[x] Hate her.

It doesn't matter whether or not they will be revived in the Golden Land. The important thing is that you killed them.

[x] Don't hate her

[X] Hate her

Pointless riddles are stupid.

[X] Don't hate her

Odds are, she's just a puppet. If you're going to hate anyone, let it be the one actually pulling her strings.

[x] Don't hate her

[X] Don't hate her.

While I'm not sure how much things may or may not repeat/carry over from cycle to cycle, Flandre was a definite ally the time before this.

Right here whether it's really Flandre or just something/one taking her form, she's essentially a messenger of the situation rather than the real threat. Can't hate her for that.

[x] Don't hate her.

[X] Hate her

This is not Flandre. This is something else. Remember the first thread? There was something posing as Rumia. What did it say?

> I love you.

There is only one thing to do here, with a write-in add-on:

[X] Hate her
- [X] "Your not the real Flandre. The real Flandre would never do something like this, no matter what. Besides, I already saw Flandre's dead corpse. Who are you truly, scum?"

[x] Don't hate her
I can see it! Something! Could it possibly be, that what she's saying is true?

Calling it.
[x] Don't hate her.

[x] Don't hate her

Flandre took my hand and caressed it gently with her fingers. She blushed a cute pink with a peaceful smile on her face. The gems on her wings gave off a pleasant tinkling sound as they shook. I could sense that she was feeling a bit uneasy. The shuffling of her feet was enough to give away her nervousness. But she did not retreat or laugh it off as a joke. Instead, she drew herself even closer to me.

"I love you," she whispered.

I stood in shock at this sudden confession. She had said all this while looking straight at me. I saw no trace of malice or hatred in her eyes. She seemed no different from an ordinary girl in love. With certainty, I knew that these were her true feelings.

"I want to spend the rest of my days with you. That is my wish."

"..."

"Do you.. hate me?"

A moment of silence passed. Very slowly, I shook my head.

"Thank goodness! I was afraid that you would hate me after everything that had happened."

"I don't hate you," I said. "But I can't really respond your confession right now."

"That's alright. There is no rush anymore. Let's take our time in getting closer to each other's hearts, ehehe~"

"No, that's not quite it, Flan. I'm... sorry."

If circumstances were a bit different, then perhaps I could have responded to her feelings. But there was something wrong here - something very wrong. A number of different scenes flashed in my mind. I couldn't figure out the exact connection between them, but I sensed that I was close now. I was very close to the truth. It pained me, but I slowly pushed her away.

"Eh? But why!?"

"I'm sorry," I said. "I never realized how much pain you were in. All that time, I never knew."

"..."

"But it's alright. I think I'm starting to understand your riddle now. You had left so many clues and hints."

"... stop it."

"It was all my fault," I said. "I had closed my eyes to the truth."

"I said, stop it!"

I gave her a gentle smile.

"Let me share in your pain, Flandre."

"That's enough, already!" she cried. "I've heard enough! I'll certainly break the stupid out of you, this time!"

The vampire raised her hand and quickly clenched her fist. But to her surprise, nothing happened.

"Eh? What the? W-why isn't it working!?"

She tried several more times, but to no avail. Then, she looked up at me in shock.

"Why!" Why can't I break your will? And why can't I grasp your 'eye'?"

Of course she couldn't use that ability on me. Not anymore.

"You still don't understand it, do you? The answer to your own riddle?"

I sighed sadly. Then, I raised my hand and snapped my fingers. In an instant, we were transported to the gardens outside the mansion. It was already evening, and the rain continued to pour incessantly. But unlike earlier, the moon shone brightly from above. The drops of rain reflected the light as they fell, painting the sky with endless silver.

"A-ah! How did you manipulate the territory?"

"Because we are in the depths of your heart. And this..."

I slowly held my hand open in front of her. The vampire watched in awe as the silver rain began to collect around my palm. The drops shone brightly as they came together, forming a small handheld weapon. It was a Colt Peacemaker revolver. Then, I raised it toward her.

"This is the miracle that all of us failed to see."

"B-but that's impossible! Absolutely impossible! I can't accept that answer!"

Flandre chanted spell commands under her breath. Then, a strangely shaped metal wand appeared in her hands. She grasped the Laevateinn tightly and rushed forward at me. But she was already too late. There was no way that I could miss with this weapon.

"Let us meet again in hell, Flandre."

And then, I pulled the trigger.

[ ] Brandy
[ ] Wine
[ ] Sake

[X] Brandy

[x] Brandy

[x] Brandy
That last line was classy. onwards to the summary of the events.

[X] Brandy

[X] Brandy

Ok, I'm confused. I think we did... decently... but still confused...

[x] Wine
Awesome! I knew I figured something out! I wonder just how this applies and what it means...

>>41917

About the answer being Remilia? I think you were wrong.

>>41914
>Ellipses

STOP THAT SHIT

I did. That's not me.

[x]Brandy.

Often used to wake people out of shock or torpor.

Also, right up there with rum and whisky as one of the tastiest liquors.

[X] Brandy

This is probably the last choice before the end of the arc. At least we kill the false Flandre I hope, because it won't be happy if we don't kill it...

[x] Sake
What the fuck just happened?

>>41927

I think we just witnessed a Not As Planned

>>41930

Ah, but for who?

This writer has a thing for leaving us as confused as fuck. Just roll with it and do your best.

[x] Brandy

"So then, why did you call me out here, anyway?"

"No real reason," said Keine. "I guess that I just wanted some company while drinking."

The village guardian took her cup and finished it off in one gulp. Then, she asked for another bottle. Mokou sighed sadly.

"I probably shouldn't be the one saying this, but don't you think that you should cut down a little?"

"Cut down?"

"On the booze, I mean. You shouldn't be coming out here to drink every evening. I've heard the rumors from the villagers. Did you really come to class completely wasted the other day?"

"Ah, that. I think that the parents just overreacted a little bit."

"They said that you knocked several students out cold after they answered your questions wrong..."

"Eh? Did I, now? That must have been hilarious, ahahaha..."

"..."

Mokou slowly planted her palm upon her forehead. Her friend was officially 'on leave' until she got her act together. But ever since the incident a few weeks ago, Keine had been obsessed with her investigation. She started secluding herself in her research, only returning to the village to teach an occasional class or two before passing out. Then, she started spending her nights drinking. She claimed that the alcohol helped her sleep.

"Mokou, didn't you notice anything odd that day? You know, that time when you three joined me for breakfast?"

"You've asked me that dozens of times. But no, I didn't feel anything unusual with those two. Just like you said before, that was just another ordinary day in the village."

"Yeah, you're right. It was just supposed to be a normal day..."

"..."

The village guardian stared at her cup for a moment before emptying it all in one go. Then, she started pouring herself another shot. It was difficult to watch.

"Say, Keine? Why do you care about this incident so much? It wasn't like anyone in the village got hurt or killed, right?"

"Why do I care?" she repeated. "You want to know why I care? I'll tell you, why!"

She banged her palm loudly on the counter.

"Because everything that happened was my fault!"

"..."

"Yes... (hic)... that's right... (sob)... it was... (hic)... all... (sob)... my fault..."

Mokou sighed as Keine started to cry. She pulled out a few bills from her pocket and handed them to me.

"Sorry about this," she said. "I guess I need to take her home again. Please forgive us for troubling you so often."

And with that, the two of them left. They were my last customers for this evening, so it was time for me to close shop.

A few weeks ago, news of a great incident spread across Gensokyo. But unlike the other mysterious incidents, this one had gone completely unsolved. The first one to discover the scene was that black-white, Marisa Kirisame. While on one of her usual visits to 'borrow' books, she discovered a series of ghastly murder scenes.

Patchouli was found at the very bottom of the Voile Library, with a strange metal spike impaled upon her chest. Sakuya and Koakuma were discovered at the second floor hallway with fatal wounds on their chest and necks. Flandre Scarlet and Hong Meiling lay lifeless out in the gardens, despite having no visible wounds or scars.

Then, when Reimu and the others arrived, they swept through the mansion grounds and discovered four more bodies buried by the greenhouse. The victims were identified as Rumia, Sunny, Luna, and Star, all of whom had been thought as missing for some time. Needless to say, everyone was baffled as how they were killed, especially in the case of the three fairies.

Up till now, the remaining two bodies were never found. The first belonged to the Mistress of the mansion, Remilia Scarlet. The second belonged to their newest resident, the Outsider. Neither of them were ever seen again.

Little by little, it started to rain. The moon shone brightly, and the water droplets reflected the silver light as they fell to the ground. Just like that night...

"..."

My name is Mystia Lorelei. The last survivor and witness to the truth. And despite that, all I could do now was to sing one last song...
[ ] Dirge
[ ] Elegy
[ ] Requiem

[x] Requiem

>My name is Mystia Lorelei.
Goddamn Maria.

[x] Elegy
We are too early for the Requiem. Better not skip the parts.

Recommended BGM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOq7ZNTPVug&p=9DB9E48AAD4B1EFD

>>41937

changing vote to:

[x] Elegy

What's the difference between the 3 words? I understand that Requiem is more grandier. Care to explain?

[x]Dirge

>>41940
In literature, an elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.

A dirge is a sombre song expressing mourning or grief, such as would be appropriate for performance at a funeral.

A Requiem is Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular formula of the Roman Missal. It is frequently, but not necessarily, celebrated in the context of a funeral.

They seem to be about the same but i guess the difference is in how much mourning you do. And how you do it. You probably should find what suits you the best in this situation.

[x] Dirge

[x] Requiem
Mystia lives!!!
Khm. Yes. I believe a dirge is the most appropriate. An elegy seems like something, where a decently smaller amount of grief is expressed and a requiem is maybe a bit too much. Still, someone has to pick it and out of the three it's probably my favorite.

[x] Dirge

[X] Dirge

[x] Requiem of the Scarlet Devil

[X] Dirge

She sat before me, a little shot glass in her hand. There was a bottle of brandy and three more glasses on the tea table. This scene felt very familiar, and that was what made me uneasy. She smiled as she took a sip.

"..."

I was seated at my usual place at this tea table in the gardens. The crimson sky glowed ominously from above. And in that inverted ocean of blood and shadows, a countless number of humanoid figures reached out toward the ground. Those voiceless souls cried silently of their despair. But that wasn't the reason for my surprise. After all, I had been here before.

"Welcome back~"

This blonde girl in front of me wasn't Remilia Scarlet.

"Who... are you?"

She chuckled a bit and put down her glass.

"Just a simple youkai passing through," she said. "You can call me Yukari."

"Yukari? You don't mean, Yukari Yakumo?"

The girl smiled wider, but she didn't confirm nor deny my question.

"That was a very interesting game back there. Quite entertaining, indeed."

"...entertaining?" I repeated.

"It was enough to distract me from my work, at least~"

"..."

I frowned hard at Yukari. Despite everything that had happened, Remilia had never took this riddle as a game or a joke. But here stood the youkai of boundaries, talking as if this was some kind of play that had been set up for her amusement.

"Ara? Now, don't start getting riled up," she said. "If you listen carefully, you just might gain something very useful for the next round. A blessing from this young girl is nothing to shrug off. In fact, you should be very thankful that I chose to appear before you at all. This is a miracle that won't ever happen again, you know~"

"Let's get to the point. What do you want in return?"

"Nothing at all. I'll do you this favor free of charge, but only this once~"

"And why would you do that?"

She pulled out a fan from her dress and covered her mouth with it for effect. The gesture only increased my suspicion and unease.

"Let's just say that I've taken an interest in you~"

"..."

"Ah! But where are my manners? Why don't we have a drink, first?"

Yukari poured a shot of brandy and held it out to me.
[ ] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.
[ ] Accept. Not like I have anything better to do.
[ ] Accept. Might be better to avoid offending her.
[ ] Refuse. This isn't the best time to drink.
[ ] Refuse. The host of this party has yet to arrive.
[ ] Refuse. I don't want to have anything to do with her!

>This is a miracle that won't ever happen again, you know
Screw you Bernkastel.

[x] Refuse. The host of this party has yet to arrive.

>This is a miracle that won't ever happen again, you know

>haze.mp3

Fuck this noise. I give it one game before she starts trollfacing and holding the loopholes in her miracles above our head like a noose.

At least Bernkastel had the foresight to make me believe she was good for about four episodes until she blew me out of the water in the final tea party for Episode Four. Yukari, though? She's got all the bitchsigns, and fuck me they're huge. Speaking in tildes? Check. Arrogant smirk? Check. Attitude problem a mile wide? Check. And she can't even pull it off stylishly the way Remi and Flan do - the moment she says something it feels malicious. Bad mojo.

Let's cut the shit and skip right up to the part where she's making constipated faces while threatening us and her underlings with hell and suffering. One Witch of Miracles betraying me is enough, I won't stand for it twice.

[x] Refuse. The host of this party has yet to arrive.

> the moment she says something it feels malicious

Doesn't that mean that she's more honest than the others so far? She kinda reminds me more of Beato, actually...

[ ] Accept. Might be better to avoid offending her.

[x] Accept. Not like I have anything better to do.

[x] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

Yukari has the best interests of Gensokyo at hand despite her personality. And while it's a matter of life and death, in this meta space it is just that, a game with human lives. We don't know who started it, but we're the main piece.

And it seems Yukari has picked up on this space and looked into it. Only a fool refuses a favor from Yukari.

Minor Addition for >>41936

[x] Brandy

"So then, why did you call me out here, anyway?"

"No real reason," said Keine. "I guess that I just wanted some company while drinking."

The village guardian took her cup and finished it off in one gulp. Then, she asked for another bottle. Mokou sighed sadly.

I probably shouldn't be the one saying this, but don't you think that you should cut down a little?"

"Cut down?"

"On the booze, I mean. You shouldn't be coming out here to drink every evening. I've heard the rumors from the villagers. Did you really come to class completely wasted the other day?"

"Ah, that. I think that the parents just overreacted a little bit."

"They said that you knocked several students out cold after they answered your questions wrong..."

"Eh? Did I, now? That must have been hilarious, ahahaha..."

"..."

Mokou slowly planted her palm upon her forehead. Her friend was officially 'on leave' until she got her act together. But ever since the incident a few weeks ago, Keine had been obsessed with her investigation. She started secluding herself in her research, only returning to the village to teach an occasional class or two before passing out. Then, she started spending her nights drinking. She claimed that the alcohol helped her sleep.

"Mokou, didn't you notice anything odd that day? You know, that time when you three joined me for breakfast?"

"You've asked me that dozens of times. But no, I didn't feel anything unusual with those two. Just like you said before, that was just another ordinary day in the village."

"Yeah, you're right. It was just supposed to be a normal day..."

"..."

The village guardian stared at her cup for a moment before emptying it all in one go. Then, she started pouring herself another shot. It was difficult to watch.

"Say, Keine? Why do you care about this incident so much? It wasn't like anyone in the village got hurt or killed, right?"

"Why do I care?" she repeated. "You want to know why I care? I'll tell you, why!"

She banged her palm loudly on the counter.

"Because everything that happened was my fault!"

"..."

"Yes... (hic)... that's right... (sob)... it was... (hic)... all... (sob)... my fault..."

Mokou sighed as Keine started to cry. She pulled out a few bills from her pocket and handed them to me.

"Sorry about this," she said. "I guess I need to take her home again. Please forgive us for troubling you so often."

And with that, the two of them left. They were my last customers for this evening, so it was time for me to close shop.

A few weeks ago, news of a great incident spread across Gensokyo. But unlike the other mysterious incidents, this one had gone completely unsolved. The first one to discover it was that black-white, Marisa Kirisame. While on one of her usual visits to 'borrow' books, she discovered a series of ghastly murder scenes.

Patchouli was found at the very bottom of the Voile Library, with a strange metal spike impaled upon her chest. Sakuya and Koakuma were discovered at the second floor hallway with fatal wounds on their chest and necks. Flandre Scarlet and Hong Meiling lay lifeless out in the gardens, despite having no visible wounds or scars.

Then, when Reimu and the others arrived, they swept through the mansion grounds and discovered four more bodies buried by the greenhouse. The victims were identified as Rumia, Sunny, Luna, and Star, all of whom had been thought as missing for some time. Needless to say, everyone was baffled as how they were killed, especially in the case of the three fairies.

Up untill now, the remaining two bodies were never found. The first belonged to the Mistress of the mansion, Remilia Scarlet. The second belonged to their newest resident, the Outsider. Neither of them were ever seen again.

Little by little, it started to rain. The moon shone brightly, and the water droplets reflected the silver light as they fell to the ground. Just like that night...

"..."

My name is Mystia Lorelei. The last survivor and witness to the truth. And despite that, all I could do now was to sing one last song...

"Even if there's no one left to listen~♪"



ENDLESS SILVER: END



.


..


...


[ ] Dirge
[ ] Elegy
[ ] Requiem

Next: >>41959

I pretty much have it all figured out.

[x] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

[x] Refuse. The host of this party has yet to arrive.
It's in our best interest to accept. Pfft hell no!

>>41972
I see you're being as stubborn as Remilia about this. I'd see Remilia's noblewoman pride stopping her from even considering Asking for Yukari's help.

[X] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

>>41969
What kind of sick man fills chess pieces with blood?

>>41981

The same sick man who sends babies pawns to fight.

>>41965
I believe so, and what we've seen is typical Yukari.

>>41979
I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you.

[x] Accept. Not like I have anything better to do.
Frankly, we need all the help we can get. Even if this help comes from someone as shady as Yukari.

Whatever. Don't cry when she turns out to be behind all our pain and misery and turns our little sister into a hamburger.

>>41988
I spent way too long looking for a picture I could make a (very in bad taste) Flanburger joke with. And failed.

[x] Refuse. The host of this party has yet to arrive.

>>41988
If she ends up being a Erika or a Beato, it would be a very cliched move befitting a hack writer.

>little sister into a hamburger.
But Remilia is our little sister, we just don't know it yet.

[X] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

Yukari isn't evil.

>Accept
Oh shit, we are Battler.

>>42001
Depends on your definition of evil

>Yukari isn't evil.

Neither was Bernkastel, and then suddenly Beatrice is dead, she's behind Ange's suffering, and we're stuck in the dreaded hell of the logic error.

So yeah. Yukari and her miracles aren't evil. Yet.

Tied votes. Not surprising, really. Leaving voting open, etc.

Here's a hint though:
Yukari is Yukari, and no one else.

Now is that a good thing, or a bad thing, I wonder~

[ø] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

>>42005
Yukari would never screw over Gensokyo though.

>>42011

No, but that doesn't mean she'd not screw over us.

>>42012
It seems at the moment, we're the first line of defense against whatever attacks Gensokyo each time before shit hits the fan big time and Yukari and Reimu have to seriously work to contain it.

Calling it.

[x] Accept. Her offer seems to be sincere.

I took the glass she offered and raised it to my lips.

"Mmm.. not bad. Is this from France?"

"Portugal, actually. How is it?"

"It has a pleasant aroma, and the flavor isn't too strong."

"Glad to hear that you like it~"

Yukari smiled cheerfully as she poured herself another shot. The bottle on the table wasn't something that one brought to an everyday visit. I could tell that the quality of the brandy was certainly first class, perhaps even a rare vintage. Putting aside the less than pleasant rumors I've heard about her, she didn't seem too bad for a youkai girl.

"Don't worry," she said. "I didn't put anything shady into your glass. That isn't really my style, you see~"

"Then, whose style is it?"

"I had best not say. But that isn't what you really want to ask me right now. Don't you have something else in mind?"

There was a very strange aura about this girl. From the very beginning, I felt that I could never trust her words completely. Her eyes glittered of mischief and intelligence. Yet at the same time, I felt certain that she was sincere about lending me a bit of her power. I couldn't explain it well, but I sensed a subtle hint of compassion in her voice. But why? Why would she act that way to an ordinary human like me?

"You really are Yukari Yakumo, aren't you? The famed youkai of boundaries?"

"Perhaps," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"I've heard several stories about you, both good and bad. One could never predict whether you would play the part of the villain or the heroine. But regardless of your true motives, whichever side you chose would have an incredible advantage."

"Seems like you've heard quite a few rumors. But now that we've finally met, what do you think?"

A moment of silence passed as I pondered on her question. I took another sip of brandy.

"You are truly a dangerous and beautiful existence."

Yukari giggled at me.

"Why, thank you~" she said. "Though I don't think you should say that in front of our host."

"Our host?"

She poured a shot of brandy into one of the empty glasses. And as soon as she put down the bottle, a familiar shadow appeared behind her. Remilia Scarlet stood there with her arms folded, frowning.

"What the hell are you doing within my territory!?"

Without glancing behind her, Yukari passed the glass to the vampire.

"Relax. I'm not here to fight you."

Remilia took the glass and drank it all in one go. Then, she took a seat beside me and started pouring herself a second shot.

"Why are you here, then?" she asked.

"Various reasons," said Yukari. "But before that, I have something to ask you."

"Go ahead. I'm not obliged to answer, though."

Yukari nodded solemnly.

"Have you had any strange visitors lately?"

"You mean, besides you? Who are you looking for, exactly?"

"A wandering wizard. I believe that he goes by the name, 'Hansel', nowadays."

Remilia paused for a moment before answering.

"No one by that name has ever been invited to this place."

"Ah, is that so~"

Then, the vampire put down her glass and turned to Yukari with a grim smile.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we have some important work to finish. I believe you know the way out..."

"Eh? But I still have some business with your friend here~"

At those words, Remilia turned and glared at me.
[ ] Yukari should leave.
[ ] Yukari should stay.
[ ] I don't really care.

[x] Yukari should leave.
Remilia does not like her here, regardless of our wishes we should honor that. After all, she did help us out all the time.

[X] I don't really care.

[X] Yukari should stay.

Despite what Remilia might think of the matter, getting the aid of Yukari would definitely increase our chances of unraveling this mystery, especially since we don't seem to be making much progress on our route.

Ok so. Letting her stay might piss off Remilia at us (who we're not on very good terms with to begin with) and having her leave is plain dumb since we already agreed on letting her help us. Though the "I don't care option" seems the safest, I'll wait for your opinions on this.

[X] Yukari should stay.
-[X] "Let Yukari say her piece first at least."

[X] Yukari should stay.
-[X] "Let Yukari say her piece, Lady Scarlet. She comes offering aid."

[ø] Yukari should stay.
-[ø] "Let Yukari say her piece first at least."
This sounds good.

[x] Yukari should stay.

Could offer some information about this Hansel at the very least.

[ZUN] Alcohol solves everything! Encourage them to keep drinking until they can't see straight anymore.

[x] Yukari should stay.
Remilia is too prideful, she only seemed to get angry with the fact that we want to accept Yukaris help. We need all the help we can get, and Yukari clearly knows more about Hansel than we do.

[ZUN] Alcohol solves everything! Encourage them to keep drinking until they can't see straight anymore.
I like this!

No seriously here's my real vote
[o] Yukari should stay.
-[o] "Let Yukari say her piece first at least."

[x] Yukari should stay.

I sighed loudly and shook my head.

"I'm sorry Remilia, but -"

"I've agreed to help him from this point onward~" said Yukari suddenly.

"Eeeeeeeeh? W-what did you say!?" cried the vampire. "D-did you just make a contract with Yukari!?"

I could hear the panic in her voice. For just that moment, the vampire lost all composure, and I thought that she was going to start crying. Or beating me to death. Or both. I couldn't really tell. And I didn't plan on waiting to find out. Seeing her look at me with those eyes was painful enough. I quickly shook my head.

"Of course not! We haven't agreed on anything yet!"

"B-but she just said that..."

"Don't misunderstand," I said. "Yukari said that she could help. I just think that we should listen to what she has to say."

"...is that really all?"

"I don't want us to be trapped in this riddle forever. Don't you think that we should try something different this time?"

"..."

Remilia glanced at me with suspicion, but she didn't say anything more. I could tell that she wasn't completely convinced. But at the very least, she seemed to calm down a bit. The vampire took her seat and poured herself another glass of brandy. I quickly turned back to Yukari.

"What kind of help are you offering?" I asked.

"Nothing much, really..."

She put down her glass and began combing her long golden hair with her fingers. Then, she paused and fiddled with something I couldn't see. And with a gentle smile, she held out something in her hands. It looked like a small hair ribbon.

"With this, you can escape from even the most dangerous of situations in the blink of an eye."

"Oh really? Well, then..."

"Don't get too excited," said Remilia. "It isn't like you could just take that with you during the next round. And even if you did, you wouldn't remember any of this conversation, so it's all useless."

"That is certainly true," said Yukari. "Which is why I am going to do this, instead~"

Before either of us could respond, she cheerfully put the ribbon into Remilia's hands. I understood immediately. This would work within the rules, I think. The vampire stared at the ribbon carefully for a few moments.

"What are you playing at, Yukari?"

"Eh? But I gave you the real thing, just now. Can't you tell just by holding it~"

Remilia shook her head and repeated her question.

"What are you playing at? I know that it's genuine. Is this another scheme of yours?"

Yukari giggled as she stood herself up. She pulled out a parasol out of nowhere and waved at us cheerfully.

"Well... that's all the time I have for now," she said. "I'll be looking forward to your next performance~"

"W-wait!" cried Remilia. "Answer me! Why would you -"

Suddenly, a black portal appeared at the youkai girl's legs and swallowed her up. Then, it closed up and vanished just as quickly. The vampire angrily stamped her foot on the ground.

"Ugh! That damn Yukari! What the hell is she playing at?"

Despite her words, I noticed that Remilia had carefully pocketed the hair ribbon. I prudently took care not to mention it any further. Instead, I poured myself another shot. Yukari had left the bottle behind, after all. But before I could take a sip, the vampire turned around and glared at me.

"And you! What do you think you're doing?"

"Err... having another shot?"

"Enjoying yourself at a time like this!?"

Without warning, the vampire slammed her palm loudly upon the tea table. I immediately took the hint and put down my glass. She nodded and pulled out a metal key ring from her dress. Then, she removed two keys and held them out for me to see.

"Keys? But these are different from the ones before..."

"The violet key goes to the library, while the silver key goes to the clock tower."

"I see..."

Remilia didn't say anything more. Did she not know which one I would choose this time? Or perhaps she knew, but...
[ ] Library Key
[ ] Clock Tower Key

[X] Library Key
We are some time overdue for some Patchy love, don't you think?

[x] Library Key

[x] Clock Tower Key

In one of the previous rounds we found the fakes in the Clock Tower.

Clock Tower interests me more than the Libary

[x] Clock Tower Key
Overdue for some Patchy love? But we spent a huge chunk of our time at the library last time and I think Sakuya had less "screen tme" than Patch.

[x] Clock Tower Key
clock tower have such a fascination on me.

[X] Clock Tower Key

[X] Library Key

We should save Sakuya for last.

For now, Patchy time~

[ø] Library Key
Dammit Remi, at least let a man finish his drink!

[x] Clock Tower Key
Oh boy! I am sure excited to get into another round of tragic, confusing deaths.

[X] Library Key
This time, we shall survive! Or at least approach that goal.

Tied votes, etc. Will leave open for a bit longer. Pick your favorite flavor, I guess.

[X] Library Key

Calling it for the girl of Knowledge and Shadow.

[x] Library Key

I took the violet key from Remilia's hand. She watched me carefully.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"..."

The vampire sighed loudly and shook her head. Before I could ask any further, she grabbed my hand and held it tight. And in an instant, we were transported to the Voile Armory. She let go of my hand and started walking away. Remilia had almost left my sight when I called out to her.

"Wait!" I cried. "Where are you going?"

"I need some time to think," she said.

"Then, what am I supposed to do?"

"Go ahead and pick out what you need. I'll meet you near the entrance later."

Remilia didn't turn around, and her voice was just a whisper when she spoke. I watched quietly as she left. She didn't show any of her usual energy and confidence. And that made me feel a bit nervous. For some reason, I felt absolutely certain that something had changed. Something important.

"Hmm..."

I examined the violet key closely. But aside from a few strange symbols engraved on the side, it seemed like a perfectly ordinary door key. There weren't any tricks or strange devices, and I didn't feel anything particularly ominous from it. This item was just a means to open the way to the library, wasn't it?

"Well, whatever."

There were a number of interesting items that I hadn't noticed before. A camera used for spiritual photography. A worn battle axe from the North. A deck of strangely marked playing cards. A pair of flintlock dueling pistols. A schematic for building a 'Kappa Arm'. A map that showed all the fairy dwellings around the mansion. An old baseball bat and a BB gun. A grimoire filled with spells and curses. An umbrella that was left behind and forgotten.

"Too bad these don't have any labels..." I muttered to myself.

I sighed sadly. There weren't any new items to choose from, this time. Just like before, only five items had labels. And as I stood there, thinking about what to bring, I noticed Remilia beside one of the few windows in this place. She looked troubled.

"Hey! Are you feeling alright?"

"... I'm fine."

"Ah, is that so?"

"..."

Remilia sighed to herself as she looked at me.

"Have you decided, then?"

"Decided?"

"On what you are going to bring back with you."

"Ah, that. Let me think..."

What shall I take this time?
[ ] I don't need any of this junk.
[ ] A length of rope. Its price is "Trust".
[ ] A crystal vial. Its price is "Restraint".
[ ] A small compass. Its price is "Time".
[ ] A ballpoint pen. Its price is "Accuracy".
[ ] A silver candlestick. Its price is "Calm".
[ ] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "???".

[X] A ballpoint pen. Its price is "Accuracy".

Going completely on a whim here.

>An umbrella that was left behind and forgotten.
;_;

[x] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
[x] Even if you don't know the price, take the flintlock dueling pistols. Give one to Remilia, take one yourself.

Yes. This we do. Enough of her being a bystander, let us join the game together and bring down Destiny. But of course we need some weapons, so what else is better than a pair of pistols.

Today we write our own Story.

Feel free to improve this. Been reading too much ep6.

[x] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
[x] Even if you don't know the price, take the flintlock dueling pistols. Give one to Remilia, take one yourself.

We're not leaving here without Remilia. She's our lifeline, and our consistent failures have left her alone and abandoned. No more.

As for the pistols, I'm not all that certain about being able to take things that aren't labeled (I think we tried lifting one of them at the very start and simply weren't strong enough to do so), but it's worth a try.

"'That' Beatrice... will never be revived," was one of the saddest red truths ever, and seeing it driven home when she went back to being all empty-eyed after rescuing Battler was like a punch to the gut.

...Erika was freaking awesome, though.

[x] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
[x] Even if you don't know the price, take the flintlock dueling pistols. Give one to Remilia, take one yourself.
If this counts it has my vote. Else I'll change it later.

>"Are you sure about this?"
ಠ_ಠ
God dammit anon...

[ø] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
this could be glorious or

[x] A silver candlestick. Its price is "Calm".
I don't think the vote to drag Remilia out will fly. On the other hand, I believe the candlestick is the only item we have seen in every run, making it too important to pass up.

>>42131
The hell are flintlock dueling pistols going to do for us? We had 5 shots with our Winchester, a single shot weapon won't do us any better.

As for the items listed, I kinda want to take the vial again because it seemed somewhat versatile (wonder what else we could put in there) and its cost of restraint led to a badass ending. But there's no sense in repeating the same conditions as the last story, so I second

>>42138
[x] A silver candlestick. Its price is "Calm".

Even if its just a mundane candlestick, the silver can burn demons, so maybe it will work on those beasts.

[X] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
[X] Even if you don't know the price, take the flintlock dueling pistols. Give one to Remilia, take one yourself.

> [Remilia] looked troubled.

This doesn't sound good. Things are probably going to get worse.

Remember, 3:00 PM is Doomsday.

>>42138
>>42139

Didn't mean to burst your bubbles but we already took that stick in Prologue. (Well not by choice but still taken, right?) Besides, I don't want to risk ourselves if MC is starting to lose patience in certain situations.

[x] I don't need any of this junk.

For this episode, let us aim for survival as well because I want new items. Especially
that umbrella. It looked so lonely I want to take it home and give more affection.

USM Battler is badass and awesome.

>>42139
I'm not sure if the last run's ending would be considered good or not; only the author knows. All the badassery in the world avails to nothing if all that you leave behind is sadness.

[X] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "Fate".
[X] Even if you don't know the price, take the flintlock dueling pistols. Give one to Remilia, take one yourself.

I've been thinking and what the hell kind of price is fate?" That basically means we're giving up before the game even begins doesn't it?And I think I want to punch someone. We're giving up something else we don't even know what we're gonna lose for?
>>42134
changing vote to just
[x] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is ... until we figure out something better to give up on.

[x] A troubled vampire girl. Its price is "???".

"Haa.... haa.... (cough)... haa... haa..."

I sat myself on the floor to catch my breath. The two flintlock dueling pistols seemed ordinary at first glance, but they felt like they weighed several tons. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move them from their place. Hell, I couldn't even lift them an inch up from the table. I might as well have been trying to lift a boulder with my bare hands.

"Damn! Is it useless, after all!?"

"... of course it is. What did you think would happen?"

Remilia stood nearby with her arms folded. I didn't notice her at all, but it seemed like she had been there for quite some time. How long had she been watching me, I wonder?

"Well, I just thought that if I tried a little harder, then maybe something different would happen."

"How foolish," she said. "If you do the exact same thing again and again, then of course you would end up with the same result."

"But I'm not doing the exact same thing."

"Eh? Do you mean that there's something special with those guns?"

"Not particularly. But I thought that since there are two of them, we could each take one."

"Those are dueling pistols. You do know what they are for, right? Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"

"Huh? O-of course not! I just thought that it would be nice to carry matching weapons."

"... matching weapons?"

"Why not? We're partners in this game, aren't we?"

"P-partners!?"

With a gentle smile, I held out my hand to the vampire. She blinked at me in surprise.

"You aren't alone, Remilia."

And very slowly, she took my hand.

Afterward, Remilia returned to the gardens. There was someone seated at the tea table, waving at her. She wasn't surprised.

"Welcome back, Miss Scarlet."

"I was wondering when you would show up."

Hansel was seated at the tea table with a glass of brandy in his hand. He wore thick grey robes, and his face was obscured by a carefully placed hood. His walking stick was leaning on the table. If she hadn't known any better, she might have mistaken him for an ordinary human traveller. The vampire took a seat across the wizard and poured herself a shot.

"Glad to see that Yukari still has excellent taste in rare liquors. And by the way, thanks for earlier."

"For what?"

"You didn't tell her that I was here."

"Oh, that?" said Remilia. "I didn't do anyone any favors. I just told her the truth. After all, I never invited anyone by the name of 'Hansel' to this place."

"Heh, I guess that's true. But regardless of your motives, that was a wise move."

"..."

Remilia sighed to herself and took a sip from her glass. Hansel watched her carefully.

"He chose the path that I had warned you about, didn't he..."

"I respect his choice," she said. "And I will stand by it, as well."

"Even if his chance for success is zero percent?"

"That doesn't matter. If it's him, he'll surely find a way to solve this riddle."

"Really, now? Heh heh heh... what an interesting turn of events. So, you're saying that you'll back him up even if there is absolutely no way for him to survive this round?"

"That is correct."

"And why would you do that, Miss Scarlet?"

"Because I believe in him."

Hansel put down his glass and grinned. That grin slowly turned into horrible laughter.

"Ahahahahahahahahahahaha! What a wonderfully tragic turn of events! I never thought that I would step onto the stage so soon!"

He snapped his fingers with glee. Suddenly, the scenery around them warped and twisted in a miasma of shape and color. Remilia shielded her eyes as a bright flash of light filled the place. And when she opened them, she found that they were standing in a field of lush green grass. The cerulean sky above was clear and bright.

"W-what is the meaning of this!?" cried the vampire.

"I am merely explaining to you the truth."

"Truth?"

"The chance for your success in this round is zero percent."

"And why is that?"

Hansel smiled nastily. There was no trace of kindness in his eyes.

"Because I am your opponent this round! And I shall guarantee this truth with my own hands!"

"...I see. I should have known..."

Remilia Scarlet grinned back. Her eyes were filled with fire and malice.

"You will regret those words."

Without warning, the sky behind the vampire was enveloped in darkness. A great red moon slowly rose from the horizon. The territory began to fall under the influence of blood and shadow.

"I hold fate itself in my hands. Cower in fear and prostrate yourself before me, wizard!"

The green grass and blue sky on Hansel's side of this space remained unaffected by the vampire's ability, and he didn't show any sign of retreating. On the contrary, he seemed even more excited to see that his opponent chose to fight.

"I shall unveil the bitter truth behind this world! Prepare yourself, vampire!"

The curtain began to rise, signalling the start of a new tale.
[ ] Nitori Kawashiro, the Super Youkai Warhead
[ ] Alice Margatroid, the Seven-Colored Puppeteer
[ ] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons
This ought to be good.

So yeah. Picking an unavaliable option. What this guy said >>42147 though I have no idea what business you have picking it again. We gave up our chance of winning. We better shape up and do smart stuff this round. We may not be able to win but that way, we can focus more on solving the damned thing.

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons
>And very slowly, she took my hand.
>"Because I believe in him."
That went way better than i thought. We gained Remilias trust and support beyond what we already got.
Plus, it seems we brought back her fighting spirit. She was down for some time now and didn't know what to do.
>"Because I am your opponent this round! And I shall guarantee this truth with my own hands!"
Change of success close to zero percent? Sounds like a hundred to me. Even if we won't win we will put up a fight until the very end.

Anyway, seems like if the true face of the world is revealed it is instant game over, better try everything to not let that happen. Something like prove Witches did it instead of Humans.

[X] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

I bet Remi offs herself with the pistol this round.

[x] Nitori Kawashiro, the Super Youkai Warhead

[x] Alice Margatroid, the Seven-Colored Puppeteer

I'm torn between my love for Alice and not wanting her to die a spectacularly gruesome death like everyone else around us tends to do.

...but this should be interesting.

[X] Alice Margatroid, the Seven-Colored Puppeteer

[X] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

[X] Nitori Kawashiro, the Super Youkai Warhead

Adding Yuuka to the mix is not a good idea.

[X] Nitori Kawashiro, the Super Youkai Warhead

Just because.

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons
Here's hoping this is picking an ally.

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

For all we know, it might be that Patchouli just reading a fairy tale book to Flandre and MC with said character as a villain/hero.

Also something to note: Hansel doesn't know about that Ribbon Yukari gave her. Though it's rather foolish that she doesn't take Yukari's help when Hansel appears to the grand mastermind behind the misery in each route.

I've already voted Nitori so I won't vote again.

But why are people voting Yuka?

Given that Hansel has said that he will now be involved I came to the conclusion that the new person will be his piece.

Yuka is not a manageable opponent. Alice or Nitori while obviously not easy to manage will be possible to defeat.

>>42176
>The chance for your success in this round is zero percent.
>Yuuka
The only fitting choice. If we play on lunatic, we need to make sure we have the right opponent.

When we crush them and open the gates to Gensokyo we wouldn't want to have it any other way.

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

Calling it.
[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

There are no countermeasures.

[x] Yuuka Kazami, the Flower Master of Four Seasons

Earlier this morning, I left the mansion for the Forest of Magic. Patchouli instructed me to train with the black-white for a while, since she and Koakuma were busy cataloging some newly acquired books. Unfortunately, Marisa said that she was also too busy to teach today. So instead, she gave me this map.

"If you follow these directions," she had said. "You will find someone who can teach you a number of powerful spells."

Having no better option, I obediently followed the directions on her map. And before I knew it, I found myself standing in a vast field filled with sunflowers. The sky was clear, and the morning sun was pleasantly warm. A gentle breeze blew against my cheek. This was a fresh change of pace from the dusty old library. I couldn't help but smile to myself.

"It's a shame," I said aloud. "There isn't anyone else around to share in this beautiful scene."

No sooner than I had said those words, my eyes came upon a beautiful green-haired girl standing some distance away. She wore a red plaid waistcoat over a plain white shirt and a matching red plaid skirt. In her hands was a parasol, which she held to shade herself from the sun. And as I watched, the girl bent down to examine a sunflower that had began to wilt.

"Are you feeling alright?" she whispered to the flower. "You don't look so healthy, so why don't I encourage you a little bit..."

The girl spoke something under her breath as she touched the sunflower with the tip of her finger. For just a moment, the flower shone as bright as a small star. And when the light dimmed, the sunflower she held had bloomed even more cheerfully than those that stood beside it. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"A spell to make flowers bloom," I said without thinking. "I've never seen anything like it before. That was a wonderful bit of magic!"

"..."

The girl didn't even look in my direction. She just stood up and began walking away.

"Hey, Miss!" I cried. "How did you do that? Could you teach me that magic?"

"..."

She took a light step into the air and began hovering. And as I watched, she began to float away into the distance. But I wasn't going to give up that easily. I just had to learn the secret behind such beautiful magic!

"Please wait!"

"... eh?"

That was the very first word that she had directed to me. I raised my arms and blocked her path. It had taken much of my concentration to take flight after this girl. But it seemed that I had finally gotten her attention.

"Please wait," I said. "I am an apprentice magician, and I have come in search of a teacher."

"A teacher?" she repeated.

"Yes! I've come here on the advice of the human magician Marisa Kirisame, and I -"

Without warning, the girl raised a hand and fired a powerful blast of energy straight toward me. Luckily, I managed to dodge the surprise attack. And when I turned to her, I saw that she had that same calm smile on her face.

"Oh. You're still alive."

"W-what the hell?" I cried. "T-that's really dangerous! Are you trying to kill me!?"

"Yuuka Kazami," said the girl. "But you can call me Yuuka."

She introduced herself as if there was nothing unusual about the situation. It caught me completely off-guard, and I was lost for words. Her smile had not wavered at all, and I had no idea what she was thinking. But when I looked into her eyes, I saw that she was staring straight back at me with interest. And that terrified me.

"A-ah, is that so? W-well then, it's been great meeting you, Miss Yuuka. But I just remembered that I had something to finish back at the mansion and -"

"I like you," said Yuuka suddenly.

"... wait, what!?"

Without giving me time to think, the girl pulled out a spellcard from her dress.

"Let's begin our first lesson."

[ ] The depth of the sky
[ ] The radiance of the sun
[ ] The steadiness of the earth

>>42188
Appending the title of this new chapter.

[X] The steadiness of the earth

May as well tough up and take it.

[x] The radiance of the sun
No plants without sun.

[x] The steadiness of the earth

[x] The radiance of the sun
I'd pick the sky but there's just something about the sun that makes me want to pick it right now. There's just something about an existance which is basically the center of our world and one of the most important things needed for life which makes me think it might be a good choice. Plus it makes flowers grow.

[ø] The radiance of the sun

>>42200
Yet all the sun in the world won't do a plant any good if it's in terrible soil.

Hey it reels in the votes. Good enough. Besides I expect the Sun to be the better choice anyway. All the earth of the world won't do them any good either if there's no sun after all.

[X] The depth of the sky

Just to be contrary

[x] The depth of the sky.

"Sky" ranks up there with "peerless" on my list of awesome words. Thus, I vote.

[x] The radiance of the sun

[x] The radiance of the sun

[X] The radiance of the sun

Teach me all about photosynthesis, Yuuka-sama!

[x] Depth of the sky

Fells best for our MC.

s/fells/feels

[x] The radiance of the sun
Marisa is an asshole. That is all.

>> Marisa is an asshole. That is all.
Hey it will work...
okay yeah Marisa is a jerk.

>>42255
I think Marisa sent us with the pure intent of training; I think it'd have gone better if it was Nitori or Alice.

[ ] The radiance of the sun

[x] The radiance of the sun

As soon as Yuuka finished casting, the area was filled with a shower of colorful flowers. I watched in awe at this beautiful new magic. Or at least I did, until one of them grazed me. The flower projectile sliced right through my shirt and skin painfully. I cried out as it left a deep cut on my shoulder.

"Gyaaaaaah!"

It was then that I realized that she just used a dangerous offensive spell card. If even one of those things hit me, then I'll end up dead for sure. Each one of those little flowers was as dangerous as it was beautiful. Just like this green-haired girl in front of me.

"D-damn it! That really hurt!"

"Come now," said Yuuka. "A little cut never hurt anyone."

"Yeah. But a lot could kill me!"

Yuuka smiled cheerfully. I saw no remorse in her eyes, just a vague expression of mild interest. For some reason, I started to doubt if this person was like any of the other magicians I've met. In fact, I started to doubt if she was human at all.

She started moving forward leisurely as she sent dozens more of her flowers in my direction. Her attacks steadily kept on getting stronger and more difficult to avoid. The air grew thick with her deadly offensive, and I began to ran out of space to dodge. This was really bad. If I didn't do anything now, those little flowers would slice me up into a hundred and one pieces.

I cursed to myself as I searched through my mind for a way to escape. But I was reaching my limit just flying around to dodge her flowers. It was like standing in a minefield. There were so many of them around me that any wrong move would mean certain death. Did she really not feel anything as she attacked me like this?

"How very disappointing," said Yuuka.

When I glanced at her, I realized with horror that her smile was starting to fade.

"You seemed different. Like a thorny rose bush."

"Y-Yuuka!?"

"But I guess you were too ordinary, after all. Just like all the other weeds."

"W-wait! Don't just -"

"Good bye, human."

She raised her arm toward me and gave one last bored look. Then, a single giant-sized flower appeared out of nowhere and began flying straight toward my chest. There was no way I could dodge this attack. I closed my eyes with resignation. This was the end. I was going to be slaughtered like an animal right above this beautiful sunflower field. Well, at least my remains would fertilize this place a little. Guess I just ran out of luck. Too bad for me. I didn't even get a chance to tell Patchouli that I...

"..."

That was right. I still hadn't told her. I couldn't let myself die here! As my last act of desperation, I focused all of my magical energy into the first spell that came to mind.

"Sun Sign, 「Royal Flare」"

Everything turned white. An old memory flashed in my mind. Patchouli had caught Marisa in the act of 'borrowing' from the Voile library. The black-white didn't yet realize that she was spotted, and she eagerly continued grabbing books. Without a word, Patchouli walked right up to her and cast this spell at point-blank range. I was completely awestruck at the raw power she displayed. And it was then that I asked if she could start teaching me magic.

I slowly opened my eyes. The sky was now clear and free of those deadly flowers. And as for that dangerous Kazami girl, she was still floating listlessly in front of me. Despite her numerous burns, she managed to smile weakly.

"You've grown up... quite a bit."

And with those last words, she closed her eyes and began falling toward the ground.
[ ] Catch her.
[ ] Watch her fall.
[ ] Leave this place.

Wait

What

>>42290
very this.
God damn, our MC can use the motherfucking Royal Flare.
I wonder what the two other spellcards would have been.

[ø] Catch her.

[x] Catch her.
Do I need a reason?

>>42291
hard to say but it seems this route the MC has some magical aptitude.

[x] Catch her.

[x] Watch her fall.
You need to stop thinking like normal. This is lunatic.

[X] Watch her fall.

>This is lunatic.

Lunatic?!

THIS, IS, YUUKAAA!

[x] Catch her
Like any amiable gentlemen would.

I'm quite surprised people actually voted for "Watch her fall"

[X] Watch her fall

She'll be fine

>>42298
Don't be surprised at how stupid some anon can be.

[ ] Catch her.

[x] Catch her.

>>42309
Stupid? Really? We are talking about Yuuka here. Say what you want about Youkai moe, but that doesn't change the fact that she could kill us with her pinky by accident. Just as well, the spell probably hurt her more than the fall would have.

That said...
[x] Catch her.

[X] Watch her fall.

[X] Catch her.

We need all the help we can get for when we go against Mr. 'You-have-Zero-Percent-Because-I'm-Playing' Hansel

Heading out of the city for the weekend. Next update when I get back.

But before I go, here is a bonus choice to think about.

[ ] Alice
[ ] Marisa
[ ] Yukari

[ø] Yukari

[X] Alice

No reasoning on this. Just chose her at random.

[x] Yukari

[x] Marisa
Patchouli trusts her. That's good enough for me.

[x] Yukari

[x] Yukari
Tea Time with Yukari.

[X] Marisa

Because.

[x] Yukari
>to think about.
Uhh guys? Alice? Patches trusts Marisa(mind pointing out for me where this was mentioned)? We were just told by Yukari that she's going to help us a short while ago and you're already shoving her aside? She doesn't seem to be very fond of "Hansel" either. OP gives us something to vote and THINK about and you go randomly choosing whatever character you prefer.

>>42345
except there's no context. nothing about WHAT we're voting for has been given at all. yes, this may be in regards to who helps us next/who we try to get to help us next, but it could also very well be who Hansel decides to go after first or some such.

And yes, Yukari would be the one of the three best able to defend herself, but with him being an unknown/BBEG he may actually have something to incapacitate her, at least long enough for his purposes. And with her being one of the main known forces that IS willing to help us, taking her out would be quite a bit of a setback.

Personally I am under the impression that the 'to think about' refers more to what we might actually be voting for to happen.

>>42350
In short: the author's headfucking us again.

Author is Koishi

[X] Alice

[x] Catch her.

I swooped down and caught the girl in my arms. She was surprisingly light, and I had little trouble carrying her. We landed together among the sunflowers. I glanced at her for a moment.

"..."

Yuuka's eyes remained closed, and she did not say a word. Her lovely green hair was surprisingly well-kept, and her skin was flawless and smooth. She breathed softly, as if she was just sleeping. There was something oddly familiar about this scene. Before I realized it, I found myself absent-mindedly stroking her hair. We stood like that for a few moments, without any other care in the world. And very slowly, a small smile started to form on her lips. That is, until I realized that something was odd.

"Wait a second... huh!?"

I blinked in surprise when I realized it. All of the burns on her face and body had vanished! Wait, what!" Wasn't she just hit with a powerful elemental spell a while ago? And I was sure that she took severe damage that time. But when I looked at her again, there was no sign of even a single wound or scar. I never heard of humans healing so quickly, even in Gensokyo. This level of natural regeneration was restricted to only the most powerful youkai. Which meant that this girl was...

"Why did you stop?" she said suddenly.

Yuuka Kazami stared straight at me. There was no fear or anger in her eyes. Just that same expression of mild interest.

"No p-particular reason," I said uneasily. "I'm glad t-to see that you're alright."

"You don't look very glad. Did you only realize your mistake now?"

"Mistake!" W-what are you talking about?"

She smiled cheerfully, as if she was talking about how pleasant the weather was. And even without words, I began to understand the entirety of this scene. Here I was, holding a hostile youkai girl in my arms. Said youkai girl was completely unhurt and was already proven capable of dealing much bodily harm. And from this range, there was little I could do to defend myself. This really was the worst possible situation, wasn't it?

"I could easily kill you right now, human."

From this close, I couldn't even put up a basic spell barrier. And this girl knew it. Very slowly, she put one of her soft hands on my chest. I shivered slightly. Was she going to punch through my ribcage and rip out my heart? I watched in horror as she playfully poked at my shirt with her fingers. Then, she moved her hand higher.

"W-what the -"

I held my breath as she wrapped her fingers around my neck. Was she going to choke me to death? I couldn't say a word as she tightened and loosened her grip several times. But she didn't seem satisfied. Instead, she continued moving her hand higher.

"..."

Her soft fingers pressed against my cheeks. Was she going to gouge out my eyes? Was she going to rip out my tongue? Or perhaps, she was going to crush my skull? I closed my eyes shut and silently prayed for a swift death. And I waited. And waited. And waited some more. But nothing happened. She just stroked my hair softly with her fingers. It felt oddly comforting, and little by little, I started to calm my heart.

Then, she said something strange. I immediately opened my eyes, unsure if I had heard correctly.

"What... did you say?"

She said it again - my name. But I still didn't understand. How could she know that?

"I never thought we'd meet again. You really have grown up."

I stood there silently, the girl still in my arms. She had introduced herself as Yuuka Kazami. But I had absolutely no memory of her or this sunflower field.

"Have we... met before?"

At those words, her smile began to fade.
[ ] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.
[ ] Lie for now. Perhaps you'll remember later.
[ ] Just forget about it. Time to leave this place.

[X] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

[X] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

Umm...

>"Have we... met before?"
Goddamn, here we go.

[x] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.
Lies will only make it worse, stay on course.

[X] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.
-[X] "I'll try to remember it! Really I will! I just... don't right now."

[ø] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

[X] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

[x] Just forget about it. Time to leave this place.

Something really bad is about to happen to the others. We should stop wasting time and head back to the mansion.

[x] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.
Fuck.

[x] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

[x] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.
How sad. We are obviously a human that Yuuka holds in great regard, and to not even remember her. It's just too sad.

[x] Tell her the truth. You don't remember her.

I gently helped Yuuka to her feet. She was only a couple of inches shorter than me, and she didn't look any different from an ordinary human girl. In her other hand was her parasol. She must have held onto it all this time. Then, this girl stared straight at me with some feeling that I couldn't place. For some reason, that expression seemed very familiar. But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't remember...

"I'm sorry, but I really can't remember meeting you before."

"Eh?"

Her smile completely faded away. She put her hand to her chin and stared at me thoughtfully. I wasn't sure how best to respond, so I just stayed quiet.

"..."

"Ah! That's it, isn't it?"

Yuuka suddenly snapped her fingers, as if she remembered something. Then, she smiled brightly at me. A chill ran down my spine. Without warning, she reached for my neck.

"I get it now," she said. "This is what you humans call a joke, isn't it?"

"W-what are you... urk!"

This time, I could feel her youkai strength as she effortlessly choked me. Her smile widened as she watched the horror in my eyes.

"I haven't seen you around for the longest time, so don't fool around like that."

"... but... (cough)...I'm... (wheeze)... not..."

Yuuka raised her arm and lifted me up in the air. She tightened her grip painfully.

"This joke of yours isn't very funny. Stop lying and come clean, already!"

"... was.. (wheeze).. not.. (cough)... lying"

"When was it? The last time we met?"

"... don't... (cough)... remember... urk!"

"..."

I don't remember how long she held me like that. But right before I could pass out, she suddenly let go. A few minutes passed as I recovered from her attack. Then, I looked up to her angrily.

"What the hell? Are you trying to kill me!?"

"You really... don't remember?"

"That's what I've been saying earlier! Aren't you -"

Yuuka shook her head and sighed. I stopped speaking. She watched me with a sad smile. Her next words were but a whisper.

"Then, we are just strangers, aren't we?"

With that, Yuuka started walking around the sunflower field. I tried to call out to her a few times, but she did not turn her head or respond. She opened her parasol and hid her face with it. But from the corner of my eye, I thought I saw that same sad smile on her face. It was both lovely and lonely.

I sighed to myself, unsure of what to do next.
[ ] "I wonder what Remilia was doing?"
[ ] "I wonder what Sakuya was doing?"
[ ] "I wonder what Patchouli was doing?"

[x] "I wonder what Patchouli was doing?"

What's the story with this? I don't think the MC ever ran into Yuuka on any other runs...

[x] "I wonder what Remilia was doing?"
I hope we remember her at some point.

[x] "I wonder what Patchouli was doing?"

[X] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.
-[X] Camp out outside her door, if you have to jesus christ
-[X] Think. Very hard.

[X] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.

Yeah, I don't think I go with something along the lines of "Huh, she's feeling horrible now. I wonder how (X) is doing?"

[X] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.
We still need to get our damn magic lessons from her.

[X] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.

Just because we don't seem to remember her now doesn't mean we can't befriend her.

[x] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.

[ø] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.
[ø] "You may be a 'stranger' to me, but am I also a mere 'stranger' to you? I can't, I won't accept it. I can't let you forsake the bond we once shared. Even if I have no recollection of it, isn't the reason that you considered me to be more than a 'stranger' before that you enjoyed my company? I don't believe one's memory and experiences to be the only things which makes up a person, but you can always fill me in on my 'past self' and I'd be all ears."

Fuck it, I tried to make this one of those tide-turning write-in, but it still sounds nowhere near as good as the better ones I've seen.

Isn't this just a cue to switch POV? I'm sure that our MC will spend enough private time with Miss Yuuka while we examine the events at the mansion.

[x] "I wonder what Sakuya was doing?"

[X] >>42493

> {Yuka} was only a couple of inches shorter than me.

We are fucking tall if we're taller than Yuka.

[X] "I wonder what Sakuya was doing?"

The best

[ø] What the hell, you can't leave it at that.
[ø] "You may be a 'stranger' to me, but am I also a mere 'stranger' to you? I can't, I won't accept it. I can't let you forsake the bond we once shared. Even if I have no recollection of it, isn't the reason that you considered me to be more than a 'stranger' before that you enjoyed my company? I don't believe one's memory and experiences to be the only things which makes up a person, but you can always fill me in on my 'past self' and I'd be all ears."

>>42480
Changin

[x] >>42493
[x] then >>42484

>but it still sounds nowhere near as good as the better ones I've seen.
I like the spirit. But too corny? I'd say to drop "I can't let you forsake the bond we once shared."

We sure are a troublesome anon aren't we~

Just got back from a crazy weekend. Will see if I can roll out an update tomorrow.

Interesting write-in.

>>42569
I cannot help but feel that this post sounds incredibly ominous...

[x] What the hell? You can't leave it at that!

"We've met before," I said. "I'm sure of it. You even knew my name. How could we possibly be strangers?"

"..."

"I'm sorry if I couldn't remember, but it isn't like I forgot about you on purpose. I had some sort of strange amnesia, and I don't have any memories of the time before I arrived at the Scarlet Devil Mansion."

"..."

"Please believe me! This isn't a trick! I can't even remember the names of my own parents, you know?"

"..."

"Can't you at least tell me who I was to you?"

"..."

For some reason, I had expected this girl to get angry at my persistence. In fact, I probably would have preferred that reaction. But no matter what I said, Yuuka wouldn't respond. She wouldn't even turn her head. I understood then, that our conversation was already over. She no longer had any interest in me, it seemed. I sighed loudly.

"..."

Yuuka didn't say anything, but she didn't force me to leave. I decided to stay here a bit longer. The weather was pleasant, and the sunflower field was beautiful. I closed my eyes as the wind blew gently. Even if this was my first time here, I felt completely at ease. How strange.

It had been some time since I first arrived at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Now when was that, again? I couldn't really remember. But those details weren't so important. Not as important as what happened, anyway.

That day, I had opened my eyes and found myself lost in the wilderness of Gensokyo. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't recall what I was doing, or where I was from. I was a complete amnesiac, and all I could remember was my own name. But for some reason, I knew that it was dangerous for humans to stay in the forest. So I forced myself up and wandered until I came to a clearing. There, I saw a large Western style mansion.

"...?"

I blinked in surprise. Yuuka had said something, but I wasn't paying attention.

"Sorry, but could you please repeat that?"

Yuuka Kazami turned to me with the most solemn expression on her face.

"Who am I to you?" she whispered.

"Eh? But I already said that I couldn't remember..."

A powerful image suddenly flashed before me. But before I could react -

"Aaaaaarrrggh!"

I felt like someone was sticking a red-hot poker into both of my eyes, and in that very instant, the image vanished. In its place was this incredible, throbbing pain. I cried out and crumpled down on the ground. From the side of my eye, I thought I saw Yuuka running up to me. But the pain was too much. Both my brain and my body couldn't take it. Everything was turning black.

Before I lost consciousness, I used the last of my strength to remember. And then, I finally realized it.

Yuuka Kazami had been waiting for me.

;_;

oh shit

>frysdog.jpg

;_;

look at all these bricks!

I hope this isn't a bad end.

motherfucker, I will proceed, in despair, to cry myself to sleep now.

"... are you alright?"

It was a familiar voice. I opened my eyes slowly, as if awakening from a deep slumber.

"Ugh... my head hurts," I said aloud.

And that it did. These headaches come and go every once in a while. I even got some medicine from the village for it. But it wasn't that serious. As long as I didn't forget to take those pills, I didn't have to worry about these annoying headaches. Ah, that's right. I must forgotten to take the medicine today. How careless.

"Your face is pale. Do you want to rest in your room for a while?"

"I'll be fine, Koakuma. My head is already starting to clear up."

I rubbed my temple for a moment as I looked around. We were standing inside one of the storerooms at the second floor. I don't really remember what happened, but I guess I passed out earlier.

"Are you sure?" said Koakuma. "Why not have Miss Patchouli examine you for injuries?"

"Forget about it. If I'm late for Remilia's game, I'll never hear the end of it."

That was right. I quickly checked my pockets. Ah, there it was! I pulled out a small deck of playing cards. The vampire had asked me to find one from the storeroom earlier. Today's weather was pleasantly sunny, so she had decided to spend it indoors. Needlessly to say, I was invited to join her for cards and tea this afternoon.

"... ugh..."

There it was again, but much more faint this time. A subtle ache in my head. Eh? For some reason, I felt like I forgot something. I turned to Koakuma.

"Forgive me for asking, but did I do anything strange this morning?"

"Strange?" she repeated. "You were with Miss Patchouli and I at the library. I don't recall anything unusual, though."

"Is that so? Well, it might just be my imagination, then."

I shrugged to myself as we left the storeroom. But for some reason...
[ ] Time for tea.
[ ] Just forget about it.

Something stinks here... I think Meta-Remilia owes us an explaination.

[x] Time for tea.

Hansel must be cheating.

[ø] Time for tea.

You know... I'm starting to treat this more like shogi than chess. It seems that hansel can play peices he captures (sakuya), afterall. I'm wondering just how Yuka will play into all this... Perhaps as a rook? But for who is the real question...

Firthurmore... I'm worried that our fair blond one will have an odd effect here, as yakumo's normally do.

Excuse this double post, but I forgot my vote:

[a] time for tea

We must speak to our golden general peice!

[x] Just forget about it.
Just how long has it been since we have talked to regular Remilia?

[x] Time for tea.

>>42769
I don't think we have

>>42776
This is a wonderful opportunity to get to it then! Better late than never.

[x] Time for tea.
About damn time.

[x] Time for tea.
Tea and a chat with Remilia? What better choice could there be?

[x] Time for tea.

>>42762
I'm suspecting that the MC got dragged into this unwillingly, it's a bit too convient how he loses his memory and ends up there everytime.

[x] Time for tea.

Koakuma and the Outsider walked down the hallways, chatting happily about today's tea time snacks. Little did they know that they were being watched. A pair of red eyes watched intently as they disappeared down the stairs to the first floor.

"..."

When there was no one left, someone walked out of the shadows and sighed to herself. It was a short blue-haired girl in a pink dress and cap. Her bat-like wings drooped slightly as she folded her arms. The girl sighed again and glanced at her left hand. Even through the bandages, she could see that it was still badly burnt and showed no sign of healing.

"Are you alright? That looks quite painful."

Someone else had stepped out into the hallway from a strange purple door. Of course, that door was most certainly not there before.

"You don't look at all surprised," Remilia said. "Did you expect this, Hansel?"

"That was a forbidden move. Of course there would be repercussions. Did you think that you could simply take it back and apologize?"

"I suppose not."

"You should be more careful," said Hansel. "You know as well as I do that the rules of this game aren't to be taken lightly. A single mistake could completely deny the possibility of your existence."

"Perhaps."

Remilia paused and looked carefully at the grey robed magician. For just that moment, this person seemed very familiar to her. He seemed almost... human.

"But why worry about me? Shouldn't you jump at the opportunity of a swift victory?"

"That would most certainly be easier," he replied. "But I'm afraid to say that a quick win isn't my goal in this round."

"Is that why you didn't capture my piece?"

"I have my reasons."

Remilia watched him closely and tried to read his intentions, but to no avail. His face was perfectly obscured by his hood. By this time, she was almost certain that this was a powerful enchantment to hide his identity.

"Do you have no intention of winning?" she asked.

"From the very start, I already declared how this scenario will end. This is a futile struggle. You have absolutely no chance of attaining victory."

"Then, why hold back? Are you looking down on me, wizard!?"

Hansel shook his head.

"You'll understand the theme of this game soon enough. In the meantime, may I ask you to join me for some tea and biscuits?"

"Tea and biscuits? Is that some kind of joke?"

"Not at all. I've brought another rare blend with me."

"Eh? A rare blend? What kind of tea is it?"

"That's a secret. But I'm sure you'll enjoy this one, as well."

Remilia hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I guess that I'll think about it," she said finally.

And with that, both of them vanished with a shower of red and blue sparkles. The purple door had disappeared as well, leaving no trace of the exchange between the vampire and wizard. A pair of fairy maids walked along the hallway as they gossiped about their newest resident. Neither of them noticed anything strange. After all, this was just another ordinary sunny afternoon in the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

Back downstairs, Remilia Scarlet smiled as she drew her first card.
[ ] Ace of Spades
[ ] Queen of Hearts
[ ] King of Diamonds

[x] Queen of Hearts

[x] Queen of Hearts
I had a feeling I might need this soon.
Is what I was going to say but:

>The Queen of Hearts is a character from the book Alice in Wonderland by the writer and mathematician Lewis Carroll. She is a foul-tempered monarch, that Carroll himself pictured as "a blind fury", and who is quick to decree death sentences at the slightest offense.

Or in carplaying terms: Queen of Hearts=Judith (Biblical figure)

>The ace of spades (also known as the spadille) is, traditionally speaking, the highest card in the deck of playing cards, although the actual value of the card varies from game to game. In popular myth and folklore, it is also known as the "death card".
Also: "...US troops putting Ace of Spades in the mouths of dead..."

>The king of diamonds is suspected to be Caesar Augustus
Augustus' reign laid the foundations of a regime that lasted for nearly fifteen hundred years through the ultimate decline of the Western Roman Empire and until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.

I think this might have some relevance here. Let's see now. Definitely not the queen of hearts. Ace of spades also does not sound very promising. The "death card" business kind of sets me off.

[x] King of Diamonds
seems by far like the best option. Don't mind the picture I just wanted to post that.

[x] Queen of Hearts
No real reason in voting this, as we have no idea which game shes playing.

Alternatively, it could be the original Queen of Hearts. She made some tarts, which the Knave stole, and the King called for. And then the King beat the Knave up. But I don't know what that'd signify.

And some say, I think, that the King of Diamonds is the other Caesar, Julius. He was betrayed, wasn't he?

...That's us all the way, I begin to figure.

The Ace of Spades was placed by US soldiers in the mouth of the enemy dead, as a psychological weapon based on a superstition that didn't exist. That's not a very good line to follow.

I guess I'll go with the generous, tart-gifting...

[X] Queen of Hearts

[x] Queen of Hearts
Do you have enough?

>>42849
And where in there has it been stated that the queen made tarts for anyone but her husband, the king? Or being generous? The original queen of hearts is the queen of hearts. I hope you like what comes out of this. I blame you guys if it sucks even if I do know the reasons you voted for it are... let's not go there. Psychology should stay out of this right?

>>42849
I've always heard the the four kings were

Clubs: Alexander The Great
Diamonds: Julius Caesar
Hearts: Charlemagne
Spades: David

Not only did Julius Caesar fail in his greatest ambition (to become emperor) but he was also betrayed by one of his closest lieutenants.

>There is speculation that each of the kings in a deck of cards represents a historical king. The king of diamonds is suspected to be Caesar Augustus, the king of spades is said to be King David, the king of clubs is said to be Alexander the great, and the king of hearts is said to be Charlemagne. Whether or not this is actually true reamins to be verified.

My sources tell me otherwise but as stated above, any of these has yet to be verified. Besides it may have nothing to do with the vote.

>>42851
...What the hell?

You went from zero to nutcase real quick. Did you forget to take something?

>>42860
I'm always like this. It's fun, you know? You should try it sometimes.

>>42863
...You are a very strange person.

>>42865
Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. :>

[x] Queen of Hearts

I had two cards in my hand - the Ace of Spades and the Jack of Clubs. If this were an ordinary game of Poker, I would most certainly be in a favorable position. But as my dwindling pile of chips reminded me, this was no ordinary game. I reluctantly called Remilia's raise.

"How disappointing," said the vampire. "Have you decided to play more cautiously now?"

"Not exactly," I replied with a vague wave.

"I wonder if he's figured out the true odds yet? Ehehe~"

"Koakuma, another cup of tea please."

After taking a sip, Patchouli began to shuffle the remaining cards. She sat to my left with a calm, unreadable expression on her face. A neat stack of chips lay beside her. Despite having played a number of games, her stack hardly seemed to grow or shrink.

"She's quite good, you know," said Remilia, who had noticed my gaze. "Don't underestimate her tight play. She often outlasts everyone on the table."

The elder vampire sat across me, to the left of Patchouli. She wore a confident smile on her face as she watched me. Her stack of chips was noticeable taller than that of the magician. I didn't think that she was cheating, but her previous plays had been much more bold.

"Be careful now," said Flandre. "A few more weak plays and you'll be eaten alive, ehehe~"

The little sister sat on my right, taking the seat of the fourth and last player. She had a pleasantly bright smile as she nibbled on a sweet biscuit. But I wasn't fooled by that carefree appearance. Flandre's stack of chips was the tallest among us all. And she didn't seem at all surprised.

"The flop," said Patchouli.

She dealt the first three community cards face up. From left to right, the cards were - Ten of Clubs, Ace of Diamonds, King of Spades. At first glance, they were all unusually high cards. But I wasn't fooled. We were playing a variation of Poker called "Royal Hold'em", which was played with only 20 cards - tens, jacks, queens, kings and aces. Needlessly to say, I was struggling to revise my strategy. And it hadn't been working out very well.

Remilia chuckled to herself before taking some chips from her stack and pushing them to the center.

"Raise," she said firmly.

It was Flandre's turn next. The younger sister stared at the table for some time before making an unexpected move.

"I fold."

She threw her own hand carelessly on the table, revealing the King of Hearts and the Queen of Spades. Then, she glanced at Remilia. The elder sister's smile did not waver. But for some reason, I felt that it was a bit forced.

"Hmm..."

It was my turn next. I paused for a moment to think carefully.
[ ] Call
[ ] Fold
[ ] Raise
[ ] Go All-In

[x] Raise
I have no idea. Raise the stakes sounds like fun.

[x] Go All-In
>"How disappointing," said the vampire. "Have you decided to play more cautiously now?"
Surpriise!

[x] Go All-In

[X] Call

[x] Go All-In
I am not good at poker.

Remilia is holding the Queen of hearts and was confident at the start, so she probably has QQ, KQ, or AQ. That said, she reacted to Flandre's cards, so she probably needed either or both of them. If she's holding KQ, then...

[x] Raise

Supposed to update today, but RL likes to delay my happy writing time. Guess that our protagonist's happy library time will have to wait.

By the way, there is exactly one choice here that would let our protagonist win the game (as well as something extra~). It isn't random.

>>42973
upate where

> call

We're remilia's partner in this battle. If we raised, or went all in... Then we would stump her chances of winning... If we folded... That's too submissive. We have to show how willingly we can fight... (well, not to remilia, she knows of our abilities... But to the other "playing peices", whom we need all of to face hansel) let's stay calm and finish this round.

> call

We're remilia's partner in this battle. If we raised, or went all in... Then we would stump her chances of winning... If we folded... That's too submissive. We have to show how willingly we can fight... (well, not to remilia, she knows of our abilities... But to the other "playing peices", whom we need all of to face hansel) let's stay calm and finish this round.

Wakey wakey!

>>43493
Eggs and bakey?

Going on hiatus due to RL troubles. Later all.

Damn ;_;
Do come back soon please

>>43844
Quite. This is my favorite story, so I hope you come back in a bit.

>>43844
Quite. This is my favorite story, so I hope you come back in a bit.

>>43844
Quite. This is my favorite story, so I hope you come back in a bit.

>>43844
Quite. This is my favorite story, so I hope you come back in a bit.

>>43844
Quite. This is my favorite story, so I hope you come back in a bit.

>>43885
>>43886
>>43887
>>43888
>>43889
Ahahahahahahahahaa

Seriously though. How did you manage to do that?

>>43900
Appearently, he has no concept of "Only press submit once" or "Ctrl+F5". Or maybe the database decided that it's a good day to fuck with him. Who knows?

Five bucks says the former.

>>43904
Chances are he was doing it on his IPhone (aka overpriced piece of stuff)

>>43904
>>43906

Hate to disappoint the first of you to, but, yeah.... That was a product of my iPod touch. I got a bug, and it didn't show that it accepted the submission.

About 20 seconds passed... No acceptance... So I hit it again, double clicking. I tried that again later on. So, yeah. Damn apple.

Next thread: >>43919