[X] Diagnosis
She probably found that thing about us she was talking about back when we were in SDM.

[X] Diagnosis

Soooo... did Medi somehow cook up a universal antidote, or are we just overpoisoned to the point where all the different toxins are too busy fighting each other than to kill us?

[x] Diagnosis
Must hug cute doll and love forever.

[Q] Diagnosis

At the bare minimum, know what's going on.

Also, we may have developed some type of crazy poison immunity- or dependence.

Or, y'know, it wasn't poison at all and Medicine can actually cook, despite the appearance.

>Or, y'know, it wasn't poison at all and Medicine can actually cook, despite the appearance.

While that would be amusing as an anti-climax, it doesn't explain how we're now able to touch her directly without being noticeably poisoned.

>>120778

Well, it might take a while. Or she could still be low on transmittable poison, she hasn't been back to the Suzuran field yet. Depends on how the potassium cyanide affects her powers.

[x] Treatments

We got poisoned. We already have the diagnosis. We don't need a list, we know how to get it.

Since we know the symptoms, and the diagnosis for which we're already being treated, we need to know if there's something we should continue taking after we leave.

[x] Treatments

Smoke this "herb", twice daily.

[x] Diagnosis

“Alright, what's wrong with me, doc?”
May as well cut right to the chase, you figure.

“Nothing.” she says, smiling.
“Uh...what do you mean, 'nothing'?”
“Well, you know what it means if I were to say you had 'something' wrong with you? Basically, I am saying you have the opposite of that.”
“...so, wait...there's nothing wrong with me?”
“That is generally what the opposite of 'something' is, yes.”

Something about this seems amiss, to you.
There's nothing wrong with you?
Nothing? At all?

“Oh, there's no need to look so concerned. After all, that's a good thing. It means your body, with some help from the assorted medications I administered to you, have done their respective jobs.”
“...really?”
“Well of course. Your inflammation has subsided, the poison in your system had been cleared out, and you are currently neither exhausted nor dehydrated like you were when you arrived. Even the bump on your head from before seems to be doing nicely.”

Oh yeah...that...

“Wait, doc, that reminds me...didn't you say there was something wrong with me back at the mansion?”
“Very good, no memory impairment, either! See, you're doing much better than you think you are.” she says while gently clapping her hands together.

“Doctor...”
“Ah, yes, but you are correct. I had noticed an abnormality, and as I assumed that was at least part of your reason for coming here, I took it upon myself to do the necessary scans and tests while you were resting.”
“And? Did you find something?”

At this she sighs.
“No, actually. I did not.”
“Well, that's a good thing, right? Not finding anything, that is?”
“When you are looking for something that does not belong there? Yes, in those cases not finding anything is generally a good thing. However, when the thing you are looking for is supposed to be there? Not so much.”

Wait...so that means...
...something's missing?

“Now, before you start worrying too much, you should know I was correct in my prior assessment that you are in no danger because of this. In fact, you could have gone through your entire life without ever even knowing about it.”
“Well, what is it?!”
“Calm down, I was about to get to that. “ she says while fiddling with a small, dark box-like device she pulled from her pocket. With a small beep, the lights in the room begin to dim, leaving just the sunlight from the window streaming into the room. With another beep, that source of light is also taken away as the blinds close by themselves.

“Now then, please have a look at the wall in front of you.”
As she says that, she presses a few buttons on the device in her hands, and suddenly the wall lights up with a strange image projected onto it.

“As you can see, this is an internal view of the average human male Now, this...” she says, pressing the device. The image seems to change, somehow, but otherwise looks basically the same. “This...is an internal view of you. Notice anything different?”

“Not really, no.”
“Look a little lower. Now, again...”
Pressing a button on the device, the projection switches back and forth between the two images.
Though you notice nothing amiss at first, after the fifth switch you finally spot the difference. Something that's present in one image, yet disappears in the second.
...you just have no clue what it actually is.

“You see it?”
“Yeah, yeah I do. What is it, though?”
“Simple, it's this.”

With the push of a button, the image changes yet again, this time to something far simpler than a display of assorted muscles and organs arranged in a human-like shape.
It's a ball. A round ball.

“That's...not what I think it is, is it?”
“Assuming you are thinking what I suspect you are thinking? Yes, that is what it is.”
“Wha...but...but how? How could...”
“That, I'm afraid, is the big mystery, here.”

With a sigh, she presses one final button on the device, and the room returns to its normal, well-lit state.

“Under normal circumstances, removal would result in death, so the fact that you are clearly still alive means only one of two things. Either you never had one to begin with, or it was removed in a way other than the 'traditional' method. As to what that way could be, I have no idea.”

You can't believe this.
Taken?
Someone took it?
Your 'ball'?
Someone took your 'ball'?

Someone took your 'ball'.

Someone took your 'ball'.


[ ] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...
[ ] Replace it. Bigger, better, or the same as always. One way or another, you will have your balls again.
[ ] Avenge it. They took your balls. You'll take their heads.
[ ] Ignore it. La-da-dee-da-dee-da-dugh~

[x] Avenge it. They took your balls. You'll take their heads.
It must have been the birds. After our little group is ready we shall seve justice. To all of them.

[x] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

Wait.

Someone jacked his shirikodama?

[x] Avenge it. They took your balls. You'll take their heads.

Oh god. I laughed way too hard on this update.

Am I missing something? What ball?

[x] Accept it.

Smaller hitbox = better.
No hitbox = infinitely better.

[x] Avenge it. They took your balls. You'll take their heads.

>>120834

Oh, so that's what it was? eheh...

[x] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

[Q] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

[x] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

[X] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

So that's why we could touch Medi?

[Q] Accept it, then use the invincibility provided by our lack of a hitbox to avenge our lack of a hitbox.

They'll never see it coming.

[x] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

[X] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

What if we lack a hitbox because our entire body is a hitbox?

[X] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad...

Well, as long as we still have the important ones...

It was originally a head injury, and she only checked our head at the time she found something abnormal. I'm guessing it may be something ball-shaped in the brain.

>>120848
We touched her before and got fucked up.

[X] Accept it. Two out of three ain't bad.
Yes! We are invincible!

“Oh well, easy come, easy go, right? Ha ha ha ha haaaaaa~!”

Ah, if only all the gaping voids in your life could be laughed away so easily.

“My, you're certainly taking this well, aren't you?” she says, leaning back into her chair.
“Well, what's gone is gone, right? No point worrying about what's already been done.”
“That is certainly a healthy outlook to have, I think.”
“Yeah! Besides, it's not like it's not gonna be without its benefits.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”

What does she mean by 'what do you mean'?

“You know, doc. Because it's gone.”
“...I am afraid I don't follow.”

She doesn't follow. Right.
Like she doesn't know.

You had heard the rumors, and had your doubts, but now you know better.
It is real! And you don't have one!
The benefits of this should be clear to anyone!

Perhaps that's why she seems to have no idea what you're talking about, or why you seem so happy about this.
Gotta play dumb, so word doesn't get out.
If it did, you could only imagine the swarms of people who would be coming to have theirs removed.
Yeah, that's gotta be it.

“And just what are you looking so pleased about, I wonder?”
“Oh, nothing~. Nothing at all, doc. Just wonder if there weren't any, ahem, 'benefits' to this.”
“Benefits?”
“Yeah, you know. 'Benefits'. 'Advantages'. That sort of thing.”
“Well, you might be a little safer when swimming in certain waters, I suppose...possibly.
“....anything else?”
“Hmm, no. Nothing else comes to mind.”
“...er...really? Nothing at all?”
“No, nothing.”

Yeah, she's totally playing dumb.
But that's okay, you understand.
Some powers simply are not meant to be had by everyone.

There is, however, one more thing about this that sticks out in your mind, though...

“Hey, doc?”
“Yes?”
“You first noticed this back when you examined me at the mansion, right?”
“That is correct, yes.”
“When you were scanning my head.”
“Yes.”
“And the ball was down there.”
“Yes?”
“And you were scanning my head.”
“Well, it would be rather silly of me to examine you for an injury to the head by scanning your hands or feet, now, wouldn't it?”
“...well, yeah, now that you mention it...but that's not the point I'm trying to make.”
“So, then, what point are you trying to make?
“Well, it's just...how did you know? If you were looking at my head, and that was, well, much lower?”

The doctor just stares at you for a moment, silently, before breaking out in a small fit of giggles.

“Oh my! Was...was that what you were worried about? Ah ha ha ha ha ha!”

Hey now, you didn't say anything funny, did you?
Unable to do anything other than look on in confusion, you quietly wait for the doctor to calm down and compose herself.

“Ah, I'm sorry about that. For a moment there I had thought you were questioning my competence or something similar.”
“What? Oh, no, I wasn-”
“Now, now, I know. No need to worry, I am just being silly. You would think I would know better than to let a few naysayers get to me, but there you go....as for your question as to how I knew? It's really quite simple. I didn't.”
“...huh?”

At this, she chuckles again before continuing.

“I told you then, didn't I? I had noticed an abnormality, a sign that something was amiss, but could not ascertain what it specifically was without a thorough examination with the proper tools? Hence, why I invited you here?”

Did she say something like that?
You think she may have said something like that.
Yeah, she probably said something like that.

“...but, still...how did you know there was anything wrong?”

Fucking pen-looking head-scanny things. How do they work?!

“Oh? Well, if you're really curious, I can tell you...”

And so, she did.

It was a good explanation, detailed and informative, laying out everything you would have ever wanted or needed to know about her devices and how they work in relation to the human body, as well as many interesting things about the human body itself, all involving a lot of very big and complicated-sounding words that you immediately forgot after hearing them.
After a while, it became clear there was no further need to remain in the room, and so with a simple gesture from the doctor you


“...and that is why they consider it to be such a delicacy in their culture.”
“I...I see...” you say, not really seeing what she was saying at all.

While the doctor was interesting to listen to, you quickly realized that you had about as much trouble keeping up with her words as you did with her rather brisk pace of walking.
As to how you went from listening to her from the comfort of your bed to barely keeping up with her in the hallways of Eientei, you're still not entirely sure. All you have are vague recollections of getting out of bed somewhere between the contributions of assorted organs that were previously believed to be purely vestigial, and the chemical makeup of that gooey stuff you find in your eyes sometimes.

“Oh yes, speaking of meals...” the doctor suddenly stops, apparently remembering something. “How was your breakfast?”
“You mean that stuff Medi brought in? Surprisingly good, actually.”
“Ah, good, good. That means the treatment worked, although I suppose the fact you're standing here talking to me at all is also proof of that.”
“...uh...what do you mean?”

Something about the way she said that sounds...ominous.

“What? Your treatment? All part of curing your poisoning, of course, with paying special mind to your particular...circumstances.”
“...huh?”
“It was quite an interesting challenge, really. In normal cases of poisoning, it is a simple matter of isolating the poison, identifying it, and then administering the proper antidote. In your case, though, that was simply not a viable solution. Too many toxins and compounds that you could have been exposed to. Too many variables. Besides that, such treatments only treat current cases of poisoning. Were you to be exposed again afterward, we would have to start over from the very beginning. So, rather than treating a problem, I thought it more prudent to focus on prevention of such problems from even occurring.”
“...bwah...huh?”
“Thus, we have the treatment you received. Put simply, it takes the old concept of building immunity to poisons via small doses of such poisons, and drastically accelerates it. So, instead of having to take in small amounts of poison over a period of months or years, you achieve the same effect in just a matter of minutes, albeit with a much larger dose of poison. By the by, how was your breakfast, again?”
“Like I said, it was pretty good...why?”
“Hm~”

Wait a minute, she doesn't mean what you think she means, does she?
The smile on her face tells you that, yeah, she probably does.

“Judging by your expression, I shall assume it's safe to say that, no, that was not oatmeal you were eating, but a rather large quantity of assorted poisons. In fact, what you consumed was most likely enough to kill every living organism within this facility. ...well, alright, not every single one, but you get my point.”
“So...wait...does this mean I'm immune to poison now?”
“You ate the equivalent of a small bio-weapon for breakfast with not even a stomachache to show for it.”
“So I'm immune to poison now.”
“'Highly-resistant to the point that most poisons are rendered irrelevant' would be more accurate way to phrase it, but you're not entirely wrong.”
“Awesome.”
“I would, however, advise you to not attempt to test the limits of your resistance if you can help it. While weaker varieties should prove to be no problem for you now, exposure to much stronger poisons in high quantities could still be quite fatal. If anything, your resistance could very well make the effects worse for you, turning what would normally be a painful yet near-instantaneous death into an equally painful yet agonizingly slow death.”
“...I'm not sure I like that.”
“Ah, don't worry, though. I am reasonably certain that the only way you would be exposed to such poisons would be from your...companion.”

Does she mean Medicine?

“Um, yeah. About that...”
“Oh, don't worry, I am not judging you two. It's actually kind of sweet, in a way, and I've seen couples with far more destructive tendencies.”
“Well, actually...”
“That said, while I would never wish to suggest anyone regard their partner with mistrust, it is also not advisable to forget certain important aspects of them. Case in point, even with your new-found resistance to poison, that girl is still probably more than capable of killing you if she were so inclined.”
“I-is...is that so?”
“Oh my, yes. But don't worry, though every relationship is not without its rough patches, I would imagine that something like that is nothing more than a worst-case scenario, existing purely in the realm of the hypothetical.”
“Uh, right. Hypothetical. Stilll...um, what if it wasn't?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, say she wasn't quite as attached to me as you think, and might still be more than willing to do that thing you said...what would your advice be?”
“Am I to assume that avoiding her outright is not an option?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Oh, then that's simple. Don't give her a reason to want to do it in the first place.”

The rest of your walk to the waiting room is far more quiet, the two of you basically having said all you needed to say Before long, you arrive, finding Medicine sitting in a chair with Su-san on her lap, the two of them idly swinging their legs back and forth, almost in-synch with each other. Upon noticing you, you see her face brighten as she hops out of her seat with the smaller doll in her arms.

“Finally!” the little doll-girl says, trotting up to you. “Are you done, now? Can we go? Can we?”
“Of course, Medi. Can't just sit around here all day, can we?”
“Of course not! We got important work to do!” she beams, as Su-san nods in agreement.

“While I do hate to delay you any further from your plans...” the doctor's voice cuts in. “There is just one final thing we must discuss before I can release you. Namely, remuneration for services rendered.”

Oh yeah.
Payment.
That...might be a problem for you...

“Er, doc? I don't suppose you could just put this on my tab, could you?”
“Sorry, but no.”
“Oh. Well...”
“Not to worry, though. We accept various forms of payment here. If you were to gather some things for me and bring them here, for example, that would be more than adequate.”
“What sort of things?”
“Well, flowers are always nice.”
“Seriously, doc.”
“Oh, I am serious, though. Some flowers from around a certain hill would be perfect, actually. I believe your friend is familiar with the area.”

“Huh? Me?” Medicine perks up.
“Yes, you, little one. Would you two be able to bring me some more of those flowers growing there?” the doctor turns to the little doll-girl, kneeling down to get closer to eye-level with her.
“Sure, I guess we can. Su-san doesn't have a problem with it, so it should be fine!”

“Well, that's settled, then!” the doctor stands back up, turning back to you.

Looks like you don't get much of a choice in the matter.
Then again, you suppose it is only fair. She did help you, so it's only right that you pay her back.


[ ] Right, let's go pick some flowers!
[ ] No, let's go do something else!
[ ] Wait, are we forgetting something?

[x] Right, let's go pick some flowers!

Screw the fairy! Let's grab the flowers.

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?
If we're going to face off against one of the most powerful beings in Gensokyo, and then do the equivalent of pissing on her coffee (as in, killing flowers) we need two of five things she doesn't kill outright: Medicine (due to their similar distaste for humans and a somewhat shared like of flowers, albeit from a different type) and Cirno (because she doesn't die when she's killed)

[Q] Wait, are we forgetting something?

>In fact, what you consumed was most likely enough to kill every living organism within this facility.
Eating Weapons of mass destruction for breakfast and afaird of nothing.
>“That said, while I would never wish to suggest anyone regard their partner with mistrust, it is also not advisable to forget certain important aspects of them. Case in point, even with your new-found resistance to poison, that girl is still probably more than capable of killing you if she were so inclined.”
So, we can hug and touch her now without having a painful death?
At least the MC leveled up.

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?
Get Ice Fairy, sneak onto the hill, grab flowers, run like hell.

She might have been, you know, talking about Suzuran flowers? Those are on a hill, too.

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?
Can't ditch Cirno...

>>120898
Yeah Eirin was talking Medicine's turf, not Yuuka's.

Suzuran flowers would most likely kill off any other ones.

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?
Cirno!

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?

>>120890
You Monster.

[x] Wait, are we forgetting something?

As you and your companions prepare to depart, you are suddenly struck by the feeling that you were forgetting something.

Something important.

Something that, quite possibly, had something to do with why you were there.

For a moment, you think you're on the verge of remembering, only to have your train of thought derailed by the sudden appearance of the bunny-girl, bursting into the room in a state of mild panic.

“Master! There are you!” she cries out, fighting to catch her breath.
“Yes, Udonge? What seems to be the problem this time?”
“I'm sorry, Master! I tried to stop her, but the fairy just wouldn't listen! She just kept rambling on about some mission!”

Fairy?
That does seem to ring a bell, but you're still not quite sure...

“Oh dear, did you happen to see which way she went, at least?”
“She just flew out the front door! I...I didn't see which way she went. ...I'm sorry.”

The doctor ponders over something for a moment, and having apparently reached some conclusion, claps her hands together.

“Well! Not to worry, Udonge. I'm certain she would not have gone far. If you would be so kind as to guide these two to where you last saw her, I'm am certain they will be able to take care of the rest. Right?”

“Huh?”
It takes a second for you to realize she was now addressing you.

“As you heard from Udonge, it would appear that your other friend has already left the building. If you intend to catch up with her, I would recommend you get moving. I have some other matters to attend to, now, so if you'll excuse me. Udonge, I leave the rest to you.”

“Eh? Ah, um, y-yes Master!” the rabbit-girl says, bowing to the doctor as she leaves. “Now then, please follow me.”

Just as the doctor had ordered, the bunny-girl, 'Udonge', leads you from the waiting room to what you assume to be the main entryway of the building. The trip is a quiet one, with none of you really saying much to each other. While it isn't a particularly long trip, you still find yourself having ample time to take in your surroundings.

Or, at least, what little there is to take in.

Much like with what little you saw of the vampire's mansion, this place also seemed to have a thing for long, nondescript hallways that seemingly stretch endlessly in either direction. You almost wonder if there wasn't something to this strange similarity in what are otherwise very different styles of home, but stop when you realize you've reached your destination.

“Here, she flew right out from here just a couple minutes ago.”
“And you couldn't see which way she went?”
“Ah...um...yeah....sorry...”
Well, damn. Thanks anyway, I guess.”

Waving her off, you and your doll friends step outside.
While a part of you wonders if you couldn't have asked the bunny-girl for help, you get the feeling she really wouldn't have been of much use to you.

“So, human, where do you think our fairy went?” Medicine asks, tugging on your sleeve as you begin to walk away.
“I dunno, Medi. The doc said she couldn't have gone far, but in a place like this there's no telling just where...huh?”

Seeming to have noticed something, Su-san motions for you to be quiet, then points back at Eientei.
Turning around, you don't have to look very hard to see what she's pointing at.

The ice fairy.
Her back turned to you, and seemingly oblivious to your presence, the little ice fairy is crawling around on the roof of the building. Though you can't make out what it is, you think she's muttering something to herself.

Whatever she's doing up there, it's probably not a good idea to let her keep doing it. Especially if, as the doctor had pointed out, she was still 'damaged'.
It would probably be a good idea to exercise some caution, you think to yourself.
No sense hurting her even more than she already might be, after all.

With this in mind, you decide the best course of action to be:

[ ] Throw a rock at her
[ ] I should throw a rock at her, right?
[ ] It's gotta be 'throw a rock at her'.
[ ] Call out to her. Then throw a rock at her.
[ ] Let Medicine handle it. Then throw a rock at her anyway.
[ ] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.

[X] Throw a rock at her
[X] Yell, "GRENATA!" at the top of your lungs while you throw the rock

[x] Call out to her. Then throw a rock at her.

[x] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.

[x] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.
Those choices

[X] I should throw a rock at her, right?

You people disgust me.

[Q] Call out to her. Then throw a rock at her.

[x] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.

Throw another rock and have her again just be dead weight he has to carry around? No thanks.

>you little sissy nancy-boy
Ok, I raged. I'll bite.

[x] Let Medicine handle it. Then throw a rock at her anyway.

[x] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.
You guys are easy mode.

[X] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.

[x] Call out to her. Then throw a rock at her.

In the face.

[九] Call out to her. Then throw a rock at her.

>>Throw another rock and have her again just be dead weight he has to carry around? No thanks.

THIS time...shall be DIFFERENT!

[X] Attempt to get her attention in a way that does not involve the throwing of rocks and/or rock-like objects. You little sissy nancy-boy.

>>120948
It's not different at all, is it Ste- Cirno!

[x] >>120949

We've done more than enough damage with rocks.

[x] Throw a stone at her
[x] Hit two birds

[X] It's gotta be 'throw a rock at her'.

Is our Gensokyo power "rock throwing" or something similar? We seem to be unnaturally good at it.

“Um...hello? Miss Ice Fairy?” you cautiously call out to the girl on the roof, uncertain if you really wouldn't have been better off just chucking a stone at her head to get her attention. Even a little pebble would have been fine.

She doesn't respond.

“Hellooooooooooo?” you try, again.

Still no response.

“I don't think she can hear you, human.” Medicine offers.
“No, Medi. I don't think she can.”
“Hm...HEY, YOU! WE'RE TALKING TO YOU!” the little doll-girl abruptly shouts.

At this, the little blue girl finally turns around, wearing a rather exasperated look on her face.

“Be quiet! You'll give away my position!” she hisses in in that way that's supposed to be like whispering, but is obviously far too loud for anyone to not hear it.

“Uh, give away your position? To who?” you ask, not having any clue what the hell this girl is talking about.

“Tch. Idiots...the fairies, of course!” the fairy hisses back, clearly annoyed.

You look around, but don't see anything out of the ordinary. Just bamboo and bunnies. Bunnies and bamboo.
“Er, what fairies?”

“What are you, an idiot? You can't see them! But they're there! I know they're there. I've been waiting and waiting, and I know they are there.”
“Uh...okay.”
“They thought they were clever. The roof dropped down on my head like a ton of bricks. Which is probably what the roof was made of. It was a roof. That was its job.”
“...what?”
“That was their plan, or so I thought. Make it so I could not shoot at them. I was going to shoot at them. Because shooting is as shooting does. But they made me late to school. First day in a new town. We collided at the corner, the piece of toast that was my breakfast still in my mouth. I think he saw my panties.”
...huh?”
“And that is why I wait. Why I hunt. Why I know that here there are fairies. And I will shoot them. The fairies, that is.”

Suffice to say, you have absolutely no clue what she's talking about.

Maybe the rock wouldn't have been such a bad idea, after all?

If nothing else, it could still be considered an option.

With little else you can think of, you settle for pointing out the obvious.
“But...you are a fairy.”

The ice fairy stares at you blankly.
Then looks away.
Then looks back at you.
Then away, again.
Then finally back to you.

“...am not.”
“Uh, no, I'm pretty sure you are.”
“Oh no I'm not.”
“Oh yes you are.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
“Am not times a thousand!”
“Are too times infinity!”

Ha. Like to see her beat that.

“Am not times infinity...plus NINE”

Damn. She's good.

[ ] “Look, I'm telling you, you are so totally a fairy.”
[ ] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- ( ) My sister
- ( ) The demons
- ( ) An idiot
- ( ) Insane
- ( ) _____________

[ ] Enough of this. Let's ROCK.
[ ] "Medi? Gas 'er."

[Q] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (Q) My sister

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

Sure, why not.

[X] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are"

(X) The demons

>First day in a new town. We collided at the corner, the piece of toast that was my breakfast still in my mouth. I think he saw my panties
Cliches ahoy?

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister
Whatever

[X] Enough of this. Let's ROCK.
-[x] "Medi? Gas 'er."

[x] "Medi? Gas 'er."
We have no time for this.

[x] "Medi? Gas 'er."

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) "getting a rock to the head!"

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

[x] "Medi? Gas 'er."

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) "getting a rock to the head!"

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

[X] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (X) My sister

Little sister option~

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
[x] "Already dead."
And that would be our cue to throw a rock at her.

[x] "Medi? Gas 'er."

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) my sister daughter sister

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are:"
- (x) My sister

Having Cirno as a sister... Swoon~

[x] "Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are,"
- (x) My dearest sister, getting a rock to the head.

Realizing you weren't making any headway in convincing the fairy that she was indeed a fairy, you decide to switch tactics.

“Okay, fine. You are not a fairy. You are my sister.”
“I told you I'm no-...huh?”
“Yes! You are my sister! I am your brother! Now come down here! I am worried about you!”
“Bro...ther..."

It seems as if they fairy wasn't expecting that at all. However, her look of shock and confusion quickly fades.

“Ha! Yeah right! What do I look like? An idiot?”
Was that a trick question, you wonder?

“If I'm really your sister, then just what is my name? Huh? Can you tell me? Huh?”

Crap. She's got you there.
Despite everything you went through, not to mention put her through, you never bothered to try to get her name. You had hoped, however, that her clearly scrambled mental state would cause her to overlook little details like that and just accept what you were saying at face-value.
It figures that now, of all times, she would have a moment of clarity, doesn't it?

Still, you don't dare give up just because she's called your bluff.
Surrender is not an option!
However! She has you cornered with a tough-to-counter move!
It is as if you are standing atop a tower of cards, and she is the blowing wind, threatening to topple it with the cold blast of truth!
Realizing your precarious position, you steel your nerves, and strike back with the only move you can think to play.

“No, sister, you tell me what your name is!”

Yes! There it is! The Legendary Blade that can strike down even the most intimidating of opponents! The Unbreakable Shield that can deflect any attack!
The classic “Take the Question and Turn it Back Around on the One Who Asked It” technique!
Passed down from generation to generation of practitioners in the mystic art of bullshit, there is no one who can stand against it, provided they have no clue what they're talking about themselves!

The fairy, however, does not look impressed.

“Ha! You must be an idiot! That's easy! My name is- !”
Suddenly, her look of confidence wavers...

“It's...it's...”
And fades...

“I-I don't know what my name is!”
...before disappearing completely, leaving only a mix of confusion and despair in its place.

“Why! Why don't I know my name?!” the fairy asks, her eyes beginning to tear up.

This was it.
Yes.
The moment you were waiting for.
All you needed was one final push.

“I do not know, sister! I think that your name has been stolen!”
“Huh? S-stolen? My...name?”
“Yes! That must be it! Why else would neither you nor I know your name?”
“...b-because...they stole my name?”
“That is correct, sister. They stole it. Also, does your head hurt, by any chance?”
“Huh? Well, yeah, I guess. Kinda.”
“They did that, too!”
“But why?! Why did they do that to me?”
“Because they are our enemies, sister! They seek to subjugate us! That is why Medicine and I oppose them! Join us! Fight with us, and we shall take back what was taken! From us! By them!”
“Really? You...we...can get my name back?”
“Plus interest! Rest assured, dear sister, we shall make the culprits pay!”
“Br-brother!”

With tears streaming from her eyes, the fairy half-leaps/half-falls from the roof and straight into your waiting arms, and wraps you in a tight embrace.

You can't help but think it would feel a lot nicer if she wasn't so damn cold. As it is, you feel as if you were being snuggled by an ice sculpture. Before you can ask her to let go, however, you feel a tug on your shirt.

“Human...” Medicine looks up at you, curiously. “...are you...part fairy?”
“Uh...what?”
“You said the fairy is your sister, and the fairy said you're her brother, but you're a human, right?”
“That's right, Medi, I am a human.”
“But she's a fairy, right?”
“Well...”
“Human. Were you...lying?”

As Medicine looks up at you, hints of doubt in her eyes, you feel a slight pang of something in your chest as you find yourself reminded of a few important things you had almost forgotten.
Things like the fact that this doll-girl hates humans with a passion, that she only met you just yesterday, and that complete trust is probably not something that would come to someone like her in such a short period of time.

Most importantly, however, you recall what the doctor had warned you about not too long ago.

Despite your newly-acquired resistance to poisoning, this girl could still probably kill you if she really wanted to.


[ ] Confirm
[ ] Deny
[ ] Spin
[ ] Evade

[X] Spin

We've dug ourselves in this deep. All we can do is try to keep the momentum up.

[x] Confirm
We need to prove that she can trust us.

Even if she actually can't.

Especially if she actually can't.

[x] Confirm
-[x] I wouldn't lie to you, you know?

[x] Spin
LIKE A RECORD BABY

>“No, sister, you tell me what your name is!”
This guy is great. That points in Charisma really paid off.

[x] Make something up/Lie yourself out of the situation.
Tell her you were once a proud Youkai and humans tricked you and made you human. Now you are on a quest to get revenge.

Or something like that. With his abilities it should be not much of a problem to get out of this and get a level up.

>Yes! There it is! The Legendary Blade that can strike down even the most intimidating of opponents! The Unbreakable Shield that can deflect any attack!
>The classic “Take the Question and Turn it Back Around on the One Who Asked It” technique!

A splendid divine technique, <Mister> ANON!

[X] Spin

All of our points are in Bullshit. This is the only option.

[X] Spin

[X] Spin

Hina?

[x] Meatspin

[x] Deny. Bullshit like the best of them.
[x] "Of course not! I inherited the human genes from our dad, she inherited the fairy genes from our mom. Don't you understand basic science?"
[x] Ruffle your "sister's" hair.

[x] Confirm
Medicine believes in us. One tiny lie won't break that.

[Q] Confirm

WRITE IN TIME

[X] Spin
-[X] I wasn't speaking literally, Med: I'm not her blood brother. It's more of a... spiritual bond. Haven't you noticed that we're nothing alike physically?

[x]Confirm
She's suspicious. Giving some far fetched explanation to a suspicious person never works.

[X] Spin spin spin SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN

Damn, this could be bad.
The little living doll with a mad-on for humans who you had to convince to trust you is possibly on the brink of not trusting you, which is not at all desirable when she also happens to have the ability to control substances whose entire purpose is generally to kill things.

On top of that, you also still have the fairy clinging to you, and thus still very much in ear-shot.

Also, your chest and arms are starting to go numb.

Fortunately, you manage to remain calm. To panic or waver even the slightest bit at this point would do nothing but invite disaster to dump a colossal, steaming load upon you.

No retreat! No surrender!
If there is anything you have learned, it's that you have to commit!
Be they truths or lies or something in between, the worst possible mistake you could ever make is to falter and reverse direction!
There is but one direction for you! And that direction is forward, and not the other way!

But what if something should appear to block your path?
Why, that's simple!
Just change direction slightly!

“No, Medi, I am not part fairy. This girl and I are not blood-related in any way.”
“So, you were lying?”
“No, of course not!”
“But you just said-”
“I said that she was my sister, and that I am her brother, yes. But one does not need to share the same blood with someone to consider them family! They don't even need to be of the same species to share such bonds!”
“Huh?”

Whether she was taken aback by your sudden increase in volume, or was merely confused by your words, you can't quite tell. Either way, you're not giving up this momentum you've built up now!

“Medi, do you remember the dolls you tried to help yesterday?”
“O-of course I do!”
“When we left them, you called them your 'sisters', did you not?”
“Of course! After all, we are all-”
“Dolls, yes. But are you the same kind of dolls?”
“Eh?”
“Dolls come in many different types, with different purposes, do they not? Some meant to be playthings for children, others to decorate a shelf or mantle, and others to entertain by having something shove their arm up them and make them talk, right?
“...yes.”
“And these dolls you tried to save, were the built for the same purposes as you? Were they even created in the same way as you? With the same materials? By the same hands?”
“...no...”

Whatever signs of suspicion and potential hostility were now gone from the little doll-girl's face, now replaced by...well...melancholy.
While the name might fit, the look certainly doesn't, you think to yourself.
May as well wrap this up and get to the point then, right?

Right.

“Even though you share so little in common with those other dolls, you still think of them as your sisters, don't you? You still care about them, and still want to help them, right?”
“....y-yes...”
“Well, that's the same way I feel! Just as you consider those other dolls your sister, this fairy could be considered as my sister! For that matter, those dolls are my sisters, too! And you, as well! Though we are not bound by blood or even flesh, there still can be like family to each other! That is what it truly means to have a bond!”
“H-human...”

And as quickly as it appeared, the negativity that had clouded your little friend's face cleared away, leaving only the shining light of hope in her eyes.
For a moment, you bask in its brightness, and marvel at how quickly you've taken to manipulating little girls. Not exactly a skill you would care to advertise, nor are particularly proud of, but damn if it isn't useful when living in a place like this.

Stuffing those dark little thoughts back into the little crevices in the lowest levels of your mind, you give the little doll-girl's hair a light ruffle, and an even lighter ruffle for the even littler doll-girl who apparently didn't want to be left out.

“So, do you understand now, Medi?”
“Y-yeah...yeah, I do. And...um...s-sorry, Human.”
“It's alright, no harm done, right?”

“He smiled a smile at her a million miles wide. With a mouth like that, there's no way he could brush all those teeth. That's improbable.”

Suddenly, you're reminded of the fact that the little ice fairy was still clinging to you. Also, of the fact that she was potentially brain-damaged and/or insane.

“Uh, yeah...'sister'? Would you mind letting go of me now? I'm losing feeling in my arms.”

With a look that would possibly give you the shivers if you weren't actually cold already, the fairy simply stares at you for a few moments, before wordlessly sliding down you like a pole, backing away only after her feet touched the ground.

Again, something you would probably have found actually enjoyable if she weren't so cold.

Satisfied that a number of possible crisis had been averted, you attempt to get your little group back on track. While there were any number of things you could do, it would probably be best to take care of getting the doctor her “payment” first. After explaining the situation to your companions, you enlist the aid of a nearby rabbit to guide you out of the forest, and actually manage to make it out without anyone else getting blown up.

Not even another rabbit, much to your disappointment.
Fucking rabbits.

With only a vague idea of exactly where you need to go, you ponder what your next move should be.

[ ] Follow me! A flower field can't be that hard to find!
[ ] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?
[ ] Follow the fairy! She says she knows a shortcut...

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?
Melancholy~

[Q] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

[x] Follow me! A flower field can't be that hard to find!

We're sitting on a powder-keg, here come the matches. This will end well.

>you would probably have found actually enjoyable if she weren't so cold.
Got resistance to poison, next task would be to get resistance to cold.

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

>For a moment, you bask in its brightness, and marvel at how quickly you've taken to manipulating little girls.
I burst out laughing at this part.

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

Well, that was a nice surprise.

[x] Follow me! A flower field can't be that hard to find!
We're the leader, we must lead.

[x] Follow me! A flower field can't be that hard to find!

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

Comrade Medi knows the way! Besides, we may just get sidetracked anyway.

[ ] Follow the fairy! She says she knows a shortcut...

I can't wait for Medi to discover our trail of deceit.

>>121196
We are probably going to get lost somewhere and pick up another little girl. Probably Rumia or someone else.

[x] Follow Medicine! She says she's familiar with the place, right?

[X] Follow me! A flower field can't be that hard to find!

I'm now thing of that Oingo Boingo song.

“Say, Medi? You know how to get to this flower place from here, right?”
“Huh? Yeah, Su-san says it isn't too far.”
“Great! Would you mind leading the way, then?”
“Sure! This way!” she happily nods, and lifts off from the ground.

Waaaaaaaaaaaait a minute...

“Er, uh, Medi?”
“Yes?”
“When you say it's 'not far', you mean by...?”
“Well, by flying, right? Su-san says it's the fastest way.”
“Er, right. Flying. I, uh...think we have a bit of a problem, then.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it's just that...er...”
“He was a bird with no wings, forever grounded and running around, flapping his arms like an idiot.”
“Um. Yeah. What the fairy said.”
“You're a bird? But you just said-”
“No, no, no, I mean I can't fly, Medi.”
“Oh? Oh. ...ooooooooooh. Wow. You're a really inconvenient human!”
“Thanks, Medi. I try.”
“So what do we do then?”
“Well, we can always walk, right? Unless one of you were willing to give me a lift...?”
“No.”
“No~.”
“He was looking for a ride in the wrong part of town, the part that did not offer rides, except that one really lame one that no one wanted to go on anyway except for the one kid with the weak stomach who could throw up just by nodding too quickly.”
“I'll assume that means 'no'.”

Well, looks like it's walking, then.
Just as well, you suppose, since neither girl seemed like the 'small but strong enough to literally snap your bones like twigs bare-handed' types that otherwise seem so prevalent in these parts.

And so, with Medicine taking the lead, you march.
And march.
And march some more.

As you passed the by the village, your leader obviously preferring to go around rather than straight through, you think you spot the doll-maker in the distance, heading out towards the bamboo forest.
Between your present company and the basic desire to not disturb her in case she was in the middle of something important, you think it best to not attempt to get her attention.
Besides, even from such a long distance, you can see that something seems unusual about her, today. Her posture seemed to be a little worse than you remember it being, and her movements looked somehow sluggish.

Perhaps she was tired? She would have had a lot of clean-up and repair work to do after what happened to her house, yesterday, of course.
Of course, she never struck you as the type who needed much in the way of sleep to begin with, but you suppose everyone has their limits.

Little else caught your eye as you walked, however.
The sun was shining, and there was a pleasant breeze, but otherwise there seemed to be nothing at all going on. Not even a distant flash from a duel going on somewhere.

Not that you were complaining, though. If anything, the lack of activity to distract you allowed you to think about things. For example, ever since you left the bamboo forest, something seemed...odd.
You couldn't quite put your finger on what it was, but as you walked it finally came to you.

Birds.

Where were the birds?

Unlike yesterday, where it felt like you could just throw a rock in a random direction and hit one, today you have yet to see a single feather, nor hear even one tiny little chirp.
Although various other animals were clearly more than happy to provide ambient background sounds, and played their parts well, the lack of birds was still quite noticeable.

For a moment, you are listening so intently for any potential bird sound, you almost fail to notice the fact that Medicine had suddenly stopped, and was currently engaged in some sort of quiet argument with Su-san.

As cute as you found the sight of the doll-girl quietly debating with someone who, as far as you could tell, never actually spoke, you figure you should intervene, if only to find out why you had stopped so suddenly.

“Something wrong, you two?”
At this, the two doll-girls turn toward you; the one that is actually capable of facial expressions wearing a look that seemed equal parts surprise and frustration.

“Huh? Oh, sorry, Human. We're having...trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“It's Su-san” she says, sighing. “We keep following, and Su-san is sure this is the right way, but it's harder to keep track down here.”
“Keep track?”
“Yeah. Keep track of Su-san.”

Huh? But isn't Su-san right there?
Still, you think you see where she's going with this.

“So, you're having trouble navigating properly because you're on the ground instead of up in the air? Is that it?”
“Yeah! You're pretty smart for a human who can't fly!”

You're not sure what intelligence and the ability to fly have to do with each other, but this is clearly not the time to go into that.

“Would it help if you went airborne for a bit? Maybe scouted ahead a little?”
“Hmmm, I dunno...maybe. Su-san thinks it couldn't hurt.”
“'Couldn't hurt' they said. Famous last words. Called that because it's the last words they said.. If they weren't the last words, they probably wouldn't be called that. They would be called something other than that. They would be called-”
“Not now, sister.”

[ ] Send Medicine ahead to attempt to pick up the trail
[ ] Send the fairy ahead to see what she can see
[ ] Send them both ahead, you need some quiet time
[ ] Stick together, and press on. It can't be much further...

[x] Send them both ahead, you need some quiet time.

>“No.”
>“No~.”
>“He was looking for a ride in the wrong part of town, the part that did not offer rides, except that one really lame one that no one wanted to go on anyway except for the one kid with the weak stomach who could throw up just by nodding too quickly.”
>“I'll assume that means 'no'.”

Three No's?

[x] Send them both ahead, you need some quiet time.

>>121241
I was wondering about that as well.

[x] Stick together, and press on. It can't be much further...

>>121241
That dude who thinks we would have picked up Rumia had we lead probably hit the nine nail right on the head.

Better to stick together, so we don't get eaten. Medicine is the only one with any real fighting power, here.

>>121241
It's Koishi. I hope.

[X] Stick together, and press on. It can't be much further...
Su-san says we're going the right way, and all told, she's the most rational member of our party.

[x] Send the fairy ahead to see what she can see

>>121241
Interesting.

[x] Leave it to democracy: after all, there's three of them so they should get to a conclusion with no...
-[x] Wait, three of them? Su can't talk, can't she?

[x] Leave it to democracy: after all, there's three of them so they should get to a conclusion with no...
-[x] Wait, three of them? Su can't talk, can't she?

Cirno sounds like a film noir detective.

[x] Send Medicine ahead to attempt to pick up the trail
Medicine and Su-san can surely find the right path.

>>121253
>>/gensokyo/408
>>/gensokyo/1592
>>/gensokyo/2571
>>/gensokyo/3186
>>/gensokyo/4982

thatsthejoke.tif

[x] Leave it to democracy: after all, there's three of them so they should get to a conclusion with no...
-[x] Wait, three of them? Su can't talk, can't she?

We have either developed a minor form of telepathy, we have a sneak following us, or the author made a mistake.

Or we're hallucinating again. That's my guess.

[X] Leave it to democracy: after all, there's three of them so they should get to a conclusion with no...
-[X] Wait, three of them? Su can't talk, can't she?

>>121260
Damn you for making me re-read those updates. And then the whole thread. Twice
Shit was so cash.

I wonder if that cursed box had something to do with it.

While you suppose you could just ask one, or even both, of your companions to go scout ahead and see if you are on the right track, you realize how terribly inconsiderate that would be of you.
After all, it's not like they are your subordinates, bound to follow your every command!

Well, aside from that whole 'knock the fairy out with a rock, tie her up, use as a makeshift boat, and then drag her unconscious form around for the better part of the day' thing you had going on, of course. But that was then! This is now! A brand new day, where now your relationship is no longer that of hostage and kidnapper, but of brother and insane, brain-damaged sister!

And Medicine! Sweet Medicine, your trusted compatriot who might still be willing to kill you in a horrible and painful manner should you give her any reason to do so!

No. While a day ago, the three of you were but total strangers, today you are more than that! You are partners! Comrades! And as such, is it not only right that all of you have your say in any decisions your group might make? But of course!

“Medi! Sister! I think we should put it to a vote!”
“Great idea, Human! We'll vote!”
“Democracy. The great equalizer, they say. They say a lot of things. I say the only equalizer I need are the bullets in my gun.”
“Uh, that's great, sis.”
“So, what are you voting on?”
“Simple! We're voting on...um...”

It occurs to you that you're not entirely sure what you're going to be putting to a vote. Sending one of the group off to scout? Sending all of them? Doing nothing? How would voting even work? Just go around asking for 'aye's and 'nay's to each thing? For all you know, in the time it would take you to finish you could already have reached your destination. And for that matter...

“...wait. Who just asked that?”

Come to think of it, you thought there was something odd about how many times you heard “no” to your suggestion of someone carrying you, but didn't think much of it at the time. But just now, you clearly heard someone other than Medicine or the fairy speak! That is clearly suspicious! Has someone been following you? Has your group been infiltrated? Can Su-san actually talk, after all?

“Um, me? I asked what you were voting on.”
Turning your head, you face the speaker, and see-

“Oh. It's just the rabbit. Udon, was it? When did you get here?”

The bunny-girl seems suddenly upset by your question.

“It's Udong-, I mean REISEN! My name is Reisen! And what do you mean 'when did you get here'?! I've been trying to get your attention since you left the forest, but you kept ignoring me!”
“Really? I dunno...I think at least one of us would have noticed someone trying to get our attention, right, Medi?”
“Right! If I didn't notice, Su-san would have!”
“See? We would have noticed if you had suddenly started to come after us after leaving the forest, or something like that.”

This seems to upset her even more for some reason.

“Oh, for the love of- I didn't just suddenly show up! I was with you when you left the forest! I led you out of the forest!”
“Really?”
“Yes!”

You do seem to recall getting a rabbit to help guide you out, and she is certainly rabbit-like...

“Huh. That was you, then? Wow. Sorry, it's kinda hard to tell you all apart, sometimes.”

Oh dear, you think she's starting to cry.

Was it something you said?


[ ] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.
[ ] Confront her! Is she really who she claims she is?
[ ] Ignore her! You got flower picking to do!

[x] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

This Anon has a legendary capacity for fucking things up, but at the very least, he can say "thanks," since navigating the Bamboo Forest is not for pussies.

[x] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

[x] Confront her! Is she really who she claims she is?
Something is not right here, she was not there the whole time.
The 5th person is not Reisen!

[Q] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

Another teammate! Despite her being a not-so-little girl.

[x] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

We need a bunny that's only good for fanservice

[x] Confront her! Is she really who she claims she is?
-[x] Make her cry more. You hate bunnies, but you love bunny-tears.

Nue!

[x] Confront her! Is she really who she claims she is?

[x] Ignore her! You got flower picking to do!

Gotta stay in character!!

[Q] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

Our party! It must grow!

[x] Confront her! Is she really who she claims she is?
We have a private investigator in our party! She can find the truth!

[x] Ignore her! You got flower picking to do!
Not a loli, we don't want her on the team.

[%] Confuse her! Because why not?

[x] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

She must have a good reason for following us.

[x] Console her! Apologize and find out what she wanted.

As you stand there, transfixed by the sight of the weeping bunny girl, you find yourself somewhat conflicted.

On the one hand, she was a crying girl. That is unacceptable to you.
On the other hand, she was also a crying rabbit. That is totally acceptable to you.

Nevertheless, a girl is a girl, so you suppose it's only right to do something.
Yet, for some reason you do not.
Somehow, the sight of this girl crying has you transfixed. Try as you might, you can't force yourself to so much as look away.

You might even go so far to say it's almost...hypnotic.

The sound is what sticks out to you the most.
It's not the noises themselves that intrigues you. Oh, no. In that regard, her weeping is completely unremarkable. Just the standard-issue sobs and sniffles and occasional hiccups
But the way those sounds vary, that is something you have never heard before.
They do not simply shift in tone, pitch, or volume, but also seem to change in terms of distance and location. One moment, it sounds loud and far away, yet the next it's soft and sounds as if she were right next to your ear. Yet, whether the sound was coming from off to your right, or just behind and to the left of you, the one actually making those noises remained right where she was, directly in front of you.

It's truly a curious thing, you think.

Of course, that's not to say the visual spectacle was not without its own merits.
The way her floppy ears twitched and swayed with her every move, the reddening of her cheeks, and the tears...by god, the tears!
Even from this distance, you could clearly see every single one as it traveled from her eyes, down her cheeks, and finally disappearing under her chin, glistening like little diamonds as they went.

You wonder what they taste like...
Sweet?
Salty?
Vaguely like carrots?

Maybe if you just went in close, you might be able to see for yourself?

“...w-wuh-what are you d-doing?”
“Huh?”

Without realizing it, you had approached the crying bunny-girl, and currently had a hand on each of her shoulders.

So close...so close, and yet...so far...

Oh. Right, right, she's asking you something, isn't she?
Might be a good idea to say something now, right?
Maybe cover for why you suddenly came up and grabbed her, and were about to lean in close to get at those sweet, delicious tears.

Preferably without mentioning any desire for tear-drinking.
Some things simply cannot be explained in such a way that makes them not creepy.

“Uh, er...there, there. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say anything to hurt you. Really.”

The bunny-girl, Raisin, blinks at you, the last remnants of moisture streaming down the still-moist path left by their predecessors, lost to you for all time. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she faintly gasps, and turns her head away from you.

“Ah, um, t-thank you, thank you, but you can let me go now...”
“Hey now, there's no need to start getting embarrassed!”

Really. It's not like three mouths the weirdest thing you've ever seen on a girl. And those flaming antlers are actually kinda cool.

“N-no! You don't understand! Y-you need to get away from me now! Please!” she implores you, trying desperately to not look at you.

Well, if she insists, you may as well. Besides, you're really not too keen on getting your clothes dirty so soon in the day.
Still, it's quite amazing how clearly she can speak with that black tar streaming out with her every word. And so much of it!

Stepping back enough to give her some room, and allowing her a moment to collect herself, you finally ask her just why she followed all the way out here. It must be important.

“So, why did you follow us all the way out here? It must be important.”
“I came to bring you this. The Master said you would probably need it.” she says, one of her six arms reaching into her pouch and pulling out a medium-sized wicker basket.

“Ah, a basket, huh? I am familiar with such things. You use them to hold things, yes?”
“Uh...yeah. Master realized you probably wouldn't know how much to bring back, or even have a proper means to carry it, so she-”
“TELL ME, does it have a BOTTOM?”
“H-huh? Well, y-yes. Yes, it does.”

That is good. You don't take kindly to no-bottomed baskets around here.
Or around anywhere, for that matter.

“A-anyway, Master said to tell you to just fill this up and bring it back, and that will cover the payment. Now then, I really must be off, so if you'll excuse me...”
“HEY RAISIN.”
“It's Reisen, not Rais-”
“HEY REISEN.”
“...what?”
“Why don't you join us? You've come so far, so why not stick around until we head back?”
“H-huh? Ah, um, n-no, I really couldn't do tha-”
“Oh, come on! It's alright! Join us!”
“N-no, I really need to get back-”
“Join us!”
“-and Master would be upset if I was late-”
“JOIN US!”
“-so if it's alright I think I should really just-”
“JOIN USSSSSSSSS”

“Um, Human? She already ran away.” Medicine points out to you.

Huh. Why, so she has.
You're not sure if she did some sort of disappearing trick, or just could run that fast, but she was no longer anywhere in sight.
Well, she did certainly have some nice legs, so you wouldn't be surprised, either way...

“WAH WAAAH WAH, WA-WA-WAAA WA-WUH-WAH.”
“Boy, you sure said it, sister-fairy.”
“WUUUH WAAAH WAWAWAH WA-WA WUH-WAH WA.”
“No, sister, I will not come over and do that. That is highly inappropriate, and I will thank you to not use that sort of language.”

Realizing you were only wasting time just standing around, you pick up the basket the Raisin girl dropped, and motion to the others that it was time to continue.

“Human? Are you okay? Your eyes look kinda funny.” your dear little doll-friend looks at you, maybe-kinda-possibly slightly worried.
“I'm fine, Medi. Nothing a good walk with fresh air and lots of blinking won't clear away, I'm sure! Now, then, let's mosey!”

[ ] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!
[ ] It's time for a change. Let the fairy have a turn!
[ ] Take the lead. It's your turn to drive!

[x] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!
And the red eyes of lunacy take another victim. That's my guess anyway

[Q] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

[x] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

>“WAH WAAAH WAH, WA-WA-WAAA WA-WUH-WAH.”
But Cirno's not an adult!

[X] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

[x] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

>>121354
>But Cirno's not an adult!
It took me a fair bit to figure out what you were referring to. I've always heard it start with a "Mwa," but even if it had, I'd have had a tough time getting it.

[x] It's time for a change. Let the fairy have a turn!

She will either lead us into a trap or smoky speakeasy.

[x] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

[x] Continue as before. Medicine will show you the way!

Figuring there was no sense in changing the order of things when they were working so well, you once again have Medicine take the lead as your group resumes their trek towards the hill with flowers

It's a fairly peaceful walk, and while both the dolls and fairy had taken to floating along rather than walking, you find yourself keeping pace with them fairly well

If only it weren't so boring.

To be fair, the occasional rambling from the fairy was somewhat entertaining for a while, but once you were able to see in colors again and could no longer hear that jazz ensemble accompanying her, the novelty was fairly quick to wear off. Deciding to tune her out for the time being, you turn your attentions to the one leading your party.

“Hey, Medi? Can I ask you something?”
“Hm? Sure!” she replies, turning her body mid-air to face you while maintaining her speed and direction.

Though you're not sure if you shouldn't simply be glad to have her assistance in collecting the doctor's 'payment', there was something about this situation that struck you as rather odd.

“Why are you okay with helping the doctor out like this? You know, getting these flowers for her?”

Even without knowing what these flowers were, it was probably safe to assume that they were poisonous in nature, and from that it wasn't hard to guess what the doctor's interest in them was about. But what about Medicine? Why would someone who hates humans agree to something that, as far as you know, was going to help humans?

“Oh, that? It's strategy!” she says, proudly.
“Er...strategy?”
“Yeah! Su-san told me all about it! If we're gonna free all dolls, we have to have plans and stuff!”
“And this is part of your plan?”
“Uh-huh!” she says, happily, before slowing her speed enough to bring herself right up next to you.

Looking from side to side, as if looking out for eavesdroppers, she leans in close.

“See, lots of people don't know about about stuff like poison and stuff. Su-san said they even forgot about the hill and Su-san. That's no good, though!” she sort-of whispers to you.
“It's not?”
“Of course not! We can't just make the dolls be free, we gotta change hearts and minds and stuff like that! That's what Su-san says, anyway. I still think we could just get rid of the humans, and free the dolls then, but Su-san keeps telling me that won't work.”

Ah, yes, the 'kill all humans' strategy. She had mentioned something like that before, when you had just met, didn't she?
It's not much of a mystery to you why a plan like that would be pretty much doomed to fail. Setting aside the logistic problems of poisoning an entire population, you know that such a plan wouldn't get very far along before one of the local “incident resolution specialists” came to put a stop to it, most likely through violence.

Such was the way of things here, after all.
You try to start some trouble, they come to break your face.

“But this plan is supposed to work?” you ask, trying to get the conversation back on a subject other than conspiracies of genocide.
“Yep! If Su-san is right, anyway.”
“And how does getting these flowers fit in to that?”
“I'm getting to that!” she says, barely maintaining a low volume in her excitement. “So, people don't know about stuff like us and poison, right? That's why they don't take us seriously! But the doctor lady, she's smart and knows lots about poison! She knows how great poison is, and how strong it can be! And she knows lots of people, too!”
“So you figure that by helping her out, she'll tell others about your poison?”
“Yeah! Something like that! Then when they know how strong we are, they'll have to listen to us! They won't be able to ignore us or forget about us anymore! Then we'll get lots and lots of allies!”
“And...Su-san told you all this?”
“Uh-huh! I...kinda doubted it, for a while, but now I think it might really actually work!”
“Oh? What changed your mind?”

At this, the little floating doll-girl looks away from you, turning her attention back to the front.

“O-oh, look! We're here!” she announces.

Sure enough, you found yourself looking over a large field of flowers, the countless little bell-shaped blossoms swaying in breeze.

“We're gonna go say 'hi' to the suzuran, okay?” Medicine hurriedly says, rushing off with Su-san before you have a chance to respond.

“The smell hung in the air like a thing that was hanging, sweet yet bitter, like a high-class dame working in a low-wage dive. With the answers blowing in the wind, I was gonna have to blow right back.” the fairy says, drifting off in some random direction.

With basket in hand, and apparently some time to yourself, you decide you may as well get to doing what you came here for. These flowers aren't going to pick themselves, after all.
That would, of course, be too convenient.

Fortunately, it's a much easier task than you had anticipated, and before long your basket is practically overflowing with the little bell-shaped blossoms.
Figuring now was as good a time as any to rest a little bit, you find yourself a comfortable looking patch of grass, set aside your basket, sit down, and look up to the sky..

You never really were very good at predicting the weather, but some signs even you couldn't mistake. Without a doubt, you could see it was...

[ ] Clear and Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.
[ ] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!
[ ] Overcast. A storm is approaching...

[x] Clear and Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.

[X] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!

[ ] Clear and Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.

I want a jazz accompaniment, damnit.

[N] Overcast. A storm is approaching...

[x] Clear and Sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.
The garden of the ___

[x] Overcast. A storm is approaching...

[Q] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!

With a chance of meatballs. book not movie, for the love of god

[x] Overcast. A storm is approaching...
It's about time for some serious business.

[X] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!

[X] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!

[X] Partly Cloudy. What interesting shapes they make!

Oh, that one looks like a Miko falling out of the sky!

Sitting in a field, gazing up at the sky, and watching the clouds?

Why the hell not? you think to yourself.
It's not like you have much else to do in this field, as you wait for the others to return, after all.

Besides, it feels rather nostalgic, like something you did in the days of your childhood, even if you never actually did such things.

And so, laying down, you fill your vision with an endless sea of blue, and watch the fluffy masses of white lazily drifting by...

That one, over there?
It looks like a fish!

And that one?
Why, that's a frog!

And that one, the one that makes you feel really angry for some reason?
A rabbit. A big, white, fluffy cloud-rabbit.

Really, it's quite an amazing thing, how the mind can make sense out of the abstract and see order even in chaos, you think to yourself.

Such is the power of the mind, you suppose.

Hmm, what else is there, then?
Ah, that one looks interesting!
Kinda longish, thick, and bulging out at one end.

A fist, maybe?

“Hmm~, I don't think so...”

Oh, it's so totally a fist.
It's all big and thick and strong-looking.
You would go so far as to say it was not merely a fist.
It was a MAN-FIST. A MANLY fist for a MANLY man.

“It reminds you of your father, yes~?”

Well, in a way, you suppose it does.
You don't remember much about him, other than the image of sheer strength he gave off.

“Interesting~, interesting~...and what about that one?”

Oh? That one's easy. It's a bird of some kind!

“You like birds, don't you?”

You suppose you do, when they aren't stealing things from you, at least.

Being able to fly so freely as they do must feel so liberating.
Not that you have to be a bird to fly, here, of course.

“You like eating them, too, don't you?”

Well, of course you do. Birds are delicious, though you know better than to say as much out-loud in most places. And of course, their eggs.
How could you ever forget about the eggs?

“Which do you like better, breasts or thighs~?”

They're both pretty good, in their own way, but you really like the drumsticks best.
The bones on them are like handy little meat handles.

“Ahh~, meat handle~”

Hehehe, yeah, it does sound kinda funny, now that you thi-...

...wait a minute.

Something seems odd.

Does something seem odd?

You think something might seem odd.

Is something odd?

A little odd?

Maybe?

Or not?

Oh, look, that cloud looks like...
Oh my. You didn't think it was possible for someone to bend like that, let alone two together...



[ ] Relax, everything is normal
[ ] No, something is definitely amiss...
[ ] Relax, it's just your imagination
[ ] I'm telling you, something isn't right, here...
[ ] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.
[ ] Oh, I'm gonna grab something alright, and it's right...THERE!

[x] Oh, I'm gonna grab something alright, and it's right...THERE!

[x] Relax, everything is normal
[x] No, something is definitely amiss...
[x] Relax, it's just your imagination
[x] I'm telling you, something isn't right, here...
[x] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.
[x] Oh, I'm gonna grab something alright, and it's right...THERE!

This needs to be together for maximum effect.

[x] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.
Its always time to snuggle.

[x] Oh, I'm gonna grab something alright, and it's right...THERE!
SURPRISE!

[Q] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.

[x] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.

[Q] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.
Koishi?

>“It reminds you of your father, yes~?”

[X] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.

>>121418

>"Osama, sometimes an atomic weapon is just an atomic weapon, ja?"

>"Except for that one. That one is a fucking cock, you sick shit."

[x] I'm telling you, something isn't right, here...

[x]>>121421

[X] Relax, just grab something comfy to snuggle with and calm down.

Relax, don't do it~

Wrong?

What's wrong?

What could possibly be wrong?

You're just lying in the middle of a large field of poisonous flowers, which you are probably immune to and thus have nothing to worry about, looking up at the sky and watching the clouds.

Very normal.
Very comfortable.
So very normal and comfortable, in fact, that you think a nap would be perfect right about now.
After quickly reaching out and grabbing at the air, you even find something nice to snuggle up with.

“Mmmm~, you smell tingly~”

Whatever it is, it's soft and warm and smells like a mixture of sunshine and sulfur.

And comfortable...

So...

...comfortable...



- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


With a sudden *thunk* you wake from your slumber, knocking the back of your head against the side of the rock you were resting against. Feeling around to make sure there isn't a bump, you silently curse whatever mystical force is responsible for interrupting your dreams just before they reach the good parts.

“Every time. Every goddamn time.”

Such a shame, too. While you find yourself already having difficulty remembering every single detail, some traits still linger in your mind. That hair, that smell, that adorable little doll she had...ah, yes, she definitely seemed like a cute one. You can't help but think she seemed almost familiar, but you just can't quite put your finger on who it could be.

As if finding humor in your sadness, a light breeze wafts across your face, and for a moment you swear you could almost hear giggling carried upon it. The elements, like the rest of the world, seems to derive pleasure from your misery.

After a round of stretching to further wake yourself up, you take stock of your surroundings and situation. Judging by the grass all around you, not to mention the rock you had been resting against, it would appear you've spent (and survived) yet another night in the great outdoors. Good for you?
While you had been repeatedly warned about the dangers of doing so, you find nothing can really beat sleeping outside and under the stars, at least if you don't have any other option.

“Looks like it's going to be another beautiful day.”

Indeed it does! The sun peeking up on the horizon, that crisp morning air, and clear skies as far as the eye can see. If ever there was a day for getting things done, this was most certainly it. Now, if only you could remember what it was you had to do today. You're sure there was something, but your mind keeps coming up blank.

“Oh well, I'm sure it will come back to me if it was anything important.”

Feeling satisfied that you're not forgetting anything exceptionally critical, you gather your things and are about to head off to find something to eat when you spot something in the sky.
What could it be?
A bird?

A witch?

Nah, it looks like it's just that Tengu from the mountain. Judging from her high speed and what vaguely appears to be a small black box hanging from her neck, she's probably on her way to dig up some sort of gossip for that paper. As she zips overhead, you try to see if you can catch a glimpse up her skirt,, but find that thought interrupted by the sudden sensation of something slamming into your face, and the pain that goes along with it.

“OW! Sonofa-! ...eh?”

As your pain and shock subside, you examine the thing that had seemingly fallen from the sky and landed right in your hands. Or, rather, fallen from the sky, landed on your face, fell from your face, and then landed right in your hands. But that doesn't sound nearly as good, even if it is a more accurate account of what happened.

Upon careful examination, you believe this object to be some sort of egg.
Smooth sides. Roundish shape.
Yep, this is almost certainly an egg of some sort, with little spots all over its smooth-yet-bumpy surface.

It looks absolutely delicious.

...but what kind could it be?
Must be something strong, if it survived a fall and impact with your face, after all...

Well, it's probably nothing to worry about!
What matters now is what you're going to do with it!

What are you going to do with it?

[ ] Pursue
[ ] Return
[ ] Finders-keepers
[ ]

[ ]

>[ ] Pursue
>[ ] Return
>[ ] Finders-keepers

run

Mh...

[x] Return
I hate those dream sequences. Everything is normal except for a few details that only you seem to get.

>Such a shame, too. While you find yourself already having difficulty remembering every single detail, some traits still linger in your mind. That hair, that smell, that adorable little doll she had...ah, yes, she definitely seemed like a cute one. You can't help but think she seemed almost familiar, but you just can't quite put your finger on who it could be.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[X]
Gotta wake up.

>>121453
[X]

So is this what happens when we bad end? We get sent back to the beginning (>>119276)?

[X]Run

[x]

[X]

You taunt us... Quite entertainingly, mind you, but it is taunting nonetheless...

Run.

Running is good.
Very good.
Need to run.
Have to run.
Run run run.
Good good good.

Over the fields
Through the woods
To Grandmother's house you go

Like a shark on land.
Movement is life.
Stillness is death.

So you must run.
Run, you must.

“Hey. Hey, buddy. Hey!” the egg speaks to you.

What is it, egg? You have no time for this.

“Why you in such a rush, man? Why not take it easy?” the egg asks.

What a question, that is!
Why must you run?
Because you must!
It is the only way to find it!
Yes! The Truth of Life!

“I don't mean to tell you your business or nothing, but why don't you take a break?” the egg continues questioning you. “All this scrambling about? It's not good for you. You'll crack at this rate”

Cracking?
Who's cracking?
You're not cracking.
Not at all. Not at all.
Nope nope nope.
It's just you, running, because you feel like you have to.
No one told you to do it.
Not that you know of.
You just really think you should be running right now for some reason.

“You want my advice?” the egg says.

Of course you don't, but you know it will offer it anyway.

“I say you just stop. Just stroll on over to that little field of flowers over there, and rest your weary legs.”

Stop? Rest? Relax?
Preposterous!
It's a trick!
It must be a trick!
You know it's a trick!

“It's not like you have to do it for a while! Just a little rest. A teensy-weensy little one. Then you can get back to doing what you're doing. Doesn't that sound lovely?”

The egg, it speaks appealing words.
But you know not to trust it.
That is how it starts.
'I'll just relax for a little bit' you will say.
'I'll just take a minute, then I'll get back to running' you will say.

But then minute will turn into several.
Several will turn into dozens.
Dozens will turn into hundreds.
Minutes to hours.
Hours to days.
Days to weeks.
Weeks to years.

This is the downward spiral.
The endless vortex in which there is no escape.

You know now, more than ever, that the egg is against you.
Yes. To listen to it would only end in ruin.

Eggs should be eaten, not heard.

“You don't want to eat me.” the egg says, smugly.

Oh, but you think you do.
You really do.
You really, really do.

“Look at me.” says the egg.
You look at the egg.
“Look up.” says the egg.
You look up.
“Now, back at me.” says the egg.
You look back at the egg.
It's still an egg.

But now it has a hat.

“You can't eat me, I have a hat.” the egg gloats.

This is true. It does have a hat.

“So now that I have a hat, will you listen to me?”

No, you don't think you will. For it is still an egg.

“Really, now, you don't have to do this.” the egg pleads with you. “Just stop. Settle down. Find yourself a woman. They're easy enough to find, easy enough to catch. Get to know one for a couple days, and I guarantee you'll hit at least third base. And maybe even fourth.”

That sounds like nonsense.
Trickery and deceit.

You're still going.
Still running.
The egg does not like that.
That much is clear.

Through the lake
Over the woods.
To the Devil's Mansion you go.

You see the gate.
You see the gate guard.
She's talking to someone.
Oh, it's that nice girl from the mountain!

“[I]YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THIS AREA. PLEASE VACATE THE PREMESIS. YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO COMPLY.”
“EXTERMINATE!!!”

Then they start shooting each other.
You can't stay and watch, though.
You still need to run.
You're heading for a wall, though.
You can't take the door, so you take the hole instead.
Which you just mad.
With your body.
Oh yeah.

Oh, look.
Another wall.
Another obstacle.
But it shall not stand in your way.
You're in a hall.
You have to run.
Where do you run?
What do you do?

You need to choose fast.
The walls are melting.

[ ] I don't know!
[ ] Amble about aiMlessly
[ ]
[ ] Wade into the shAllows
[ ] InTo the deep end
[ ] nothING

[ ] Wade into the shAllows

Is this guy's life just one extended acid trip/flashback? Only checking.

oh, and [X] Amble about aiMlessly

[x]chastity
MATING

[X] I AM WAITING

>“You can't eat me, I have a hat.” the egg gloats.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[x] Amble about aiMlessly

[x] I don't know!

[x] Mate with egg

Delicious

[x] I AM WAITING

[x] Wake up from this nightmare

>“Look at me.” says the egg.
>You look at the egg.
>“Look up.” says the egg.
>You look up.
>“Now, back at me.” says the egg.
>You look back at the egg.
>It's still an egg.

>But now it has a hat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcIjRuYz61w

[x] I AM WAITING

I can only just wonder what kind of amazing shit you could cook up if you did a 100% serious story, Mr. Author person.

It would be amazing and terrifying and wonderful.

I have to wonder... is there any sign that the secret messages aren't plotting our eventual downfall, and the ruin of all we hold dear?

Or am I just being paranoid?

in before someone answers using a hidden message of their own

[x] >>121501

This is unusual, which is the dream and which is the reality? That box done gone and twisted our mind.

[X] Wade into the shAllows

One way ticket to midnight, etc, etc.

Oh no! You just remembered!
You have somewhere to be!
Someone to meet!
You don't have an appointment, but you must see them at once!

With a sense of urgency, you move in the direction you think is the one you need to move in.

The egg is still talking.
Still trying to stop you.
It's changed its tactics, though.
And also its voice.

It still annoys you, though.
The talking, but also the inability to do anything about the talking.

After all, it's wearing a hat.

“Oooh~, the things you wish you could do to me~!” the egg giggles.

She seems to enjoy this.

At least, you think it's a 'she' now.
Do eggs have gender?
They sound like they do.
Or at least, this one does.
But it could be a trick.
A trap, meant to confuse you.

“Only one way to find out~!” the egg coos.

You are not sure how you feel about this change in attitude.

“Just roll with it~. Roll with me~. Roll in the hay~.”

You will not roll in the hay.
You will not roll at all.
That is not a thing you would do.

“You could if you were more like me~ Look at me! All safe and snug in my little shell~.”

Nonsense, you think.
Shells exist only to be cracked.
Broken.
An obstacle to be removed before you can get at the delicious filling inside.

“Would you like that? Crack me open, plunge into my gooey interior and scramble my insides~?”

Well, now that she mentions it...

No. No no no no no.
Not the time.
Not the place.

This is not the time for delicious eggs.
Or whatever the egg is talking about that sounds like eggs but might possibly not be that.

She is waiting for you.

She?

Who?

You don't know, but you know she is waiting.
Cannot keep her waiting!
Mustn't keep her waiting!

“Hey~! Helloooooooo~? Tell me more what you wanna do~! Beat me~! Whisk me~! Drink me raw~!”

This is gone on long enough, you think.
The time has come for the egg to shush.
And so you shove it into your pants.

“Oooh~, you have something in here for mMMMPH~”

You think you just heard it sigh contentedly.

You don't know if you want to know why.

What you do want to know is why you have reached a dead end.

Was this the right way?
You were sure that it was.

Yet, this is not the place you need to be.
There are all these walls here.
Walls are obstacles.
Obstacles must be elimnated.
Or at least have holes put into them.

But wait!

Over there!

Breaking through by force is not necessary!
There is a perfectly fine gap right over yonder!

If there is a gap, of course you must plunge into it!
Right?
Right.

And so plunge, you do.
Into the breach!
And into...

...what is this?

It's not the Devil's Mansion, that's for certain.

You've never seen anything like this.

It's nothing.

Nothing at all.

No walls.
No floor.
No ceiling.
No light.
No, darkness, either.
Of all the destinations, this was the last one you would have hoped for.

Did you take a wrong turn, somewhere?
You bet you did.
Maybe you should check your map?
You think you'll check your map.

Except you don't have a map.

You do have some paper in your pocket, though.
You could have used that to make a map, you suppose.

Why didn't you do that?


Oh. There's something already written on it.
That's why.

'HELLO AGAIN'

Oh! It's a message to you!
How nice and thoughtful!
You really should thank whoever wrote it.

'THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY'

Oh? Really?
Well, okay then.

'YOU'RE DOING WELL'

Really? You are?
You're not so sure about that.
Are you? You don't think you are.

'YOU'RE NOT DEAD YET'

Well, okay.
You suppose that's something you have going for you.
But is that it?

'YOU'RE NOT CRAZY EITHER'

Really? That's good to know.
You never doubted that for a minute.

“Yeeees you diiiiiid~!”

Quiet, you.

'I NEED YOU'

That's being a little too forward, don't you think?
You certainly think so.

'NOT IN THAT WAY'

Oh. Right.
Of course.

'DO SOMETHING'

Something? What something?
Do what?

'I CANNOT TELL YOU'

Huh?
It's rather hard to do something if you don't even know what it is you're doing.
You should know.
You don't know what you're doing most of the time as it is.

'YOU CANNOT KNOW'

You suppose the obvious question is why you can't know whatever it is you're not supposed to know.
But that's just too obvious.

'THEY CANNOT KNOW'

They?
Who are they?

'YOU CANNOT KNOW'

This feels familiar, somehow.
Does it feel familiar?
You think it feels familiar.

'THEY MUST NOT KNOW'

As much as you wish to respect and honor the wishes of others, this is starting to irritate you a little.

'THEY ARE WATCHING'

Seriously, who the hell are the-
Wait. Nevermind.

You can't know, because they can't know, and if you knew, somehow they would know that you knew and maybe even know what you know.

Is that it, basically?

'YOU GOT IT'

But knowing you can't know doesn't help you much.
Especially if you have to know something.
And right now you know nothing.
Which is less than something.
And something from nothing equals nothing.

'YOU'RE DOING FINE'

So the paper says, but you don't quite know what you're doing fine at.
Do you?

' JUST KEEP IT UP

Encouraging.
Vague and maddeningly unhelpful.
But encouraging.

“Do you want my help with that~?”

No, you do not.
Whatever is up that needs keeping, you do not need an egg to help you.
Silly egg.
You don't even have any arms.

'HOLD ON TO HER'

What? Who?

'DON'T LET HER GET AWAY'

Who? Who is getting-

Wait a minute.

Where did the egg go?


Oh.
There it is.
Over there.

Rolling away.

Rolling away?

“Roll, roll, roll in ze hay~”

Yep. Rolling away.

Should you stop it?
You think you should stop it.

'STOP HER ALREADY'

Right, right, you're doing it, already.

You really should hurry, though.

It's almost out that door.

That bright, shiny door.

Who left that open?
They'll let the cold air out!
Or in.
Either way, you're not paying to do that to the whole neighborhood!

What? Oh. Right. Egg.

With a dash, leap, and dive, you aim yourself at your target like a missile.
A big, non-explosive, human-shaped missile.

Too short, and you fail to grab the target.
Too far, and you risk crushing it.

It's hard to tell, though.
The light from the door is getting brigheter.

You almost feel like you're floating.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer, still.

The light is overwhelming now.
You can hardly see.
Only feel.

That is all you need, though.

Your hands reach out.
Fingers extend.
Inward movement.
Arms closing.
Fingers grasping.
Light blinding.

And then, at the last second, you feel it.

You grasp it.

You hold it to your chest in triumph.

And then...










[ ] Tasteless
[ ] Odorless
[ ] Mindless
[ ] Heartless

>>121524
[!!!] Odorless
Where we're going we won't need odour.

Holy fuck, it's like my mind is getting raped and i am asking for more.

[x] Mindless

[x] Tasteless

[x] Odorless
The most useless of the five senses

[x] Heartless

[X] Tasteless

[X] Odorless

[X] Odorless

[x] Itchless
[x] Tasteless

[x] Heartless
I think we should eat that damn egg.

[X] Odorless

But wait, dosen't odorless automatically constitute tasteless?

>>121552
Smell and taste are closely related, but not completely reliant on each other. Smell accounts for about 3/4s of what we 'taste' (hence why when you have a cold or allergies or just a stuffed nose things don't taste the same) while the tongue just detects salt, sweet, bitter, and sour tastes. More specific/intricate tastes come from scent, like how honey and milk chocolate are both sweet, but have different flavors (putting aside the actual textures of the two).

So scent affects taste strongly but not completely, and taste barely (if at all) affects smell.

[X] Mindless

We'll barely be affected!

It's quiet, you think to yourself.

Not that you mind, of course.
The fresh air, the warmth of the sun on your face, and the soft earth below you.
What better conditions could hope for when taking a nap in a flower field?

So warm.
So peaceful.

How long were you out?
You're not really sure.
It couldn't have been too long, since the sun is still not very high in the sky.

Is Medi done with whatever she was doing?
Eh, you're sure she'll come for you when she is.

Until then, there's no harm in just resting some more, right?
Of course not.

Too bad about that dream, though.
You would have liked to see what happened next.

Sadly, you know it's not so simple as being able to go to sleep and picking it back up right where you left off.

Of course, even if you could, it would be too late. Even now, you can feel your memories of the dream fading.
In fact, you can't even really call them memories now, so much as 'feelings'. Vague notions of something happening, rather than a concrete idea or image of what happened.

Something worrying.
Distressing, even.
Confusion.
Frustration.
Yet, a strange sense of peace.

You think you may also have been doing that weird thing where things that are actually happening get incorporated into your dream again.
In fact, as you feel the smoothness with your fingers, you're sure you did.
Of course, now that you're somewhat more aware, you realize how silly it was. After all, there's no way anyone would confuse this thing for an egg!
It's too dark. Too round. Too squishy.
Not to mention the tubes coming out of it.

If this really were an egg, it would certainly be the most distinctly non-egg-like egg you have ever seen.

What is with those tubes, anyway?
Do they lead somewhere?
They seem like they do, but...to where..."

Well, plenty of time to worry about that later.
Right now, you just want to take it easy.
You set the tube-ball aside, and put your arms around the weight you feel resting on you.
Whatever it is, it's soft. Warm, too.

“Mmmm, this is nice~.” a vaguely familiar voice says.
You have to agree with that.
It's so comfortable here. You're not even bothered by the smell of all the flowers around you, anymore.
In fact, it's like you can't even smell them at all.

Lazily gazing up at those big, yellow flowers, it's almost as if they are looking right back at you.
Along with the sun itself, it's as if everything here is radiating warmth.

Though you feel, deep in the back of your mind, the faintest inkling that there is something unusual about this, the rest of you is just too darn comfortable to care.

“...oh my, and what do we have here?”

So warm.
So comfortable.

You think you'll nap for just a couple minutes more.
Just until Medi comes back...

“Oh? Going back to sleep? My, that's no good.”

You hold the warm weight on you closer, and feel it do the same.

Yes. This is nice.

With that last thought, you drift off back to sle-

“Time to get up, now~.”

A whoosh.
A thunk.
The sensation of something rushing by and being thrust into the ground just next to your head.

You turn to look at it.

It's white.
Looks almost like an umbrella.
An umbrella that has just been driven roughly halfway into the ground just inches from where you were resting your head.


“Oh my, did I disturb you? I am terribly sorry about that.”

A woman's voice.
Unfamiliar.
And not sounding at all sorry about anything.

Looking up, you see her. One hand grasping the handle of the umbrella that is still imbedded in the ground, she looks down at you.

“Good day to you, sir.” she says, smiling.

You're not sure why, but you don't think she's supposed to be here.
Come to think of it, these sunflowers all seem rather out-of-place, too.

Unsure of what else to do, you do the only proper thing you can think of.

“Er, um...good day to you, too, madam.” you return her greeting.

The woman looks up and gazes at the sky.
“Hm, yes, it really is quite a lovely day, isn't?” she says, pulling her umbrella from the ground with no visible effort. “So lovely a day, it would be such a shame were something to happen that might disturb it, don't you agree?”

She's looking at you again.
And smiling.
The sunflowers seem as if they are looking at you, too.
You can't tell if they're smiling or not.

“Er, yeah. Disturbances would be bad.” you say, nodding in agreement.

“Yes...'bad'. To disturb such a fine day as this would be quite bad, wouldn't it? Most unfortunate, wouldn't you say?”

“O-oh, yes! Yes! Definitely unfortunate!” you say, just a little louder than you had meant to.

You're not getting scared, are you.
What? You? Pssh. As if!

“Ah, yes. So you agree, then? I am glad. Then perhaps you could explain why I find my own day so suddenly and unfortunately disturbed? Hm~?”

Oh, the tip of that umbrella sure looks a lot pointier than you thought.
Of course, that just may be an effect of having it pointed right at your face.
And, yet, she's still smiling. Even more than she was before, you think.

You think you feel the weight on you shift a little, but you pay it no mind.
The smiling lady with the pointy-tipped umbrella pointing at you gets your full attention.

It seems only fair.



[ ] ATTACK
[ ] MAGIC
[ ] TALK
[ ] FLEE

[x] USE SPECIAL SKILL
- [X] TALK YOUR WAY OUT OF A DESPERATE SITUATION

The bar is full, use Overdrive.

[x] TALK

[Q] TALK

It is out gift.

[X] TALK

Time to test out our powers of manipulation as they apply to beings that are not little girls.

[x] TALK

[x] TALK

It is what we do... other than throwing rocks.

[X] Talk
[X] Diplomacy

Why not?

[X] TALK

Awwww hell, Yuuka?

[x]my, what big eyes you have, grandmother
[x]my, what big teeth you have, grandmother
[x]my, what big tits you have, grandmother

So... Is Koishi fucking with us, or are we a satori, or what?

Squishy round thing with tubes and a person hugging us or something sounds Koishi-y.

>>121583
>are we a satori
I'm okay with this

[X] Diplomacy check

[X] MAGIC

- WE CAN DEFINITELY FIND THE MIRACLE IF THE CHANCE IS GREATER THAN ZERO. TRUST. WITHOUT LOVE, IT CANNOT BE SEEN.

>>121590
With our sense of direction the only way we'll find it is if the chance is below zero

“Oh, um...I'm disturbing you? Am I? Of course, I'm disturbing you, aren't I? Ha ha, that was a stupid question, wasn't it?”

Somehow, you find it harder to muster up the energy to properly bullshit your way out of this situation.
Then again, not many situations see you on the ground, with a strangely-scary smiling woman standing over you with an umbrella pointed at you in a manner that is not exactly comforting.

“Well, you see, it's kind of a funny story. A long one, too. A long, funny story, and-”
“Make it a short story, then~.”
“Short? Um, sure, I can do short. Let's see, it started when I was sleeping under a tree, and then-”
“Not short enough. Make it shorter.”
“Uh, right, well then-”
“And look at me when I speak~.”
“Um, sorry, it's just that-”
“Do not look at me when you speak.”
“Sorry, sorry, I won't.”
“What did I just say about looking at me when I speak?”
“L-look at you?”
“Not while you are speaking.”
“Right, right, got it...”
“Now then, you were about to tell me a little story, hm~?”


A part of you is amazed at how little her expression changed as she said all that. Even with a clear hint of menace in her words and tone, that pleasant smile never wavered from her face.

You can't help but wonder if she's enjoying this.
Yeah. She probably is.

Making absolutely certain that her face is nowhere near being in your field of vision as you speak, you take a few deep breaths before recounting your tale in a highly abridged form.

“WOKE UP, HIT MY HEAD, FOUND A BOX, SWAM THE LAKE, WENT INTO A HOUSE, SNUCK AROUND, HIT HEAD AGAIN, GOOD EGGS, MET THE DOCTOR, LEFT THE HOUSE, MET A FAIRY, TURN HER INTO A BOAT, MAGIC FOREST, DOLL HOUSE, BAD SMELL, MAKE FRIENDS WITH KILLER DOLL, GOT SICK, SEE THE DOCTOR, SPENT THE NIGHT, BILL DUE, NO CASH, RUN ERRDANDS, FIND FIELD, TAKE NAP, WEIRD DREAM, WOKE UP HERE, NEED CLEAN PANTS.”

Meanwhile, the lady just keeps on smiling.

“My, my, you have been a busy little hummingbird, haven't you?” she says whilst letting the tip of her umbrella lightly tap the tip of your nose. “However, it does not quite explain how you came to be here, does it?”

Now that you think of it, you suppose it really doesn't explain it.
How did you go from sleeping in a field of one kind of flower, only to wake up in a field that, as far as you can tell, is populated by an entirely different kind of flower.

“More importantly...” she continues, adjusting her grip on her umbrella's handle. “Do you understand why you have disturbed this fine day? Why you continue to do so, even now? Hmm~?”

“Well, I did say I was sorry for bothering you and all, it's just tha-”
“Apologies are meaningless unless one understands what it is they are apologizing for, don't you think?”
“I'm, um, apologizing for disturbing your day?”
“What have you done to disturb it?”
“I...don't really kno-”
“What I tell you about looking at me?”
“Huh? Which one? When I'm speaking or when you're speaking?”
“Yes~. Now then, answer my question, would you please? Hmm~?”

You feel the weight move and shift a little bit.
A faint feeling of something brushing against you.
But you can't really worry about that now, can you?

“I'm waiting~”

Crap. It seems like she's serious about wanting you to answer her question.
But what could you have done? You don't know how you got here, let alone what might have happened during that time! Still, it looks like you're going to have to give her something that satisfies her one way or another. You really don't care to find out just what she plans to do with that umbrella.

“Well, what I did was...”

[ ] Something, and it was _________________ (please specify)
[ ] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.
[ ] I don't know!
[ ] Cry
[ ] Pass out

[X] Anemia option.

Oh shit, our only useful skill is only good for little girls!
I don't know. We hugged something warm and maybe we were not supposed to do so? Or our just our presence here that is disturbing her fine day?

[x] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.
Well, it's the truth

[x] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.

[X] I don't know!

[ ] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.

[x] I don't know!

[x] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.

The truth will set us free!

[x] Cry

Only option.

[x] Nothing that wasn't completely compensated by your current happiness. By simply acting like a wuss, all I could have done is pointless now.
-[x] Now, if you would excuse me, these beautiful flowers are just begging for a staring contest.

I didn't thought he was so interesed in that self-preservation thing. Time to fix that.

[x] Nothing that wasn't completely compensated by your current happiness. By simply acting like a wuss, all I could have done is pointless now.
-[x] Oh my... I seemed to have landed on a few; I'm sorry about. (To the flowers)
-[x] Now, if you would excuse me, these beautiful flowers are just begging for a staring contest.

[x] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.
That mysterious warmth on our lap will save us.

[x] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.

Hell maybe she'll even have a small bit of respect for our Anon for standing up to her. Other options just seem so weak and BAD ENDsville

>>121625
more like the other way around; Yuuka generally values politeness.

>>121583
Not really relevant to the current topic, but...

I further wonder if Koishi is tagging along and is the current cause of the schizophrenia and general psychosis that's going around.

We have one voice that is urging us to do something, and one that is urging us not to listen to the other voice.

...

Or maybe we're already schizophrenic to begin with, and our other personality is trying to help keep us safe from Koishi's interference? That's why it can interact with us through messages when we're in Crazy Delusion World.

Or maybe it's the other way around.

Either way, a satori seems to definitely be involved, given the external third eye, and given the level of headfuckery, I suspect Koishi.

I'll happily listen to any other theories, though. This one could use polishing.

>>121634
There's the whole cursed box thing, which seems to have attracted attention to him.

[X] Nothing, you're just a crazy, sadistic bitch.

No Regrets~

“I didn't do anything, you crazy, sadistic bitch.” you say without a moment of hesitation.

Wait.
You said that?
You said that?
Why did you say that?
Why, why, oh why did you say that?

“Oh~?” the woman smiles even more at this.

Somehow, you do not find that comforting. At all.

“That is quite a rude thing to say!” she says, pressing the tip of her umbrella into your throat. Suddenly, her smile disappears, leaving only an expression of cold, cruel disdain upon her face. “I don't particularly care for rudeness.” As if to add further emphasis to her words, she presses her umbrella a little more into your throat. It doesn't hurt, yet, but it certainly isn't comfortable.

“Have you any idea what I am capable of doing to you? Hm~? Tear your flesh~, crush your bones~, snap you in half like a dried twig~, and then incinerate you so thoroughly there would be barely anything left to nourish my little pretties here? It would be so easy~.”

Somehow, you don't doubt her words at all. She could probably very well do all of that, and more to you. Without a doubt, this is not someone you should be antagonizing.

“So why haven't you done it already? Getting your jollies at making someone weaker than you squirm about, first? Not doing much to disprove the whole 'you're a crazy, sadistic bitch' thing, you know.”

...which is precisely why you are antagonizing her.
Why are you saying this?!
Bad, you! BAD! No pissing off the possibly already pissed-off scary lady!

You feel the weight on you shift a little bit, once again, but you can't really look to see what might be causing it while Miss Umbrella has your attention.

“Hmm...” The woman stares at you, either contemplating something or attempting to set you on fire by sheer force of will. As you don't feel yourself suddenly getting a lot warmer, you assume it's the former.

Then, just as suddenly as it had vanished, her smile returns in full force.

“Fortunately for you...” she says, removing her umbrella from your neck. “I care even less for cowards.”

“So, I didn't really do anything? You were just messing with me?” you ask, feeling your neck where the umbrella's tip had been pressing
You hope it hasn't left a mark or something.

“Hmm~? Did I say you had not done anything? I don't think I have~.”
“Well, then what did I do that's so wrong? I mean, I don't even know how I got here, so-”
“You stink.”
“...huh?”

You automatically start trying to sniff yourself, wondering just what about your odor could be so offensive. Granted, you haven't exactly had a proper bath in a while, but you didn't think it was that bad...

“That doll you mentioned. You carry the same stench she did. Though not as strongly, you still reek enough of toxins to spoil the scent of the flowers here. That is what you have done, sullying this place with your stink.”

...she means Medi? You smell like her?
You're not quite sure what to feel about that.

“Well, um...sorry for smelling bad? I guess?” you say, not entirely certain how you should apologize for something you were neither aware of, nor had any real control over.

“So long as you understand~.” the woman smiles, opening her umbrella to shade herself from the sun. “Now, be a good little human and run along~. The last thing I need is for you to lead that doll here and further sully the air.”

“Huh? Oh...uh, right.” you say, struggling against the weight to rise to your feet. Brushing yourself off, you look around at the flowers surrounding you, and realize you have absolutely no clue where you are.

“Um, excuse me? Miss? You wouldn't happen to know which way that other flower field is from here, would you?”
“Hmm~? That old place~? Why, yes, you simply have to g-THWACK

The woman's sentence is abruptly cut-off when a very large rock collides with her head, sending her flying along with it before they both crash violently to the ground, the impact sending dirt and dust and flowers flowers flying, and making the ground under your feet shudder. It's all you can do to stay on your feet.

It turns out to be a futile effort, however, as a second, even larger rock slams into the ground nearby, the tremors causing you to fall flat on your face. You try to get back up, but the weight that is now pressing down upon your back makes it harder than it should be.

“HA! I got you! I finally got you!” an unfamiliar voice calls out, triumphantly. As the dust clears away, you see a girl standing atop the larger rock, hands resting upon a strange, glowing sword. “You won't be able to ignore me today, youkai! Now come on! Get up! Fight me! Fight me~!”

This girl...did she just throw that rock?

Rising to your feet, the strange weight pressing firmly against your back, you stare at the blue-haired newcomer, and feel a strange twinge in your chest.
Such speed!
Such power!
Such accuracy!

To think that this girl did that.
Is this awe you are feeling right now? Fear? Or something else..."


[ ] That woman! Is she okay?
[ ] That girl! What is this feeling...
[ ] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!
[ ] This path! Nuts to this, I've got places to be!

[x] This path! Nuts to this, I've got places to be!

RUN AWAY! The unstopable force meet an unmovable object!
M vs S!
RUN AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!

[x ] That girl! What is this feeling...

[x] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!

[x] That girl! What is this feeling...
[x] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!

A kindred spirit!

[x]"I'll show you... what it means to kill something throw rocks at people...!"

[x] That girl! What is this feeling...

[x] This path! Nuts to this, I've got places to be!
Should have waited a bit longer, now we have no idea where to go to

[Q] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!

[X] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!

[x] This rock! Show her what it truly means
to throw rocks!

[x] This path! Nuts to this, I've got places to be!

We have a doll and fairy waiting for us, no time to stick around for a fight that could easily kill us by accident!

So, Koishi is... what, riding piggyback on him?

And apparently there's a Tenshi now or something.

This is irritating.

[x] This path! Nuts to this, I've got places to be!

As fun as throwing rocks at strange girls is, let's not get involved with these two.

[ ] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!

I've just realized that we'd be protecting Yuuka. Or attempting to. Somewhat. Kind of.
The ironing is delicious.

[X] This rock! Show her what it truly means to throw rocks!


FORWARD, UNTO OBLIVION

[x] That girl! What is this feeling...
Can love bloom, even on the battlefield?