‘world,’ or perhaps I shall call you miss ‘society.’”

Sekai wanted to protest but she did choose the name, kind of. But in the first place it was just a suggestion that stuck, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember why. “...That joke only makes half sense considering the format and language of this.”

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Sekai shook her head. “I suppose it’s time to actually start fighting properly now?”

“Indeed, sister.”

And with that, the world exploded into a maelstrom of violence.

>>46902316
-Aya-

“So now we have to…” Aya trailed off as they exited the land of the back door manually. They were floating in an expansive sky littered with various trash objects and large sphere’s, Mai and Satono had described it to her as a ‘maintenance area,’ but other than following the directions given to her Aya had no understanding of what it actually was or why it worked.

Bellow them lay a shattered glass half-sphere and inside it, Gensokyo. Above the glass sphere sat a giant spherical writhing mass of tentacles made out of a hideous black liquid that made Aya sick just looking at it.

“Yep, welcome to our life.” Chisazu complained from behind her desk, still covered with mountains of paperwork.

“Hey it's not so bad-”
“-Most of the time we-”
”-don’t have much to do-”
“-other than dance.”
Mai and Satono said, finishing each other’s sentences as everybody else looked at them as if the two were weirdos.

Nazrin chuckled as she held a length of wire in one hand. “Don't worry, unlike some people we’re in shape since we get out once in a while instead of spending a millennium behind a desk.

Chisazu muttered something as she lagged behind the rest, Aya couldn't make it out but it was clear those two were both too similar and too different oo get along. Although Nazrin was right, while the rat wasn't ‘out of shape,’ she was the least shapely of them there.
Maybe she could do an article about staying fit after all of this was over.

-Goro-

The world exploded into a series of sounds, lights, and sensations. Goro hadn’t even seen Seija and Biten clash when it had all happened at once.
He felt weightless, and then a falling sensation in the disorientation. The first thing his mind went to was Seija, where was she? Was she okay?
The second thing his mind went to was the mission, and from the mission his mind went to-

“Anon!”
Right before-

“Ow!” Goro yelped as he felt somebody slap him on the back of the head.

“You couldn’t have said my name?”

Looking up from where he had jolted awake, noticing the roof tiling he had been laid on, he saw Seija standing next to him and bent over so that her face was almost directly above his own.

“Ah, sorry, what’s going on.” Goro asked, looking around helplessly. The situation the village seemed to have determined since the last time the two were outside.
The streets were flooded with a ankle deep sickly black liquid and most of the houses had either been collapsed, covered by roots of the giant tree he was just now noticing, or were being hoisted in the air by either veins from the tree of tentacles which emerged from the viscous liquid.

“Fuck if I know, the things seem to be leaving us alone for now, but I didn't see where Biten or Anon ended up.”

“Hmm.” This was rather bad, they needed to at least ensure Anon was okay, last they knew of him they’d tracked him to the same room Biten was in, probably hiding somewhere.

“Anon, huh?” another voice interjected

Seija spun, unsheathing her red scissor sword from somewhere to slash at the voice.

*Clang* the sound of metal against metal sounded as Seija’s sword was casually blocked by a kitchen knife.
“That's pretty rude ya’know.”

“Ah, miss Komeiji.” Goro had already scrambled to his feet and gotten a third of the way through a bow apologizing to the satori Youkai.

“It’s okay, but if you’re looking for Anon, I saw Tewi making off with a rather conspicuous looking wardrobe a little bit ago.”

“Well that’s just dandy.” Seija sighed in exasperation. “Now we have to rescue him from that nymphomaniac hag of a Loli.”

Koishi chuckled. “Well I don't know about that, isn't Tewi in love with that one guy? Daiko-osmething? I’ve never met him, but Anon should be fine, right?” Koishi said shrugging.

“I’d have to agree with Koishi here Seija, while I don't really trust Tewi, Byakuren had said she was kind despite her trickster personality.”

Seija wanted to protest, in her mind Byakuren had no place judging other people as bad or good, she wouldn't even trust the woman to choose dinner. But she also didn’t care to search for Anon.

“Then, what are we even doing here now? And wasn’t the underground closed off or something?” Seija complains, looking to Koishi.

“ A giant mass of sentient hate drilling through the earth in order to fight a giant tree and attack people tends to make a few extra holes, and don't worry.” Koishi said, smiling as she slashed the air behind her with a knife, sending a wave of pressure to cut through multiple tentacles before it slammed into the liquid covering the village streets, dispersing in an explosion. “Now you can help the rest of us clean up this mess.”

>>46902324
-God Squad-

Shou took a deep breath as she heard the explosion from the village. Not turning her head, she asked. “Please, tell me there isn’t a giant ball of hate fighting a tree in the middle of the crater that used to be the human village.”

Cirno from her position next to Shou. atop Tenma's face raised her hand and everybody stood silent. The fairy proceeded to hop up and down on Tenma's face, hand still in the air as Shou looked forward with a blank expression ignoring her.
After a minute Shou relented, turning to look at the fairy with a pained expression.

“Well-”

“It was a rhetorical question Cirno.” Shou sighed as she stepped off of the Tenma’s body.

“Hmm, looks like we’re going to have to put that Okina question on hold for now.” Suwako ribbetted.

“I do wonder…” Sanae trailed off, holding her Gohei in her hand as she gazed out to the human village, the forms of Reimu, Okina, and Yukari locked in combat.

The tendrils of black ooze launching projectiles and swatting at their erstwhile allies.

“She probably had a hint of this at least.” Kano sighed.

“Wait! What do you mean?” Cirno exclaimed scrambling through the air behind everybody else as they prepared to take off from the Moriya shrine, the battle in the distance providing an ominous backdrop as bolts of white lighting shot from the giant tree, splattering the tendrils of cursed liquid as they rose from the ground.

Shou sighed, looking to Cirno, and then back to the continued chaos in the now former human village. She shook her head. “It’s not important right now Cirno, let's get this over with first, then we can question Okina afterwards.”

With that, they went off to join the fray

-Suika and Yuugi-

“Jeez, what’s even going on?” Yuugi scratched her head and she punched a tentacle, splattering in across the ooze covered streets, only for it to reform a moment later and be greeted by another instantly lethal punch

“Dunno?” Suika took a sip from her gourd as she dodged the swipe of a tentacle and the laser it launched, casually dismissing it with a wave of her hand and a laser which would go on to drill through a house.

As if in response to the Oni’s questions, a flash of lightning shot out from the giant incandescently white tree, scattering the knee high ooze around the two oni and leaving behind a generic looking girl dressed in brown in the crater it left behind.

Without sparring a second she began quickly and breathsly rambling, not waiting for the Oni to respond. “Hi yes, I know what’s going on. Sorry about all of this, but my name is Sekai.” I’m that big tree over there and I need somebody else's help to constrain him.” Sekai said, finishing off her statement by poinint at the ball of hate floating above Gensokyo as the limbs of the tree reached towards it like grasping hands.
A second later red and green lasers flashed into existence flying towards it before being dissipated by a black-tinted explosion emitted by the orb that shook the ground. “Miss Okina is already helping me with that, but it’s not enough.”

Suika and Yuugi stared at her for a second before shrugging in unison.
“I’ll help the rest down here and prevent this stuff from getting to the ball, okay Suika?” Yuugi asked, going off to fight more of the mob tentacles trying to scale the tree of attack people.

“Sure thing Yuugi.” Suika said, nodding to Sekai before, smiling and taking off towards the giant ball and the fight in the sky.. “This’ll just take a minute.”

The ball of hate writhed and then grew an eye, a hateful thing which stared at Suika balefully. “Duck!” Someone screamed, and then the eye released a blast of energy slamming through the black cloud Suika poofed into and igniting the sickly oil that covered the village below.

Suika caught a glimpse of Hana, Reimu, and Yukari out of the corner of her eye. The three of them locked in a stalemate and constantly teleporting.

“Okay, kiddie gloves off fuck’o.” Seija reappeared in an instant, a look of anger on her face.
The masses eyes widen as Suika channeles her ability, increasing the density he’d within the palm of her hand, and returns in kind, increasing the density of a point in space in front of it.
Both smile as two black holes erupt into existence.

-end-

Note: Small update this time as I squished two chapters into one and fast forwarded what was going on.

>>46899024
>>46898966
she needs to learn a way or another, and better Koishi than the quintessential member of the fodder squad to teach her.

>>46904530
I'd hardly call Reimu, Satori, Seiga, and Yoshika a squad.
DO they even interact.
It's more like a fodder lose association of people who barely know each other.

>>46904534
they're energetically aligned with each other in their failures of husbandry, like a hive mind. The 2hu Flood is real

>>46906406
> (Formerly) abusive rapist.
>Abusive rapist.
>Slave of an abusive rapist.
>Satori
Satori is a bit out of her depth here.

>>46906494
That's why she's the member most likely to survive.
Seiga and Yoshika, aka already the dead are 100%
Reimu, aka miss death flags is 50%
and Satori is like 15%

>>46906652
>Reimu, aka miss death flags is 50%

>>46907918
Reimu has the highest chance of living through the events of the finale but a coin toss chance of living afterwards.

>>46908397
>Reimu has the highest chance of living through the events of the finale but a coin toss chance of living afterwards.
heh

I open my eyes, then blink repeatedly.

The world ahead is water and fog, foggy water and humid fog, both stretching much further than what I can see. I blink again, trying to breathe, yet nothing comes; hands touch my chest; it doesn't go up and down anymore. With broad eyes, I then notice my clothes: barefoot and a white yukata, only that. The yukata's collar is a reverse 'Y'…

“I'm dead.” I mumble to myself.

“Ho…” A familiar whistle calls my attention and what once was an infinite river—the Sanzu—is now but a small water crossing, cherry blossoms letting their petals fall on the waters and gravel margins as the fog subsides just a little, revealing a simple wooden boat moored to the ground by rope and… An oar stabbed into the earth. “Not everyone notices it so fast; mostly happens when they see me.” The voice was from the person perfectly balancing herself on top of the oar, crouching and holding a scythe over her shoulder—a big frame for a woman and hair the color of strawberries—looking at me from above. “Hello…” Komachi Onozuka hums. “… again, Keine Kamishirasawa~”

Again…? Why is the shinigami—

“Man, you gave me a bunch of work that day, y'know? There were so many feral souls to dispose of—sheesh.” She shrugs, swathing off a petal that fell on top of her nose. “Still, it's okay for you to not remember. Death is as remarkable as your name—and yours wasn't when your time arrived; I wonder if that's how you slipped right beneath my nose.” She leaps off the oar and lands in front of me, growing to her full height—a menacing half-head taller than me. She laughs. “… Or maybe because I was napping, but don't tell Eiki that~”

All I can react with is utter confusion. What's she talking about? 'Escaping beneath her nose'…?

As the seconds of thought come and go, clarity soon sparks like fireworks: death… No, no, this cannot be! Aki and Mochi need both their parents; it's my responsibility for adopting them! The revolution cannot work without me; it'll crumble and disappear without consolidation! Who knows what will become of its ashes? I promised hope for the children of Gensokyo—for those that suffer and aren't helped by shrine maidens!

To die like this, to just accept…

—Everything stops. Suddenly, my body is not my own anymore.

“Don't fight it.” Komachi's voice reaches me, vigilant. “I should've done this that day, but controlling spirits just after suddenly awakening…? Not really viable,” she yawns, tapping the back of the scythe repeatedly against her shoulder. “Eh, guess I shouldn't be worried—history has shown that when the Sanzu swallows something, it never lets go… Still, just to be sure.” My legs walk towards the rowboat, Komachi watching like a hawk, mind slowly draining out any thought as if some type of hypnosis. I tried fighting, but the flame inside was constantly and rapidly assaulted by snow that damped and sapped life off anything, leaving in its wake a mere corpse… “Who'd have thought?” She muses. “Many have tried, and I've grown bored by their attempts. You gave me a scare once, but in the words this poet Kasen knew, ugh… They really fit this situation, but, um…” I barely register she's speaking, struggling dearly against becoming like that frozen corpse.

It was futile to fight the world and protect those two little babies; anyone in possession of a functional brain knows; only death waits, sooner or later.

“Eh, it doesn't matter. Just know one thing, Kamishirasawa: Death always catches up~”

History has shown time and time again…

My feet hit the wood, about to climb onto the boat, Komachi already having climbed, oar in her other hand, a lazy trepidation lingering in her mulberry eyes.

The Sanzu was the shortest I'd ever seen.

… But history is never written in stone.

I stop.

“… For fuck's sake.” She desperately tries to row the boat to the other margin, the other hand releasing the oar and trying to pull me inside—

That corpse is not Keine Kamishirasawa.

—the boat rocks as, with an abrupt pounding headache, I kick her away from me and fall back onto land, tripping and rolling on the gravel, everything inside of me shaking with agonizing pain.

Rage is hot and nigh impossible to hold beneath my skin, knuckles closing as my eyes meet Komachi's; she'd lost her smile, clutching to the scythe with tenacity—a sight to behold: Gensokyo's most notorious slacker, furious…

Around us, the rosy petals litter an arena of soft gravel, the Sanzu—an ocean again—eerily silent, though shadows of unfathomable size lurk right beneath the waters.

With deep breaths, I push myself up. “Komachi-san, I know Gensokyo wouldn't work without you to guide the souls of those that died, and I'm very sorry for being a nuisance…” Hurting still, I take a powerful tug on the yukata and, with a tearing sound, rip the inverted collar and let the frayed white cloth hang on the obi; my breasts are, gladly, wrapped in bandages, so I'm not entirely torso-nude. “… But I fear I must postpone my death just once more.”

Komachi eyes me for a long moment, the penetrating gaze remaining as she made her way out of the boat and onto the gravel; a note of tension and a droplet of sweat, I hope, were the only hints she had of the mess that's going inside of me: liberating oneself from mind control bears as much recoil as the removal of a pertinent parasite, the places where its tentacles sank sensitive and dazed, my vision slightly blurred and legs and arms struggling as to not shake, breathing all over the place. I need a moment to recover… And to think what I should do next. Saying and doing are, after all, very different in nature— “I despise people like you.” She says out of the blue, throwing her scythe over both of her shoulders and letting her hands hang over the handle. “People who believe they should live longer than others due to unfinished business: newsflash, dumbass, that is no longer your concern! You're dead—let the new generation take your place; let your ideals hold a spec of importance as you had only one life to define them… But no, you must continue living; otherwise, how possibly would the world carry on spinning?” The sheer outrage in her words cut deep, face of pure disgust but also of hope: Is she trying to… convince me?

My chest clenched with the understanding and the bittersweet poignancy of her words—history, after all, is a collection of deeds that cannot be undone…

… Not by everyone, that's it.

My face firms and, at my hands, Danmaku sprouts in patterns of blue and red—I may not have my spell cards anymore, but to duel in Danmaku is to use the energy of the spirit… And of that, I have to spare. “You're not stopping me, Komachi-san—”

“—Do you even have a plan?” She asks, headache dispersed and limbs recovering from numbness. Her question, however, is valid and sweat pours down my nape.

There's very little I can do, but it's not quite hopeless. I revived once, she said…

… But how?

The plan is to get it from her, one way or another.

Her eyes narrow with understanding as the Danmaku cloaking my hands grows stronger and unfurled scrolls start orbiting me from beyond the veil, a tired 'tsc…' leaving the lazy shinigami. “Fine, so be it. I still got a ton of work today because of you.”

The gut punch takes my attention for a split second and before I can grasp it, all distance between me and her vanishes, her scythe plunging, eyes wide and nigh predatory; my left hand thrusts into paper and the taste of what had just happened is as pungent as reading about a gruesome death, the distance between us returning just as her scythe hit the gravel—so this is her power… problematic.

She sighs. “I was afraid of that… Ah, this could've been easy: manipulate the distance and sit on the other side of the Sanzu until you either go mad or give up.” Anxiety builds up inside: the world goes on despite my death—Mokou, Suzu… Hold on, please. “… Enough talking.”

Any thought is cleansed as the duel resumes; the structure of Danmaku not totally forgotten as the distance suddenly increases and decreases at her pleasure, forcing me to eat the past in order to unmake it. I struggle to avoid the absolute lunatic patterns of golden Danmaku—golden coins? Fitting, I guess—my last duel a few months ago, eyes jumping around at full speed and throwing my own bullets—

—I'm in front of her, hand plunging into the nearest scroll—she's not aiming for me! “You're not the first!” I pull the scroll, but a good chunk of it is ripped off from the ring of paper circling me. Opportunity arose and hundreds of bullets whizzed in her direction, the shinigami dodging immaculate, eyes never leaving me. “Many came before, meandering endlessly about how they must return to do this and that—do you know what I do with those people, Keine Kamishirasawa?!” The disparity in technique is evident as the seconds pass, her Danmaku and scythe aiming entirely for the scrolls orbiting me, chipping them effortlessly… And just as effortlessly, they were fixed or replaced.

She's not fighting for a win; she's just wasting my time…

Each second, more happens on the other side. My eyes are big and nervous, heart beating frantically—I must get my answers from her quick—

—The scythe changes direction and before I can entirely sink my left hand inside the scroll, the sharp edge shears off half of my hand, two torn fingers flailing through the air.

… It's odd how painful a wound can be even after death, body tumbling backwards and other hand furiously scrambling to reach inside the nearest scroll. “… I sit with them on the margin, eating apples or whatever! I make the ride to the Yama longer so we can talk; so I can give them a sort of peace before harsh judgment! And you know what?! It works most of the time! Not always, but I try my best!” Distance melts, and a few hairs are sliced off. “So what makes you think you deserve more? More time, more life—more anything! What gives you the impression that you’re so superior to people who felt they also deserved more?!

The unrelenting aggression is both physical and verbal; a hand that may not be bleeding, but the pain was still felt, and words that pierce deeply and draw doubts and anxieties that were hidden beneath a regal cloak but here, on the shores of death, are more than evident. She's right, isn't she? History is made of events that cannot change, of ideals that either perish in the sands of time or stand monolithic as long as one thinking mind lives. the HSE is a blight, terrible in all shapes and forms, yet just another atrocity in the middle of thousands; the Village, Gensokyo, and even the Sanzu will all eventually perish in a cycle that encompasses all, even the immortals like Mokou…

Such thoughts bring weird tears to my eyes, mind barely registering as I graze by waves of whizzing golden Danmaku, dodges rapidly growing harder and harder, tighter, my powers sluggish as scrolls had to be replaced often and, little by little, Komachi-san gained ground; and if not, so what? She doesn't want to win, only for me to waste time, to give up… Yet her words keep hounding me, slashing just as much as her scythe. I have a goal; I need to discover how I revived! How else am I going back to them? To that revolution that placed all their bets on these shoulders; of all that accumulated hope and all my responsibilities?!

The echo of a rifle shot takes away my attention and Komachi-san slashes me in the face—she holds back—, sending me sliding onto the gravel like a stringless doll.

How fleeting was that end, huh? One bullet.

Everything can end just like that.

Eyes on the sky, body aches all over.

… It's all just another ultimate rule of history—of the universe itself—that death catches up to all. All the blood I poured, all that planning and sweat were utterly wasted, and now I'm dead again…

If I knew from the beginning—after I woke up at Eientei and saw those babies not covered in blood; heard their sweet giggles, not the painful wails of despair; said all those words to Suzu—that what I was living was my second life…

A hand reaches to me, and I expect pain to come…

It never does.

Komachi-san gently picks me up and throws me over her shoulders, sulking. “Why are you all like this?!” I glance over at her; she’s beyond pissed off. “Things can be easy; you're dead! Nothing should be of your concern anymore… Life was hassle enough, wasn’t it? Why not accept and, you know, 'Rest in peace'? It's your rest—your only legitimate rest!” She coughs and massages her head, eyes closing yet the way to the boat continues.

My body aches. Burns.

… Would I still do everything the same way?

All the pain, the humiliation, the disgrace of doing everything right and then having it all stripped away from you because of one bad lie. All that again, maybe worse…

Fujiwara no Mokou holding our little babies—Aki Kamishirasawa, Kuramochi Kamishirasawa—, the constellations above as we sat on top of Mt. Fuji and ate tasty food.

For that one moment alone, amidst a million others, good and bad…

“Do you want to know how wasteful your efforts were? How outmatched were you from the beginning? See for yourself, and may your last ride be memorable!” She extends her free hand to the skies, expression focused and righteous, as if trying to prove a point. “God, I think I have a migraine; why do I even care? Ugh, and to think I still have so many souls to ferry. Thanks for that—” She turns to me.

She hasn’t a moment to react before a flattened hand mercilessly plunges into her face, piercing into her eye socket.

The effect is immediate: she throws me back onto the gravel and screams her lungs out, fighting to keep herself upright and cradling her face in agony, blood violently cascading down her face.

… Of fucking course it'd be worth it.

“YOU FUCKING PRICK, MY EYE!” She keeps shrieking, holding onto her face, scythe down on the ground as her knees buckle from the excruciating pain.

As she wailed, I powered through the pain and got myself on my feet, lungs malfunctioning and sweat dampening my uncovered upper body—thanks, bandages~—, hair wild and just… stared at her, letting the crushed eye between my fingers hit the gravel.

Despite the agony that is breathing, I slowly buried my hand into a scroll.

Komachi-san's cries dimmed as the moments passed; no blistering pain from having her eye viciously plucked off coursing through her body.

Her hands recoil, and her two healthy, cherry eyes blink a lot.

… Better than others; more deserving than others…

Who cares?

“I just want my life,” I mumble.

“… Tsc, people like you are truly the worst.” She sighs, eyebrows frowning as she crouches to pick up the scythe. “Look up, Kamishirasawa—Shiki Eiki should be on her way.” And, casually, she sits on the boat.

But I cannot pay attention to that, only up.

The moon in its entirety covers the skies of the Sanzu, so close that I think I could fly up to her.

Yet I only gawk in awe…

… It takes six seconds for realization to come.

I haven't transformed.

>>46911980
>>46911976
>>46911967
part 1/3 of the rebirth arc done~!
Next will be Sanae and Mokou, but not much of them as I need to let them into a place Hanaanon and Ayaanon can still use the events without having to fiddle too much.

>>46885711

Lunch had passed by quickly, Sanae and Hana had eaten with the other miko’s of the shrine shortly after landing. Both of their appetites had been stoked by the flight over, and the smells coming from the large kitchen; part a large building the Moriyans commissioned the Kappa to build long ago. It was where the mikos in training practiced everything but danmaku, and some of the more devoted even lived there as a second home. Till now, Hana had little reason to ever visit the interior, preferring to visit the real residents of the mountain directly.

Hana did like how convenient the kitchen was, the metallic stoves had the mark of Kappa tech. The sinks on the walls were able to run water through them, and the electric bulbs on the ceiling made it bright and welcoming. The building was even perfectly warm, it was like the outside didn’t even exist in here; certainly, it was luxurious and all that, and everyone was smiling and happy as they sat around long the long wooden tables for lunch.

However, there was something missing… Something that Hana couldn’t put her finger on. She dug into the meal in front of her, a ‘set c’ meal as Sanae called it, part of three other sets that were swapped out every now and then. Hana couldn’t help but feel that something was just a little off about the expertly made fish dish she nibbled on, perhaps it was just in her head? The old couple that worked the kitchen were certainly nice to her, they even snuck in a serving of pudding onto her tray.

Was it how Sanae seemed to rush her into that building? How the mikos all seemed like copies of each other, they all village girls around her age or younger, often sporting some kind of styled hair clips and ties that looked like stylized frogs, snakes, thunder bolts, and so on. Their faces were almost all blemish free and full of smiles when they saw Sanae, their uniforms were nicely pressed and well maintained, all of their goheis were adorned with little drawings and cutesy clip-on figurines.

Perhaps what made Hana feel off was how everyone seemed to know her name and spoke plainly, as if they were old friends. Sanae’s apologetic glances as Hana shook hands and endured hugs told the miko everything she needed to know about how they got their information. Hana nodded along and tried being polite, but everyone kept treating her way too comfortably, even giving her little nicknames like Hachan, Nana… or ‘Ana…

Finally, as they sat together, Sanae at one hand happily nibbling on her food, and seemingly every miko at the shrine crowded to her other did the living goddess speak. She commanded the attention of the girls around them naturally, giving Hana some desperately needed breathing room. With a breezy tone somehow free of Sanae’s more playful mannerisms she addressed the girls, “Like I said, you’ll have to ask Hana-chan about details of her work directly. It’s improper to speak of others~!”

Hana could practically hear the wink Sanae made, she could’ve sworn a small danmaku star shot out on cue. The girl she was talking to, one of the tan-haired older miko sporting a pin almost exactly like Sanae’s, if Hana remembered right her name was Sayori. Sayori pouted as she whined, “That’s no fair! The other day you were telling us all about how strong she is! That she already made her own spell card, and can handle the dangerous requests you don’t let us go on!”

She what…? Hana looked at Sayori up and down, she was around the same age as Hana, though maybe a year or so younger or so if she had to guess. Sayori was dressed in the blue and white miko’s outfit that seemed to be uniform here, though everyone’s was stylized to be notably different, hers seemed to much more ‘proper’; looking the most like Sanae’s own winterized hakama. Out of the gaggle of girls numbering a bit over a dozen Sayori seemed to be in the oldest age group, with most of the girls being her junior.

She looked reliable, she was more than old enough, and despite how childish she acted there didn’t seem to be a hair out of place; even her gohei seemed well maintained and its paper was starch-white. By all means she seemed well put together and smart, Sanae is a great teacher even if she does get side tracked, so she should know plenty about taking down youkai. It’s not like Hana hit the sky flapping by any means, but channeling magic and the divine powers into a youkai till they pop, or pummeling them with a gohei till they beg for mercy is youkai extermination 101.

A look of embarrassment crossed Sanae’s face, but she rallied herself and with a straight face managed to say, “That was merely for education, after all; thanks to my information you know all about your biggest rival as a miko and Moriyan.” Sanae glanced at Hana and winked, “After all, even if you’re the best at danmaku and team leader, it might just not be enough~”

>>46912562

Hana couldn’t help but smirk at that, her slapdash training had barely borne fruit thanks to the skill of her mentors. Still, she wanted to play along; after all, she realized what made her so uncomfortable: These girls were simply overly pampered and coddled! Sanae was a gentle woman, she loved loving others and helping them grow to the point of it getting in the way. The food was too delicious, their knowledge and skill were academic, their home was too comfortable, and there was a bigger issue with these girls she couldn’t ignore. They were all inexperienced, and have never faced any life-or-death situation despite their training in danmaku. Hana had doubted they’d ever even had to face down one of those feral youkai that bothered the farmers.

Smiling, and keeping it from turning into a grin, Hana responded with the voice of a disappointed parent, “That’s right, after talking and sizing you up I can safely say there’s no real threat here… In fact, I think I could beat any of you girls down!”

That seemed to rile them up, which must have been what Sanae intended, given by how she beamed. Hana was happy to play along, these girls just gave her the wrong feeling, she was sure they were nice girls. They were all friendly, and if Sanae wanted her to mingle with them they were good people. However, they were too comfortable, she didn’t have anything even close to this level of luxury at home. Honestly, it kind of ticked her off seeing how nice Sanae must have treated them every day. She couldn’t describe this shameful feeling that came over her, but she wanted to prove to all of these girls just exactly who was the top dog here.

The girls took the bait, she felt like one of those old men out along the riverways of the youkai mountain; catching so many fish during spring they could feed five families for a day. Sayori especially took the bait, as well as the other girls egged her to right that slight, she shouted, “T-then I’ll show you just who’s better at danmaku! Sanae-sama taught me ever since I was child. I won’t lose to you!”

The smile turned into a grin, Hana felt good knowing that read Sanae’s intentions to the letter… and knowing she could blast this whiny girl in the face… Clapping her hands together, Sanae let her voice boom over the din of the lunch room with practiced ease, “Alright! Everyone, after we eat, we’ll all get to watch a danmaku battle!"

>>46912568
Is this the beggining of HaNah I'd Win?

>>46912591
It's so sad, Hana, jobbing to mob shrine maidens.
It's to set up her future instant loss against Yukari.

>>46913797
>>46912591
Please understand, I had to make Hana into a jobber. Very important to her story to job to everything, especially oc mob shrine maidens raised in an ivory tower

>>46912562
>>46912568
poor secondaries, about to get pummeled by Hana's weaponized trauma/autism...
thanks for the chapters!

>>46913874
Secondary on secondary violence... I would say Hana has plot armor, but its the opposite...
Whether Sayori or Hana wins, we all fap...

>>46911980
>I haven't transformed.
did this silly goober really think she'd be able to transform and do her uber powerup while dead?
I mean you gotta be living to transform, right?

>>46914297
give sensei a break, it's just her second time dying. She'll figure things out by the fourth or fifth, I'm sure!

>>46911980
Fight Keine! You have so might to live for, and by the time you return to life and expire normally, Komachi will have forgiven you for clawing at her eye, she's easy-going like that.

>>46912568
Hana, don't get smug before you even start the fight, you're setting yourself up to lose!

>>46917654
>Hana, don't get smug before you even start the fight, you're setting yourself up to lose!
c'mon, she deserves to be at least a little smug about this whole ordeal. She never slacked in her training and, unlike in other areas, has a certain confidence in her skill, and non-euclidean movement is busted when not against the greatest autist to ever live (Yukari); she deserves to be a little indulgent in how she deals with the Shrine Maiden equivalent of rich STEM kids

>>46918888
Very nice gif!
Its mine now

>>46826350 (1/3)
—
Heart pounds, body hurts all over and I'm barely… Here, a sort of static buzzing in my ears and making the world around me—apprentices huddled together around me, shaking and reciting once carefree prayers wistfully. Below the flames consumed the village, the only two safe places being the unscathed markets of the HSE and Miko's golden pillar; and above, a sky made of blends of pitch black, gold and red—oddly deaf. Perhaps hemorrhage-induced stupor? It is a death by thousands of paper—pressurized air—cuts, after all; I'm so tired, too. That birthday party never ended. Yukari is watching; is Hana safe? I hope so. Did I leave the oven on? I don't remember turning it off; I wanted to cook something nice for Hana… What the hell am I doing here? Why did I meddle? Well, I wanted to protect the people of the village; of course I wanted to, yet nothing has improved. Things have only worsened—

“S-Sanae-sama…” Sayori's voice, my possibly smartest but also most stupid apprentice, jolts me back to consciousness.

… I zoned out?!

This split second moment could've killed me and my apprentices. What the hell, Sanae Kochiya?! You're fighting one of your strongest opponents to date!

Such an opponent that keeps watching, still like a monolith, her eyes wide and waiting for a reply to a question that hits like a violent gut punch, overpowering the agony of the cut eye and the broken arm: She had the perfect opportunity to attack, yet just stood there… She hasn't completely lost her mind, which comes through in those piercing words—only good hand trembling; of course I know what my interference is causing her! What I wouldn't give to stop this pointless fight, arrest Mr. Hieda; get him to religious trial under Suwako-sama…

If Mokou kills us, she'll swoop down and burn all the Hieda Clan into fine ash, even the innocent maids and children…

But then what? Without the Hieda Clan, the Human village has no ruler, leaving it wide open for a war of succession; one Keine and Miko would've pacified.

With just Miko to pick up the pieces and this catastrophic event, the village will be pulled apart and soon cannibalize itself…

No, Mokou cannot kill all the Hiedas; there are still people there who did not lift a finger against her and, with the revolution shattered, those people will be necessary to regain a semblance of order… Otherwise, others will exploit the chaos—eyes move to the HSE, Yukari's figure holding Hana with triumph in her eyes a nightmare… But also a source of strength. Hands clench and, breathing in and out, lungs burning, I whisper to my apprentices. “Retreat. Don't even think of getting close… Whoever does loses three 'Good Girl Stars'~” The attempt of humor doesn't soothe their frightened eyes or clean the grime, tears, burns or blood from their skin… But a few giggles echoed, snuffing hell for but a moment, and I prayed one day, amidst them, Hana would laugh too.

Without looking back, I fly towards Mokou, her trembling hands leaving those pockets and eyes on the golden pillar, heartbreak and vengeance etched in her crimson irises. “Get out of my way.” She speaks in a tone that is like a weak campfire in the middle of a snowstorm—constantly extinguished but frustratingly trying to find a spark again. It felt miserable. Heart thumping and holding the gohei tensely, I get within a meter of the immortal; my apprentices watch from the sidelines, prepared to cast seals to stop Mokou's infernal flames. “Just get out of my way; they deserve this…”

My intuition was right, sadly: that brief moment of hesitation; standing here, waiting. Hidden, quivering hands.

“You are gonna kill everyone down there, right?” I ask, the acrid air passing through the rifts in my uniform soothing the maimed skin underneath. Mokou… doesn't really react, groaning before turning her eyes downwards, searching the clouds of black smoke and waves of fire, my heart clenching; where's the bite? Where's the overwhelming pain that was there until a moment ago? Despite having torn her to pieces few minutes ago, those eyes that dodge mine… That's what death looks like, and it tastes sour, my heartbeat growing to a crushing pound. “We can keep on fighting and, at whatever point, you may kill me and my girls… The youngest of them is just 11, Mokou—”

“—Do you think I care?! Do you think I haven't killed children before?” She barks, yet holds not an ounce of power. A wounded beast, whose facade my next words destroy:

“You may then kill Mr. Hieda and his samurai and destroy the state… But that won’t be enough, right? So you’ll get into the bunker below the state me and my apprentices reinforced with seals.” She pauses, gawking at me from above. That information should've stayed a secret, but that doesn't matter anymore. “You’ll kill the pregnant women and children hidden in there, ending the Hieda Clan. After that, I assure you something: nothing…” Hana gently nestled in Reimu’s arms. “… will change the fact that you've failed her.”

>>46924751
ever heard of calm before the storm? Me neither~
aside from the one outside my house...
Posting this one for now, unsure if will be able to post the rest today. Hopefully I can, but if not then four chapters tomorrow.
Also, a cute Hana and Sanae, because I'm hyped for Hana showing off~

>>46869922
There’s a fanart now?!?!

>>46925392
it's just edits. We don't even get AIanon posts

>>46925408
You mean Reavski? It's not like the HSE is one of his projects or something he's interested in so why would he even be here in the first place.
And not having him here to post the art he generates isn't some big loss, you're post has this annoying wishy washy tone of being ignored be a celebrity and it pissess me off.

>>46925612
>and it pisses me off
good

>>46925612
Kill yourself

>>46925873
If him not generating anything for the HSE pisses you off so much do it yourself faggot.

>>46924751
Would Mokou really go all Anakin Skywalker and kill not just the men, but the woman and children? Maybe.

>The storm
That's just Sanae reminding you better write her well and make her look super cool.

>>46926531
perhaps she deserves to be single in her forties

flowchart of last thread coming through! A bit late, but what can you do? Life is a constant Tewi prank, after all
https://files.catbox.moe/dj2f88.png
for writeranons to guide themselves and for readeranons to scout for Easter eggs~!

>>46932633
Domo arigato Mr roboto

>>46924751—(2/3)
—
Those words were dangerous. But also truthful.

Sweat drenched my nape as I clutched tighter to my gohei, waiting any odd bodily movement, a stare too violent, or just… Any indication of a severe reaction. An entire head taller than me, Mokou stares blankly, her hands trembling and tucked in her pockets. The gunshots below and the sickening sulfurous plumes of smoke multiplied my anxiety tenfold, but I refused to give in. I met those red eyes as they scrutinized me, slightly narrowed with an uncountable number of thoughts, my bleeding eye remembering that not one second is safe for either me or my maidens.

Gosh, I just wanna go home and hug Hana, eat something tasty and play some gunpla.

I hate this! I hate this so much…

… But those are my responsibilities as shrine maiden. Never again stay put; back down out of fear. You already failed Hana and Anon… “F-Failing the people you love is terrible; to know they suffered while you could've done something…” The revelation of Hana's rape still tastes like battery acid. “… Those are scars that never heal—but it's not the end! You can still honor their memory and do better with what you still have! The Keine that Suzu told me the history of: that stood against all odds and saved those kids; that thought about improving life for people around her; that made amends with a great friend…” Mokou visibly winces. “Would she want you to kill innocents in her memory? Children that have yet to be born?!” Though I barely know her, my words pierce her armor, her mighty posture staring to crumble—dude, do I look cool? I hope so, because if words from the heart look embarrassing, what would that say about me…?—her face tumbling into deep thought, the backdrop of red death gleaming with gold.

If I can get to the bottom of this and calm her down enough so she can speak to the revolutionaries; explain the situation and allow me to freely deal with the Hiedas…

I draw in closer, wishing I could place my hand on her shoulder for a personal touch—it calms people to know someone is physically there for them—but I can not due to my broken arm and the gohei in my other hand. Hopefully, my soft smile will comfort her enough. “I’m a living goddess, Mokou; I know what people want and don't want… And you do not want to carry this weight.” The crux of the question; what is making hands capable of wiping out Gensokyo off from the map shiver.

My apprentices watch with held breaths; some of the younger ones cannot bear the situation anymore and openly and loudly wail, nigh drowning the volleys of bullets and anguished screams below—do they cry from the pain of the fight? Of the terrible, traumatic sights? All of it, probably… Mind goes back to Hana, breaking down in front of us before being viciously hugged. I'll hug each of them after this shitshow is over—older apprentices flocking to them to offer comfort and get them back into condition, my heart melting—from the corner of the eye, I notice Mokou staring too, gaze beyond here; maybe thinking about her children?

I am not sure, but I will make these poor maidens the greatest feast the Moriyan Shrine has ever seen, complete with all the meat we have in stock and a boatload of desserts!

So close—so very close…

… If Mokou just understands, this can end without any more dea—

—The world suddenly shakes with massive explosions.

Wide eyes turn to the golden pillar as burst after burst of huge eruptions shakes the ground below and rains over those desperately running towards safety, the clouds and fires melding together into a raging wave of terror that engulfed and, apathetically, proclaimed annihilation.

W-What?!

What the fuck is happening?!

Seconds of breaths held passed like torture, though not without reaction: Mokou's eyes were the largest I've ever seen, the trembling of her hands traveling up and shaking her entire being… Her friends and their families are behind those walls…

If the explosions destroy them all—

—More, more and more?!

W-What's with this speed?! What kind of weapon is shoot—

More explosions, but instead of aiming at the golden walls…

… The people fleeing into them disintegrate in a surge of inferno and sulfur, a panic unlike any other rising inside as the cataclysmic understanding of what Mr. Hieda is doing overwhelms me.

B-But not only fire; what's that green-yellowish cloud…?

As rockets descend from the sky, the golden walls begin to expand fiercely to safely envelope the injured and maimed, ejecting the clouds of poisonous coloration that leak from the bombs, charring and vaporizing everything in their wake—

—Another batch of callous death erupts, rattling the walls.

… scattered all over the auric light's surface: large, multiple fractures.

The immortal mumbles, catching my attention and, with shivers that run up my spine, I notice something, her eyes away from mine: she's not shivering anymore. “… Get the fuck out of the way, Sanae.” There is no sentimentality behind her words.

Fuck.

(3/3—p1)
—
I was born into the Human Village 16 years ago.

It was an unremarkable birth that—because my parents are avid followers of the Moriyans—was blessed by Sanae Kochiya. When I was four and discovered my talent for magic, it was just natural I'd be steered towards becoming a shrine maiden. I wasn't as strong as, at that time, the Hakurei daughter, who could do a bunch of cool stuff already—she was born into a Shinto family of generations—but I kept learning from Sanae-sama, dedicating myself to our gods and always training. Even if it wasn't what I wanted at first, it became passion. Others may think I'm arrogant, nosy, desperate for attention or just a smart ass; even Sanae-sama sometimes jokes around those traits…

But Sayori Houtō will never be a coward.

That's why when those explosions began filling the world, drawing morbid fascination from me and the others—I never realized explosions could be that big—I was the only one not to wince or get lost amidst the show of light and noxious smoke, eyes rushing to Sanae-sama just in time to see her whispering something to Fujiwara no Mokou, trembling hands holding my gohei.

It didn't take a second…

… Fujiwara no Mokou exploded into a deluge of flames.

“DEFENSE!” I shout, drawing the other apprentices' attention, Moriyan protection seals unfurling all around me. Bound by duty, even the sobbing maidens moved past trauma, eyes welling and throats hurting; we spread around with multitudes of seals that, hurled forward, formed a barrier that the fire chewed on violently, my muscles shrieking, uniform flailing wildly, eyes wide; how much power is this?! I thought she and Sanae-sama were giving their all!

Regarding Sanae-sama, she was surrounded by seals, albeit ridiculously many—roughly ten times as many as all of us apprentices combined—but her seals conveyed a different message: Fujiwara no Mokou must be sealed.

She faced the immortal head front even despite one arm incapacitated, the two of them swerving through the air at speeds greater than even magic could detect, the flames much more constant and dangerous, hair strands burning and blood dripping from my nails as the unsteady seals had to be maintained—the same history all throughout us apprentices—else the Human Village would be completely engulfed in flames, the inferno meeting sacred paper emitting such intense heat that it was vaporizing the air and carbon in my lungs.

Fucking hell, why didn't we bring Hana Hakurei again?! Sanae-sama said she's so good with sealing…

The sun kept trying to break the seals, but all it found was blessed resistance, eyes burning under the blistering light; some maidens were put out of commission—mainly the younger ones—workload naturally befalling us, the older ones; each second more demanding, more tense…

… That doesn’t mean that a Moriyan maiden who’s been blessed by Sanae-sama, Kanako-sama, and Suwako-sama will just give up!

Fujiwara no Mokou was clearly altered from what I could see from the small breaches between the overwhelming tsunami of fire, though it was balanced by how damaged Sanae-sama was, gohei meeting a fist of flesh and bursting it into a show of gore, the flames then licking Sanae-sama's skin before she could properly get away and so, with Fujiwara no Mokou persistently regenerating any damage she took, bombs still exploding down below and buzzing my ears… Sooner or later, Sanae-sama will fold.

She needs help.

I look around desperately, hair beating around my face as the ocean of fire fights a winning battle to destroy the sacred wall, more and more of us buckling under the immense pressure, meaning Sanae-sama will have to come and stop it, which leaves Fujiwara no Mokou fully free…

… We won't be able to stop all and when it's released, with all the accumulated kinetics it built during statis…

Devastation… That can be used.

It's an idea first and foremost, and if it fails, we're more than screwed—but we need to help Sanae-sama some way… Hope they don't add suicidal to those slanders. “EVERYONE, CHANGE FORMATION!” I yell to the few that remain, the ones unable to continue supporting each other and, at least, offering prayers of power to us, muscles energizing if by little as faith poured down from beyond. Eyes fall on me, broad and terrified—they know already what'll happen, our seals cracking. “SPIN THE SPHERE!” I start to move, my seals swimming on the fire surface rapidly growing agitated, more pressure for us; eyes focused on Sanae-sama and the immortal above us trading blows.

Confused but without a better alternative, they followed me, the others gawking in awe as we moved from below to up the gigantic sphere of fire three times the size of the shrine… Obeying the laws of physics, the sphere pursued, the barrage of seals now pointing up: towards Sanae-sama and Fujiwara no Mokou.

Heavens, if this fails…

… Almost all seals shattered like glass, maidens sprinting for their lives…

I remained there—one stupid maiden against the sun.

(3/3—p2)
—
And this stupid, dumbass shrine maiden thirsting for praise from her superiors held the sun still for just one more second, trying her best to perfectly align it as she was taught—Danmaku, for as random as it may see sometimes, is still a game of many traps and illusions used to manipulate your opponent; so you always must be considerate of spacing and timing, both which can be enhanced by arithmetic, though the basis of talent and instinct are ultimate—, screams for me to 'leave' and 'move' were completely ignored, the skin burning off my dermis and hair losing some tones of coloration, teeth bared and nails about to be pushed beneath the skin…

… But I held on anyway! So what if I wasn't born into a family that, for generations, has practiced Shinto and magic? If I'm not the protector of Gensokyo or whatever; if I had to be taught 'death' in front of everyone yesterday?—or if, even after all this training, sweat and tears, more than a decade of sheer dedication, I'm still so far from being the very best?

I'm still a Moriyan shrine maiden!

With the math right, I finally move out of the way, the absence of a constant source of magic being poured into the seals meaning that, before one second had passed, they all had already shattered like cheap glass.

One more second there, and I'd be obliterated.

Heavens…

Still, I left with just enough time for my legs to graze the inferno as it shot up with the speed of a meteor, perhaps even faster than those missiles Mr. Hieda is throwing at the revolutionaries, all those flames aiming directly at Fujiwara no Mokou, who, with less than a millisecond to react, could only look at her own sun darting towards her...

Flames, of course, wouldn't do any damage.

… But pent-up kinetics?

Her own ocean of fire hits her upper half, ripping her body as if a blind axe met damp lumber, the cut downtrodden and poorly made, viscerally ripping a chunk of her lower body too and dragging it, making the bleeding flesh spin frantically in the air as if an uncontrollable industrial kappa water hose.

The youngest between us comes straight at me, holding one of my arms with concern in her face, trying not to look at the gruesome scene. “Are you okay, Sayori-chan?!”

“You're fucking suicidal!” The second-oldest yells/laughs in disbelief. Ugh, knew it…

All their voices and the others that sprinted to me were ignored, my mind completely focused on not throwing up—I almost fucking died, but I think did it…

… Heavens, I wanna throw up so badly.

Sanae-sama, much stronger than me, immediately lunged forward and caught the crazed flesh with one hand—gohei between her teeth—, her thousands of seals rushing to cloak the about to revive Fujiwara no Mokou, words leaving her mouth quickly and automatically as warm blood cascaded down her torn uniform and body, the amount of power lacing each word enough to hold that Sun for seconds, her veridian hair maddeningly yet somehow elegantly wavering about, the Gohei held between her teeth shining with the blessed energy coursing her body and leaving her hand, feeding the seals and smoothly—

—No, not smoothly: flames began exploding out of the massive mountain of faith, trying their best to burn down the forming cage, talk between us ceasing as we watched in utter expectancy, spent and weakened—should she fail, nothing would be able to seal Fujiwara no Mokou…

But Sanae-sama is THE Moriyan miko and fought those infernal flames with all she had, stars and scriptures rupturing the air, eclipsing all those flames, her very divine power exuding naturally and marking the air with golden words from the past, future or maybe a mixture of both—auric columns that chronicled the Moriyan history compressed into one single sealing.

A true goddess far away as possible from her final twilight, doing what she does best, against the backdrop of a hell of reds.

It was like a magnificent painting.

And like all great masterpieces, its end proved the worth of its run as those scriptures, acting like chains, snuffed the fire and collapsed the sealing chamber into a star, silence arising then…

For Sanae Kochiya had sealed Fujiwara no Mokou.

… The smile on my face was confusing, same thing for the tears: why am I crying so suddenly? I'm not one of the rookies or something alike; I'm the next in line to become the Moriyan miko—w-why the hell am I crying?! And hugging my sister maidens, all of whom also cry and laugh in delight?

I should be up there with Sanae-sama, helping her: all she did was the inner shell of the seal—the hardest part—now we need to complete the outer shell, a bastion to hold Fujiwara no Mokou; otherwise, with just the inner shell, she can easily escap—

—Gunshots echo; nothing out of the ordinary today…

… But why did Sanae-sama jolt forward, her body shivering?

W-Why is there blood pouring and tainting what remains of the white part of her dress…?

I blink, and it's as if rain is reversed, coming from below…

A rain made of bullets.

>>46934768
>>46934763
>>46934751
this is it for Sanae and Mokou for now! Will wait for Hanaanon to get the gurlz in scene before continuing~!
fun fact: 'Houtō' initially was just a wordplay (hou + tou, try guessing (impossible)), but apparently it also means 'model', 'obey', 'example' and 'method', somehow fleetingly describing OChrine maiden-chan.

>>46934780
I don't think the name was necessary, she's just a mob afterall.

>>46934801
there's already plenty of OCs in this project, one more isn't exactly groundbreaking

>>46934801
true, and don't have intentions of using her anywhere so far into the project; still, I like naming cute things.
many such fetishes...

>>46934751
>>46934763
>>46934768
Hieda really did lose it, with the fire and his indiscriminate shelling and firing, the death toll must be massive by now. Things really aren't looking good for our heroes here.

>>46935301
No matter what the human village is doomed to be destroyed and become a wasteland.

>>46935449
Gensokyo deserves this after going full retard and allowing yukari to do whatever the fuck she wants.

>>46935449
>Anon, how's your government issued Youkai wife doing? Is she pregnant already? You know it's your duty as citizen of the Imperium to broaden the gene pool so we can move past the great Hakurei fiasco, right? You don't want to be publicly executed 12 times as punishment for disobeying the law, do you?

>>46935449
It'll be funny in a grim way if the thingws left standing after is is a couple of buildings and the HSE.

>>46935494
Oh no, what a terrible fate, haha. I'd hate to have a cute youkai wife and raise a family with her.

>>46935494
wild how keine's grand youkai impregnation plan was assisted by the widow of mr 192 himself

>>46935547
The unlucky Anons get the Kappa who are only into anal.

>>46935742
they just need a little convincing, Anon. And s lot of cucumber.

>>46912568

A bit off of the main grounds, where a small lake stood aside cleared ground reserved for festivals and large ceremonies, did the mikos gather for their danmaku duels. Today was gathered a flock of girls dressed in their winterized miko outfits, a troop of blue and white shouted encouragement to their oldest; Sayori something-or-other… did she even have a last name? eh… whatever…

The sun felt good upon her shoulders, shawl removed in order to let her upper arms taste the air. It left her with only her gloves and muffler on, enough to keep anything important from getting too cold. Plus, she didn’t need her number #3 business-miko glare interrupted by an inopportune sneeze.

With gohei firmly in hand, she stared down at Sayori, literally in this case as she made sure to hover slightly above her. Sayori must have been feeling brave, or maybe Hana botched her squint into ‘needs glasses’ territory. Either way, the young miko looked up at Hana without a sign of worry, clearly letting the cheers of ‘do your best nee-sama!’ and ‘show that Hakurei girl why our team leader is the strongest!’ get to her head.

Hana felt good, almost giddy even. She could feel her hand tremble lightly as she thumbed the worn wood, letting the shide smack against her hand and flutter in the breeze as it pleased. The two of them maintained their silence as Sanae ascended between them with the grace of a hawk. She barely took her eyes off Sayori, only greeting Sanae with a short bow as was polite.

Sanae seemed amused as everyone else as she broke the air between them with a clap and her chipper voice, “Alright everyone~!” the girls below fell silent as Sayori and herself were, “It’s going to be a simple danmaku match with myself as referee, standard timeout rules and restrictions apply! And remember, we’re only human, so Sayori-chan; no throwing stars! And Hana-chan; no needles! If you break the rules you’ll have to pick up allll~ the litter on the grounds!”

Both of them gave a sharp ‘Yes!’ as Sayori locked eyes with Hana again, the determined girl gripped her own gohei to her chest with resolve. Hehe, she loved confident ones the most… Hana spoke up as Sanae left the airspace, she couldn’t believe how cocky she sounded as she raised her gohei, “So you’re the team leader, huh? The air up here really must be thin if everyone thought you were the best choice!”

Sayori grimaced at her words before the gears started turning in her own head, with an expression like a light turning on, Sayori’s face light up. A chuckle escaped her lips she jeered at Hana with all the smugness she could muster, “I suppose miko that play in the dirt down below wouldn’t get it, but on the mountain, you have to do more than just bullheadedly swing your gohei!”

Hana’s own grin cracked at Sayori’s words, that niggling sense of annoyance flared as she raised her voice, cutting through the background jeering from the miko below, “Is that because your blessings are so thin that you can’t, or were you too busy drawing happy faces on your gohei to learn to use it?”

A nerve must have struck somewhere in that basic insult, because Sayori’s face flushed slightly before she quickly threw out, “I-I don’t draw on it anymore, and the figurine attached is super cute too! I-its from that super popular Tengu manga you know, it’s not weird!”

Letting an overly smug ‘heh~’ out, Hana made sure she angled her hovering body so that she could look down her nose at Sayori even more. That seemed to annoy her even further, because Sayori gripped her gohei so hard Hana thought she was trying to absorb it, “Y-you! I swear I’ll knock you down a peg; once I win, I’ll make you tell everyone about how much better our shrine is!”

There was no more perfect a moment, with Sayori thrown off balance by her words and the attention of the girls below hinging on Hana’s response; Hana chose that moment to up the theatrics. With one more taunt she put on the show in truth, “You and every riff raff youkai from here to the sanzu, next time I see that cruddy crow reporter I’ll be sure to pass her a picture of your crying face!”

Sadly, she had no wings of crimson fire, nor Yuuka’s passionate showmanship, nor Mima’s refined splendor. However, she had been practicing this in front of Aunn way too much to not be confident. Channeling the blessings of her god, made manifest in the form her illusionary seals, she used her power make the seals flow into an impossibly angled yin-yang pattern. She’d have to work on the black and white danmaku light show for next time, but this works just fine.

>>46942283

The girl facing her was no slouch either it seemed, still clutching her gohei in both hands, she summoned forth pellets of danmaku in almost the exact same pattern as Sanae’s ‘Gray Thaumaturgy’. At first Hana was apprehensive, Sanae had quite a few spell cards and miracles to call from, all cut you off from escape and overwhelm you as all good danmaku should do. The gigantic stars comprised of danmanku looked imposing, but she recognized the set-up, and most importantly it was less dense than the real deal.

Aside from study, Hana had to admit she wasn’t overly familiar with Sanae’s style. She read all about it of course, at least what was documented in the old grimoire Marisa gave her. However, the amount of time Sanae could devote to meeting at Alice’s home wasn’t much, and when Hana visited it wasn’t for training.

Still, the danmaku stars morphed as quick as they were summoned and rained around Hana. The slow bulbous things barely made her drift about with how sparse they were, there was no need to mess the world lines as she sent her tracking seals on their whimsical path. Hana knew that as long as she kept her distance this poor girl would have no chance of hitting, and as for her own seals…

Another smile started rising onto Hana’s face, the heat from Sayori’s danmaku felt pleasant against the cold wind as Hana grazed them. The incoming danmaku hit nothing but the air and dust, dissipating harmlessly into the surroundings. However, Hana’s own seals flew along their whimsical path at first before narrowing their aim directly onto their target.

Sayori evaded the first seals, a look of concern on her face after seeing how fast they seemed to turn through the air on their own initiative. To her credit, while she was evading, she never stopped firing off her spell card in turn, but it was meaningless as the seals that missed turned on odd axis and slammed into her back.

Hana heard a most undignified squeak a second before a barrier was thrust up, catching the seals that now poured towards her without ceasing. There was a small interruption between the time Sayori switched to a new attack pattern and the barrier going up, the power of Hana’s admittedly weak seals did its job in disrupting the rain of magic.

Using her magic for an explosive boost, like Marisa loved to do on her broom, Hana let the worldlines lay still as she boosted forward. There was no need for these girls to learn her ability just yet, she’d leave that for the finale, so instead she readied her gohei in hand with a vice grip.

Time slowed, subjectively of course, as Hana boosted forward. Grazing multiple clusters of pellets as she made for the empty air behind the curtain, it was nothing like Marisa’s more intense barrages where she had to dodge like a lunatic. Sayori’s face seemed to panic as she realized her mistake, she tried pouring her blessings into the forming pellets but it wouldn’t be enough.

The barrier was an issue, even as slapdash as it was, it was enough to hold back the illusionary seals. Needles weren’t allowed and she didn’t want to waste her actual ofuda yet, so she lacked the offensive power to break it. Instead, she’d use a little trick that overpowered beast of a women perfected long ago, and one she rarely had to use. With a flick of the wrist, her gohei collided with a cluster of nice and fat danmaku.

With a crack, it impacted, the sensation itself was minimal but instead she could see a spark where the pellets impacted against the shide and wooden shaft. She was close, too close, any new danmaku fired would crash into the other with little hope of dodging. It was a gamble, one with no hopes of working against the real hard hitters like Mima and Yuuka, they’d have read her movements and already had at least three things lined up to counter her.

However, Sayori lacked even Hana’s depth of experience. Instead of banking to the side, reflecting it, or using a spellcard; in that last moment she locked up like a kappa does when you break their toys.

The pellets that once formed the body a star blasted through the quick and already weakened barrier. With the sound of glass shattering Sayori curled up as the danmaku crashed into her from both sides, one side deceptively light but as rapid as hail and the other slow and heavier.

>>46942291

A grumpy Sayori righted her position as the two girls locked eyes from across the sky of the field they flew in. Hana’s face a mix of concentration and joy as she let out steam that had been building way too long, danmaku streaming from her in angular patterns as the illusionary seals did it’s work in hindering movement. Sayori’s face was nothing but concentration as she read the moves Hana made and struck with miracles, spell cards, and blessings now that they got into rhythm of attack and defense.

With one more push, as Hana used her hard-won spellcard and made the world lines tense. She summoned those illusionary seals again, cutting off Sayori’s movements once more, and shouting out the name of her spell card for dramatic effect. The flashy lasers seemed to come from nowhere as the magic circle was made in non-euclidean space, exactly as she wanted.

Bright strobing lights shout out around Sayori, small unrooted magical circles spat out rotating lasers that fired inwardly from all sides, while smaller illusionary seals pelted her without end. The beams slowly moved, tightening around the next of the nearly-strangled girl.

Sayori was panting hard now, the seals swarmed around her in sharp lines and hugged the edges of her barrier. Hana almost felt bad as Sayori’s own danmaku lasers shout out fruitlessly where Hana wasn’t, almost. Instead, with a giddy feeling she watched as the strobing lasers converged on Sayori.

It was only a moment until the barrier popped with the sounds of breaking glass, the technicolor light show made quite the impressive effect before the beams kept moving. It must be like what Yuuka feels during their absurd training, no wonder she barely pulls her punches… I mean punching things is nice and all, but seeing the pretty show on top of knowing that she’ll be feeling that for a few hours was nice too…

She cleared her head as Sayori fell to the dirt like a leaf, her outfit as steamy as her hair was frizzly and eyes teary. The last of the magic dissipated from the air as Hana descended as well; her own outfit was largely untouched, only some ruffling where a sneaky pellet got her in the gut when she was playing around too much...

The gaggle of concerned girls rushed over to where they set down, being led by Sanae who was all smiles. She spoke up as the girls rushed past her to get at Sayori, “The winner is Hana-chan~! Good job, both of you!”

With concern in their eyes the other miko-in-training surrounded Sayori, and it rather satisfied Hana to note how disheveled the usually-prim-and-proper miko looked in comparison. Sanae watched onwards as Sayori stood up with the help of her friends, she nodded her head along with a small smile to reassure some of the younger ones, though Hana didn’t hear the exact words.

Hana sauntered up, she was simply going to bow and congratulate her on the match, certainly wouldn’t rub her face in the shame of defeat. She was only grinning for unrelated reasons, she was only on the verge of cracking up because of some random joke she remembered, she was only going to ask her for feedback to grow stronger and not because she wanted to hear her opponent compliment her! Nope, not Hana.

Instead of Hana’s barely contained pride making itself known, it was Sayori who straightened her posture and bowed. It threw Hana off to see her opponent bow so suddenly, most aren’t very good sports about this sort of thing, so it was why she remained quiet as Sayori spoke up, “Thank you Hakurei-san, for teaching me that I was being overconfident!”

A ‘bwuh?’ escaped the crimson miko’s mouth as she collected her thoughts, did Sayori really just apologize? Hana just put her through the ringer for her own amusement and- “I get why Sanae-sama brought you here!” she smiles and nods at Sanae, “and why you provoked us so arrogantly! The entire time we were fighting I was on the backfoot, I only got in one lucky hit on you since I knew you were teleporting around under me!”

>>46942314

Hana felt her face flush, so that was why she got that hit in… well if she didn’t know why… Sayori continued with true appreciation in her voice, “I thought I knew everything because Sanae-sama taught me everything she knew, just because I know the most of her danmaku patterns I thought I could take down anyone!”

For the first time after landing, Hana really saw the faces of the little clones Sayori was surrounded with, they were all bashfully smiling as their leader spoke. The crimson miko’s face grew crimson as well, “I-I hope we can be friends for real, and-“

A strangely familiar look came over Sayori’s face as she formulated her next words, “And, can you show me how you did that teleporting thingy? And the yin yang thingy too! It was so cool to see you teleporting and all- oh and what about the lasers? How did you get them to fire all spread out like that?!”

A verbal torrent shot out of Sayori’s mouth as the previously injured girl’s body shrugged off the danmaku inflicted pain. Hana looked over to Sanae for help, taking a step back as the girls all got that excited look in their eyes, but Sanae was powerless to stop the flood of girls from reaching Hana.

Hana soon found herself surrounded on all sides by starry-eyed girls, asking a variety of questions or simply just exclaiming how cool-this or-that move was. Worst of them all was Sayori, whose height and authority ensured she was right in Hana’s face, “And you gotta tell me all about the fights you’ve had with youkai, Sanae-sama even says you like picking fight with the wolf tengu when you go on picnics at the mountain, is that true?!”

As the girls clung to her, Hana couldn’t help but remember why Sayori got that hit off on her. While Hana was traveling around the constrained worldlines she was firing off homing seals from below to overwhelm her, that was when she saw it… She wasn’t wearing any… any… bloomers! Sayori’s ripped outfit did little to slow Hana’s imagination, I-it wasn’t any of her business of course, but to wear ‘that’ as casually as she did?!

Sayori must have been unaware of Hana’s true thoughts entirely, because as Sanae approached humming a small tune, she looked up at Hana with only a few inches separating them, “I wanna learn everything you know, please teach a lot, Hana-neechan!”

Hana was grateful as Sanae called out for the girls to give her some space, all Hana was able to sputter was a ‘s-sure-“ as they separated from her by a few feet. Sanae winked at Hana before addressing the girls, bringing up the point Sayori had about overconfidence. It was a nice point, one Hana had to learn the hard way… However, that wasn’t on her mind as the girls diligently listened to Sanae lecture them, it was on what the hell Sayori was thinking going around all day in that! I mean honestly, who else but a complete pervert would go around all day in something made for sex like that… Going around in nothing but a pair of small white panties… It’s immodest!

With my mandated bit of fluff out of the way I'll be able to tackle the festival, finally. Sadly, the tale of Hana sexually harassing the entire Moriyan shrine will wait for another day.

>>46942321
>>46942314
>>46942291
>>46942283
look at her go, effortlessly winning and showing off all the unrelenting smug of the Hakurei bloodline. Adorable and warms my heart Hana gets to be, even if fleeting, a proper teenager shrine maiden~though staring at people's panties while fighting is very inappropriate, Hana! Wait to do that after the duel, like you did to Seija
In a related note: Man, Sanae must be seething HARD inside; she could've given Hana an incredible life in her shrine, protected her from Yukari and made days like these commonplace, where Hana had people her age to test her strength against, learn and enjoy being a shrine maiden...Mega sadge
>>46942410
Announcement, everyone! Am pausing the Keine/festival storyline for the next four months due to personal affairs.
That should be enough time for Hana to rape the entire Moriyan Shrine~
thanks for the chapters!

>>46942321
>>46942314
>>46942291
>>46942283
lucky mob shrine maiden...

Chapter 8-
-Tewi-

“Ta dah!” Tewi exclaimed, placing the wardrobe down onto the marble floor of the large greco-roman style gazebo. Presenting the furniture to Junko and Hecatia as they sat at the table in the gazebo’s center.


Then, to continue her act, Tewi wrenched the door of the wardrobe open, causing Anon, and Ran who was now holding Chen, to stumble out of the wardrobe. Blinking confusedly as they entered into the blindingly bright roof top gazebo.

“Uh, Hi?” Anon, half greeted, half questioned as he tried to get his bearings

Ran opened her mouth to speak before freezing in her tracks, her eyes glued to Hecatia and Junko as they stared on amusedly. Turning to Tewi, Ran promptly ignored the two terrifying goddesses. “And just what are we doing here, if you don’t mind me asking miss Inaba.” Her tone was cold, professional, and unmistakably pissed off.

“Isn’t it obvious, I rescued you.” Tewi put her hands on her hips, and stuck out her tongue. Faux-offense coming through her voice as she smiled.

“I’m thankful for the rescue, but, forgive me for being suspicious, but could we know what’s going on with the village.” Ran’s tone was professional, spotless even, betraying not a hint of emotion. Tewi thought it’s a tone she might’ve been using with Yukari recently.

“Well I think they’re a bit too busy being caught up in that.” Hectic said, pointing to an empty point in space, right before a mirror showing the battle at the human village appeared. “At the moment.”

It was a scene of chaos and above it all sat an ominous black orb, looking out onto the world and through the viewing mirror with hateful eyes.

Anon and Ran stood surprised, looking out through the viewing glass and onto the destroyed human village and ongoing battle.

“Tewi…” Anon trailed off as he shifted his gaze to the two goddess as they watched Anon and Ran in silence. “And friends, I know this might be unreasonable, but can’t you do something about this.”

“We could.” Junko said, nodding but saying nothing else. Tewi really hated when she did that, couldn’t the woman just say ‘no’ like a normal person, or at least explain her response.

“But honestly they’re handling it fine on their own, no need for us to do anything.” Hecatia said, lounging back in her seat, Tewi issued a silent prayer to the goddess, she didn’t know where Junko would be, socially speaking, without Hecatia.

Deciding it was time to interject before Ran or Anon decided to do something rash, did Hecatia absolutely have to show them the battlefield?
“Well, you two can’t really do anything right now, and the little miss there is obviously out like a light, so thinking about shouldn’t you guys just enjoy your time here, for now!” Tewi hopped in the air, one hand raised, but only received spectacle glances from Ran and Anon.

‘Geeze, looks like they don’t like the cutise act, my fault for pushing it so much anyways.’ Although in her opinion they were being far too ungrateful, if she really wanted to kill or kidnap them she had a literal menagerie of demon lord she knew that could do the job, even a goldfish.

Ran warily eyed the three suspicious women as she held Chen in her arms. “Forgive me if I have some… reservations for leaving Anon here.”

“Reservations?” Ran and Anon flinched as Junko cocked her head, she really could be a scary woman when you didn’t know her too well, and admittedly when you did know her. Sometimes she would get so into her grudge-trance thing she’d forget about the entire world, even her own son.

Hecatia laughed. “You won’t have to worry about any of us trying to take your man, I’m a virgin goddess afterall.”

Junko shook her head in agreement. “I’m not looking for a relationship right now, and I believe Tewi is spoken for, is she not?” Junko tilted her head, innocently questioning Tewi’s relationship status. Tewi almost verbally sighed, Junko should really make less of an effort to be cute, it didn’t suit her at all and made people who didn’t know her too well uncomfortable with how robotic the woman acted.

“Yeah, but don’t tell anyone Anon, I have a reputation to uphold.” Tewi cut it, she ought to keep him from prying too much anyways, it wasn’t important and everything was nearly over. She doubted Yukari would win so having Anon stay here for now was the best option for avoiding instability.

“Just stay here for now, okay. Nothing’s going to happen, I’ll promise you that.” Tewi didn’t even want to get this involved in the first place, but a Gensokyo which was too unstable didn’t suit her and Yukari had gone down a darker path which would lead to trouble anyways.

Chen stirred slightly in Ran’s arm. Ran sighed. “You’re right, do you have a room where I could put Chen.”

“Yep, Yep, just follow me this way.” Finally Tewi bounded off, Ran and Anon following behind her.

>>46943732
-Yacchie-

Yacchie watched as the remaining otter spirits scampered down the tunnel, getting ahold of Biten, who now stood beside her had been easier than she anticipated, as long as no one interrupted them they should be fine.

“Phew, looks like we can finally get out of here Ma’am.” Yacchie found it a bit surprising that the battle maniac hadn’t jumped at the chance to be involved, but of course not entirely known to her the monkey also had loyalty of sorts to Zanmu.

Yacchie shook her head in agreement, looking down the tunnel. “Now, lets-’”

“Hey!, watcha two doin’?” A casual voice called out from behind the two yakuza, cutting off Yacchie and causing Biten to whip around, readying her staff.

Backlit by the partially destroyed sky, Yuugi Hoshiguma, manager of the hotsprings of former hell, and Koishi Komeiji, sister of the lady of the underground, stood at the mouth of the newly made entrance to the underground.
A sneer crossed across Yacchie’s face as the two approached, stopping just out of striking range as the both smiled in faux-kindness.

Koishi was the first to speak, opening her mouth with a smug and careless grin. “Sorry, but letting you two escape underground would be a problem for my big sister, so please. Die quietly.”

With a flash of thunder, a girl wearing brown appeared in the between the two groups. “No!” And then flashed away in another bolt of thunder just as soon as she came.

“Heha~” Koishi laughed, that girl really was easy to play around with.

Yuugi made a clicking sound with her tongue as she shook her head. “Well either way, we’re bringing you guys in.”

Bitten smiled as Yacchie braced herself. “Same here, Oni.”

-Sayuka

sayuka’s eyebrow twitched as the young miss took another spoonful of pudding.
It was mid day and the mistress, although very sleepy was stubbornly staying awake.
sayuka was about to say something, but before she could she reflexively stopped time, through her stopped time another boom reverberated throughout the mansion, misaligning the furniture and opening the window and curtains.

What were they even doing out there, first Meiling and Patchy go to that rotten establishment and now this chaos. She’d given those two an earful and not a second in edgewise to argue back, they didn’t deserve it and she didn’t want to hear any excuses those two would doubtlessly come up with.

Zipping around the Scarlet Devil Mansion, sayuka quickly returned everything to its place, stumbling back into the room and closing the curtains to a window just as her stamina ran out and time resumed its normal course.

“sayuka…” Remi crossed her arms in a huff as she sat in her highchair, scrutinizing sayuka as she stood awkwardly in front of a hasilly closed window. “Are you hiding something from me?”

Sakuya smiled as widely as she could, stretching her smile thinly. As she stood in front of the widow, holding the curtains closed behind her. This whole incident would be terrible for the young mistress's education. Everybody knew young children like the mistress were terribly impressionable, and unfortunately unlike her younger sister she wasn’t the sedate and easy to control type, she was willful and terribly full of herself.

sayuka thought it was awfully cute, but it meant that the mistress often did things that weren’t good for herself like invading the moon, or would make outrageous requests of sayuka like building a spaceship

“Well… If nothing bad is happening there’s no reason for me not to go outside later isn’t there.” Remi said sleepy, preparing to get from her highchair, but both were too tired to do it herself.

“Well, maybe we can go out tomorrow night mistress, you’ve stayed up too late as is.” sayuka said, picking up her mistress into her arms and out of the high chair.

“Mh, sayuka, I wanna see Reimu~” Remilia complained, she had barely been able to see her friend after she had a daughter, and Remi didn’t know much of Hana anyways. sayuka didn’t regret keeping Remi away from that woman, besides a push over like Anon would also be a bad influence on her.

sayuka patted Remilia on the back as she picked her up out of your chair. “Of course you do, I’m sure she’ll come over any day now.” Not that Meiling, that harlot would let her in, Reimu had also become shockingly bad for the mistress' education.

>>46943740
-Yukari-

Yukari moved through a gap, grazing Reimu’s fist as she appeared near Hana. Deftly weaving in between the lesser Hakurei’s needles and talismans, only for her to be forced to gap away as Reimu appeared, the dance lasted for only a couple of seconds each time, but was always followed up on.
Reimu already felt like they had lost a lot. Nobody was making any progress, and waiting would just give Yukari an opportunity to escape to who knows where.
Even if her own manipulation of gaps and fantasy nature prevented Yukari from making any successful attacks on her, Reimu in turn lacked the offensive abilities or speed to be able to catch up entirely with Yukari, if she had a minute or two she could summon a god into her body which would allow her to capture Yukari, but that would leave her open.
Which led into their next problem, Hana. She was by far the weakest and Yukari’s easiest target.

But from Yukari’s perspective the situation was much worse, while Junior was keeping everybody busy using the prepared defenses and the trash mobs he was spawning, him and Suika were still evenly matched.
All the while she could feel Reimu’s and Okina’s reinforcements coming. She and Junior would have to do something risky, if only her daughter didn’t turn against them.

Getting an idea, she transmitted a mental command to junior as she gapped away from Reimu, and then gapped again, nearer towards Suika. Smiling Yukari calls out.“Oh, Junior! I need your help for a bit over here so be a dear and keep Riemu busy, will you?”

The eyes across his surface widened and the world shifted again.

-Genso-Douji-

He ground his metaphorical teeth together as he processed his ‘mother’s’ commands. Oh how he hated her, it was her failures that led to such a precarious situation for him anyways, if she was just slightly more competent she would have been able to mount a better defense and then he could come in and wipe out both forces.
But no, she had managed to get absolutely everyone against her and now he was forced to work alongside her for his own purposes.

A ripple of disgust washed its way down his main body, the black orb hanging above the former human village, and then the world twist.
Immediately as he did so he felt his sister flex similarity and past the misty lake he felt another, more experienced hand warp space and time, at the very least he counted himself lucky the residents of that mansion hadn't gotten involved.

Gathering his power, time resumed its normal course as he and Yuakri swapped positions. His form was now mere meters away from Hana, while Yukari found herself in front of Suika.

As soon as he heard his mother’s verbal command ring out, he spoke. “Hello, and goodbye sister.”
A singular large eye was split open and looking her way, lined with dagger like teeth and it’s pupil a vacuous black.


Hana’s eye dilated in panic as she realized what was happening, her resolve failing her as she opened her mouth in surprise. “Oh.”

“Hana!” Just as expected, Reimu gaped in. Grabbing onto Hana with a fist and throwing her into a gap as he rushed forwards.

Reimu stuck her hands out, quickly constructing a barrier around herself as he barreled into her, his viscous and gooey form quickly blocking out all light as he enveloped it, surrounding Reimu from all sides and pushing inwards.
Reimu buckled as he pushed inwards, straining herself.

It wouldn’t be the worst thing to gloat, he wanted her to know he hated her “Reimu Hakurei, you die here.” The first casualty being the one who started it all, the thought almost brought him to tears.

“Shut up, I don’t care about whatever one-sided grudge you have against me, take your place in line and patiently wait your turn.” She wasn’t even trying to hide her contempt and annoyance, despite the dire circumstances she wasn’t taking him seriously at all.

“I am-”

“I told you to shut up.” Reimu's barrier burst outwards tearing into his spherical form before halting and shattering, the inside of the sphere turning into countless knives pointing inwards towards Reimu.

It only lasted for a second before the knives flew intwards, like the closing of a mouth. “Now you shall know death, Hakurei.”

“I don’t think I will.” Reimu said, punching outwards and fending off his attack with a shockwave as she grabbed a handful of ofuda. “Do you think, so Marisa?”

“Wha-”

Before he could finish his sentence, a blinding light crashed into his body as a woman in the forest of magic triumphantly announced ‘[Master Spark]!

>>46943743
-Yukari-

Suika didn’t have anywhere to dodge to, every angle was already cornered, she smiled softly and the gap she expected opened up and she disappeared.

Yukari smiled, it didn’t matter what Suika did, she’d have Hana, than she’d pick off some of the weaker attackers, and leave.
Although it was a bit of a shame to leave on such bad terms with an old friend, although it’s not like she sent Suika anywhere dangerous so it should be fine.
Turning, she entered and gap and reached out towards Hana.

-Ibaraki-

“Cease.”

Yukari didn't have time to blink as a gate appeared next to her, bandages whipping around, from beyond its threshold to wrap around her. Yanking her arm towards it before she had time to react.

Reflexively Yukari tired to open a gap, but Kasen’s bandage burned harder and dug in into her skin
“You don’t think I’m going to let you get away that easily.”
Yukari finally realized she hadn’t been paying attention to Kasen, she should’ve realized something was off when Suika arrived.
But Yukari didn’t have time to think about that as Ibaraki’s fist cratered into her face.

Just as that had happened, the master spark blasted into the writhing black sphere which Ibaraki had seen devour Reimu, and she thanked herself for believing in the words of that witch who had sent her to save Hana.

“Reimu, NOW!” Ibaraki screamed, her voice piercing through the chaos and to Reimu.

In an instant the shrine maiden had slipped through a gap in space dodging the follow up attack by the shifting mass and, appeared above Yukari with her fist ready, ofuda wrapped around it like a makeshift boxing glove.
[Secret Technique: Fist of the Hakurei]
Reimu punched down into the spine of the witch, and in what seemed like a second it all happened at once. Gaps sot outwards, looking for a way to escape when there was none, Ibaraki’s bindings on the witch broke, only for it not to be enough. Yukari tied to move as her spine was crushed beneath the burning ofuda Reimu had slammed into her spine, but there was no resisting, no magic she had learned or ability mastered that could lead to her escape.

Sekai cried out, reaching towards her mothers.

Yukari crumpled inwards, heart and spine.

“Finally.” Reimu breathed a sigh of relief as everyone stared, Sekai, Hana, Suika, Cirno, everyone. Except for Ibraraki who looked at the woman with eyes full of pride.
In Reimu hands lay a purple tinted Hakurei orb.
“It was a bit violent, but this should hold her for now.

“‘A bit?’” Ibaraki smiled as she placed a hand of Reimu’s shoulder. “I think a bit of more violence wouldn’t have hurt, hah~” Reimu really was a great kid, even if she was a shitty woman, and really aren’t friends like her, the types you’re supposed to cherish?

“Uh, Ka-”

She increased the strength of her grip on Reimu. She really didn’t want to hear that woman’s name right now. “No, seriously Reimu, you did great.”

“Uh.”

Reimu stood there, mid air as everybody stared at the pair. It took Ibaraki a second longer than it should have to realize that her terrifying horned silhouette covered in blood, lack of mentioning that she was an Oni this entire time, and that fact the bandages no longer were entire arm, might be disconcerting to the people around her.

Suddenly, with a flash of lightning, a girl wearing brown appeared in the middle of everything, on her knees in mid air and pleading with them. “P-please help, Gensou- He’s, I-.”

Okina nodded her head. “Some help in dealing with this ruffian would be appreciated.”

Ibaraki nodded her head. “Right, Reimu, Hana, mind helping?” And gave them a big smile she hoped would lessen the mood, even if she still felt terrible from earlier…

“Right,” Reimu said. “Let's go.”

Ibaraki didn’t fully believe that Reimu would just let this encounter go.

-end-
The joke about the goldfish is a mythology reference, the amount of pets and subordinates of Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas that go on to become demon lords, youkai, etc is insane.
Also I think people haven’t noticed, but I rolled the gap children together. So Seija and Goro are married but have no kids, and Yukari isn’t pregnant, there is also no The Crime Against Nature.
Only Anon and Renko Yakumo, or as they call themselves Genso-Douji and Sekai.
I debated a lot about this since I’m bad at fights but I just decided to do whatever and get to the fun parts, politics.
Also Cirno’s arc is funny since I wrote everything for it except for her final realization, which explains some things. But for everyone else it's inverted or I’ve off screened it in order to finish this faster.

>>46935575
great minds think alike, and they know human men are experts in repopulation. I mean, just look at Anon.

>>46942283
>>46942291
>>46942314
>>46942321
I'm proud that Hana didn't somehow job, but that girl still isn't right in the head. Perving on your opponent mid-fight just isn't cool.

>>46942780
Hana did need to go unwind, so it works out perfectly to be able to punch a child and get away with it!
If only the silly green gal took initiative in playing with her pet Hakurei miko, now it'll take massive amounts of imouto and dork goddess therapy to recover.
>hiatus
So how are we gonna handle this? Are the events still canon? How much should be referenced?
Also, hope its nothing negative forcing you away!

>>46946059
>So how are we gonna handle this? Are the events still canon? How much should be referenced?
>Also, hope its nothing negative forcing you away!
thanks for the concern, >>46946045
but it was just a joke with the matter of you not having time to harass the Moriyans

>>46946246
... Ignore that quotation in the spoiler, it was a misinput

>>46946045
>Perving on your opponent mid-fight just isn't cool.
it can get you the win sometimes, though

>>46946246
Ah, naruhodo... well good to hear, it'd be a bit awkward otherwise

Hana left some time ago.

Suddenly, the shrine I worked so hard to renovate, the pylons and nails I made myself, the rocks I collected and exchanged to make a new, pristine rocky path to the entrance and even those painstakingly bought paints and tools… It all feels dull, lifeless, and empty without Hana's footsteps on the wood, her voice and even the rare laugh—a sentiment exacerbated by the accumulating heavy snow—and I can’t help but wonder, kneeling on the frozen surface of the pond, embers sieging me and regulating the temperatures to palatable levels: how should I feel?

For I doubt this is a situation worthy of this big smile on my face.

It's a rather freeing notion—one reinforced by the warm embrace of the scarf around my neck, the rather messed Hakurei pattern signs of care and attention absolute—despite how weird it might seem at first: all this effort will be wasted should Hana deny to assume the mantle of Hakurei miko and decide, maybe, to go live with Sanae, Marisa, Alice or even Yuuka following the end of the Solstice; Anon is not returning here, and I can't force someone to become the next Hakurei miko—though if I live, maybe, who knows, Chen entertains the idea of becoming my apprentice? The concept of a Youkai miko is odd, but she's very cute, so I don't think it matters~

… To know these efforts might be fruitless, not by a sad circumstance but by Hana's choice, is what soothes this old heart.

My eyes narrow a little and hands move, a surge of tender flames spawning from beneath my skin and curling above my palms, whirling and contorting as it illuminated my face, thoughts wandering as the fire slowly took form: the sad hollowness before Aya rushed to the shrine, begging for me to save Hana; the exhaustive efforts I'd made to not just openly attack Yukari, eyes focused on my Hana; the quarrel and screams, knees and forehead firmly resting on the ground as I plead, the heart-to-heart in the deepest part of the night as she wore again her Hakurei uniform… Drawings that adorned my face; Hana prostrated to my side as we meditated and then went around gathering resources~

I blink, my narrow eyes widening into wonder as I look at the shape my fire took on—the palm of a tiny hand, which I held carefully… Awe quickly faded, as did the palms in my memory, which were made of flesh and blood and connected to a small body with large eyes similar to mine. Hana is not a child anymore.

That past is gone, shaped by me…

… It's not suicide.

It’ll never be.

I accepted the consequences the day these crimson flames began pulsing beneath my skin. It'll be for the better—for Kasen, Chen, Ran, Anon and Hana…

I'll give them my all, even this miserable life.

… Yet…

—Chen tightly holding onto me, teaching me how to knit; Ran's gentle touch, actions without words as she gave me food and tools of cleaning—

Death will take all those memories away…

—Anon's curled-up body, scars that I left and which will never heal; Hana's cry as she clutched a broken nose, the gaze of terror, disgust that always pressed my worst buttons—

… Death will make everything alright.

The tiny palm of embers disperses like fireflies, and my hands recede to rest on my knees, a feeling of dread echoing inside as I glanced again at the empty and lifeless shrine, mind elsewhere: that cursed night of the Birthday Party, knees and forehead pressed against the floor… Feelings I didn't understand overtook me at that moment, made me say all those illogical things; I shouldn't have, yet I did.

Later that night, Hana was safely under my roof again.

I know the name of that feeling—love—the same one that made me desire to leave without saying a word…

What the hell do you even want anymore, Reimu Hakurei?! You'll burn to ashes so the adversaries of your daughter and former husband, of that chatterbox of a pink sage, of a cat and of a fox shall never, ever harm them! It's the only purpose of these newfound powers you have—the same fate of the mother whose face you can't even remember—a fitting end to your depressive life!

—And still, like the clusterfuck that you are, you dearly cling to that imagery of love, to the bygone bliss of holding a baby's hand that looked so much like you and that made your husband genuinely happy for once; of nestling that bakeneko in your arms and humming a lullaby until she fell asleep—

You want to give them all?! Or do you want to…

Before the words form inside my mind, I close my eyes and stop the crazy train of frenzied thoughts, meditation settling as intuitively as breathing and cleansing me from rage, disappointment and a latent… something.

A desire that burns like my flames do.

… Sheesh, life can be very confusing sometimes—

“Oi, Reimu!” Winds explode all around me as snow lifts in clouds—flames rush to shield me from a bad case of hypothermia—, and the Ordinary Magician plunges lightning fast from above, surfing on her broom as if 20 again with the biggest smiles…

Holding a jar on her right shoulder.

“How ya doing?” Marisa asks animatedly, and this scene wouldn’t seem out of place on a typical snowy day thirty years ago—minus the wrinkles and regrets. The whiplash is strong enough that I remain silent for a while, staring as she unstraps her feet and jumps to the ground, catching the broom with her free hand. “Heh~surprised?” She asks, twirling in place and lifting the hem of her skirt, my eyes narrowing as they climb up, her pregnant be—

… W-Wait a moment…

Her belly is as flat as her chest!

I met her eyes again, wide-eyed and speechless, my mind racing with confusion. “… Y-You lost your baby?!”

“Wha—n-no, I didn't, dumbass!” She strolls over and I get up from my kneeling position, about to say something—hadn't her broom hit the top of my head… Well, it didn't hurt, but it made me blink nonetheless. If she didn't lose the goddamn baby, then why is she— “Catch!” She tosses me the strange glowing jar she was holding, and I stutter to grab it, giving it a better look. Shrine Maiden senses kick in now that I am not freaking out about her getting an unexpected abortion… And my eyes widen, the awkward feelings from earlier gone: This jar is full of life!

Marisa must’ve seen the realization on my face because she smirked and wiped the bridge of her nose, looking so smug—

Which made her sneeze, heh~ “Ugh… Eh, I've tucked my kiddos into that jar~cool, innit?

Silence.

“W-Wait, wait—you did what?!” Frowning harder, I glanced back at the jar; her k-kids are in here…?

… And she just threw the jar at me as if a baseball…? “Yup, all THREE of them~hahaha! Can ya believe I'm having triplets—” She's having a gohei slamming the top of her head now; the ordinary magician nearly kissing the snow. “Ouch! The hell was that for?!” Teary-eyed, she shielded the bruised spot cocooned under her golden threads, her gaze of rage immediately met by death incarnated into a stare.

“Why are you throwing your children around, you idiot?! And you swooped here, holding them onto your shoulder and flying like a drunkard! What if they'd slipped?!” I brandish the gohei, the magician yelping and jumping back, a scared giggle leaving her… Ugh, that giggle always disarms me. “Is the jar, at the very least, indestructible? I'm sure you could do that—I mean, you somehow got your… Wait, you're having triplets~?! That's crazy!” I look again at the jar in my hands, a profound appreciation emerging from somewhere deep within: Hana is going to have seven siblings! That's so nice~though Marisa's look of guilt as she approaches again somewhat carefully doesn't sit right with me. “… You have no idea if the jar can break or not.”

Her steps freezing answer it better than any words; her cheeks puff when my gaze narrows to an edge similar to Sakuya's knives. “Does that even matter~? Not like I'd let them fall anyway! Their mama is headstrong and agile—she's a beast again!” That grinning again, her eyes slightly close with happiness that cannot be overstated…

… I sigh, letting more embers swim off my skin and warm the air to something more cozy for two—five?—people. “Ah, they're not surviving, poor devils.”

“Sheesh, don't jinx it, you witch! They'll survive, thrive and do lots of cool stuff~” She leans forward, tapping a finger delicately on the glass. Look at that! The three souls inside immediately darted towards her. Cute. “Though I still need to think of names—got any ideas?” We move as we talk to the veranda of the shrine, her jar children safely deposited on the sturdy wood by their mother as I got inside to prepare us a tea. Marisa let herself fall on her back, pulling up her shirt to let my embers directly touch her skin. “Tis good~fucking hate winter since that one incident we solved with Sakuya…” Her words bring up fond memories deep from the past, the water boiling in front of me with use of more pronounced embers—such a convenient power sometimes~

Still, her question nags me. “Ugh, I'm terrible with names…”

“Fuck off: you came up with 'Hana', the cutest one around, da-ze~” I smile with more and more memories that bubble up from deep inside. Naming Hana was such an endeavor; nothing ever seemed right at first and it'd get me all moody… Then, one weird day, everything came to a stop when I thought of 'Hana'.

And when I held that tiny palm in my hands; saw her eyes for the first time…

… 'Hana' felt just right.

“—Oi, Reimu, is the tea gonna take too long?”

I blinked as I absentmindedly poured the hot water into the herb-filled cups, the warm, gentle wind carrying that joy away. “Shut up or I'll make you shut!” A fleeting thought of grabbing a bottle of sake arises as I open the cabinets to retrieve a bag of rice crackers… It is easily ignored, and I take a seat next to Marisa, tray and jar between us.

Just two friends, drinking tea and eating crackers, watching time go by…

“It's been a while, huh, Reimu…?” I nod quietly. “You’re telling me already what’s wrong or will I need to force it outta you?”

… I can’t help but lift a smile.

>>46949502
>>46949493
Cute 'mu and 'Risa moment

who the fuck runs Gensokyo's child services?

>>46951506
Okina.

>>46949493
>>46949502
Really nice moment with the two of them. Even through their friendship ended so long ago, it's good to see them connect again.

>Her belly is as flat as her chest!

Poor Marisa. Even getting pregnant can't change that part of her at all.

>>46951549
guess it makes sense, then.
>captcha: VHG0D
you're the worst secret goddess alive...

behold! Two of the best mothers Gensokyo can offer!
https://files.catbox.moe/16lj1q.webm

>>46952172
I can't believe Reimu went out like this.....

>>46951559
>Poor Marisa. Even getting pregnant can't change that part of her at all.
magicians store that in the ass cheeks

>>46952172
Marisa is going to ace single motherhood

>>46957075
After fourteen years she's going to need her children to reach the top shelf of the pantry for her.

>>46958396
Cute!
crazy how the Maricoin has skyrocketed in value in just two threads, the LunaHSEcrypto scene is unpredictable as fuck.

>>46958469
I'm surprised someone else had the same idea I did, I have half a chapter I'm never going to finish about the dangers of speculative markets, crptyo currency, and wasteful spending.

>>46958499
>completely destroys your speculative market by mashing together some of the most broken powers in existence
>"heh, nothing personal, Father (Goro) Akechi"
what a silly eldritch goddess

>>46958542
That was a plot point, man you're really killing today in the psychic department.

>>46958542
I like her pot handle hat

>>46959951
it's very adorable and makes me think that if you try to lift it, she'll be lifted too like she's glued to the thing; something she'd do just to mess with you

>>46896954
—
I stare at the skies—rocky stalactites that litter the Underground's roof—with hands restlessly resting on my belly and eyes wide open, focused on nothing. The red eye on my chest reflected the exhaustion in the faces around me… Minus Suika’s, who looked rather amused as she drank copious amounts of sake, though I vaguely remember eyes of sorrow when we arrived from Eientei—maybe whatever she talked with that creep Okina and Satori-sama made her feel bad…?—; Yuugi’s shows kind concern and a bit of sympathy while Orin slept together with Kokoro. Here, on top of a soundly sleeping Koutei, I breathed in… Then uttered, after hours of thinking: “If I catch a big group of storks…” Yuugi sighs and slaps her face, making my heart race with righteous fervor. “No, no—listen to me: I can mutate their brains after exposing them to various types of radiation poisoning, making them smart enough to begin mass-producing babies! That could work, right…?”

“That's a good plan~” Suika offers, these hopeful eyes of mine turning to her while Yuugi shakes her head in disbelief. Why's she— “If ya desire to cause some mayhem by poking holes into ecosystems, that's it—heh, you need to accept it, Utsuho-chan~” the oni guzzles from her gourd with joy. “Either you do the deed and let a man poke YOUR ecosystem, or you let Eirin-chin poke you with some chemical syringes. No baby comes to Earth any other way—that guy Jesus? He's all special, so he doesn't count.” I grumble, then pout, and let my wings cover my body.

That doesn't make any sense!

Everything I knew—the respect I withheld for my white brothers and sisters who honorably delivered babies—gone! And to replace that magical idealization…? S-Some confusing act of putting together no-no spots!

Maybe the world needs some nuking and bionuclear mutation to fix itself; the actual way of making babies is just too silly! “Why does that affect you so much, Utsuho?” Yuugi asks, shifting closer and giving me this expectant gaze, my pout hardening and feathers ruffling…

… Well, that's all I have because putting it in words is just so, ugh…

From the frying pan to the thermonuclear bonfire.

“Look, I understand being upset about getting to know, well…” The dragon's breathing beneath me—so soothing~—is what prevents me from storming out as her cheeks redden and her massive hand inches closer to me. “… H-how baby making is done. Let me tell you: the first time I got… taught about it, I didn't, er, react very well too; it sucked, it really did!” Suika laughs out loud and Yuugi groans, a brief peek towards the petite oni revealing a gaze brimming with nostalgia. “But it's no big deal. It's just how the world works… The more you learn about it, the more confusion and, well, a bunch of other emotions you feel. Sadness, anger—curiosity even, heh.” Her hand finally reaches my head, patting there…

Ah, feels nice~

“Just know it’s all okay, Utsuho!”

… Ugh, I think I was being unreasonable again.

Satori-sama talks to me often about such behavior and how childish it is… Satori-sama was always so quick to scold; to stop but never, ever did she think about explaining things to me? What's not telling me about the origin of b-babies protecting me from?! Memories of these specific moments I never took seriously return to me, and a dense layer of bitterness spreads inside, hands on the dragon's iridescent scales firming with anxiety that resonates like the pounding of thunderstorms.

Like drip-feeding a bucket, away from tipping over by mere surface tension—

A loud huff from below shakes the Underground like an earthquake, waking Orin up instantly; the hell-cat, wide-eyed, jumped on all fours and hissed, every hair on her body erected. Kokoro blinks, looks around and pulls the scared cat down, mumbling Koishi's name before resuming sleep. Orin followed suit, too tired to care for Armageddon. I was too busy staring at the dragon's claw that, much to Yuugi's shock and subsequent smirk, also gently patted my head to care about the duo or Suika's laughter, arms wrapped around her stomach, face all red.

Don't think I can ever tire of this~

… My pouting continues even as the massive claw retracts, my brows narrow, and my wings gradually drop and brush on the veridian scales. A brief silence followed as Yuugi's laughter died down to a kind smile. Fine, ugh… “S-Sorry for all this! Utsuho feels like she's becoming a waste of time; she doesn't like to be a b-burden when she's sulk—”

“Nope; no excuses~! It's all okay, Utsuho.” The big oni says it clearly and with no hesitation, a light in her eyes bearing strong pride. I smile fondly. It looks like Satori-sama's~

“Heh~” Suika giggles. “So it's all well—”

“—NO! Nothing is well because of impassive cretins like you!” The abrupt but familiar voice erodes Suika's smile, all eyes moving to the floating wound in the form of a door, Satori-sama entering it with a fire in her eyes.

Beyond the door, for a split second, I see—amidst others—Reimu Hakurei.

>>46960246
sick today and couldn't write/review anything serious like Marisa/Reimu or Keine, so settled for some Utsuho fluff
hopefully am better by tomorrow and can actually write plot...

>>46942321

A harsh wind swept through the battle scared plains that stretch on, decimated and lifeless, between the two figures. The two combatants were deathly quiet as they looked up from their weapons, their power made manifest in physical form. One held her ‘gohei’ in hand, colored a deep red from the course of the combat, she was careful and deliberate as she broke the still in the air; holding her ‘gohei’ aloft and already readying it for a swing. The other held a massive horizontal pillar, jagged and made of yellowed stone, as if made of sulfur and containing the fury of the highest mountains; the giant flexed her muscles as she raised the massive titan of stone aloft with impossible strength.

With malign fury, the miko’s ‘gohei’ ignited, crimson flame creating spectral images of the flaming tool that hovered behind the red oni. The goddess’ pillars cracked, pulsating lightning physically moving the rock as if it were a vein of metal; the popping energy hurt the eyes. Power swelled in the air as the currents picked up the intense heat and energy, speeding up the wind and churning them into two opposing vortexes.

The two combatants paid no heed as the air grew violent around them, letting the wind pull and tear at their battered outfits. Both only had a single objective, to put the other in the ground!


Hana slammed her ‘gohei’ onto the table with a soft thump, the well-worn little thing faithfully displayed a red background with a ‘+2’. Kanako grimaced as she drew two cards out of the pile, a resounding success!

With satisfaction Hana called out the magic word to end this deadly fight, ‘U*o!’ Tossing down the last card in her hand, Hana leaps up to her feet with high energy; she’d been sitting way too long and her legs were starting to go numb. Opposite of her, Kanako-the-loser sorted the cards into an orderly pile and slid them back into the box.

A devilish smirk crossed Suwako’s face, she leaned onto the table, facing Kanako with malicious intent. With a sing-song voice the froggy-goddess teased, “You hear that? Your number one fan has you right where she wants you~” Kanako sat on the left of Suwako, closest to the kitchen and on the plushest seat, even sitting she still seemed large and imposing. Now that she’d lost in a most important card game, one with the grandest of stakes, she seemed to seethe with a particular kind of roiling energy.

Her normally sharp features seemed extra pointed, her pupils were slits, her face seemed constrained; neither forming into a scowl nor frown. However, Hana was brazen towards the loser, a smirk on her face told everything about her bratty attitude, “Ka-na-ko-sama, you promised didn’t you!?”

Hana rounded the table, nearly dancing as she skipped over to Kanako’s side, where she proudly stood with her balled fists tucked into her sides. Without worry for consequence Hana beamed, “You promised! You said if I win I get to ask anything!”

Grumbling, the goddess blinks wearily without budging, nothing but a light reddening of her ears indicated otherwise, “It’s nothing so grand, I can’t fathom why you’ve been so caught up in this… going to the lengths of challenging me to that game!”

Hana squatted down next to Kanako, clasping her hands in front of her, “You said anything! Please?!”

Seeing opportunity, Suwako joined in the charade as she scooted over; her smile did nothing to hide her intentions, “That’s right, Kanako-sama isn’t a liar! She’d never make promises, then break them as soon as it’s inconvenient!”

With a snap, Kanako turned her head and scowled at her subordinate goddess, “You, stay out of this! You have nothing but ill intentions!”

Feigning a look of shock, the cheeky goddess leans back as if Kanako just struck her, “Geh, I can’t believe you’d be so cold to me! After a decade and you finally find a fan, so I try helping you get the fans you crave and I’m the evil god?”

Prize in front of her eyes, and uncaring about the look of scorn she nailed the whimsical god with, Hana scoops up Kanako’s hand from the table like a miner carrying ore to his cart. “Please Kanako-sama! I wasn’t joking when I said I thought your outfit looked real cool, everyone’s just dumb for not seeing you as the top idol!”

Letting out a ‘right right!’, Suwako joined in choir of praise Hana belted out. Kanako seemed to be crumbling, her face was wavering from the rocky mask of skepticism it had been. Hana could feel she was close, she could taste it, she just had press a little harder, “And on top of that, you should’ve been the top idol in all of gensokyo! I never knew there was an incident where everyone started bands and stuff, if I knew I would’ve shown up even if I was a child!”

>>46965775

Kanako was getting flustered, the redness that started in her ears spread into her cheeks, she took her hand out of Hana’s and held them in front of her defensively, “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. My moves were mediocre at best, I’m the reason we didn’t win the hidden singers festival! Nobody even bought my figures, and-“

However, there were some things that had to be done. Some things that must be seen, Hana knew this, “I don’t care about that at all! I only really know the dances I learned for rituals and stuff, so seeing Kanako-sama dance like that inspired me! Please teach me, please!”

In the distance, thunder shook the sky despite the only clouds in the sky being fluffy and white. In the here and now, Kanako stammered out, “F-fine, as goddess of the Moriyan shrine and true idol of Gensokyo I’ll show you!”


The true god of the Moriyan shrine, top idol of Gensokyo, and future top god of the outside world, Kanako Yasaka, ‘entered’ into the room as the lights flicked on. The light was a beam from a fancy lantern Suwako called a flashlight, it shone from above as Hana floated there and announced, “Introducing, the top idol of the Moriyan shrine, Yasaka-chan!”

Kanako’s ‘dress’, well more of a skirt so short it’d belong on a youkai, barely extended past her hips, and trimmed just enough on the edges to see a hint of what undergarments she wore; It made Hana wish she had Suwako’s job. The soft material looked lightweight and breathable, and its similar in color to the maroons she normally wore. Her shimenawa formed a fashionable looking belt on her waist, two shide streamed down to her knees where it bounced with each movement she made. The top was a smaller tank top that showed off her navel, like a more revealing version of Sanae’s spring Hakama, It revealed a good bit of cleavage as well, but stopped before it was trashy. It ended in small shoulder-covering cuffs that gave an air of restraint to the outfit. Even Kanako’s fluffy hair was done up into twintails, which framed her face in a way that was better suited to one of the shine maiden apprentices rather than a goddess.

Suwako was crouching below, party popper in hand and grin as wide the sky, she let out a ‘wooo~’ as she pulled the cord. Letting the confetti fly up into the air as Kanako struck a well-practiced seductive pose, Suwako quickly hit the button on a kappa made music player.

Energetic music, not incomparable to the kind of dance music you’d hear that prismriver tool-spirit band playing, streamed out from the grille-covered speakers. Raising one arm up from where it lay at her side, she gracefully let her clammy hand lead it into a graceful ascent over her head as she spoke, “Raising the heart of Gensokyo”, she let the other raise in the same manner, “letting it fly to the sky like my love for you!”.

She combined her hands dramatically, combining them over her breasts to form a little heart with her fingers while tilting her head slightly, “I’ll answer all your prayers~!”. Hana saw a heart-shaped danmaku burst forth from her fingers before it faded.

Kanako trembled lightly as Suwako covered her mouth, desperate to not crack up, the song played without ceasing despite no one saying another word. The moment froze with Kanako in that pose, Hana knew what she had to do, it even came naturally to her. She made a cheer from her spot above Kanako, “Go-go, Yasaka-chan is the coolest, she’s a beauty~!”

Remembering her objective, if there was ever any, Kanako seemed to thaw out instantly, the old routine seemed to flow with all the power of a gentle stream. She dropped her hands, letting them crash to her sides and resetting her posture. Leaning forward, placing a hand on each of her knees, she seductively winks and kisses towards the far wall, “I-I hope you enjoy, let your number one goddess show you her love!”

>>46965797
>>46965775
hag in skimpy idol dresses after a devastating U'o match?! Now that's the great stuff~some fluff to offset the misery is always welcome, especially in Hana's case. She needs it after those damn flashbacks...
thanks for the chapters, Hanaanon!

>>46965797
>>46965775
'Ana doing god's work, idol Kanko messes something inside of me like no other...

>>46967264
>>46965989
That's one oc and one goddess sexually harassed, let's see how many she can harass during the festival proper!

>>46967520
I think she'll probably be seething hard during the festival to dab in sexual harassment, though after it ten it's a massive free for all to survive the Hana...

>>46969569
Don't forget, she saw one mixed species couple and blew her lid. Beat them up and forced Seija to show her pantsu, WHILE describing their sex life in detail.
On the sexual harassment Hana can defeat the autistic duo in totality.

>>46960254
Feel better soon, man.

>>46965775
>>46965797
Poor Kanako, even if she has the heart of an idol she's way too old to be dressing like that.

>>46969569
If Hana tries, she could squeeze in some harassment before the battle starts. Oh well, just another trauma for the 'ana!

>>46971108
>Poor Kanako, even if she has the heart of an idol she's way too old to be dressing like that.
shuush, Kanako looks good in anything she tries! Her godhood provides it!

>>46911980—1/6
—
I blink, silent and still, then touch my head and coccyx, probing for pointy horns or a big, lush tail, but to feed the anxiety and fast heartbeat, I find nothing.

The situation doesn’t make sense; without my knowledge, a foundational aspect of my being had just… vanished.

With my eyes bulging and my exposed skin trembling, I pulled my hands back to my sides as a feeling of dread shot through me. The situation is still perplexing, but one thing I know for certain: I escaped death the first time thanks to my cursed powers, which I still had! I gawked at the Blue Moon and wrote a woman's demise and my children's lives! MY SOUL WAS CURSED! Even after death, I'd continue being a were-hakutaku… R-Right?! Very few people have died and resurrected and none that I know were hakutakus or cursed to their very essence.

Everything shows that, as I gaze deeply into the biggest full moon I've ever seen, I should have my powers—the only key to return home… But nothing happens; the Sanzu hums quietly, and Komachi's gaze remains fixed even as she cleans the blood from her face with a handful of water siphoned from the river. “It's just the image of the moon.” She speaks, drawing my wide-eyed attention. “You're not asking it now, but you did when I first ferried you—something about destroying the world if the moon was this close to it. It's just the image of the moon in the sky, not the moon itself.” Oh… I had not even considered it, with my mind so exhausted. It's good to know. The world won't be destroyed.

The world will continue to function without my presence…

I glance at my hands, all that determination having drained out of me in the last few moments, then again at the moon, hoping history corrects itself; that things aren't the way they are now…

“You tried, Kamishirasawa; things could've been easy, but…” Her eyes narrow and, though I cannot see her face, the 'tsc' that echoes is filled with rage and conflict. I ignore it.

… When nothing happens, I feel myself walking and, in moments, sitting by Komachi on the edge of her boat—her eyes focused on her left hand and a golden coin, the thing moving as if alive between the separations of her fingers. “What are you doing…?” I ask.

“Tricks to pass the time,” she says plainly, the silence heavy yet casual, even as the moon above eclipsed the skies; beneath the waters, creatures millions of years old swam with not a care in the world and way beyond here, the world burned… I couldn't find in myself the strength to care, and that made my insides writhe in agony. Komachi confidently throws up the coin, catching it with a fingertip as it falls. “Children love to watch this sort of stuff—it distracts them…” My heart sinks at the implications, especially when she looks at me, clasping the coin tightly. “Because of you, a lot of them will need to be ferried today.” There was no judgement, only the truth.

My hands rest on my knees, eyes diverging away from her and back to the moon.

I was a teacher, wasn't I? I took care of human children; was a guardian of the village… For decades, I put effort into making sure that village and its people would prosper and be happy.

Komachi's words destroy any pride I'd collected in all those decades, and I have no one to blame but myself, hands raising and clutching my threads of platinum, body trembling. “… W-Was it hopeless from the start?” Images of two winged babies nestled in my arms flooded my mind, the world desperately attempting to devour us.

A night we fought with teeth and nails.

I thought I had survived that onslaught and that those two babies were signs of greatness…

… I died that night.

Maybe it was a sign for me to stop.

“I don't know, Kamishirasawa; I only ferry the souls, not deal with their problems…” She sighs at the end, eyes glancing towards me, but I don't care; mind too busy with the inescapable truth unraveling in front of me: I have failed.

Completely and utterly. With Kosuzu, Mystia, the village, Mokou and my two babies. In the end, I took to the grave all the responsibility and hope I had offered to them… And now, without the power to write history, there's nothing I can even hope to do.

I failed.

Hands close into fists as the desire to pull off my hair until it rips out in a show of blood pulses like a parasite, teeth clenching.

I failed…

Sitting on the gravel with my back to the wood, the shinigami to my side and stripped of all hope at my lowest point, for the first time in months, I begin crying. Gone is the facade of leader, partner and mother—just a woman who died for nothing.

The crying never evolves from a low sobbing; there are no screams, flailing or anything else. Only regrets.

… At the very least, it feels cathartic to let all this go—doubts and fears I've been holding for months, silent and out of view. This weakness feels like hell.

“Ugh, why do I fucking care…” Komachi's sudden voice grasps me, my eyes turning to her—

—And I take her closed fist straight to the face.

(2/6)
—
Like when Komachi-san severed my fingers, the pain spread throughout my face and shook my brain, followed by me sliding on the gravel and getting nasty scratches all over.

Being a ghost hurts…

I turn to lie on my back, groaning in pain and tears as I stare at the great moon once more, not a drop of hakutaku power coursing through my veins—but there is no time for reflection as Komachi-san's voice hits me. “That's it?! After saying those words, struggling like a fish biting a hook—that’s it?!” Something in her angry tone yells… passion. Not like the one shared in bed, but of someone screaming at the pages of a book. What the hell? “Just because you don't have your crazy powers anymore, you're giving up? You plucked my eye off, you jerk!” She points two hands at her face, her movements erratic before she crouches to pick up her scythe. All I can do is watch in bewilderment. “Do you know what I hate more than people who think they deserve more than others?” She gets up and turns to me, her eyes wide and I swear I hear her heart racing after that rhetorical question. Her next words, though, are tinged with uncomfortable embarrassment: “… Sympathetic fools like you, Kamishirasawa.”

… W-What…?

She stomps up to me, groaning and scratching her nape, and picks me up off the ground with ease, placing me on my feet, and I watch in disbelief as she brushes some dust from my hair. “Don't look at me like that—how'd you feel if your job were to take the dead from place to place, widening or shortening the Sanzu to match their sins? Do you think you'd be desensitized…?” Her cheeks redden. “W-Well, yeah, kinda, but I never managed to. Other shinigamis tell me I'm too carefree towards my duty and get too invested easily… It is a tough job; do not blame me—so thank your lucky stars, Kamishirasawa; the others would have already thrown your ass across the Sanzu.” Finally, she takes a step back and… smiles at what she sees. “I hate seeing people like you hopeless or giving up; you shouldn't be taking regrets with you to your only true rest.”

The headache of being punched in the face starts to fade away, rational mind coming to the forefront as my heart still wept, her words intoxicating me with anger from deep below; a kinder part of myself—the one that didn't claim Anon the night I chose the path of strife—cheered at her words. “I did all I could already! What else can I do?” I look at the massive moon above, hopelessness echoing. “Eiki is coming here, didn't you say? You'll ferry me through the Sanzu soon enough too… What else can I do?” Her eyes focus on me; pupils moving around and reflecting my face. I look terrible, blood coating my nose and making breathing a struggle, eyes moving to the infinite Sanzu behind her…

Yet…

Surprisingly, amidst the remnants of a once-strong figure—mother, teacher and partner—who fought to bring hope and carried the responsibilities of so many futures...

“I don't know! I'm not supposed to deal with your problems; I'm just invested in them!” It's not personally weird to see someone big like her red in the cheeks; reminds me of Mokou, our time together—that gentle giant holding two precious, frail babies.

… I saw in her eyes a gleam of life.

The apple seed that was Komachi-san's words grows incredibly fast inside, a seed of hope as my mind, disregarding the notion that all is over, continues to think of things I can do; pathways I can take—so many dead ends, my brain hurting from thinking so much…

Yet it keeps on working, searching for a way out.

Heat ran through my veins and lit my body with adrenaline that, ferociously, fought the desolation like it fought the terror of that night of demons.

So what if there's no hope in sight, if there's no way out? If history itself has already been written?!

… When did any of that stop me?

Facade to cope with my failure or not, the fire was lit again and it was impossible to take it out. Clarity brought forth the best of my mind and, despite the blood that seeped into the bandages and the pounding of my brain, I began considering all my options, time limit—Eiki—giving urgency to each thought. It’s unlikely I can just ask Komachi how I resurrected the first time, either.

During all of that, Komachi-san continued speaking, her investment in my future warming my body—she has a great heart~—her words this very angry tirade about how close I was to giving up and, surprisingly, ideas—all of which I had already considered, but still astounding—before devolving into babbling about how much of a dumbass I am for not coming up with a plan already…

Mostly useless.

Mostly. “—c'mon; think harder, Kamishirasawa! You don't have those broken powers since you resurrected—yet, somehow, you built a revolution! Just think of something!”

… Wait, what?

“What do you mean I didn't have my powers…?” I asked, frowning.

Komachi-san looks puzzled and, as she's about to answer, a commanding voice joins, stopping her dead in her tracks. “Enough, Onozuka-san.”

>>46976052
>>46976049
next four chapters gonna be the last of Keine's arc, then some more chapters for Hana, Toyosatomimi, Sanae and Mr. Heida in the Village and we'll be entering the end of Keine's storyline!
>>46971108
thanks man, very appreciated; am feeling a bit better now that I got some time off yesterday~

You know it was said as a joke, but I'm pretty sure the finale arc is actually going to line up with the summer solstice.

>>46976495
that'd be pretty nice, especially because the only major thing storyline that'll need conclusion after the village arc will be Hana and Kasen. Initiating the solstice right after that feels oddly poetic.

>>46977056
Oh boy, i sure do hope nothing traumatic happens in the village, like the 'ana being forced to merc a heida after seeing Sanae shot down...

>>46976052
>>46976049
Go Eiki, tell off that silly cow for trying rise above her station! Hit her with the stick! Dummytaku needs through Yamacorrection before she's allowed to resurrected!

>>46978219
>like the 'ana being forced to merc a heida after seeing Sanae shot down...
hopefully Suwako and Kanako chain her the fuck down, because trying to jump an Oni in formation is the bonafide method to get yourself and everyone around you killed.
at least this Oni she doesn't want to fuck, so there's a plus, though the trauma of seeing what internalized hatred and bad feelings/experiences never cared for can do to you should be trauma enough for our favorite racist... not like she knows that yet~ or maybe not, I'm not Hanaanon to decide that.

>>46976049
>>46976052

Oh no, Keine is going to get a earful. Eiki probably just needs an outlet for all the frustration she's feeling with all the sin going on in Gensokyo right now.

>>46983686
>>46980220
the duality of man...
not gonna go the distance and repeat the events of the Gakkuran special, but Eiki is, indeed, fucking pissed off at everything at the moment; poor middle manager having to sit and watch the HSE and its many consequences. Happy she won't be, that's for sure~

>>46981054
You know, powerlevel wise I don't think Heida is honestly that strong. He's broken already as a named, turned oni for sure, but he doesn't hold a candle to a level 5 boss.
I'd rate him a level 4 boss for now, which is about Hana's powerlevel in my head. She could go up, if she exploits her powers like goro, but I doubt that's going to happen

>>46986715
agreed, but no good oni is completed without a stupidly broken power albeit thematically countered, but not telling you how~ to boot. Though, if things line up nicely, that could be a good way to kickstart the last segment of this part, with the 'Ana jumping him -> power showcase -> 'Ana rescued -> TENHOHEIKABANZAI!!
will ask Hanaanon about his option in the matter before it happens.

-Chapter 9: Finale-
-Okina-

Okina sighed theatrically as she sat down in her chair, exerting herself like this wasn’t good for her health, but one must always do as circumstances dictate after all. Turning her head to the black orb now bound in ethereal chains above the tree which served as Sekai’s the body,where Reimu, Mima, the Marisa Drone, Ibaraki, and Sekai had all gathered, she felt a slight wave of calm wash over her as they began undertaking.

Smiling, she shifted her gaze to the rapidly approaching ‘god squad’ as they had been designated during the planning meeting, as per Cirno’s request of course. The three from the Moriya shrine broke off from Cirno and Shou, flying towards the location of the sealing squad.

The Myouren temple’s idol wore a sour look on her face as she descended, but for Cirno’s part she looked shocked.

“So, Okina.” Shou said, floating towards the backdoor god menacingly before sweeping her spear as if to survey the remnants of the human village. “What exactly were you planning with all of this?”

Okina pressed her lips together in a thin, strained smile as a suspicious look flashed across her eyes. “Hmmm,” she hummed, saying nothing as she pressed the tips of her fingers together. “Perhaps you think I’m not taking this seriously enough?”

“Okina.” Shou stamped the base of her spear into the ground. “Answer me.”

Okina looked to Shou, only returning the same thin smile as their eyes met. In contrast to the barely subdued fury behind Shou’s, Okina’s eyes were like a sea of calm whose depths could never be breached.

Shou tightly gripped the pagoda she held in one hand as it began to flame. “Okina Matara, If I ever learn for certain, that you had any part in orchestrating this catastrophe I will-”

“Shou!” Byakuren’s voice cut in, causing Shou to stand stock still. Half-jogging to the trio were Byakuren and Miko, each walking across the ruins of houses, destroyed dirt roads, and stones with an unnatural grace which betrayed their pseudo-saintly and non-pseudo-saintly natures respectfully. Byakuren held her automatic scroll in one and her vajra in the other, while Miko held a shaku in one hand while her real body, a sword, lay in its scabbard.

There was a coy, but not mocking smile on the crown prince’s face as she approached. “Byakuren, it seems your Idol really does get up to some interesting things when you aren’t looking.”

Byakuren sighed, annoyed at the prince. “Shut up Taishi, you’re making it sound like she did something perverted.” Byakuren’s tone was stressed, causing Shou to straighten her posture. She hadn’t noticed she arched it when she started accusing Okina.

Cirno for her own part did the same, The previous worried expression on her face vanishing to make for a surprised one as she straightened her back up even as she floated mid air, creating quite the odd sight.

Okina smiled at that, before turning to the crown prince. “My prince.” She said, bowing her head forward slightly as if to give deference to her, but not bowing low enough to even be thought of as a proper bow or show of submission.

“Goddess.” Miko returned the gesture, but bowing operationally, waving her cape behind her as she did so.

Nobody but those two really understood the meaning in the shared mockery or the importance of their gestures, but it had little to do with the matter at hand, and much more to do with their own interpersonal relationship.

>>46990480
Byakuren rolled her eyes at the two, before turning to Cirno, her face full of carefully measured worry. “Cirno dear, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just a little confused.” The fairy said, scratching the back of her head. “But don’t worry, I-” Cirno stopped herself, briefly glancing at Okina. Before smiling brightly and fake-ly and “I’m fine.” Cirno stood proudly, putting her hands on her hips.
Before popping off again. “But I have to go now bye.” Saying her goodbye, before flying away.

Shou waved goodbye to the fairy, then sighed when she was out out sight and earshot, vanishing among the rubble in the village.

Okina smiled. “That girl, she isn’t very good at lying is she?”

Byakuren returned Okina’s smile with one of her own. “If there’s one hair displaced from her head I won’t stop till you're dead.” Not caring to hide to her wroth.

Okina’s smile didn’t falter, “I trust that you will Byakuren, but for now It looks like the sealing squad has finally returned from their little errand.” Okina said, gesturing to the sky as Reimu, Ibaraki, and Mima all descended, a tense air in between them.
Okina relaxed in her stone chair as Byakuren, flanked by Shou and Miko standing alone, received the three guests.

Mima was the first to speak. “We’ve finished the with the preparatory measures and the first steps of it’s proper sealing, but it’ll only hold for a few hours” Mima adjusted a pair of glasses which weren’t there anymore. Her tone was all business, and it reminded Okina of better days, It was nice to finally see the would-be-witch again anyhow.

Okina nodded, the familiarity was welcomed. “I see, I hope the attendants and Aya were of some help, oh and Hana, how’s the sweet girl doing?” While not as skilled as the others, and on the other side of the barrier, more hands to order around and keep things together was always good in a situation like this.

Ibaraki scoffed. “Those ones didn’t know the first thing about proper barrier construction and maintenance.” The Oni crossed her arms, giving Okina a harsh glare.

“Hana’s fine, she’s dealing with.” Reimu pointed up to the chain black ball in the sky. “That right now with those goddesses, but you know that we’re not here to make small talk, Okina.” Reimu said, before turning her head to the side and ordering “Sekai.”

With a flash of lightning, and a small crater a brown haired girl with a pot-handle hat appeared, pressing her fingers together nervously. “H-hi”

Byakuren and Miko raised, their eyebrows, measured expressions of interests and confusion.

“She is the Genius Loci of that establishment, its making were quite experimental, in fact since the creation of the Great Hakurei Barrier, there hasn’t been such an invention until now.” Okina gave a pointed look to Mima.

“Yes, it’s rather… I wouldn’t say genius, but it was clearly made by a learned prodigy who’s poorly socialized and for an overly specific use case. It has a strange focus on security, while also ignoring common safety measures and practices for something new, seemingly for its own sake.” Mima's eyes were distant as she talked, lost in thought about the construction of the HSE and reminiscing on old memories.

“So what? Yukari fucked up and made them?” Ibraraki questioned, an annoyed tone in her voice as she held a hand on her hip.

“Hey, don't be mean.” Sekai scolded, waving a finger at Ibaraki.

“You did destroy the human village.” Miko gave the girl a pointed look.

“That was an accident!” “Besides I'm trying the best I can but I'm just too big.” Sekai gestured to her real body, the giant tree behind them. “How was I supposed to keep that contained.”

“Well, Miko has a point, as long as your real body is here, rebuilding the human village is impossible.”

>>46990491
“Relocating the village is an equally arduous task, the wild areas of Gensokyo are wildly populated by Youkai and Fairies who wouldn’t appreciated being forced to move even for the sake of a new village, not to mention those areas are inhabited by Youkai because they are dangerous to humans in the first place.”

“W-well, it's not like I can't fix it, but it's very hard. At first my real body was somewhere else, but that somewhere wasn't anywhere, the HSE building was just the small portion of me that poked into reality.”

“And forcing you back there isn't going to work…” Sighed sighed, rubbing her temple. “I suppose we’ll just have to figure something out, worse case scenario we’ll just put your body in another dimension.”

“Not to mention, the second one seemed intentional,” Okina said, gesturing to the ominous black orb as it floated over the carnage. “But the question remains, what could such a being desire?” Okina said as she lounged on her chair, and appraised Sekai.

“I just wanted for nobody to die, but…” Sekai trails off as she raises her head, gazing as Ibaraki and then to the others gathered nervously.

Miko shook her head in affirmation. “She’s not lying, her desires are rather pure and I haven’t sensed any malice from her so far. Although, what’s this about someone dying?” Miko raised a questioning eyebrow, looking at the blood-splattered Oni.

Ibaraki shrugged, not caring for the Saint’s judgment. “She was already dead.”

Mima raised the question. “Who-”

Before being cut off by Reimu “Yoshika, that zombie you ran into earlier. She survived the explosion, only to get killed by Kasen.” And Reimu answered it, nonplussed by the revelation, she had likely figured it out earlier, or already known the answer without realizing it.

Mima sighed, shaking her head, but not really caring. “Well, I guess she was already dead.” Okina thought it was ironic for an ex-vengful spirit and would-be-god to say such things, but the girl always did think she was better than other people.

Sekai frowned, but didn’t saying anything. While Miko and Byakuren shook their heads in unison. Which seemed to exasperate Shou somewhat. “But, about my brother, Yukari did make him, but she doesn’t have any control over him.”

Sekai nervously pressed her fingers together, eyeing the group surrounding her as she tried to think of a beneficial way to explain what her brother wanted. “Ah, well, he just kind of hates you all.”

Reimu and Ibaraki huffed and said in unison. “Figures”
While the rest of the group looked on with disappointed, or disintrest.

Sekai tried to come to her brother’s defense.“H-hey wait I-”

But Miko, interrupted Sekai. “I feel like you are all getting distracted.” She said, with a wave of her shaku, before asking. “Does anybody even know where Anon is?”

Everybody, except for Okina, balked, waiting for someone else to speak up, until Okina was forced to. “I did send Seija and that cute little husband of hers to find Anon, but I have yet to receive a report back.” Okina had to hide the strain in her voice, worse case scenario he died, best case they found him but hadn’t made it to Okina in time.

It was then that a pile of wooden rubble exploded. “Hi, ya assholes.” Seija jeered, kicking her way through the rubble she just obliterated as small splinters of wood and pebbles fell from the sky, as she dragged a normal looking man by the collar. “You’re looking for us.”

“Seija-” The man said, fruitlessly trying to hold his wife’s reins even as she dragged him over the rubble.

“Lemme handle this.” Seija said, waving off her husband with one hand as she let go of his collar, causing him to fall to the ruined street below. “Last we heard, Tewi made off with him and we haven't seen him since.

Everybody froze as they processed her answer, Miko and Byakuren gave skeptical looks, Shou was confused, Ibaraki looked as if she was about to kill Seija and if Reimu’s gohei was still intact she would have snapped it in half.

“Excuse me?” Reimu said, stressing the words as she held herself back from hitting the Amanojaku, her hand still stinging from the pain of sealing Yukari by using a shrine maiden technique with her bare hand, an unorthodox use of her powers.

“I dunno, a couple minutes ago, Koishi said she noticed Tewi making off with him and Ran while Goro was out.” Seija said, in a tone that read to some as bored, but to Reimu read like measured disinterest.

“Seija-” The tried to intercede again, this time without being dropped to the floor.

“I told you I have this under control.” Only for him to be brushed off by his wife again.

Ibaraki looked annoyed. “Great, looks like we’re gonna have to go after him again”

Okina stepped her hands together in a scholar cradle. “Not necessarily, Tewi, while significantly weaker than Yukari, is far harder to find.”

>>46990498
Byakuren and Miko looked rather resigned, but Ibaraki spoke up. “So what? You’re a god of secrets afterall, just find her, it can't be that hard.” Neither of her previous selves knew the little rabbit well, or had given her much thought. At most, she was a small-time harmless schemer, a scam artist, and a pet of sorts to Eirin and the moon princess.

“If I did search for her, By the time I found AND was able to get to where she took him, Anon would have likely to have already passed due to age" In truth, Okina was furious at the rabbit, having Anon would have strengthened her position immensely, but now he was somewhere nobody could get him and doubtless with the former Yakumos as well. Even if he was to arrive at this moment he wouldn't be under her own thumb.

“Dammit.” Reimu bit her thumb, anger boiling as her hand continued to burn. “Just why-”

Byakuren stepped in. “Look, I don't know Tewi that well, but I don't think she would hold Anon against his will, still we should try to make contact with her at the first opportunity, Okina, can you tell Nazrin to check in with the Hourai Pharmacy.”

Okina nodded “Already done, but it will take some time.”

Reimu grit her teeth, before taking a breath. “Fine, but this was all done to help if that rabbit better pray for her own safety if he's hurt.”

“Agreed, that rabbit gets away with too much as it is.” Ibaraki hated how she, Kasen, just let Tewi instigate the creation of more Youkai rabbits just because they were cute.

“But enough of that, Seija, Goro, did you receive that item from Yukari's office I asked for?” Okina said, sitting upwards she she gestured for Seija to hand her the aforementioned object.

“Ya’mean parasol?” Seija said, grabbing the cheat item from behind her back, likely from that cheat item she used to store other cheat items. Okina briefly thought how annoying and interesting the pseudo-on.

As Seija set the cheat item in Okina’s hand, Reimu said “I suppose we’ll be sealing Yukari in the long term?” A purple tinted Hakurei Orb falling out of a gap and into her hand, the tool in which she’d temporarily sealed Yukari.

“Yes, the Hakurei Orb will do for now, but if we want the seal to last, we need something she has a strong connection which to work best.”

“And if the situation calls for it her abilities can still be drawn upon by using the parasol.” Byakuren said, holding her hand up to her chin in thought.

“Quite devilish, I couldn’t have thought of something bette myself, although she’ll have to be enshrined, won't she?” Shintoism wasn’t Miko’s speciality, but she was unsure about the repercussion of enshrining such a woman and drawing upon her powers, if someone did so to her sword, she’d definitely break out.

“The difference between enshrining and and containing is very thin.” Reimu said, obviously not thrilled at the prospect of keeping Yukari at the shrine. “Almost non-existent in some cases, but they share the same principal of focussing the spirit of something inside of it, Tamamo no Mae for instance was sealed and enshrined in a rock, this would be similar.”

Miko nodded her head in understanding, before casting a glance at Mima. “So the risk of Yukari breaking out is…?”

“Low, I escaped due to happenstance, normally I wouldn’t have.” Mima said, as she grabbed a sheaf of documents from inside her cloak. “It’ll be a bit technical with Yuakri due to her power, but nothing me or Reimu haven’t done ourselves, Kanako and Miss Ibaraki would be of some help as well.”

“Although that brings us back to the topic of that orb.” Okina said, gesturing to the form od Genso-douji above them.

“Easy.” Ibaraki said, exasperated. “kill it, from what I can tell he’s just some living grudge, the basetes form of a vengeful spirit, even that Junko woman is more of a person than that is.”

“B-but.” Sekai tried to search for an answer or rebuttal. “Even if he is a living grudge, I don’t want to give him up.” Placing her hand against her chest she pleaded. “He’s my brother.”

“Excuse me, but how about we receive an expert opinion.” Mima said, gesturing to herself. “While I wasn’t ever a living grudge, I was a vengeful spirit and am somewhat an expert in the field. But while he might currently be a threat, we have no reason to just dispose of him.”

“I’d like to support Mima here, while I haven’t been entirely successful in my own endeavors with youkai, it’s been proven, the base nature of a being is subject to change, Mima herself is an example of that.”

“Yes…” Mima said, holding a hand to her chin as she thought. “I won't say it was easy, but I was able to move past my grudge against mankind.” Mima reached inside her cloak, her eyes dimmed as she drew a bloodstained knife. “This knife is what remains of my grudge against humanity.” There was a dark light in Mima’s eyes as she huddled the blade close to her body.

>>46990510
It reminded Okina of a mother holding a child, or more aptly, that woman who died and had quite the fondness for stuffed animals despite having out grown them.

Miko coughed into her hand, interrupting Mima’s strange moment. “If I’m not mistaken, that requires the willingness of the subject in question no?” Miko questioned as she held her Shaku upright.

“True,” Okina said, a patient look on her face. “I doubt a being with only has it’s basis in a grudge and no previous life is likely to turn it’s back ” She wasn’t that worried, they'd be sealing him not matter what and if it came to it he could be killed easily after that.

“Even if he doesn't want to right now, I can convince him, I know I can, please!. Sekai pleaded, almost jumping into the air.

“The way I see it we can just seal him away, somewhere, if Sekai is able to convince him to give up, all the better.”

Okina nodded. “So it seems as if that matter is settled, although the location of his proper sealing needs to be determined.”

Goro raised his hand to speak. “Excuse me, ma’am, but I believed Koishi mentioned something about him coming up from the underground, I’m sure we can work something out with the Palace of Earth Spirits.”

“All the better, I suppose you two should get on that then.”

“Ugh, fine. C’mon Goro.” Seija, said annoyed.

The two quickly departed, Goro trailing after Seija as they walked at a brisk pace. Avoiding the rubble and inconvenient ruins for Goro’s sake. Okina inwardly sighed, there as enough going on as is, but still even more to do.

Starting the next subject herself, Okina turned to Miko and performed another slightly bow from her chair. “My prince, “I believe there is also the issue of the cursed blood, the purification and removal of which falls inside your specialty.” Okina would have asked Reimu, but the shrine maiden, and inevitably her daughter were already busy enough.

“Don't worry, about the cursed blood, I already have an idea, although I’ll need the help of those goddesses from the Moriya temple and the Kappa. Bye for now.

Okina clapped her hands together in mock excitement, as her eyes scanned the nearby rubble of the village that still surrounded them. “Excellent, although before you go, it seems as if there's someone here to see you.”

As Okina finished her sentence, the ruins of a collapsed house split vertically, before collapsing into an indistinct pile of loose rubble, revealing the form of Kiene as she stood with a sword at her hip. “I apologize for my lateness.”

“Is everybody making a dramatic entrance today.” Mima complained, causing Keine to blush slightly.

Okina chuckled at Mima’s comment as she waved towards Kiene. “No offense taken miss Kamishirasawa, things have played out well in your absence, and I assume that is.”

“Yep!” The Marisa doll chimed, the aforementioned witch's voice coming out of it. “We got her when she tried to escape.”

“One less culprit to rack down later.” Reimu sighed. ” Guess she's just one more problem for me to seal?” Realistically, her and the other shintoists, the other shrines, would all play their part. But for someone close to retirement, having work piled on wasn’t fun.

Miko nodded ro Reimu, an impassive look on her. “Let me say this Seiga may live or die, either way she holds no affiliation with me or my allies.” “Byakuren, Your thoughts?”

The nun puffed up, crossing her arms. “The pacifist in me says that people need to be given the chance to be redeemed, but Seiga has already been given many chances to change her ways.” She shook her head.

“Buh-but-” Sekai, looked around for anybody to speak up, to make a case for Seiga.
But Ibaraki just stood silently, while Reimu continued to look on impassively, unphased.
Marisa was the only one to speak up.

“Hey, Seiga may be evil but-”

In a moment, the Ibaraki Moved with terrifying speed, blitzing towards Marisa and the orb containing Seiga’s head and hairpin that she held. Before she could event object, Ibaraki’s hand broke through the barrier, shattering it like glass, and pulped the head of the wicked hermit, bloody mist coating herself and Marisa.
She hadn’t needed to hear anything else, she knew what the witch would say, she would say that the hermit was useful for her knowledge, but Ibaraki did not care.

Nobody said anything, shocked or unwilling to either move or speak after the Oni’s outburst. Even Ibaraki eye’s widened, surprised at her own actions.

Slowly, she retracted her hand and then unfurled it, laying in her palm for the wick hermit hairpin. Miko only made a nonplussed but agreeable sound. “Mhm.”

>>46990516
Okina smiled smugly while Keine had a strange unidentifiable look in her eyes before shrugging and turning away. “Well that’s my business over with, Byakuren, I’ll be at the temple, helping with things there.”

Sekai spoke, looking at Ibaraki harshly “You shouldn't have killed her.”

“Shut it child, I care not for your judgements.” Ibaraki flung the remains of Seiga’s hairpin at Sekai, but just far enough away from her where the child was forced to hop towards them in order to catch it.

Okina nodded, and smiled as she opened a backdoor behind her. “I suppose this is all for now, we all have every important things to get up too, and I don’t want this to drag too long.”

“Wait.” Ibaraki commanded. An ugly look in her face that caused everybody, except for Reimu and Okina to take a step back. “You all are just going to ignore what caused all of this is the first place?”

Okina rolled her eyes, these sorts of questions were always the ones she found the most annoying. The Oni wasn’t earnestly interested in anybody elses’ answers, or their view points, she just wanted to verbally berate them while propping herself up as the sole arbiter of truth and justice.
A very Oni-like trick which only children fell for.
“Fine, if none of you will speak up, then I’ll say it, the root from which this stems is the overly lax relationship between the humans and youkai.”

Byakuren scoffed. “This whole incident was yukari’s fault, and if you want to talk about roots, attitudes like yours just lead to people using and abusing humans.”

Reimu glared at the Oni. “I enforce the rules as needed, if nobody’s causing a problem, then there isn’t one. Back before the Spellcard rules were in place, something like this wouldn’t have happened, but similar abuses towards humans still did.”

“I concur, back in those days men and women alike called upon my protection more often. The Tengu have always been one to take liberties with humans afterall.” Not always bad, some of them which ‘tested’ the wannabe hermits and monks preferred seduction rather than assault, an odd way to find a mate, and forcibly taking one was far easier, but it was something that happened.

“Your indolence shows Reimu, a real shrine maiden applies herself to all aspects of her duty and retains a constant vigil. Hopefully that daughter of yours will prove to be an improvement.” Ibaraki waved her arm, gesturing to the whole of everybody around her. “And the rest of you assume I want things to go back to where they were before the spell card rules-” Okina did not make any assumptions on her part, she was just interjecting with her own wisdom. “-Your assumptions are mistaken, what I want is the humans to be more closely controlled and the Youkai more diligent in their roles, a youkai virtue is the torment of humans and a humans virtue is attaining enlightenment while suffering.”

“Hey!” Marisa and Byakuren saidin unison.

Miko chuckled, before pointing her Shaku towards Ibaraki. “While I may not entirely agree with you, on some points I do, I do agree on this. The human village needs an administrator, and with Yukari leaving her role as a sage someone will need to take her place.”

Okina turned towards the crown prince as Reimu narrowed her eyes. “So you would step up to take her place”

Miko raised her shaku to a resting position, tapping on it while she thought. “While I would be willing to become the administrator of the human village, I would not take on Yukari’s duties of finding outside world humans to placate some of the more cannibalistic Youkai.”

“Mima?” Okina asked leadingly. “Do you have anything to say, you are awfully adamant on becoming a god after all, wouldn’t a sage also be the next step.”

“Yes, if it means protecting the human village and Gensokyo, then I’ll become its administrator.” Okina almost burst out laughing, it was almost funny how far the girl had come in the past hundreds of years, that girl from 200 years ago would have never said such things.

Ibaraki huffed. “Hmp, fine then. I support the Hermit. If she’s willing to take over the village, I’ll take on Yukari’s duties of feeding the youkai.” She didn’t like the Hermit, but from where she was standing, backing Miko was the best option for her.

Byakuren clenched her fist as Shou gifted behind her. “While I won’t serve the youkai who cause humans harm, if it’s to protect the humans of the village I’ll become its administrator.” throwing her hat into the ring is all she could do, she could focus on gathering support later, ideally she could force the race into only her and Miko by gaining Mima’s support. But Ibaraki was still an issue.

>>46990538
Okina rolled her eyes at the politics. “Good, now that we know where we all stand. Lets call this meeting a close for noe, we all have very important things to do, and Reimu, Ihave something to talk to you about later. Come to the World of the Back Door whenever you are ready.”
-Reimu-

Reimu sighed as she Stepped through the backdoor, a hard day of work and cleanup, followed by an annoying meeting with a troublesome goddess, just great. “So, you wanted to talk Okina?”

“Yes, thank you for coming Reimu. I believe I mentioned something to the effect of my Aunn and Hana being involved?”

“And what does that have to do with us?” Reimu questioned, arching an eyebrow at Okina as if she had just called her here to waste her time.

“HA! Reimu, a delight as always, I guess neither of us really have any say in what those two get up to.” Of course, Okina would prefer Hana to not have an interest in women, it would make selecting the Hakurei of the next generation far easier. But Okina could always find a replacement for the current Hakurei bloodline if the need arose.

Reimu just nodded slightly. “Is that all, I have more important things to do than gossip about my daughter’s love life.”

“I do, follow me.” Okina said, in a serious, measured tone. Departing from her jovality as another back door opened besides the two of them.

Reimu sighed, pushing through the back door Okina had conjured.
Reimu felt the chill crawl across her skin and the smell of an overly clean odor assault her as she passed through the threshold of the back door. The room on the other side was large and ominous, only dimly lit through a series of low hanging outside world lamps. Across the room there were several empty evenly placed metal tables, and between them only a single wheeled stool. Across the room’s walls there were evenly spaced metal cabinets, each with with a thing paper label attached to it in a script Riemu thought she recognized as english.
But most of all the thing that took Reimu by surprise was Cirno, nervously fluttering around the room, glancing at the metal cabinets in the wall.

“Cirno dear,” Okina asked, a tenderness in her voice.

“Y-yeah, right wall, second row from the bottom, fourth column.” Cirno gulped, already knowing the question and acting on it as her tiny hands shaking as she traced along the wall lined with metal cabinets, gripping the handle of the drawer she was looking for with an intensity she didn’t even have while in battle.
Pulling the cabinet outwards, Reimu froze and the room’s already cold temperature seemed to drop even further.
It took Reimu a second to realize what was laying inside the metal cabinet.

“What… happened.”

“Old age.” Okina answered in a soft measured tone. Reimu didn't take her eyes off the corpse.
“Cirno found him if you have any further questions.”

Reimu just nodded her head, looking down at the corpse of the man who raised her. As if not believing he was dead, she reached out an arm, grazing his solemn face with her fingers. “We’ll need to make preparations.” Removing her hand from the corpse, Reimu turns to the ice fairy. Crino.”

“Yes!” she said, almost jolting out of her own skin in surprise. She had been entirely consumed by the moment.

“Thank you for this.” “Okina, I have to go talk to Hana, when I return we can start planning the funeral.”

The backdoor god nodded. “I was thinking a small affair, in a couple of days after the immediate chaos subsides.”

Doubtless Mima was going to be there too, she had been there when they raised the Hakurei barrier. Although Okina supposed that the young girl from all those years ago has changed quite a bit.

Reimu nodded, her gaze lingering on the body of Genji as she walked through the threshold of the back door. “I’ll think about it.”

“Bye Reimu.” Cirno said, waving off her friend, and indeed they were friends, as she exited the Land of the Back Doors.
As soon as the backdoor disappeared, Cirno’s smile dropped from her face. “Okina, how much of that was planned?”

Okina sighed theatrically, she was somewhat proud of the child, she had learned a bit of cannyness and perhaps self righteousness from the idol from the Myouren temple. “A bit, Reimu needed to be informed of her guardian’s passing afterall.”

A sour look crossed the fairies face. “You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“My, my, so demanding Cirno. Besides, it’s all in the past now, it’s better to think of the future anyhow.” Okina said, clapping her hands together as she made a faux-smiling face, clear even to Cirno she was faking her response for dramatic effect.

>>46990549
Cirno crossed her arms and made a sour face. “So, you're just going to get away like a bandit?” Okina didn’t have to guess Cirno considered this a personal betrayal. After all, Okina had, through willful negligence, allowed events to play out in order to capitalize on them, but what mattered to the goddess was how she could sell it to the fairy.

“Hmmm.” Okina hummed, holding her head in her hand as she was lost in thought. “I wouldn’t say that, I would say that I have gained less than I wanted or hoped for, but about within my reasonable expectations, and with the outcome not entirely within my control.” others had made sure of that for her.

Cirno didn’t respond, keeping her arms crossed and her expression huffy. Okina let the room rest in silence for a moment, she knew Cirno had nothing to say or rebut Okina with, and in turn Cirno knew she couldn’t create one that wasn’t just childish complaining. She would be a power in her own right yet.

Okina nodded. “I suppose once the funeral is held you’ll be leaving my service then.” It was the only thing left to do that this point, keeping a retainer who plotted against you was a hassle to deal with even if Cirno was inexperienced and she likely wouldn’t perform her duties well, besides she was always going in the Hakurei’s direction without Okina’s guidance, and one always needed more back ups.

Cirno crossed her arms, pouting like a child at not getting one over her elder. “Yes.” And then stuck out her tongue.

“Well for now we have some preparations to make.” Okina said, clapping her hands together as the Land of the Back Door rearranged itself.
Okina supposed there was still a lot of work to do.
After that, tea, cake, and then some drinking.
-Anon: Final talk-

“So that’s it.” Anon’s voice was ghostly, practically terrified as he stared into the viewing mirror. For what reason he couldn’t say.

After Tewi and Ran saw to Chen, Hecatia had grabbed him when he was returning from the restroom and brought him back to the roof and forced tea and small talk upon him. Then promptly forced him to watch as the events of Gensokyo unfolded.
Although he had gotten used to terrifying women bossing him around, something about seeing things wrap up unnerved him.

“Well whether you go back or not is entirely up to you, we don’t have any interest in forcing you to stay after all.”

“Although I wouldn’t recommend it.” Suko said, speaking up from her seat at the end of the table in between Hecatia and Anon. “Personally, I think you should just leave this all behind.”

“I… What.” Two decades, two decades of his life. Could he really go back on half of his entire life, but where would he even go.

Anticipating his question Junko answered. “Me and Hecatia have outside world contacts, if you so wished you could have a new name and identity by the end of the week.” Junko took a long sip from her cup of tea as she let Anon think on that.

“I don’t know, Ran and Chen, everybody, I can’t just abandon them.” Even if miss Takanae said that Ran took advantage of him, he didn’t want to leave her all alone with Chen in a new place. Regardless if he could help or not.

Hecatia theatrically sighed. “Nobody is forcing you to do anything Anon, honestly half o the people you feel indebted to abused you, why would you want to go back.”

“I… I don’t know.” Anon held his teacup with a irongrip fo hard it looked like he’d shatter the porcelain cup at any moment.

“Well, at the end of the day, the choice is up to you Anon, what do you want to do?”

-Finale: End-

Edit: There was a misunderstanding caused by lack of reading comprehension way back that I never corrected people on.
Genji never had his funeral, Cirno just performed corpse preservation magic, and besides the point it would.be extremely rude of Cirno and Okina to not inform Reimu of Genji’s passing and let her see the body.
They just never got the chance to do it, and I always had it planned as one of the final things that would happen.
Also that at the end was the realization moment I mentioned, but honestly it's so sad I wanted to kill off one of the fairies but it just didn't work out that way, they weren't important enough and I wasn't going to rewrite the story to include them.

>>46990558
So, is this the ending of the whole HSE? I've been out for a long time so I don't really know what's been happening

>>46991463
It doesn't end with dark horse Lemontene winning the Anon bowl and becoming his daughterwife so clearly not

>>46991463
Nah, that's coming later this summer.

>>46991463
Nah, just cirnoanon flying off the handle

>>46991463
nope, Hana hasn't pounded (violence) Yukari yet. This one guy decided to write his own ending separated from the actual HSE storyline.

>>46976052 (3/6)
—
Something hits my arm and throws it against the other before I have a chance to react—b-burning… It burns!

The inferno buckles my knees, my wide eyes turning to my arms in crushing despair: ropes made out of mirrors with a rock on each end had wrapped themselves around my wrists, ancient inscriptions carved on them beyond my understanding—reactively I tried to use my power to gauge their meaning in the slightest, but then the burning grew to unspeakable levels, shrieks of pain leaving me together with tears, fingers contorting in a futile attempt to get a grasp of the ropes melting in the metaphorical sense.

“Stop fighting it, Kamishirasawa Keine.” The commanding voice rang out again, this time closer, as the Yamaxanadu descended from the skies, her back to the full moon, and landed beside a distraught Komachi, the ferrywoman clutching her scythe tightly. Shiki Eiki, a full inch taller than Komachi's waist, stood with an overwhelming air of grace and an unequivocal declaration of 'Justice,' holding the Rod of Remorse with poise and clarity, eyes as bone-chilling as the top of Youkai Mountain. “You're no saint to undo the bindings of your own guilt and sins—they shall protect you from yourself.” Sweating all over and panting, I finally manage to get on my knees, arms sizzling with the phantom vestiges of a blistering kiss from the sun.

Still, as the agony subsided, my last train of thought returned—confused and messy, but most importantly legible—eyebrows furrowing: if Komachi's words were to be trusted, when I was reborn, I didn't bring my powers with me…

But that doesn't make sense!

Under the blue moon, I used them to write the futures of my children and Seiga…

I need more information, and the penetrating gaze of the Yama was the opposite of welcoming. “I'll commend you first, Kamishirasawa Keine, for judgement is meaningless if made up of one element.” She moves closer, kneeling and looking into my eyes. Komachi was about to speak, but the Yama only had to give her a sidelong glance to silence any words. Judgement began as those emerald eyes refocused on me. “You did well. For most of your life, you did well. Many people owe their jobs and opportunities in life due to your teaching; you also protected the Human Village when necessary in the past—you became the sole pillar of support to those two babies Mystia Izakaya threw to death, going distances to make sure they'd live… I’d have no qualms about reincarnating you and praying that you’d eventually cross paths with those you loved again if you had come to Higan the first time. But we're past that point.” My heart sank when I saw the sudden iron in her once-soft eyes. “You have fled judgement once and attempted to do so again, destroying any trust I might have had in you to the point I thought necessary delivering judgement here, on the sands of the Sanzu. Blinded by good intentions, you sought the demise of Gensokyo's balance and egotistically aimed to tip it to befit your worldview and rather than adapting to the world, you decided you’d change it…” Her eyes narrow in unambiguous distaste. “Who do you think you are, Kamishirasawa Keine? Do you think you can overcome the primal cruelty of life? That you must go as far as putting hundreds of lives at stake for the CHANCE of making things ‘better’? No, you aren't that special—so let me tell you who you really are, Kamishirasawa Keine.” She places the Rod of Remorse before my eyes, the wooden end scraping the skin as she stands to her full height. “You were a teacher. You were wronged and thus became a mother. You lost your curse and so, became a partner, soon-to-be wife. You should've stopped there, but you did not. Instead, you became an instigator, then martyr of Gensokyo's worst bloodshed to date… You're dead now, and you died a villain.” Her words feel final. “Today, you'll be judged as one.”

And thus judgement was rendered.

Her words swirl inside my head, threatening an explosion of almighty proportions, lips trembling and lungs overworking, the chains made of mirrors around my wrists stopping any use of my powers and burning, burning and burning.

… Villain, me…

After everything I've gone through, all I wanted was a good life for myself and my kids—for Mystia, who had to throw her children to death or else her nest would go hungry…

Calling me an instigator when peace was all I had in mind…

It was simply infuriating.

Wrath bubbled from down below all the way to the surface, skin shivering and heart thumping as if about to burst, prognostications of rebellion rumbling into the atmosphere.

This will not be how things end! I won’t fade away as a ‘villain’!

No…

I refuse to let that be my history.

… All Eiki gave me was a look of pity. “That's your answer? I had higher expectations of you.” She's about to turn and walk away from me…

My actual answer stops her dead in her tracks, time stalling. “I didn't lose my curse when I revived—I still had it yesterday, Shiki Eiki!”

(4/6)
—
The world is silent.

Komachi-san's eyes widen in the background, the Sanzu hums menacingly, and above the looming full moon lights Shiki Eiki's face as she turns to me. My blood is hot as lava, searing the walls of my arteries and igniting further anger mixed with a lethal dose of adrenaline. This combination caused me to lean forward, my composure melting away and my eyes gleaming. “I transformed into a hakutaku yesterday! I wrote Seiga Kaku's demise! I wrote a future for my children in case I die,” an ironic smirk comes forward, yet inside I wept. I want to see them again. Hold them close to my heart and hear the soft, rhythmical thumps of unequivocal proof of their existence; feel their feathers ruffling against my skin.

I want my children back and, through any means, I'll do so.

Shiki Eiki doesn't look amused, that iron facade giving way to tense eyes, the Yama exchanging a look with Komachi, who motioned a negation with her head, both pairs of eyes back on me. “… I perceive no lie.” She mutters to herself, pacing quickly towards me. “How? In what circumstances did you transform?” She demanded, standing in front of me and, with disheveled hair and coated in dried blood shimmering in the moonlight, I faced her with challenge, her previous words a venom that seeps into my mind…

I ignore them; that’s not Keine Kamishirasawa. “Mokou layered the moon with her blue fire, mimicking a full blue moon—that's where my powers are at their strongest…” I shiver, the scalding pain emanating from my wrists almost making me bite my tongue, the skin beneath charred. It hurts so bad… Those words, however, hardly mitigate Eiki's utter confusion. Seeing an opportunity to answer my questions, I put aside the frantic thoughts as pieces crash-land into place—Komachi-san's words when we met; how I might've been reborn for the first time; and this straight-up confirmation in their expressions. Everything points out that my powers were used independently of me; for how could Komachi-san sleep after bringing out the image of the full moon and watching me turn into a hakutaku…? More, how can they be so certain I didn't bring my powers with me when I resurrected? It doesn't make sense—and ask, “Where are they supposed to be—my powers? Did you seal them somewhere?” Eiki remains silent at first, her brows furrowing as she grasps the Rod of Remorse rigidly…

Then turns to Komachi quickly, as if she’d realized something appalling, just as I was about to ask another question, her shoulders tense. “We cannot afford any more mistakes… Onozuka, reap her soul.”

Her tone and Onozuka suddenly paling blare alarms inside of me. “W-What? We cannot do that, Eiki-sama—”

“—We must! She's a danger to Gensokyo, and I cannot take it upon myself to let any vestiges of her soul remain.” What?! Where did that come from? What did she realize? With my arms throbbing with pain, I sent Komachi-san a despondent look and begged for mercy—t-they’ll destroy my soul!—but all I could do was watch as tearing conflict engulfed her expression; Komachi even opened her mouth, weakly trying to make an argument, but Shiki Eiki was unrelenting. “Do you not understand, Onozuka? She'll go to any lengths to perpetuate her actions and destroy Gensokyo's balance—it does pain me, but it's the safest route and our obligation to the souls lost today!”

The need to cry out for my life came on strong and loud as Komachi tensely grasped her scythe… But it was useless as she moved towards me, blade gleaming under the moonlight—of c-course she wouldn't ignore her leader, no matter how invested she was in my history…

… Shiki Eiki demanded, and Komachi-san will destroy my spirit and make me into stardust, another indistinguishable drop in the ether.

The thought makes me want to throw up.

What did Eiki realize? What was it?! I need to find my powers, but where’d they be kept sealed?

I need to! I need to…

Or I'll be completely erased.

Komachi stands by me, one hand lifting my chin to expose my neck. I can’t stop sobbing. “… I'm so sorry…” She mutters lowly and avoids eye contact, my whole body shuddering in terror; agony in my wrists screaming as despair tries to take over, my eyes moving lower—

I want to see my family; I want to be with them longer!

A night on top of Mount Fuji, with the babies cradled in my arms, full of life and promise, creating an endless supply of love within my heart; passionately indulging in Mokou’s touch, her hands all over me…

I want my life back!

At any cost…

—and so falling on the infinite Sanzu.

The Sanzu…

… The damned Sanzu.

Disappointed, Shiki Eiki turns away, “What a waste.” She mumbles, Komachi's scythe reaching her zenith… Just in time for a ball of light to silently fall from the skies behind Eiki.

It looks about to explode.

I don’t think.

I push through the crushing pain, lunging forward.

Sinking my wrists into the golden energy.

The chains sway, unstable—

—The following explosion rips both of my arms off.

I am free.

>>46992980
Super powered reincarnation in 3... 2... 1...
Anyways, what a fucking asshole, Eiki didn't even do anything when problems arose earlier, what a bitch.

>>46992980
>>46992964
"No Keine, you are not reincarnate" said komach.

"I am the reincarnate" Keine said, but did not believe. She cried.

"I want you to be reincarnate now" Komanch said

The yamayabadabado came by, "burn, no power for you. Bad cowe"

Keine seems moon, "powers yes. Give powers"

Komanch and Eiki were stunned by her her resolve.

Everyone cheered. The end.

>>46994260
if things could be that easy for sensei... I want her to be happi

>>46994260
They WILL bend the knee to the school teacher
They WILL recount the error of their ways
They WILL praise the schoolteacher.
And you WILL clap.

>>46993347
c'mon, give the middle manager a break, not like she could do much anyway with all the problems arising around Gensokyo. Yukari is basically untouchable and Eiki probably knows talking to her is as effective as talking to a brick wall, and Reimu isn't dead yet and just as stubborn. The poor woman is a judge, not jury or executioner.

>>46994518
She's just a jerk, nobody else gets persecuted to such extant for such little reason.
Fate manipulation isn't even impressive, especially when she still has a vulnerable body and needs specific conditions to activate it.
Eiki is being unprofessional and persecuting Kiene for no good reason.
She is corrupt, nepotistic, and cruel.

>>46994616
she is concerned that, if Keine remains free, she'd be able to eat history of them stopping her and so get to her powers before they can do anything and resurrect like the previous time. Why the level of cruelty I'd say Eiki is seeing this like another Fortune Teller situation, where a weak person goes to unfathomable lengths after being shunned by the village and threatens to rip it apart, so she's not holding anything back and at the first sign of things going awry, decides to take final action. Unlike the man, Keine managed indeed do it and has altered the balance of Gensokyo, so letting her resurrect could make things even worse in the Yama's eyes. Just sucks Yukari has done the same thing and much worse yet, by being one of the strong players that keep other strong players in check she has so far got out of it scot-free.
we'll need a third waltz, Shostakovich-san, for the 'Gensokyo Incident' is a fucking nightmare...

>>46994787
She should get over herself, Sunwukong was taught by a guy who did that sort of shit casually and Sun Wukong gets two shot by a scorpion with a hate boner for the Buddha.
Fate manipulation, erasing history is very small in the scheme of things and ZUN introducing Buddhism as canon will always cause power wanking versus debates.
But more seriously, Yukari and whatever Okina are doing are far more credible threats than a school teacher who wants to end shintoist apartheid.
She's acting purely in the interests of the status quo when the status quo is already dead and on the floor, maybe at this point questioning if it was even that good in the first place and looking to improve things is a better option.
At least when Keine comes back she'll make them kneel.

>>46993347
She can only truely do things in her realm, she plays by the rules.

>>46992964
>>46992980
Man, Miko actually comes in with the save. She really did uphold her bargain in a way. Shiki really needs a vacation after this with everything she's been forced to witness.

>>46977056
At least you're close to the end now, with the Kiene story finishing this thread and then Kasen and Hana probably being either end of this thread or start of next thread.
Which then immediately moves into the solstice.

>>46997363
Shiki deserves to get thrown in the same jail cell yukari is going in after this mess is over, she's being the worst kid of giga cunt about shit and is trying to dodge her responsibility here with lets just break the cycle of the afterlife because muh status quo.111¹

>>46997363
>Man, Miko actually comes in with the save. She really did uphold her bargain in a way.
I fucking love innocuous details that are revealed later to hold some major importance, it hits like krokodil

>>46999877
>innocuous
I wouldn't call it innocuous as it was obviously a set up for something later.

Me on the left :3

>>47000008
Wrong board.

>>46869922
op here im trans btw if that matters :3

autismerald

>>46999902
guess it was a skill issue on my part then

>>46991502
On the topic of my characters, I've finally gotten through with all the obnoxious but important irl stuff I mentioned about a week ago. Looking forward to finally putting a bow on things. Insane that I've been semi-frequent since October

>>47004885
Good to hear it, we need some levity at the moment.

>>47009053
>we need some levity at the moment
nta but agreed, about to post some silliness tonight

>>46949502—1/4
—
Still, how do I explain something I don't understand?

Marisa's unnervingly loud cracker-chewing annoys me as much as it did thirty years ago, yet it reminds me of a simpler period of life, when prospects felt as deep as the cup of tea in my hands and worries were few… The revitalized Hakurei Shrine, the bare trees of yet another winter, the wrinkles on Marisa's face, and even the first indications of a discoloration that not even she can see among her golden strands are all tangible reminders of those bygone times. More than everything, the passage of time sat between us in the form of three souls wading mindlessly in the effervescent magical slurry.

I blink and, turning away from her to look at the pond, it finally dawns on me—took all the way from the party to now, huh…?

Marisa is building a family, just like I built mine a little over two decades ago.

… Two decades.

It's been two decades since we were just teenagers.

I drain the warm tea, then bite half a cracker. Marisa sneezes and cleans her nose on the sleeve of her winterfied outfit—yuck…

Two decades…

“I turned 40 last month.” The words come softly, eyes narrowing and moving away from Marisa; her sudden silence reveals enough about her reaction. I scarfed the rest of my rice cracker and drank some tea before continuing, my hand smeared with bran rising to clutch my scarf lightly, seeking solace among these perplexing thoughts and emotions. “It was a fairly uneventful day. I hunted and gathered, then came back to smoke some meat for winter. I lit a fire and slept the day away on the kotatsu… But I didn't do only that. I found a wild patch of sugarcane.” An unsure slime comes forward. “Weird, isn't it? Anon—when Hana was still a baby—tried to start a small farm outside the shrine grounds, saying that he wanted to plant those; teach Hana how to peel them with a big knife and all that. He was giddy with excitement as he showed me sketches of it and talked endlessly about planting various exotic plants, even ‘mangoes’~” The smile lasts little. “However, we soon learned at the Suzunnan that most of what he wanted to plant doesn't grow in Gensokyo. Poor climate or something… I wonder what's going on in the Outside World that, all of a sudden, they do.” I try lifting my cup, but I find it tough to move my hands.

“Times change fast… Before you know it, nothing’s the same.” Marisa muses, letting her arms rest on her thighs, a tinge of red on her face, likely from the cold—though it didn't diminish the perceptive look in her eyes. “What did you do to the sugarcane?”

“I harvested it. It was right there, prime and nice. It'd be a waste to let the coming winter bury it, y'know?” I finally manage to drink from my cup, hands shaking if by a little; a shake that disappears as the left one tucks harder in my scarf, enjoying the warmth there; words forming in the back of my throat yet not leaving; a… vulnerable feeling overtaking me. I haven't felt like this since that day with Ran by the donation box.

“Ah, so that's our problem, huh?” Marisa groans, attracting my attention. What the hell is she talking about…? “Man, I had forgotten your talent for dramatics-da-ze~” She then laughs before picking the last cracker and munching with an open mouth—

“—Oi, chew with your mouth closed!” I remark; she shows me her tongue like a goddamn child, a petty rage bubbling inside… Somehow, also a long-forgotten happiness, though there's no time to ponder it as Marisa's voice resumes.

“Say, Reimu, do you have any intentions of planting that sugarcane? Like—we know it miraculously grows in Gensokyo now.” It's an innocuous question, but there's an ever-present sharpness behind her golden eyes that you could only notice by being by her side for long enough. It had aged, buried too beneath that sadness and dejection she showed me the night she brought Hana back home…

Yet never gone.

That glint was over me as I mulled the question, the answer on the tip of my tongue but, again, finding cold resistance… So much training and meditation; long hours spent ironing out the emotions too brutal out of me and making sure I was at my best to vanquish the demons of Hana's life—even the one inside this body.

And here I am, confused and anxious.

“I don’t think there’s a point in doing so…” I let out.

Vulnerable.

“… You want to,” Marisa says, her smile lost. “But you don't think you're gonna be living long enough to do so, right-da-ze?” It fills me with delight to know she hasn't forgotten a word about our conversation that night—a bittersweet feeling.

Marisa is right.

But it's for good motives!

It makes sense after all this; it's a good ending for a depressing life—to Hana, Anon, giving back everything I took from them…

Atonement. Never suicide.

… Yet, this very human heart…

“I'll go to any lengths to make sure Anon and Hana survive; I do not fear death—”

Marisa chuckles. She chuckles.

“Of course you don’t—ze.” Her eyes are on me. “What you do fear is living.”

(2/4)
—
I blink, peering into her eyes and wondering what it was that made her say those words. I feel my heart tighten and the bitter cold of winter return, as though the embers within temporarily subsided before returning with a strange rage: ‘Fear of living.’ Those golden eyes never dodged mine—a newfound vigor and forthrightness that wasn't there when we sat by the pond and talked for the first time in decades.

… Is she right? Does that explain how I have felt since Hana left the shrine, leaving only empty echoes of what might have been? B-But why'd I even feel like that?! What's there to fear that I haven't faced already? I went to space—to the depths of hell—fought enemies unlike any other and am ready for my greatest challenge yet. Of what's to come, I fear naught… Yet, an echo exists within this broken heart, concealed by Chen's scarf, yearning for what Hana brought in those short but meaningful days; what can it be if Anon... I sigh. Marisa scratches her nape. “Well? Am I right or should I go bury my head somewhere?” She attempts levity and, indeed, lifts a smile on my face—she's clasping that jar as if to save her life; she's so anxious~

“… I don't know.” I take off my hand from the scarf and pull my embers from the air, a ring of warm scarlet swimming around my wrist as if alive. “This power wasn't free, nor was the revitalization of my body. Eventually all that I took will come crashing down onto me, so before the kickback comes, I'll make sure to squeeze all I can from this power in the battle… I don't wanna die knowing I could've done more.” Marisa just stares, her grasp on the jar tightening. “… But, at the same time, I just…” the words were on the tip of my tongue, begging to be let free—a body laden with scars, a good man torn; a child robbed of her birthright; a childhood. Years upon years of unending torture, of slowly watching everyone walk away from me… A hand rises, clutching this scarf around my neck—

—Another one, small and comfy but full of calluses from constant hard work, falls on my shoulder. I meet Marisa's eyes, mine wide… Hers is calm, supportive. Her children sway in the shimmering liquid without a care in the world.

That vulnerable feeling inside of me screams: “I don't deserve a future when I ruined theirs, Marisa…” The words come out, accompanied by frowning brows and a thumping heart, yet also relief.

The truth I could never tell Chen and Ran.

I battled for this recovery, managed to miraculously bring a smidgen of clarity to my mind and morality to stand and fight for them, Anon and Hana… And this is how I want to end: this strong and tall woman who’ll give her family everything because she can't bear the thought of having again only to destroy. I knew it from the minute I held Chen that those sweet, precious moments were a blessing—one that strengthened me and moved me into becoming a better person—and the Hakurei God's speechless words of consequence cemented it.

It's how I must go down—possessing nothing and meaning the world.

These flames are the essence of that…

… Their usage is directly linked to my chakras. They can be recovered, but there are limits. I'll burn everything—body and soul—in exchange for power.

Power that'll save my family.

Everything makes sense to me; everything aligns. Knowing that it was for the family I can no longer call mine, it feels right, and I am content with this kind of conclusion. This surrender is the ideal way to put an end to my horrible existence.

… Yet…

My mind is filled with images of cradling life and finding comfort in their arms—Ran, Anon—of fending off evil and acting as my child's wall; of catharsis while the devil fled.

The sheer validation I felt watching Hana wear the ascot I made her.

Being there for her when another devil tried to use her for nefarious purposes…

For those moments and many more, for a life that can be, I…

… I…

Echoes of screams, of violence and of rape; the strong odor of sake as it mixed with blood. Just another day at the shrine.

Gods, this is torture. It's utter torture—

—A heavy stomp awakens me from my stupor. I turn to Marisa, who has risen from her seat, her witch's hat slobbering down and concealing her eyes from me, but… In the soft light of my embers, perplexed by something in the very atmosphere, I held my breath. Was it that weird vulnerability that made me go so far? The nostalgia tinting my head, whispering about better days… She calmly fixed her massive hat, our eyes meeting.

… It was nothing like that. No, it was something else entirely.

Something I had when I was a child, a teen…

“S-So that's it, huh? You're just acting stupid again~” She chuckles, trying her hardest to hide the stray tear that tumbled down her face. “… Twenty minutes. Get that sugarcane ready and watch over my kiddos—I'll be back in twenty minutes, Reimu!” In a flash, Marisa jumps on her broom and flies away…

But her eyes of gold linger, burned into my memory.

… The eyes of someone I can rely on.

(3/4)
—
It's been twenty anxiety-ridden minutes.

The day passes and the sun moves closer to the horizon, preparing for yet another sleep. My fidgety hands gripping the jar of souls occasionally play with it, either by prodding the glass—Marisa's kids always come flying towards the sound. Cute~—or simply by gazing at it in the dying sunlight, the stunning blue hues refracting endlessly. To my side sits a bunch of sugarcane stalks wrapped in a cloth I had around… Nothing stops the weights that slump my shoulders; what's Marisa doing? Did she misinterpret my words…? It was quite an uncomfortable conversation—though I'd be lying if I'd deny the levity that comes with letting all those repressed feelings be known by someone else—Marisa, especially.

She was the first person I could ever trust, and having that trust back is… Impossible to put into words.

It heightens the peace that is the thought of burning to ashes.

My thumb caresses the glass, eyes narrowing as something bitter echoes inside—I wonder how these three will look when they grow up: will they have Marisa's traits? Or be lucky enough to stand taller than a crouched Nitori~?

… The source of bitterness clashes directly with that peace.

Not like I'll be around to know—

“—I'm back!” In an instant, Marisa drops from the sky and lands by the veranda, panting and her face flushed scarlet from sweat accumulated on her forehead. I frown, looking at the bags she carries with her, already knowing what she has in mind: gardening utensils, from a hoe to fertilizer, all incredibly heavy for someone like her. She perceives my glare and points the broom towards me, a massive—almost despaired—smile taking over her exhausted face. “Oi, no sulking-ze; winter or spring, magic can solve everything! Just don't tell Letty~”

“Marisa…” I wipe my forehead and sigh, but Marisa ignores me completely and motions for me to follow.

“We still have some sunlight, so hurry up, Reimu! I saw a good patch from up there, really close too~” She thus takes the lead. A tense note flares in my eyes, but I can't help but stare at her jar-babies in my arms.

… Then smile a little. “Your mother is stubborn as hell. I'm sorry for you~” Absentmindedly picking up the cane, I follow Marisa into the forest behind the shrine, the ordinary magician talking about this and that, topics that barely register. Shamefully, I recognize this tactic—I employed it a lot in the past… I wonder what she expects to gain from this; nothing is changing the past or the pact I've made, and even if possible, my mind is already made. Everything will be undoubtedly needed to win against Yukari and fight Koutei and Kasen—Oni and Sage—without killing them. These powers exist for a motive, a role to fill, and I will make sure to use them to the last drop—

—A gust of wind causes me to shield my eyes with my forearm as the air becomes saturated with magic. Cleared of snow and debris, this cozy little patch of dark soil revealed itself, with temperatures suddenly rising as Marisa recites words from a grimoire she holds. “What’s this magic…?”

“Summer simulation. It's quite the tough cookie, but Patchy briefed me on it~” She closes the grimoire with a strained sigh, hand rubbing her eyes—

—W-Wait, what?! “Patchy…? As in Patchouli Knowledge?”

“Who else has such a silly nickname for a pompous name~?” She jokes and shoves a book into my hands... Tropical fruits and vegetables layered the cover, the tag of the Suzunnan on the side. “… I recently begged her for forgiveness, you know?” What…? Wide-eyed, I stare as Marisa picks the jar from my hands so I'm not overburdened with the cane and the book. She looks pensive. “I returned all the books I stole from her and groveled for absolution. I didn't think I'd get it at first-ze, but it'd be better to live knowing I had tried after so many years… Not trying.” She giggles, rubbing her cheek on the glass. “She accepted me and kinda became my teacher, even allowing me to use the Voilé as I pleased. It was very nice of her, and… Taught me something.” Carefully placing the jar in a secure spot—her broom—Marisa picked up the hoe before peering directly at me. “As you live and breathe, there's always time to pursue better things. Better life, better relationships…” Her eyes were resolute. “A better future.”

I sigh, limbs trembling from confused frustration, heart clenching. How can't she see?! I cannot change this! I don't want another—'better'—future because this one is the best one I'll ever get… I've changed; of course I did, but the past has not, and doesn't matter what I do or try to do…

… The Hakurei Shrine will always end empty, regardless of my efforts.

It's atonement for the past—for my mistakes.

A life so they can have theirs in peace. Never suicide.

… And yet…

Yet…

Looking into her golden eyes, hearing her words…

W-Would it be okay…?

… Shakily, I open the book, my eyes skimming the index—as Anon taught me—and soon find the dedicated page for cultivating sugarcane.

>>47012132
>>47012129
>>47012121
just some silly, fluff time with Gensokyo's best mothers, exploring more of Reimu's power—albeit a bit on the parse side—and her mental about her powers, duty and conflict~conclusion tomorrow, likely together with Keine's too.