You know what? I actually like the write-in.

[x] Tie the mask to your belt.
------

You raise your arm behind your head, ready to toss the mask into the lake once and for all. This mask isn't necessary anymore, and there's no reason for you to be wearing it now that you've decided on what you are, and who you should be. This mask is the face of ?Kirita Mikio," an existence that will soon be replaced by something else entirely.

...No, that's not necessarily true. There's no reason that the two can't coexist. The memories and the bonds forged by ?Kirita Mikio? are also irreplaceably precious treasures. Things that can't simply be so easily discarded at will. Even if ?Mikio? ceases to be himself, the time he's spent, whether they were happy, sad, funny, or painful, they are all experiences that are unique to him, and no one else. It would be too sad to simply throw all that away.

And, this mask is something ?Mikio? holds dear as well. After all, isn't it also a memento that was left to him along with the sword at his waist by his late master?

That's why you, who may no longer be ?Mikio? even as of this moment, can't bring yourself to just throw this mask into the lake. It may be battered and worn out, but it's still a part of who you used to be, and to get rid of it would be trying to throw away your past again.

...So, instead, you lower your hand, taking your other hand and grabbing it by one of the straps, slipping it under your waist sash and tying the ends together so that sash is holding up the mask at your waist. The extra weight, as miniscule as it may be, is a bit uncomfortably awkward, but you'll get used to it soon enough.

Letting out a sigh, you squat down on top of the pillar you're standing on, seating yourself atop it with your legs dangling in the air. You place your palms at the edges of the onbashira, letting your body relax. The pale wraith floating in the air glides around, circling its body around the pillar as you watch it with a faint smile. You... probably won't be able to sleep tonight, but that's okay. You look up to the sky once again, closing your eyes as you feel the cool touch of the mountain's breeze on your bare face.

You'll just wait for the dawn to come...

---

"...Have you thought about what you're going to do, Hoshuu?"

"Aah, well, not really," you say truthfully as you continue to wheel the bicycle along at your side, your breath coming out in a pale white fog. "...I've got enough money saved up to stay at an inn for a while. No one will hire me full-time for now, but if I work two or three part-time jobs, I should be able to make it on my own."

The girl walking beside you looks up at you with worried eyes that are still slightly swollen red, but you give her a grin and tousle the top of her head reassuringly.

"Hey, no worries. I'll make it somehow," you say, trying to sound as cheerful and optimistic as you can, trying not to let your own worries bleed through the carefree act you're putting on. "Things will work out, even if it gets a bit tough for me at times."

She says nothing, but she grabs hold of one of your arms, hugging it to herself as she continues to walk with you, her eyes hidden from view by the angle of her face. Looking away, you shake your head, letting out a small sigh as you look up at the night sky. It looks like it's going to rain. The clouds are getting a bit thick, blocking out the moon from view.

...All too soon, you arrive at the shrine gates. You look up at the menacing set of stairs leading up to the shrine building itself, and feel a knot growing in your stomach. You don't want to have to do this. You definitely don't want to leave this place. But, there's no other choice. You'll leave this shrine today, but someday, you'll definitely return, and see this girl again. That's the small consolation that you've been telling yourself on the way here...

"Have you packed all of your stuff, Hoshuu?" Sanae asks, still holding onto your arm.

"Not yet," you say.

"I'll go pack for you, then," she says, reluctantly detaching herself from you as she walks toward the shrine steps.

Is this really the end of the day? Is there nothing else you can do for her, while you're still here? This is the first birthday she's had to celebrate since she was left alone, so you want to leave her with happy memories. There must be something you've forgotten... something really important and obvious. But what is it? What else can you do for her today?

"Aaaah!" you let out a loud yelp, as if a sudden bolt of lightning struck you out of nowhere. "S-sanae, wait, wait, wait!"

She immediately turns around, her eyes as wide as dishes. "Huh, what? What is it?"

"The cake!" you say, mentally kicking yourself in the rear. "We forgot the most important part! it's not a birthday unless you have the birthday cake!"

"Oh," she says, not looking too concerned. "...Um, t-that's okay, I don't really need..."

"Of course you need it," you quickly cut her off, wheeling your bike closer to one of the street lamps so you can look at your watch. The digital numbers read 9:46. "...it's a bit late, but the bakery in town should still be open. If I hurry, I can make it before they close down for the night."

"B-but..."she attempts to protest, hurrying over to you again. "I had a lot of fun today, so you don't really have to..."

"I have to," you say, cutting her off again. Reaching out with one hand, you place it on top of the girl's head with a smile. "Your birthday isn't over yet. What kind do you want? If they have it, I'll get it."

"...Chocolate would be nice," she says.

"Okay, okay, chocolate it is," you say, leaning forward and giving her a peck on the forehead. "I'll be back before you know it, so just sit tight at the table, okay? I'll get the fanciest, most expensive chocolate cake they've got, and it'll have your name on it in icing. Does that sound good?"

Blushing red and touching her forehead with a hand, she nods silently. Turning the bike around, you swing a leg over it, mounting the bicycle. With one last grin at the girl, you ride away, pedaling furiously so as to reach the bakery in time.

...

And then...

And then what happened?

What happened after that?

You clutch your head with one hand, shaking it as you try to remember, searching through your memories. What happened to you after that? You can't seem to recall that memory at all. What comes after that... seems almost like a complete blank. After that... that was when your existence as ?Mikio? began, wasn't it? Or was there something between those two..."What was it, then? You shake your head again, trying to clear out your thoughts.

Sunlight has begun shining once again, so you know that morning has come already. Turning to the direction that faces the rest of Gensokyo, you gaze up at the twilit skies. You feel a bit nervous - about what you're about to do, and about the days that await you, but at the same time, you feel slightly excited, almost eager.

You look over at the shrine grounds. Always the early riser, Sanae is already awake, sweeping the ground with a broom. She hasn't noticed you yet, though, so you stand up from the pillar, floating up into the air and making your way over to the shrine. You touch down onto the ground, and cautiously begin to approach the girl from behind, stopping just shy of your footsteps reaching her ears.

As you'd expected, she seems to be sweeping not to keep the grounds clean, but so that the monotonous task would help clear her mind. After all, last night must have been a painful experience for her. You need to speak with her... but even how you should go about it is important.

[ ] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)
[ ] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[x] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)
-[x] But don't make it too restrained. No need to make it sound all forced.

Part of me wants to vote for the exuberant option, but I doubt that the new "Mikio" is that used to doing it, and it'd feel weird.

[~] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

Lots to do, start slow.

Ogata gave us the mask? Huh, I thought it was Aya. Not sure why.

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

Debated this quite a bit. Exuberant would be too jarring a change, but being cheerful would probably be the best way to go about the situation yesterday.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)
would fit.

>You know what? I actually like the write-in.
Well, if you choose it despite the 12 vote disadvantage, then I guess it isn't gonna harm affect the story too much. Was that discussion a big overreaction?
>Exuberant would be too jarring a change, but being cheerful would probably be the best way to go about the situation yesterday.
I agree.
[x] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)

[x] Just another normal greeting ("Good morning, beautiful")

>>17877
Too fast, I think.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[Q] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[x] >>17879

She might be hung over, and being too into it might make her headache worse.

[x] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)

This should be simple, who are we?

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

No need to rush things.

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[X] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)
-[X] grope!

>Exuberant would be too jarring a change, but being cheerful would probably be the best way to go about the situation yesterday.

I like this. Hoshuu was always cheerful and upbeat, he'd probably be able to handle it with a little mix of Mikio.

[X] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

[ ] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

Try for calm.

That was very sweet and painless, but I think we can expect a host of Mikio vs. Hoshuu personality choices in the immediate future. I'm of the opinion that Miki should hold onto his personality while paying very close attention to Hoshuu's memories. Hoshuu, whether he became Mikio or not, gave up his life so that Sanae would be happy. If there's a personality influence, he's probably more interested in making sure Mikio makes that happens, rather than play Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

You's not trying to fill someone else's role here. Miki's the same person he was yesterday and the day before. He has new memories, but his personality is still his own. The only difference is that he's no longer wearing a mask, and I think that's change enough for Sanae right now.

Mikio is Sanae's friend too, you know. I'm sure she wouldn't want that person to go away just so that she could get her other friend back.

>>17901
No offense, but could you use a trip? I'm getting really tired of having to read this horrible paranoia bullshit mixed between reasonable discussions and choices.
It's like '[]Kiss Sakuya []Don't kiss Sakuya' all over again, but with Every. Single. Fucking. Choice. Only this time, the argument is about someone who may or not fight against himself but not really.
All for what? For the sake of shipfaggotry so abominable that would make Genskyo High blush. Jesus.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

>>17906
Take it easy, bro. The "insane rage at shippers" thing was just as annoying as the shippers themselves. Best thing to do is ignore the obviously over-the-top paranoid guys.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

>>17901
I agree. Be Mikio with Hoshuu's memories, not a Hoshuu who's "returned: after an extended abscence.

>>17917
I dunno, can he be both? Isn't he both?
I just want Sanae to get over that memory... and for our MC to fulfill his promise.

[X] Call out to her exuberantly. (?Yo, good morning!?)
As for the choice itself... I'm sure that Sanae will do the 'sad and melancholic' part. No need for us to be like that too.

>>17921
There's other reasons such as a possible hangover.

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

As the carriers in RA2:YR would say...
"Slow and steady."

[X] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)

>>17906
Err, I'm not sure if you're relating this to the argument at the end of the last thread. If you are, then this is a different anon.

If not, it's a bit much to ask anybody who shares the same opinion to trip themselves here for one post. If you only care about the ones you agree with, why read them at all?

It's not getting out of hand, no need to make it that way.

[x] Quip happily "Heya wassup!"
[x] Grope her.

[x] Be upbeat, but not subdued. ("...Good morning.?) SMILE.

Not restrained, but not ultra-chipper, either.

>>17934
>>17884

What the fuck, guys. What story have you been reading?

>>17937

They haven't.

[x] Keep your voice restrained. ("...Good morning.?)
------

Almost unconsciously, your feet begin to rush ahead of you, and your mouth opens to call out toward the girl, but you manage to bite back the urge, stopping yourself. Letting out a small, almost inaudible sigh, you approach her at a much slower pace, more relaxed in your movements. You feel like you should be tense, but you feel a lot more comfortable than you thought you would. Putting on a restrained, polite smile on your face, you open your mouth and call out to her in a calm voice.

"...Good morning."

She doesn't seem to notice you, continuing to mindlessly sweep the same spot on the ground again and again. You wonder if maybe she's ignoring you on purpose, but you quickly dismiss the thought, raising your voice to try to call out to her again after a moment of deliberation.

"Good morning!"

A small squeak of surprise escapes her as she suddenly snaps to attention, the jerking movement of her body nearly knocking the broom out of her hands. Alarmed, her arms clumsily fumble around in front of her, and she manages to catch the broom before it falls to the ground. Breathing a sigh of relief, she sluggishly turns her body around to face you.

"Good morni..."she starts, but when her eyes lock onto you, her voice trails off. Her eyes widen in shock for a brief moment, fixated on your face. Her mouth hangs open slightly, and remains that way as she stares at you for a few painfully tense seconds. Hurriedly, she looks away, parting her lips as a shaking voice issues out from her, "G-good morning, um... Mikio."

She sounds a bit confused, saying that last part, and she keeps her gaze low, almost as if she's afraid of looking up at your face. it's only a natural response. Of course she can't help but look away from your visage. After all, it's one that brings memories that fill her with pain and wistfulness. That's why you had been so worried, so reluctant to remove your mask around her.

"You're up early," you say, trying to lighten up the atmosphere with a bit of small talk.

"Um... yes," she says awkwardly in return, still not meeting your eyes. "You too. Um... actually, I didn't see your shoes at the front steps. You must have woken up earlier than I did."

"Er, sort of," you say, deciding it probably wouldn't be best to tell her that you were outside since last night. "...Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really..."she says, shaking her head. "Ever since I woke up, I've had this really bad headache, and I also had a... um..."

She trails off, falling silent. She takes a quick peek at your face before lowering her eyes again, staring dead straight at the ground as she fidgets with the broom in her hands.

"What is it?"

"...I had a nightmare, sort of. I think it was a nightmare, anyway."

"A nightmare?"

"I don't really remember much of it," she says, while shaking her head, wearing a troubled expression on her face. "...I only remember feeling really cold at the time. I think I might have been drowning or something because it just felt cold everywhere."

"I see, sounds like it was a scary dream," you say, nodding your head. "...But it was only a dream, right? Then, you don't need to be scared about it anymore. It was just a dream. Look, the sun may just barely be out right now, but it's already so warm, isn't it?"

"Mm," she makes an affirmative noise, somewhat uncertainly and reluctantly. "...You're right. It was just a dream."

You smile at her. "That's right. Just look at the reality in front of you, and you don't have to be afraid of nightmares."

Sanae considers your words for a minute, and then, she nods, looking a bit surer about herself. And then, seemingly mustering up her courage, she looks at you in the eyes. She freezes up for a moment, but she shakes herself out of it and begins to speak.

"Um, you know," she begins, looking nervous. "...Mikio, you said you don't remember your past, right? You just... woke up as you are now, one day?"

You nod.

"And... and, how long ago was this...?"

"it's been nearly ten years."

"Ten years..."she whispers the words to herself. She looks away again, her arms slacking a bit, but after gathering up some courage again, she looks up to you, "...it's really been that long?"

You nod again, keeping silent.

"...I know this isn't possible," she whispers to herself again, shaking her head. "This can't be possible, but..."

She looks at you, at your face. Gradually, the shaking of her head comes to a stop, until she's staring straight at you, those clear green eyes fixed on yours. Slowly, she lets her broom slip out of her grasp, falling to the ground with a clatter. Without care for it, the girl slowly begins to walk toward you, not blinking once, almost as if she's afraid that you'll be gone if she does.

"...Ten years ago," she begins, completely tense. "You made a promise to someone. Do you... do you still remember?"

[ ] "I remember."
[ ] "..."

[x] "I remember.."

A promise is a promise. Even if Mikio really isn't Hoshuu, I believe that he should fulfill his promise, as he has his memories.

[ ] "I remember.."

The gods are going to get involved soon.

[x] "I remember Hoshuu making one"

Hoshuu=Hoshuu
Mikio=Mikio
Mikio=/=Hoshuu

Wanna drive this point home that Mikio is his own person and not someone from Sanae's past.

[z] "I remember."

[X] "Hoshuu remembers."

Like >>17949, just shorter.

[X] "Hoshuu couldn't fulfill it, maybe..maybe I can?"

[x] "I remember."

[x] "I remember."

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."
This is good, very good.

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

We may as well reveal the weird memories instead letting the slip at some unopportune. Miki isn't Hoshuu with simple amnesia, he has an entirely difderent personality.

[Q] "Hoshuu remembers."

It might complicate things a bit, but-

Oh, who am I kidding. Things are already complicated as fuck.

[X] "Hoshuu remembers."

>>17947
I couldn't have said it better myself.

[x] "I remember."

[X] "Hoshuu remembers."

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

[x] "I remember."

[x] "I remember."

[X] "Hoshuu remembers."

Sanae can't seriously expect him to go back to the way Hoshuu was. Ten years will change anyone.

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

>>17949
"Yeah, uh, some guy you knew made that promise to you, but I'm not him, lol, sorry to disappoint you. Bummer, huh?"

Do you really want to do this?

[ ] "I remember."

But Hoshuu is Mikio. He is his past, and his memories, are Mikio's memories too.

[X] "I remember."

>>17968

By that logic, we are just as much the Hunter guy as we are Hoshuu. We don't want to be the Hunter guy.

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

Also, didn't Hoshuu die, before we woke up here?
Still not sure what's going on with that, but...

>>17970
>By that logic, we are just as much the Hunter guy as we are Hoshuu. We don't want to be the Hunter guy.

But Mikio probably was the hunter guy too! That life is when Headgames shows up in history and sticks with Mikio's soul (something to that effect). Hoshuu left because someone/something was making him want to kill Sanae and forced Suwako to kick him out (probably Headgames fault there). Technically, they are the same soul.

Also, it just happens that Mikio is Hoshuu, as Sanae herself has confirmed it after seeing his face. And Mikio does remember some things from his life as Hoshuu, specially the farewell.
>didn't Hoshuu die

Huh, no. It was never stated what happened to him.

[X] "I remember."

Personally, I'd like to integrate as much of Hoshuu into Mikio as possible, while still remaining Mikio. Neither of them deserve to disappear forever. Neither did Tayasumi, for that matter, but it seems like it's too late to do anything for him, since he actually died, and was reincarnated as the Youkai Hunter. And even then, we still haven't seen the conclusion for that arc, so it's entirely possible that he breaks free from Headgame's control and redeems himself, dying a proper death.

>We don't want to be the Hunter guy.
The Youkai Hunter was being almost entirely controlled by Headgames, who is already inside Mikio. Trying to deny that would be reverting to Mikio's old "I don't have a past" mentality.

>didn't Hoshuu die
I think the implication was that something happened to him when he went to get Sanae a birthday cake, and then not long afterwards he wound up amnesic in Gensokyo.

[X] "I remember."

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

[x] "I remember."

Just how does this write-in answers Sanae's question? Isn't it easier, and more direct, to just say "No"?

>Just how does this write-in answers Sanae's question? Isn't it easier, and more direct, to just say "No"?

But we do remember, its just that we aren't the same person anymore.

[X] "..."

[X] "I remember. I'm not really him anymore, and I don't just mean that I've changed since then. But still, I remember."

[X] "I remember."
As you know, our options can change reality. So, I wonder, what's the justification for people who want to make so that our MC and Hoshuu aren't the same person? If the answer is the name of a woman, I'll kill myself.

..although I already know what's gonna be. There's only one thing that THPs value above a good ending. A hint? It starts with 'W'

>>17984

>A hint? It starts with 'W'

Weeping;_;

>>17984

>A hint? It starts with 'W'

Worf? People want Mikio to be single so he can date the Tactical Officer of the Enterprise?
Damn, people, that is one crack pairing.

>>17984
It's women isn't it?

> As you know, our options can change reality. So, I wonder, what's the justification for people who want to make so that our MC and Hoshuu aren't the same person? If the answer is the name of a woman, I'll kill myself.

For me they just aren't, Hoshuu is only slightly more us then headgames is.

Mikio's been alive for 10 years, as himself. His personality is not the same as Hoshuu's. His experiences, his family, all of those things are different. They are his. Merely having the memories of another does not make you them. The idea is to preserve them both- If we claim only to be Hoshuu, that would be denying Mikio's existence.

[X] "I remember."

Still waiting for Tayasumi scenes. Can't leave things unexplained especially with Keine and her mother.

>>17989
>If we claim only to be Hoshuu, that would be denying Mikio's existence.
If we claim not to be Hoshuu, that would be denying Hoshuu's existence.

>>17992
A false dichotomy. 'If we claim not to be' != 'If we claim not to be only'.

I repeat what I said in >>17973. I believe we should be aiming to integrate as much of Hoshuu into Mikio as possible, and vice versa.

I think the best way of doing that is accepting that Hoshuu is part of Mikio. Not all of him, not none of him, but part of him.

This all applies to Tayasumi/Youkai Hunter as well because accepting only part of his past is hypocritical, but Taysumi's final scene as the former seems to imply that he's lost forever, and we don't know what happened to him as the latter yet.

>>17996 here, and I've been thinking... We totally need an edit button.

But beyond that, perhaps the best write-in would be one that represents how our main character isn't Mikio OR Hoshuu, but Mikio AND Hoshuu. (Mikio just happens to be the dominant one at the moment.) Therefore, I propose a write-in along the lines of:

[] Part of me remembers.

Only less awkward sounding.

[x] Hoshuu remembers.
Way late here, but this write-in is good, and the its author should feel good.

[X] Part of me remembers.

I think this is the best option.

[~] Sanae, I'm not sure if I remember or not. All I know is that it did happen.

[x] "I remember.."
You guys worry too much. I'm sure Lion will deal with the personality conundrum adequately without our prompting.

[!] "I remember."

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

[x] "I remember."

[X] "I remember."

[x] "I remember Hoshuu making one"
Aw come on, I wanna continue being a cool tengu!

[x] "Hoshuu remembers."

There's about 43 votes on this one, I didn't know we had that many anons on this site anymore.

>>18018
This story is srs bsns, and thus invites much BAWWWWing from anon if their option isn't picked. To avoid this, slight votespamming ensues.

>>17984
Waterworks.

>>18021

This is true. Also, saging helps. Let's hope it doesn't end up like the other stories with the vote spams.

>>18021
This is tame. You obviously never saw GH Threads.


Goddamnit Taisa, come back.

I can't understand anon sometimes.

But yeah.
[x] "I remember."

>>17997
>But beyond that, perhaps the best write-in would be one that represents how our main character isn't Mikio OR Hoshuu, but Mikio AND Hoshuu.
Mikuu?

>>18025
Eh, Hoshio sounds less feminine and awkward.

Mishuu sounds like an animal, and Hokio sounds just plain stupid.

So, the best story on the site gets a huge number of votes on what seems like a pretty important and contested vote = votespam?
Keep that paranoia goin', buddy.

[x] "I remember."
------

"I remember."

You've finally said it. The words that you were unable to say for the last ten years. it's only two words, but for such a long time, you lacked the way -- the right -- to say them, until now. Now that you've said it, you're now committed to those words, without being able to take them back, ever again. And now, you will face the past, to acknowledge the memories of who you once were; to accept it all, whether it's happy or painful.

For a moment after you've said those all-important words, you feel, for a moment, worry.

Can I really take on this burden? Is this really the right thing to do? I don't know...

...You don't regret your choice. Right now, you want to help this girl, who tries so hard to put on a face of confidence to mask her insecurity and her broken heart. All this time, she had been trying to fulfill her end of the promise, even when she realized that boy would never be able to keep his own promise to her. That's why you don't mind.

"...I remember," you say again, repeating the words. Your voice comes out a little louder this time; surer, deeper than your usual tone of voice. "I remember the promise we made, Sanae. I'm sorry it took so long, but now, I can finally keep my end of it."

Sanae looks at you with eyes of disbelief. She seems to pale slightly, unblinkingly staring straight at you as her body freezes up. A light breeze blows by between the two of you, and her shoulders shiver slightly as the wind caresses her bare flesh, but apart from that, there is no motion. She stays still, remaining that way for what seems an eternity. Finally, she parts her lips, and speaks out in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Ho...shuu?"

You nod. "...Yeah."

She steps closer, almost timid in her movements, looking at your face. For a moment, she begins raising her hands up, almost as if to hold your cheeks in her hands, but decides against it, stopping the movement of her arms halfway. One of them drifts to the front of her shirt, which she grips tightly as she opens her mouth, speaking in that almost inaudible tone.

"Is it... really you?"

With one last long look at your face, she lowers her chin, shifting her gaze to the ground at her feet. You hear her take in a sharp breath, and her shoulders shake a bit, almost like she's choking back sobs. She begins approaching you again, her face still lowered, and you move forward almost unconsciously, reaching out with your arms to wrap it around you...

"Take this!"

She punches you in the face.

She doesn't punch you hard at all, so it hurts about as much as you would expect a punch without any sort of wind up to, but it still catches you by surprise, so you end up standing still with your arms still spread, looking like a moron while Sanae's fist is still planted against your cheek.

"I can't believe you!" she yells, her face completely red, pulling back her fist. "You said you'd be right back! Did you mean ?right back? as in ten years later!" How could you make a girl wait that long!"

"Is that really something you should be saying right now!?" you yell back without thinking, in a voice almost completely different from the one that usually belongs to you, lifting a hand and rubbing the cheek where she hit you. "You're ruining the moment here!"

You suddenly stop yourself, touching your lips. That slipped out. That completely slipped out.

"...It really is you," Sanae says, looking at you differently now. Finally, the tears she'd been holding back start to flow, and she hurriedly starts wiping at her eyes. "This must be a dream. I must be dreaming right now..."

"it's not a dream," you say, your voice returning to normal.

"Then I must be hallucinating," she says frankly.

A playful voice comes out next. "I didn't know you were that dangerous of a person."

"I'm not!" she says heatedly, stamping her foot.

"...Then you're not hallucinating."

"Really?"

You nod, and then move forward again, reach around her with your arms. She makes no resistance this time, and you pull her close to you, with one hand pressed against her back and the other gently holding the back of her head as she buries her face into your shoulder.

"I'm back," you say, closing your eyes. "...I'm back, because I made a promise to you that I would be, and because I said I wouldn't break my promises anymore. This isn't a dream or hallucination."

You feel her small arms reach around you, reciprocating the embrace.

"...You're real," you hear a whisper at your ear.

"Mm," you nod.

"You really came back. You really kept your promise."

You nod again, "Yeah."

"...You're kind of short."

"Shut up."

You hear a small giggle, and feel her arms reach deeper around you, tightening the embrace. She hugs you so closely to herself, like she never wants to let go, afraid that if she does, you'll disappear once again. Smiling faintly, you run your fingers through her hair, recalling doing the same years ago... Yes, this can also be considered a new beginning.

Ka-clik.

...It was faint, and you barely heard it, but that was unmistakably the sound of a camera shutter. You wait for a moment, but hear nothing else. Honestly, it could be any of the journalist crow tengu roaming about the area, but since you have known that person for a long time, you have confidence in identifying that particular shutter sound. She doesn't seem to intend to intrude, but...

[ ] Call her out.
[ ] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[~] Don't let anything interrupt this.

It's D'AWW time.

[z] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.

>?You're ruining the moment here!."

Oh yeah, definitely back to slice-of-life mode.

[c] Don't let anything interrupt this.

I'm smiling right now, and I don't know why.

Plot bomb after plot bomb. Now Sanae will hopefully spur Mikio into rediscovering his past and investigate what caused his memory loss, which he's never really attempted to do.

[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.

Let them watch. Media exposure of this kind can only help Mikio, and it's better that Aya reports it first than for another, less sympathetic reporter. He gets the reasonable excuse now that he left the tengu because he's in a relationship with the shrine maiden.

[c] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[x] Don't let anything interrupt this...
-[x] And to be SURE she doesn't interrupt this, signal briefly to Miss Aya that this is not the goddamn time.

I actually find a bit comforting to know that Aya still watches over us.

That said,
[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.

We don't need to draw attention to the fact.

[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.
>>18033
Yes. You are not the only one.

I'm just hoping that the person known as "Mikio" doesn't disappear as a result of this.

>>18040
That's what I was worrying about when I read the update.

[Q] Call her out.

...Well, I guess this works too.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.
--(x) But signal Aya that you know she there.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.

Dammit Lion, quit tugging my heartstrings like this!

Well, she did say she was gonna sock him in the face for making her wait so long: >>16283

I should have seen that one coming.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[x] Call her out.

"Excuse me, but wtf r u doin?"

Woah. I think I understand why this story is so popular. This update was incredible.
[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.

The "Hoshuu slipping out and speaking for us, even using a different voice" thing seriously creeped me out, and completely undermined the D'aww.
It honestly feels like a warm-and-fuzzy version of Headgames: Either way, we're allowing a voice in our head to manifest itself through us when its goals match up with ours. When we want to kick god/youkai ass, Headgames wants the same, so it acts through us. When we want to help Sanae, Hoshuu wants the same, and acts through us.
Just as we are not a vengeful slayer of nonhumans, we are not a middle-schooler who ran away from home and lived with a shrine maiden. Even if the actions being performed are benevolent, we are still sublimating our identity to something that is not us.
And before anyone goes "but Mikio thinks to himself he doesn't regret it!", keep in mind that Mikio has had a very, very bad track record when it comes to judgement calls on things like this.
In short: >>18002 was wrong and should feel bad about themselves.

Oh yeah, and
[x] Call her out.
This could get blown out of proportion pretty easily.

>>18057
>Just as we are not a vengeful slayer of nonhumans, we are not a middle-schooler who ran away from home and lived with a shrine maiden.

Yes we are, on both accounts. Denying this would bring us back to the "I don't have a past" phase. Don't assume being the former is necessarily a bad thing either. The Youkai Killer is not Headgames.

I'm still going to say that we should strike a balance between Mikio and Hoshuu, and I will admit that we appear to have tipped the scale a bit too far onto Hoshuu's side, but I doubt it'll be irreversible.

[X] Don't let anything interrupt this...
-[X] If possible, try to signal to Aya that you'll talk to her later. You're kind of busy right now.

>>18040

He doesn't have to be 'Hoshuu' to anyone but Sanae and maybe the goddesses.

It's good to know Aya isn't freaking because Miki isn't wearing his mask anymore.

>>18058
We aren't them, though. They are separate people, with their own thoughts, personalities, childhoods, everything.
I guess I'm trying to say is that we may have been Hoshuu or Tayasumi or even Headgames at some point, but we are no longer them. Facing and bringing resolution to what our past selves have done does not require sublimating who we are now, and in my opinion actually might do more harm than good.
After all, who keeps telling us we can't run from our past? By accepting the idea that existing as who we are now is "running away", we are accepting a viewpoint from a being utterly incapable of letting the past go.
Also, I said Headgames and I meant Headgames, not Tayasumi/Youkai Hunter. Headgames wanted all nonhumans dead even before it merged with the Hunter.

>>18059
He shouldn't have to be Hoshuu to anyone.
He can fulfill Hoshuu's promises for him, but if he actually becomes him to certain people, then it's just another kind of mask.

[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.

[ ] Don't let anything interrupt this.

>>18060
There's something you have to understand: He is not Mikio. He is not headgames. He is not Hoshuu.
He's all of them

Headgames is not a fucking memory; memories can't control you. Hoshuu has reactions on him far beyond a simple 'other, distant self'
Ignoring this fact is another escapism and will resolve nothing. I don't know what is your fear (that he'll forget a character that you like?) but he'll never do that because that'd mean he stoppend being himself.
And that why his current method of dealing with headgames is doomed to failure. He doesn't have to accept what he was, he has to accept what he is

Mikio simply has Dissociative Identity Disorder. There, problem solved.

I'm still interested in seeing the adaption of SA. More specifically, I'm interested in seeing Mikio meet the Komeiji sisters.

>>18065
Headgames is a Mishaguji.

>>18065
... What? I never said they were memories. It honestly looks like you're arguing with someone else, because your statement doesn't make sense as a response.

>>18068
Or one of the child sacrifices. Or something.
The introduction of that plot point really muddied the waters, actually.

I just thought of something. We never saw what the consequences of taking Hoshuu's hand on the train were.

Have we ever seen Hoshuu as a seperate entity since then? If not, then I think that Hoshuu might have already been integrated into Mikio since that moment. If we have, then ignore this entire post.

>in a voice almost completely different from the one that usually belongs to you

Is that supposed to mean a tone and way of speaking Mikio never uses, or like it's really someone else's voiceprint?

>>18073
Keyword here is "almost."

>>18073
I assume the former. The deeper voice could be attributed to the fact that Hoshuu is just more confident than quiet Mikio.

I highly doubt that his voice actually changed. Voiceboxes don't work that way.

>>18075
Whatever it is, it's still weird.
Part of me wonders if making different choices earlier might have resulted in Mikio retaining more of his identity, but I really don't want to accidentally help create some GH-style shitstorm, so I'll let it go.
Oh well. As long as Hoshuu recognizes the mortgage on this Mind Hive is still in our name, things should work out okay.

>>18076
Just because Mikio dreamed about meeting Hoshuu doesn't mean he actually exists as a separate sentient entity or a multiple personality or something. I don't see this as Hoshuu "taking over" Mikio like he's possessed by a ghost.

Mikio reacted to Sanae the way he was used to acting in that situation. He just didn't remember what that was until now. Remembering the kind of person he was 10+ years ago isn't going to erase the past 10 years, it'll just add to them.

>>18078
So are you the post >>18065 was responding to? Through some kind of backwards-time-shenanigans?

>>18080
And to further emphasize the fact that we know a lot less about Mikio "Unreliable Narrator" Kirita than we think we do:

Remember how Mikio seemed to have no recollection about his past?

Remember when it was implied that Mikio never had amnesia?
>>14245

>>18079
I don't think so, they pretty much agree.

I think that >>18065 thought that >>18060 was implying that they were memories instead of separate people. But his argument (They aren't different persons, they are all the same) stands. Somewhat.

To end this huge response, let me say that the only >>18080 made me rage (If we don't count the one with the idiotic 4chan reference) If you want to people to calm down, don't write big words with exclamation signs. You might want to delete that post too.

>>18083
Looking back, I agree that what I posted in the middle was unnecessarily over the top, and I apologize. I was rather irritated when I posted that, and wasn't thinking clearly.

I still think that we should wait for more information before we start making any assumptions.

For posterity's sake, said post, with a toned down (and hopefully less flamebait worthy) middle, was:
>Okay this is starting to get on my nerves.
>It's been one update people. Hardly enough time to figure out what's going on in Mikio/Hoshuu's giant jigsaw puzzle of a head, especially since we've never gotten a clear look at the inside of his/their mind. [ShamelessAlteration]Take it easy. Relax. Wait until we understand more about this situation[/ShamelessAlteration].
>Wait two or three posts first. Wait for more evidence to start popping up for either claim. We have insufficient data to make any conclusively accurate judgments right now. This would be like trying to propose a scientific theory based on exactly one trial run, with more than one variable in the equation (This statement may or may not be an exaggeration). It'd only get you laughed at.

I'm keeping the sesquipedalian big words though. I don't see what's wrong with using them, and it's not like this is the only place I use them, so I don't intend to break habit.

>I still think that we should wait for more information before we start making any assumptions.
I agree. Time to sit back and enjoy the story I guess.

[x] Call her out.

Goodbye Tengu life...*sniff*

Im suprised that she isn't suprised about the fact that our eye's are...diffrent...

>>18091

Because they turned back to normal, back when we accepted Hoshuu.

>>18094

And what a buzzkill that moment was.

>>18091
Still being chased with that axe, huh? Maybe you should stop goddamn posting until he gets tired.

>>18097
Call me crazy, but I think there might be more than one person on THP with poor spelling and punctuation skills. Chasing the white whale of bad grammar across multiple boards seems a bit much.

[x] Call her out.
[x] "Was that truly necessary?!"

[X]Call her out.

With the flood of [ ] Call her out votes I was worried that it might win.

Thankfully I checked and it's 17-6 the other way.

Aya was never the target girl, so I don't understand why we need to pander to her.

>>18112
It's more about not destroying the moment rather than routefaggotry, I think.

>>18113
I just think it'd be funny.

Oh and, in case people have forgotten, our big reveal has so far only been at the shrine. I think everyone else deserves to know we have our memories back, who we once were, that we're indeed "human", and that it doesn't change our friendship with any of them.

But, y'know, that's just me caring about people. Such silly notions, aren't they?

>>18112
Two votes is a flood? Huh, shows what I know.

Also, Aya actually cares about us in this story. An unusual feat, yes, but true. I'm sure she'll at least wait until she hears pesters us into explaining ourselves before she goes spreading potentially baseless rumors about us. If not, then it would appear that I have misjudged her. It still probably would have been a good idea to perform a subtle action that would make it clear to her (but not Sanae) that we heard the camera, but hey, I guess people didn't like >>18037, or >>18047.

I never do quite understand the point of voting several days after an update in a story that updates once every several days like this whenever there's a very clear advantage on one side, because at that point, unless you come up with a really good write-in, most of the readers have probably already voted and you're probably not going to change their minds.

The question I have is: If we're all the same person...
Then were did Hoshuu come from? I'd be pretty damn amused if the answer was something as goofy as "Youkai Hunter/Tayasumi is History Eat'd into a baby losing undeadness and traumatic past (but not enough to get rid of Headgames apparently) and somehow winds up Outside with apathetic parents".
The timeline'd even fit: Current Keine - 20/21 years = Loli Keine.
OH MAN I AM BRILLIANT

>>18116

'Timelime' and 'Keine' go together like water and oil.

...What? From what I can tell, Tayasumi was around way before Hoshuu and Mikio, and predates the creation of the border.

>>8608
>?A long, long time ago, before this world was separated from the outside

This is Aya recalling a certain story...

>>14972
In this post, Kiyone is recalling how she turned down someone... who seems to be a sailor. Keep in mind Gensokyo doesn't have oceans.

I wonder if we'll ever see the end of Tayasumi's tale or not. Curious to see how things end there.

>>18118
That's a reference.
Also, Keine isn't a true half-youkai, and thus wouldn't have the whole "aging slowly" schtick.
Also, I think it was a joke.

>>18114
You aren't really good with sarcasm. Or that other thing you're trying to do.

Anyway, enough time wasted: Updates where?

>>18121
Tomorrow.

Also, nice ear edit.

>>18120

http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/Perfect_Memento:_Encyclopedia:_Lycaony

>1: Some mature late in life and have protracted life spans.

>>18123
So basically, the human village knows that Keine is a Therianthrope? Or am I reading too much into it?

>>18116

Hoshuu and Mikio are the same person.
Tayasumi and Hoshuu/Mikio are the same soul.

Or is this too hard to understand?

>>18116
Wow, someone's bitter about the "Hoshuu and Mikio share the same body" theory.

>>18124
I think that's the idea, yes. I'm sure that humans would be more lenient towards half-youkai than full ones. Especially if said half-youkai devoted her whole life into protecting them, and is the main reason they can live in peace.

>>18122
>Tomorrow.

Hooray!

[x] Don't let anything interrupt this.
------

...No, that isn't important right now. You close your eyes, continuing to gently caress the back of Sanae's head, enjoying the gentle morning breeze as it dances around the two of you, rustling through the hair on the top of your heads.

Eventually, after a period of time that seems like both an eternity and an instant, you feel the girl slipping out of your arms, almost reluctantly, and you open your eyes, looking down at her face. She looks back at you, a faint smile on her lips. You smile back at her. Neither of you utter a single word, gazes locked with one another in comfortable silence.

You have so many things you want to say to her right now; so much that you almost feel like you're going to burst. Doubtlessly, she must feel the same as well. Words and feelings not exchanged between the two of for a whole ten years. But, instead of making you feel restless and uneasy, instead, it feels somehow right, like it's enough to be just standing here, knowing that the two of you are together once again.

"Um, Hoshuu..."Sanae finally starts, her hands folded together in front of her, "I can... I can still call you that, right?"

"It might be best not to," you say, shaking your head. "...To everyone else here, I'm Mikio, and I think it would be best if we didn't change that."

"Then... can I call you that when we're alone?"

"...Yeah," you say, nodding.

She nods, her smile growing wider as she giggles childishly. "Oh, or maybe we should combine your names? Like... Hoshio or Mikishuu or something like that. Wouldn't that be kind of fun?"

"Neither of those sounds very good," you say with a shake of your head.

"Haha, I guess not, huh?" she says, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. "...Then, Hoshuu, let's head back inside. What do you want for breakfast? I'll do my best to make it for you."

"You know I don't really have preferences."

"I guess not," she says, straightening up. "That's one thing about you that hasn't changed even after ten years. Alright, then I'd better hurry up before Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako wake up."

"Oh," you exclaim, raising your hand to stop her before she turns away. "Um, about those two... Sorry, but could you keep it a secret to them that I... well, you know. Can you just act like there's nothing different about me...?"

"...Huh? Why?"

"Um, well..."you say while scratching the back of your head. "...Don't ask, but I don't think they'd be very comfortable having me around."

She looks at me in puzzlement, clearly confused, but, probably because she's too happy right now, she doesn't seem to let it bother her too much or for very long before she nods in agreement. "I don't know what's going on, but, I guess that's okay."

You let out a sigh of relief as she turns around, snatching up the fallen broom as she marches over to the tool shed and heading inside for just a moment to leave the broom there before returning. She smiles brightly at you as she walks to the main shrine building, and you follow her. Before passing through the door, you glance up at the sky behind you, at the sun.

May the light never fade from this sky.

...

Lady Kanako faces you, seated opposite from you at the dining table. Her arms are crossed together sternly, her back straight to give herself more height. She's been sitting like this since you sat yourself down, her face slightly contorted in a look of mild disapproval. Lady Suwako is lying under the table, her head resting on her forearms while her body relaxes. In the kitchen, you can hear various sounds as Sanae prepares breakfast.

"...Why aren't you wearing your mask today?" the tall god finally speaks, her tone flat and almost heavy.

"It doesn't really make a difference, does it?" Lady Suwako speaks up in your place, not moving from her spot. "If he wants a change of image, let him be. You don't need to grill him about it."

Lady Kanako bites her lip, and then looks worriedly in the direction of the kitchen. Just at that moment, their wind priestess emerges from it, bringing a tray carrying all sorts of side dishes as well as the bowls of rice for the four of you. She sets it down on the table with a cheerful look.

"Eat up, everyone!"

The wind god's eyes seem to widen at Sanae's disposition, looking almost astounded as she watches her serve the bowls to everyone. She then looks over to you, and after a moment of observation, her body seems to relax, her expression softening.

"Pass the natto over here, would you?" she says to you.

You oblige her.

---

"Hey, Hoshuu, do you remember when I first showed you my powers?" Sanae asks, standing next to you.

"Yeah, I remember," you say, nodding while watching the sunlight shine off the surface of the lake. "You walked on the surface of the water. When I saw it, I felt like it was all a dream. I couldn't believe that anyone could do something incredible like that."

She giggles. "Although I messed up and fell in. And then you tried to save me."

"Even though I didn't know how to swim," you say, laughing. "I was the one that had to be rescued in the end. Oh, I know how to swim now, though. Nitori taught me."

"...You've made a lot of friends here haven't you, Hoshuu?" she asks, peering at your face. "I'm glad. When we lived together, you didn't have anyone your age to talk to."

You nod. "...Yeah, I was lucky."

"Are you going to tell them? About who you are, I mean."

You hadn't even been thinking about that. What would be the best thing to do..."But, does it even matter who you are to everyone else? The boy known as "Hoshuu" exists only to Sanae. To the others, it's nothing more than a name that shares with them no experiences. Or... maybe there's meaning in it after all?

[ ] Let's go together, right now.
[ ] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.
[ ] it's best not to.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[x] it's best not to.

Because the middle option feels too much like A suspiciously "safe" option.

[x] it's best not to.
>nothing more than a name that shares with them no experiences.
He's absolutely right. Our identity as Hoshuu is only special to Sanae. To everyone else, its just a name with no meaning.

[x] it's best not to.

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[x] it's best not to.

>He's absolutely right. Our identity as Hoshuu is only special to Sanae. To everyone else, its just a name with no meaning.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[x] it's best not to.

Let you and Sanae have your shared secret and go make some new memories.

[ ] it's best not to.
Because it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever for anyone else.

Maybe it would be useful to tell it to someone experienced in this sort of mystical shenanigans, to shed some actual light on it, though. Hina maybe?

[x] it's best not to.

[Q] it's best not to.

To people who think we are Mikio, we are Mikio.

To people who think we are Hoshuu, we are Hoshuu.

To people who think we are an eldritch, god-slaying monstrosity, well, we'll see.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[ ] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

Anyone else feel like extended proximity to Sanae will bring headgames back with a vengeance?

[z] it's best not to.

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

This just feels right; I can't explain it.

[X] it's best not to.

This is a tricky choice. On the one hand, saying he was a human from the outside could allow him to be reaccepted by the tengu, but on the other hand, there was the whole "young tengu" charade. If he tells one of his non-tengu friends, he could be kicked out of the clan permanently and made persona non grata.

>>18154

I'm not sure they'd believe "human from outside" after he, y'know, went toe to toe with a goddess of war.

[X] it's best not to.
Lets not go seeking trouble when there is no need too.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

So Kanako's all concerned, noting our striking resemblance to ourselves and thinking it's going to be a downer on Sanae's psyche. Only, Sanae's not depressed at all, because the reason we look like us is we are us.

That's awesomely hilarious.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.


But if not now....then when?

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.
I don't like keeping secrets from our loved ones. But I have to accept that today is not really a good day.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

While Mikio's past may not be relevant to Gensokyo's residents, I can't think of any reason not to tell them. Momiji and Aya at least have a right to know.

>>18163
that's part of my reason for choosing the same choice, we owe it at least to those two.

[X] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

There's no harm in telling our Momiji and Aya. But concerning everyone else, it's not a need-to-know basis.

>>18164
No we don't. Telling Aya and Momiji about our split personality/duality whatever you want to call it, could cause unnecessary distress to them. They care for Mikio, and worry about his well-being. Telling them that you have some sort of jacked up chimera personality isn't very conducive to alleviating their worries.
The best way to ease their minds is to simply live happily, something we are starting to accomplish nicely.

>>18166

18155 here, I think we'll need to tell them eventually. Keeping secrets like this will bound to come out sooner or later. Maybe keeping this in for too long will distress Mikio anyways?

I think we should tell Aya and Momiji for two reasons, first being that they are going to notice the slight difference in how we act and not telling them anything will just get them more worried. Second they deserve it. Both of them are the closet thing that we have to family, and not telling them would feel sorta like a betrayal of that trust and love.

We should of course make sure that they know that we still are 'Mikio' despite all that we've remembered, and that we still consider them to be our family. Hoshuu is a part of us yes, but those bonds, those feelings that we made over the last decade will never disappear nor will the person that we've become under their wing.

...Which is also something that we might need to exsplain to Sanae at some point as well. Though later.

>>18169
>that we still are 'Mikio' despite all that we've remembered
That wont work. The purpose of tying the mask to our belt is to prevent either Mikio or Hoshuu from becoming the dominant force. We can't simply be two completely different personalities based entirely on situational factors, when truly, we are neither Hoshuu or Mikio. We are both.
To that end, telling Aya and Momiji about Hoshuu is pointless. They couldn't care less about some Human boy named Hoshuu from the outside. They only care about Mikio, and how he is doing. And he's starting to do just dandy.

I wasn't saying that we where either Mikio or Hoshuu, but that while we've regained our older memories from before we were named Mikio we are still the person that they have known for the last decade.

Just basically reassuring them that we still love them and consider them family. And aren't suddenly going to become a new person.

If we're both Hoshuu and Mikio, all the more reason we should tell them anyways. Since we ARE both, it's not like we should hide half of ourselves from Aya and Momiji.

>>18171
>we are still the person that they have known for the last decade.
>And aren't suddenly going to become a new person
See
>?Is that really something you should be saying right now!?? you yell back without thinking, in a voice almost completely different from the one that usually belongs to you, lifting a hand and rubbing the cheek where she hit you. >?You're ruining the moment here!" That slipped out, etc. etc.

Too late. We are already starting to become a different existence. We are saying strange things (from Mikios perspective), and acting in a far more forthcoming manner. It's nothing serious or alarming, but from Aya and Momiji's perspective, it might be a sense of contention that would cause them considerable distress.

[ ] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

Aya and Momiji are our adoptive parents; it is their right to worry about us! They are part of our story.

Whether or not we tell them anything about our past life, I think we should still tell them that we remember it.

[ ] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

We have to tell them, sometime. Aya has seen him without his mask, the maks he weared even inside the Tengu's lair. She knows something is going on, and we need to tell at least her.

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.

>>18177
I can write "maks" off as a typo, but...
>weared
wore.

Finally, I'm here. I'm never starting on a 20+ thread long story in progress again.

>>18201
This isn't your blog. No one cares that you are new and just caught up.

>>18202
I care. It means that he liked the story enough to catch up on it despite its length, and that makes me happy.

>>18203
>I care. It means that he liked the story enough to catch up on it despite its length, and that makes me happy.

This is part of the reason you're a good writefag.

>>18161
>But if not now....then when?
Tomorrow. Because tomorrow will be special.

>>18208
You say that like yesterday was not.

>>18208
>>18216
You say that like everyday isn't precious.

>>18218
I know this might sound like I'm going on a tangent, but what was MoF's extra stage theme called again?

>>18219
I was all prepared to call you a retard.
Forgive me.

>>18216
Well, it's hard to be optimistic nowadays. I just wish we had a god that loves people.

>>18219
Like everyone has said, "Tomorrow Will Be Sunny, Yesterday Was Not". Here's an awesome Chinese orchestra arrange of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yEDM-ogtBY

[x] Not today. Today is a day of reminiscence.
------

"No," you finally say after a moment of deliberation, shaking your head. As soon as the words have left your mouth, however, you find yourself rushing to add to what you've already said, "Not now, anyway. I'm not really sure I'm ready for that yet. I'm sure... that I'll tell them the truth someday, but today isn't that day. And, besides, right now, I want to spend a little more time with... um..."

"Hmm?" Sanae narrows her eyes, inching a little closer with a growing grin. "What's that, Hoshuu? You're getting a little red in the face, and you're stuttering. That's really unlike you, you know. Now, what was it that you were going to say~?"

"Oh, be quiet," you say, pressing two fingers to her forehead and pushing it away.

She claps her hands together, letting out a small, excited laugh. "Ahaha, look now, the tables have turned!" The girl steps closer, standing on the very tips of her toes, just barely passing over the top of your head as she does so. "From now on, maybe you should call me ?big sis??"

"No way," you say, placing a hand on top of her head and pushing her back down.

She squirms away, a wide, silly grin plastered to her face. After finally settling down, she stands back and watches you for a moment. "...You know," she begins, placing her arms behind her back. "Ten years ago, I thought you were really cool. Like, a super cool guy. Sort of like those love interests in shoujo manga that's always really popular and handsome."

"And now?" you ask, smiling wryly.

"Hmm... well," she tilts her head, putting on an expression to make it seem like she's putting in some serious thinking as she scrutinizes you. "...I think in my memories you were a bit cooler than you are now. You were really tall, and your hair was silky and wavy, and you had these really clear, baby blue eyes..."

"I don't think I can compare to your fantasies."

"I'm just kidding," she says with a giggle. "I think the current you is cool enough."

"I'm glad," you say, smiling.

"Oh, speaking of which," Sanae suddenly lights up, a sudden realization having hit her. "Hoshuu, you know, you're really amazing!"

"Eh? I am...?" you say, taken by surprise.

"Yeah!" she nods, looking at you with admiration. "How come you never told me you had such spiritual power?"

"Oh, that," you say, taking a step back as you rub the back of your head. "...To be honest, back in the outside world, I didn't even know it was possible for me to do half of the things I can do now. It... just came to me a little naturally, as far as I can remember. It seems almost everyone in here can take care of themselves, so I guess what was rare outside isn't so rare here."

"Definitely, yeah," she nods in agreement. "But still, you're really exceptional! You were able to keep up with Lady Kanako! You should become the head priest here or something. Then you'd be a real permanent fixture at the shrine."

"Am I furniture?"

Sanae waves her hand, "No, no, of course not. But all the same, you're not going to be leaving again, are you?"

"I won't. I won't be going anywhere," you say, putting on a rather grim smile. "...it's not as though I really have anywhere else to go."

"Oh!" she lets out a small gasp, placing a hand to her lips as though she's said something she shouldn't have, her eyes giving you a pitying, apologetic look. "...Sorry, I didn't mean to remind you."

"Don't worry about it, I'm not bothered," you say, softening your expression just slightly.

"Um... Hoshuu," she begins, somewhat hesitantly, as she leans forward, rolling up her eyes to look up at you. "...How do you feel? I mean, um, well, it's kind of hard to put it in words, but... I mean, you were really different before, you know? Almost like you were a completely different person. So, um... I'm wondering, which one... which one are you?"

"That?s..."you pause, trailing off. That's right. Mikio and Hoshuu were different in their personalities, values, and thought processes, so what does it make you, who shares the memories and experiences of both of those individuals? "...I don't really know it myself, but, I do know that... I'm not either of them specifically."

"That's a pretty difficult answer," she says, biting her lip.

"Ahaha, I guess..."you say, shrugging your shoulders. "...But I don't think it's really like that, that what I was like before I came here and after should be separate. I might have changed a bit from what you remember, but I'm still the same person, isn't that true?"

"Mm, yeah, I guess so," she says, nodding happily.

To your surprise, she suddenly springs at you, grabbing hold of your arm and hugging it to herself while resting her head on your shoulder, letting out a content sigh.

"Whoa, hey, don't stick so close," you say, trying to pull away.

"Why~?" she asks stubbornly, only tightening the grip she has on your arm. "You didn't used to mind."

"Well that's because back then you were a..."

She looks at you as you trail off again, her eyes narrowed and her lips in a smirk as she lets out a long, drawn out ?Hmmm...?"

"Nothing, forget it."

"Okay, in that case... Remember that show you were marathoning before you left? The one you rented out the whole set for?"

You take a moment to try to recall what she's talking about, and when you do, you let out an audible gasp. That's right, you were right in the middle of watching an old anime series just before you left; since it was so sudden, you hadn't remembered to return all the videos before you'd departed. "...Oh, yeah, I remember."

"We still have the tapes," she says, grinning. "Ah, but don't think I stole them. I completely forgot about them too, until I found them while cleaning the house. I tried to return them, but the rental shop was closed down already, they've been collecting dust for a while. After I watched them all, anyway."

"Really..."I've forgotten almost all of it already..."

"So, let's go! We'll watch it together this time!"

"Whoa, hey, wait, don't pull like that!"

------

END OF CHAPTER 5

------

What is the worth of a life?

That is a question only you yourself can answer. No matter the hardships and the sufferings you had endured on the way, if at the end of the beaten road, you reflect on the path you traveled, and were able to say ?I'm glad to have been born," then that gives your life meaning. It gives it worth. It means that you didn't live in vain.

Conversely, if you died regretting it all, cursing your own fate until the moment you drew your last breath... then you might as well have never lived. It would have been better had you not been born at all. That means your life was nothing more than a horrible mistake that could never be mended.

...At the end of all this, I wonder what kind of life I'll have led?

Will I... have lived a life of worth?

Or will I die with nothing but pain and regret?

---

"...and just drop those off down there."

You drop the armful of scrolls you're carrying, letting them fall down haphazardly onto the dirty wooden floor. The stack of scrolls, which had been neatly organized when you were carrying them, lie about the ground in a mess, with each of them rolling in different directions. Kiyone's voice rises in alarm as she hurriedly turns around.

"Ahhh, hey! I didn't mean literally drop them!" she says in exasperation, bending forward to pick up the scrolls one by one to put them in their places once more. "Geez... and I thought work would be easier with an extra pair of hands around."

"...I have no obligation to help you," you say in a quiet, cold voice.

The woman raises an eyebrow, standing back up and folding her arms together sternly. "Huh? So you did this on purpose?"

"If you want to take it that way, go ahead."

"You're still being so difficult," she says with a sigh. "You promised me you'd try to change yourself, didn't you?"

You look away from her, avoiding her gaze.

"...Well, why don't you try to smile for once, at least?" she says after a moment's pause, raising up a finger with a look of optimism, smiling despite your harsh words.

You consider it for a moment. If it'll shut her up for a while, then it might be worth complying for just a bit. Without blinking or moving any part of your face besides the muscles around your lips, you force them upwards into what is probably a smile. Kiyone, looking at your visage, widens her eyes, visibly surprised.

"Uh, um..."she begins, at a bit of a loss for words. "...Okay, maybe you shouldn't smile."

Your ?smile? immediately turns back into a scowl.

"A-anyway, we're done here for now," she says, hastily changing the subject while hurrying past you.

She grabs you by the sleeve on the way, literally dragging you out of the room where the scrolls are stored and out of the building, shutting the door firmly behind the two of you. With an expression of accomplishment, she places her hands at her waist and looks up at the two story building.

"You know, it seems kind of a waste to not use this building for something else, besides storing those scrolls," she mentions, folding her arms together again, turning her head toward you to continue speaking. "It used to be a small temple of some kind, I think. it's been deserted for a long, long time, though. So I was trying to think of a way we could use it for the public."

You remain silent as she glances at you. Though you don't reply to her, she seems to be aware that you're still paying attention to her, as she continues to speak without complaint.

"At first I thought I could turn it into a diner, and make some money," she says, laughing to herself at the end of her words. "...But, lately, I've heard a bit more about the central part of Yamato. I hear the unified government is adopting a public education system. Literacy rate around the major cities are already at 80%! Isn't that amazing?"

...As if you would care about that.

"Compared to that, we're pretty behind," Kiyone goes on, laughing to herself again. "Of course, yours truly is a veritable master of the language, but since our humble little settlement here is so isolated from the rest of the world, we don't have nearly as large of a percentage of people who can read and write."

Incidentally, you can't read or write either. Looking at a kanji makes you think of some bald old fool trying to teach you and an older boy how to work a brush. It makes your head hurt, so you never bothered to remember the details. You've lived this long without needing to read or write, so what use would it be to anyone?

"So, I thought about maybe turning this building into a school," she says, turning around fully and outstretching her arms. "How's that? Good idea, right? A school open for anyone to attend! Of course, since I'm the historian, I'd teach history and maybe a few other subjects, until we have other people willing to educate."

She lifts one of her arms to her mouth, a sudden, sinister look on her face as she speaks into the back of her hand in a low whisper, "And then the village head will have to provide me with the costs of running the school, hehehehe..."

Of course, you have nothing to say to that, either.

"Anyway, that's just a pipe dream so far, though," she finally concludes, returning to her normal tone of voice. "What do you think?"

[ ] "..."
[ ] "Teach me."

[x] "Teach me."

[x] "Teach me."

>How's that? Good idea, right? A school open for anyone to attend!
I already know. Waterfalls will be shed.

[ ] "..."

[x] "Teach me."

And Lion, I really love the interaction between all of your characters in this. They all feel real to me, which really makes it enjoyable to read your works.

[ ] "..."

[x] "..."
Tayasumi's back! Hooray.

[x] "Teach me."

[x] "Teach me."

Teach me, Keine-sensei!

>>18249
>loli-Keine teaching

An interesting idea.

[X] "Teach me."

[X] "Teach me."

Kiyone is awesome. I'm sure everyone already knows this, but I still feel the need to say it.

[x] "Teach me.."
YES

[X] "..."

Remaining in character and so forth.

[x] "Teach me.."

>Remaining in character and so forth.

But we're trying to change him.

[x] "Teach me."

>END OF CHAPTER 5

Oh wow that was a long chapter. For reference, Chapter 5 started all the way back near the beginning of thread eleven.

[x] "Teach me."

I keep imaging Little Keine in a near empty classroom almost in tears trying to keep a bored, scowling stranger's attention.

The fact that she's also trying to teach her delinquent mother at the same time is not helping.

[c] "Teach me."

Yes, please.

[X] "Teach me.."

I wonder if it would be too out of character to say something like, "Well, you need to know how to teach someone first, it might as well be me. Knowledge is a powerful weapon." or something.

[x] "Teach me."

...how to loooove.

[x] "Teach me."

...how to loooove.

Well that is what she is doing. Just with out the wink wink say no more.

[x] "Teach me."

All aboard the bandwagon, first stop, Kiyone's untimely death!

;_;

>>18297

Awesome.

>>18297
How sad it may be, it will be the first step in becoming human. The 2nd will be to raise Keine.

>>18300
Agreed. We need to go grab our spear and kill some youkai. I'm tired of people trying to humanize Tayasumi.

>>18302

Thing is, Tayasumi was humanized already when the story started. Why do you think Headgames was sealed by him and Hoshuu? And besides, he has given signs his not all that satisfied with Headgames, IIRC.

>>18303
I know he was human when his village was attacked by Rumia. If I remember correctly, as he lay dying, he earnestly wished for the power to defeat all youkai.

He got it, and all that it entails. It's lame to just try and wish that away with good intentions, and positive encouragements.

>>18304
Thing is, many of us think that going down the path of a Youkai Killer isn't something that should be encouraged.

He who fights monsters becomes a monster himself.

>>18305
He already is a youkai killer. Though it wasnt his intentions, asking for power as he did made him into a complete monster at that very moment. It's too late to change any of that, nor should we. Tayasumi made his choice, and he should have to live with it.

>>18306
If I'm not mistaken, haven't we already spent a good deal of the story trying to prove that people can change? In fact, wasn't fear that he could never move on from his past one of Mikio's biggest problems?

In fact, saying Tayasumi can't change spits in the face of the vote made for >>17362. Not a single person voted that people can't change.

>We need to go grab our spear and kill some youkai.
Maybe you should go head over to /border/. There is a story about that called Average Joe.
>It's lame to just try and wish that away with good intentions, and positive encouragements.
This was made in anger and see where it brought him. Everyone makes mistakes and we are trying to make it right.
>It's too late to change any of that, nor should we.
Stop that. It is not too late for this. We are fighting hard the whole time to not lose control and become a human once again. Being a Monster who is feared by everyone and has lost its sanity and will is not something that he should become. Kiyone and Keine are the very first step for a better future. Slowly but steady moving forward.

>>18307
>>18308

Mikio and Tayasumi are two vastly different people, who are in entirely different situations. Mikio can and has changed. Tayasumi cannot, as his very existence is tied into Headgames. He's been through injuries that would have felled a human multiple times over, and shrugged it off because of that same damning power. He may vaguely regret it now, but I wager it's integral to his continued survival.

>>18309
Better to die a redeemed man than to live on as a monster, I say.

He may not be able to escape Headgames, but at the very least, he can try to resist it and not give in to its hatred of all things supernatural. Even if that is probably doomed to failure, it's still better than accepting Headgames' homicidal nature.

As for Headgames itself, I'd need more hints of information on what it even is (a vengeful past form of our MCs? A malicious spirit that keeps possessing them?) before making any decisions. If it is part of them, we'll probably have to accept it (just play "Persona 4" to see how badly denying themselves can backfire), but that doesn't mean we can't move on from the "KILL ALL YOUKAI" attitude, or at least try (again with "Persona 4", a good part of the team's character development involves accepting who they are, and then learning how to face their issues head on and become better people).

Even if Tayasumi is doomed to failure, he can still pave the way for Mikio.

>>18312

From what I recall, Headgames' homicidal nature has been relatively in check with Tayasumi. He still kills Youkai, but that is pretty much his thing. I can't recall off the top of my head any strong desire to kill everything. I'm okay with this. Tayasumi needs Headgames' power to survive the ridiculously powerful factions he has brought down on his, and by extension, Kiyone's head.

I don't think this is a simple case of pursuing our true selves either. While we may be able to reach out to the truth, we definitely aren't doing it by Kiyone's affection. Going down that road can only lead to heartbeat, and heartbreak, if you catch my drift.

>>18313

You seem to forget Headgames also plans on killiong the gods. YOu know, the beings responsible for bringing down the rain, making trees grows, making people fertile and gicing a good harvest every year. Do remember Tayasumi lives in an era where magic and mystical beings is still common. What would happen if he killed such important and necessary beings?

Not only that, but he(they?) was also tempted to kill Kiyone. Remember the first night at her home? When she went to sleep with Keine, he went into their room, and there was a choice to do it or not, IIRC. So yeah, almost killing humans too.

And then there is that old tale, told by Ogata to Aya, and told by Aya to Mikio. About a human, who swore vengeance against all youkai and hunted them down, killing countless youkai until he started killing humans too, unable to recognize the difference between one and the other.

So, yeah. It's better to at least try to save Tayasumi's humanity, than to let him become/remain a complete monster.

>>18315
>tempted to kill Kiyone
Can you provide a link? I looked, but I can't seem to find it.

>>18315
>>18317

>>16791
Found it.

We didn't get a choice in killing them our not, but there is something more pressing here. Headgames was not in that entire update, nor was he in any other scene where Tayasumi considers killing humans, as I recall. The only person who wanted to kill them was Tayasumi, and he has considered killing them before. Headgames' modus operandi has not changed. He kills youkai, and wishes to take out the gods, to pave the way for humankind.

If Tayasumi truly does start killing absolutely everything, I believe that it will be him that does so, without any prompting from Headgames.

>18315
>Not only that, but he(they?) was also tempted to kill Kiyone. Remember the first night at her home? When she went to sleep with Keine, he went into their room, and there was a choice to do it or not, IIRC. So yeah, almost killing humans too.

He was already in suspicion of her being non-human. Ogata refers to her as 'sacred beast' right in front of him. Then the whole leaving a small child unattended every full moon thing.

>And then there is that old tale, told by Ogata to Aya, and told by Aya to Mikio. About a human, who swore vengeance against all youkai and hunted them down, killing countless youkai until he started killing humans too, unable to recognize the difference between one and the other.

But it's a tengu's story, the intent probably to reinforce the boundaries between humans and non-humans. The implication was that Tayasumi was more a monster because he was acting against his 'nature' as a human.

Mikio disagreed, saying something to the effect that evil actions made Tayasumi a monster, no matter what matter if he was originally human or not. I think now, years later, now having memory of living as both tengu and human, he would reiterate that.

Even though Tayasumi is undoubtedly the person mentioned in the story, the content is still in question. There could be exaggeration for the purpose of teaching a moral, there could be intentional revisionism in order to make an undesired outcome (i.e., Kiyone's death) seem more justified, or there could just be the misinformation that accompanies a tale with a long oral history. Beside simple veracity, none of the tengu have the insight that Mikio might into Tayasumi's origins and thoughts. It's possible that his motivations become somewhat rehabilitated before his (putative) death.

>So, yeah. It's better to at least try to save Tayasumi's humanity, than to let him become/remain a complete monster.

I don't see any other way for Mikio to incorporate Tayasumi's 'fragment' fully. So far as we've seen, there is almost nothing of Tayasumi in Mikio, except maybe a tendency toward reticence. We have to remember that his transformation started when he let Rumia share in a kill. Now, it's probable that she would have wiped out the village regardless, but the experience has hardened an association in his mind: Youkai reward generosity with treachery. And with his new found powers, he's since been able to live without ever having to test this hypothesis again.

To make any progress toward changing, he'll need to make an effort to treat a youkai with something other than complete antipathy, and then to have this effort be rewarded in kind. Kiyone is a perfect foil for him. Even though he strongly suspects she's a youkai, Tayasumi doesn't seem to treat her as anything other than human. Seeking to be 'taught' anything by her is a good sign.

>Seeking to be 'taught' anything by her is a good sign.
...I don't think that's what's being contested here. In fact, she's probably the only one who could change Tayasumi in any significant way.

>>18323
>In fact, she's probably the only one who could change Tayasumi in any significant way.

Well, she is the only one to care about him...

You know, this whole "Mikio is the new Jesus, forgives everyone" thing got pretty annoying some 15 threads ago. If almost getting killed because of this didn't teach you anything then you are beyond help.

Other thing is, all this already happened in the past, right? I'm not sure how "changing" these events will affect his current state.

>>18325
>Annoying
Opinions yay
>Getting killed for it didn't teach you a lesson
The objective is good enough to take the risk.
>This is all in the past, we can't change the future, etc
I don't think that anyone would vote for these options if they didn't think that they will have some effect on him. From all we know, his story didn't end well, yes, but as we all know, things aren't black or white.

>>18306
>>18309
>>18325
Geez, what's with this fatalistic attitude all of a sudden?

>>18328
Just tired of seeing the same options always being picked in Tayasumi's story, with little justification behind them. Besides, discussion of any kind is always awesome.

>>18326
>The objective is good enough to take the risk.
I hate that word, but "moralfag" has never been more appropriate.
Putting not only your life, but life someone you promised to protect below some childish concepts of morality.

It should've been a bad end, Lion is way too soft on you people.

>>18329
>Besides, discussion of any kind is always awesome.

Not when the discussion devolves into meaningless shitstorms that completely eclipse the story (you probably know exactly what I'm talking about here). This story is generally good about that though, so whatever.

>>18330
Okay can someone tell me what the hell you guys are talking about, because I am not digging through the archives to find an incident that I'm given no hints on what it even is. What should've been a bad end? What was the objective we took a risk for? What almost killed us? You're giving me nothing to work with here.

Regardless of whatever you guys are talking about, a bad end would've been even softer. You know why it's generally advised they not be abused? Because then you don't have to suffer the consequences of what you've done. Someone dies because something we did? Oh, just give us a bad end and choose differently next time. Without bad ends, you have to live with hisher death on your hands. People won't think if they know that any mistakes they make are inconsequential.

>>18333
I believe he is referring to when Mikio spared that asshole youkai who was hounding him for a while, and it returned the favor by immediately fucking us over. If I'm recalling this correctly, we had to save Sanae from him also.

>meaningless shitstorms that completely eclipse the story
You 'refering to GH? Cause that will never happen in this story. The only way we could possibly get a shitstorm of that magnitude is by route-faggotry. Or neckbeards who wish to talk about D&D, to be a little more recent

A little discussion about Tayasumi's goals and motives every now and than is okay.

>>18329
>with little justification behind them
>Just tired of seeing the same options always being picked in Tayasumi's story

...

Can you guys please stop feeding the troll?

>>18330
This is nitpicking, but you're missing the subject in your second sentence. The sentence was fucking with my mind until I realized that. There are other grammar issues in your post, but I can excuse them because I can ignore them.

>>18335
Hey now, I responded to the part of that post that wasn't controversial: The "discussion is always awesome" part. It's probably not a good idea in general to speak in absolutes unless you need/want to sound confident.

And we hit autosage, why are we still saging?

>>18337
We're sageing because it's refined and classy.

>It's probably not a good idea in general to speak in absolutes unless you need/want to sound confident.

I'm not exactly sure why it was controversial, but I will work on it.

>>18333 Without bad ends, you have to live with hisher death on your hands.
Better to have a bad end than deus ex machina out of every dangerous situation.