------

"Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

"And a Happy New Year to you too!"

Accompanied by Miss Aya and Miss Momizi, you weave through the thick crowds of tengu and kappa as you head toward the center of the party ground. All around you are the mountain residents dressed in their best clothes, holding in their hands sake dishes and skewered meat and other festival goodies. It is the celebration of the New Year, after all, of course it would be extravagant.

"Happy New Year!."

A voice greets you from a short ways away, and you turn your head to see who it is. Sanae, dressed in a kimono very elegant and beautiful in appearance, stands among a group of humans from the village that was brave enough to trek up the mountain to join in the festivities. Gently making her way out of the crowd, many of whom seem rather sorry to see her go, she approaches the three of you with a cheerful smile.

"-Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year."

The three of you all return the blessing.

"Hello everyone!" Sanae greets you all, politely bowing. "I'm glad you could all come!"

"My, you're looking lovely, Miss Sanae," Miss Aya says, fanning herself with her hauchiwa, though she's not dressed too shabbily herself, decked out in a dark-blue kimono with decorative red patterns.

"Thank you, Miss Aya," the girl replies, bowing her head slightly. Her gaze travels in a straight line as she looks over the three of you, lingering for a moment on you. "It looks like everyone dressed up for the occasion."

"Of course. We tengu do take tradition seriously, after all."

"And? um, still wearing your mask, I see," Sanae says, her eyes fixated on the mask on your face.

"A mask?" Miss Aya says, mock-puzzled. "he's not wearing a mask. That's his face."

"Eh!?" Sanae jumps, her eyes wide with surprise. "R-really?"

"No," Miss Momizi is quick to reply, for which she earns from Miss Aya a dirty look.

"Oh! It was a joke. Ehehe?" Sanae giggles. ??But really, you don't ever take off that mask, do you?"

"It feels weird if I'm without it."

"I see," she nods. ??But, um, well, your kimono is really nice, too."

Sure is a bit uncomfortable, though. The haori feels too loose, like it's just a blanket draped around your body, while the kimono underneath feels a bit restrictive and the material feels so delicate that you're afraid that even the slightest of wrong movements will tear a gaping hole in it. It feels kind of itchy too.

"-So, Miss Sanae," Miss Aya says, jerking a thumb toward a certain duo present at the celebration. "What are they doing here?"

"You know," she pauses, looking at the red-white and the black-white, who have already blended into the crowd, ??that's a good question. I should go ask them that."

She walks off toward them, and shrugging, you and Miss Aya decide to accompany her, while Miss Momizi stays behind.

"Eh? Why am I here?" Hakurei says, holding a sake dish to her mouth. "Uh, well, you see, since this shrine just opened up and all, I thought it was? um? er, an obligation of mine to see how you're doing, you know? I mean, I am your senior, I should be looking out for you and all?!"

"She just wanted the food," Marisa cuts in.

"Shush, Marisa!"

"Um? don't you have your own shrine to worry about right now?" Sanae asks carefully. "I mean, you do have guests on New Year?s, don't you?"

"Huh? Oh, that! Don't worry, I just left Suika in charge of everything," Hakurei replies dismissively, waving her hand up and down.

??and it'll result in something catastrophic, I hope," you hear Miss Aya mutter under her breath. When you turn to look at her, she simply gives you a wink and a grin before facing Hakurei again. "Well, since you're here, why don't we go ahead and drink together, Miss Reimu?"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, I suppose. Hey, newcomer, you want to join us?"

"I-I'll pass, thank you."

"Suit yourself," Hakurei shrugs, before being dragged away by Miss Aya.

Marisa attempts to follow after her, but as she turns, a blue blur suddenly jumps into view and rams into her stomach. Nitori wraps her arms around the witch's waist as they tumble to the ground, the latter with a sharp yelp as the air is knocked out of her.

"They seem to have made friends here, too," Sanae says a bit uneasily, looking back and forth from the shrine maiden seated at a table to the witch still rolling around on the ground with a kappa latched onto her. "...I'm a little jealous. it's been a little hard for me to make friends here."

"Really?"

"Yeah?" she nods with a slight grimace. She suddenly exclaims, however, and turns to you, a little frantic in her speech. "N-not that I mean that you aren't my friend! Um, you've really helped me out a lot since I've been here, and for that I'm really, really grateful, but?well, you know?"

"I understand," you nod. "So you want to make friends with some of the people here, right?"

"Um? well, that would be nice, but you don't really need to worry about it," she says with an apologetic smile. "Oh, hey! Since it's New Year?s, why don't you try drawing your fortune for the year? it's only a hundred yen."

[ ] Accept.
[ ] Decline.
[ ] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [X] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.

[X] Accept.
-[X] Afterwards, take Sanae over to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

>Love?
>What? it is?

When I read that, I imagined Mikio typing "what is love" into the search and wondering why love was three guys sitting next to each other with goofy grins on their faces.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [x] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.
In before extremely bad luck.

[X] Accept.
-[X] Afterwards, take Sanae over to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

"Incredibly Bad luck."

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [x] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.
In before extremely bad luck.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [x] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.

Worst luck ever inc.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [x] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
BABY DON'T HURT ME
DON'T HURT ME
NO MORE

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [X] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.

[X] Accept

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi
UPDATES

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

"What does this '1' mean?"

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [X] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance

Let's just hope he doesn't throw it. Sanae's 22B/C fortune bombs can be nasty in the right hands.

/pooshlmer moment

[Q] Accept.

Plus whatever.

[X] Accept.
[X] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
- [X] Maybe to Shizuha and Minoriko, too, if you get the chance.

I wonder if Mikio isn't capable of loving even Headgames in the end?

Anyway after some of Hina's more dire 'fortunes', Miki is unlikely to be phased even if his fortune read his own end.

[x] Accept.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi. (on-hold)
------

"S-sure," you say with a stammer. She just changed the subject right now, didn't she? You wanted to help her befriend some of the youkai you know here, maybe by introducing her to a few of them, but that'll just have to wait until you've indulged her in this. Reaching into your pocket, you slip out your small wallet to fish out a coin. "Only a hundred yen?"

"Fortune slips don't have meaning unless you give an offering, after all," she says, her lips in a wide and cheerful smile. "Come on, follow me!"

You stow away your wallet back into the pocket of your hakama, holding a single coin pinched between your thumb and pointer finger as you follow after the girl hurrying away toward a stand set up next to the shrine building. She slows to a stop in front of the small wooden structure, housing a box full of tiny little envelopes, just big enough to fit within your palm.

You hand her the coin in your hand as she turns around, which she accepts with a grateful bow before stepping to the side and allowing you to take a step forward. Still beaming, she leans forward a little, her hands coyly folded together behind her back.

"Go on, pick any one you like."

You reach into the box full of the slips of paper, sifting through waves of them. This is really like a lottery, isn't it? Your fingers aimlessly wander inside the box, until on a whim you pick one of the envelopes out. Lying on top of your palm, you stare at the paper for a bit before turning to the girl next to you.

"Okay, the next step is really important!" she says eagerly, giving her arms a small pump in front of her. She claps her hands together, folding them and closing her eyes in an expression of intensity. "Hold the envelope between your palms like this and offer a prayer to the shrine!"

Blinking, you do as she says, clasping your hands together with the little envelop sandwiched between your hands. Closing your eyes, you mutter a few words of praise toward Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako. Once done, you allow yourself to see again, and take in the vision of Sanae's excited expressions as she leans in close.

"Okay, now open it!" she says, looking a bit more enthusiastic than she really should be.

At her urging, you tear the envelop open, and rummage inside it with your fingers to produce the slip within it. You grimace as you read the kanji characters written on it.

?"

"Great Curse.

Out of the corner of your eyes, you see Sanae edging away from you.

"-Ah?"

With a sudden, unpleasantly swooping noise, the slip in your hand explodes into a blinding dark cloud. Your eyes widen as the expanding cloud of black mist overtakes you, showering you with discomforting sensation. In the middle of the dark cloud filling your vision, you think you see the same kanji characters that were on the slip of paper, glowing in white amidst the dark. Your body gives a shudder, and you end up drinking it the mist, making you break out into a fit of coughing.

Finally, after a few seconds, the cloud clears up, dissipating into the air. You continue coughing, your eyes tearing up. Ugh, what was that? Shaking your head to clear yourself of the ill-sensation that dark cloud left you with, you turn your head to Sanae, who seems to be all-smiles.

"How was that?" she asks with an innocent grin. "I thought since Gensokyo is all about danmaku, we should alter some of the traditions to reflect that, so I made the fortune slips shoot out danmaku! Wasn't that a great idea?"

She? she thinks it's a good idea?

"-it hasn't been very popular, though," she adds uncertainly, her smile failing.

"E-even for Gensokyo, this is pretty excessive," you say, looking at the slip of paper in your hand.

"Really?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

She reaches into the omikuji box and produces a slip for herself. She pauses to give a little prayer before opening up the envelope and withdraws the fortune from within it, holding it up in her hand. The slip in her hand glows for an instant before exploding loudly like fireworks in her face.

"Koff?kof!"

She fans away the smoke rising from her singed hair and kimono, small patches of soot darkening parts of her face.

"Ahaha, you may be right," she says nervously, looking guiltily at you. Wiping at her face with the back of her hands, she tries to recover from her fit of coughing as she continues to talk. "Koff? might make for pretty decent bombs, though."

"Hold still."

"Eh?"

She freezes up as you approach her, reaching into the inside of your shirt, from which you retrieve a cloth. Just as Miss Momizi had done to you in earlier years, you hold her gently by the head as you clean her face of the soot covering it. She resists a bit at first, squirming a little, but reluctantly allows you, hanging her head and avoiding your gaze as her face glows red.

"-T-thank you."

"it's no trouble," you say with a smile as you fold the blackened rag, stowing it away inside your shirt again.

"A-anyway," she says, raising her chin again, though she still seems to be blushing from embarrassment. "Y-you got a bad fortune, right? Then you should um? you should tie it up, so it won't affect you."

"Tie it up?"

"Yes," she nods, smiling again.

Turning toward a second wooden structure next to the one housing the fortune slips, she gestures toward it with her hand. It sort of resembles the shrine gate, but much smaller in size, with the two wooden beams connected by lengths of wires lining the space between the two pillars. A few paper slips have already been tied up on the wires, swaying in the breeze.

"When you tie up a bad fortune here, misfortune will hang here instead of on you," she explains. "And if you tie up good fortune, it'll amplify the effect!"

"Is that how it works?"

"Yup."

Shrugging, you walk up to the wires, your slip of fortune in your hands. Awkwardly, you tie up the paper on one of the wires, careful not to rip it lest more bad fortune end up coming your way. Next to you Sanae ties up her own fortune as well.

"Still, it sucks to get the worst fortune on your very first try," she says casually, stepping away from the wires to look at you again.

"Haha? I've been told that I'm a very unfortunate person before."

"Really? That won't do at all!"

She suddenly grabs you around the arm, tugging on it as she begins to hurry off elsewhere, dragging you along.

"Eh? What? Where are we?!?"

"Emergency treatment!"

She brings you to another small shrine-like building on the other side of the main shrine. As she slows down to a stop, you see that the mini-shrine like structure houses a stack of wooden plaques, along with a small calligraphy set laid out in a stand before it. You stare at it in curiosity as the wind priestess walks up to the small shrine, withdrawing two of the plaques from inside it.

"Ema plaques!" she says, holding each of the two wooden boards in her hands and presenting one to you, which you receive graciously.

"Ema??"

You turn the ?ema? around in your hands. Wide with a flat surface, the plaque presents a picture of a large snake wrapping itself around the edges of the plaque in a broad ellipse, biting the end of its own tail. On top of it, there's a small hole, with a small string tied around it. Turning it over to the other side, you see the Kanji for ?wish? written on the back of the plaque.

"-Um, what do I do with this?"

"it's easy," she replies, setting her ema down on the stand holding the calligraphy set next to the shrine and picking up an ink stick. Carefully, she grinds it against a moist ink stone to produce the ink as she continues to explain. "All you have to do is write a wish for something on here, and hang it up! Here, I'll show you!"

Putting the ink stick aside, she picks up a brush and stirs the ink in the ink stone, the tip of the brush dripping with wet ink. With a steady hand and leaning over the stand, her brows furrowed in concentration, she begins writing on the wooden plaque laid out in front of her.

"What are you wishing for?" you ask out of curiosity.

"Hmm?" She deliberates as she lifts her head, biting on the end of the brush in thought. ??For the Hakurei shrine to suddenly collapse, of course."

"Huh?"

She takes the wooden plaque into her hands after setting down the brush, leaving its head in the ink stone, and lifts it up as she turns around, showing it to you, the characters written on it still wet and shining in the sunlight.

"I want this shrine to do well," it reads.

"-just kidding," she says with a playful smile, winking. "I wouldn't wish for that! Miss Reimu's been pretty helpful to us, you know. Besides, even if I wished for it, there's no way something like that would come true."

"Of course not, haha," you say.

"Anyway, you just hang this here when you're done," she says, walking over to another part of the shrine with wooden hooks jutting out of the wood. She hangs the ema in her hand by the string on one of the hooks, then turns around, patting down her skirt. "And that's it."

"I see, and you'd like me to try it?"

"Every bit of blessing helps," she nods. Walking back over to the mini-shrine housing the emas, she extends her hand out to you. ??by the way, it costs 500 yen."

"She's really trying to make a killing out of you, isn't she?

Well, it's not as if you mind.

Reaching into your wallet again, you produce a 500-yen coin to give to her, which she receives with a happy smile. Walking over to the stand, you set your own ema plaque down on its wooden surface, letting it rest still as your hand travels toward the brush waiting to be used. Picking it up, you let a few drops of ink fall from the tip to the ink stone underneath before bringing it over the wooden plaque.

"-what should I wish for?" you ask, looking to Sanae.

"Anything, really. You can wish for success in work, for good health, for marital bliss? Just about any wish will do."

Any wish, huh?

Wish for?

[ ] Good health.
[ ] Marriage.
[ ] Money.

[X] ...all my friends to be safe.

It's alright, us falling apart.

Just as long as we don't hurt anybody else.

[x]Good luck

[X] Good health.

We should probably write-in here, but I don't like what's there so far, and this matches what I think our goal should be (worrying about ourself, for once) the closest of the provided choices.

[x] "Your sweet white ass."

[X] ...all my friends to be safe.
If not acceptable
[X] Good health

[x] ...all my friends to be safe.
One way to make sure that you won't turn into a monster. Care about people close to you.

I thought I'd never love Sanae again. Glad to see I was wrong.

[x] ...all my friends to be safe.
Although I didn't see a write-in option so...
[x] Marriage.
Just in case write-ins aren't accepted.

[X] ...all my friends to be safe.
and in case of "no write-ins":
[X] Good health

marriage would seem a bit weird considering that mikio is a romantic dud at the moment

[x]Peace

[x] 3 blessed scrolls of remove curse


[x] Good health.
I'm considering this to also count for "...all my friends to be safe.", as it doesn't have to (just) mean our good health.

[ ] Marriage.

Let's hope that Sanae doesn't have manipulation of the wind yet, or that 22B/22C is gonna injure a lot more than Mikio's mask.

[x] A harem of hot Tengu bitches.

>?Hmm?" She deliberates as she lifts her head, biting on the end of the brush in thought. ??For the Hakurei shrine to suddenly collapse, of course."
...And so the heavens did hear her prayer, and it came to pass.

[x] Good health.

[Q] Marriage.

There's no time like the present.

[X] Good health.

I mean Mikio doesn't care about money, and I think he doesn't need help on the marriage front. But Health? Oh yeah he can use the help.

[x] ...all my friends to be safe.

[x] Good health.

Going with one of the three writer provided choices.

>[x] To die.

...what? Wasn't this what he wanted?

[x] To be forgiven.

But serioously, I think he knows shit is wrong with him, that he did something bad, real bad. How would he feel sad when he sees Sanae?

>>15464
Holy fuck, this is brillant.

Revoting to [x] To be forgiven.

Old post deleted, changing vote.

[X] To be forgiven.

[x] To be forgiven.

[x] To be forgiven.

Was waiting for a good write in.

[x] To be forgiven.

>>15464
>>15465
That might be too meta. Mikio doesn't show signs of figuring out what might have happened.

[X] Marriage.

[X] Good health.

Asking for forgiveness requires knowing who you wronged and how, things Mikio doesn't know.

>>15472
No it doesn't. We don't have to ask for forgiveness from a specific person. We could ask for forgiveness from all wrong we have done in this life or previous ones. We could ask that all the people we've wronged would eventually come to forgive us. We encountered the yama who flat out told us we were sinners. We have headgames who keeps trying to turn us into a monster.

This isn't a confessional, but it's still religious. Asking for forgiveness for your sins (whether aware of them or not) with nothing specific in mind is perfectly acceptable.

[X] Good health
- [X] ...all my friends to be safe.

Subsection vote!

>>15470
>>15472

Oh, but he feels it. I don't know which thread it's in, but there is a scene where Mikio asks himself why he feels sad when he sees Sanae, or why is it painful.

Also, I forgot a word in >>15464
>How else would he feel sad when he sees Sanae?

[x] To be forgiven.

I voted for one of those "friends be safe" ones, but I can't remember which.

Ehhh, this looks like it's winning, anyway.

[x] To be forgiven.
[x] Offer to introduce her to Nitori and Miss Momizi.
------

If it's possible

then what I want

more than anything else

"is to be forgiven.

"-You're really giving it a lot of thought, aren't you?"

You snap to attention, turning your gaze to Sanae. She tilts her head a little to the side, looking puzzled as you stare at her. Ah, no good, no good; if you just stare at her like that, she might end up getting the wrong idea. You put on a smile, lifting the head of the brush to avoid splattering ink on the plaque before you even start writing.

"Yes, somewhat," you say with an upbeat, cheery voice. "But I know what I'm going to wish for now."

"Really?" Sanae replies with a smile, leaning forward with a curious glint in her eyes. "So, what?re you gonna wish for?"

"You'll see."

Lowering the tip of the brush down on the smooth wooden surface of the ema, you begin to paint the characters expressing your wish as best as you can, recalling painful memories of those much despised calligraphy lesssons many years before. With a finishing flourish, you stand back and admire your own writing, shining in black ink on the plaque.

"-I want to be forgiven??" Puzzled, the shrine maiden lifts her head, glancing away from the ema to look at you. "That's a strange thing to be wishing for, isn't it?"

"Is it?"

"Yeah," she nods, folding her arms together in front of her. ??Um, did you do something bad recently?"

"Ahaha, it's not like that," you say, rubbing the back of your neck. ??it's just, if I ever did do something bad, or if I wronged someone in some way, whether I intended to or not, I want to be forgiven for it."

"it's still a strange wish, though," she says rather bluntly, though with a smile, she adds: ??but you know, I think that's sweet. You're a really kind person, aren't you?"

Kind?"

"I'm? a kind person?"

"Eh? You mean you're not?"

"-No," you shake your head, maintaining an easy-going smile. Reaching down, you lift up your ema by its string, watching it dangle in the air in front of you. "I'm just happy that you think that. Right, where do I hang this?"

"Oh! Here, just hang it next to mine."

?

Stepping away, you admire the pair of ema now hanging from one of the shrine's walls, swaying slightly in the breeze and making a wooden clacking sound whenever they come in contact with one another. Sanae stands next to you, looking up at the wooden plaques with a look of hope.

"It'd be great if the wishes came true?" she says dreamily, a hand clenching into a fist just below her neck. ??Though I guess in my case, I really need to work hard for it, huh?"

"Do your best."

"-Yeah, of course."

As she gives a firm nod, you extend your hand toward her, gently gripping her by the wrist. She blinks quizzically, looking from the hand grasping her to you. With a reassuring smile, you give a careful tug, bringing her close to you.

"Let's go," you say.

"Huh?"

"You wanted to make friends, didn't you? Then let's go ahead and do that."

Alarmed, she resists. "W-w-w-wait! We're just going to? going to ask youkai to be friends with me?"

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"Well, n-no! But still, it's embarrassing?!"

"Really? Then, is there another way to do it?" you ask, curious.

"-Um, I guess not," she reluctantly admits, letting out a small sigh.

"Alright then, let's go."

A lot more willingly this time, she follows behind you as you lead her by the wrist, sticking a little closer to you now than before.

"Hey, Nitori."

"Ah, Mikio!"

The kappa bounds toward you when you come within range, diving into your midsection. With a surprised grunt, you take the tackle full-force, only barely managing to stay standing as the smaller girl wraps her arms around your waist, her face buried in your shirt. Slowly peeling herself off of you, she glances up at your face with a welcoming grin.

"Heya!" she greets you cheerfully, still hugging you. "Hey, hey, listen ?cuz it's really important but Marisa sai?"

She lets out a sudden squeak when she looks away, becoming mute. You follow her gaze to see that she's just noticed Sanae standing next to you. Cautiously, the kappa hanging off of you slowly circles around you until she's hiding behind your back, shyly peering at the other girl.

"Whoa, whoa, that's the mountain's shrine maiden, right?" she mutters in a small whisper, sounding both impressed and frightened. "Shrine maidens are scary. Marisa said shrine maidens eat ten youkai for breakfast and fifteen for lunch and dinner."

"-Miss Marisa said that to you?"

"Uh-huh."

Geeze, that witch?

"-Well, I don't know about the red and white one, but this shrine maiden won't eat you," you say, placing a hand on the back of the kappa behind you and giving her a gentle shove forward to expose her.

"Really, I swear I won't eat you," Sanae nods eagerly.

Still skeptical, Nitori leans forward, giving the shrine maiden and thorough look-over as she circles around her. With a satisfied nod, she returns to face the girl, standing up straight. She raises her hand in a military salute.

"Kawashiro Nitori, reporting in!"

"Ehh? Huh??" Fumbling her words, Sanae awkwardly mimics the kappa's salute. "K-Kochiya Sanae, um? reporting in?"

"So?" Nitori lowers her hand, looking suddenly enthusiastic about something. "How can I be of service, Captain?"

"C-captain??"

"That's you," she says, pointing at the confused shrine maiden. "You're the captain, see, because you're the shrine maiden here, and I guess that'd make your gods the commanders. So anyway, what do ya need?"

"U-um, well, I was hoping? er, that we could be?"

"She wants you to be friends with her," you interject.

"Friend?" Nitori tilts her head in puzzlement, glancing over to you before turning her gaze back to the ?Captain." She pauses for a minute, apparently thinking it over, before speaking again. "Human or god?"

"What??"

"Are you a human or a god?"

"Oh, er? both, I guess," she says uneasily.

?Half-human, half-god?"

"N-not exactly, but?"

"Alright, then we can be half-friends," Nitori says brightly with a smile.

Huh?

"-only half?" Sanae asks in a quiet voice, looking a bit downcast.

"See, "cuz humans are friends of kappa, but you're half-god, and kappa worship the mountain gods," she explains, nodding sagely. "So, half-friend, half-worshipper."

"Half-friend doesn't really sound very good, though, hahaha?"

"No?" Nitori blinks, pausing to ponder again. After a few seconds, a cheerful grin returns to her face. With a bright and cheery voice, she extends a hand to the other girl. "Alright then, we can be full friends!"

"R-right!" Sanae nods, looking overjoyed.

She takes the kappa's hands into her own, and though at first surprised when Nitori immediately pulls her into a tight embrace, she returns it without hesitation once she recovers from the initial shock, closing her eyes and smiling serenely.

"Anyway, I gotta run. Marisa said she had something cool to show me that she found in her house," Nitori says as she pulls away from the hug, gripping the straps of her backpack as she takes a couple of steps back.

Sanae watches her as she turns around to jog away, waving at her. With a small sigh, she speaks. "She's a bit strange, but she's a good kid."

?Yeah."

"-You know, this isn't really that different from making friends normally," she says, more confident now. "I guess even in Gensokyo, some things don't change."

Maybe she won't need you to introduce her to people anymore.

[ ] Let her do it herself.
[ ] Stay with her.

---

>>15464

Thank you.

[x] Let her do it herself.
-[x] Try seeing if you can catch Shizuha and/or her sister.

>Thank you.
An effective, plot-relevant write-in in FoM? I salute you, >>15464.

[X] Stay with her.

[X] Stay with her.

>>15483
About damn time no?
[x] Stay with her.

[x] Stay with her.
Could it be that he already gave up on being forgiven and knows what will happen to him and just kind of gave up alltogether?
I certainly hope that this is not the case.

[X] Stay with her.

She's more confident, but Mikio should still steer her away from youkai that aren't friendly towards humans. And a certain Oni...

>>15482
It's spring, the Aki sisters aren't around.

[X] Stay with her.

[x] Stay with her.

>Thank you.

Hehe, you're welcomed. To be honest, I thought that write-in would never fly, because it did feel meta-ish.

[x] Stay with her.

Maybe it would be better to let her do it herself, since she wouldn't become too dependent, but I like this Sanae. I want to spend as much time as possible with her.

[x] Stay with her.

[X] Stay with her.

>>15496
She's not bad, but she's behind That Sanae story's Sanae and really far behind NARH's Sanae.

[X] Stay with her.

We can't just leave her. Also, kudos to >>15464 for that write-in.

[x] Stay with her.

>>15504
>That Sanae story's Sanae

I don't read that story. Really.
>NARH's Sanae

Err, whose Sanae?

>>15524

>>14851 by NewAgeRetroHippie.

[x] Stay with her.

[x] Stay with her.
------

? No, it's still best to remain with her. For the sake of being able to help her in any way that you can, you need to stay close to her.

You feel your mouth become a faint smile. "it's easier than it seems, isn't it? I also used to have trouble making friends, but there are many friendly people in Gensokyo. I'm truly glad that I was able to meet them."

"Y-yeah, I kind of thought that, well," She pauses for a second, her lips set in a firm line as she carefully considers her next words, ??since the people here are so, um, different, that I'd have a really hard time adjusting. But you know, that hasn't really been that much of a problem. Not as much as I thought it would be, anyway."

"Then, would you like me to introduce you to another one of my friends?"

She nods. "Mmm."

Looking over the crowd, you scan around for Miss Momizi. You locate her sitting at one of the tables set out for the occasion, having a quiet drink for herself. Leading Sanae by her wrist, you stride over to that particular table, waving a hand in greeting as you take a seat across the table, with the girl next to you seating herself as well.

"Enjoying yourself, Mikio?" Miss Momizi asks, slowly draining a dish of sake. She turns her gaze onto your company, who shies away a little under scrutiny as the wolf tengu looks at her with interest. "And I hope you're enjoying the festivities as well, priestess."

"Ah, yeah?"

"Anyway, did you need something from me, Mikio?"

"Ah, you could tell?"

"Of course," she says with a proud smirk, closing one eye. "Your gait wasn't the one of a person who just happened to find a familiar person in a crowd, but of someone with a purpose."

"Haha . As sharp as always, Miss Momizi."

She smiles, setting the dish down onto the table as she leans back a little, more relaxed. "It is a requirement for my duties, after all."

Sanae pipes up excitedly. "I know about that! Wolf tengu are in charge of patrol and watch, right?"

"That's right."

She gives a small bow. "Thank you for your hard work."

"No need to thank us. it's been a part of our lives for hundreds of years," Miss Momizi replies, showing a friendly grin to the girl, before glancing your way. "So, what is it, Mikio?"

"Ah, that's right. Um, if it's not too much trouble?"

You point a finger at the girl seated next to you.

"Would you be a friend of hers?"

"-Excuse me?" She asks quizzically, her ears giving a curious twitch as she shifts her attention to Sanae again, surveying her for a moment and gazing back at you. "That's a pretty strange request."

"it's no good?"

She crosses her arms together. Closing one eye again, she watches the other girl for a second more before letting out a small chuckle and replying. "I didn't say that. I wouldn't mind company like her."

Sanae immediately looks relieved, starting forward with her mouth opening slightly, about to give voice to a few words. However, Miss Momizi raises a hand, stopping her from talking. Obediently, the girl sits back with her hands folded on top of her lap, waiting politely.

"But first of all," the wolf tengu begins with a slightly hard edge to her voice, sounding sterner than before. She knits her brows, hesitating to speak. ??well, it might be just my impression, but it seems to me like you? well, like you treat youkai differently."

"-Huh?"

Hastily, Miss Momizi follows up. "Don't worry. I'm not trying to insult you or anything like that. it's just that I noticed, whenever you talk to youkai like us, whether it's the tengu or the kappa, you? always look so scared of everyone."

Sanae visibly flinches at that remark. "T-that's not true. Um, I'm? I'm a living god, so I'm not scared of any youkai?"

"You don't sound so sure about that," Miss Momizi cuts her off, and lets out a small sigh. "Listen, you're not a Gensokyo native, are you? I can understand if you really aren't used to being around youkai like us, and I definitely don't blame you if you're even scared of us; that's something even a human from Gensokyo usually can't avoid."

She nods along, listening carefully as Miss Momizi continues to lecture her. She's intrigued, like she's finally hearing the answer to a question that's been plaguing her mind ever since her arrival here.

It? really, truly must have bothered her, to suddenly become part of a world where seeing creatures of legend and fantasy is a daily occurrence. She always did appear to be scared of them all, after all. Now that Miss Momizi's mentioned it, it becomes obvious; whenever she's around youkai, even you, she's always choosing her words so carefully before she speaks, always appearing so meek. During the time you spent with her, she's shown you glimpses of a more energetic and outgoing girl, but even then it seems like she goes out of her way to be polite, like she's holding herself back.

"But look over there," says Miss Momizi, pointing to another nearby table. Her finger is directed to Miss Aya and Hakurei, having a drink with one another with a surprising level of amiability between them. "Do you know why so many of the Hakurei Shrine's visitors are youkai?"

"-Um, that?s? because her shrine's lost its god, isn't it?" Sanae answers, unsure.

"No, that has nothing to do with it. it's because the Hakurei shrine maiden, when not resolving an incident, treats humans and youkai equally. I've been watching her too, whenever Miss Aya would drag me off to festivities at her shrine, and from what I saw, she doesn't discriminate between humans and youkai, and that's a refreshing trait; it's a trait we can admire."

She points next to yet another place in the party, more specifically at Lady Suwako. She's completely redfaced from alcohol, sitting between a similarly drunken human and a yamabushi tengu with her arms wrapped around their shoulders as the three of them sway around from side-to-side, singing a loud, boisterous, and inebriated song together. Sanae's cheeks redden slightly when she sees them.

"Your gods, too. Whether it's humans or youkai, it doesn't matter. they're all valued followers. it's because of their wish to establish a close, friendly bond with both the humans and youkai here that their stay at the mountain has been as successful as it has been."

She stops, and Sanae lowers her head, reflecting on what was said in silence.

Finally, Miss Momizi speaks again. "Do you get what I'm trying to tell you?"

No reply.

"If you're really serious about earning the trust and friendship of youkai, then you can't do it with with a mask on. No offense, Mikio."

You only return a grin as Miss Momizi looks to you apologetically. She's right, though. If she was able to pick up on that aspect of the girl, then there may be those who take offense at being treatedly differently from humans, no matter how subtle, how down-played the difference is. If she doesn't get over her fear of youkai, then it isn't possible that she'd be able to really create a meaningful relationship with one.

Even monsters don't enjoy being hated and discriminated against for what they are.

"Sanae," you finally speak up, looking to her. "I think what she's saying is: You should just be yourself, whether you're speaking to a youkai or a human. You shouldn't hide your true self from someone you want to call a friend, right?"

That's right.

"Can I? really do something like that?" Sanae says, uncertain.

Miss Momizi extends a hand across the table to her. "You can try."

She stares at the hand offered to her, before nodding, a wide, happy grin on her face. Eagerly, she takes the hand in both of hers, giving it a vigorously shake. Miss Momizi returns the smile.

"Then, I really won't hold myself back anymore," Sanae says, nodding again as she adopts a look of solemnity. "To show that, I want to make a request of you, Miss Momizi. Something that I've been holding in ever since I've arrived here!"

"What is it?"

"I really, really want to touch your tail," Sanae says, leaning forward. "Can I? Please?"

"T-that's a pretty steep first request to be making," Miss Momizi stammers out a response, her face flushing slightly.

The other girl claps her hands together pleadingly. "Pleeeeaaase? Just a little?"

"E-ergh?" Miss Momizi draws back uncomfortably under the shrine maiden's sparkling, beseeching eyes, and you can almost literally see her defenses crumbling. "F-fine, but just a little, okay?"

Sanae gives a small fist pump before springing to her feet, hurrying around the table to where Miss Momizi's seated at a near-running pace. Plopping down next to the tengu, she cautiously reaches out with her hands as Miss Momizi's tail wavers back and forth, her eyes following its movements. Carefully, she lays a hand on it. It slows its swaying to a stop, and Miss Momizi's body tenses up a little.

"-Wow, it feels just like I thought it would!" Sanae remarks happily as she places the tail on her lap, gently stroking a hand through the fur.

"Y-yes, and? um, would that be enough?"

Without warning, Sanae suddenly hugs the tail to herself, rubbing her face against it. "Ahhh, it's so soft~! I could just fall asleep on it~!"

Miss Momizi lets out a sharp yelp, the fur on her tail standing on their end in bristles. Now she has a definite blush on her face. Sleep on her tail, huh? How many years has it been since you last did that?

"Oi, Kirita."

You suddenly feel a pair of hands on your shoulders before you're yanked up to your feet, shoved along from behind and forced to march in front of a number of other tengu, whooping and cheering as they direct you to another table.

"Rematch, rematch, rematch!" they seem to be chanting.

"Ahah, so you'll be my opponent again?" Lady Kanako says with a smirk as you're forced to sit down across from her.

"Eh? Huh? Me?" you say, pointing to yourself.

"C'mon, Kirita! Last time was a fluke!"

"Don't hold back this time!"

What?

Does every celebration need to end this way? Honestly?

[ ] Resign yourself to this fate.
[ ] Escape the mob.

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.

[x] Resign yourself to this fate.
>Ahhh, it's so soft~! I could just fall asleep on it~!
Awwwwwwwww. At least Sanae doesn't need our help anymore. Too bad we won't be able to see what happens next.
>Sleep on her tail, huh? How many years has it been since you last did that?
Momizi always felt like a mother taking care of us.

Miss Momizi surely has a philosophical side. And I like it.

[c] Resign yourself to this fate.

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.

Sanae brings something new to the drinking arena:
The Funnel and Tube.

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.

>>15550
You know, I do, too.

Philosophical Momiji is something I could stand to see more of.

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.
Let's goo!

[x] Resign yourself to this fate.

[x] Escape the mob.

Seems like the Touhous spend most of their time drinking. And not tea.

>One characteristic of Tengu is that they're pretty much all cheerful heavy drinkers.

In any party involving them, alcohol's bound to be involved.

Tea is for relaxing, booze is for partying.

>[] Escape the mob.

As much as I'd love reading another Scooby Doo-esque chase scene...

[x] Resign yourself to this fate.

She got lucky last time, let's show her what were really made of now.

[x] Show them how it's done.

Enough "resign" this and "fate" that. We need to start enjoying ourselves for once.

Show them that competitive spark that earned you a place among the Tengu!

[X] Resign yourself to this fate.

[x] Show them how it's done.
I love the spirit of this.

[x] Show them how it's done.

HELL YEAH MOTHERFUCKER

[X] Show them how it's done.
We shall reclaim our title.

[X] Show them how it's done

You? Beat me in a drinking contest?

WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM?!

>>15560

This is the attitude Mikio needs! He's the kid that came outta nowhere, couldn't even speak, didn't know WHAT the hell was going on. Yet he outdrank every damn Tengu and even said to the King, "Fuck you, I'ma drink your ass under the table!". He just about did it too.

[x] Show them how it's done
Changing my vote from one Resign yourself to this fate to this.

[X] "Bring it on, snake lady!" Show them how it's done.

It's a festival. Let's be festive!

[x] Show them how it's done

[x] Show them how it's done

Nice to hear that about Reimu, one strike against bad fanon. I smell yet another flash back coming. And I was hoping for Fall too.

I like this better; if we're going to get stuck doing it, we might as well go full blast and enjoy it. This may be the best attitude to break out of whatever ruts he's in.

[x] Resign yourself to this fate/Show them how it's done.
------

Well, it's inevitable, after all. With the tengu's sense of competition being what it is, they were bound to end up roping you into something like this. Hahaha, if it's come down to this, you might as well really go all out. it's a festival, so you need to be festive, and really show everyone how you earned the name the old man was so proud to give you.

"It seems like everyone's counting on me," you say, taking into your hand a sake dish offered to you and setting it down on the surface of the table before you. "I guess I don't have a choice."

Lady Kanako snorts. "How weak."

"Eh?"

"If your conviction is only that ?the other people are telling me to do this," you'll never be able to defeat me. With a resolve as half-hearted as that, what can you expect to accomplish? I'm not interested in an opponent with such a weak will. If you're intending to match me, then show me a strong will undiluted by hesitation, as pure as the sake that swirls within these bottles."

Um, it's just drinking, though?

But, well, she does have a point. You nod. "I understand."

"Heh, well, we'll see about that," she says, turning her gaze away and to the other god, who's just finished her trio number. "Froggy, come over here for a bit."

With dizzy, stumbling movements, Lady Suwako hops over to your table. She still carries a heavy blush on her face, her small body swaying around drunkenly. Even the eyes on her hat seems to be spinning around, disoriented.

???sup?"

"Make an appropriate stage for us."

"-kay."

The littler god claps her hands together before kneeling on the ground, placing her palms on the earth beneath the table. For about half a second, nothing happens. Then, it hits; a small quake in the earth as the ground you're seated on rises and rises?and comes to an abrupt stop no higher than maybe a couple of inches off the rest of the ground.

"Feeling impotent today, aren't you?" Lady Kanako says with a sneer.

"Whooooops~! Here, lemme fix that riiiiiight up."

Lady Suwako claps her hands together again, this time, slamming the earth with one palm. At the same time she makes contact with the ground, a small human-sized fist made up of the dirt between Lady Kanako's legs fly up, connecting harshly with her jaw in a sucker uppercut before withdrawing back into the earth.

"Hahaha! My bad~!"

Lady Kanako, her head still jerked back from the force of the blow, calmly returns to a straight sitting position. She slowly turns her head to the earth god, a disturbingly cold smile on her face. "Oh no, it's quite alright, my dear friend. Accidents happen. Now, kindly do go on."

"What the heck, you're creeping me out," Lady Suwako says, shuddering.

Nevertheless, she claps her hands together for the third time, and gently pushes against the earth beneath her. The small platform that's already been raised soars into the air with such velocity that you feel yourself being pressed against the ground from the air hitting against you.

"There, that should do, right?"

"Yes, now get off."

Lady Kanako thrusts a hand toward the other god, and a sudden, concentrated gust of wind whips around, hitting Lady Suwako full-force and launching her back, sending her flying off the raised platform of earth. You can hear her scream all the way down as she falls.

"Y-you two play rough," you say, a little shaken.

She flashes a smug grin. "This is pretty normal for gods."

You look over the edge of the platform you're sitting on. Below you, the crowds at the festival grounds seem like little specks, though doubtlessly many of the tengu gathered there can probably see you just fine. "This is high up."

"But not so high that it would reach the heavens," Lady Kanako remarks, folding her arms together. "No matter how high the earth may reach up, the tallest of mountains cannot even touch the skies where the gods dwell. It is the earth's destiny to always be below heaven."

That's a rather arrogant statement.

She pauses, before waving her arm over the table. As she does, she conjures up several bottles to sit on the table, filled to the brim with clear liquid. "Brewed from the finest stalks of rice harvested last year, and allowed to age for months. This is as good as it gets, for a drink with a place in history over three-thousand years old."

"I? I see."

"Don't treat it lightly, or you'll anger the god of drinks," she says, smirking again. "Now, let's begin."

She grabs one of the bottles by the neck, popping the cork open with a thumb. She pours the drink into her dish, swirling it around before passing it to you. You receive the bottle with both hands, carefully pouring into your own dish. Setting it back down on the table, you take a careful first sip.

"it's? warm."

?And it'll pack quite a punch," she says as she drains her dish. "Mmm. Say, what say you we step this up a little?"

"Step this up?"

"A danmaku festival," she says, her eyes giving off a devious glint. "It'll be quite simple. We take turns holding the bottle, and the one who's not in possession of it will go on the offense and declare a spellcard. The defense, on the other hand, will attempt to pour and drink their share while dodging the danmaku from the offense. You lose if you drop your dish or the bottle, or if you pass out. Of course, you can also forfeit at any time."

That? sounds difficult.

She folds her arms together again, closing one eye as she shows you an conceited smirk, as if trying to taunt you into accepting. "Are you up for it?"

[ ] Accept.
[ ] No way!

[X] Accept.

[x] Accept.

Sounds fun.

[C] Accept.

We don't get drunk. We eventually get sick and pass out, but we don't suffer from the intervening inebriation. From her behavior at the last contest, she most certainly does get tipsy.

Unrelated:
Lion, I'd like to give you my kudos. I've only just recently gotten up to date on both your stories. They are easily among the best on this website. Even the other stories I've loved here have had annoying aspects to them (SDMLA and The Game's absurdly OOC fanon versions of characters, Norseman & Glasnost's incredible slowness, Fallout's increasingly sloppy editing, AG's insultingly condescending interludes, Palingenesia's mile-high slippery ice walls), but if there's anything bad I can say about yours, it's the unshakeable dread that it's going to end like RaAN, the only other story I can't think of anything to complain about (besides the obvious). Guh, enough gushing.
TL;DR: Your stories are good and you should feel good.

[X] Accept.

>>15591
Second. And you don't need to worry about RAAN END; if how he acts on IRC is any indication, Lion's far too mellow to ragequit.

[x] Accept.
>>15591
True words.

[x] Accept.

'kay

>>15591

Amen to that.

>If your conviction is only that ?the other people are telling me to do this," you'll never be able to defeat me. With a resolve as half-hearted as that, what can you expect to accomplish? I'm not interested in an opponent with such a weak will. If you're intending to match me, then show me a strong will undiluted by hesitation, as pure as the sake that swirls within these bottles.."

She wants strong will? Oh we'll give her strong will, alright! Mikio should take those words to heart, as well.

[X] Accept.

[X] No way!
She's vastly superior in Danmaku but weaker with alcohol. Is she trying to turn a drinking contest into a battle to compensate for something? Is she afraid to face him on a regular drinking game?

[X] Accept.

>>15601
To be honest she has far less experience than Mikio in this, and he's fought alot of spell card battles. And he doesn't have to hit her; just dodge. Grazing is best done slowly anyways.

[x] Accept.

[X] Accept.

As if we could refuse

[x] Accept.

[Q] Accept.

I don't believe there is any alternative.

Also, off-topic musings:

By a rough timeline, Mikio is currently about 24~ish (assuming he still ages normally). Let that sink in- he's tall and in excellent physical shape. Now, re-read the last scene with Nitori, where she tackles him, with that in mind.

His image has changed quite a bit, hasn't it...

>>15623
Except he's NOT tall. He's often grumbling that he's only slightly taller than Momizi. Additionally, he's still referred to as being "boyish".
If you ask me, the fact that he seems like he doesn't look like a 23-24 year-old should might have something to do with his supernatural aspects. Or he could just be built that way. Pic related.

>>15624

There's also the whole "nobody ages in Gensokyo/Reimu is still 16" thing going on.

[X] Accept.

>>15624
He is some kind of youkai so i don't think the law of aging applies to him that much.

>>15627

Mikio is human. He's just a bit schizofrenic, that's all.

>>15628
... Because humans are capable of punching kappa so hard they fly into trees.
If he is human, he's the same kind of "human" as Sakuya.

>>15629

That could work too. But Mikio seems to be showing more and more youkai-like traits as the story progresses on. Question is, will he stay in his right mind at the end?

Random question: Has Mikio ever been officially drawn or otherwise visually represented? I don't think so as far as I remember.

This bothers me.

>>15631

...damn, you're right. I'll try to contact the drawfags.

>>15629

Well, Marisa is a human. Reimu is a human too. Alice was human.

Just because someone is human, it doesn't mean they must be powerless.

>>15635
Yeah, I do think Mikio's up there with them; he's strong enough for his ruse as a Tengu to pass.

>>15635
Last I checked, Reimu and Marisa don't have superhuman reflexes or strength. They ARE pretty physically weak, at least compared to Youkai. So... My point still stands.

[x] Accept.
------

Though at first, you feel a wave of fear and anxiety rush over your being at the thought of engaging a god like her in battle, when it all comes down to it, it's really just in good fun, isn't it? Combining a drinking match with danmaku sounds like a pretty interesting idea as well.

You grin, touching a hand to the middle of your body as you say your words of acceptance. "Yes, Lady Yasaka."

She smirks. "Hoh? And what is your reason for accepting? Is it once again because you feel that you need to do it for the others?"

You shake your head. "No. This time, I'm doing it for myself, because it sounds like fun, and I want to win.?

"Now, that's much better," Lady Kanako says with a nod.

Still smirking, she slowly begins to float in the air while fixed in her seated position, rising into the sky as though an invisible platform was slowly lifting her up from below. The bottle on the table rises with her, gently rotating around the god's body as she continues her ascent. With one hand gripping your thigh, you lift yourself up from the raised earth beneath you, looking up at the god as she retreats back. Bending your knees slightly, you kick up off the ground and rise into the air with her.

You imagine there's probably some confused murmuring going on down below, as the others try to ascertain what the two of you are up to. Well, since they're the crowd here, you might as well give them all a good show. Ah, it's going to be a bit hard to fight like this though; with your hands occupied, you're not going to be able to use your sword's effect to synergize with your magic.

"Well, since I am the challenger?" Lady Kanako begins, snatching the floating bottle out of the air by its neck. She raises her dish toward you, and grins. "I suppose it would only be courteous of me to allow you to go on the offensive first."

She's still in a sitting position as she flies in the sky, seamlessly, naturally, and effortlessly. Of course, she's a god with the power to create heaven, after all. Controlling the flow of the wind, subduing and suppressing turbulence, and stabilizing herself within the air so perfectly should be of no problem to her.

You nod. "Then, I'll begin."

You toss the sake dish in your right hand into the air. With a quick movement of the arms, you grab the hilt of your sword, unsheathing it in a flash. Using your left hand, you catch the dish falling from its ascent. Raising the tip of the sword up, you wave it toward the god opposing you like a baton, and the breeze surrounding you becomes focused and sharp, shifting to the same direction you gestured toward.

Drawing your arm back, you thrust with your sword, and several green blasts of magic erupt from your hand, clenched tightly around the hilt of your sword. Spreading out in vertical circle in front of you, the initially formless blasts sharpen into deadly-looking crescent blades, and shoot toward the god, guided by the wind.

Lady Kanako smirks confidently as she watches the sharp blades of wind close in on her. Taking a deep breath, she leans forward, and gently blows out air from her puckered lips. The air around her surges with violent motion, and the blasts are all knocked away in an instant, fizzling out as they go off-course. Well, you didn't expect to be very successful with that, anyway.

"Is a tengu's mastery over the wind only to this extent?" she says tauntingly, taking her time as she brings the neck of the bottle to her dish, pouring only a few drops. "Come now, you must be able to do better than that."

"Well? I hope not to disappoint you," you say with a calm smile.

Your smile disappears as you furrow your brows in concentration. Pointing your sword at various points in the air, you focus in on those points, shifting and bending the current of air. Force meets force, and spins wildly out of control. Gritting your teeth, you thrust your other hand, still holding onto your dish, forward. The mini-cyclones creating a disturbance in the air are ?pushed? apart, scattered all over the air.

Lady Kanako watches them with a distant interest, pouring more of the liquor into her dish. it's pretty taxing to keep up those cyclones, but with a bit more focus, you create colorful bullets within the center of those whirlwinds. With just a little more push, they're caught up in the powerful spinning force, and with the cyclones spread out, surrounding the god, she's caught up in a hailstorm of randomly flying bullets.

"Not a bad trick," she muses, sparing the incoming bullets a cautious glance.

There's no way she can dodge them all, they're moving way too fast for that. At least one of them have to hit, and if you can just stun her with one good blow, then you can close in and knock either that bottle or her sake dish out of her hand, whichever one is more convenient at the moment of the attack.

But

She weaves in and out of the storm.

One of the bullets whizzes past her head, missing it by mere inches.

Another just barely grazes her shoulder, but it's not enough to do anything to her.

And yet, even as the bullets are flying past so close to her, she's in complete control. Not one bullet is able to get in a square hit as she calmly ducks, zips, and soars out of harm's way, seemingly effortlessly.

And she's doing this while balancing her dish on top of her palm!

As the last of the bullets ineffectually flies past her, she takes the time to take a good, long drink from her dish, letting out a satisfied sigh and wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Ah, that's good! Well then, it's your turn now, tengu reporter."

She tosses the bottle into the air, and waves her hand. The bottle, flying through the air, suddenly disappears from view, appearing again unexpectedly just before you. You fumble with it, nearly letting it fall. Some of it spills, but there's still quite a lot left in the bottle. Hugging the bottle to your body with one arm, you sheath your sword so that you can use that hand freely.

You're not going to like this bit at all.

Lady Kanako grins confidently. Crossing her arms together, she finally straightens her body, facing you while ?standing." Behind her, bundles of straw begin to gather together, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Knitting themselves together, they form a thick, strong rope, which coils itself into a circle, floating behind the god.

"I wonder if you'll be able to withstand my attacks."

You gulp, bracing yourself for the incoming attack. Whatever's coming has to be tough; it's an assault by a god, after all.

[ ] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.
[ ] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

[x] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

Observation is never a bad idea.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

Do iiiiiiit.

[X] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[x] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

The drunken Danmaku.

[X] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

>And she's doing this while balancing her dish on top of her palm!

Looking kinda Yuugi there, Kanako.

[X] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[X] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[x] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[X] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

Eventually, we'll have to channel Jackie Chan if we get too drunk, or if Kanako decides to go Lunatic.

[Q] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

It's probably a doomed endeavor, but we will damn well survive long enough to look cool.

[Q] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

Chugging Kanako's most expensive liquor and then being annihilated in a tidal wave of danmaku? That itself is pretty badass.

Besides, the only advantage Mikio has is in his tolerance for alcohol. He's better off attempting to goading Kanako into drinking more than she would otherwise than by attempting to time her out. From his own description, he's absolutely outmatched. Kanako on the other hand doesn't get to show off her stuff if the fight ends right away, so she'll probably go easy on him at first. Hopefully by the time she decides to finish it, the alcohol will already be taking its toll.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

>>15658
Exactly.
Even if she can endure more booze before passing out, she sure as hell doesn't stay sober like we do.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

[x] Hurry and drink! It might leave you open for a bit, but the less you have to endure her attacks, the better.

Checking...

In >>10536 , it was noted after winning that drinking contest we didn't seem drunk at all. (There was a slight shaking we noticed, but others didn't.)

Similar in >>12264 , less affected than the others... one of them being an Oni.

I wonder if the difference between the 'body tolerance', so to speak, of alcohol vs what the 'mental tolerance' is some kind of weird hint about our body. (I suspect it is - probably an indicator that 'Mikio' is controlling his body more like a remote-controlled puppet. In this case, instead of his brain getting plastered, his mind only feels it's effects indirectly from the rest of the body it's controlling. If that makes any sense.)

[x] Focus on dodging; making sure you stay in the game takes priority over everything else.
------

No matter how she decides to start this off, you're probably in danger. You're not sure how you're going to manage to pour yourself a drink and gulp it down while dodging her attacks, but you'll just have to manage somehow. it's much too late to back out now, anyway, so you might as well give this your best effort, and prepare yourself for what's the come.

She's surely not allowing you time to drink while she's preparing her attack, because as soon as the bottle is in your hand, and just after speaking those taunting words to you, she waves her arm toward you. As she does so, sharp steel daggers appear in the air before her, their points aimed at you as they float, suspended in place.

"The famed iron weapons of Suwa," she says musingly, looking at the weapons aligned in front of her with a look of recollection. "With the blessing of the earth god, these blades sliced through the swords and spears of those who threatened the kingdom."

She snaps her fingers, and in an instant, the dozens of blades gathered in the air launch themselves at you. Not good, you won't be able to defend yourself with your sword, holding this bottle and this dish in your hands. You'll just have to try to dodge them all!

Pulling yourself back, you narrow your eyes as you concentrate. The foremost of the blades charging at you is aimed toward your head. You jerk your head to the right, allowing it to fly past you. With a kick, you knock away another blade aimed at your leg.

"Tch!"

Clicking your tongue, you twist your body in midair, arching yourself back to just narrowly slip inside a gap between the incoming knives.

"Ugh?!"

You feel a sharp pain in your shoulder. Glancing at the source of the pain, you see that a knife has embedded itself in your sleeve. But there's no blood. You're still under the effects of the spellcard rules, after all. The knife soon falls out of your sleeve, leaving behind a tear in the cloth but no physical wounds.

Wincing from the throbbing, stabbing pain in your arm, you glance back at Lady Kanako, since you've successfully cleared the first wave. Now is your chance to?wait, where did she go?

Ah.

A sudden change in the flow of the wind.

"Damn?!"

You curse as you toss the bottle of sake up into the air, reaching for the hilt of your sword as fast as you can as you turn around and?!

Clang!

Only half-drawn from its sheath, your blade clashes against Lady Kanako's sword and lets out a small yet bright spark as steel grinds against steel. The blow pushes you back in the air, but thankfully, the god chooses not to follow up. That was unexpected. You didn't think she would attempt a physical attack so soon.

"You've got pretty good reflexes, don't you?"

You slide your sword back into its sheath fully, reaching out toward the falling sake bottle in the air with your hand and pulling back. Following the motion of your hand, the wind grasps the bottle out of the air, safely carrying it back into your hand.

"I guess you could say that," you say with an uneasy grin, hurriedly pouring into the sake dish in your hand, though in your shakiness, you spill a little of the drink.

She makes no effort to stop you as you drink from your dish, throwing aside the steel sword held in her hand. The discarded blade fades from view not a second after it leaves her hand. She uses her godly powers freely for convenience, doesn't she?

As soon as you part your lips from your dish, she waves a hand toward you yet again. The bottle in your hand is yanked from your fingers, returning to the god, who receives the bottle with grace not demonstrated by you when she transferred possession of it to you. With a calm smirk, she waits, bottle and sake dish in hand. She's waiting for you to make your attack.

[ ] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.
[ ] Use long-range attacks with deceptive qualities. If you can't match her in sheer offense, you'll compensate for it with cunning.

[x] Use long-range attacks with deceptive qualities. If you can't match her in sheer offense, you'll compensate for it with cunning.

Move in only when she starts slipping up.

[x] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[X] Use long-range attacks with deceptive qualities. If you can't match her in sheer offense, you'll compensate for it with cunning.

One round and she's already feeling cocky? We can use this against her.

[x] Use long-range attacks with deceptive qualities. If you can't match her in sheer offense, you'll compensate for it with cunning.

He should save deceptions for when she is drunk-if he lasts that long anyway.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

Illusionary fucking Dominance!...no but seriously, this is a Guncannon war goddess we are fighting against. She probably knows battle strategies out the wazoo and would be able to figure out our ranged strategies immediately. We should wait until she's good and drunk to pull out he fancy stuff. Besides, I don't think she'd expect us to use a close-ranged attack after getting as close as she got to her. In her mind, she'd probably think we were intimidated by her. We can use her arrogance to our advantage. By using close-range, we can catch her off guard easier since she also has to hold the sake bottle.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[Q] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

OH HEY LETS CHALLENGE A WEATHER GOD IN MELEE COMBAT!

>>15701

I see few problems with that.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

Then try to deceive her while she's drunk. I like this plan.

>>15701
This only works with the help from Yuuka and a hand grenade.

>>15705
Don't forget the help of a little surprise.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

>>15706

Oho~

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[X] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.

[x] Get in close. This might be the only way to really put the pressure on her.
------

She's still toying with you, wearing that confident smirk on her face. You could try continuing with the long-range assault, but given the skills she's displayed in evading your attacks seemingly without effort makes you doubt your ability to match her at a distance.

Not when she's still clear-headed, anyway.

You weigh down your sheath with your arm as you pull your blade free from it, the sound of the metal scraping against the inside resonating as you give the sword a swing. If you can't match her from a distance, you'll just have to get in close.

After all, you don't want to give her any chances at returning to the offense. To do that, you'll just have to make sure you don't give her the chance to drink.

She seems a little surprised when you dive your head forward, your arms spread out at either sides as you charge toward her at breakneck speed. Guess she really wasn't expecting a frontal physical assault, either. Seconds away from confronting her, your eyes dart around, trying to figure from where to begin the assault.

There.

Whipping your arm around, you draw back the blade of your sword. A horizontal swing to the pelvis, easily deflected with only her arm. Undaunted, you reach back with your leg, sending a knee up. She counters it with her own, probably hurting you a lot more than it hurt her.

Wincing slightly as you watch her sneer at you, you dart around behind her with a swift burst of speed. Yelling, you grasp the hilt tightly with both hands, thrusting the tip of the sword at her exposed back.

Clack!

With a roundhouse, she redirects the blade, blocking the edge with only the sole of her geta. Her smirk seems more vicious now, as she looks at you, showing her bared, clenched teeth as she laughs.

"Not quite quick enough."

"Ah?!"

You rush forward as you see her tipping the bottle over her dish. She must not be allowed to drink. With a carefully aimed blow, you strike at the objects held in her hand with your sword. She spares little effort in backing away from your attack, not even needing to interrupt what she's doing to avoid you.

She raises the dish up to her lips, draining it at a leisurely pace. Damn, you couldn't stop her in time. Letting out an exasperated sigh, you fly away from her, putting some distance between the two of you before she can start her next attack. it's best to be as far away from her as you can, since that'll give you more time to react when she begins her assault.

"Just a word of warning, but," Lady Kanako begins slowly, her speech slightly slurred as her face glows slightly. ??I might not be able to hold myself back too much."

Looks like the alcohol's already taking its effects on her. You're not feeling it yet, but it must be quite potent, if it's able to affect her after only three drinks, when normally it would take much more than that for her.

She tosses the bottle up into the air, and snaps her fingers. The bottle fades out of sight once more, reappearing just within your reach. This time, you manage to catch it without any embarrassing fumbling. As soon as it's within your hand, Lady Kanako lowers her head, and claps her hands together.

"Come to me, my onbashira!"

In that same mysterious way she materializes the bottle in your hands, four pillars of wood phasing into existence. Tall, thick, and black with smooth surfaces, the hexagonal pillars gather behind the god, their ends convulging together behind the circular rope that adorns the god's back.

Lady Kanako shows another confident, almost cruel-looking smirk as she points her hand out toward you. "Go."

The pillars gathered at her back all point toward you, and at her command, they all speed toward you like launched javelins. For such heavy-looking pillars to move so fast? it's going to hurt so much to get hit by one of those!

The four pillars diverge from one another, spreading out and surrounding you. You quickly turn around, one pillar just barely missing you as it flies past you, the mere force of the air it's displacing as it soars being enough to push you back a little. Not given a chance to recover, you duck low, letting another of the pillars to pass by you.

"Uhagh?!"

A third pillar slams its end directly into your back. A blunt pain spreads throughout your body, nearly paralyzing you. The pillar continues to move forward even after it's struck you, pushing you along and?

"Aaaagghhh!"

"setting you up to be struck from the front by the fourth pillar. It was bad enough being merely struck by one, but it's even more severe now that you've smashed between two. In your agony, the objects in your hand nearly slip out of your grasp, though somehow you manage to keep hold of both your consciousness as well as the bottle and the dish.

But?

You can't move?"

"Ugh?" you let out a pained gasp, your legs failing uselessly in the air.

it's no good. The pillars pinning you between them are constantly pressing you against one another, and it's impossible to squeeze yourself out from between them. With what limited use of your hands you have, you try to shove against the pillar pushing you from the front, but it's no good.

Looking up, you see Lady Kanako with her arms crossed, still smirking. She probably thinks she's already won this. Gasping again with pain, your eyes dart to the other two pillars circling around you. They rise up above you, and pointing down at you, ready themselves to fly down and finish you off.

[ ] Checkmate.
[ ] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [ ] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [ ] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

Desperation Option.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

Pushing sounds like it'll be weak and ineffective. Smashing the pillars somehow sounds more hotblooded and effective. Also have a feeling he might just use some of the power from That darkness guy, totally can't remember if he has a name right now. Quite far fetched but I just can't quite shake the feeling.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

inb4 darkness overload

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

Well, this seems like the 'release your youkai' option. I still think that without practice to control headgames' power, it'll just get worse and Mikio will go insane eventually. So, what better situation than now to give it a test run with a burst of adrenaline? Surely, nothing can go wrong!

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!
--- [x] RIP AND TEAR

Since forever we are trying to prevent giving in to the darkness. And now here we are voting for something that could possible bring us a bit closer to it.
I would like to hear your reasons why you voted for this.

>>15745

I see it as a opportunity to show what Mikio has been bottling up all this time. If he continued to do so without letting anyone help or even know about it, I feel it would consume him and say hi to BAD END. This little outburst will show everyone what's happening, they can help him with moral support or even how to suppress it. Maybe we can even control it's power and bend it to our will with enough hard work and guts?

Plus I don't think the first outburst would be THAT bad, don't believe much power would be use and it would only basically bring light to Mikio's situation.

That's my way of thinking. I see Mikio being somewhat similar to Tsukune from Rosario + Vampire if he were to get help.

>>15745

Curiosity.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [X] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

Sure it may not end well, but If we go youkai, we could lie and say it was a DRUNKEN FRENZY, but probably wouldn't be that effective since Kanako knows we're not drunk yet the darkness activating may just get Suwako's attention as well, and then we could get some insight about what happened to Hoshuu if we're lucky.

[Q] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [Q] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

We're high enough up.

[ ] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [ ] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

I do believe it's either one or the other this time. And not only does >>15747's reasoning sound good enough for me, but the picture of Mikio smashing a God's weapon/symbol/whatever those things are to Kanako to be pretty impressive.

>they can help him with moral support or even how to suppress it.
I like your reasoning. Until now it was only him alone and he did not accept or want someone else to help him. He made many friends already, they are all present too, so it might be for the better that he stops fighting this alone.
>Tsukune from Rosario + Vampire
He does not have 4 or 5 girls following him around everywhere.

>>15754
Hah you know what I meant.

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

>>15747
He already had an rather nasty outburst against that Youkai.

Let's see how badly this goes.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [X] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!
--- [X] Rip and tear, Rip and Tear! Rip and Tear your Pillars!
--- [X] THEY ARE HUGE, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE HUGE GUTS! RIP AND TEAR

>>15759

Huh I totally forgot about that one, I still think we should have taken the risk and end that guy's life.

>>15754
>He does not have 4 or 5 girls following him around everywhere.

But there are girls everywhere!

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [X] Do whatever it takes to push yourself out of this!
At last, victory!

>>15770

Very true. And Aya constantly has the darkness=Mikio's first legitimate duel victory!

>>15774

The problem is has Mikio ever dueled anyone that was weaker than he was?

>>15777
Nope, in his duel history, it's been mainly stage 5/6 bosses and Marisa, and that little thing with Aya. Every time he was outmatched.

>>15774
I think he's more stage 4 mid boss quality. And only in Shounen does a victory won with your super powered evil side count as a legitimate one.

>>15774
Let's see...

Sakuya: Win/Draw.
Youmu: Wasn't a danmaku battle, but he fought her to a stand still.
Suika: Loss.
Eirin: Off-screen Loss, even while teamed up with Aya.
Marisa: Loss.

So yeah, his record isn't very good.

>>15778

Well in that case, this has to be the duel where all that changes. Whether his evil side comes out or not...even if we're outclassed, we have experience with some of the toughest opponents in Gensokyo and the alcohol tolerance of a god pun possibly intended.

>>15779

>Sakuya: Win/Draw.

>Youmu: Wasn't a danmaku battle, but he fought her to a stand still.

A tie? In MY Touhouverse?

But seriously though..we need SOMETHING for that W column. A 0-3-2 record is not impressive by any means.

>>15781

It's time to show what we learned.

>>15779
To be fair, everyone he's lost to are all Top Tier.

>>15783
Yeah it's not as if he lost to CIRNO or RUMIA of all beings.

And if we tap into the dark side to win... sure we'd win that little battle, but we will probably pay a large price for it.

[x] Checkmate.

Better to lose the battle than the war.

>>15785

And it's that attitude that won't get the W here. We can't just give up when we run into a bit of a problem. Even with our record, we always gave our opponents a run for their money save for Eirin. and we did not give up.

Sakuya: Exhausted ourselves
Youmu: Mask got cut, stopped by Yuyuko
Suika: ...she's a goddamn oni. Enough said.
Eirin: Considering we were teamed up with Aya...Owned. Badly.
Marisa: Lost by sheer fluke. We play by the rules. She doesn't.

Our major losses came against two of the most powerful figures in Gensokyo. We've come so close to those wins. Giving up is NOT an option here.

>>15781
>0-3-2
> donovan mcnabb.jpg
lol'd.

But seriously, no victories? Goddamn, this is bullcrap. We gotta win one of these days.

He just needs to seriously fight someone who's also a stage 3/4 boss.

>>15796
He could beat up Cirno and the rest to give him a better statistic.
But seriously, he couldn't even beat Sanae.

>>15797

Well I say forget the status quo! Break the stage number tradition! Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb! He's gotten his butt kicked long enough! Mikio has the capability to win this duel whether he knows it or not!

/hot-blooded surge

Ahem...anyway...voting.

[X] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [X] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

You know, it's bad showmanship to upstage someone at their own party, but fuck Kanako and fuck her options. She wants to make a big display of her power, then we'll give her an opponent worth winning against.

Mikio has a strength in him that isn't evil. He didn't challenge Tenma to a drinking contest because a voice was in his head telling him that all youkai must be destroyed.

>>15806
There's a different between a quirk and strength. I can only hope you're right.

So the Opinion among most of us seems to be: Beat the shit out of her. Win this fight. But without becoming a monster.

>>15809

Pretty much, yeah.

>>15809

Even if Mikio fights here as though he were a demon, he's still only fighting within the confines of a danmaku contest. He isn't trying to kill his opponent, he's trying to win. In fact here, rather than in a true life or death situation, is far more preferable to testing the limits of his self control.

And if things go bad for him here? At the best, it's another public embarrassment in a long string of them. At worst, the powers that be in Gensokyo get a very good look at what threat there may actually be.

>>15811
>He isn't trying to kill his opponent, he's trying to win.

>>15797
>>15798

Honestly, I think that Mikio very well has the capability to win this duel without giving in to his evil. He's come close to wins in 3 of those fights, he does have the capability. He was able to fight two stage 5 bosses that are considered upper tier to a draw before he even got to this point. Time has passed since then and he has to have gotten much stronger and learned from his experiences. Besides, who'd really expect Sanae to go into total rage mode like she did? He's got the skill level, but the factor that remains to be answered is does he have the overall power? I think we can take her, without the evil powers.

>>15817

And win? Doubtful. But hey, we'll see, whenever Lion gets around to updating.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!

Finally got around to reading this story (two days jam-packed with awesome), and the dynamic between the Protagonist's various incarnations and Headgames reminded me of another pair...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmzFkVA7N4o

...where Tayasumi is early Depth Charge, Mikio is post-character development Depth Charge, and Headgames is Rampage/Protoform X.

Since making the connection, I've read Headgames' lines in Rampage's voice.

Yes, the video description makes me rage too. Let's pretend it doesn't exist.

>>15819

Now thanks to that, I want to see a seperate personified Headgames vs Mikio.

FUCKING. AWESOME.

[x] Not yet, not yet, not yet!
--- [x] Break, crush, and smash these pillars!
------

No.

it's not over yet.

it's not a loss yet.

I don't want to lose?

"I don't want to lose. I don't want to lose I don't want to lose I don't want to lose I don't want to lose I don't want to?

I don't want to lose here.

With a growl, you reach around the pillar in front of you, awkwardly hugging it as best as you can without letting the bottle and the sake dish fall from your hands. If they drop, then you'll lose, therefore, you can't let that happen.

Raising your knees up, you tightly grasp the end of the pillar with your entire body, hugging it close even as it continues to push you up against the end of the other pillar, grinding into your torso. As the other two pillars close in from overhead, you push against the strength guiding the pillar before you.

With all your might?!

The pillar budges just a little in the air, and with a roar, you push past the physical limit of your body as you wrench the pillar aside.

it's free.

You've torn the pillar away from that god's control.

Now she can no longer move this pillar as she desires.

Acting quickly, you dart out of the way as the pillar behind you is free to move once more, now that it's lacking a counterbalance of force on the other side. Letting it brush by your side as you whirl out of the way, you lift the pillar clutched tightly onto by your body, raising the other end into the air as you hug it around its thick base.

Like guided spears, the other two pillars continue to seek you, altering their paths slightly now that you've managed to move a little.

"Haaahhh!"

With that yell, you swing the pillar you're holding onto at the fast-moving projectiles as they threaten to smash against you.

Krraaaack!

A deafening roar sounds as your weaponized pillar meets against the one headed for you. Multiple cracks run down the proud onbashira in your arms, and after a pause, the wooden pillar shatters like glass into countless splinters and pieces.

But it's served its purpose.

With that same strike that shattered the pillar in your arms, you knocked the receiver of that blow into its companion. With a second deafening roar, they crash against one another, and much like the one in your arms, they crack and break into myriad fragments.

One pillar left.

The remaining pillar continues to thrust through the air, turning one of its ?heads? toward you as it whirls about. Aimed at you, it races through the sky, emanating a sharp whistle as it cuts through the air.

Her control of the wind is markedly different from the tengu?s. With the tengu's ability, the wind produced by their fans is violent, turbulent, and generally lack control and precision. The sky god's wind, on the other hand, is much more suited for the tasks she employs it too, asserting just enough force. In other words, her mastery of the wind is on a level completely different from anyone else you've met.

The magic youkai and human sorcerers rely on are closely linked to gods? powers, and it is through their continued existence that magic is able to be used.

it's not surprising that the creators of such powers would be able to manipulate their own elements on a much higher level of aptitude than those who merely make use of it.

No less could be expected of a god, after all.

The corner of your mouth twists up slightly in a small smirk as the pillar continues to speed toward you. In mere seconds, it will collide with your body, and were it not for the alteration to the border of battle that the spellcards alter, then the strike would surely crush and shatter half the bones in your body in an instant.

In one swift motion, you toss your dish into the air, and then, drawing your arm back as your fingers bend themselves forward so that your hand is clenched like the clawed hand of cruel creatures. Parting through the air in front of you with your fingers, you slash the wind.

A razor-sharp shockwave rockets out from the ends of your fingertips, flying so fast your eyes almost can't keep up with its movement.

It slices cleanly through the pillar still hurtling at you.

Even bisected in half vertically, the pillar, now in pieces, continues to fly. They soon lose speed, doggedly continuing to soar at you before eventually dropping out of the sky.

Reaching up, the dish falls flawlessly onto your outstretched palm, landing on its bottom. Lowering your hand, you raise the bottle to it, pouring yourself a dishfull and taking the liquid into your mouth, draining it all in a single sip.

You raise the sake dish toward Yasaka, who seems too shocked to follow up on her attack. "Your move."

She continues to stare at you for a few seconds, the look of surprise soon leaving her expression. Regaining her calm, she smirks confidently once more, and waves her arm in a gesture toward herself, calling the sake bottle in your hand to her. It appears in her hand.

And she then her lips curl up, showing a much more vicious grin.

?

"Did you know?"

You rush ahead, your cutting hand stabbing at the sky god in front of you. While still holding the sake dish in her hand, she redirects your attack with her wrist, and you manage only a mere scratch on her shoulder.

How long has the fighting been going on now?

The festival started late in the afternoon, and yet, behind you, the sun is sinking behind the top of the mountain, bathing the world in a beautiful orange glow. It feels like you must have been at this for hours by now, and it shows. Your sleeves are in tatters, pierced and rent by countless blades and blasts. The god you face looks only marginally better than you do, although from her calm expression you'd never suspect that she'd been drinking and fighting for more than an hour without end.

"Those of old say that you can tell everything about a person by watching their gaze as they fight."

Not stopping, you twist around, sending a kick at her face. She evades it swiftly, falling back out of your leg's reach.

"I've fought many, and generally I've observed it to be true," she says, smirking. "The wild eyes full of madness that relish in blood and corpses, the sensitive eyes full of sorrow and regret for what happens in a battlefield, and the cold, unflinching gaze of those who have seen far too much in their time."

As you close in for an assault, she reaches out with her leg, planting her geta in the middle of your torso and kicking you back.

"I wonder what kind of eyes you have," she continues to say. ??behind that mask that obscures from all the sight of your gaze."

She's inebriated, but it's a different type of intoxication from when it's merely a drinking match. There is neither a slur to her voice nor an awkward, unwieldy sway to her motions. She's very much in control of her own body.

It is because she is affected by intoxication from not only alcohol, but from battle.

She is enjoying this, probably far more than she had expected she would.

and so am i

hahahaha

what fun

come come wargod

lets end everything

but not yet not yet now is not the time yet

so lets continue this fun fun festival

[ ] until the very end
[ ] I've had enough.

[X]until the very end

You know, perhaps it's just me but I'm quite curious as to whether continuing to go at Kanako at full strength will result in Mikio's mask coming off.

[x] I've had enough.

I think if this continues, things will definitely get out of hand in the worst of ways.

[x] Its been fun but...
[x] I've had enough.

[X] until the very end
Seems like headgames won't go crazy violent. I'm game to see what happens.

[X]until the very end

[ ] until the very end

[x] until the very end

[x] until the very end

Sanae better watch us defeat kanako

[X] until the very end

OH HEY LETS SEE HOW FAR THIS GOES BEFORE IT BREAKS

[x] I've had enough.
Uh oh. Pic related.

[x] until the very end
Going any further than this will definitive not end well.
But we need the help from others to overcome this and in every story when someone is like this he goes crazy a few times before it can be stopped.

[x] until the very end

I know I said about how if we showed a outburst we might have Mikio's friends and family help him seal or even control Head Games's power. Yet I gotta say this is making me quite nervous but enraptured reading this. Certainly far more so then most CYOAs have ever been able to do recently. While I'm nervous and thinking whether which the correct choice, I've decided we should see this to the very end. I wanna see Mikio push himself to and past his limits and I wanna see how he deals with Head Games power when he uses it.

>>15835
What he said.

[x] until the very end

[X] until the very end

I have no regrets.

[X] until the very end

[X] until the very end

May not end well, but I'm curious as to what'll happen. We're not giving up this one.

[Q] I've had enough.

Headgames has a sense of "don't kill." Cool.

Anyway, things be gettin' crazy, time to pull out before someone dies bloodily or ends up seriously injured.

>Until the very end

That doesn't sound good, especially if Kanako's getting off on this fight drunk with alcohol and the heat of battle. WE may not be the ones to get carried away here.

[X] I'll do this on my own

Don't give up, don't give in...

19 threads of choosing the safe option are getting tiresome. Go for broke for fucking once.

[X] until the very end

>>15845

This. A hundred times this. Right now, Kanako's battle crazy. Mikio is having difficulty dealing with her even when he's level-headed. If she's not gonna be safe about it, then neither should we. We are NOT gonna look like a bitch by giving up right when things are about to heat up.

[X] until the very end

[X] I've had enough.

You guys seriously want to let Headgames loose at a festival filled with youkai? What guarantee do we have that he won't injure any bystanders? It doesn't help that he's overly excited and may just do it anyway.

[X] until the very end

Must continue awesome fight with Kanako.

>>15847
Straight up fighting headgames could be inefficient. Instead, we could focus on pointing his wrath through channels that can withstand it, only pulling back when he goes too far.

Maybe he can be partially sated, giving us more time to find a way to deal with the problem before it overwhelms us.

Even if his rage is limitless, or Mikio simply doesn't have the fine control required to channel headgames properly, if we're going to lose it, now would be a good time, when everyone becomes aware of it at once.

The alternative being we break while alone and no one realizes it until right before we kill them.

[X] until the very end.

>>15849
It is my humble opinion that Kanako will kick his ass anyway. Opinions?

>>15850

I think it'll end as a draw, but if it works out to be a W, all the better. Headgames is battle-crazy...Kanako is battle-crazy...it almost works out. Sanae and Suwako are aware of the fact that Kanako can get this way. It does balance out rather well, save for the fact that no one has really seen us lose it. I think that Mikio fears his dark side so much that he holds back most of his potential without really realizing what all he is capable of doing WITHOUT Headgames' interference. He can win this fight without him, I believe.

[X] until the very end.

Kanako's not playing it safe, why should we?

[x] until the very end.

If we're going to let him loose, it might as well be while we're fighting a goddess. I don't see Mikio having any reason to fight Yuuka or the oni any time soon.

Besides, there's no way in hell Kanako would let us forfeit now.

[x] until the very end

[X] until the very end

Just like surfing an AMRAAM into a target in Gmod.

[x] until the very end

>?I've fought many, and generally I've observed it to be true," she says, smirking. "The wild eyes full of madness that relish in blood and corpses, the sensitive eyes full of sorrow and regret for what happens in a battlefield, and the cold, unflinching gaze of those who have seen far too much in their time."

'Did you know there are three kinds of danmaku aces?'

>?I wonder what kind of eyes you have," she continues to say. ??behind that mask that obscures from all the sight of your gaze.."

SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE CLIMAX

[x] until the very end

They fought all that night, until the very next day.
That god beat that tengu's ass in a terrible way.

[ ] until the very end

Oh, this seems fun.

>>15867

Mikio's gonna be Cipher then? Hah I can only wish, would be quite badass though.

[x] Total Annihilation

[x] until the very end
------

yes yes lets keep going and going

isnt this so much fun

this

this is the sole reason for your existence

for a being like you whose only nature is to destroy

beat smash crush and

bring that arrogant heavenly god down

Your hand reaches down, ripping your sword free of it sheath, exposing the chipped, battered blade to the rays of the sun, glinting off the reflective surface of the weapon. Gripping your cup so tightly that it cracks a little at the edge, you shoot off toward the sky god, who narrows her eyes as she braces herself for your assault.

Pushing forward your arm, your sword slashes at the air, the motion of your own blade being too fast for you to see. Even so, the god is able to react, raising an arm in defense. With just her bare skin, she deflects the attack. Whirling around in a single graceful motion, she elbows you in the stomach. You double over, nearly blacking out from the attack. With a deafening wham, she knocks you aside with her wrist.

Flung far away, you steady yourself, stopping your body from lurching around as you're buffeted by the wind. That's nothing. You can still keep going. If you can just land even a single good hit on her, she would probably lose it.

You raise your sword to the sky, and lightning strikes down on it, charging the metal with electricity. You swing it down, and an arc of deadly bolts zaps out from the tip of the blade and rushes toward the god. Smirking, she waves an arm toward the incoming attack, and a barrier made from the currents of air encases her in a spherical shield, the electricity fizzling out instantly upon contact.

"I create the very elements of the sky," she says boastfully, her fluttering hair slowly ceasing movement as the sphere around her dissipates. "Do you really think that level of magic would be of any use against me?"

Ignoring her words, you raise your sword again, lightning striking the blade once more. With a yell, you swing it down toward her, and this time, multiple arcs of electricity spread out from the surface of the sword, branching out in a spread out pattern as they surround the god, speeding toward her.

"I told you it's useless."

She waves her arm forward again, and that same shield from earlier surrounds her as the bolts of lightning close in. Of course, you had anticipated that move. You would have to be a fool not to. That's why, in the midst of those bolts of lightning, you had begun your next plan of assault.

It is a risky move.

Probably foolish, as well.

But this was all you could think of.

The god's eyes widen in surprise as you appear before her, your sword-arm drawn far back with the tip of the blade pointed straight at her. Mustering up all your strength, you stab forward at the god. The tip makes contact with the constantly whirling barrier of wind surrounding her, and metal sparks begin to fly as the blades of wind grind against the sword held in your hand.

Unrelenting, you continue to push forward as the look of surprise on the god's face fades away and turns again into a confident smirk.

"That won't work. Even if it is youkai forged steel, it is impossible for a mortal-made weapon to break through my wind."

As if to prove her right, the blade begins to crack against the force of the winds assaulting it. Within seconds, the cracks reach up to the hilt of the already battered and damaged sword.

At its limit, the handle of the sword jerks violently in your grip, and in the next instant, it flies uncontrollably out of your hand, falling in the air.

You've lost your sword.

But you're not going to give up.

Discarding the broken hilt, you punch forward with your hand, reaching at her. The blades of wind completely shred what's left of that arm's sleeve, and it feels like your arm is being sliced and diced into bits and pieces, but even the pain won't keep you back. With a growl, you push forward, until the pain within your arm has completely numbed?

may the wind decay

"What??"

Your arm tears through the wind barrier.

Before the sky god can recover from the shock of her defense being defeated, you draw your arm back?

"-and plant your fist against her cheek.

This isn't even a danmaku battle anymore.

It is now no different than a desperate struggle.

To avoid being beaten, you must beat her first. Until she can no longer continue to fight, you must beat her again and again, without hesitating, without reasoning, without thinking, just continue to attack.

Following through your punch completely, her head jerks all the way to the side. Completely stunned, her fingers relax, loosening their grip on the bottle in her hand. Flying forward, you pull your arm back as she turns her head toward you. Sending your fist speeding ahead, you smash it into her gut.

This is it.

This is what I live for.

This unbearable thrill?!

This hated, despised, loathed, and accursed mockery of all that I want is only a small sample?

"The ultimate release.

It isn't so far away anymore.

She's doubled herself up over your fist, but it's only for a moment. The sky god glares with eyes burning with anger and indignance at being struck. Forgetting herself in the heat of the moment, she promptly reaches out and grabs you by the shirt, drawing back her other hand.

Wham!

She smashes her knuckles into your face, sending small, shattered bits of your mask scattering into the air. Part of the top of it has crumbled away from the force of the punch, and it'll probably be broken apart completely if it takes another hit like that.

Yanking you around with both hands grabbing onto your collar, she swings you around in the air, whirling about to gain momentum before letting you go. Flung far out, you begin flying through the air, unable to stop yourself.

"Ugh?!"

Lady Kanako's already waiting for you in the direction of your flight, and as you approach, unable to control your flight, she clenches her hands together and smashes one of her elbows into your back, sending you flying in the other direction.

As swiftly as the wind, she traverses to the other side, and draws back her fist for another punch.

"Whoa! Hey, enough!"

Something small and fast darts in between the two of you, and in a flash, it catches the god's fist while also grabbing you by the back of your neck. You gag a little as your body's momentum snags you against your own clothes.

"Suwako??" Lady Kanako mutters, surprised.

"Don't get so carried away," the littler god mumbles, letting go of you as well as Lady Kanako's fist. "it's over already."

A little dazed but still conscious, you float there, your breathing heavy and strained. It feels a little confusing to have all the action crash to a stop; a bit dizzying, actually. Nevertheless, it's not like you can't keep yourself atop in the air.

Lady Kanako raises an eyebrow. "Over? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean the match is set," Lady Suwako says simply. Grabbing hold of your wrist, she raises your hand into the air. "He won."

Stirring violently, Lady Kanako seems incensed. "Say what!" There is no way that you can say that! I haven't lost, I can still keep fighting."

Letting go of your wrist, the frog god smirks gloatingly as she glances over at the sky god. "Come ooon, I think you've had one too many drinks, little Kanako. Have you already forgotten what kind of match this was supposed to be?"

A look of comprehension dawns on the god as she stares at her own empty hands. "You mean?"

"You dropped these."

Lady Suwako lifts up her arms, and reaches into her two sleeves, producing a sake bottle and a dish from within them.

"Therefore, by the terms you set yourself, this is your loss."

"Gah," Lady Kanako groans, rolling her eyes. Scratching her head, she lets out a sigh. ??Caught on a technicality, I can't believe it."

"Kuhuhuhu," Lady Suwako snickers through her teeth. "You're really losing it, little Kanako. Soon you won't even be able to beat fairies."

"Oh, hush."

Taking a deep breath, you let out a sigh of relief. So it's finally over, then. That really took a lot out of you. Your body feels sore everywhere and you have a feeling it's only going to hurt worse next morning.

"Damn, thought that would have been a good chance to show off in front of my followers, but I ended up being beaten instead?" Lady Kanako grumbles, crossing her arms together in dissatisfaction. Closing one eye, she glances at you. "Anyway. Congratulations. it's your win."

"You won.

It takes a moment for it to sink in, once that feeling of relief has faded away, but?

You really won.

Just on a technicality, but you seriously won against that god.

"feels good.

?

"but there are no cheers to greet you when you descend to the ground.

Instead, you're met with wary looks from the other tengu.

Ah.

Why?

You gaze at each of them, and when they meet yours they turn away, watching you with an air of caution thick in the atmosphere. Why are they? looking at you like this? Did you do something wrong? Did you offend them in anyway?

Your eyes meet the ground.

No.

The answer is simply that they have witnessed you doing what none of them would have expected from you.

You fought on a level that far exceeded the limits of what they believed you could do.

And now, they are wary of you.

They try not to show it, but it's easy to sense.

This is what Miss Momizi was talking about.

Not outright rejection, but an unwelcoming discrimination.

The other youkai and humans present here don't suspect anything, because to them, you are only displaying abilities that are only marvelous for youkai?but not impossible. A youkai is what they believe you to be.

But for the tengu?

They have become suspicious.

The tengu were always suspicious of you, now even more so.

They suspect you.

Stop it.

Please stop.

Stop looking here like that.

Stop it stop it stop it!

i hate it

those eyes.

"S-so!?

You lift your chin, looking up. Miss Aya stands there, not meeting your gaze. You can see that even she seems uncomfortable, fidgeting with her hands behind her back.

"You really won, huh?"

"-Yeah, I guess I did," you say, forcing yourself to grin.

"Unbelievable? Well, um, congrats, Miki. I never thought you had it in you, y?know? Heh??"

She falls into silence, apparently not having any more to say. Not far away, a group of tengu murmur and whisper among themselves.

I knew it.

There really is no place for me here.

It can't go on like this for much longer.

Bits of your damaged mask crumble away from the damaged portion, falling to the ground.

But, even so

"even so, I want this to continue?

"Aww, and your clothes got so messed up, too," Miss Aya says, reaching out and taking hold of your ruined haori, lifting it up to examine the holes and gashes put through it. "This is completely beyond repair."

"-That's okay."

"Here, Mikio."

You turn around, seeing Miss Momizi handing you your damaged sword that fell to the ground earlier. Even she seems a little affected, unable to keep her eyes on you. You take the battered sword from her, fitting it into its sheath without a word.

"Congratulations," Miss Momizi says, trying to force a grin of her own.

Is? everyone going to treat you like this from now on?

"-What the heck, the mood's gotten all heavy over here."

Lady Suwako suddenly says, startling everyone present. Crouched at your feet, she stands up with a spring in her steps. "Come on, the party isn't even over yet! You should all have a toast for this guy right here. Don't you all think that would be appropriate for the victor?"

No one responds. There isn't even a stir of movement among the others there.

"What's going on over here?"

And now Lady Kanako is here as well.

"Won't any of you congratulate him on his win?" she asks, her arms crossed together to make her figure imposing once again.

"it's alright.

I'm used to this.

"Well?"

[ ] Stop her.
[ ] ?

[X] Stop her.

Well, she might try to continue unless someone intervenes.

[X] ?

Letting someone stick up for us means we're finally relying on someone. Whether the result is good or bad, this is the opportunity we've been waiting for.

[X] Stop her.

[X]...

This might force the issue at least.

[X] ?

It's time to stop pretending that nothing's wrong.

[ ] ?

Kanako will make things right again. Stopping her is only certain to keep the unconfortable situation, but if she scolds them there is a chance for things to improve.

If things get worse, I'm sure she wouldn't mind having Mikio around. I wouldn't mind such outcome either.

[X] ?

So now they know that something's wrong with Mikio. The plot thickens...

[X] Stop her.
-[X] "There's no reason to congratulate me. I dishonored myself and I dishonored the tengu. I apologize for my actions."
-[X] "I don't know what came over me. It's like...there's another side of me that is giving me this killer intent. And it doesn't seem natural, at all."

[X] ?

[X] ?

Wow...that was...pretty intense.

[x] ?
will there be a rematch? (not now obviously).

[c] ?

This update made me sniffle for unknown reason.

[ ] ?

It occurs to me that there are things popping up from this fight that parallel/reference the confrontation from the previous thread.

[x] ?

[x] ?

Motherfuckin'

[X] Stop her.

[x] ?

Silence is usually the badass answer.

[x] ?
This is what we decided to do when we wanted to force the issue in the last vote, now let's play this to the end.

[x] ?

[x] ?


>>15889
>>15888
I love the points these two anon brought up. This is exactly what I was hoping would happen for Mikio! I'm a bit disappointed in Aya and Momizi though for being like the other Tengu are, they are his family and shouldn't be acting like this. Least they are talking to him and congratulating him (although forcing it).


>>15892
I dunno something about this just seems way too forced for the sake of advancement. Maybe the way it's worded?

[x]?

Also I think we hit the thread limit didn't we? Gonna need a new thread...the big 2 - 0!

>>15910
We went right past it!

[x] ?
>Miss Aya stands there, not meeting your gaze. You can see that even she seems uncomfortable, fidgeting with her hands behind her back.
>seeing Miss Momizi handing you your damaged sword that fell to the ground earlier. Even she seems a little affected, unable to keep her eyes on you
Mow that hurts, the people you trust and like most are afraid of you.

>>15912
I think part of it was the fact Mikio never said a thing to them about it before now and that's on top of the peer pressure of the situation. I think Mikio's non-tengu friends might understand things better and/or would be willing to offer him a shoulder of support.

>>15889
What he said

[ ] ?

>>15913
Either that or we will move in with Sanae if they don't understand.

[X] Stop her.

[x] ?

>>15892
ugh no

[Q] ...

Torn between this and stopping her, but silence seemed a bit better. Can't really say I didn't see something like this coming, but oh well.

Hopefully the effects of this don't extend to our relation with Shizuha. I mean, we've been stronger than her the whole time, so it's not like a paradigm shift or anything.

[Q] ...

>>15918

How would it affect her? Excluding the fact that Headgames/Tayasumi's goal was to destroy all gods and youkai, it seems pretty unrealistic their relationship would be affected in a negative manner (she would probably be impressed).

[x] ?

>>15892
I can't help but think Spetsnaz when I think of what'll happen to Mikio when he says that.

>>15922

Now I can't unthink that. And it's too hilarious to imagine Mikio with a Russian accent.

[ ] ?

>>15922

Headgames as Zakhaev? Why does that seem so fitting?

[x] The option that has Mikio leave the tengu.

It ain't over till it's over, but it's just about over.

[X] ?

It sucks right now to be Mikio, but that's because he spent his trying to fit in with the other tengu by not standing out, and in doing so he missed out on a lot of living--connections and friendships that could have been made with the varied and disparate people of importance in Gensokyo.

The question foremost on my mind is is not 'Why did we choose to do this here?' but 'Why didn't we do this sooner?'

>>15930
It's not as if we had much choice with all the time skips going on.