FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

Happy birthday nigger...

[ ] Keep wearing this one
[ ] Check outside

[x] Keep wearing this one
[x] Check outside

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside


SCOOOOOOOOOOORN

＼SCORN!／

☑ Put on your old shirt
☑ Check outside

Oh, also:
[X] Grab some of the silk bedding for breakfast.

WELCOME HOME

[x] Put on your old shirt
[x] Check outside

Our way of saying: "I see what you did there, Wriggle."

[x] Put on your old shirt
[x] Check outside

Between awesome marisa, yandere alice, and now this nightbug, how are we supposed to choose?

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

Let the Moebug have the shirt.

Also, Welcome back.

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

I've missed you, you son of a bitch.

Welcome home.

[P] Keep wearing this shirt.
[P] Check outside.

*Scorn* is back, my little Nightbug is as lovely as always, and all is right with the world.

[X] What? No! Bring back the nice yukkuri!

>>9214

Fuck you, man.

[x] Keep wearing this one
[x] Check outside

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

Welcome back, Scorn. Happy birthday and all that.

Welcome back, Scorn!
[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

[!] Keep wearing this shirt
[!] Check outside

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

Oh Scorn, your Wriggle is excellent. I think I'm going to lose the bowel control!

[x] Keep wearing this one
[x] Check outside

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

Hooray!

[X] Keep wearing this shirt
[X] Check outside

For a moment you linger by the old shirt, holding the slight package in your hands carefully, vaguely amused that Wriggle held onto something like this. You wonder where she keeps her other clothes? In any event the shirt in your hands is in a much better state than the one on your back, despite the fact you've only had it for two days it's already worn out. There's holes and tears where the various plant life of the forest caught at your flapping clothes, it's smeared with mud all up the back from when Rumia decided you were going to be her dinner and it smells strongly of the desperate perspiration you produced yesterday.

In all respects this shredded garment is almost worse than going topless, it would make much more sense to swap it out for this one, it's so flimsy now that you'll probably catch your death in it.

Yet...

Just knowing Alice made it, regardless of how she acted later, makes you pause. When you lost the shirt laying before you she offered to make you a new one, just like that with no hesitation. It would be terribly cruel of you to just cast it aside now. You never sensed anything wrong with how she was back then, that's the Alice you'd like to see more of. So maybe it's foolish, just wishful thinking, but maybe if you wear this shirt you'll get to see the Alice from back then again. Just maybe.

As you lay the other shirt to rest you chuckle softly to yourself for thinking in such dramatic ways, as if just wanting something to be true ever made it so in the real world!

Shaking your head as you walk up to the entrance of the burrow you're presented a new problem, how to scale a directly vertical incline to the surface.

Peering up the tunnel you see daylight streaming through bright and strong past the cluster of green leaves, looks like after the storm broke the weather really cheered up, judging by the strength of the sunlight you'd say it's about noonish.

Well, no better way to tackle this than head on! The entrance wasn't designed to be used by anyone who couldn't fly but it's narrow enough that with some positioning you can wedge yourself against the walls by pressing your back up against them and pushing out with your legs. From this rather awkward position you can slide yourself up the tunnel, albeit slowly and scraping your back painfully against the rough earth as you do.

It takes time and a lot of effort, once or twice you nearly lose your footing on the loose soil, but eventually you manage to crawl up and out of the relatively short passage.

Resting on the cool grass by the tunnel, you stop for a moment to take stock of your surroundings, last night it was too dark for you to see where you were other than in some random glade within the forest.

Now clearly visible in the daylight you can see that the trees around here are some kind of evergreen, like a pine but with different, softer, needles that litter the ground near where they grow. There's a very strong scent in the air, these pine-like trees are secreting a kind of sweet smelling sap and upon closer inspection you can see some kind of beetle crawling around where the sap bleeds out. A quick check reveals that all the trees that produce sap are covered in these odd beetles.

In fact, this seemingly peaceful cluster of trees is teeming with an abundance of insect life. Ants file criss-cross along the forest floor carrying tiny loads to their hill, bees and butterflies flit from blossom to blossom in a cluster of bluebells growing in a shady spot, high above you in the canopy of the bigger trees you can see fantastical insects like dragonflies darting around on iridescent wings.

When you strain your senses, the seemingly silent forest is alive with the cacophony of tiny lives.

Sitting down on a nearby rock, a craggy light stone, you look around once more. You don't recognize these trees from anywhere else in the forest, the trees near Marisa's and Alice's houses were both deciduous and Mystia's cart was among those birch trees.

Whatever the case, Wriggle is no where to be seen with no indication as to where she's gone. A little flutter of panic rises in your chest as you suddenly realize you've been abandoned, but you quash it down. Chances are Wriggle's still near by and most dangerous creatures sleep during the day in the forest you've learned.

Still, you're at a loss as what to do.

======

[ ] Call out for Wriggle
[ ] Stick around and wait for her to return
[ ] Try tracking her down somehow
[ ] Strike off in a random direction, tally ho!

[ ] Strike off in a random direction, tally ho!

{X} Stick around and wait for her to return.

Maybe take a short walk~

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return.

Wriggle~

Waiting for you~

[x] Stick around and wait for her to return

I come home and Scorn has returned. 'Tis a grand day, indeed.

>Call out for Wriggle
YES.

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return.

[x] Call out for Wriggle

Voting for this in hopes that that bat youkai from earlier brings her friends and gang rapes us like she was supposed to, damn it.

{X} Stick around and wait for her to return.

>Now clearly visible in the daylight you can see that the trees around here are some kind of evergreen, like a pine but with different, softer, needles that litter the ground near where they grow. There's a very strong scent in the air, these pine-like trees are secreting a kind of sweet smelling sap and upon closer inspection you can see some kind of beetle crawling around where the sap bleeds out. A quick check reveals that all the trees that produce sap are covered in these odd beetles.

Japanese hemlock?

[x] Call out for Wriggle
[x] If no response, stick around and wait for her to return

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return.

[X] Stick around and wait for her to return.
[x] Make friends with the beetles.

>>9261

Hahah, yeah. I just re-read that scene funnily enough. I forgot to mention Mystia's claw marks on the shirt.

====

Well, where ever she's gone she'll be back soon you expect. It's unreasonable to assume she's just up and left without even talking to you considering how hard she tried to even find you, come to think of it you should do something nice for her in way of thanks some time.

So abandoning your rock for a spot in the sun you settle down to wait a spell, enjoying the warming feeling. Why did you wake up so late? Well perhaps it was because you were underground with nothing to wake you up on time, not that you mind a lie in. Now that you think of it, where did Wriggle sleep last night? It's then you remember the skittish way she acted last night, how she retreated when you came on a bit too strong.

Well, it's natural for both of you to be confused at the moment things considered. You don't want to confuse her further by making advances towards her then run off with Marisa or something.

There's a thought, Marisa. Never far from your mind. Oddly you feel more at ease about your situation with her now that you know Wriggle will take you to her some time soon, it's just a feeling like everything will work out okay.

Heck, maybe you could convince Marisa and Wriggle to be friends, you think that would be nice for both of them. Or are you just trying to have your cake and eat it?

As you lay catching sunbeams and cloud watching through the shady leaves, a sudden chill passes through you as the temperature suddenly drops.

"Hey, Cirno."

Without even sitting up again you greet the ice fairy, you didn't even hear her approach but there's no way you'd miss that aura of cold she has. Popping her head into view above your eyes she scowls slightly.

"How'd you know it was me?"
"I have fairy radar."
Evidently not familiar with sarcasm her bright blue eyes widen and she gives you an awed smile.

"Really? That's so-"
"Cool?"
"Hey! Don't start that again! If you want breakfast, you better be nice to me today!"

Quickly sitting up you spread your hands before you and smile at the petulant ice fairy.

"I promise to be the utmost gentleman to you Cirno, you have my word. Now, what's this about breakfast?"
"Hmm? Did I say something?"

Ah, it seems she has more guile than you gave her credit for. Feigning ignorance Cirno pointedly turns her back on you and wanders around the clearing fingers laced behind her, a mischievous grin is plastered on her face and she makes sure to keep an eye on you even as she pretends to not notice you.

"Come on Cirno, I promised you."
"I know~"
"So, who's making breakfast?"
"I don't remember saying anything about breakfast~"
"Cirno! I'm hungry!"
Adding a whine to your voice you play along and try to win her over. Hiding a smile behind her hand she pretends to look concerned.

"Oh noes! I've found a hungry human in the forest!"
"Oh please miss Fairy! Please help me!"
Clearly enjoying this little act Cirno takes a step towards you, dramatically you clutch your hands together and beg.
"All the people say that the fairy in the forest is the strongest in the land!"
"They do don't they?" She adds smugly. "Go on."
"And they say she always helps a human in need."

Sighing with a shrug she shakes her head with fake resignation, stepping up she takes your hand in hers and pulls you to your feet.

"Don't worry oh, silly human! The ever so strong fairy will not let you down!"
"So strong!" You echo, no harm in playing her game after all.
"I have a friend who has just what you need, so come with me!"

Then with a little hop and skip she takes to the air dragging you with her, strangely you don't dangle from her arm but rather sort of float along with her at roughly the same height. Thankfully she's not going too fast and the trees around you sail past at a leisurely pace rather than the usual breakneck speed. Her hand sure is cold though.

"Hey, Cirno? What about Wriggle?"
"What? Aw, s'no fun if you break character." Turning away from looking where she's going to talk to you, you see she's got a thoughtful expression on her face.
"They said last night they were gonna meet up with us later, I gotta take you to the cart to wait for them there when you woke up."
"Why is that?"
"I dunno. But if you want somethin' to eat Mystia's waiting for us back there."
"Shouldn't you keep an eye in front of you?"
"Why what's wro-TREE!"

Jerking suddenly to the left Cirno narrowly dodges the tree that was looming up in your vision before you, her maneuver has a kind of whip like effect on you making you flail about wildly for a second before straightening out.

"Boy that was close! Good thing Rumia didn't get you."
"Because she'd eat me?"
"Huh? Oh, maybe! But I mean she's always hittin' trees an' stuff."
Chuckling into her free hand she adds.
"She's pretty dumb right? Flying into trees?"

You try not to point out the obvious hypocrisies and hold your tongue.

Cirno spends the rest of the trip babbling on at you as you less than half your attention to her, you're quite happy she's so friendly and all but she is pretty bothersome after a while. Frankly you don't care what she has to say about frogs and the correct temperature at which to freeze them, but she's happy so that's fine.

Eventually you break the cover the trees to find Mystia's cart nestled under a very large trunked, old and gnarled tree. Little wafts of smoke stream from a tiny chimney pipe on the roof of the cart telling you that there's some cooking going on, as if the smell wasn't enough of a hint.

Setting you down on the ground lightly, Cirno runs from you to the sheltered space under the cart's roof to nosily announce her arrival. You follow after at a more sedate pace ducking low to avoid knocking your head, you take a seat along the counter next to Cirno.

"So you're finally awake?"

Looking tired Mystia speaks to you from over the grill, where she has a few skewers already on for you. Before you can respond she gives a big yawn that almost makes you want to yawn yourself.

"You look tired Mystia."
"Youkai get up at night, we have to get up really early for you today though."
"Why's that?"
"Because you're human, if we're gonna play with you then it has to be during the day."

Again she gives another heavy yawn before turning the skewers over with a hiss, then she just stares blankly with droopy eyes into the general direction of your face. You're worried she might burn the food, but if you say something knowing her pride she might get huffy. Cirno sits happily blowing bubbles into what looks like a glass of orange juice next to you for the moment, occasionally casting a glance your way.

------

[ ] "So where are the others, Mystia?"
[ ] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[ ] "What're we going to do today then?"
[ ] Just chat with Cirno

+ optional

[ ] Keep an eye on the food, in case she burns it
[ ] Say something to Mystia
[ ] Try and take them off yourself in a second
[ ] Ignore it

Hold on while I make some eats.

[X] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[X] Ignore it

Oh god, the cheese
It calls out to me

[ ] "So where are the others, Mystia?"
[ ] Keep an eye on the food, in case she burns it

[ ] "So where are the others, Mystia?"
[ ] "What're we going to do today then?"
[ ] Chat with Cirno
[ ] Keep an eye on the food, in case she burns it

[X] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[X] Ignore it

Odds are they have their meat rare, so she probably won't burn it. Also cheese.

[X] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[X] Ignore it

This one's good, cheese is fine~

[X] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[X] Ignore it

[!/] "What's cookin', good lookin'?"
[!/] Ignore it

Flirt with Mystia wins.

Just out of curiosity, would you say this in front of Wriggle or any of the others?

>>9277

We are David, after all.

>>9277

Maybe? I love Wriggle, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we...

Actually, no. Probably not. If our relationship with Wriggle was better, maybe, but not at the moment.

For Scorn. Irrelivant to the topic at hand.

>>9277

Absolutely.

>>9277

Most likely not. I'm a pussy.

>>9277

Wait, we're flirting?

>>9277
Would I be right in assuming that we're nowhere near routelocked with any one character? Because if so, we could use this to gauge the feelings of everyone present about us.

In short, yes.

Nah, Mystia knows what she's doing. After all you ate her cooking last night and it was turned to perfection, so you'll just have to have faith in her; this is her livelihood after all so there's no way she'd make mistakes like that. Still, you can't help but take one last fleeting glance at the fish sizzling merrily on the grill with some doubt.

"So, what's cookin' good lookin'?"
Flashing her a toothy smile you lean in and quip that to her, such a classic line as that can not be denied! How you know it's a classic is unclear considering the state of your memory, indeed you have nothing to reference it again, but you're sure this is the way to go!

"Wha-" Oh!" First she seems slightly taken aback by your words, her droopy eyes widening in confusion for a second as the blood rises to her cheeks, giving her a rosy glow. But quickly this breaks down into a giggle, then a full fledged laugh as she points at you derisively, unable to back down you chuckle uncertainly as well to pass it off as a joke.

"Yeah right! Quit fooling around you big lug!"
Wiping a few mirth tears away and thumping you playfully in the shoulder, she seems more awake now and turns her attention to her cooking again as she talks with you.

"You get lamprey for brekfast, I know it's what you had last night so I'm sorry about the lack of variety."

Apologetically Mystia inclines her head to you as she sling a bottle of sauce around, it splashes over food with an appitising hiss and sending a tasty aroma drifting through the air. As Mystia busies herself with cooking, pausing only to hand you a bottle of something, you decide keep quiet for now and relax in your seat. She's given you a bottle of orange juice like Cirno it seems, so in a jolly gesture you raise a glass to the ice fairy who clinks hers with yours with an eager grin.

You're curious as to what the plan is for the rest of the day, the girls alluded to something but didn't really explain, but for now you're content to sit here and wait for your food. After a while Mystia begins to gently sing under her breath, you can't make out the lyrics if there are any but it's a pleasant enough melody and you notice that even Cirno is absently tapping her foot in time with the tune. Your happy to let this idealistic little scene, full of sweet sounds and smells, play on without a word to spoil it.

The sound of rustling leaves pulls your attention away from enjoying the moment, casting a glance behind your shoulder you can see the foliage quivering and can hear the subdued sounds of people talking.

"Oh? I wonder if I've got some paying customers for once~?"

Jibing you gently Mystia gives you a mocking smile and sheepishly you smile back, she's got a point. But it looks like she'll be disappointed if she wanted to turn a profit today, as two familiar shapes emerge from the bushes.

"D-David. Good morning."
"Good afternoon."
Smiling you correct Wriggle's hesitant greeting, walking with her is the slight form of Rumia who takes one look at you before ignoring you entirely and goes to sit as far away from you as possible. The little youkai shows no physical traces of your little scuffle last night, but by the way she makes it clear she's not looking at you it's obvious she remembers, even if she is being childish.

"Did you sleep well?"

Wriggle, for her part lingers a few feet away from the rest of you nervously. You wish she'd be a bit more comfortable around you.

"Like a rock, that stuff you let me use as a bed was pretty comfy."

Invitingly you pat the seat next to you and look at Wriggle, she holds off uncertainly for a second before giving an embarrassed smile and hopping lightly into the seat. Demurely she sits legs crossed and hands on her lap, her body turned away from you but her eyes roaming from your face to the floor.

"Good timing, Wriggle, I was just about to serve David."
"Huh?" Absently Wriggle turns to her friend before the words apparently set in, then gives Mystia a grateful nod. "Yeah, thanks Mystia. You're about the only person I knew to take him to."
As Mystia slides a plate over to you she waves off Wriggle's thanks modestly, it smells delicious, why is she only giving you something to eat though? You thought she would be cooking for all of you...

"It's fine, just pay me back some time okay? I'll go out of business if he eats all my stock!"

As you tuck in they chuckle at the shared joke giving you a real feeling of how close the two of them are, in fact it seems for just a second Wriggle forgot she was supposed to be feeling awkward as she was acting pretty naturally until she caught sight of you watching her. As soon as she catches your gaze her faces flushes again and her eyes slam to the floor, although at least she does seem to have a giddy little smile this time. Speaking in between mouthfuls you talk to her.

"So, why aren't you joining me for breakfast, Wriggle?"
"Because Wriggle an' me already ate."

Speaking flatly and out of no where Rumia answers before anyone else can suddenly shattering the peaceful atmosphere, all around you the girls look at Rumia with shock. Rumia sits totally unconcerned at her seat, not meeting anyone's stare, Cirno is flitting her eyes back from Wriggle to you uncertainly, Mystia looks like she's about to panic and Wriggle has frozen in place.

Mystia's the first one to break the silence, flustered she goes over to the small, blond child and fusses over her.
"Yes. Well, that's true isn't it Rumia? Let's not worry about that, but if you're still hungry I can make something you'll like, just keep quiet like a good girl."
Immediately Rumia replies in a petulant tone.
"But we already ate most of-"
"Rumia!"
Snapping angrily at her now Mystia cuts Rumia off before she can finish, soon the two of them are involved in a low key squabbling match to one side, Rumia looks like a frustrated child trying to argue with it's parent as Mystia scolds her.

"Um, are you not hungry?"

Speaking carefully Wriggle tries to get your attention away from what the two of them are speaking about, you're still hungry of course but thoughts of food aren't the main thing on your mind anymore.

"Wriggle...."

Turning away from watching Mystia and Rumia you look at Wriggle, she's sitting more withdrawn from you now with a hint of fear in her eyes.

Something isn't right here, whatever they don't want you to know it's got to be something bad, it makes you feel a sense of foreboding to be in the dark like this. Where did she go before now and why wont they let Rumia talk?

=====

[ ] Ask Wriggle to tell you about what's going on
[ ] Ask Mystia to tell you
[ ] Get them to let Rumia say what she wants to
[ ] It doesn't matter, ask Wriggle what she wants to do today


Happy Halloween!

>>9301
I haven't got Route Locks in this play per-say because I didn't include them in the original draft.

That said, choices will be narrowed down very soon. But you're going to have to stay on a target to get a proper ending, hopefully however the situation will make that easier.

[ ] It doesn't matter, ask Wriggle what she wants to do today.

I suppose they ate some poor fool. Oh well, that's how things go around here.

[ ] Don't ask, you know the truth. This is just an alarming reminder.

[x] It doesn't matter, ask Wriggle what she wants to do today.

I'd much rather the youkai we're playing with had full bellies. Aside from that it's none of our concern.

[X] It doesn't matter, ask Wriggle what she wants to do today

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

This is important. Rumia will keep bringing it up just to drive a wedge between you and Wriggle, yet you can't breech the topic in a manner that leads to argument or your tacit approval. Just acknowledging it is enough for now.

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

Taking a walk on the wild side.

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

{X} Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

>"Good timing, Wriggle, I was just about to serve David."

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

>>9315

Fixed.

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

yeah so murdering innocent people (humans, youkai, anything sentient) because you like the taste doesn't sit well with me

[x] Just loud enough so everyone can hear: "What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?" Take another bite of your lamprey.

[X] It doesn't matter, ask Wriggle what she wants to do today

>>yeah so murdering innocent people (humans, youkai, anything sentient) because you like the taste doesn't sit well with me

Sort of like how the idea of people killing and eating birds because they like how they taste didn't sit well with Mystia, perhaps?

If there was a lamprey youkai, do you think they wouldn't feel the same about what David is chowing down upon at this moment?

Unless you're sitting at the top of the food chain, something somewhere is going to view you as little more than food. If you plan on hanging around things that are willing and able to eat people, you would do well to learn to accept it.

>>9320
>Sort of like how the idea of people killing and eating birds because they like how they taste didn't sit well with Mystia, perhaps?

David and humans both share in sentience, while Mystia and chickens do not. David's problem is moral; Mystia's is aesthetic.

>Unless you're sitting at the top of the food chain, something somewhere is going to view you as little more than food.

What a cute tautology.

>If you plan on hanging around things that are willing and able to eat people, you would do well to learn to accept it.

Would make more sense if David's participation here was completely willing.

>>9322

>What a cute tautology.

You could try giving a counter to it instead of acting high-and-mighty. It really doesn't help your case to be perched on your high horse like that.

It's a damn shame, but Youkai eat humans and probably need to. Otherwise why would Wriggle risk David hating her by eating a human when there is ample food provided by Mystia? If it was just to please Rumia, then why would she have such a fixation on eating humans? Rumia doesn't seem to be that picky of an eater.

Of course, it could turn out that we're all wrong and it was something completely different and make this argument futile for now.

>>9320
>Sort of like how the idea of people killing and eating birds because they like how they taste didn't sit well with Mystia, perhaps?
Mystia isn't a bird, she's a humanoid bird youkai. It's more like a human who's an animal rights activist. In our case, we're the same thing they see as food.

>something somewhere is going to view you as little more than food
Sharks see us as little more than food, this doesn't really mean anything. But anyway, any being with self-awareness and free will can either choose not to eat other sentient beings, or be considered a murderer. It doesn't matter if youkai see humans as "below" them, humans can see youkai or even each other the same way. If a serial killer sees their victims as being less of a person than they are, does that justify it somehow?

>If you plan on hanging around things that are willing and able to eat people
I'd rather not. After that opening scene with Wriggle taunting us while finishing off the corpse of a girl, the idea that a Wriggle route is even possible disgusts me.

>>9323
>Youkai eat humans and probably need to
Alice doesn't seem to be eating people. But then, even just considering the 9 squad here, at the rate they're going the entire human population of Gensokyo should be extinct in a few years. We're straying from canon already on this (youkai attacks are very rare, Akyu agreed don't bother her about it) and I don't know where we've ended up.

>>9324

Despite the fact I disagree with you on most levels, I see your point as far as canon goes. All we can really agree upon is that if eating humans bothers you then you shouldn't make friends with younger Youkai (or be in Gensokyo, but that's not much of a choice here).

They don't need to eat humans. Humans are just considered a delicacy. Youkai spend far more time eating other things. Like the lamprey here. I don't think Mystia would ge much business otherwise.
That Wriggle and Rumia chose to eat humans over other food sources is something that we should be worried about.

The whole sentient thing doesn't really work well because, as far as we know, there aren't any sentient beings on Earf that can talk to us and live with us nicely. We'd probably hunt that species down and eat it, anyway.

Youkai and humans are different. It's just nature going about its way.

>>9327
>They don't need to eat humans. Humans are just considered a delicacy. Youkai spend far more time eating other things. Like the lamprey here. I don't think Mystia would get much business otherwise.
>That Wriggle and Rumia chose to eat humans over other food sources is something that we should be worried about.
You raise a distressingly good point.

Maybe it was kind of like nervous eating or something. You know, like a pint of Ben and Jerry's. Only in this case Ben and Jerry are being eaten.

Also, is anyone else getting possessive vibes from Rumia? Like, exactly what she was doing when she tried to eat us?

I'll bet she's playing the Good Reliable Friend card with Wriggle, sweetly and kindly mentioning that maybe she doesn't need David, and he's just a human after all, and it'll never work out, and you're better off without him, Wriggle, you really are. Why don't we go hunt a human, Wriggle? I'm a little hungry youkai, so let's just grab a bite to eat. We'll have a human, like proper youkai such as you and I eat. Just a meal between good friends, you know? it's no use trying to make yourself look goodf in front of him. We're monsters, and that's what we are, and that's not going to change, so just let it go, and let this human of yours disappear, okay? I'm saying this because I'm your friend after all, Wriggle.

...and shit like that. The constant voice of corruption and backsliding borne of jealousy and resentment.
And of course, we don't dare call the darkness moeblob out on it, oh god no. She'll play the crying innocent, sobbing between sniffles that she's being falsely accused of all these horrible, deceitful things by this mean, nasty human. And then we will lose faction social links affection points with Wriggle.

Rumiakaku doori.

We need to figure out how to thwart the carnivorous damaged goods.

>>9328
This makes no sense. How do you get from "humans are the only sentient beings in reality" to "peace between humans and youkai doesn't work well"?

>>9332
Fuck.

>They don't need to eat humans. Humans are just considered a delicacy.
True. Also,
>at the rate they're going the entire human population of Gensokyo should be extinct in a few years.
First, hunting a Gensokyo human is like trying to hunt a lion on the endangered species list, and without rifles and such. First, they're dangerous because gensokyo humans are individually stronger than the average youkai (although every youkai with us is exceptionally strong, the human could still put up a good fight). They're also protected by Reimu, not to mention any other humans they're with. That's part of why they're a delicacy; you don't get many chances to eat them

For all the people talking about sentience, who cares? I assure you, animals feel pain. Does it really matter if they can otherwise have a calm discussion about it over a cup of tea?


>I don't think Mystia would get much business otherwise.
I thought she didn't get much business anyways.

>>9334

Well she at least gets enough to not go out of business.
...Actually, come to think of it, just how does she pay for this? And how does she get the fire for the grill? And who catches the fish?

How curious.

>>9335

Mystia catches the loach and lamprey she serves. Except sometimes she can't find enough so she has to catch hagfish instead. The fire is probably fueled by deadfall.

>>9334
>For all the people talking about sentience, who cares?

I don't know what to say to this, other than that you must be a sociopath.

>>9333
Based on how we treat species different than our own
And what would probably happen if there's something above us in the food chain

>>9341

We treat others like ourselves because of their similarities to us. From these similarities we draw that they, like us, have a theory of mind. That we're the same species has nothing to do with it.

>>9338
>I don't know what to say to this, other than that you must be a sociopath.
Funny, I was trying to imply the exact opposite.
Let me try again...

Why does it matter if a cow is sentient or not? It is obviously capable of experiencing pain, even if it cannot vocally say "I am in pain", it still cries out when hurt.
>David and humans both share in sentience, while Mystia and chickens do not. David's problem is moral; Mystia's is aesthetic.
It's still a moral issue, you just never bring it up when eating chicken because it's so much easier to not bring it up.

>>9346
>Why does it matter if a cow is sentient or not? It is obviously capable of experiencing pain, even if it cannot vocally say "I am in pain", it still cries out when hurt.

It just does. Whenever you make a moral argument, you're going to reach a point you cannot justify because it's axiomatic. Humans place other human life as qualitatively higher than that of other animals; this is not something born out of the knowledge we're the same "species"--it's present before the knowledge of what that word means even exists (the term "species" is too much an ambiguous construct to base moral decisions on anyway)--but out of similarity. Youkai and humans show enough similarity to the point where we'd assign them similar moral worth, over that of lower animals, in the same way that we'd assign such worth to intelligent extraterrestrials, regardless of their genetic makeup.

>It's still a moral issue, you just never bring it up when eating chicken because it's so much easier to not bring it up.

Of course it's been brought up before. You think you're the first smarmy vegan who has said as such?

>>9332
NO, we're not thwarting Rumia, we're returning to Marisa after this day and then talking some more to Alice.

>>9348

Why not both?

>>9344
Genocide against a group of people due to their differences says otherwise.

>>9347
>Whenever you make a moral argument, you're going to reach a point you cannot justify because it's axiomatic.
Hurting another animal for your own pleasure doesn't count?

Why is 'similarity' so important to you? How much similarity must you have with another entity to accept that it is a moral issue and not an aesthetic issue? To put it simply, why isn't the similarity of suffering enough for you to treat it as a moral issue?

>You think you're the first smarmy vegan who has said as such?
Actually, I'm not a vegan. I eat meat. I just don't brush it off and say that cows are just lower lifeforms or anything like that and claim that it is my 'right' to eat them, or that they only exist to feed me, or any bullshit like that.
What I meant by not bringing it up is you don't go "My god, I am eating another living being! The process of being turned into food must have been extremely painful!" whenever you eat meat.

>>9334
>I assure you, animals feel pain. Does it really matter if they can otherwise have a calm discussion about it over a cup of tea?
They can't have a discussion about anything. They can't wonder about the meaning of their own existence. They can't create literature or art. They can't reason. We only consider these mental qualities and abilities to be "human" characteristics because humans are the only species we know that has them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropomorphism
This is what animals are lacking. This is what most humanoid youkai have, almost by definition - they are anthropomorphic avatars of concepts such as seasons, darkness, etc. This is why you can relate more to people you only know as words on the internet than to a cow, a bird, a chimpanzee. No animal on Earth can impersonate "human" communication. If you were communicating with Mystia without seeing her, would you think she was any less of a person than humans are?

>>9353

>No animal on Earth can impersonate "human" communication

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFYO3HoghAo&feature=related

>>9353
>Does it really matter if they can otherwise have a calm discussion about it over a cup of tea?
Why does it matter to you if an animal can reason, talk, draw, or contemplate it's own existence and place in the universe?

>>9352
I actually constantly think that when I eat meat.
It doesn't really dissuade me, though.

>>9354
Computer programs do that better than parrots, and it's not hard to figure out that they aren't really communicating ideas. It's stimulus-response on a much simpler level.

>>9355
Because then they'd be a person. Replace all the youkai characters in this story with realistic wolves with animal minds and see where it gets you.

>>9367
>>Replace all the youkai characters in this story with realistic wolves with animal minds and see where it gets you.
>>see where it gets you.
>> realistic wolves

Zoophilia. That's where it gets you.

Now enough of this, I will update now-ish.

>>9367
>Computer programs do that better than parrots, and it's not hard to figure out that they aren't really communicating ideas.
No, computers just do exactly what they are told and nothing more. Animals are not machines unless you are willing to accept that all humans are just machines. Go back to bed, Descartes.

>Because then they'd be a person.
Let me ask you this.
Do you honestly think that all humans create art/literature? Or contemplate their own existence? And what about human infants? What about the mentally retarded? Do you think it is right to kill off anyone who doesn't possess all these wonderful human qualities?
Are you sure you aren't just using these claims to declare your own superiority so you don't have to feel bad when you eat a burger?

>>9368
Ahem. Sorry about the hijack. I'm done now.

>>9352
>Why is 'similarity' so important to you?

Because that's what my theory of mind is based on. Similarity is why I assume you have mental life like I do and aren't some kind of volitional zombie. Why you're not just a meat machine.

>How much similarity must you have with another entity to accept that it is a moral issue and not an aesthetic issue? To put it simply, why isn't the similarity of suffering enough for you to treat it as a moral issue?

Even invertebrates react to pain in the behavioral sense, in which "pain" is simply the aversion to any noxious stimuli. It has to display more similarity than that if I'm going to feel for it. The category of sentient and non-sentient beings are fuzzy because in reality there is no need to rigidly define them; like you said, there aren't any other sentient beings than humans, though hypothetically there can be. That this is true does not undercut my argument. To imply from this that there is no difference between sentient and non-sentient beings is to commit a drawing-the-line fallacy.

>Actually, I'm not a vegan. I eat meat. I just don't brush it off and say that cows are just lower lifeforms or anything like that and claim that it is my 'right' to eat them, or that they only exist to feed me, or any bullshit like that.

Oh, you don't "brush it off"? You're saying every time you bite into a hamburger you feel the cow's suffering? Animal don't exist to anything; saying such embraces teleology.

>What I meant by not bringing it up is you don't go "My god, I am eating another living being! The process of being turned into food must have been extremely painful!" whenever you eat meat.

Of course I don't bring it up, and you don't either. We've already made the decision to not feel empathy (or at least the same quality of empathy) towards what which we do not consider persons.

>No, computers just do exactly what they are told and nothing more. Animals are not machines unless you are willing to accept that all humans are just machines. Go back to bed, Descartes.

Funny coming from someone who apparently believes in Cartesian dualism.

>>9370
>Animals are not machines
No shit. My point is that the parrots are not communicating ideas, they are mindlessly repeating sounds. Their speech has less meaning than a MegaHAL conversation.

>What about the mentally retarded? Do you think it is right to kill off anyone who doesn't possess all these wonderful human qualities?
Humans with mental disabilities are still capable of reasoning. They are not, at least for the very most part, mentally on the level of animals.

>And what about human infants?
They will become reasoning beings. I won't say anything more on this point because we're getting dangerously close to abortion debate territory and that would go on forever.

This took forever to write, just wasn't ever happy with it.


=====

"What was it Wriggle and Rumia had for breakfast, I wonder, I wonder?"
This is ridiculous, do they really think you're that dumb? With no regard to what they're trying to hide you raise your voice so they can all hear and try to get it all out in the open. Seeing them trying so clumsily to hide it just irritates you for some reason.

All falls silent, save for the crackle of the fire and the hiss of the grill, while your words ring out in the air. Suddenly, the flurry of activity has stopped dead.

The girls don't move, don't speak, just exchange panicked glances uncertain how to act. So you take a nonchalant bite out of your eel, it doesn't really register in your distracted state but Mystia has really out done herself this time.

"......You guessed?" Wriggle speaks shakily, her lip quivering. "I'm sorry...I-"
Morosely Wriggle turns away from you, face so down cast that even her antenna seem to droop.

"It wasn't exactly hard to figure out." You tell her gently, not trying to sound to accusing, she seems very frail right now.

"Why did you try to hide it from me?"
".....don't know..."

Is her sullen response, she turns her self away from you hugging her sides and hides her face, carefully you reach out and place a hand on her shoulder. She shrinks under the touch but doesn't move to stop you.

"Wriggle."
"....didn't want to....."
"You....?"

"I didn't want you to hate me."

Hesitantly she stammers out an excuse and shuts her eyes tightly, shaking her head. Taken aback by her words you remove your hand from her shoulder, unsure how to feel.

"I thought that if you didn't know then it wouldn't matter, because you wouldn't like it if you found out I was...."
"I don't understand..." You can't help but frown at her. "Why didn't you just eat here, with me?"

You are loath to think this way, but she has no excuse for what she did, Wriggle didn't need to hunt for food today. So why did she? You're amazed you feel so calm right now, the whole concept is so distant from the reality right in front of you that you can't really get to grips with what emotion you feel at the moment.

"What do you care what she eats?"

A high, sweet, yet callous voice speaks up from across from you as Rumia regards you coldly with blood red eyes. Her youthful looking face is devoid of any interest, however.
"She's eaten your kind before you know, are you gonna tell her off for those times too? I did it too you know, am I a bad girl?"
"Rumia!"

Mystia exclaims aghast, but Rumia ignores her, the little darkness youkai just continues to watch you calmly. Turning away from her you look at Wriggle, who sits dejected and unable to face you, speaking to Rumia without looking back at her.

"That's something entirely different Rumia, Wriggle isn't like you."
But your words lack conviction.
"Is that so~?"

Rumia responds with a mocking smile, as vacant and mindless she seems at times, right now Rumia knows you doubt yourself.

On the one hand you can't abide the thought of Wriggle doing such a brutal act, you can still recall the first time you met her, it turns your stomach even now. But even then it didn't bother you as much as it maybe should, were you just in shock?

What's more, you can't hold such convictions without hurting Wriggle, she was frightened you would hate her if she found out, you don't want to prove her fears right. But how can you just excuse such a profane act?

Unseeingly you stare at Wriggle, your mind in turmoil wondering how you can reconcile with yourself. Once again that familiar feeling, of not knowing whether to be afraid or fond of the girl in front of you, returns.

"David," Solemnly, Mystia speaks to you. Her eyes shining ever so slightly, reflecting a tiny image of you in her pupils.

"David, you can't judge a Youkai by human standards."


======

[ ] Write in

(I've made this choice write in only to allow you to express exactly how you feel about the situation, because

[ ] It's okay!
[ ] I don't like it, but okay!
[ ] It's not okay!

doesn't cut it here.)

[ ] It's not okay!

...

[X] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"

[X] "I'm just moderately miffled at your not saving any for me."

[X] "I can't say that the thought of consuming humans doesn't bother me a little. I'm not willing to lie to any of you, and certainly not to Wriggle. But even then... Mystia is right. I can't judge you by human standards. And more than that, I saw Wriggle finishing a human before, and... I couldn't hate her then, even when I understood what had happened. I can't hate her now either."
[X] "Wriggle, I owe you a lot... my life, in fact. If you were willing just as willing to save a human as you were to eat a human, looking past my species to look at me, then... I'll look past your species. It's not important whether or not you're a youkai, or that you might eat humans. All that matters is that you're Wriggle, and you care about me."

I'd like to throw in something like:

[X] You don't mind her eating humans as much as a normal human would, but... there has to be a reason for that... there has to be a reason that some part of you doesn't find that wrong...

Just because I want half-youkai route with Mommy Yuuka.

There's an 'eating out' innuendo to be made here, but I haven't the talent.

>>9382

You know, I think I get what you're trying to do here, but "why" is a piss poor way to ask this. Her reason is going to be obvious: youkai and humans aren't the same things. You should really try to elaborate on this somehow, because otherwise you'll just look insensitive as hell if you ask this. A simple one word reply from you is not going to cut it here, as you might have guessed from Scorn ruling out the really simplistic options.

[X] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"

[ ] "I can't hate you"

Seems tempting, but I learn from mistakes.

[X] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"

>>9395

That was not a mistake.

>>9399
Oh yea, I forgot Anon likes being nearly killed/imprisoned forever by yandere Alice, just so long as there is a chance he can go back and get some later.

>"David, you can't judge a Youkai by human standards."

[x] "I'll judge a person by person standards. Harming other sentient beings is wrong; I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."

{X} "I can't say that the thought of consuming humans doesn't bother me a little. I'm not willing to lie to any of you, and certainly not to Wriggle. But even then... Mystia is right. I can't judge you by human standards. And more than that, I saw Wriggle finishing a human before, and... I couldn't hate her then, even when I understood what had happened. I can't hate her now either."
{X} "Wriggle, I owe you a lot... my life, in fact. If you were willing just as willing to save a human as you were to eat a human, looking past my species to look at me, then... I'll look past your species. It's not important whether or not you're a youkai, or that you might eat humans. All that matters is that you're Wriggle, and you care about me."

I'm a sucker for dramatic speeches.

{X} "I can't say that the thought of consuming humans doesn't bother me a little. I'm not willing to lie to any of you, and certainly not to Wriggle. But even then... Mystia is right. I can't judge you by human standards. And more than that, I saw Wriggle finishing a human before, and... I couldn't hate her then, even when I understood what had happened. I can't hate her now either."
{X} "Wriggle, I owe you a lot... my life, in fact. If you were willing just as willing to save a human as you were to eat a human, looking past my species to look at me, then... I'll look past your species. It's not important whether or not you're a youkai, or that you might eat humans. All that matters is that you're Wriggle, and you care about me."

Is good choice.

>>9381
>>9390
>>9410
>>9417
>>9418
ITT the stupidest, most out-of-character thing said in a long damn time. "Well you saved me, so if you're just as likely to kill someone as save them, then I guess that means you're A-OKAY."

What. The. Fuck.

That is some of the stupidest logic fucking ever. You people are idiots for being swayed by LOL DRAMATIC WRITE-IN. Fucking think about what you vote for and what it really means for once.

For that reason, I'm deleting my "...why?" vote, and going with >>9411 (modified to expand on it, and avoid that whole "sentient beings" can of worms), because it's honest, it's practical, it doesn't sound gushing and stupid, and it doesn't discard rational thought in favor of HURR HURR I WANT YOU TO LOVE ME, WRIGGLE.

We're expressing our views to Wriggle here, not trying to romance her (yet).

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

There is a time and a place for sucking Wriggle's cock, people. And it ain't at this point.

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

RUNNER-UP VOTE:
[?] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"


Anything but "You're a mass murderer but that's okay cause you wuv me." What? Marisa was injured in battle, Wriggle and Rumia found her unconscious in the forest and ate her. Do you care yet? Does her life matter to you?

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.
[x] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

I had noticed that too but there was nothing better to choose from at the time so I went with it for the sake of getting the ball rolling again.

{X} Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
{X} "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
{X} "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
{X} "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
{X} You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

[X] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards.
[X] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me.
[X] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner.
[X] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[X] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

>>9432 here.
Holy shit. I came back to check on this for the heck of it, and saw a flood of likewise votes. I thought for a minute I had double-posted by accident, somehow.

Anyway:

>RUNNER-UP VOTE:
>[?] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"
I'll support this, but only if Wriggle (or one of the others) shows confusion as to why doing that is wrong.


Ideally, I don't want to force the humanitarian angle down Wriggle's throat, like that. She'll be much more willing to take such an approach if she comes to accept it on her own, when she's come to terms with conflicted over it once she has confidence in this new attitude.

On the other hand, if she or one of the others says that it's not wrong, and only natural for youkai to prey on humans, then:

[x] "It's only natural? Look at you. You wear clothes. Nice clothes, even. You stand upright. You speak. You're intelligent. Really, you're not too much different than the average human. Sure, maybe you've been around for a long time, or you can fly, or you can shoot danmaku, or have fancy abilities. Those might make you stronger, but better?"
[x] Shake your head and smile, but in a friendly tone. Don't be condescending about it. "You're worth just as much as anyone else."


...And deep down inside, pray to god you can pull this off.

>>9442
...I didn't just contradict myself, did I?

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

Much better. I'm still gunning for Marisa, myself.

Deleted:

>[ ] "Wriggle, you can't do something like that. These people had lives, probably families and friends. You took that away from them. You can eat other foods, so why...?"

And changing vote to:

[x] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards."
[x] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me."
[x] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner."
[x] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[x] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

But I'm fucking glad that "lol go murder and eat humans it's ok because we're friends" didn't win. Thanks, >>9432.

And, >>9453, I am, too. I hope we can fuck off from here asap, as lovable as Cirno and Mystia are.

>>9453
>>9459

Me as well, lads. On the other hand, Scorn has said we may meet Yuka, so I could yet be swayed...

[X]"It's not that, you got it all wrong. I know Youkais eat humans. But what Wrrigle did...that...that is how we met!"
[X]"What if she meets another human that way? It already happened, or else I wouldn't be here? What if someone else shows up? Someone better than? What if she likes him more than me?!"

Jealousy moe~

Somehow, I feel like all of those write-ins will lead David to his doom.

Well, maybe not >>9467, it's just stupid.

>>9468

Well, that tends to happen when you're kidnapped by man-eating monsters.

[X] Focus, and calm down. Speak calmly. "I'll judge a person by person standards.
[X] "Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing them or eating them. I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, and I wouldn't want a Rumia to hurt me.
[X] "Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends. Then when that didn't work, she settled on keeping me a prisoner.
[X] "What she did was wrong. You showed her that, Wriggle, so I know you can recognize that injustice when you see it."
[X] You've said your piece. Go back to eating, quietly and calmly, and let them make of it what they will.

I haven't voted yet, so I might as well jump in to show my support for a good write-in.

>>9478
Oh yeah I forgot to say:

Writing now.

"Youkai...."

Murmuring this after Mystia you feel a shift in your stomach, an jolting lurch sways you as you come to an uncomfortable realization. It washes over you, making you blink and shake your head to try and clear it. Something you've known all along has suddenly come to the forefront of your mind. You've always seen the girls around you now as just normal people, well perhaps very special or gifted people, but never something alien to you. Yet now, as you're faced with the reality of it all...

These girls are monsters.

They're the creatures from fairy tales and old folk tales, menacing beings that you thought were nothing more than parables of human concepts to frighten children. Yet here they are as real as any other creature of flesh and blood, literally with the thing that goes bump in the night staring you in the face. Never once did you feel out of place with them, until now. Are they really that different that you would feel this way?

No.

They aren't.

That's WHY you feel this way.

They're all looking at you with different levels of apprehension, save for Cirno who doesn't seem to be following all this, you can feel them waiting tensely for a word out of you.

Your throat's dry, you try to swallow it clear but it doesn't feel any better. You know what you want t say, trying to calm your mind you begin.

"I'll judge a person, by the standards of a person."

Silence meets your statement, only is it broken by the slight shifting of the leaves in a gentle breeze that sends the light and shadow dancing.

Is it your heart that you can hear beating so loud, so fast? Or is that the fluttering of Wriggle's heart?

"Harming another person for no reason other than your own benefit is wrong, whether you're robbing someone them of their possessions or their life."

Your voice grows with with confidence as you speak, as does your conviction. Locking your gaze with Wriggle's you give her an emphatic look and gesture towards a confused Rumia.

"I wouldn't want to hurt a Rumia, nor would I want to be hurt by one. I've told this to Mystia once, all things with life are precious."
"You mean..."

Slowly, as if she were struggling to come to terms with the concept, Mystia speaks.

"This is like, not killing the bat? Isn't it?"
Enthusiastically you nod to her, a smile is beginning to creep across your face.

"That's right! Wriggle, I told you that Alice was keeping me captive, right?"

Caught off guard by your sudden question Wriggle squeaks her answer.

"Th-the doll lady? Yeah."
"Alice tried to rob me of my free will for her own ends, she tried to use magic to seize control of me. I don't bare a grudge against her for it, but there was a moment when I could feel my self slipping away under her stare, I don't know if you can understand what I mean here..."

Wordlessly Wriggle and Mystia nod wide eyed, completely taken in by your words. Rumia, however, folds her arms across her chest with a pout, although even Cirno seems to be interested now.

"When that didn't work, Alice settled on keeping me prisoner, if she couldn't control my mind she thought she could control my body."

Next you bring it down a level, speaking more softly you move in closer to Wriggle so you can speak more intimately. Her emerald eyes seem to shimmer at you.

"What she did was wrong, you showed her that, Wriggle. So I know you can recognize injustice when you see it."

That's it, you've said your piece. Taking her hands in yours for a moment you give them a soft squeeze before letting go.

Acting with all the casual cool you can muster, you turn back to your tasty fish and enjoy your breakfast. In the wake of your words, you leave them to make what they will of it. You're done preaching for now, after all you don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

Man! The texture of this eel is sublime! The char grilled skin gives the meat a wonderful smoky taste, you wish you had something other than orange juice to drink with it though. Wonder where they get oranges from in Gensokyo?

"I don't understand...."

Gently, Wriggle mutters to herself.
"Youkai are supposed to...."
"It's alright, I said the same things last night." With a bright grin Mystia hands wriggle a drink and winks at her, then turns to you with a knowing look.
"But I think I'm starting to get it. Maybe. Just a little."

"Youkai aren't supposed to think this way!"
Frustrated Rumia puffs her cheeks out and slams her tiny hands on the side of the cart, giving it a little jolt. Cooley Mystia sweeps over to her in one graceful movement and raps her once lightly on the head.

All the traces of the Rumia from just a second ago, the ominous calm and defiant stare, are gone and now she sits with little tears forming in the corner of her eyes while clutching at the spot Mystia tapped with a little. "Owie."

"Hush Rumia, I think you've said enough for one day. Any more of your trouble, missy, and we won't take you out with us today!"
"Yeah, can we go now?"

A bored whine from the side of you catches your attention, Cirno lulls her head on the side of the cart resting it in her arms.

"I'm so bored."
Turning her head she peers at you from between locks of blue.
"Hurry uuuuuuup."
"Alright Cirno." Swayed by her selfishness you chuckle. "We're in no rush."

With the tense atmosphere from just now dispelled for the moment, you gobble down your remaining food so you can set off sooner.

====

Half an update, going to move things along now. Might take a bit to get the next one done.

hooray!

so are there supposed to be votes, or is *SCORN* being a slacker?

>>9491

Something about his keyboard being fucked up and unable to type properly.

>>9492

translation: jerked off too much and ruined the keyboard with semen

Yes, Scorn's keyboard is fucked. He tried to write with mouse, copy+paste, but alas, it was not to be. Told us he's be back tomorrow.

>He tried to write with mouse, copy+paste, but alas, it was not to be.

Haha that's nuts. Poor Scorn.

>>9494
>He tried to write with mouse, copy+paste, but alas, it was not to be.

I had to do that once. It's like counting how many sand grains a beach has.

Sorry about the wait, but I've borrowed a keyboard now so we're good.

======

The trip through the forest would've taken days on foot, your destination lay far beyond the northern edge of the forest past the last line of the trees to a barren plain of scrubby, yellow grass shrouded in rolling mist. You can taste the moisture in the air, it forms a layer of dew over your thin and ragged clothes.

With some reluctance Wriggle lets go of her grip around your middle, after some deliberation back at the cart she shyly declared that she would carry you over the forest just as Mystia was about to volunteer. At first her gentle hold made you worry she might drop you, sending you plummeting to your death. But after a while she began to tighten her embrace, until you were flying through the air in an awkward but not unwelcome hug. Although you noticed that unlike the others, who amused themselves by darting in and out of the trees laughing and calling to one another, Wriggle kept a bemused silence. You couldn't tell if it was because of happiness of embarrassment, but it was pretty obvious that she was flushed in the face from when she pressed her chest up against your back to when she set you down.

"What is this place?"

Your breath comes out in puffs that mingle with the mist, you can't figure out what would attract these lively girls to this solemn site. The cloying mists give everything an ethereal appearance, even the sun seems weak and ghostly here. For some reason, it compels you all too speak in subdued tones.

"It's a thin spot."
Stepping slightly further into the mist, Mystia makes her mysterious remark.
"A thin spot?" You echo, frowning with confusion.
"What do you mean, thin spot?"

"There's a couple of places in Gensokyo where the border between our world and yours grows thin," As Cirno answers you notice that even she is restrained here. "The border keeps the two separate, but there's places like this where they kind of ..... overlap."

As if to demonstrate Cirno laces her fingers together and shows them to you, it's a simple gesture but it helps you understand what she means a little better. Peering into the white void you try to see what lies ahead, but all you see are shapes formed of your imagination looming in the swirling coils.

"What's in there?"
"Sometimes, things from your world slip through the border and turn up in places like this. Usually, things that are lost....."
Wriggle speaks in reverent tones, as if acknowledging the mystery of this place that sits astride two worlds.

"Lost things? Like, for example, a person?"

A sour though rises in your mind, but you keep it to yourself. You don't want to think about that right now, besides you're still in the dark about one thing.

"So, what are we doing here?"
"Treasure hunting!"
With a bit more enthusiasm Mystia responds and throws something your way, catching it with a slight fumble you find it's a burlap sack.

"We figured it'd be fun to play with the junk man today."
Catching onto Mystia's confidence, Wriggle begins to explain as she heads off into the unknown. You have to jog for a moment to catch up with her as you and the others follow,

"He's nice, you'll like him." She goes on. "If we bring him things that we find from the other world, he gives us sweets!"
"I see." You say, catching on.
"So we're looking for things to give to him? Where does he live?"
"In the forest, which is good 'cause only Mystia goes to the village. Anyway, now we got you with us you can find us all the best stuff and get us loads of sweets!"

It seems the prospect of reward is helping the girls shrug off the sombre effect of this place, in fact you're not sure if you've ever seen Wriggle this cheeful.

"So I'm just here to help you greedy girls get treats?"
You joke with a grin, catching on to the cheerful feeling.
"Yup! So work hard for us today, okay?" Flippantly Mystia shrugs at you.
"Yes, massa'."

As you stride onwards into the impenetrable mist, something warm first nudges and then suddenly envelops your hand. For a second you think Rumia's just tried to bite your hand off, but glancing aside you see Wriggle's grabbed hold of you. She's trying not to look at you, a little colour rising in her cheeks she tries not to smile too much.

"You might get lost out here, so hold onto me. Okay?"
"Okay."
Touched by her sweet gesture you give her a soft little squeeze and carry on.

After a while of walking, you start to notice that the withered grass is slowly becoming littered with rubbish. Discarded food packaging and other trash starts to accumulate around your feet, once in a while your foot knocks against a tin or some other metal item rusted beyond use. The deeper you go the bigger the junk gets; things like rusted iron baby carriages, rotten wooden bed frames and tall stacks of damp newspapers are laying in chaotic piles all around you.

It looks by and large like worthless scrap, left in the moisture of the mist for too long. But among the piles you see a few items still intact and relatively new that could be worth something.

The girls fan out and begin to pick over the piles, but it's clear they don't know what to look for.

~=====~

Look for:

[ ] Machines: Computers, tools and applicances

[ ] Any books or newspapers that might be intact

[ ] Unopened food and drink containers, tins etc.

[ ] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.

+

[ ] Mention the possibility of going back to your world through a thin spot

[ ] Don't say anything about it


~~~~~~~

Alright, only one option because you only have one sack. Write ins are more than welcome. Each option has a different value in terms of what Rinnosuke will give for them and more sweets means a sweeter 9 squad.

[x] Any books or newspapers that might be intact
[x] Mention the possibility of going back to your world through a thin spot

[X] Any books or newspapers that might be intact.
[X] Don't say anything about it.

Who cares about going back? It's perfectly fine in Gensokyo. David shouldn't even have much of a reason to want to return, given his amnesiac status. Besides, there's no call for possibly upsetting Wriggle.

I'm tempted to go after machines, but Kourin doesn't actually know how to use them well, if at all, and they may not function perfectly if they've been exposed to high moisture conditions for an extended period.

Small items just don't seem all that important.

The only two tempting options are the print material and the foodstuffs. Kourin was rather enamored with a Coca Cola in one chapter of CoLA, but still... the print material seems far better. Kourin expressed an appreciation for Outsider literature in the first CoLA, and newsprints and books are liable to contain the thing he can use most: information. Remember that his ability allows him to identify items, but tells him nothing about how to use them. An instruction manual or a textbook could prove very valuable, and newspapers offer interesting cultural information.

[ ] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[ ] Don't say anything about it

Fuel sources sound like a good bet.

[x] Any books or newspapers that might be intact
[x] Mention the possibility of going back to your world through a thin spot

Because David's world might be Captain Anonymous's world. And Captain Anonymous's world is many flavors of awesome.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

Batteries seem like they would be the most useful. There's little need for information sources when you can answer most of his questions yourself.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

[X] Any books or newspapers that might be intact
[X] Don't say anything about it

The reasoning >>9510 gave is good enough for me.

[z] Any books or newspapers that might be intact
[z] Don't say anything about it

Literature choosan gaems.

[x] Any books or newspapers that might be intact.
[x] Don't say anything about it.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

I'm pretty sure the (9) squad would overlook these and they'd be helpful when Rinnosuke knows dickall about what makes his stuff work.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

Changing vote.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

Right.
>>9524 deleted.

Changing vote to:

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

Still hoping we can meet Marisa and go with her though.

>and they may not function perfectly if they've been exposed to high moisture conditions for an extended period.

Surprisingly, electronics seem to do well in Gensokyo. Rinnosuke has amassed such a stock of discarded, still functioning computers that he no longer bothers collecting them unless he likes the look of the case. I can almost guarantee you he's the one who hooked Yuyuko up with her Dreamcast, and he probably has a spare for himself.

In short, forgoing the 'machines' option for totally different reasons.

[x] Small items: Batteries, manual tools, utensils.
[x] Don't say anything about it

>>9538

In fairness, though, Rinnosuke probably knows of other "thin spots," some of which are probably not as misty and wet. There's also a possibility that Yukari acts as a supplier of sorts at times, so there's a fair chance that he could have gotten the machines somewhere else entirely.

A vague thought crosses your mind as you stare out into this white nothingness, you wonder how far this mist stretches and where it comes out? Everything is totally silent and still, there's no trace of any living thing other than the sickly grass that grows here. Perhaps it's connected to some kind of junk yard in your world, but where does the mist come from?

You're curious, if you were to just walk off into the haze would you maybe emerge in your world?

"David....are you okay?"

Wriggle's soft voice calls you back from your pensive thoughts, she's stood next to you looking concerned. Shaking your head slightly you try to forget that line of though and reassure her.

"It's nothing, this place just makes me feel a bit strange. That's all."
"Yeah, I feel the same way."

She offers you a weak smile and then gives a light tug on your hand to get you to walk with her, towards a nearby pile.

There's no point thinking about your world right now, even if it was possible to get back you still don't remember anything about your old life. A few hazy concepts linger in the back of your brain, half remembered things that tell you what the outside world was like but not what it is. Chances are if you ever got back in the state your in, you'd have no idea how to survive.

Funny, it's almost like you're more connected to Gensokyo than the land of your birth.

"So, what do you usually bring your friend?"
You're curious as to what they think is valuable from your world.
"Anything that's different or looks new, Mr Rinnosuke likes having things that are unique."
"Unique huh? Can you give me an example?"
"Umm, well awhile ago we found a big stack of those discs with the holes in. He wants them because they all have different meanings or something." Discs with holes? You motion for her to go on and she holds up her hands about two or three inches apart.
"About this big, with a shiny side and a side with a picture on it."
"CDs?"
"See dee? Maybe, we look for other stuff as well. One time we found a bunch of little gray boxes, hundreds of them, they were all filled with sand and when we took them to Mr Rinnosuke he said they were cursed."

That sounds.... vaguely familiar, but you couldn't say why. Letting go of Wriggle for a moment you begin to sift through the drifts of litter, if this Rinnosuke wants CDs then he'll want something to play them on. A computer would be your best bet, but you doubt such equipment would survive for long in this environment and you don't hold great hopes of finding one that only recently made it here. Plus there's always the chance he's got one already, but if that's not the case or if he wants to sell them on he might want some batteries.

"What're you looking for?"
Gently pressing up against you, Wriggle looks over your shoulder. You don't answer her right away, it would probably be easier to find it and show her than explain. Still, batteries are pretty small and you've got a lot of trash to sort through if you want to find any.

"Come on! Don't ignore me!"

Thumping your back slightly Wriggle pouts, it's rather endearing so trying to conceal your smile you continue to ignore her and put all your attention towards looking for something to trade. In the distance you can hear the other girls calling to one another about the things they find, their high voices carrying far in the still air.

"David~"

A rush of hot air blows in your ear. A sweet little voice whispers in your ear, huskily saying your name. Wriggle's now perched upon your back with her lips right up against your ear, you can't help but shiver with delight at the sensation.

"Oh? Are you cold, David~"

She does it again, speaking barely above a low whisper that makes your skin tingle and your brain fill with a fuzzy feeling. Why is she being so forward all of a sudden? Maybe without the others around she feels less awkward, fighting off the indecent feeling from your trousers you knock over a cardboard box and something spills out.

"Found it!"
"Huh?"

Your exclamation distracts Wriggle from her playing with you for the moment, a couple of old looking batteries have rolled out of the box you knocked over, about five AAs of the same brand. They're a little worse for wear as you look over them in your hand, some are corroded but at least three look usable.

"What are those?"
Standing up you call out to the others first, it'll be easier to explain to all of them at once, there's nothing to dampen your voice out here so pretty soon you've got the lot of them assembled again. Holding out your hands you show them your find, they cluster around you to get a better look.

"I want you to go out and find as many of these as you can find, they're going to be worth a lot to Mr Rinnosuke."
Thinking for a moment, you decide it's probably a good idea to get different types as well.
"Look for other kinds as well, some are bigger or smaller and some will be square shaped but they're all worth grabbing if you can."
"What do they do?"
"Uh..."

Wriggle asks a good question, you're not sure how to answer though and they're all watching you curiously now. Well, if you can't think on your feet then you won't last much longer in Gensokyo, that's for sure.

"Well, all sorts of machines from the other world need a special power to work, something like lightening. These are called batteries and they contain a tiny amount of lightening in them, because they're made from special metals."

Wide eyed they nod, although you doubt they really understand very well. Quickly Cirno snatches one from your hand and begins to try and bend it.

"So how do you get the lightening out? I wanna see!"
"Cirno no!"

Before the moronic ice fairy can cover herself in battery acid you snatch it out of her hands, already it's began to buckle under her strength and a seam has split open on the side. Disdainfully and trying to avoid any leakage you fling it back onto the pile, then scowl at Cirno who gives you a cross look back.

"That was rude! You shouldn't snatch!"
"You snatched it first, Cirno...."
"Shut up, Mystia! What'd you do that for!"
"Because it would've let the lightening out and struck you, you idiot!"

Hotly Wriggle shouts at her, even though it's an outrageous concept it seems to have stopped Cirno dead in her tracks. Deciding it's easier than telling her the truth, you play along.

"That's right Wriggle, if you let the lightening out it'll strike the person holding it! So you have to be careful with them and not pick up any of the really rusted ones!"

You add that last part in to save time, no point trying to trade off useless items after all.

"Alright everyone, you know what to look for. So get to work! The sooner we fill the sack the sooner we can get our reward!"

At Mystia's call the others get back to searching, moving a little more purposefully now.

-------

The sack's filling up quite nicely, between the five of you the search goes well and even among the discarded waste of another world you find some things that are completely usable. Among the batteries you've thrown in a few items like steel screwdrivers and hand drills that you uncovered, they were in pretty good condition and you're sure that chances are they're of better quality than anything produced in Gensokyo. It'll be good to get out of here, your shirt is so thin and full of holes you're worried you might come down with something if you stick around much longer.

Right now you're working in the middle of all the others, you've split up for the moment in order to cover ground faster with you working in the middle. You stop digging for a moment to check on the others.

Cirno's working behind you, she's proven rather competitive when it comes to work as she's been darting about trying to grab as much as she can, more than a few worthless items have ended up in the sack because of her.

Mystia works to your left, more diligently than Crino has and singing one of her nonsense songs as she goes. You wouldn't mind a chance to talk to her about a few things, you'd appreciate a bit of help around Wriggle for one thing and maybe thank her for her support earlier.

Rumia sulks off in the distance further to your right, working slowly and spending most of her time watching you with a hostile expression. There's a few things you'd like to say to her too, you thought that your run in with her last night had settled things between you two but it seems she's trying to drive herself between Wriggle and you rather than bump you off now. You recall the fight from last night, but you doubt that she would try anything in the open.

Finally, Wriggle works in front of you and fairly close by. It might be nice to have a chat with her for a bit, just the two of you, seeing how affection she seems to be in private.

You could take this opportunity to talk to one of them, should you so wish.

=======

Go talk with:

[ ] Rumia
[ ] Cirno
[ ] Wriggle
[ ] Mystia

or

[ ] Don't talk to anyone

[P] Wriggle

Wriggle~

[ ] Mystia

[x] Wriggle

Wriggle~

[x] Rumia

What could possibly go wrong?

[x] Rumia

Need to get that shit cleared up.

[x] Rumia

Probably would be more willing to discuss things when her friends aren't around to interrupt her points or embarrass her.

[v] Rumia

she's been quiet... too quiet

[x] Rumia

This is the best time. Far enough away so she can talk freely. Close enough to get help if she tries to eat us.

[x] Rumia

[X] Wriggle

I can't help but wonder something.
It can be difficult to see when it's foggy, it can be difficult to see when it's dark, and it can be REALLY difficult to see when it's both. It would make it very easy for someone to accidentally wander off and get lost, wouldn't it? Especially when you wander off from the middle of your group and go towards the edge. How easy it would be to get further and further away from them before you realize what happened? Even worse, they would likely be so preoccupied by their work to notice anything was amiss before it was too late. What a shame it would be if something unfortunate were to happen at such a time, wouldn't it?

Best to stick near the middle, and spend some time with someone who would actually appreciate our company in relative privacy before the group reassembles.

{X} Wriggle~

[X] Wriggle

Wriggle~

[X] Wriggle

Hopefully we can spend some time with Rumia later.

[X] Rumia

Following >>9570's logic, maybe we'd better get her calmed down before she takes advantage of the low visibility to return the group to normalcy, if you know what I mean.

[W]riggle

[EX] Rumia

[x] Rumia

Eating your friend's crush is a no-no.

>>9579
>normalcy
ಠ_ಠ

>>9575 changed.

Fine, since I don't like Wriggle, I'll delete my useless Cirno vote and support Rumia.

[x] Rumia

You know, I seem to recall Scorn mentioning that befriending Rumia is outright impossible unless we turn out to be at least partially youkai (hello, Mommy Yuuka). The best we can do is get her to tolerate us, maybe respect us, but... I'm unsure of how to pull that off. I guess a talk with her... might be a step in that direction. I guess.

>>9588
Somehow I doubt someone she is clearly determined to hate attempting to get her to not hate him isn't really going to work all that well, least of all if the most they can do is talk to her, and certainly not while he still insists on staying on his moral high horse regarding something that she views as a natural part of a youkai's nature. As far as she's concerned, so long as you have a problem with something they do, you have a problem with what they are, and your continued existence with them will remain a problem to her. One that she won't hesitate to rectify at the first possible opportunity she can manage to get away with it.

Perhaps if you came to her with something like her favorite food, as a peace offering she might be willing to hear you out. But, well, you know what that would mean...

>befriending Rumia is outright impossible
>befriending Rumia
>befriending

I'll just leave that here.

>>9592
>and certainly not while he still insists on staying on his moral high horse
>his moral high horse
lol fucking what. Last I checked, SHE was the one insisting and demanding (or will be.) that eating people was dandy-fine and a-okay, and nope, you can't change them, and that's a part of who they are, and you'll have to accept it whether you want to or not.

What a load of horse shit. That's pretty much the same argument furries use.

Part of being a thinking, sentient (oooh, the S word again) creature means that you should now know better. It's the sentience that separates you from them. It doesn't make you better; that comes from the person themselves, and how they act.

And really make sure she doesn't feel alienated by this. In fact, we should be as friendly as possible to her. It's a bit harder to hate someone that's kind to you.

I feel kind of like a moralfag, but I just want Rumia to get the "I DON'T LIKE YOU, NEW DADDY" mentality the fuck out of her head.

>>9588
Befriending her was impossible; getting her respect was not. That's what I seem to recall.

>>9596
>>That's pretty much the same argument furries use.

And your argument is pretty much the same one vegetarians use.

The difference is while one side is concerned with how that individual chooses to act and live their own life, the other is concerned with telling someone else how they should or should not be acting and living their life, or in this case what someone else should or should not be eating.

Part of being a thinking, sentient being is also being able to decide for oneself what to do or not do, is it not? If someone were to suddenly come along, and presume to tell you how you should or should not be behaving, would it not be a natural response if you respond with some degree of irritation, if not outright hostility?

>Part of being a thinking, sentient being is also being able to decide for oneself what to do or not do, is it not?

Yes, and I'm deciding for myself that I won't like it if you go around killing other sentient beings.

>>9600
Understandable, and were this involving anyone else but Rumia there wouldn't be much of a problem.

The thing is, between her control of darkness and tendency to eat people, isn't the entire point of Rumia to serve as the embodiment of some of humanity's most primal fears? Part of the fear of darkness lies in not knowing what could be lurking within it, and the chance that whatever it is could very well kill you. If you took away her eating people, one of the few things that actually makes her a threat, then what is there left of her for people to fear? Bumping into trees? Ooh, scary.

Animal youkai like Wriggle and Mystia might do just fine without eating humans, but for a youkai like Rumia? If you would reject her killing of humans, would you not be basically rejecting her very reason for being?

Being a human, you're not supposed to like what she does, but that's the whole POINT of her.

Say what you will about her belief that the other youkai should think and act more along her lines than yours, hell I would even agree that it's wrong for her to dictate what is or is not "right" for the others to do just because she does it, but as for Rumia herself goes, she is what she is. Whether you like it or not, doing things that humans might find deplorable or fearful, including killing and eating them, is as much a part of what she is as drinking blood is for a vampire.

Of course, I could be wrong.

>>9601

Vampires need to drink blood to live. Youkai don't, and Rumia isn't an exception.
We've been over this.

>>Part of being a thinking, sentient (oooh, the S word again) creature means that you should now know better.

Cultural influences make you think that way. Ritual sacrifice of humans was part of everyday life for many ancient civilizations, are the humans of the past non-sentient because they ritualized the murder one another in the name of a higher power? Of course bloody not. If anything Rumia is one step above them by the token of your argument, at least she makes use of those she kills. But that doesn't work because animals only ever kill to survive, Rumia kills to survive to an extent, while sentient humans kill for concepts despite "knowing better".

There is no definitive value of what is "right" or "just", these are concepts created by culture rather than an intrinsic values of the universe.

>>9601
Is pretty much dead on.

I want this to be quite clear:

You cannot humanize Rumia.

Make her respect you, make her fear you or even just plain ignore you. Loose YOUR humanity and maybe things could change between you.

(I feel a little proud that I manged to get throw-away-moeblob-character Rumia to be a subject of serious discussion though)

>Make her respect you, make her fear you or even just plain ignore you.

I'm fine with any of these.

Catching Mystia's eye you motion towards Rumia, she frowns back and shakes her head slightly but doesn't go to head you off, you can feel her watching you as you make your way over to the shady patch where Rumia is working.

You wanted someone to know what you're up to in case of anything goes wrong and you don't want to tell Wriggle in case she tries to stop you, there's things you need to talk to this girl about without interruption.

The air around her is shady, not pitch black like it was the time she attacked you but you reason that was probably because it was night, sullenly standing next to a pile of tin cans she kicks at them with her foot sending them scattering. It's clear her heart isn't in her work.

She hasn't noticed you, still it doesn't hurt to be prepared, pulling a length of solid looking lead pipe out a near by heap you heft it in your hand. It's weight is reassuring, you don't like the idea of raising anything against any living thing especially a little girl, but you've been tricked before.

"Who killed him, Rumia?"

Calmly, keeping your distance with the pipe in clear view, you ask her a question that's been nagging you since you found out what happened. Startled for a second Rumia jumps slightly before spotting you, her eyes narrow when she sees what's in your hand but she doesn't comment.

"Does it matter~?"

With cloying sweetness Rumia turns her back on you and extends her arms out, as if she were balancing herself. As she walks away from you you notice a thin line of weak shadow follows her, sneaking over the piles of waste like a wraith.

"Did you kill him?"

You're not falling for her trick again, she's trying to get you to follow her to somewhere she would have an advantage and you're hardly going to let that happen again. When she notices you aren't following she huffs and turns around hands on hips.

"Wriggle found 'im, she says the bugs told her where to look."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"Wriggle's always been the best of us at huntin', well findin' really. She's squeamish some times."
"Was her alive when you found him?"
"....The meat was fresh."

She's avoiding straight answers, not telling you anything solid to either confirm or deny your suspicions. She doesn't look at you while you talk either, rather she hops around like a child engaged in some kind of game, lightly stepping from one foot to the other with her dress flapping in the dead air.

"It's your kind that we like the most, you know."
"What do you mean? 'My kind'?"
Stopping her game she twirls and beams a girlish smile at you, the effect in the mist is rather haunting. Almost wrong some how.

"Outsiders silly~"
".... What do you mean."
"It's hard to eat the people who live here, they're tough and know to avoid us. But places like this, well there's always a way to get through. I remember this one time..."
"Shut up."
"But! There was this little lost girl from your world see...."
"Shut up!"

You don't want to hear it, another evil little tale from this demon child that doesn't understand or even care about humanity. She's trying to unnerve you again, telling you things too horrible to believe but all too real to ignore, to worm your way into your head. It's appropriate she's a darkness Youkai, it reflects her nature perfectly or does she reflect the nature of darkness?

"Hey....human. I just thought of somethin'."

Suddenly she's stood right before you, almost in the blink of an eye, standing on her tip toes and staring at you with a wry smile. You tighten your grip on the pipe, but don't move.

"Make you a deal? Sound good huh? I'm not allowed to kill you, won't get away with it, but if you do something for me I can make it so everything is okay!"
"Back off Rumia..."

Stepping back on one foot you pull away from her, this sudden change in tone from hostility to bargaining friendliness puts you on guard. Rumia moves in closer, almost near enough to touch you. She's so close now you can see her breath rising in the air, so close you could count her eyelashes. With one hand going to her head, stopping just short of touching the ribbon that ties her hair, hovering a finger a fraction away from it pointing.

"I can't take this off.... Youkai aren't allowed to touch it. But you could, then I'd be really strong again! If you did, I could take away your human and change it into Youkai! You'd want that right? You and Wriggle can live forever together! If you weren't human, there'd be no problem for any one!"

Her voice rises in pitch, almost to a fevered state as she looms up on you and boring into your head with mad eyes. Despite yourself you're trembling, the atmosphere feels heavy as if the pressure of the deep sea were pushing down on you, for some reason the whole situation is terrifying.

Yet....

It's tempting, sorely tempting, after all what human would turn down the chance at living for hundreds of years and a wealth of power? At least without thinking on it first.....

But can she deliver on her offer? You're not inclined to trust anything Rumia says, she's proven less than trustworthy in the past too many times, even if she can give you the body of a Youkai would she?

You tighten your grip on the pipe again, for the comfort of having a weapon in your hand, but it slipped out of your grasp as Rumia spoke.

You feel so, small and defenseless.

"Just take my ribbon off, I used to be so much stronger than this. You know you want to be like me...."

======

[ ] Take off the Ribbon
[ ] Don't take off the Ribbon

(In b4 Take offdon't take off Ooooh!)

[ ] Don't take off the Ribbon

If we take it off then she won't be Rumia anymore. She'll be something else that hasn't been fully aware of itself for a long time. It won't care about a little human standing in front of it.

{X} Don't take off the Ribbon

biiitch

[X] Take off the Ribbon

Sure, it'll lead to the eventual bad end. Sure, it'll suck.

But why not.

[x] Take off the Ribbon

Just to see the epic bad end.

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon.

Not that I don't want to be a youkai, but I just don't trust her worth a damn.

Besides, I want to fire off a comment about human becoming youkai on their own.

[ ] Take off the Ribbon
[ ] Don't take off the Ribbon
[ ] Ooooh!

[x] Take off the Ribbon

THE POWER OF THE DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE

[X] Take off the Ribbon

I want to see scorns Ex-Rumia.

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon.

[X] Take off the Ribbon
And then I died.

[X]Pinch Rumia's cheek, tell her she's cute in a condescending tone, and laugh the offer off

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon

If Rumia were more trustworthy, perhaps, but without some way to guarantee that she would hold to her end of the bargain, what's to stop her from just killing us the second she got what she wanted? It's just too risky.

However, there is some benefit for us, here. As the only human in this little group, we are probably the only person Rumia knows that could or would give her what she wants. Even if we don't do it for her now, so long as there's a chance that we might be willing to do it, she has a reason to keep us around and alive, if not on completely good terms with her. So long as we are capable giving her what she wants, we have some value to her, and with it some leverage over her.

[X] Take off the Ribbon

We shall unleash upon the world a nightmare the likes of which would strike fear into the heart of God Himself, and should this nightmare make good on its word, we shall do so with a queen named Wriggle by our side.

I can't believe some of you are that adverse to dying. What's wrong with people these days...

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon.

[X] Take off the Ribbon

I want to see the result

[x] Don't take off the Ribbon.

I remember back in MiG when I voted to let Hina carry us off for implied sex just to see "That awesome bad end".

There wasn't a BAD END. We just fell on a rock and missed a day. It sucked.

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon

DO NOT WANT snow. And I'm smelling snow under that ribbon.

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon

We cannot trust Rumia. At all.

>>9626
>>9627

If Scorn were Kira would either of us would be reading this story?

>>9630

To be honest, I liked Kira. That tomato in the mirror twist was the most brickshit-worthy moment I've ever experienced on these boards, and SNOW END probably provoked the biggest emotional response from me.

But that's just my opinion, man.

>>DO NOT WANT snow. And I'm smelling snow under that ribbon.

Most of us just call it "dandruff".

[x] Don't take off the Ribbon

I'm voting this on the condition that Scorn show us what it would've been like, anyway. If not, then:
[x] Take off the ribbon

>>9598
>>9601
>>9603
>I just want Rumia to get the "I DON'T LIKE YOU, NEW DADDY" mentality the fuck out of her head.
Again, this.

[X] Don't take off the Ribbon

Seeing EX Rumia is so tempting. But I know a bad end choice when I see one. Tell us what would have happened though Scorn.

Updates after I eat~

[x] Don't take off the Ribbon.

This is the wrong way to become a youkai.

"I....could be like ... you?"
"Yeah, cool huh? You'll get to be young and beautiful forever!"
"....."
"So, what do you say?"

Boundless youth, power overwhelming, to have the barriers of human and Youkai torn down and to stand on equal footing with the likes of Wriggle or Alice.....

To become, something inhuman.

"No thanks Rumia, I appreciate the offer but I distrust you about as far as I can throw you. And I'm fairly certain, I could get some nice air on you."

With that you pinch her rosy little cheek and push her gently away from you, just as you turn to go you see her jaw drop and her gaping after you. Looking over the way it seems like the others are assembled and ready to go, the three of them are waving to you so you raise a hand in response. Behind you Rumia splutters.

"What! Get back here, I want this! I waaaaant it!"

Sounding for all the world like a child Rumia whines in your ear and stamps her foot, but already you're half way over to the others. You might of considered her offer, the temptation was all to great, were it not for one thing.

You refuse to ever let yourself be like her, even if she did make good on her offer you have no doubt that doing so would make you lose everything that makes you yourself. What's the point in living for hundreds of years if you can't live those days as yourself?

"H-hey! Slow down!"

Her desperate shout draws your attention, your brain unable to ignore the instinctive reaction to a child's cry, Rumia is stumbling along after you her arms reached out towards you. She looks upset and wobbles her way through the dunes of trash, you sigh.

"Come here you."

Really, it's a bad idea like no other, but you can't help yourself. Even if she's a horrible little monster inside she still looks like such a sweet girl outside, walking back to her you scoop her up in your arms and continue to walk to the others before she can even complain.

"What have you two been up to?"
Mystia says in amused voice, Rumia struggles and slips out of your arms then gives you a childish glare.
"Just been having a little chat, haven't we Rumia."
"Humph!"

Saucily she huffs again at you and totters away with her hands perched on her hips, in a way this is how you get back at her you suppose.

"Ready to go? We filled the bag?"
"Yes, I think so. Wriggle, if you'd be so kind?"

===============

The girls take you to a small one story house nearer to the southern end of the forest, it takes quite a while for you to get there and already the sun is getting lower in the sky, but then again you're running with Youkai so really it's unusual for them to be awake this time of day regardless.

The house sitting before you is a squat and sturdily built, the stone walls and slate roof make it look like it was designed to last the passage of time, but it also looks like it's seen better days. The walls are all streaked with strange stains that have persisted even after yesterday's storm, the windows are obscured with a heavy layer of dust on the inside and the front door hangs in a frame that looks like it's been broken and replaced many times. Everything is permeated by mixed smells of the forest, coupled with rust and the more pleasant aroma of boiling water on tea leaves; a little tin chimney on the roof is piping out white smoke merrily.

It looks a lot like the thin spot too, with familiar junk piles strewn around the forest floor, although on second glance they do seem more ordered than the ones back in the misty plains. At least, they're organized into comparatively neat rows sorted by item, a line of old looking computers of various types and states of repair lead up to the door.

"This the place?"
Wriggle nods as she sets you down again, you're feeling more confident about other people flying you about now. It's interesting to compare them, Marisa's speedy broom, Alice's comfortable bubble and Wriggle's awkward but charming hug.

"Do you think he's home?"
Cirno says as she pokes her foot into a pile of what appear to be glass fish bowls.

"There's smoke coming from the chimney, but he might be sleeping." Mystia's clucks fussily. "Lazy man."

Dusting her knees off Cirno strides up to the front door confidently with a mischievous grin.

"Well, if he is we'll just have wake him up then won't we?"
"I don't know if that's a good idea Cirno, if he's in a bad mood he might not give us many sweets....."
As Mystia acts as the voice of reason, you notice that Wriggle's hand has found yours again and she stands happily holding onto it.

"If he's sleeping he can't give us any! I'm gonna bust the door down!"

Maybe you should say something, although it looks to be a regular occurance you doubt that the owner appreciates his door being smashed down.

------

[ ] Let Cirno do as she pleases

[ ] Knock first

[ ] Try going around the back

[ ] See if the door is open

=====

You wanted to know what happens if you had tried to take the ribbon off?

Well, I might be saying too much but it wasn't a bad end~

Yeah! You could've tried to take the ribbon off and you wouldn't of died, that I can say.


Anyway, posting this pic because I like it and it does have Wriggle in it.

>>9639
>I might be saying too much
Oh, don't mind us. We aren't stopping you. Really, do go on.

[x] See if the door is open
[x] Knock first

[ ] Knock first

gensokyan trick-or-treating

[X] Knock first.

As is proper.

[X] I'm the motherfucking assassin sneaking in through the window jesus christ

[x] See if the door is open
[x] Knock first

>Well, I might be saying too much but it wasn't a bad end

Horrible bad end? or just snow end?

[x] Bust the door down yourself.
[x] "NNNNNOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!"

[x] See if the door is open
[x] Knock first

[X] Knock first
[X] See if the door is open

If he leaves it open it's his own fault~

>wouldn't of

wouldn't have

[x] Knock first
[x] See if the door is open

[ ] Sneak in through the window
[ ] Challenge Rinnosuke to a fist-fight
[ ] Take off your shirt and shoes

Oh wait, wrong CYOA.

[X] Knock first.

[X] See if the door is open

[X] CLASH YOUR FIST WITH HIS
[X] "TYRANT RAVE!"

A new thread is required.

>>9694

... a new thread without updates wouldn't be very effective

>"What! Get back here, I want this! I waaaaant it!"

Man, I want to see a side-story on what would've happened if the rest of the nineball squad heard this and interpreted it the wrong way.