[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

I was going to pick the first choice, but I don't want to hit Medicine with a rock.

[X] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[ ] The smell is gaining power. It must be stopped before it becomes self-aware.

Hahaha, I can't not vote for this.

[x] Your sense of smell is becoming stronger. You're no longer completely human!

How obvious~.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.
Has he gained common sense? Goddamn!

{x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

Village of the Dude-Brahs.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

I just want to reunite with Medicine. This place is a lot of stress on her.

>“Hey! Let's fight, too!”
>“But I don't wanna fight, man!”
>“Oh yeah?! Well I'm gonna fight ya, anyway!”
>“Oh no you're not!”
>“OH YES I AM!”
>“OH NO YOU'RE NOT!”
>“YES I AM! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS!”
>“NOT IF I KICK YOURS FIRST!”
So Underground is like THP?

[x] The smell is gaining power. It must be stopped before it becomes self-aware.

[x] Your sense of smell is becoming stronger. You're no longer completely human!

Self-Aware smell?
... Foul Ol' Ron?

Ah well.
[>] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

>>130397
Truth.

[x] Your sense of smell is becoming stronger. You're no longer completely human!

[X] Who cares why? Just get in that room and sit down! It's dinnertime, damn it!

Pissing against the tide, etc.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.
Yes, Tenshi, we know that, but you don't have to call us a moron. That's just mean.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[ ] No big deal. The wind just shifted, and you're now downwind from the source of the smell.

[X] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[X] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[X] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

I fucking love the Oni.

[X] Who cares why? Just get in that room and sit down! It's dinnertime, damn it!

... was the bit with the Oni shown from Su-san's POV?

[X] Who cares why? Just get in that room and sit down! It's dinnertime, damn it!

[x] Your sense of smell is becoming stronger. You're no longer completely human!

Perfectly Logical.

>>130427
We bathed alright...IN GAMMA RADIATION!
incrediblehulk.jpg

[x] The smell is gaining power. It must be stopped before it becomes self-aware.

We're gonna need a bigger rock.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

Basic logic, will it be compatible with his brain?

>>130392
BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE PINK ROBE.

[x] The source of the smell is moving towards you, you moron.

[x] No big deal. The wind just shifted, and you're now downwind from the source of the smell.

23 votes. I didn't even know we had that many regular participants.

Picked me up last thread if you wanna know. It's a fun story.

It is clear to you what is happening; whatever is causing the smell is getting closer!
Even though you're not entirely certain how that works, or if it even makes any sense, you know that this is what is happening.
Yes. This smell is coming from something that is approaching you at a high velocity. Somehow.

Unfortunately, this knowledge does very little to help you.

Turning to look down the hallway, you only see a brief blur of something rushing towards you before your vision goes dark, and you feel something colliding with your head and body with a surprised yelp. Though not particularly heavy, whatever it is still manages to hit you with enough force to knock you to the floor

“Ow-ow-ow!” groans the voice of Medicine, as you feel something squirming about on top of you.

“Hey, Medi. You okay?” you call out to your little toxic friend, your deductive prowess telling you that she was most likely the thing that just slammed into you. As if the smell emanating from her was not enough of a clue, her voice was a dead giveaway.

In fact, the only thing preventing you from being absolutely certain is your inability to see her, on account of something covering your eyes. Something soft, like fabric. Dark fabric, mostly, but some other kind, of a much different color and texture.
And something else, distinctly non-fabric in nature. Two things, actually, on either side of your face, pressed against your temples.

“Huh? Human? Ah! Human! We found you!” Medicine says happily, placing her hands on your chest for support as she shifts herself into what you would assume is a more comfortable position. “Look, Su-san! We found him!”

The thing on your jerks suddenly, and the strange cloth is replaced by a purple, eye-tingling haze.

When your vision finally returns, you are greeted by the sight of Medicine and Su-san gazing down at you, the former looking slightly confused while the latter remains as impassively non-expressive as ever, though her face seems to have a slightly redder tint to it than you remember. Of course, that could just be your imagination.

“...um, Su-san says you didn't see anything, Human” Medicine says uncertainly, looking over to the little doll beside her. “I dunno why you need me to tell him that, though, Su-san. Of course he wouldn't see anything when you were si-MMPF!”

With lightning speed, Su-san zips over and presses Medicine's mouth shut with her hands.
Her tiny, tiny little hands.

Shaking the smaller doll off, Medicine looks at her counterpart with a hint of exasperation on her face. “Okay, okay! Sheesh! I don't see what the big deal is, though. All he would have seen was your pa-MMMMPH!”

Once again, Su-san silences the larger doll, and once again you think you see the little doll's face redden somewhat.
You're really not sure how that would work, though.
A trick of the light, perhaps?.

“Er, don't worry, I didn't see anything, really.” you tell the pair, eager to defuse the situation, however comical it might be to see such a little doll clamping someone's mouth shut. The floor isn't exactly the most comfortable place to be reunited with someone, and you really don't want to get your borrowed bathrobe dirty
Not that you can stop that now, of course.

Keeping a firm hold on Medicine's mouth, Su-san slowly turns her head towards you. Only her head.
Rotating about 180 degrees on her neck, the little doll's head and back are now both facing you.

And she stares.

“Really, Su-san. I didn't see anything.”

...and stares...

“I'm telling you, I didn't! Honest!”

...and stares....

“Please stop looking at me like that. It's creepy.”

Seemingly satisfied by this, Su-san begins to swivel her head back into its proper, forward-facing position, both you and Medicine breathing sighs of relief as Su-san releases her companion's mouth from her grasp. Before you can even think to ask to be allowed up, however, Medicine grabs the collar of your robe and pulls you up towards her, or at least as much as she can.

“Human! We gotta get outta here!”

“What? Why?” you ask, wondering why your little friend seems so alarmed, all of a sudden.

“Because!” she replies, glancing down the hallway, as if keeping watch for something. “It's scary down here! The people down here are scary!”

“Hm. Yes. Oni certainly do have a way a making an impression on people, don't they?”

Looking upwards, the upside-down face of your pink-haired hostess enters from the top of your field of vision.

“Yes, hello. No, no, of course you may borrow it, I will see to it your clothes are taken care of along with those of your companions. I see you have found another, by the way. Well done.”


[ ] There is 'another', Mind-walker?
[ ] Oni? Oni?! ONI?!
[ ] The Lost and the Found
[ ] The Heart of the Lonely Hunter

[X] Oni? Oni?! ONI?!

[X] The Lost and the Found

[x] The Heart of the Lonely Hunter

This choice just sounds so damn sad.

[x] Hug Medicine and ruffle Su-san's hair.
[x] There is 'another', Mind-walker?
>the latter remains as impassively non-expressive as ever, though her face seems to have a slightly redder tint to it than you remember.
The two of them. Must hug and be glad you found them.

[X] There is 'another', Mind-walker?
[X] Hug Medicine and ruffle Su-san's hair.

Just like one of my American Sci-Fi movies!

>There is 'another', Mind-walker?
Continue conversation
>Oni? Oni?! ONI?!
See what's happening with the Oni

[X] The Lost and the Found
Koishi

>The Heart of the Lonely Hunter
Cirno

[X] The Lost and the Found

I want to know what's going on with our party members.

[X] The Lost and the Found

So now Su-chan is possessed by a demon?

I guess she hasn't been taking her...

Medicine.

>>130584

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[X] The Lost and the Found

>>130583
>>130584
>>130586
God dammit, I chuckled.

[X] The Lost and the Found

Cirno is with Yuugi

Still don't know where Tenshi and Rikako are I think.

[X] The Lost and the Found

>>130593
Tenshi and Rikako are... unless Koishi decided to direct them somewhere further... somewhere in the Palace of Earth Spirits.

[ ] There is 'another', Mind-walker?

[X] Oni? Oni?! ONI?!

[x] There is 'another', Mind-walker?

>theforce.mp3

[X] Oni? Oni?! ONI?!
[X] Reminisce on your horrible experiences with Oni and their immunity to your Rock throwing skills.

[x] Oni?! Oni?! ONI?!
[x] Reminesce abouth that one rock-throwing competition where you lost to a certain oni.
Rivalry FTW

[!] The Lost and the Found

>>130615
>[X] Reminisce on your horrible experiences with Oni and their immunity to your Rock throwing skills.

wtf is this shit

>[x] Reminesce abouth
No.

>>130628
Ha, um... Oops?

[x] The Heart of the Lonely Hunter

“Hm? Yes, the two who were with you before have been accounted for. I found them when I went to my room to change, in fact.” your hostess informs you. So she found Tenshi and Rikako? You feel somewhat relieved to learn they are apparently safe and sound.

Although something about Satori's expression is...troubling.

“Oh? You need not worry, they are both perfectly fine, if a little confused by their experience. My sister tends to have that effect, unfortunately. Honestly, that girl...to send them running in circles through the halls is one thing, but to leave them in my room in such a manner...”

They were in Satori's room? What would they have been doing in there, you wonder?

“That is not important.” Satori says with just a little too much force than one would expect for something that really was not important. “In any case, I have just guided them to the bath, and left them directions to the dining hall. When they are finished, they will join us, and dinner will be served.”

Wait for Tenshi and Rikako to have their bath, and then dinner? Sounds like a plan, to you!
Although, if dinner is going to be soon, then why is Satori still-

“...in my bathrobe?” Satori finishes your sentence for you, looking down at the fluffy robe she was still wearing from before. “Yes, I had intended to change into more 'proper' attire, but given the circumstances, I wouldn't want to seem overdressed.”

For a moment, you're not entirely sure what your hostess means, but then it finally hits you; Tenshi and Rikako are also without a change of clothes, much like yourself! So, of course, they will also have to wear robes while waiting for their clothes to be cleaned.

“Ah, right. Yes. Their...clothes. Yes...” Satori almost mumbles, once again looking troubled about something.

Did something happen?

“That is not important.” she says, once again.


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


“This is all his fault.”

The temperature of this water is perfect.
Hot, but not too hot.
Nothing at all like what you would see from using fire or even a natural spring.
Heating water is not a particularly complicated process, but to bring it to a specific temperature range in such a short period of time? Remarkable. Truly remarkable.

Of course, that place could do something quite similar, but I am fairly certain this is not the same technology at work.

“'I just wanted to help,' he says! Hmph! Some 'help' this is turning out to be!”

And this lighting system? Fascinating.
Once again, similar, yet quite different from what the aliens had.
Could this really be the work of this supposed nuclear reactor I keep hearing about?
Perhaps winding up down here was not such a bad thing, after all.

Well, as they say: 'When life hands you lemons, connect them to some electrodes and make a crude battery..

“...and for that matter-...hey! Are you even listening to me?!”

“Yes, yes, of course.”
Not that I've had a choice in the matter.

“Well?!”

“'Well' what?”

Honestly, I do not know what this girl's problem is. Ever since we found her she's done little else but complain about her situation. A situation which, as I reminded her, is also our situation. A situation that, while certainly warranting some level of dissatisfaction, does not require constantly reiterating facts of which we are already quite cognizant.

And yet, she continues.

“This is all his fault!”

“Yes, I know, we've been over this already. Or, rather, you have been over this already. Repeatedly.”

I think I'm actually starting to miss the poison-spraying doll that wanted to kill me. She wouldn't be any more pleasant than my current company, sure, but at least she would allow me to think in peace.

“Well?! Aren't you pissed-off about any of this?!”

“Not especially, no.”

“Ooh, well aren't we special?!”

“We're currently bathing in facilities that are far beyond what is possible in most homes on the surface, let alone in the depths of a cave. We have seemingly found refuge, however temporary, from anything or anyone that would wish to do us harm. Our benefactor, though unsettling, is still fairly pleasant and has shown no inclination towards killing us, eating us, or holding us captive against our will. All things considered, I would say I have very little reason to complain at this moment.”

She doesn't appear to agree with my assessment.
Were she anyone else, I might be inclined to ask why, but I know it won't make any difference with her. If she wants to complain, then complain she will, whether I want her to or not.

The same complaints.
The same reminders of things I am already quite well aware of.
...not to mention, a number of things I would be quite content to forget, like why-

NO.
No no no no no.
Don't think about it.
Don't think about it.
Do not think about it at all.

You are in a bath.
A nice, hot, relaxing bath.
You should be relaxing.
Don't think about that, or that, or why-

Ah, damn it. There I go again.
...and there she goes again, too.

Again.


[ ] Endure. She has to get tired of this eventually, right? Right?
[ ] Discuss. Maybe if we talk this out, she'll actually stop complaining? Maybe?
[ ] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.
[ ] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- ( ) So, how about this bath?
- ( ) So, you're a celestial. What's that like?
- ( ) So, what do you think abou-...wait, what was that? Did you feel that, too?

[x] Endure. She has to get tired of this eventually, right? Right?

Apparently all Tenshi has on her mind is the MC. Mission accomplished.

[X] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.

>but to leave them in my room in such a manner...
hmmmmmmmmmmmm

>>130681
[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Something like that. Let's tease her a little.

[x] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.

[X] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.

>>130684

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Nothing better than poking the pissed-off celestial where it irritates.

[x] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) So, what do you think abou-...wait, what was that? Did you feel that, too?

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Sounds good to me!

[X] Confront. Okay, I'm getting tired of this. If I don't say something, I might just try to choke her.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Tenshi will get bad, but the one asking the question is safe. Satori won't tolerate any rock in her bathroom.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Yes please.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being separated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

ahahahaha!

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

This is too lawl to not vote for.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being separated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

>>130714
>lawl
No.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being separated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Yes.

[x] Discuss. Maybe if we talk this out, she'll actually stop complaining? Maybe?

[x] Discuss. Maybe if we talk this out, she'll actually stop complaining? Maybe?
[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) So, what do you think abou-...wait, what was that? Did you feel that, too?

[ ] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- ( ) So, you're a celestial. What's that like?

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being separated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Dohoho!

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

Excellent work, whoever came up with this write-in.

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?

[x] Distract. Maybe I could get her attention focused on something else?
- (x) Being seperated from him must be pretty hard on you. So, when exactly did you fall in love with him?
This may have some... painful consequences

Her ability to fixate on one thing for so long is remarkable.
Annoying, but remarkable nonetheless.

“...and then he hugged her! Like, that was his plan? Ha! Moron.”

While it's hard to deny his role in our current predicament, the way in which she carries on, you would think he's systematically ruined her life in every conceivable way.
Impressive, considering that the two of them have supposedly only known each other since earlier today.

I'm almost tempted to ask her to elaborate on a few points, but I'm not certain it would be worth the risk. She seems to be doing a fine enough job of getting herself agitated without my assistance.
Perhaps if I make some gesture of sympathizing with her, she'll at least settle down a little?

“Well, it certainly seems like you've had a rather rough day because of him. I think I can understa-”

“Oh, don't even get me started on my day!”

I didn't really want you to.
It's fine if you didn't, actually.

“I mean, I'm just minding my own business, finally making that flower-bitch stop ignoring me, and can you believe what Mr. White Knight in Shining Armor does?!”

...without you even telling me, I would assume it was something ridiculous.
I would gladly leave it at that, but you're going to tell me anyway, aren't you?

“That bastard throws rocks at my head! Rocks! At ME!”

I hate being right, sometimes.

“And then he just up and marches off, talking down to me like I'm beneath him, and making me follow him and carry him and-”

“Wait, wait, sorry, hold on. You carried him? As in, you held him in your arms and...?”

“It's not like I wanted to! I didn't! But he kept whining about how 'oh I can't fly because I'm a puny little human boo-hoo-hoo'. He was practically begging me to help him! I wanted to laugh, it was so pathetic!”

Somehow, I'm not sure I completely believe her.
If nothing else, she seems like the sort who would enjoy the sight of someone being at her mercy and begging for something. Especially if she had a grudge against that individual.
Yet, she sounds just irritated about that as anything else she's mentioned so far.

“So, then, after already helping the wretch, out of the goodness of my heart, the bastard tries to have his way with me and, and, EUGH! Then he has the gall to blackmail me into hauling him around more and made me all that disgusting stuff. And then-”

“...and then all the business with the youkai and running and so on, yes, I'm aware of that part already. But it's not like it's been all bad, has it?”

“Like hell it hasn't!”

“Oh, come on. What about that little bedtime story?”

“It was stupid.”

“You didn't seem to be complaining at the time.”

“I was trying to rest!”

“And he, most likely, was trying to comfort you and make it easier for you to rest.”

“...it was still stupid.”

“It was sweet. ...strange, and confusing, but sweet.”

“Psh!”

“You really dislike the guy that much?”

“Of course I do!

“Then why follow him around? Why help him at all?”

“I-...that's...ah...payback! Yeah!”

“Payback?”

“Er, yeah! I'm just waiting for the right chance to get my revenge! And when I do-”

“Why haven't you done it already?

“...huh?”

Huh. She actually seems to be speechless.
Not that I would expect that to last for very long, of course.
As enjoyable as it would be to just let her continue to stare at me, dumbfounded, as I bask in the silence, I really should continue...

“I mean, you must have had at least a few opportunities to do something to him over the course of the day. If you're picking fights with youkai, one human shouldn't be a problem, and it's quite clear he wouldn't really be able to do anything to stop you if you tried anything. That is, of course, if you had really wanted to.”

“That's because, um...shut up!”

Oh my, I seem to have hit a nerve.
The slight chuckle I allow myself doesn't help, either.

”What.”

“Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking how hard it must be on you, being apart, and all. I would imagine you'll be quite relieved once you're finally back together.”

“Oh, thrilled.”

“Looking forward to holding him in your arms, perhaps?”

“Around his neck, maybe. Very. Very. Tightly.”

“Ah, but of course. So, when do you think you fell in love with him, anyway?”

“Ha! I've been waiting for-...wait, WHAT?!”


Wow. More stunned silence.
I think I might be getting the hang of this.
I never really cared much for 'girl talk', but this is turning out to be fairly enjoyable.
Should I press on?
I think I shall.

“It's not like there's anything to be embarrassed about. It's perfectly understandable. Natural, even. I mean, he's young. You're young...-ish. Probably. Even if you couldn't really call it 'love' at this point, mutual attraction fueled by hormones isn't un-”

“W-WOAH! HOLD IT! There is no way I would ever- I mean, that's just- EUGH!”

“Oh? Am I mistaken?”

“You're insane! All this heat is going to your brain or something!”

“Possible, but I don't believe so. If anything, I would suggest you are the one suffering from the heat.”

“I'm fine!”

“Really? You're looking pretty red, there.”

“I-...SHUT UP!”


Yep. Definitely pressing her buttons, now.
I hope I don't regret this later...

[ ] That's enough for today. I feel we have made a lot of progress.
[ ] Just a little bit longer, I believe we are on the verge of a break-through.
[ ] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[ ] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

That was so worth it.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

I like all these choices, but I'll take this opportunity to go Freudian on her.

[x] That's enough for today. I feel we have made a lot of progress.

Pushing too hard will get us nowhere. We have planted the seed, now we need to merely wait and watch it grow into beautiful, ephemeral romance.

[ ] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[ ] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

Arrrggg I cant decide!

[1] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[2] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

Koshi's gonna love digging into her head.

[X] That's enough for today. I feel we have made a lot of progress.

[X] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

Giving up so soon after making so much progress? Freud would be disappoint. Instead, we attack from the flank!

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

Either she will flip out, or she'll break down bawling like a bitch with skinned knees. If things go anything like in Don't Read This, it'll be the latter.

...now I'm remembering Koishi from that, and she was just as lovable as here.

[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

Satori + Rikako = Mind-reading + SCIENCE.
Nothing can go wrong. Let's go, for the lulz.

>>130788
>for the lulz

Out. Go back to /b/ you philistine.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

Psychiatry M.D.

>“Really? You're looking pretty red, there.”
We are on the right path.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.
[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

[ ] Just a little bit longer, I believe we are on the verge of a break-through.

[X] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

[ ] Just a little bit longer, I believe we are on the verge of a break-through.
-[x] If things start to get dangerous or getting nowhere...
--[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father

[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

[X] That's enough for today. I feel we have made a lot of progress.

Let it stew a bit.

[X] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

You hold that Sword of Hisou so close to you because it reminds you of your father's penis, ja?

[x] Let's change gears for a bit. Tell me more about your father.

[x] I think we may need a specialist for this. Let me get you a referral
.

[x] Just a little bit longer, I believe we are on the verge of a break-through.

[X] Just a little bit longer, I believe we are on the verge of a break-through.

Vote is called.
Update in progress.
Stopping for work.
Resuming upon return.
Holiday season sucks.
Especially in retail.
Will be happen when it ends.
Thank you for your patience.
Have a Medi and a banana.

>>130971

Hooray!

She is becoming increasingly agitated.
Hardly surprising, all things considered.
If there were an ideal time to end this discussion, now would most certainly be it.
I probably could end it now.
It is quite possible that I should.
Yet, I suspect I will not.

Judging by the way she's glaring at me, though, I should probably switch gears for a little bit...

“So, what's your family like?”

“...why are you asking?”

“Fair question. Intellectual curiosity, I suppose.”

“...what?”

“I like to learn about things, basically. Since I'm probably going to be enjoying your company for the foreseeable future, it would be in my best interest to learn about you. That's my thoughts on the matter, at least.”

I can see from her befuddled yet still irritated expression that this is going to take some work.

“Look, it's quite simple. We are all shaped by our respective experiences. Who we are now is the result of where we've been and what we've done, and factors such as our families have a significant amount of influence on that. How strict your parents were, what they did for a living, how many siblings you have, and how many were of one gender or the other, for a few examples.”

She's still staring at me.
Perhaps I pushed a little too much before.
Well, if pushing isn't yielding results, then perhaps it's time to try pulling.

“Would it help if I went first? ...I'll take your silence as a 'yes'. There's not much to my family, though, really. My father was a perfection-obsessed baker with early onset dementia exacerbated by chronic alcoholism. My mother was a dabbler in the magical arts until an unfortunate accident left her irreversibly deformed. Nothing terribly horrific, thankfully, but from that day forward she had difficulties finding properly-fitting shoes. Though my parents were emphatic on the point that I was their only child, I always had my doubts, but never could find anything close to irrefutable proof to the contrary. Thus, for all intents and purposes, I was raised as an only child. My parents were strict, insisting that I devote my time to learning the family trade, so that I may take over the business one day. While other children would play outside, I was learning the proper methods for harvesting yeast and bread-kneading techniques. Though there was barely any words of praise for when I did well, my father was quick to reprimand me for even the slightest error. Under his tutelage, I grew bitter towards my family and their trade, and upon hitting my teenage years I finally rebelled. Snatching few possessions I could afford to carry with me, I ran away from home and set out into the world to find my calling. It didn't go well. By my second week on the road, I was everything I could do just to find a roof over my head for the night. Just when I had all but given up hope, and was ready to return home with my head hung in shame, I stumbled upon a coven of witches, who agreed to take me in. After earning their trust, they even agreed to teach me their secrets, and so began my long studies of the mystic arts. After several years of learning the ins and outs of magic, I had become quite proficient. More than proficient, really. I was unstoppable, a veritable magical juggernaut. So awesome and terrible was my power, many trembled at the mere sight of me. If I so chose, I was capable of plunging the entire countryside into a hellish nightmare of darkness and despair. ...but then I decided that world domination would have been boring, got tired of magic, and devoted my life to learning about the ways of science, instead.”


Did that have any effect on her?
...well, she's not glaring at me anymore.
She's staring, but not glaring.
A slight improvement then, I suppose.

“...and I'm supposed to learn what from all of that?”

“Absolutely nothing. I was making most of it up.”

“Oh, I-...wait, what?!”

“Come on, now. How many bakers do you think there even are in Gensokyo? No, I'm afraid my upbringing was fairly dull and unremarkable, as was my family in general.”


She seems to be glaring at me, again.
Just how much of her day is spent looking like that, I wonder?
I'm not sure I would care to devote the time necessary to observe and find out.

“So, everything you just said was a lie?”

“Not everything. Not completely. It is true that I learned quite a bit about magic, for example, before moving on to study the sciences.”

“But not from a coven of witches?”

“Nope, not from a coven of witches.”

“Aww.”

“It's for the best, really. If the ones I've encountered are anything to go by, getting an entire group of them together for a single purpose is the last thing we need.”

“Aw, but it sounds like fun! What about your father, then? Was he all strict and 'spare the rod, spoil the child, THIS HURTS ME MORE THAN IT HURTS YOU' or just when he was drunk?”

“Actually, he was-...wait, where are you going?”


I know she's fairly brash just from the short amount of time in which I've been around her, but to just get up and try to leave while in the middle of a conversation? A conversation in which she was engaged?

“What? The two of you seem to be having plenty of fun on your own, so why should I stick around?”


'The two of us?'
What does she mean by that?
...and why do I feel something pressing against my chest?

Oh. It's just a girl.
Staring at me.
Smiling at me.
Squeezing me.


WAIT A MINUTE.


“Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~!”


[ ] Ejection
[ ] Dissection
[ ] Deflection
[ ] Projection
[ ] Reflection
[ ] Rejection

[x] Rejection

Any sane reaction.

[x] Projection

[x] Deflection

Oh that Koishi, she's so creepy, yet lovable.

[x] Deflection.

Koishi Toss.

[X] Dissection

The properly scientific response. Hopefully, only a figurative dissection.

[x] Rejection

Denied.

>>130994
I like the way you think.

[x] Projectile

>>130994
I'm so in this van that I repainted it in hippy colors and went to solve mysteries with a beauty a nerd a stoner and a fucking dog.

[x] Deflection.

[x] Deflection.

[x] Deflection.

[X] Dissection
Science! Unweave that rainbow!

[X] Dissection

Many advances in SCIENCE result from understanding the basic components of something.

[X] Dissection

[X] Ejection
Koishi go bye-bye

Kind of makes you wonder why Koishi got so crazy.

[x] Reflection
No reflections? For shame anon, for shame

[X] Erection

The appropriate reaction to a sudden Koishi in the bath with you.

Even for Rikako.

[X] Projection

[X] Erection Nope, I don't want a dickgirl.

[X] Dissection

[x] Rape

[X]Dissection

>>131104
Yes you do.

[X] Erection

>>131122

No, no I don't.

>>131159
Sorry, sorry, I've been bad. I know.
This season tends to wear on me, and my erratic work/sleep/leisure schedule hasn't helped matters.

The good news is, my schedule looks fairly stable for the next week or two, so with any luck I'll be able to get back into a routine.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I expect to have an update within 24 hours.

Once again, sorry.

>>131192
>Barring unforeseen circumstances, I expect to have an update within 24 hours.

Hooray!

I cannot tell why, but something about this girl gives me the creeps.

Aside from her sudden appearance, her complete and utter lack of regard for my personal space, and apparent fondness for inappropriate touching, I see nothing to suggest she is dangerous in any way.

Not in a 'rend you limb from limb and devour your organs while you're still alive' sort of way, at the very least.

Her demeanor certainly isn't hostile, and as she is not wearing so much as even a towel to cover herself, she's clearly not hiding anything on her person to be wary of.

Yet, I can't bring myself to move.
Not to stop her from groping me.
Not to get away from her.

Heart-rate is increasing.
Dryness in mouth suggests inhibited saliva production.
Slight tremors in arms and legs.
Elevated levels of adrenaline in bloodstream seems likely.

Classic fight-or-flight response.

Why, though?
I know all too well that appearances don't count for much, but still. Even the most harmless-looking youkai has at least something about them to suggest how dangerous they, no matter how subtle. Even if it's more of a feeling than anything visible, it's still there to be noticed if you know how to spot it.
But I am unable to identify anything about her that would be causing such a response in me.
In fact, were it not for that strange spherical object that seems to be attached to her, she...

...wait a minute.

“Nnh. Miss Komeiji, I presume?”

“Hmmmmm~?”

“You're hnn Satori Komeiji's sisteer...would you please stop that?!”

“Oh? But this is so fun~! Boin~n~n~g~!”

“Gghn!”


Damn it, why can't I move?!
It would be just my luck that Hinanai would leave at a time like...
Wait, why is she still here?

“Er, Miss Hinan-”

“I'm not listening to any of you! I'm leaving just as soon as...as soon as...WHY WON'T THIS STUPID DOOR OPEN?!”

Well, for starters, you're not even standing in front of the door, you're in the middle of the floor and clawing at empty air.
Does she believe she's actually trying to open the door when she's not actually doing it?
It's just like when we were in the hallway, and from what Miss Komeiji told us...

Oh damn it all.

“You're doing this, aren't you?”

“Hmm~? Am I doing something? What could I be doing~?”

“Miss Komeiji.”

“Why do you keep calling me that, I wonder~?”

So that's how it's going to be, is it?
She's stopped squeezing me, at least, so I suppose I shouldn't complain if she wants to start playing games.

“Very well, would you prefer I call you 'Koishi'?”

“Hmmmmmmmmmm, I dunnoooooooooo~. Do I prefer that? Do I like that? I think I do. I think. That sounds like something I'd like. What do you think?”

“I think you are Koishi Komeiji, sister of Satori Komeiji, and right now I believe you are doing something that you need to stop.”

Miss Komeiji didn't explain much about her sister after she found us, but between what little she did tell us and what I can observe first-hand, I think I'm getting the idea of how to handle this.
Be firm, be direct, and be honest.
She certainly seems to be the type to enjoy giving others the runaround, so the fewer chances I give her to do that, the better.

Should that fail, though, the best I can hope for is that she'll get bored and wander off like Miss Komeiji indicated she often does.

“Stop? Stop what?”

“Stop what you are doing to me and Miss Hinanai, Koishi.”

“Hm? Am I doing something to you? Am I? I didn't think I was. What do you think I am doing to you?”


If she is trying to feign ignorance, she is doing an exceptional job of it.
That is, if she truly is feigning ignorance.
She looks genuinely confused.

“Look, Koishi, I am asking you nicely, here. Please stop whatever it is you are doing.”

“But what am I doing?”

“You know what you're doing!”


I shouldn't get impatient.
I definitely shouldn't snap at her.
But I find myself growing increasingly anxious.
Try as I might, I cannot move at all, and now I'm beginning to find it more difficult to breathe for some reason.

“Oooooooooh, I see now! I'm not doing anything to you, smarty-lady. I don't think I am, at least. But if I was I would be giving you a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hug because you're so smart! But I can't! Because you're already being hugged!”


I'm being what?
What does she mean I'm already being hugged?
What does that have to do with why I'm having trouble breathing and what is this I feel down on my-

SNAKE.
GIANT SNAKE.
COLOSSAL FUCKING SNAKE.
GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT THE FUCK OFF WHERE DID IT COME FROM GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GODDAMN THE THING IS HUGE WHEN THE FUCK DID IT GET IT OFF ME ALREADY HINANAI WHAT ARE YOU DOING HELP ME OUT YOU'RE NOWHERE NEAR THE DOOR GODDAMN IT GET IT OFF I THINK I FEEL MY RIBS CREAKING WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT GIRL SMILING ABOUT

“Awwww~! I think he likes you!”

“Hrk!”


Okay, okay, calm down.
Don't lose your head, here.
The largest snake you have ever seen has currently wrapped itself around you.
Obviously a constrictor, non-venomous, though suffocation is hardly an appealing alternative to poisoning.
Movement is severely restricted.
Arms and legs are virtually useless.
Hinanai seems oblivious to what is happening.
Doubtful she would respond if I called out to her.
Not that I will be able to do that for much longer...

...and why is this girl just staring and smiling at me?!


[ ] Blind Date

[ ] New Crush

[ ] Old Flame

>But if I was I would be giving you a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hug because you're so smart! But I can't! Because you're already being hugged!
This day is now official awesome. You are one of the few reasons why i still come to this site.

[x] Blind Date
Hoping for somethind random to happen, asking Koishi or Tenshi. Should be obvious.

[x] Blind Date

[x] Blind Date
Koishi option

[ ] New Crush

>“You know what you're doing!”
Take off every ZIG!

[x] Old Flame

[x] Blind Date
*something something well thought through reasoning stuff*

[x] Blind Date

>>131285
>reasoning
>reason

What?

[x] Old Flame

[x] Blind Date

[X] Old Flame

[X] Blind Date

I love these types of choices.

[X] Blind Date

Fool, you can't ask someone who acts unconsciously to explain what they're doing.

>[ ] Blind Date
Koishi; closed third eye

>[ ] New Crush
Snake; squiiiiish

>[ ] Old Flame
Tenshi; Sword of Hisou

...But even if I'm right, I don't really know what this choice will DO. I guess maybe it's about who she asks?

[x] Blind Date

I am worried that sooner or later one of these Koishi choices will go terribly wrong. But I like her so damn much, I don't want to stop choosing them.

Did not expect this one.

[x] Old Flame

[x] Blind Date

[x] Blind Date

Squish squish.
Squishy squish.
Squishy squeezy
Squeezy squeeze.

He likes her.
Does he like her?
I think he does~!

Just lookit them, all huggy and stuff!
Is it because she's so squishy?
I think it's because she's squishy.
Squishy and snuggleable.

Is he enjoying this?
Is she enjoying this?
Am I enjoying this?

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know...

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


It's watching me.
She's watching me.
Unblinking eyes staring at me.
Watching me get the air squeezed out of me.

I can't tell which is worse; the reptile or the girl.

Well, at least the snake isn't smiling.


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


Hugs are nice, aren't they?
Yes oh yes oh yes they are~!
Being all close warm and snuggly and wrapped around the waist and chest and shoulders and neck and squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezing away.

I like hugs. I think I like hugs.
Snowball likes hugs, too.
Or is he Lucy?
I like the sound of 'Snowball' though so he's Snowball because I say so and he says nothing so that means I win every argument with him except for the hugging contest when he gets all squeezy-squeezy and I go all gaspy-wheezy-creaky-cracky-hacky-coughy with the pretty lights and that you don't go into because they're not really lights so much as your brain shutting down because your body is shutting down because you're dying and so that's why I don't have hugging contests with him anymore because he doesn't play fair even though he's not really cheating.




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


It's hard to breathe.


I still can, but I don't dare try to..


If I try to move, it tightens..


If I exhale, it tightens.


Can't speak.


Can't move.


Can't breathe...


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


It's so nice that he's found someone he likes~!
He used to like Sis, but she doesn't like him very much, I think.
Not after the last time I forgot to feed him because he only eats once every couple of months and I wasn't here because I was somewhere else but it's not my fault he's such a finicky eater and won't eat his greens and spirits like a good growing boy.

Nope. Sis didn't like him at all after that.
Nope nope nope.
I think that hurt his feelings even though he can't cry and Sis said he was something but I don't remember what even though I probably do.

He seems happy now, though.
Squishing the squishy lady.
Miss Squshy Smarty-pants.
I wonder, though...




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


She speaks.



I hear.



Getting dark.



Fuzzy.




“Heeeeey, Lady~! Is it good for you~?”



What?





No.

No.


No no no.


Not good.


No not

not


not at all

No


No


No

No


Don't pass out don't fall asleep don't go dark look up look up look at her look at her look at her

Look at me

LOOK AT ME


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


She's not saying anything.
Nothing at all.
Some croaky gurgly sounds, but no words unless those are supposed to be words.

Are those supposed to be words?
Awfully funny words.

What do they mean, I wonder~"



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


Help me



Help me


Help me

Help me
Help me
help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME




Tightening.
Tightening.
Harder.
Harder.
Eye staring.
Tongue flicking.
Staring.
Staring.
Staring.


Striking.




[ ] Butterfly

[ ] Dandelion

[ ] Flytrap

[ ] Straitjacket

[x] Straitjacket

I think it's Parsee. But I'm not sure.

[x] Straitjacket

Poor Snowball, he just wants someone to love him. Every time he tries to show his affection in the only way he can, it just drives everyone away. That is just too sad. Poor Snowball.

[x] Butterfly
Rocks out of nowhere.

[x] Flytrap

[X] Butterfly

[X] Butterfly

Koishi simultaneously arouses and terrifies me with her combined innocence and psychopathy.

[ ] Straithjacket

Is this going to kill her?

[ ] Dandelion

>>131423
If nothing happens in the next few seconds or so she will die a horrible painful death.
Koishi is horrible fucked up, on one hand she behaves like a naive child but on the other she knows exactly what is going on and tries to cover it up with the first. Which makes her unstable and total oblivious of what is going on in front of her.
Like throwing some ants into water or someplace worse and watch them struggle while you think you did nothing wrong.

But it is not that she is dangerous it is the situation she throws you into that are deadly. She herself does not harm you. MC is probably the only person who could keep her in track somehow.

[x] Dandelion

SAVE ME MEDICINE.

Also, Butterfly is Yuyuko

[x] Dandelion

[x] Flytrap
I wonder what this might be

[X] Straightjacket

[x] Dandelion

[x] Butterfly

Either death, symbolized by Yuyuko, or for escape, symbolized by breaking out of a cocoon.

[x] Butterfly

>>131446
>death
Would be an unexpected turn, though not exactly unwelcome. I love me some drama.

[x] Butterfly

>Yuyuko

would fit in with the snake short from Do The Right Thing.

>>131450
Mind = blown. There are even two girls watching (assuming Tenshi is lucid enough to count now).

[X] Butterfly

[x]Butterfly

Koishi, you sociopathic bitch. I hate you and your stream-of-consciousness POV so bad.

[x] Dandelion

[x] Butterfly

Next stop: Hakugyokurou.

[x] Dandelion

>>131319
>I am worried that sooner or later one of these Koishi choices will go terribly wrong. But I like her so damn much, I don't want to stop choosing them.
Well, shit. Did not expect it to happen so soon. Now I feel bad.

I'm sorry, Rikako.

[x] Ant
They are small but surprisngly capable and live under rocks hint hint.

>>131427
>on the other (hand) she knows exactly what is going on and tries to cover it up with the first.
...you sure about that?

can't breathe
tight
so tight
can't breathe
why
why why why
hurts
it hurts it
hurts it hurts
what did I do
to deserve this
I didn't do anything
wrong I just
wanted
to

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

It stopped.

Or has it?
Am I just thinking it stopped?
Has the lack of oxygen finally caused my brain's functions to slow as it begins to shut down and die?

...of course, if I'm able to think like that, chances are the answer to that is 'no'.
So, logically, the reason I am now staring straight down the gullet of the giant snake trying to squeeze the life out of me is...

It stopped.
Stopped in mid-strike, mouth agape, and...I don't know why.

Oh, it's moving away now.
The head, at least.
Still around me, but not squeezing so much.

Still hurts like hell, though.

“Heeeeeey, Snowball~. You're being a naughty boy, Snowball~. Stop being naughty.”

Hey, that girl...what is she doing?
She's holding the snake by the neck.
Pulling it back, away from me.

But, what...

“You're not stopping, Snowball~. You're not stopping being naughty. You're being naughty, Snowball~.”

The mouth is closed, but the squeezing remains a problem.
Can hardly breathe, let alone speak.
She's just holding the snake, why is she...

“Snowball~. Snooooooooowbaaaaaall~. You're beeeeeing naaaaaaaaaughty~. Mama spank~!”

No. Not 'holding'.
The angle of her arms.
The position of her hands.
Pressing.
Squeezing.

Strangling.

“Hey~. Snowball~. Stop it. Stop. Hey. Snowball~. Snowball. Snowball.”


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


Naughty boy.
Naughty boy.
Naughty naughty naughty boy.
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.
You're being bad, you're doing bad things, stop doing bad things.
Bad children get spankings and not in the good way.
So stop it. Stop doing bad things or else bad things will be done.
To you. Like this. Like this thing. This thing is bad.
This thing that is happening to you is bad.
But you are doing it too.
You are doing this bad thing.
You don't like it, do you?
It's a bad thing. Stop doing bad things and they will stop being done to you.
You don't like this.
This hurts you, doesn't it?
This hurts you.
This hurts you.
This hurts you.
This hurts.
This hurts.
This hurts.
This hurts.
This hurts.
This hurts.


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

“Hrk!”

Damn, it's tightening again.

Spasms.


Struggling to breathe.


Can't say I sympathize, though.


Not right now.



Hurts like hell.


Pain and lack of air making it hard to

to think

Everything gettting


Fuzzy...
sliding


dimming...


crashing


starting


voices

to





”KOISHI!”




[ ] Bedside Manor

[ ] Waiting Room

[x] Bedside manor

Oh god, is she okay? I mean, she was squeezing pretty hard. I imagine that she won't recover quickly after a altercation like that, even if she is a youkai. Will poor Snowball ever be the same?

[ ] Bedside Manor

[X] Waiting Room

[x] Bedside Manor

[x] Bedside Manor

[x] Bedside Manor

I really love to see the situation from Koishis view. It is like staring into chaos and trying not to lose your mind.

[x] Bedside manor.

Koishi's a good girl.

Nuts, but good.

Instead of willing it to do what she wants like with everyone else, she chooses at this juncture to attempt to reason with the snake. Poorly. Considering how this turned out for the snake, I can't say I'm entirely dissatisfied with how she'd been managing things up to this point.

[x] Waiting Room

Kind of want to see what was happening with Tenshi at the time. Have a feeling it'll be glossed over if we don't find out what happened.

[x] Waiting Room

[x] Bedside manor

Poor snowball.

[x] Bedside manor

>>131564
Do animals even have a subconscious?

Why would they not? Sure they do

[x] Bedside manor
Yup. Koishi is a good girl

Is the manor intentional, or did you mean "Bedside Manner"?

Trying to get the joke (if there is one)

>>131584
Yes.

[X] Bedside Manor

[x] Waiting Room

Koishi is the best.
Koishi is the scariest.
Repeat.
Forever.

The lack of updates is not nice. I guess you need a hug too.

It's warm.
Soft, too.

...I'm in a bed?

What time is it?

“It is near midnight, I believe. You have been asleep for a number of hours Refrain from moving more than is necessary, your body-”

Hurts like hell, I know.

“Hm, yes. When we brought you to this room, you were already-”

Badly bruised, swollen, will probably get worse before it gets better, and no, I do not need to be taken to the surface for medical attention, thank you very much.

“Mm. Are you certain that is wise? Your injuries could be-”

Serious. Potentially life-threatening. Internal bleeding, muscle and nerve damage, risk of paralysis, yes, yes, I know. I'm no Yagokoro, but I hardly need her to tell me what might or might not be wrong with my own body.

“Hm....”

Besides, if it was really that bad, I doubt I would make the trip back topside.

“...I am sorry. We should not have waited this long, and now-”

Hey, don't worry about it. You've done what you could, and I can handle the rest. Trust me, I'll be fine. I might not want to walk naked in front of any full-body mirrors anytime soon, perhaps, but that's not something I've ever made a habit of doing, anyway.
...come to think of it, I don't think I even own any mirrors like that.
Perhaps I should see about obtaining one, so that I may ignore it.

“I suppose you are not suffering too greatly if you are capable of joking to yourself.”

Oh, you think I'm joking.
She thinks I'm joking.
I know better, though.

“Hm. Still, I must apologize for what happened. I should not have left the two of you unattended after what you had already been through. I was careless, and for that...I....”

Hey, it was an accident. It's not like you or anyone else intended for me to be attacked by a large reptile while taking a bath, right?


“Hm.”


...right?
Either it's my imagination, or Komeiji sounds a little more troubled than she did a moment ago.
Which, frankly, makes me feel a little more troubled than I did a moment ago.

“Sorry, it is just...perhaps you should try to rest some more before we continue? We can always resume this when-”

I am awake now.
I feel no desire for sleep now.
In addition, now my curiosity has been piqued.
The pain, I can deal with. Wondering, however, will simply drive me nuts.

“...hm. Very well, then. If it will put your mind at ease, I will answer as best I can.”

I think it, she'll answer it?
Good deal.


Where to begin, though?
No need to ask the really obvious stuff, I would imagine.
So, the basics aside, what would I like to know?


[ ]





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


Don't you just love the sensation of finally getting your motivation back, only to run head-on into something that pretty much snuffs it out, stopping whatever momentum you felt you had and forcing you to struggle to try to build it back up yet again?

I know I do.

Oh, she's alive. I don't know why, but I was kinda looking foward to the worst outcome. Must be ebcause I have no feelings for Rikako, and most of the PC-98 characters.

Also, damn, we lost so much time of MC&Co. because of her.

[x] Is the snake okay?
Nothing else matters in this world. I will simply kill myself if Snowball is in bad shape. Koishi unnecessarily escalated things; she was only trying to give someone a hug.

[x] "Is Snowball okay?"

That's stupid, so it's perfect. Let's worry more about the giant snake than about the poor scientist or her celestial "friend".

Also, saged because I'm tired of story bumped without updates.

[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"

Just a few questions. Also, Rikako assimilating the MC's habits, just imagine herself cracking down because of that.

[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"

[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"
[X] "Am I a lesbian?"
[X] "How do you like your strawberries?"

[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"
[X] "Am I a lesbian?"
[X] "How do you like your strawberries?"

>[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
>[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"
>[X] "Am I lesbian?"
>[X] "How do you like your strawberries?"
How lewd

Eh, whatever.
[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"
[X] "Am I a lesbian?"
[X] "How do you like your strawberries?"
Wall me.

>>131702 here

Forgot to mention that these questions aren't in any particular order.

>>"How do you like your strawberries?"

Is there some meaning to this that I'm not getting?

[x] That big long wall vote minus all the stupid shit that I could conceivably see coming from the mouth of our intrepid hero/dumbass, but certainly not from that of the good doctor Asakura.

>drive/momentum-shattering things
Oh yes. Yes, I love those so much that they make my teeth bleed.

You are among friends.

>>131744
You are a good person.

[x] That big long wall vote minus all the stupid shit that I could conceivably see coming from the mouth of our intrepid hero/dumbass, but certainly not from that of the good doctor Asakura.

[x] That big long wall vote minus all the stupid shit that I could conceivably see coming from the mouth of our intrepid hero/dumbass, but certainly not from that of the good doctor Asakura.

Remember our current perspective, anon.

[x] That big long wall vote minus all the stupid shit that I could conceivably see coming from the mouth of our intrepid hero/dumbass, but certainly not from that of the good doctor Asakura.

>>131738
The doctor doesn't like eggs.

[x] That big long wall vote minus all the stupid shit that I could conceivably see coming from the mouth of our intrepid hero/dumbass, but certainly not from that of the good doctor Asakura.

[x]"Why did the snake try to crush me?"
[x]"What's wrong with your sister? Is she sadistic, autistic or just that unstable?"
[x]"How's the snake doing?"
[x]"What happened to Tenshi?"
[x]"What happened while I was unconcious?"
[x]"Where is the MC and did something happen to him?"
[x]"How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
[x]"Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
[x]"Are you lesbian? Want to go out for dinner?"
[X] "Am I a lesbian?"
[X] "How do you like your strawberries?"

>>131757
>>The doctor doesn't like eggs.

Could you elaborate on this?

Rikako has some experience being accosted on the whims of greater powers. I don't know if her curiosity in spite of her situation is either laudable or insane.

[x] "If I start asking asinine questions, ignore them. That's the compression injuries talking."
[x] Koishi
- [x] "Was Hinanai injured too? Because if she wasn't, I'm going to kill her."
- [x] "Koishi said the snake was only 'hugging' me. Is it common among youkai to mistake asphyxiation for intimacy?"
- [x] "How can I make myself as uninteresting to Koishi as possible? Here I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it."
- [x] "You apologized for leaving me 'unattended'. Are you or others here capable of controlling your sister's behavior?"
[x] SCIENCE
- [x] "How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
- [x] "Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
- [x] "How do the oni grow the grain needed for fermenting alcohol without sunlight?"
[x] "Did you save any of that dinner? I don't know if I can feed myself yet, but my body will need food to heal."

After an endless string of violent threats, Hinanai gets a bedside vigil from the MC after she idiotically swallowed Kaguya's shady drug.

Here after helping the MC and Hinanai fend off an extremely powerful flower youkai and asking nothing return, Asakura is left with the owner of the pet that nearly crushed her to death.

Isn't it sad, Ricchan?
;_;

>>131738
>Is there some meaning to this that I'm not getting?

I'm thinking the poster must be confusing Rikako with Yumemi.

[x] "If I start asking asinine questions, ignore them. That's the compression injuries talking."
[x] Koishi
- [x] "Was Hinanai injured too? Because if she wasn't, I'm going to kill her."
- [x] "Koishi said the snake was only 'hugging' me. Is it common among youkai to mistake asphyxiation for intimacy?"
- [x] "How can I make myself as uninteresting to Koishi as possible? Here I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it."
- [x] "You apologized for leaving me 'unattended'. Are you or others here capable of controlling your sister's behavior?"
[x] SCIENCE
- [x] "How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
- [x] "Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
- [x] "How do the oni grow the grain needed for fermenting alcohol without sunlight?"
[x] "Did you save any of that dinner? I don't know if I can feed myself yet, but my body will need food to heal."

A wall is the only acceptable alternative to communism hiatus.

[x] "If I start asking asinine questions, ignore them. That's the compression injuries talking."
[x] Koishi
- [x] "Was Hinanai injured too? Because if she wasn't, I'm going to kill her."
- [x] "Koishi said the snake was only 'hugging' me. Is it common among youkai to mistake asphyxiation for intimacy?"
- [x] "How can I make myself as uninteresting to Koishi as possible? Here I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it."
- [x] "You apologized for leaving me 'unattended'. Are you or others here capable of controlling your sister's behavior?"
[x] SCIENCE
- [x] "How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
- [x] "Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
- [x] "How do the oni grow the grain needed for fermenting alcohol without sunlight?"
[x] "Did you save any of that dinner? I don't know if I can feed myself yet, but my body will need food to heal."

Please, no insane Rikako.

[x] "If I start asking asinine questions, ignore them. That's the compression injuries talking."
[x] Koishi
- [x] "Was Hinanai injured too? Because if she wasn't, I'm going to kill her."
- [x] "Koishi said the snake was only 'hugging' me. Is it common among youkai to mistake asphyxiation for intimacy?"
- [x] "How can I make myself as uninteresting to Koishi as possible? Here I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it."
- [x] "You apologized for leaving me 'unattended'. Are you or others here capable of controlling your sister's behavior?"
[x] SCIENCE
- [x] "How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
- [x] "Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
- [x] "How do the oni grow the grain needed for fermenting alcohol without sunlight?"
[x] "Did you save any of that dinner? I don't know if I can feed myself yet, but my body will need food to heal."

Let's not make one of the few (who is also an ally more or less) who partakes of rational thought lose that trait, shall we?

[x] >>131760

Wow I missed this story as in I wasn't aware of this thread being around until today; nice writing; too bad I can say the same about the voters trying to kill the good doctor off or making her nuts; we do need one sane logical person here.

[x] "If I start asking asinine questions, ignore them. That's the compression injuries talking."
[x] Koishi
- [x] "Was Hinanai injured too? Because if she wasn't, I'm going to kill her."
- [x] "Koishi said the snake was only 'hugging' me. Is it common among youkai to mistake asphyxiation for intimacy?"
- [x] "How can I make myself as uninteresting to Koishi as possible? Here I thought I was doing a pretty good job of it."
- [x] "You apologized for leaving me 'unattended'. Are you or others here capable of controlling your sister's behavior?"
[x] SCIENCE
- [x] "How do you heat the water so quickly? And you lighting system, how does it work?"
- [x] "Do you really have a nuclear reactor, like the rumors say? Can I see it, study it, test it, copy it?"
- [x] "How do the oni grow the grain needed for fermenting alcohol without sunlight?"
[x] "Did you save any of that dinner? I don't know if I can feed myself yet, but my body will need food to heal."

Alright, writing has begun, but will most likely not be finished until sometime tomorrow night, about 24 hours from now, give or take a few hours.

Not to give too much away, but Rikako will not be going insane and/or try to hit on Satori. Sorry.

Though, that did remind me of an idea I had a month or so ago for how dinner might have gone had things turned out differently than they have, and a certain someone were still with the group.

A lot of wine would have been involved.

>not be going insane and/or try to hit on Satori. Sorry

I don't know why all of you think we're trying to make her crazy, the write-in wasn't intended to have any permanent effect or anything. Just, maybe, a late effect of the lack of oxygen in her brain, but not anything too serius.

>>131825

Hooray!

“Hm. Very well, then. Where to begin? After I had left you and your celestial friend, I returned the dining hall to await the arrival of the rest of your group, and see to it that dinner preparations were on-schedule. As the two of you seemed to be taking a while, I thought to check up on you and see if there was anything you may have needed. The moment I was close enough to begin picking up on Miss Hinanai's heart, I could tell something was wrong, and what I could read of yours confirmed it. I immediately called for Utsuho, and the two of us reached you just as you fell unconscious. Naturally, we did what we could to release you without causing you any further injury, and brought you here to rest. I had Utusho watch over you while I attended to...certain matters. Once those were out of the way, I took over here and have been waiting for you to regain consciousness.”

“Ah, but of course, there are gaps in that account. You wonder about your companions. The young man and the living doll are both fine, if a little shaken. Well, the man more than the doll....”

Somehow, this does not surprise me.

“They did not see what happened to you, but I explained the situation as best I could. Currently, they are with Utsuho in one of the guest rooms down the hall, with explicit instructions to keep the door locked. Simply as a precaution, of course. I doubt there will be any further incidents tonight, but considering just what you've each been through today, it seemed prudent to err on the side of caution. ”


Yeah, trouble has a way of following them, I've noticed. Or perhaps it's just him. Then again, there's...


“Mm. Miss Hinanai, yes. As for her, she is currently occupying the bed next to yours. I cannot tell precisely what my sister had done to her, but it would seem she snapped out of it just prior to our arrival. She...did not take it well. I was not even able to identify exactly what was in her heart at that moment. Fear and panic tend to scramble and drown out all other thoughts and emotions, to the point that even I have difficulty reading anything else. Perhaps it was shock over witnessing your situation, or perhaps it was more due to her own. It may even be that she is simply afraid of snakes. In any case, we brought her here with you, and managed to get her to calm down enough to rest, herself.”


Hmm, so even she has her weak-points, huh? I almost feel like I should be mad at her, for some reason, but I don't. Odd. Well, no point in holding a grudge against someone for something that's hardly their fault, I suppose. Speaking of which, or rather, thinking...


“That just leaves the matter of my sister, and her pet. Hm? No, no, she is nothing of the sort. She might seem like it, I realize, but I have never known her to act out of any genuine sense of malice or with intent to cause harm. Not that I could tell, in any case. Hm? No, I cannot. I had briefly told you about my sister's ability, yes? Well, it relates directly to her 'condition' and...hm? You wish for me to explain further? Hm, yes, it would perhaps be beneficial for you to understand, as well. It all began when...”


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

“Human, I'm bored.”

“I know you are, Medi. I am, too.”

Even though it was late, and you could practically feel your body screaming for rest, you found yourself unable to go to sleep. Hearing about how your sorta-almost-friend almost died a horrible death by becoming some gigantic snake's meal probably had something to do with that.

Yeah. Most likely.

And so, you lay, sprawled upon your bed and gazing at the ceiling.

“So, uh, Miss...?”

“Shhhhhhhh!” the black-winged girl replies, as she continues to stare at the door.

Though you somewhat appreciate the sentiment of Satori leaving her 'pet' to keep watch over your room while you rest, you have to wonder if your hostess really intended for the bird-girl to do it by standing in front of the door and staring it.

...and why is she in her pajamas?
Why is she in her pajamas, yet still wearing that rock-looking thing on her foot?
The rod-thing on her arm is nowhere to be seen, so is it simply not removable?
Maybe she just likes it?
Or, perhaps that is her foot, and the strange mass of stuff around it is the tragic result of an unfortunate smelting accident?

You would love to ask these questions, and more, but every time you begin to direct anything her way, she simply responds with 'shhhhhhhhhhhh'.

Apparently, conversation was not a part of her instructions.

Still, it bothers you to just be laying here, doing nothing, especially since it feels like you've been doing nothing all evening.
Not that you would have been able to do anything to stop a gargantuan serpent from crushing the life out of your companions, of course. It's just the principle of the thing, damn it!

Well, that's it.
You've had enough of doing nothing.
You are going to do something!
Even if that 'something' is just going to sleep!

...but you don't feel sleepy, yet.
You're tired, yet not very sleepy, as if your body is prepared for a full shut-down at any moment, but your mind refuses to let it happen.

It sucks.


[ ] Counting crows
[ ] Sleeping pill




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


Snipping off what I've got so far, and will pick up on the rest next update.

Sorry for the repeated delays, this week has not been turning out quite like I expected it to.

[x] Counting crows

[x] Counting crows

[X] Counting crows
Keep bothering Utsuho!

[X] Counting crows.

We must engage the hell raven in conversation. She can't hold out forever!

>You would love to ask these questions, and more, but every time you begin to direct anything her way, she simply responds with 'shhhhhhhhhhhh'.
So adorable.

[X] Counting crows

[x] Counting crows

Mr. Jones

[x] Sleeping pill

I cannot believe this shit. After all of that conversation, all of that dialogue, we still don't know if Snowball is okay or not.

[X] Counting crows

Because harassing a living bomb is always a good idea!

[x] Sleeping pill

[x] Sleeping pill

[x] Counting crows
>Or, perhaps that is her foot, and the strange mass of stuff around it is the tragic result of an unfortunate smelting accident?

Sounds familiar.

[x] Counting crows
>>131902
God damn I snickered.

You want to sleep.
Yet, you don't want to sleep.

You should sleep.
You should sleep.
You should so totally sleep.

Sleep.
Sleep.
Sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep sleep .
Sleep.
Sleep.
Sleep.

You aren't sleeping.
This, right now, is the opposite of sleeping.

How is it that you can have so much trouble doing something you've been doing your entire life?

You need to do something to take your mind off of your attempting to sleep.
Perhaps it will make it easier to sleep.
You need a distraction.
Like counting stuff.
Yes, counting is good. Let's try counting.
What to count, though?
The bird-girl at the door would be a good place to start, perhaps.

“One.” you quietly say to yourself.

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!” the bird-girl not-so-quietly says to you.

Yes. One.
One bird-girl.


Yep.



One.




...okay, so counting doesn't really work so well when there's only one of the thing you're counting.
If only there was more than one of them.

You imagine what it would be like.
A room full of bird-girls.
Maybe bird youkai. Maybe tengu.
Maybe both.
It makes no difference, and not just because you have a hard time telling one from the other sometimes.

Though, you know to never say as much to any of them..

Not that you aren't aware they have their differences.
Of course they do.

For instance, the average bird youkai is more solitary, while the tengu tends to band together with others of its kind.
Bird youkai is often found in forests, while the tengu almost exclusively reside on the mountain.
The bird youkai might try to kill you and eat your entrails, while the tengu is perfectly content to just watch while someone else kills you and eats your entrails, after which they might write about it and distribute the story as part of their self-published newspaper, which you didn't really want but they were really pushy, though kinda attractive, but mostly pushy, and so superior-to-thou which is ridiculous since no supposedly 'superior' being would ever wear such stupid and impractical shoes as that, never mind how little time they ever spend actually walking anywhere, and now that you're thinking about impractical foot-wear...

“What's wrong with your foot?”

“Shhhhhhhhh!”


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


Incredible. To think, that there could be a youkai with an ability such as that.

To be able to move and act openly, yet completely avoid detection by anyone or anything is impressive enough, but to avoid perception entirely?

It is a fairly well-known and accepted constant of Gensokyo that, at any given time, there is at least one entity scheming, plotting, or otherwise attempting to do something in secret, with the only variable being the amount of time it takes for another entity to notice and possibly eventually do something about it. The vague inkling that someone, somewhere, is up to something is as familiar to most residents here as breathing. Though unaware of precisely what might be happening, they at least find comfort in simply knowing that something is happening.

Imagine, then, that there could exist an entity that did not bother with maintaining any semblance of secrecy. No carefully-hidden plots, no concealment of their motivations or movements. Everything they said or did, being done completely openly, for all the world to see.

Yet nothing sees it.

That something is happening, possibly right before your very eyes, and you are completely and utterly oblivious to it.

To look, but not see.
To listen, but not hear.
All in the most literal way possible.

The potential for what one with such an ability could accomplish is virtually limitless, and here I am, having been given a first-hand demonstration of it.

...by being made to get lost in a hallway, deposited in a bedroom, robbed of my clothes and personal effects, and having a crazy girl and her pet serpent get the drop on me while bathing.

Now that I know more about the nature of what happened, I should probably be afraid of her. Terrified, even.
Or, at the very least resentful of what role she had in my current condition.

Yet, I am not.

Perhaps it''s the pain and resulting release of endorphins at work, but I cannot help but find this sister of Komeiji's...fascinating.

“You are taking all of this surprisingly well, Miss Asakura.”

Surprised?
I can't imagine why.

I was in serious trouble, sure.
I could have died.
Hell, I would have died.
But I didn't.

What's done is done is done, so why not just move on?

“Hm. But because of what happened, you are now-”

Risk is the price you pay for discovery.
If we allowed the possibility of injury or death to stop us, we would never accomplish anything.
I would never learn anything.

“Mm. And you learned something from this?”

Of course I did.
Getting crushed by a giant snake really fucking hurts.



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



“Hey, I was wonde-”

“Shhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Oh, come on, I just wan-”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Please, could I just as-”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Just one little-”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“But-!”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”







“Shh!”

“Oh come on! I didn't even say anything tha-”

“SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”




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



“Hm. I must admit, Miss Asakura, as relieved as I am that you hold no grudge against my sister, I am still quite puzzled as to why.”

As you explained it to me, your sister is not always cognizant of her own actions, correct?

“Mm. That is correct.”

If there was no intent behind her actions, then what happened, however unpleasant it may have been for me, is little more than an unfortunate coincidence. An accident. I can't blame her for what happened any more than I can blame the snake for following its instincts.

“Hm, yes, about that...”

What? Don't tell me you think your sister really-

“Ah! No, no, not Koishi. No. I do not believe she was fully aware of what was happening in the bath. Not at first. He, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was doing.”

...'he'? The snake?
Seriously?

“Mm. Yes. That one and his tastes have been quite troublesome for us in the past. After what he tried with Utsuho, I thought he would have learned his lesson Clearly, I was mistaken.”

Wait. Wait.
'Tastes'?
Your sister's pet snake has a preference for eating people?

“Hm? Ah, no. Just girls. Women, actually, and it's not so much a preference as it is a desire. To my knowledge, he has never actually succeeded at consuming anyone he was interested in, though not for lack of trying. After his last attempt nearly resulted in Utsuho incinerating him, he had seemingly given up, but I see now that he was simply biding his time until an easier target presented herself.”

And that lucky lady just happened to be me, huh?

“Indeed. So long as he had behaved himself, I was willing to overlook his thoughts about my pets, however crude they may have been, but he has crossed the line.”

What are you going to do with it? Er, 'him'?


“Mm. I have not yet decided. From what I read of his heart, he is almost certainly beyond any hope for rehabilitation, now. He clearly cannot remain here, yet releasing him would be irresponsible.”

Euthanasia?

“Hm. I would rather not resort to such measures unless absolutely necessary, though. There is also Koishi to consider in this matter. This is her pet, after all. Regardless of what it has done, she has has every right to decide what should be done with it, as well as a responsibility to ensure her decision is carried out.”

Speaking of which, what happened to them? Where are they now?

“My sister slipped away at some point while we were working to release you. I have neither seen nor heard anything from her since. Her snake, though, is quite well-secured in his enclosure, and the room he is in is currently locked. Even if he manages to escape the enclosure, there is no way for him to leave the room under his own power.”


I see...




[ ] Forgive
[ ] Forget
[ ] Resent
[ ] Regret

[ ] Regret

[X] Forget

Forgive and forget. Forgiveness has occurred, therefore there must be an act of forgetting for the cycle to be complete.

[x] Forgive
Yeah sure forgive, but never forget. Forget and it'll happen again

[ ] Resent

The most logical and human option.

[x] Forgive

[X] Regret

[x] Forgive

My weary and heavy heart is relieved, for Snowball is fine. All is joyous in this world.

Now we just need to somehow wing this into getting him as a party member. I mean, what better compliment to our MC than a snake youkai that has a penchant for eating little girls, if you know what I mean.

[x] Forget

>A room full of bird-girls.
>Maybe bird youkai. Maybe tengu.
How lewd.

[x] Forget

[x] Forget

...I'm a little curious as to what "Regret" would entail. Not enough to choose it, but still...

Rikako is much more fun as a character when she's in the driver's seat.

[x] Forget

You've discovered that some snakes snakes are peculiarly selective in their choice of prey that is robust even after behavioral conditioning. Whatever happens to it now is outside the confines of the observation and hence immaterial. Follow-up in 6 months.

>Of course I did.
>Getting crushed by a giant snake really fucking hurts.

Because it's that kind of detachment that allows one to treat being crushed to death by a pet monster with a history of aggression as some form of personal enrichment.

[X] Resent
Before something like this happens.

>>132154

fuuuuuuck

[x] Forget

>If there was no intent behind her actions, then what happened, however unpleasant it may have been for me, is little more than an unfortunate coincidence. An accident. I can't blame her for what happened any more than I can blame the snake for following its instincts.

Snake wasn't just acting on instincts, but desire.

[x] Resent (snake)

Logical option.
Also logical: the desire to understand how the snake can have desires beyond instinct.
Also logical: the desire to perform tests, which may be considered inhumane on a human, but, by definition, is not inhumane for a snake.

>>132159
>by definition, is not inhumane for a snake

Wrong. Snowball has desires, hopes, and presumably, dreams. His desire to squeeze and eat little girls is beyond mere instinct. Lest you forget, he is a youkai snake, and is capable of intelligent thought, and (possibly) articulate speech.

To derogatorily say it's okay to cruelly experiment on him, merely because of his species...that's just evil.

>>132159
>Also logical: the desire to understand how the snake can have desires beyond instinct.
>Also logical: the desire to perform tests, which may be considered inhumane on a human, but, by definition, is not inhumane for a snake.

"That's an endangered species at most. What would be the scientific purpose of killing it?"

...Revenge.

>>132154
Oh god what? Why does that picture even exist?

>>132186
This is the Internet, thats why.

>>132186
That's nothing. Never look up Depth Bomb.

>>132186
This is pretty tame.

>>132197
I've seen her pictures before. I'm more surprised by the fact that a picture of Satori getting eaten by a snake exists.

>>132220
You're surprised that an image of something, anything, exists on the internet?

>>132227
Kinda and yet kinda not. Just surprised me that's all.

Merry Christmas Writer!

[ ] An elegantly-wrapped present in the shape of a book. The words 'Happy Birthday' are written in red..

[ ] A label-less box hastily-wrapped in...tin foil? It seems to be ticking...

[ ] A cold, lumpy package wrapped in soggy paper and string. It has a strong odor to it.

[ ] A thick manila envelope, covered in official-looking stamps. This is supposed to be a present?

[x] A cold, lumpy package wrapped in soggy paper and string. It has a strong odor to it.
Only one I can't figure out. Maybe I'm just not trying hard enough. Anyway, Merry Christmas writer! A bit late but better than never

[x] A thick manila envelope, covered in official-looking stamps. This is supposed to be a present?

[x] A thick manila envelope, covered in official-looking stamps. This is supposed to be a present?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it...

[x] An elegantly-wrapped present in the shape of a book. The words 'Happy Birthday' are written in red..

Happy holidays, everyone.

[x] A label-less box hastily-wrapped in...tin foil? It seems to be ticking...

>>132242
>>Only one I can't figure out. Maybe I'm just not trying hard enough.

Would it help if I gave you a hint?

One of the options has absolutely nothing to do with the story.

Two of the options involve characters that could have appeared up to now, but have not.

Neither of those things apply to that option.

>>A bit late but better than never
That's pretty much how I usually do gifts anyway.

Anyway, thank you, everyone. I hope you all had a great Christmas, however you spent it. Even if you don't celebrate it, no one should ever pass up a perfectly fine excuse to relax and have fun.

A little more time to recharge, and then we'll get back to business. New thread, new update, and maybe something else that may or may not be here or in that other thing I did and should try to do a little more frequently.

[X] An elegantly-wrapped present in the shape of a book. The words 'Happy Birthday' are written in red..

Nothing ominous here, not at all.

[x] An elegantly-wrapped present in the shape of a book. The words 'Happy Birthday' are written in red..

>>132331
I thought that was what I thought it was. Sticking with it.

[x] A thick manila envelope, covered in official-looking stamps. This is supposed to be a present?

The polls are now closed.
Writing will begin within 24 hours of this posting.

Thank you for your patience, and have a nice day.

>>132385

Hooray!