name- no idea

[x]"I wonder if she's still there...To the Misty Lake!"

name: Kaede Kojima

[x]"Might as well say hi to the current Hakurei. Maybe she won't be as bad tempered as the one I remember."

Mm. Okay, I'll give this one a shot.

[x] Name: Midori
-[x] (2nd choice) Kotori

Midori could mean "beautiful bird" (美鳥) or "fascinating/bewitching bird" (魅鳥). Kotori also has "bird" and could start with "lake" (湖鳥), "romance" (恋鳥), "rainbow" (虹鳥), or "heart" (心鳥). There's a bunch more, but those seem like the best.

[x] "Might as well say hi to the current Hakurei. Maybe she won't be as bad tempered as the one I remember."

Either we meet her at the shrine, or we meet her when she's left the shrine to resolve whatever incident we'll inevitably stumble into. First impressions are important.

Name: Midori Hakurei
[x]"Might as well say hi to the current Hakurei. Maybe she won't be as bad tempered as the one I remember."

[x] Name: Midori
[x]"I wonder what that shrine is on top of the mountain?"

Shenanigans will no doubt ensue when we encounter the tengu.

Good luck, writer.

[X] Name Midori Hakurei

>>171972
Hakurei? What? You can't just make the protagonist related to Reimu on a whim.

[X] Midori
Midori is a nice name. Simple.

[X]"What's with that temple next to the human village?"
UFO crew? Yes please.

[x] Name: Midori
[x]"Might as well say hi to the current Hakurei. Maybe she won't be as bad tempered as the one I remember."

I'll bite.

[x] Name: Midori
[x] "Was there always a mansion in the bamboo forest?"
The doc said 'to the morgue', to the morgue it is!

[x] Name: Midori
[X]"What's with that temple next to the human village?"

12 and 13 are pretty under-represented.

VOTES CLOSED

Update will happen sometime today

I sigh to myself as the most reasonable option pops into my mind. "Might as well say hi to the current Hakurei. Maybe she won't be as bad tempered as the one I remember."

Decision made, I quickly float downwards until I land in front of the Hakurei shrine. Looks like the shrine was rebuilt somewhat recently, though it seems that little upkeep has been done since then.

As I approach the donation box, a young woman walks out from behind the shrine, dragging a broom in one hand, presumably to sweep up the scattered nature debris on the walkway.

She had dark brown hair that fell slightly past her shoulders and a red ribbon was tied on the crown of her head. Her red dress made her clearly stand out among the surrounding greenery, and her oddly detached white sleeves made her just stand out in general.

Not even looking in my general direction, she walks about halfway down the path to the shrine and starts sweeping.

This...Is odd. Is she the Hakurei? She seems so...oh, what's the word...Uncaring? Like she'd rather be doing something else that requires less effort than calmly sweeping away the few leaves there were on a nice spring day.

"Uh...Hello? Miss Hak-"

"BWAAHHH!" The shrine maiden jumps about a foot into the air and she loses her grip on the broom, making it fly off into the surrounding forest.

...Huh. Jumpy little thing, ain't she? "Um, sorry about that. I was just-" Before I could even blink, I was surrounded by four floating yin-yang orbs, and the Hakurei was right up in my face, gohei pointed straight at my heart.

"Wh-what are you doing, sneaking up on me?!" She pokes me in the chest with the stick. "That's rude as hell!"

And so are you. "My apologies, Miss Hakur-"

"Reimu." Weird name.

"My apologies, Reimu, I just wanted to catch your attention. I didn't mean to scare you." It was funny, though.

She stares into my eyes for a while, trying to find a hint of a lie. She finds none. With a nod, the four orbs float back into the shrine and Reimu casually rests her gohei on her shoulder as the bored look from before returns to her face. "You here to donate?"

I blink. That's her first question? "Um, no, I just-"

"Why are you here," she demands. It wasn't a question.

Sheesh, she was much smaller and frailer looking than the Hakurei I remember, but she's much more blunt and forceful. I don't think I like that. "Look, I've just arrived in Gensokyo and i just-"

A look of understanding crosses her face. "Ah, an outsider. Yukari prolly pointed you here, didn't she?" I swear I can't finish a single sentence with this girl. "Well, follow me then, I'll help you start out."

...Start out? With what? Something odd is going on here. "What do you mean?"

"...Yukari did point you in this direction, right?"

"Um, no. She just-"

"That damn gap hag..." This damn shrine maiden! Let me finish! "Well, you're lucky you found me before a feral youkai found you. Come inside, I'll explain things there."

...She thinks I'm a human. Holy shit, this Hakurei is a total dunce!

"By the way," she pipes up as we head behind her house, "what's your name?"

I smirk. "You can just call me Midori."

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

VOTE
[]I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.
[]I'll play along. If I play my cards right, I may get some useful info on recent heppenings.

[x]I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.

Eh, let's be honest and not piss off Miss Hakurei.

[X]I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.

God, how Reimu reminds me of Asuka from NGE: always complaining about a problem (cf.: no donations) when the problem really come form herself.

[x]I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.

Really tempted to play along for laughs.

[X]I'll play along. If I play my cards right, I may get some useful info on recent happenings.

I will acknowledge that this is a terrible idea for the long game. Should be fun though.

[X]I'll play along. If I play my cards right, I may get some useful info on recent happenings.
Ufufu~

One note of criticism: in the fourth paragraph, you shifted to the past tense for no apparent reason.

[X]I'll play along. If I play my cards right, I may get some useful info on recent happenings.

Just for laughs

>>172015
Ah crap, sorry about that. First time I've seriously written in present tense, so I'm honestly not surprised I missed something. I'll proofread more thoroughly in the future.

[X]I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.

[X] I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo. She may be an idiot, but she looks like she's a master of her unique brand of magic, and lying may piss her off if she finds out.
There's nothing to say that she won't still tell us about the recent happenings, if only because it's pragmatic to avoid having us piss off the new power players.

Advice: keep the lengthy reasoning/justifications in the story and out of the choices. Just have her think over her options at the end, if necessary. Not that the choices have to be completely plain, of course, the first post was fine.

[x] I should tell her I'm a youkai from Gensokyo.

Voting for the not terrible idea. What are we, a spy? We can't just ask?

VOTING OVER
Update to come later.

And really, thank you to all who give criticism. I need as much as I can get (without overloading) if I want to keep at this.

I briefly entertain the thought of playing the innocent lost human, but then I realize that that could have some pretty bad consequences in the future.

"Hey, Reimu," I call out. She turns around. "Sorry to say, but I don't think I need your help."

A scowl spreads across her face. "What, you think you can just waltz across this land willy-nilly and expect things to go well? There's things that could kill you!"

"Oh, I know," I say with a smile. "After all," my smile turns predatory, "I'm one of those things." Before she can blink, I transform into my true self. My sweater sleeves rip apart as my arms transform to wings, and my my shoes and socks shred as my feet transform into talons. My hair is now feathers, and my eyesight is improved by leaps and bounds.

"Pleasure to meet you, current Hakurei shrine maiden," I say with a mock curtsy, "it's been quite a while since I've seen one of your family."

"Oh, good, I was right."

...Eh? I look up from my curtsy to see that Reimu was giving me a bored look, gohei slung over one shoulder. "What do you mean by that?"

She shrugs. "You're able to hide your magic energy pretty well, better than most youkai that try to blend in with humans. But it's still there. I was able to read you like an open book." She turns back around to go inside her shrine. "Come on in, I'll make some tea."

What.

What just.

I don't even.

"Buh?!"

I follow the maiden inside her shrine. It's sparsely decorated, most objects in here seeming to be decades old. I sit down at a low table, uncomfortably shifting my hawk legs beneath me. Not only has it been a while since I've sat at a traditional Japanese table, but my abnormal anatomy doesn't help either. Maybe I shouldn't have been so dramatic with my reveal. Now I've ruined a good sweater and my shoes are annihilated. And to top it all off I need to stay transformed or I'll be walking over everything with bare feet, and that hurts

After several minutes, Reimu walks in, holding a tray with two steaming cups of tea with one hand, and a book with the other. She sets down the tray and hands me one of the cups along with the book.

"What's this?" I ask.

"Tea and a book." I glare at her. She shrugs as she takes a sip of tea. "You can read, can't you?"

I glare at her for a moment longer before shifting my gaze to the book. The Gensokyo Chronicles Vol. 9.2, by Hidea no Akyuu.

I raise an eyebrow. "The Child of Miare reincarnated while I was gone?"

"Nice girl. A bit sassy, though."

And you're not? "Why show me this?"

"You may be a youkai, but you're still new here, right?"

"No, I was born here. I've just been on vacation for the last ninety years or so."

"Oh. You'll still want to read that. A ton of new power players have arrived in the last ten years or so."

That sounds familiar... "Oh yeah, Yukari mentioned something like that. I just thought she was exaggerating."

"Your tea's getting cold."

I wave her off as I crack open the book. "That's nice." Huh, that annoying little blonde brat's still running around...

I close the book for now, I'm getting distracted. "Can I keep this?"

"Sure. I have like, a million copies for newcomers like you."

I am not a newcomer, dammit! "Thanks. Well, I should be heading off, I want to see as much of Gensokyo as I can before nightfall."

Reimu shrugs. "If you want. Just make sure you don't cause any trouble. It's a nice day and I don't want to kick your ass when I could be relaxing."

...At least she's honest. I give her a feathery wave goodbye as i fly out of the shrine and back into the air of Gensokyo, the Chronicles under one wing.

...Still kinda mad at her for ruining my dramatic reveal. Hope I don't run into her again for a long while.

Now, where to next..."

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

VOTING TIME

[] I want to go to the lake. Maybe she's still there.
[] That shrine on top of the mountain looks neat.
[] I don't remember a mansion in the middle of the bamboo forest.
[] I wonder what that temple near the village is?
[] Wait what's th-

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

"OOF!" I get bowled over by a flying pink and brown blur as I contemplate my choices. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, ASSHOLE!"

The figure ignored me as it dove deep into the woods near the village.

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

[] Wait wasn't that...

[x] Wait wasn't that...

Mystia?

[x] Wait wasn't that...

A one-time event!

I'll clear this up right now.

NO "EVENT" IS ONE TIME ONLY

That would make it an illusion of choice. Literally everyone would vote for the same scenario if it was one-time only.

If we don't chase this (quote unquote) mysterious blur, Midori will just put it off till later

[x] Wait wasn't that...

Sure why not

[X] Wait wasn't that...

Exploring can be put off for later. Right now, Midori should find out what's happening, since this might be important.

[x] Wait wasn't that...
'd be a hassle looking for a lead again later.

Can't say I'm surprised.

VOTES OVER

Writing now

Well, isn't this a happy coinkidink! I follow the blur, hiding my magical energy in the process.

This is gonna be fun~.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit! I'm latelatelate! I should've been at Wriggle's place half an hour ago!

I blast through the forest, dodging trees and weaving between branches like an incident resolver. Thankfully I don't have to keep this up for long. Soon enough I find myself in front of the giant hollowed out log that the queen of bugs calls home.

"Wriggle!" Pant. "I'm-" Pant pant. "I'm here. Just-just give me-" Pant. "A moment."

A head topped with green hair and a pair of antennae pops out of one of the numerous holes in the log. "Mystia! What took so long?!"

I take a moment to collect myself. "Sorry! There was this really obnoxious customer at my stand and she would just not shut up about some bridge or another. I finally convinced myself to just close up shop right then and there. I may have also blasted her somewhere over the lake."

"Well, that explains the apron."

It takes me a moment for her words to sink in before i look down at myself. Sure enough, hanging over my usual brown dress, a white apron was there. Ah, fuck it. I'm too exhausted to care.

I fly up to the window that wriggle was hanging out of a moment before and slip inside her home. When her and I first met, this log was nothing but that: a log. Just a place for her and her bugs to take shelter. But after some coaxing from me and our friends, we managed to get her to build a bunch of rooms inside.

The one I fly into is just a simple (if a bit large) living room. Chairs, tables, and various odds and ends were scattered about the place. Wriggle's already reclining in a soft chair that we haggled from that half-youkai, Rumia's looking at everything like it was all brand new to her (and considering her memory and attention span, it may well might be), Daiyousei's sleeping (somehow) in a rocking chair, Cirno's making an ice sculpture (of what, I have no idea)and...

"Wait, who's that?" I point at the girl I only vaguely recall, standing next to Cirno. Her hair's an extremely light shade of pink and she has the same color eyes, she's wearing a blue plaid shirt with oddly shaped buttons and a large poofy skirt with faces cut into the bottom.

"Hello!" She chirps. I raise an eyebrow. She sounds happy enough, but her face is the epitome of neutral.

Cirno looks up from her sculpture. "Oh, heya, Mistia! This is a potential member of our group. Say hi, Kokoro!"

"Hi, Kokoro!" She giggles with a perfectly flat expression. It's kinda creepy to look at.

...Wait a sec! "Now I remember you! You're the one who caused the Hopeless Incident!"

She ducks her head down like she's embarrassed, yet her face remains perfectly expressionless. "Sorry about that, I lost a mask of mine and I went kinda insane."

I shrug. I wasn't affected by it, so I don't really care. I turn to our (quote-unquote) leader. "So, you said potential member?"

The ice fairy nods. "Yeah-huh! We're gonna pull a big ol' prank on the light fairies, and if she helps out a lot, she's in!" She looks around the room. "C'mon guys! Let's brainstorm!"

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Cute little friend's she's got there.

Hmm, what now...

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

[] Continue observing
[] Introduce yourself
- [] Softly
- [] Loudly
[] Leave them be and go check out some other place
- [] (choose a location from the previous story post)

[x] Continue observing

Wait for the right moment.

[x] Introduce yourself
- [x] Loudly
Harpy needs to harpy.

[X] Continue observing

The person on the outside has the advantage of surprise which we shouldn't squander needlessly.

[X] Continue observing

An opportunity to prank the pranksters~

[x] Continue observing
Let's see where this goes so more

VOTES OVER

Writing update

From my spot in the trees, I watch as the ragtag bunch of misfits fly off towards the woods surrounding the Hakurei Shrine. Apparently they're gonna prank a rival group of fairy pranksters. Oh, to be a child again...

I follow them out of the Forest of Magic, as soon enough they were in front of a large hollowed out tree, me still hidden in the trees several yards back. The ice fairy made a motion with her hand, and the plan was set in motion.

Mystia started singing, a beautiful song, even if the words used didn't make any sense. A darkness starts seeping into my eyesight, but I quickly counter the song's effect with my own magic.

"Wah! What's goin' on?!"

"Ehhhhh?!"

"Crap, it's Mystia! Quick, Luna, mute everything!"

"O-okay!"

Mystia quickly stops singing, motioning towards the darkness youkai. The little blonde spreads her arms wide, and a sphere of pure darkness envelops the tree.

"...Is the song over?"

"Why can't I see anything still?!"

"Oh man, Rumia's here too?! They might all be h-Wah!"

"S-sorry Sunny!"

"Girls, we need to calm down, us panicking is what they-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! SOMETHING'S CRAWLING ON MY BUTT!?"

It's the insect youkai's turn now, as she moves her arms like she's conducting an orchestra. Bugs of all types swarm the tree, crawling into every nook and cranny.

"UGH! GET 'EM OFF GET 'EM OFF!"

"Gak!" I heard coughing over the screams of panic. "I think I-" cough, "I swallowed a bug!" cough cough.

"THAT'S IT!" An explosion rocks the ground as the front door to the tree house is blown off its hinges. Three fairies stumble out, coughing and brushing bugs off of their clothes. One's wearing a red dress and has short strawberry-blonde hair tied up in pigtails, another's wearing a white dress and has blonde ringlets, and the third and last is wearing a blue dress and has long black hair.

The one in red points an accusing finger at the ice fairy. "You! You little ice cu-gwah!" She and her two friends slip on a patch of frozen ground.

The last part in the plan is put into motion as the pink-haired youkai steps in front of Mystia's group, a large red dragon mask over her head. "Cirno sends her regards."

"BUT SHE'S RIGHT TH-"

FWOOOOOOMMMMM

One blast of spirit fire later, and the three fairies were gone.

This is a prank? Seems more like I just witnessed the victims of a mafia attack.

The group of youkai cheer and start congratulating each other over a prank well done. None of them notice that the fairy in red hadn't been completely fried, but was instead just blown back behind some bushes. She slowly crawls out and picks herself up, reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a strange octagonal device and points it at the group.

"Sunshiiiiiiine..." She mutters to herself as a surprisingly large amount of magic starts gathering into the device.

The group of six turn around to see what the glowing was about, and they all took a step back as they finally noticed the growing aura of magic.

And there's my cue. I jump out of the trees and swoop down.

"SPAAA-oof!" I crash into the fairy, talons first, and crush her into little pixie dust. The magic that was gathering in the device fades as it flies away from the impact, and into the green-haired fairy's head.

"Kya!"

I pick myself up and face the stunned group. It's pretty easy to tell what most of them are thinking. Who is this lady? What just happened? Why is she so cool?

But there's one face who I was paying attention to the most.

Eyes wide, wings flared in shock, Mystia whispers in fear, "...Mom?"

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

VOTING TIME

[] Be Mystia
[] Continue being Midori

[x] Be Mystia

...Okay. You have my attention.

[X] Alternating PoV's
If not possible:
[X] Be Mystia

[X] Alternating PoV's
or if that's not an option
[X] Continue being Midori

[x] Alternating PoV's
or
[x] Be Mystia

Pic related

[x] Alternating PoV's
or
[X] Continue being Midori

Heavy preference on the former, but if it can only be one...

[X] Continue being Midori

[x] Alternating PoV's
or
[x] Be Mystia
Bandwagon!

[x] Alternating PoV's
or
[X] Continue being Midori

[x] Alternating PoV's
or
[X] Continue being Midori

CALLING IT

We'll be alternating PoV's

Honestly, I wasn't expecting you guys to like what I did, so I didn't put it as an option.

>>172309
C'mon man, don't say that, 't's awesome!

Mystia's friends look back and forth between me and her in shock.

"That's your mom?" Asks the insect.

"You have a mom?" Asks the ice fairy.

"Can I eat her~?" Asks the dimwit.

Mystia's terrified face quickly morphs into one of absolute fury as she stomps up to me. "YOU... What are you doing here?! I told you almost a century ago that I wanted you out of my life!"

I pout. "Aww, but I just wanted to see my lil' chick all grown up."

++++++++++++++++++

I don't think I've ever been this furious before. "BULLSHIT! You had NOidea I was here! Last time you saw me, we were in the goddamn Amazon!"

The bitch puts a wingtip to her lips in thought. "Really? I could've sworn it was the Sahara..."

Rumia on her worst days could never make me as livid as I am now! "WHO FUCKING CARES!? Point is, you abandoned me! For no fucking reason!"

"I told you the reason!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize "later kid, I'm bored" was a VALID FUCKING REASON!"

"Hey, did you know that you have, like, a ton of other brothers and sisters now?"

What the shit!? "Don't change the subject!"

++++++++++++++++++

I wave the end of my wing idly. "Oh yeah, remind me to tell you the story of how I met Ruben's father one time, it's a riot." See, this one time I was arrested for first-degree murder and the cop was really hot and-

"GRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Oh right, pissed off daughter in front of me. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SAD EXCUSE FOR A CHICKEN!"

She jumps at me, taloned hands outstretched. I sidestep and use a wing to slam her face into the ground. "Really, dearie, you shouldn't attack without thinking. Especially when you're furious. I taught you better than that."

She lifts her face from the dirt and jumps back to her feet. "YOU DIDN'T TEACH ME SHIT!"

Oh yeah. I shrug. "You've lived this long, right? You gotta have learned something."

"Yeah, I've learned that I don't have a mother, just some whore who shat me out one day!"

"Don't talk to your mother that way," I chide. Really, what a mouth.

Instead of replying, she pulls out a card from a pocket in her dress. "Night Sparrow [Midnight Chorus Master]!" Immediately I feel an intense amount of her unique blinding magic try to effect me, but it's trivial enough to cancel it.

What isn't trivial, is the thousands of magical bullets that start spawning from the night sparrow. "What the hell!?" I start dodging and weaving between the bullets, and I'm immensely confused. Since when did a squirt like her get this much power?! I could maybe throw out twenty bullets, tops!

I see an opening and I fly out of the forest. "I'd love to continue playing," I call down to Mystia, her attack stopping, "but it's getting kinda late and you need your beauty rest, young lady!"

"Leave before I rip out your wings and let Rumia eat whatever's left!"

"Really~!?"

I shrug. "Whatever. See you later sweetie!"

"Die in a ditch!"

And with that, I'm out of there. She's much stronger than I thought...

++++++++++++++++++

I huff and puff as my rage slowly leaves my body. I swear, if I see that harpy again it'll be too soon.

"Umm..."

Oh.

Right.

I turn around and give my friends an apologetic smile. "Um, sorry about flying off the handle like that. She's just...yeah."

Unexpectedly, Daiyousei is the first to move. She quickly runs over and throws her arms around me. "That lady's awful, I'm sorry you had to know her!"

Slowly, I return the hug, a small smile appearing on my lips. "Hey, she may be the worst person ever, but she's just a bitch. Nothing to worry about." All my friends come over to show their sympathy, and while it's a bit much, I'm just happy that my friends are there for me.

Today, I wasn't expecting her to return. Now that I know she's back, I'll be ready.

I'll kick her ass all the way to the moon.

++++++++++++++++++

Oh great, that family reunion spent most of the day. The sun's almost down and I have nowhere to sleep.

I pull out the Chronicles and open it to the "Places of Interest" section.

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

VOTING TIME

[] (Choose a location in Gensokyo to crash for the night)

[X] THAT LAKE

[X] The lake.

Awww, no happy family. So sad.

[X] The Lake

I suppose the lake is as good a choice as any

[X] Eientei
Just for da lulz.

[X] The lake.

CALLING IT

Off to the lake!

(Note to self: write this in a separate program off of the internet. I accidentally closed this earlier and this is my second time writing this.)

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

I close the book with a snap. Guess this is as good a time as any to see if she's still there. Course set, I head to what the book calls Misty Lake. Used to be called Demon Lake, I wonder what happened?

Thankfully the lake isn't too far, and I soon find myself at its shore. Recalling how to summon her, I place the tips of my wings onto the lake and channel magic into them, making a deep thrumming noise.

I stop magicking as I see a head topped with blue hair peeking up from the water and giving me a tired glare. "I was about to go to sleep, what do you want?"

"Hey Waka."

It takes her a moment for the information to pass through her sleepy mind. "...Midori?"

I spread my wings wide and place a wide smirk on my face. "Who else is this sexy?"

Before I can blink, Wakasagi had launched herself from the lake and wrapped her arms around my waist. "It is you! I haven't seen you in decades!"

I wrap my wings gently around her back. "Sorry 'bout that. The world's a big place. Couldn't come back before seeing it all."

She buries her head into my shoulder. By this point my front half was completely soaked by lake water, but I couldn't care less. "After your daughter came back without you, I was afraid that you'd forgotten about this place...Forgotten about me..."

I stop hugging her so I could lift her chin and look her in the eyes. "The day I forget about you is the day that life isn't worth living."

The brightest smile I've seen in decades spreads across her face. "Then I hope we have a long, long life worth living."

Her hands move to cup the sides of my face.

Our faces inch closer together.

Our lips meet.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Everyone is silent in Wriggle's house. While I'm much more in control than I was a couple hours ago, it seems everyone's too nervous to ask questions (except Rumia, who's blissfully ignorant as usual). "Look, guys about what happ-"

"FINALLY!" Cries Cirno. "I've wanted to ask you about that since forever, but Dai was all "no Cirno leave her to her thoughts blah blah blaaaaaaahhhh!" Tell us what that was all about earlier!"

I sigh and rub my forehead. "Anyways, as you've probably figured out by now, that woman was the one who birthed me."

"You mean your mother," chimes in Kokoro.

I glare at the menreiki. "That woman is not my mother. She brought me into the world, and that's the only thing "motherly" she's done. When I was just 10 years old, practically a baby, she brought me on a tour around the world. Just a year later though, we were in the middle of a large jungle. I don't remember much about that time, but I remember one scene very clearly. She placed me gently on a branch in the canopy of the trees.

"She says very gently, in a tone that most mothers would whisper soothing words to distraught children, "Later kid, I'm bored." And she just...flew away." I take a moment to wipe away some stray tears. "I spent five years looking for her, before I convinced myself that yes, she was that horrible of a being. I can only guess it was pure luck that I found my way back to Gensokyo. I've been on my own since then, and I had happily placed that wretch out of my mind." I sigh. "And then...today happened."

The room is silent as Rumia's mind when presented with basic arithmetic. I stand up and walk to a nearby door. "Sorry guys, I need to be alone for a sec...Thanks for being there for me, though."

Wriggle's house was large enough that she'd made individual rooms for the whole team when we decided to sleep over. I close the door to my room and toss my hat onto the bed. I soon follow after it, and the physical and emotional exhaustion of the day finally catch up to me and I'm out like a light.

I wake up to someone knocking on my door a couple hours later. Groggily, I sit up and adjust my dress. Great, now it's all wrinkled. Sighing, I open the door.

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

VOTING TIME

[] Bug
[] Ice
[] Fairy
[] Dark
[] Mask
[] Beast

[x] Bug

Probably the most helpful of the bunch.

[X] Fairy

Mystia needs more sympathy for her parental abandonment.

[X] Bug.

Because Wriggle.

[X] Dark

I can see the conversation now; 'No seriously, can I eat her?'

[x] Bug

CALLING IT

Gonna get bugged by the bug.

A familiar firefly youkai is behind the door. "Hey, Mystia. Mind if I come in?" I open the door further, letting Wriggle walk into my room and sit on the bed. I follow suit, and we sit there for a while, a comfortable silence enveloping us.

The quiet has to be broken eventually, though. "I'm sorry for walking out like that, that was rude."

She shakes her head. "No, we don't blame you at all. I know you don't like telling that story. Especially right after seeing the demon herself."

"She's not a demon," I sigh, "She's just a bird-brained asshole who should never have children. You heard her, apparently she went off and had a bunch of other kids after she abandoned me. Willing to bet money that she did the same thing to them. Why does she keep having children if she keeps abandoning them?" I realize that I'm going off on a tangent that doesn't make much sense, but it's too late to stop myself. "Hell, am I even her first child? For all I know, Tokiko is my older sister!"

Silence washes over us as I take a breather.

"And you know what else?" I ask no one in particular, almost forgetting that Wriggle is right next to me, "Before she abandoned me, she was a perfectly motherly...mother! Told me stories before bed, taught me to read...And then all of a sudden she leaves me in the middle of a jungle! Because she's bored! It's just! Rgh!"

"..."

"..."

"...You all vented?"

I pull myself back up from where i collapsed on the bed. "For now, yeah. Sorry about that."

She lightly elbows me. "Hey now, I'm your best bud bug. And you're my best bud bird. The least I can do is let you vent. Gods know you need it after today. Can't believe a gal like you came from a bitch like that. That's like telling someone that Rumia is a master poker player. Doesn't make sense, but it's true."

I wrap an arm around her shoulders and give her a little squeeze. "I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but I know it's supposed to be comforting and that's all that matters. Thanks Wriggs, you're the best."

"I think what we both need is some decent shuteye. Summer is coming up soon and the bugs have been restless. Tonight is pretty cool and dry so I'll actually be able to get some sleep." Before she's able to stand up from the bed, a thought seems to have struck her. "Hey, mind if I sleep here tonight? Y'know, like old times?"

I give her a level glare, but my wry smile reveals my true feelings. "Wriggle, I'm not into girls. I know you're attracted to me but really, this is like the third time you've started hitting on me this month and I've caught you every time."

Her eyes widen in false shock. "What? Are you insinuating that I may have romantic inclinations towards my best friend?! How preposterous!"

Oh Wriggle... "Fine, you can sleep in here." Right before she can fist-pump in victory, I add, "But no touching."

"Aww, but that's half the fun!"

"Last time we slept in the same room you were groping me when I woke up, and I'm pretty sure you didn't do that in your sleep."

The only response I get is an innocent whistle.

I smile regardless.

++++++++++++++++++++

I pull out the Chronicles. "Hey, Waka, you know any good places to visit for tomorrow?"

The mermaid looks over my shoulder. "Hmmm..."

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

VOTING TIME

Where to?

[] (Choose anywhere in Gensokyo)

[X] Youkai Mountain

Old acquaintances such as Hina, the Tengu, or the Kappa? Or maybe some new arrivals, like the shrine up top.

[X] Makai
S'not really in Gensokyo properly said, but anyway.

[X] Youkai Mountain

Why not?

[X] Youkai Mountain

[X] Makai

[X] Makai

Why the fuck not

[X] Makai
Indeed.

VOTES CLOSED I guess?

I mean we're going to Makai I guess? What the hell guys I had scenarios for like every place in Gensokyo and then you go and do this, I'm getting my lawyer.

>>172513
Im sorry, I tried to stop them.

(Oh, right, I'm supposed to be writing this thing.)

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

I close the Chronicles with a snap. "Actually, I have a better idea." Wakasagi merely raises an eyebrow in response. "Let's go to Makai."

"...What."

"C'mon, it'll be fun! Realm of demons and whatnot! It'll be like Halloween, but with less candy."

She shakes her head. "Okay, two things. One: You're crazy. Two: How would we even get there? The only way there was a cave near the Hakurei Shrine, which Reimu sealed up when she was a kid. Twice."

I give her the puppy eyes. "Waka, you're always the latest on gossip. You've gotta know some sort of workaround."

She bites her lip in thought. "Well...There is one thing..." She shakes her head. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow, you tired me out and I want a nap."

"Yeah, sex can do that. Hey, be careful there, if your face heats up any more you'll fry yourself."

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

Wakasagi and I stand (well, she's floating) in front of the open gates of the Myouren Temple. "Are you sure this thing can fly?"

She nods. "Yeah, I saw it myself a couple years back. It was rebuilt into this temple when the head monk was rescued from Makai."

I simply nod in acknowledgement and proceed to walk through the gates, Wakasagi right behind me. The courtyard is simple; flat with few shrubs and trees for decoration. Several stone lanterns line the walkway to the temple itself. Sitting next to one of these lanterns is a woman (and holy shit is she a woman!) wearing a black and white dress, matching boots, and a wide straw hat concealing most of her face. She looks like she's meditating.

Can't have that now, can we?

"Hey lady," I say, poking her knee lightly with a talon, "stop doing whatever it is you're doing and answer some questions I got." Wakasagi glares at me, as if waiting for something. "...Please." The glare lifts.

The woman tilts her head up to look at me and holy fuck. If the fish princess wasn't right here I'd tap this chick harder than some sort of metaphor. Her face is very feminine, prominent lips and large eyelashes. Her waist-length gradient purple/dusty-blonde frames her face perfectly and-

"Are you alright, miss? You're drooling. Oh, you're not too hungry, are you? I have some food in the storehouse, be right back!" The woman with the angelic voice stands up (jeez, she's almost six feet!) and quickly runs off.

"...Midori." Wakasagi demands my attention. I turn to her and see an angry stare. "I hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

Right. In a relationship. "Um...Sorry, Waka. I love ya, but I can't help but look! I appreciate beauty in all forms, and damn she was a work of art!" Glaring intensifies. "But don't worry, we're here strictly for business. I'll try to reign in my raging lady-boner."

She glares at me for a moment longer before a smirk crosses her face. "Such a way with words."

"It's a gift."

The woman from before is running back to us, bowls of food in each hand. "Now, while this may be a pro-youkai temple," she starts as she hands us the bowls, "we're not a charity. This is a one time thing, right?" Ohh, bacon! "Regardless, you said you had questions? As the head monk of Myouren Temple, I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability. Oh, I'm Byakuren, by the way."

We introduce ourselves as we stuff ourselves with food (well, I am. Wakasagi is being dainty as usual). After I'm done, I hand the bowl back to Byakuren. "Well we were wondering-"

"She was wondering." Wakasagi interrupts between bites. "I'm just along for the ride."

"...I was wondering if you could take us to Makai."

The monk blinks. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You heard me."

"Miss Midori, this is a Buddhist temple. Nothing here could take you to Makai."

"Yet the grapevine says that this used to be a boat capable of doing just that."

She winces. Obviously she wanted that fact to be a secret. "Even still, it's a temple now. We had to ask the gods of the mountain to make this temple. We can't just turn it back into a boat on a whim."

Wakasagi hands her finished bowl to Byakuren. "Then how does the ghost still exist?"

"...Pardon?"

"Captain Murasa. The Ghost of the Shipwreck. She needs a boat to be attached to so she can still be anchored to this world, right? If what I've read is correct, it was her power that let the boat travel to Makai. Combine these two facts, and we reach one of two conclusions. One: this temple can, indeed, transform back into a boat at your whim. Or, two: you have another boat for her to haunt."

Byakuren gazes at the two of us for a moment before asking, "Why do you want to go to Makai in the first place. Not you," she stops Wakasagi from answering, "...you." She points at me.

Well.

Shit.

Didn't think this far.

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

VOTING TIME

[] (Come up with a plausible reason for going to Makai.)

Well then.

I'd say that our most plausible answer should have a grain (or two) of truth. Since Midori is a wandering harpy, maybe she can talk about how she's trying to see the world and understand how different societies work, and the world of the demons would be the latest stop in her journey. Or something like that.

>>172536
>(Come up with a plausible reason for going to Makai.)

Pfft, no. The onus for this is on the people who wanted to go to makai. They can go justify it if they want.

[x] Wake up from dream, go to yokai mountain.

Considering no-one has shown up to defend their lolMakai choice, I say we just write this silliness out.

>>172630
Yeah, let's. But while we're at it, why not make it interesting?

[x]Grope Byakuren's chest.
-[x]Assault her. (It's a dream. There's no way this is going to backfire.)
--[x]Ask Waka to join you.
---[x]LOLLESBIANTHREESOME (in /at/)
----[x]Wake up from dream.
-----[x]Open the door.
-------[x]Get on the floor.
--------[x]Everybody walk the harpy.
-----[x]Go to the Youkai Mountain.

[X] Acquiring a demonic familiar, just for da lulz

[x] Wake up from dream, go to Youkai Mountain.

[X] Acquiring a demonic familiar

As this choice seems to be...contested, I'll extend the voting for one more day.

[x] Wake up from dream, go to Youkai Mountain.

Wow really?
You guys are being pants on head retarded and when asked for some kind of explanation its just IT WAS ALL A DREAM!" Really?

I vote against
[x] Wake up from dream, go to Youkai Mountain.
If you vote for total bullshit you gonna live with the consequences. Hopefully people will learn.

>>172646

I am >>172630, I voted to go to the mountain in the first place and saw that this had 0 votes 2 days after the update and was worried the Makai vote had killed the story. Considering even the writer seemed stumped (this vote was obviously fishing for ideas), and no-one actually had a reason to go to makai, I thought it best to give the story a saving throw.

Yes the makai vote was dumb, but I'd rarther not let it derail the story as a whole.

>>172647
>>172646 Here

>>172647
I agree with that but still, its just too easy, at least we should get some kind of penalty like Hijiri disliking us. If it is possible to just backpedal without repercussion people will start that shit all the time. It happened in other stories and I dont want this story to "fail" later on or to discourage the author to actually find a decent ending because of the dumb shit people vote on because hey, we can always go back a choice, right? RIGHT?

>>172648
I'm not >>172648

That really depends on the author. If he decides to gives us a penalty or not, it's fine with me either way. I just don't want the Makai choice to block the author and throw this story into the ever-growing scrap pile. The whole "it's just a dream" dismissal is just our way to say we don't mind retconning that choice, since we didn't really plan it. I personally voted against it, and in the future I'll try to choose with a justification backing it up.

I'll say this now before this escalates.

I'll work with whatever you come up with.

Yes, Makai was not a place I even considered possible. But I managed to make a plausible way of getting there.

If the final vote is for a dream, I can work with that. If the final vote is for an explanation, I can work with that. If the final vote is for some third, unknown choice, I can work with that.

I wouldn't have let you guys have this much freedom if I didn't have the confidence to work with whatever.

You know, I didn't vote for the Makai option, but based on what we know of Midori there's a very plausible reason. Hell, it might even be true.

[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

Why not, this seems vaguely plausible.

[x]Grope Byakuren's chest.
[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

Not necessarily in that order

>>172639
Switching this vote to:

[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

[x] I'm visiting one of my children.
- [x] From before I met you, Waka.

VOTING CLOSED

Uggh, sorry about the lateness of the call, I've been bed-ridden all day. Still feeling like shit, so the update will happen tomorrow.

"Well," I reply, "I'm hoping to meet one of my children there."

That makes Byakuren pause. "...I'm sorry?"

I nod. "Yeah, some odd years back before I met Wakasagi here, I had a fling with a flame demon. Next thing I know I have a fire baby. Being a young mother, I panicked and handed the child to her father and fled Makai." I sigh dramatically. "But now I feel guilty. She's as much my responsibility as she is her father's, and I can't run from my past any longer." I look directly into the monk's eyes. "Will you let us travel to Makai?"

Byakuren stares at me for a moment. "...Alright. Minamitsu has indeed built another boat that she takes for joy rides now and again. I'll take you to her, but you'll have to convince her yourself. And she's not one to sympathize with the bonds between family."

Waka looks like she wants to ask me a question or twelve, but after Byakuren turns her back I mouth "later" to her.

The head monk leads us around the temple, and we soon find ourselves standing in front of a large wooden boat floating slightly above the ground. It's nowhere nearly as big as the boat that turned into the temple, Waka tells me, but it's pretty sizable nonetheless.

"Minamitsu!" Byakuren calls. "I've got a couple of visitors who want to ask you something!"

It didn't take long for a girl to phase through the side of the ship. She's pretty short, with short black hair and an old-fashioned sailor suit. Her green eyes glare lazily at us as she absentmindedly taps a wooden ladle against her thigh. "Whaddya want?"

Byakuren backed up from us. "I'll be in the temple if you need me." And she's gone.

I turn back to the ghost. "I heard your boat can travel to Makai."

"What's it to ya?"

"We'd like to go to Makai."

"Why?"

"I have a child there that I haven't seen in a long time."

"I have a son I haven't seen in a millennium an' a half an' you don't see me complaining."

Waka taps my arm and pulls me in close so she can whisper, "Byakuren said that we can't appeal to her through sympathy, remember?"

It didn't hurt to try. I stand back up to face the ghost. "What'll it take to ride your ship?"

Murasa seems to think about it for a moment. "...Fight me and win."

Well then.

Before I can even think of a way to trip out the eyes of a ghost, Waka pulls me down again. "Do you know about spellcards?"

Eh?

She must see the confusion on my face. "It's how things are resolved around here, these days. Spellcards are well, cards imbued with spells. The spells are always nonlethal. The way duels work is basically whoever knocks out or forces the other to submit wins."

Weird. "Where do I get these spellcards?"

She smiles. "You make them with your mind. It's part of the magic surrounding Gensokyo."

I nod. "Alright, I think I got it, more or less. Thanks, Waka."

I stand up straight and stare directly into the ghost's lazy eyes. "I accept!"

a wicked smile spreads across Murasa's face and she summons a fucking anchor what the shit?! "I was hoping you'd say that."

THE SURLY SPECTER OF THE SEA
CAPTAIN MINAMITSU MURASA

"Prepare to drown in the flood of demise!"

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

VOTING TIME

[] Crafty Crow
[] Striking Eagle
[] Speedy Kite
[] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

[X] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

AIM FOR THE EYES

[X] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

...Yeah, I see where this is going.

[X] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

[X] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

[x] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

Like it's even a choice.

[x] CAW CAW MOTHERFUCKER

Hell yeah

VOTE CALLED

What else was I expecting.

Update later today

Captain Murasa flies up into the air and swings her ladle, magical bullets shaped like water drops pouring out from it.

I fly straight through them, ignoring the slight pain it causes.

The ghost smirks as I transform a wing into an arm and reel it back. "A close range fighter? I can handle that." She dismisses her ladle and a card appears in her palm, which she then proceeds to crush. "Chained Anchor!" She swings the anchor she's holding, now attached to a ghostly chain. I dodge the metal object, but the chain proves to be more solid than I thought. It knocks the air out of my lungs and starts wrapping around my mis-matched arms. "I'm holding a giant anchor. What were you thinking?"

I smirk. I only have to see something once before I can reverse-engineer it for my own use. It's an ability I greatly appreciate having at times like these. I summon a card to my hand. "Vulture Sign: Rip and Tear!"

I fully transform my body into a hawk and quickly slip away from the chain before it can constrict around my new form. Flying back up to meet the ghost, I slash my talons in the air, sending several waves of magical crescents at her.

She manages to reel in her anchor to block some of my attacks, but not all of them. I transform back into my harpy form. "I thought you were a ghost! How're you injured?"

"Magic! Harbor Sign: Ghost Ship's Port!"

Suddenly she's surrounded by anchors.

Shit.

I dodge and weave around the anchors and their trails of bullets as I try and get close to Murasa again. It's difficult, as she keeps summoning her anchors back to herself, forcing me to dodge backwards.

I finally see my chance, as she seems to be tired after that much anchor tossing (don't ask me how a ghost gets tired). I quickly dart in between the remaining bullets and tackle her with my talons. Soon enough, we're on a collision course towards the ground. "What're you doing!?" She screams.

"CAW CAW, MOTHERFUCKER!" I cream back, right before I slam her into the ground at blinding speeds.

I walk out of the crater I made, coughing the dirt out of my lungs. Murasa walks out soon after, clearly favoring one leg and holding her back with one hand. "Ssssssssshit that hurt. You're lucky I'm already dead."

I twist my neck around, popping the kinks out. "Yeah, well, that's why I decided to go all out."

"All out is you throwing someone onto the ground at a bajillion kilometers an hour?"

"Pretty much."

She gives me a weird look for a moment before turning around. "Let me regenerate for a bit, then we can head on out. To be honest, I'm bored as hell. I'd prolly have let you come aboard no matter the duel results." With that, she phases back into her ship.

Waka floats over to me. "You know, that may have been the fastest spell card duel I've ever seen."

I shrug. "Why bother with fancy theatrics when you can just throw them on the ground?"

She gives me a weird look, almost identical to the one Murasa just gave me. "...Let's check out the ship."

"Awright."

+++++++++++++++++++++

I flip over another lamprey on the grill. Today's been a slow day, only one customer so far, and Wriggle's a friend so I give her a discount. Luring humans to my stand is annoying, but I may be forced to do it tonight if I don't get much more business today.

I hear the creak of one of the benches. Someone's here! I slide open the curtain separating the dining part of the stand with the kitchen. "Welcome!" It takes me a moment. "Oh, it's you."

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

VOTING TIME

[] (Name a Touhou!)

[x] Mokou

Dunno.

[X] Mima
...what?

Hmmm... A lot of possible choices here.

Yuyuko could be a potentially hilarious encounter for Mystia.

Aya might have heard the commotion earlier and decided to investigate. Could make a good story for her newspaper!

Hmmm... Isn't Kyouko in a band with Mystia? Mystia could probably use the support after meeting her mother again.

It'd also be pretty interesting to pick Shikieiki. She seemed pretty upset about Mystia's singing driving people crazy, so she might stop by to make sure Mystia is keeping her nose clean, so to speak.

Honestly though, we could pick almost anyone and have it make sense.

It's hard to resist the the urge to vote for someone wildly inappropriate like Shinki, Youki or the moon sisters.

Also, I'm an indecisive cunt. So sue me.

>>172783

Oops, forgot a couple of words.

>She seemed pretty upset about Mystia's singing driving people crazy
>in PoFV

[X] Yukari

>> Why bother with fancy theatrics when you can just throw them on the ground?

Because A.) fancy theatrics are what a Spell Card Duel is, and B.) that's a good way to bring Reimu "Spirit Sign [Fantasy Heaven]" Hakurei down on our heads.

[x] Kaguya

Part time job princess!

[X] Mokou

Rival Mokou challenges you!

[x] Kaguya

NEET out of hiding?

[x] Genji

[x] Genji

Sure, why not?

This is the vote option I was looking for.

[x] Genji

[x] Kaguya

Hey Metaflare, all this freedom will likely lead to the most retarded choices possible. You should definitely know when to control reader impulses so you don't burn out.

[x]Kaguya

[x] Genji

[x]Kaguya

I feel like you people are trolling him now.

>>172846
>>172848
>>172853
>>172873


>>172874

...Well, it makes more sense than the moon sisters at least. Genji is a turtle.

...Turtles do eat seafood, right?

Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned how tempting it was to vote for someone inappropriate earlier.

I regret to inform you all that I will not be making another update





















Until after I play through DDC when it's released.

Busy this whole weekend and DDC is coming out presumably Monday so yeah.

>>172880

You know, this works better if there isn't a giant blank space underneath.

>>172907
>You know, this works better if there isn't a giant blank space underneath.

No, it doesn't.

>>172911
It doesn't really work either way.
Not having a giant blank space would give away the punchline immediately.
Having a giant blank space gives away the fact that there IS a punchline, even if not what it is.

Still havn't beaten DDC, huh?