[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

Shouldn't face your past on an empty stomach. Let's get our nom on.

Preferably at Sekibanki's.

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

[X]The Lotus Pavillion.
I hear they have good fries. And maybe Alice is there???????????????

>>37501
[ ]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

Is Nomming Sexybanki an option?

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

Marisa, you mentioned in a previous thread that your eye color changes every now and then. Now it's hardly rare in fantasy settings, but why is it concerning enough to warrant attention?

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

[x] The Lotus Pavillion. Screw it, I can sneak in, or disguise myself, or... something. Let's just get this over with. Hell, if I'm lucky, Alice will... keep things short. Or I'll be able to get a drink or two to settle me some.

This should could might be fun.

[x]The Hakurei Shrine. I've enough speed to get there, hang out, and get back, so I won't be late for my meeting with Alice. I need to tell Reimu about things with Byakuren, too - and, I dunno, maybe she'll have some advice for me.

Eh, we should keep Reimu up to date.

[X] The Hakurei Shrine. I've enough speed to get there, hang out, and get back, so I won't be late for my meeting with Alice. I need to tell Reimu about things with Byakuren, too - and, I dunno, maybe she'll have some advice for me.

Fill her in, get some advice, chat a bit; these are all good things to do.

[x]The Lotus Pavillion. Screw it, I can sneak in, or disguise myself, or... something. Let's just get this over with. Hell, if I'm lucky, Alice will... keep things short. Or I'll be able to get a drink or two to settle me some.

Ha ha, time for prostitutes.

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

[ x]Write in.

How about we combine the food and Reimu option? Go to the Hakurei Shrine and offer to take Reimu out to eat, while informing her of everything that's going on.

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.


An empty stomach makes everything worse.
Whether physical exhaustion or emotional trouble.
Eating a nice big meal gives you a distraction, and you'll have a nice, satiated feeling by the time you're at the Pavillion.

>>37504
"I don't know about eating her out - I work fast, but not that fast - but I could definitely swing by her noodle shop. I've heard good things!"

>>37505
"Mm - I think there's a misunderstanding. My eyes turning red is just a thing I inherited from Mom. I think there's a correlation to me using magic and them changing color, since they were red all the time when I was with Mima, but they don't signify anything in particular.

"Mom, though... well, she gets into these moods sometime. Cold, distant from everything... it made me cry once or twice when I was a tot. She gets this kinda... aura, I guess, of superiority, and it used to set me on edge like nothing else.

"Anyways, her eyes always turn purple then, so Pops would usually take me out to a playground and let her work through things. I asked Pops if she had been purple lately since I'd rather not visit Mom while she was going through the mother of all PMSes.

>>37512
"Yeah, I'd allow that. But to simplify things, I'm going to be counting this as its own vote - so if Food wins and Reimu's in second, I'm just gonna eat alone. Vice versa, I'll just hang with Reimu, maybe swing by an apple tree or something to grab a snack."

[x]The Hakurei Shrine. I've enough speed to get there, hang out, and get back, so I won't be late for my meeting with Alice. I need to tell Reimu about things with Byakuren, too - and, I dunno, maybe she'll have some advice for me.

[X]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

Sure, why not.

[X] Food and Reimu.

>>37515

>Cold, distant from everything
>Aura of superiority
>Purple eyes

This description remind you of anyone else, Marisa?

Hello Yukari.


On a more relevant note, I'm caught between voting for Reimu, voting for food/Sekibanki and voting for both. I think I'll sit back and think a while, see what everyone else votes for first.

>>37520
Or, ya know, Maribel having a mood.

>>37520

I don't think it's just Maribel in a funk like >>37521 , but how does it work? Does Yukari just get bored and possess her alternate self as a vacation?

>>37520

"Not anyone in particular. I just always assumed Mom had really bad cramps. Or... maybe melancholy, about Auntie Renko.

"As for votes - why not talk about why you're conflicted? You might get some other points of view from other readers! Votes usually slow down after a day or two, so unless there's a sudden flood of new readers, what you see is probably what you're gonna get."

>>37521
"Isn't my Mom gorgeous? Even now she turns heads every time she walks down the street - thank gods I got my looks from her and not Pops."

>>37522
"Ehhhhh. I don't think it's anything to really worry about. She's been like this for as long as Pops has known her, for as long as I was born. She's stable~"

>>36967

Way late but where's Akyuu's other hand? Does it look like what I think?

>>37524
"What are you talking about? Akyuu's hands were...

"Wait. That's. No way, no - no way. Akyuu wouldn't... Kosuzu wouldn't...

"Okay, uhm. It's been a while, so here's the voting warning before votes close. But if any of you guys want to go back and switch votes, I... I wouldn't mind."

[X]The Lotus Pavillion. Screw it, I can sneak in, or disguise myself, or... something. Let's just get this over with. Hell, if I'm lucky, Alice will... keep things short. Or I'll be able to get a drink or two to settle me some.

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

[x]Food. I've enough coin for a meal, and if this thing is going to take a while, I could use some warm noodles in me before we start.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's to never not Banki.

[x]Food.

Black and white wizard needs food badly

"I can't tell if you guys are actually looking out for me or if you just like busty redheads; good thing Komachi doesn't show up too often around these parts.

"All the same, going for noodles wins the vote by a landslide! Looks like we'll see if Sekibanki's noodles are any good."

>>37530
Eh, a little from column A, a little from column B...

>>37530
[x] Have Sekibanki and Komachi make out. Topless.

> Seikibanki
> topless
ummm...

>>37532
>>37533

Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's no guarantee that Komachi will beheading in our direction anytime soon, so let's just head off to the stand, and take things as we go.

I'm kinda disappointed that we didn't give Reimu a heads up, but I suppose I'll just have to live with it.

>>37534
You're awful.

>>37534
I like where this is heading.

Hey Marisa! I was wondering, how good would you say you are with magic? You seem confident and have proven to be skilled enough to beat powerful opponents, but you're still fairly young. Is it thanks to your hard work, or natural talent, maybe?

>>37536
This picture is even better when you hum the Mount and Blade theme

"Hey everyone, sorry for the lack of updates. This... this thing with Alice is taking some time to get through. Still working steady, though!"

>>37537
"Mmm, it's tricky. I do have a tiny bit of natural talent, but nothing insane and bullshit like Reimu or basically any youkai ever.

"It's funny - I'm the one who relies on explosive potions and fuck off lasers, but compared to Alice and Patchy I'd say I'm less overtly powerful, but more skilled - specifically, skilled in getting the biggest bang for my buck.

"Mima put a lot of hard work herself into raising me right and proper - I might be the second strongest in the 'Soak now, but without a teacher to guide my way I'd still be putzing around in the Village, playing shopkeep.

"As for actual combat - well, the Spellcard duels are amazing, but they're also nonlethal and really structured. I'd still kick anybody's ass six ways to Sunday if all bets were off, but I'd rather not know how close it'd be."

>>37538
"Mount and Blade? Is that one of those television dramas like Mom used to watch? The closest thing we have are plays, but the stuff on TV sounds amazing."

> "Mount and Blade? Is that one of those television dramas like Mom used to watch? The closest thing we have are plays, but the stuff on TV sounds amazing."

Halfway between that an danmakuing your shikigami.

Have you ever considered summoning a Familiar or binding a Shikigami? Maybe you should ask Patchy about the specifics, since I'm sure you're far and beyond how powerful she was when she first summoned her little devil.

>>37542
What if Marisa made a shikigami out of a shinigami? Have Komachi fly you around in her boat while singing love ballads.

>>37540
Just caught up with this, nice to see you still kickin away at it, Marisa, keep up the good work.

>>37542
I think that power might not be the only thing required for that. It probably takes a lot of fine control too.

Sort of like painting a wall vs making art.
Painting a wall only requires lots of paint (i.e. lots of phenomenal cosmic power), while creating art can be done with less paint but you can't just take a roller and sweep it over the canvas to create a painting.

That's just the guess of a completely non-magical not-even-an-amateur though.

>>37546

Fine control? Nah man, I would expect Marisa to just blast a hole between this dimension and another one, and throw a saddle on the first thing that comes through.

>>37547

Shinki: *Fascinating Eyebrow* I do believe you have confused me for my daughter.

Alice and Marisa: I - bwuh - wuh?!

>>37547
Ah, the "modern art" approach.
Throw a bucket of paint at the canvas, call it something incomprehensible and sell it for a few million.

>>37523
Believe me, Marisa, you're not the only one who thinks she's gorgeous.

>>37550
Fedora-chan is superior.

>>37553
Also superior

>>37554
*WARNING* *WARNING*
GIANT YOUKAI BOOBS APPROACHING

>>37555
Sigh... Was it really necessary to bump this only to make that "joke"? And here I was with my hopes high... Well, at least you didn't necro a dead thread.

>>37556

Dude, this thread has been at the top of the board since the 20th. Unless some other story updates, there's no real reason why we need to sage.

>>37559

The thread shows up on THP's home page as a recently bumped thread if you don't sage. Some of us use it to keep tabs on which threads have recently seen activity, you know?

That's probably why >>37556 was posted so soon after >>37555.

"So, first of all - holy shit guys, I am so, so sorry about the delay. Getting all of this on paper was really rough.

"Unfortunately, I can't promise this won't happen again. All that prep for schoolwork is taking a lot out of me. Thank you all for your patience!

"I'll be getting to all the posts you guys have left in the meantime after the voting options. Until then, enjoy~"

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

For most people in the Village, rain is an excuse to kick back and take the day off. Farmers don't have to tend to the crops, and other people would rather stay at home and watch the rain fall than take care of any errands. It just isn't worth the hassle, you know? We don't have any paved roads, so walking through rain also means walking for hours on end through the mud just to get anywhere - and it would be hours by simple virtue of mud being the biggest bitch ever. When the alternative is getting the same thing done in maybe five minutes on a sunny day, it's a no brainer.

Anyway, what all this means is that, rather than by word of mouth or day-to-day popularity, you can judge the best shops simply by how much business they get in bad weather. Because people will go through a hell of a lot if they thik the end result worth it.

And judging by the number of bowls sitting on the counter waiting to be cleaned, Sekibanki's little noodle shack is the best in town. She hasn't even had time to mop the floor - I see dozens of muddy footprints marring the wooden floor as I fly past the thick fabric that marks the entrance.

Sekibanki's is... homey. Apart from a few photos of the food and the regulars, the entire place remains unadorned and unblemished. Instead of cloying perfumes or sterile air, the smell of... well, food clings to the restruant, rich broths and fragrant garlic enough to make my mouth water.

Then the sound of rushing water catches my ears, and I catch a gleam of metal as soon as I sit down on a well-worn stool. "Is that a sink?"

"Yes. The...kappa, made it for me. I still need some water to run it, but the extra... pressure? Pressure, makes it easy to clean things. Can I take your order?"

I'm still too distracted to bother with actually looking at Sekibanki herself, but her voice still pierces through my thoughts. It's... well, it isn't soft or genteel, that's for sure. The redhead's voice is stiff, really, just this side of rough - like it hasn't been used for years. Her words are deliberate, and all conversations a process.

She stares at me expectantly, but I'm in a bit of a pickle, not having any sort of menu to look at. I try taking a glance around, seeing if maybe there's on on the wall or if I should just point at a photo of this and that noodle bowl, but... well, Sekibanki's is a small shop. And my eyes just keep darting back to her.

I don't think she intends it, but Sekibanki is one of those girls that just... stands out, with those vibrant red locks of hair and dull, uncaring eyes. You don't really see that combination often, and those dark brown and black clothes make her stick out like a sore thumb. Everything up to her mouth is covered by fabric; it looks like she's trying to stay inconspicuous, and failing miserably.

It's cute, in a shy girl kinda way. But my stomach is far more interested in eating food instead of eating... well. "Just, hmmm... I'm not really sure. I'd like something simple and clean, I guess. Not too oily, not too filling."

"Of course." And she's off with ease, grabbing a freshly cleaned bowl while dumping a bunch of flour noodles into boiling, salted water.

Watching someone working their craft is always a joy, and Sekibanki's no different. She moves with a... grace about her. It's like art, really, the way those slender fingers handle that knife, chopping up scallions and slices of lettuce. Cooking's a magic all its own, and the sound of boiling water and the stacatto chop-chop-chop of her blade combine into a simple, lovely tune.

The finished product isn't much to look at - a bowl of warm noodles, in a simple and clean broth, just like I asked. But the noodles are chewy in the perfect way, with a texture that's neither soggy and mushy nor stiff as a brick. The soup is flavorful without being overpowering, and all the veggies just give a nice, crisp feeling to it all.

She made the noodles long as hell, too. Which means... nothing at all from a nonmagical perspective. But sympathetic magic was the easiest thing to learn, and eating long noodles really did give you a longer life. Mima and I tossed the idea back when we were researching immortality - not because it wouldn't work, but because we would want to die anyway after eating nothing but noodles for a week, let alone forever.

Although if I had noodles this good, I could probably hack the immortality thing for a couple months. Compliments to the chef! "Man, these noodles are delish. What's your secret?"

"Hmmm. I do not... think, it is much of a secret. I just put my... no. How do I put this...effort? Yes, I put a lot of effort into my cooking."

A snort escapes me without permission, but for once I don't mind. "I dunno, I think a lot of people would find that silly. What about your competition, eh? They work hard, too."

She pauses, looking towards some far off distance that I can't see. "No. This is... different, I think. Others put in effort because of... necessity? Yes, they make their food because they have to support. Themselves, I mean. Trade service for service, and food for food."

"Which you don't need to do, because you're a youkai?"

There's nothing cliche about her reaction. No gasp, no flinch, not even a widening of her eyes. Instead, with a shrug and a sigh, Sekibanki flips her head right over; her hair ends up resting on top of her neck hole, and the frown she's showing me looks like a sad grin.

"How could you tell?" Sekibanki asks, and with her mouth no longer connected to her vocal cords, I promptly decide to never ask how that works.

"It's kinda obvious, Seki. You speak too awkwardly, for one. The whole pausing and starting thing makes people think you're a bit weird. Plus, you just said you weren't cooking because you had to. That kinda implies you're either super rich, which you aren't, or that you don't need money at all. Since only wild youkai are like that..." I trail off and shrug, deciding not to mention my other source of information. It's simpler that way.

The youkai chef just slumps onto her counter, her shoulders hunched up just a bit. It's kinda comical, really - though I'm a bit surprised she'd be so blatant about it.

"And here, I thought the Hakurei Maiden would be the most... difficult. No one except you has... discovered? Figured it out, Marisa. Please, keep it a secret?"

"Sure, sure." It's really no skin off my back, and anything to keep these noodles in existence. Despite my lackadaisical attitude, it's enough for Sekibanki to be relieved.

With a happy but stilted tune in her throat, Seki puts her head back on straight and goes back to washing dishes. The clanging of wood on wood and the rush pouring water keeps the shack from getting too quiet, and it leaves me free to ponder.

"So, why do you put in so much effort into making noodles?" I'm not complaining at all, but... it does seem odd.

"Because... because of..." Seki seems honestly confused, and she turns off the sink to concentrate on her thoughts. I stop eating too, trying not to distract her with the clonking of my chopsticks against the bowl.

"...Love, you could call it. Because 'liking' and 'affection' are not... vivid, enough." Once she stumbles on the answer, Seki seems a lot more sure, another small smile as she affirms the sentence in her head. "I... I am a youkai. Which means I am made up of humanity's... feelings. So it's not too odd for me to feel strongly, moreso than humans. Right?"

...I really shouldn't open my big mouth. "That, I'll grant you. But from where I'm sitting, a lot of those feelings are... well, short and fleeting." And maybe it's unfair of me to base youkai 'love' on just one person, but... "You get interested, then get bored. And so it goes."

"Perhaps. I do not foresee myself... making noodles forever. But I foresee myself making noodles for your descendants... and your descendants' descendants... and perhaps another generation more." And she flashes me the tiniest smile, like she's about to tell me a secret of the universe.

"Obsession. Obessesion, ob...sess...ion..." Sekibanki rolls her head around, slowly feeling the word in her mouth, taking apart the syllables and putting them back together. It's actually kinda entertaining, watching her clever tongue dart around her mouth. "With me, with noodles, it is... simple. It is a hobby, an activity that brings me joy. I am... eccentric, by any standard." She allows, nodding to herself, before suddenly bending down and pushing my bowl closer to me.

"But my cooking is above average, and it... satisfies, doesn't it? Human meat is too plain. Much more interesting to gain nutrition from other things."

It's pretty easy to see what she wants, so I oblige the crazy dullahan and eat up. Waste not, want not, and all that. And, as I eat, I feel... warm. It radiates outward, like... like the feeling you get when you make someone happy.

It feels, funnily enough, like love. Which is way different from obsession, last I checked. "Obsession and love are pretty distinct words there, Seki. Sure you didn't mean something else?"

But Sekibanki just shakes her head, and I shush when she begins to speak. "When a youkai loves a person, that is when things become... difficult." Sekibanki stops the rest of her chores then, floating over the counter to sit by my side. I've slowed down my eating by now - too much talking to focus. I'm more picking at the meal than anything else by now, but she doesn't seem to take offense. "So much... more, to consider, so much more to try and understand. Noodles? It is easy to love noodles. To know how the flour yields and rises, how the water cooks without making your ingredients limp... Worse comes to worst, I can, ah, follow. Follow a recipe. Learn from the past. But there is no recipe for love, now is there?"

And she's right. There isn't. I could read romance novels, I could ask Mom for advice... but nothing comes out exactly the same. That's the whole point of romance - it's unique, between any two people. Something rare, and... precious.

I drift to Alice. Of course I do - she's been on the forefront of my mind this entire time, and I don't know what will kill me first, the anticipation or the meeting itself.

But Seki's right there, and I'd be an idiot if I didn't ask for her two cents. "Then, if a youkai obsesses over a human... what should the human do? Just go along with it?"

I know the answer - no, that's a damned lie. I have an answer, and I'm desperately hoping someone will validate it. Anyone would do, even a stranger. How the mighty have fallen - Alice is terrible for my mental health.

"No. Of course not." And if that wasn't the most confident thing Seki's said all hour, I'd eat my hat. "Obsession hurts. A youkai could do things just to see how their human would react. They might not realize the pain they cause until it's too late. And even if isn't, such a relationship is a storm, a tornado of passions. It is not for everyone."

No pauses, no stuttering, not even a single ellipse. And it makes me wonder if she's speaking from experience. But, even I can see that would be prying, so for the rest of the meal I keep my head down and eat up.

The sun is setting by the time I finish, and people are starting to trickle in for an early dinner. If I wanted to ask her more, it's too late now - Seki's all but bouncing from bowl to bowl, cooking as fast as she can to keep up with demand.

Still, she's given me as much attention as she could. So it's only fair I pay my bill, and leave a generous tip.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I didn't blast the Lotus Pavillion to splinters the first time around. I mean, sure, civilian casualties and fines for destruction of propertly and Reimu's incessant nagging, but... nothing gives less shits than a woman scorned. If I had to bullshit a reason now, then I suppose my attention was too zoomed in on Alice to get angry at her workplace. The backdrop didn't really matter - it could have been black and empty for all I cared back then.

Which is a shame, because the Lotus Pavillion is actually pretty gorgeous. You wouldn't really expect that from a brothel - those things are usually terribly red and terribly garish, with bright enough lights that even the neon signs Mom talks about wouldn't be able to compare.

... Probably wouldn't be able to compare. Point is, the Lotus Pavilion doesn't need to advertise itself, and that's for the better. The only thing that could tip anyone off is the small red lantern that rests right beside the front door. It doesn't have the skeezy, oily feel of a brothel - if anything, it feels more like a high-class restraunt, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if they actually do serve meals.

But just because the Lotus Pavilion is understated doesn't mean I'm at all okay with waltzing right in there. I have a reputation to maintain, and 'Kirisame Marisa, whoremonger', doesn't really have a good ring to it. So I find a small alley, ignore the drunk man just cozing up in a box, and cast a quickie illusion.

Ta-da~ I am now the picture perfect image of a demure, subtle Japanese woman with a burning need to get funky. I even have the ass-length black hair, too, and I can't resist the urge to give my silky locks a flip. Mph~

It's just a hop, skip, and a jump to get through the Pavilion's front door... and it's a lot more sedate inside than I thought it would be. The clean, laquered wood doesn't so much as creak when I step past the threshold, and despite the literally paper-thin walls, I hear neither whispers nor moans. A couple waiting rooms are off to either side of the... hostess's desk, which tonight is manned by a pretty but kinda unremarkable brunette. To top it off, warm lanterns hang from the ceiling, casting just enough light to see while keeping the shadows around for that sensual feel.

I'm not the first 'customer' here. Not by a long shot. But this is a place that makes its money off of privacy and subtlety, and the magic on the walls making everything silent just shows that the Pavilion knows how to invest.

"Ah..." I start, doing my best to act shy and way out of my league when I reach the hostess. "Has... uhm, is this the Lotus Pavilion? Miss Margatroid said she... she had a surprise for me, here?" My lower lip quivered, and my voice shook just a bit. Perfect.

"Yes, you've found the right place. Just let me check my schedule, ma'am." The hostess, in contrast, is entirely comfortable with her duties in this place. She's not wearing anything fancy, just a plain kimono. She looks young enough to be a... you know, but she's probably happy to just push papers and flirt extra money out of the clients.

In the magical silence, the small 'fwilp fwilp fwilp' of flipping pages is kinda... soothing. What with the screaming and crying and pounding my chest, it's nice to just... listen to the metronome. So I listen, and I blank, and I try not to think for just a little longer.

"Ah, there you are. And you'll be in Alice's company for the entire night, even! How lucky - Miss Margatroid is usually busy from sunset to sunrise." The pretty hostess flashes her pretty smile as her pretty words describe just how damn pretty everyone finds my old flame. Wonderful. "She'll be ready in just five minutes or so. Do you mind waiting in one of our side rooms?"

I don't - I can't trust my voice, not right now, so I just nod, and curtsy, and do whatever I need to do to get into that room and enjoy me my alone time.

I shouldn't have come. I really, really shouldn't have come. What the hell could I possibly expect from this? I'm just gonna get into an argument with her, we're not going to get a wink of rest, I'll break down into tears again, and...

And a minute passes, and then five, and Alice doesn't appear. Maybe she's busy, maybe she's got second thoughts...hell, maybe she's giving me time to compose myself. I'm grateful all the same.

The waiting room I'm in... well, it'd be good for a quickie, but nights at the Pavilion seem like they're more drawn-out affairs. So the fact that the couch is super tiny and there's only enough room for three people max isn't too odd once I think about it.

I take another look around to distract myself, but it doesn't pan out at first; it's a waiting room, after all, and those are always boring. Even trying to sense magic's dull - there's the typical privacy stuff, magical air conditioning...

It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I don't actually notice the everbloom flowers in the vase at first. They're lotuses, of course, and the gentle purple petals add a nice dash of color to the room. The scent's nice too, providing a hint of fragrance without being cloying. They're sweet and relaxing, and it's enough to stop me from wringing my hands and pacing back and forth.

But noticing the nightstand means noticing the pamphlet too. And when I pick it up, and feel the dust on it...it comes alive.

It's a simple piece of parchment. There's nothing written on it, there aren't any folds, and to anyone else it would like like I'm staring, slack jawed, at a blank piece of paper.

But to me, the illusion takes hold. Ever-changing pictures, movies really, of the Lotus girls appear in a flash of light. I can even hear their voices as I flip the 'pages', from Yuuka's throaty demands to Hina's quiet squeaks and giggles.

I...I know these people. And I have to say, I can see why the Pavilion's so popular. But what strikes me most is that... I know this magic. Because Alice asked for my help with this. She... she had told me she wanted her dolls to be able to record and play messages, and I had gladly, happily given my work to her.

I even recognize the dust on this thing, and rubbing the grains between my fingers only confirms it. Spore dust I made, spore dust Alice still buys from me, because they fuel simple magic like a charm, and... and I'm a bit flattered, because for all the shit Alice gives me about my magic, she still thought it good enough to steal and abuse.

What I gave to her for the recording magic isn't quite like this, and I can even see where my work ends and hers begins. What I did was slapdash and basic - I couldn't rewind what I recorded, and I didn't put much thought into the definition of the image. But Alice made it all... nice and crisp, and able to hold and display multiple images; there's enough pictures here for a photoshoot, and more than once I have to pause to... to stare.

Alice liked my work enough to make it her own. And I'm kinda embarrassed to realize just how much that means to me.

Of course, I'm not deep enough in la-la land to not notice Alice coming in during all this. But she's content to let me browse through her work, and I'm content to put the serious stuff off for a few moments more. But when I look up...

Well. Alice has always been beautiful. She's gorgeous no matter what she wears... and even when she's wearing almost nothing at all. In the dim lantern light, that ivory skin of hers almost shines, her soft and heavy breasts swaying with each breath.

But the rest of Alice's body is deliciously slender... though if I ever call her doll-like feel free to punch me. Alice is so much more than a doll; she has a warmth in her, little things about her that just... give her away. Like the way she's playing with her hair right now, antsy hands needing to do something, or the way she leans forward, only a bit, when she wants to help but doesn't know how.

And when she doesn't have a clue on what to do, she always lets me make the first move. So I toss the pamphlet back onto the nightstand and stand up to face her. There's no need to keep up appearances either, so I shrug off my magical disguise and turn back into my normal self.

"You should wear more," I chide Alice, taking her hand in mine and running the other across her silky detached sleeves. "You're freezing." And if my hand lingers on her bare, smooth shoulders, almost brushing down to the top of her breasts, well.

"That wasn't what you told me before." Alice's tone is as gentle as ever when she leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder. And when her body slumps, and her breath tickles my neck, I don't have the heart to push her away. "You still like it when I'm a bit chilly. It's refreshing."

I don't have an answer. Hell, I don't even know how to hold her now. Her soft breasts are rubbing against mine, only a thin, scratchy layer stopping us from reliving better days. I might not be able to push her away, but that doesn't mean I'm pulling her closer - my hands just sort of... hover, above Alice's back, my own arms just barely touching Alice's sides. So I'm left awkwardly standing there, paying no attention to the tickly pinpricks of my blush, ignoring the fact that Alice put on my favorite perfume, just enough to get a hint of mint with every breath I take.

...It's nice, holding her again. I want to tilt my head down and bite Alice's neck, or run my hands down her shapely back, until I can cup her ass and give it a needy squeeze. I want to lie down with her, rest my hands on her flat tummy, and just breathe her in as we doze off. Too many years we need to make up for - I could lock us in our home and not leave for weeks. Maybe months.

But I like to think I have some impulse control, so my hands and mouth stay right where they are. When Alice realizes I'm not going to do a damn thing to her, she finally pulls away with a self-mocking smile.

"Welcome to the Lotus Pavilion," she intones, acting like nothing is wrong. "Please, would you follow me to our room for the night?"

And I smile right back as she opens up a secret door in the back wall, gesturing to the dimly lit hallway beyond. "Absolutely. I want my money's worth, after all."

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

The bedroom is rather classy... and unexpectedly Western in design. It has carpeting for one, soft and a bit ticklish, and the furniture's terribly pretty, smooth and lacquered with rich, brown hues. There aren't even any wood knots, and neither the table nor the chairs creak when I put all my weight onto them.

But the real kicker's the bed. It's huge and soft, with those four overhanging curtains that I've only ever seen while raiding Patchy's library. Blankets and comforters are all laid out, ready for all sorts of stains and heat-trapping and covering blissed out lovers.

And speaking of lovers... that's when Alice forces herself onto me. One moment, she has her hands on my shoulder. Another, I'm already spun around, falling backwards onto the mattress. A blink and she's on me, holding my hands and pressing those warm, pink lips against mine.

Gods, I've missed this. Each second lasts forever while I tingle and flush from Alice's touch. She's still cold, and she's still right - feeling her chill skin against me kickstarts my mind like nothing else, and already I'm kissing back just as fierce. I can feel her moan when I start sucking on her delicate tongue, and we're squeezing our hands so hard that I can feel her nails dig into me.

Alice only pulls away when we need to breathe, but she's not going to give me even the slightest break. Before I even have time to pant she's attacking my neck, peppering me with tiny licks and tinier bites. I... I squeal, a bit, and I let go of her hands to pull her in, even trying my damndest to wrap my legs around Alice's waist. And when I start to buck, she bucks back, our hips smacking into each other and making us ache, despite the lack of toys or parts.

...I have some impulse control. It's not a lot.

It's only when we come down from our peak, my dress all sorts of damp, that Alice starts to talk to me.

"I don't kiss my clients like this. And...and I don't hold them like this."

She doesn't look at me as she speaks, murmuring into my ear between warm, deep breaths. But she knows me well, and before I even say a word she has a finger on my lips to hush me.

And like all the other times she's done this, I purse my lips into a small 'o' and give the digit a gentle suck. I can feel her twitch it around my mouth as I give it all my attention, and the gentle, happy sighs are reward enough for me.

"Do you remember what I said in the morning? 'You brought life into my life.'" As she whispers, I can feel her start to curl into me, tucking in her legs until her knee is right between my thighs. Her voice is hoarse now, too, and I can't tell if it's from the earlier cries, or if she's just... tired.

"You brought life into my life, Marisa..." Alice repeats herself, her voice now muffled against my shoulder. I have to strain myself just to hear her, and I almost miss her next words. "But... without you, I had no life.

"Magic was my everything, before we became a couple. But after... I only kept up my studies because you expected it. You were my... my next project, my next focus." Alice's voice... warbles, as she... as she monologues. "I wanted you. I wanted you all to myself, and I would have given everything just to have another night with you.

"And that was scary. I love you, Marisa," she states, the surety in her voice drowning everything else out for at least a moment. "With all my everything. And even I could tell something was wrong with that. Because my life revolved around you, like it used to revolve around magic. And... and I wanted your life to revolve around me, too."

She even giggles, as she pulls her finger out of me, now wet and warm all the way to the knuckle. It's not a happy giggle - there's a mournful edge in there, something frantic and needy that's desperate to get out. "I loved the things you did for me. A picnic at the prettiest spot in Youkai Mountain, with a field of flowers under a starry sky. An entire day in the Underground City, when everyone was asleep and we could just... explore. Abusing everything you knew about magic just to make an underwater date."

She trails off, then, and with her hand gently rubbing my side, I'm free to ask the obvious question. "But?"

"...But I didn't love those moments because they were... amazing. I only loved what you did because you did them. And that just seemed... so wrong."

Alice is almost curled up into a ball now, shaking with each word she tells me. All of her focus is tuned to saying what needs to be said - so I say nothing, as her calm, steady voice escapes from a tired body.

"I didn't want my feelings to... to become a selfish love. I didn't want to be your ball and chain. You were worth so much more than that, Marisa. And that's why I... that's why all this happened."

With a small grunt, Alice finally gets up - her eyes are bloodshot now, and terribly dry, but I pretend Alice wasn't just crying on my shoulder. Without her dress, without her dolls, Alice just looks... limp now, like a puppet whose strings were cut.

She doesn't look at me anymore, instead staring at the wall, the stain we made in the comforter - anything but me. " I wanted to... to understand you, how you could love me and everybody else, when I couldn't possibly care less about them. I wanted to see what you saw, feel what you felt, when you brought me such miraculous things. I just... wanted to change. And I thought about what we've done together, what makes a relationship... and the best parts were when we made love. I could feel you, Marisa. All that love, and warmth, and gentleness... and I figured it was a good place to start."

Maybe it's the long day I've had. Maybe it's the endorphins running through my head right now. Maybe I'm just that much of a sucker... but right now, I'm not angry. Just tired. So I try to cut to the heart of the matter, in all its heartbreaking glory. "Did you change?"

And Alice paints another ugly smile on her face. It's a painful caricature, and I try to avoid my gaze. "We broke up, didn't we?"

"That... that doesn't really answer my question."

"... Well, not in the way I expected. I thought - I thought that sex was the best way to express yourself. And maybe it is, but... I just don't have a lot to express." She shrugs then, so sluggish and weak, and I have never, ever seen her like this. I've only seen the cool Alice, the happy Alice, the irritated Alice - and I'm starting to see why Alice said we never understood each other.

"I couldn't... bond with anyone. I didn't have regulars like my co-workers. Clients came to me because I was pretty or because they wanted a challenge." Alice smiles weakly, imagining some distant memory that I'll never want the details to. "But, the sex felt good. And I made special outfits for the other girls. And sometimes, if I was lucky, you stayed out of my head for an hour or so. And then, after a while, I got... better, at ignoring you."

It's only now that I get up, the butterflies getting replaced with a low, slow burn in the pit of my stomach. Alice just won't stop trying to avoid my gaze, so I have to reach up and tilt her chin, just so I can see those sad, tired eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I keep my voice gentle and calm, but it sounds like an accusation all the same. And Alice reacts as such, flinching and grinding her teeth and dying a little inside.

"Because I was scared, when you found out. You were crying, you were hurt... I just wanted to make it stop. And I thought - oh, who am I kidding, I wasn't thinking at all. I just..."

It's easy to venture a guess. "You thought that if you were the one who hurt me, the best thing to do was to go away?"

The gentle, mocking scoff is the first sign of life I've had since this damn talk started, and it's a sound for sore ears. "Maybe. Maybe I was scared you'd hate me, and just wanted to end it on my terms. My feelings were all... jumbled up. They still are."

"...Why didn't you tell me? Ask for help? We could have done something together if -"

And Alice doesn't even need to explain, not this time - because she's already told me. She needed time... not alone, but away from me, to figure things out. In a way, it's kinda flattering, that Alice would... focus on me, so much. We just really need to work on our communication skills.

...If I take her back. If I could handle taking her back. Just one little misunderstanding ballooned to something like this. It's been years since I've thought of Alice as a lover, and even if our chemistry's great, it's also... explosive.

Seki's words drift back to me. Maybe I'm just not cut out for a firewhirl romance. Maybe I've moved on... just a tiny bit.

But, first things first. "Alice?"

Our little impromptu break's done wonders for her composure. She's not red in the face anymore, and her eyes look clearer than they did moments ago. The trembling's died down a bit too, and she's willingly looking at me.

So I have her attention. Good. "Alice - I'm... not really sure how to feel about this. I mean... it's been a while, you know? I can't just take you back and... forget."

And Alice has enough sense in her to look insulted. There's even the faint hint of annoyance in her voice when she speaks. "I'm not that desperate. And besides, that wouldn't be fair to you. If you don't want me, I understand. But I wanted to explain myself. And..." She takes a deep, calm breath, as she slips off the bed and walks over to the table. I hadn't noticed it when I was messing around with the furniture, but...

There's another magical pamphlet there, same as the other one. And with a flick of her magical wires, Alice glides it into my hands. "I talked with some of my friends who work here. And it turns out you're rather popular. A bit of a pervert, but I knew that already."

The question asks itself, really. "Alice, are you trying to buy me off with... with free, high quality sex?"

This time around, Alice's blush actually looks kinda cute. "You're pent up. And even though I was a bit... carried away earlier, you're not that easily satisfied. And lucky for you, a few of our girls wouldn't mind a... what did you call it? Right, a 'roll in the hay' with you." She flashes me a gentle smile then, and at least for the moment, the world seems like a better place. "You don't have to if you don't want to. It won't change anything on my end."

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

So as the old song goes - should I stay or should I go?

[ ]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.
[ ]Decline the offer. I can appreciate Alice using her connections and all, but this is just a bit much. And she's probably telling the truth about this choice not really affecting her, but it's probably gonna affect me.



>>37542

"I thought about it, but binding something's soul to your service is kinda too much, even for me. Plus, I'd have to talk to Patchy then, and that would devolve into a fight so fast."

>>37543

"Now this I've tried. Have you seen that girl? MPH. I must have a thing for redheads or something.

"Unfortunately, getting her to work under me would be a breach of contract, so Komachi had to decline. Maybe if I kicked the bucket, though, she'd show me the ropes."

>>37545

"Still kicking it, even now! Thanks for sticking with me."

>>37546

">>37547 Has the right of it. I mean, I could try my luck and seal up whatever comes in from the other side, but I don't fancy dying any time soon. Illusions are the fanciest I'd ever get, since that's just manipulation of light - my specialty!"

>>37548

"And now I'm really, really hoping Shinki doesn't work at the Pavilion too."

>>37550
>>37553
>>37554
>>37555

"See, the thing about Auntie Renko is that I'm not actually related to her, so it's totally okay if I want to do terrible, lewd things to her. She'd probably find it kinky too, if I dressed up like Mom.

"But Yukari... eh. She does have some nice jubilees on her, but... there's something about her that just freaks me out. Like that Uncanny Valley thing - she looks familiar, but not at the same time."

[x]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

Actually, this should include bondage too. With Marisa receiving of course.

[X] 'Accept' the offer.
[X] Throw aside the pamphlet, and 'get your money's worth' right here, right now. You may have been bantering earlier, but now that it's come to this, it's become the truth.
-[X] Then wake up in the morning, curse, and leave in a huff with more questions raised than answered.

This isn't just shit-posting. If Marisa and Alice are humping each other so desperately that they're staining the sheets before so much as a finger or tongue even brushes a cooch, then honestly, I can't see either of them walking away from this without some proper action.

From a meta standpoint, if Marisa didn't want to start up anything with Alice at all, she shouldn't have let herself come to his meeting in the first place. But now that she's here and they practically squirted all over each other merely from a heavy make-out session, I can't honestly see Marisa having the willpower to not walk out of here without continuing a "little" further.

Or maybe a "lot" further.

Sometimes, two people just really need to get their pent-up sexual frustration out. They don't have to marry each other over it, but they can at least be friends about it.

Trying to take this feeling for Alice out on another girl would just be awkward. Also, I want to preserve the mystique of the Pavilion. Trying to walk away at this point is just baffling and out of character.

You don't have to write out a long piece of H if you don't want to. Fade to black will be enough.

[x]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

Complicated for sure.... though it's likely what's stopping Marisa from considering continuing what Alice started.

[x] Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

I don't know where to go with this so I guess I'll just roll with it.

[x]Accept the offer.

As >>37569 said, this is mostly between you and Alice, but on the other hand since the other girls are interested in you, or at the least not against the idea, there's no reason to deny them their fun too.

And since you brought up the song (The Clash, fuck yeah!), I must say that the next line is rather fitting as well.
"If I go there will be trouble.
And if I stay it will be double."
In fact, the whole song is pretty fitting...

Then again, judging by your previous adventures, trouble is what you're all about anyway.

[x] Accept the offer.
-[x] Make sure to try the Nue Special; you may as well since you're doing business with her boss anyway.

[x] Accept the offer.

Lewds for the lewd god.

[X]Decline the offer.

It's a trick. Get an axe. Or just leave, you know, that's good, too.

[x]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

I think Alice and Marisa need some time spent NOT humping in the future. They are both clearly very horny for each other but they need to reconnect on more than a crotch level.

I like how Alice has enough self awareness to realize she was becoming obsessive/yandere and tried to avoid it, even if the avoidance was really dumb in hindsight.

[x]Decline the offer. I can appreciate Alice using her connections and all, but this is just a bit much. And she's probably telling the truth about this choice not really affecting her, but it's probably gonna affect me.


So, Alice is offering free sex with no strings attached? This really doesn't help us resolve Alice's issues, and it also creates some issues of its own, but these kinds are probably best solved out of the bedroom.


> "See, the thing about Auntie Renko is that I'm not actually related to her, so it's totally okay if I want to do terrible, lewd things to her. She'd probably find it kinky too, if I dressed up like Mom.

On one hand, I really like Renko. On the other, the idea of going after your mother's ex-lover/girlfriend/bestfriend is bound to hit a distinct level of awkwardness.

[x]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

<3

[x]Decline the offer. I can appreciate Alice using her connections and all, but this is just a bit much. And she's probably telling the truth about this choice not really affecting her, but it's probably gonna affect me.

[X]Decline the offer. I can appreciate Alice using her connections and all, but this is just a bit much. And she's probably telling the truth about this choice not really affecting her, but it's probably gonna affect me.

Nope. I just can't see this doing any good.

Hm. Complicated choice. I can understand why one would have reservations. But in the end, I'm for it. I think that Marisa needs it, it might help her understand Alice a bit more, and get over their past, and in the end I'm curious as to who has an interest in Marisa. So:

[x]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

[x]Accept the offer. 

Fuck I don't know man.

>>37584

Why don't you know? Seems like just a fancied up 'do you want a sex scene, yes/no.'

>>37567
[ ]Accept the offer. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. And, frankly, I've been pent up for a while. Toys are nice, but warm, pretty ladies are where it's at.

[x]Accept the offer.

Eh. Your proBobly right.

But without reading it OOC like that, in character, I think even if Alice says she is okay either way even if Alice believes that, I don't believe her, but I think the test might not be the way some would expect.

I.e. I think it might be about weather they can have an open relationship or not.

But maybe I am over thinking it.

"So, due to REASONS, I've been a bit busy these past couple of days. And I'll be busy tomorrow, too. This means that I am warning you guys early. Votes are gonna close in 48 hours! Get your votes in if you've been lagging!

>>37568

"Ehh, I tried that with Alice once. It was okay, but part of the reason I started learning her trick with the strings was so I could be giving it."

>>37569

"I, uh... I guess you wouldn't believe me if I told you Alice and I are both pretty easy to satisfy, huh?

"I understand where you're coming from, and you do have a point, but... I'd rather not 'get my money's worth' from Alice this time. >>37570 has the right of it - and it's been a long, long day."

>>37572

"Trouble hounding your steps comes with being a badass! No promises on staying being double the trouble, though."

>>37574

"Wait what. When did Nue work here?"

>>37577

"...In hindsight, I really should have seen it. Alice, for all her skills, is really, really dumb with social situations. That she'd be willing to go so far just for me is kind of hard, to think about."

>>37579

"I'm not too sure if this is supposed to solve anything - it all looks on the up and up, and Alice is demonstratively different about sex. If I don't make a fuss of it either way, I doubt Alice will.

"As for Auntie Renko... well, as I've demonstrated, I don't have a lot of inhibitions. And Auntie Renko did room with Mom and Pops when she stayed over...

"Mm. That's - that's actually a teensy bit gross when I think about it. But Auntie Renko's just so pretty!"

>>37588

"...While threesomes can be pretty nice, I'm not sure if this is Alice's plan. Her whole issue was about loving me too much, after all. Switching from that to wanting an open relationship seems pretty fast.

"But maybe you're right, and I'm just not seeing something you are. Think you could elaborate a bit?"

I'm torn. Accepting the offer would make Marisa look bad in the village when it comes out (and it will come out). It'd fuel badmouthing gossip like 'Is this the sort of person we want teaching the children?', even if it has no direct effect on her ability to teach. Second, I think it could be the beginning of an attempt to recruit Marisa - despite being human, I think she relates better to ('civilized') youkai in a lot of ways, then she does with the average human. And if it does go that far, a professional association with a brothel is going to tar her reputation a lot more then a casual association would. Ultimately, I think this is Alice attempting to wear down Marisa's objection to the sort of sex-centered relationship that caused the initial rift between them.

On the other hand, declining will further push Alice away - she's losing herself in sex, and that's not healthy. So, I think Marisa acting a stable anchor to help pull Alice out of her hole before the figurative high wears off, is the best way to resolve that.


I think this boils down to which Marisa considers more important - teaching in the village, or her relationship with Alice.

>>37590
you might be overstating the negative effect of this coming out: a consensual (If kinky) relationship with another adult isn't that crazy, even if the other woman involved is kinda a whore. Besides, horrific crippling problems are emblematic of the education profession.

>>37589
>>"And Auntie Renko did room with Mom and Pops when she stayed over..."
All night card games not your thing?

>>"...While threesomes can be pretty nice..."
I bet you could get together with Mima and Yuuka~ then spark all night long.

>>37590
I don't think it'll be an issue as trying to strike at Marisa with such a thing would open them up to the same treatment. There's been countless "moral guardian" politicians that end up caught with some woman (or man) in a comprising position.

And judging for the high values, It'd be safe to assume various important people make use of its service. Buy sex and/or cheating is what the rich and powerful tend to do, no matter how attractive their significant other was.

[x]Accept the offer.

It's a lot more interesting than declining, and will expand our horizons.

[x] Decline
Token resistance vote.

That's said, woah. I didn't think it was possible, but Alice explanation WAS good enough. Very interesting.

Yes, I just read the update.

>>37590

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I really don't think this will get out of hand at all. I mean, for one, I came to the Pavilion under a disguise. Furthermore, this isn't a skeezy brothel - along with the beautiful ladies, it looks like they really pride themselves on privacy; the Pavilion has privacy and silence sigils, private waiting rooms, even secret exits from those private waiting rooms. And >>37593 has the right of it. Even if the worst happened, well - I'm pretty sure Alice would be willing to give me some ammo to fire back.

"Also, while it is flattering, I could always just say no if this whole thing is some sort of job offer.

"Alice herself, well... >>37591 raises a good point, and I'm gonna raise my own - while I may have kinda-sorta nudged Alice into a gorgeous, lewd sexpot, I don't think she's drowning her sorrows with sex. And the whole rift between us wasn't because of a sex-centered relationship - by her own words, it was because she felt she was too obsessed, and panicked.

"I mean, granted, I was unspeakably horny back in the day. But we did chaste couple stuff too!"

>>37592

"Poker's great, but remember - Auntie Renko came to visit when I was young. Like, four, to six years old young. But Mom was in one of her purple-eyed moods back then, so I managed to spend a lot of time with Auntie Renko before she left. And she made a damn fine impression!

"A threesome with Mima? Eeeurgh. A threesome with Yuuka? I'm not sure if one of us won't end up dead or not.

"...But Yuuka is working here apparently. So who knows?"

>>37595

"Lack of oceans in Gensokyo aside, I've always been one for a good tide-pissing. Rah rah rah fight the power!

"And I'm glad the explanation for Alice's... everything seems reasonable for you, too. If it was just me, I'd be worried."

>>37589

> "Wait what. When did Nue work here?"

http://www.touhou-project.com/at/res/23863.html

The updates don't have pictures at first so watch for the red text. Nue Special is on http://www.touhou-project.com/at/res/23863.html#i23945

>>37597
Clearly, every girl there is Nue. Marisa, are YOU Nue?

If you need to cool down, you can always attempt to stick Letty and Cirno down your pants until you can think again.

>>37598
>Implying Cirno works at the Lotus Pavillion.

Dude.

>>37599
>Implying that Marisa doesn't know where to find and beat up Cirno before using her to chill water
>>Counterimplication that Cirno might get hired for making abstract ice sculptures.

"It's a frog melting after being thrown from a tree!"

>>37597

"That is... wow. I, uh. Wow. She can do that?

"Oh, uh - right. So, I'm appropriately speechless, and if I didn't need some release I certainly need it now. But I think this is gonna come back to what I said in the first thread, about alternate Gensokyos - because I really don't think Nue works at the Lotus Pavilion in my... world? Dimension?"

>>37598

"Pretty sure I'm not Nue. Because I would be experimenting with cosplay sex like all the time. Or experimenting in general, really."

>>37599
>>37600

"Yeah, Cirno... Cirno is just too... Cirno for me. Or for anyone. But I could see her trying to be the Strongest At Art. She wouldn't even have to chip at the ice, just form it into the shape she wants in one go."

>"But maybe you're right, and I'm just not seeing something you are. Think you could elaborate a bit?"

Well she is clearly worried about becoming obseSsive again, and one common symptom
of that kind of obsession in humans is intense jealousy, and so is a need to control the object of the obsession's behavior.

By first getting you and her excited, and then giving you a choice to make love to another girl she might be trying to trigger those feelings in you and more importantly her.

Which makes me think the actually important thing was her giving you the choice, more then what you choose.

Still it makes me double think that if you stay the time for sexing is later.

"Votes closed, everyone! And it looks like I'm getting laid. This. This will be interesting."

>>37602

"That's... definitely a way to look at things. But if that's the case, then Alice really doesn't half-ass things. She does seem more... alive, I guess, then she used to."

>>37601
You just aren't hipster enough to appreciate Cirno's application of finger paint and Impressionism to butt shaped igloos.

The fallout from this should be utterly hilarious.

"Hey, guys. Sorry for the lack of updates. Things have been heating up everywhere, it seems like, and I'm taking care of some stuff at my parents' place. Treat your moms right, people!

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to get in an update this month. I'll try my best, but - sorry, guys."

>>37634

Ah, sorry to hear that. Well, I'll look forward to it when you do get time to write.

I'm horny. Maybe not 'would fuck whatever girl that crosses my way' kinda horny, but I'm really aching with need here. Because Alice... Alice does a number on me. Her warmth, her scent; there's nothing like feeling her press up against me, our fingers gently intertwining whenever our lips touch. All gentle curves and delicate softness, someone to hold breast to breast as we sleep through the night.

I have some impulse control. It's not a lot.

"Well - if they're offering, I'll accept, I guess." I try to pass my desire off as nonchalance, but no one's fooled here. Not when she can smell the sweat and need right on me, and not when I'm so blatantly staring at her bare shoulders and that slender, pale neck.

"I believe the term is, 'my breasts are down here,' Marisa." Alice's tender voice blows away the fogginess in my head, and I can't help but give into her little suggestion. Because wow does she have nice ones. Even now, I still get a bit giddy just looking at them - Alice's chest is just this side of generous, each breast big enough for me to cradle in the palm of my hand. She liked it when I used to do that, too - those round mounds of hers always felt so pleasantly... weighty, in my hands. I could - and did - spend forever just holding them, teasing out the tiniest moans from Alice while my fingers curled and tickled that soft alabaster skin.

"Does that mean you're on the menu, Alice?"

Alas, my ex-better-half always was the methodical one, and the gentle admonishment she gives me - just a few light taps on my lips - is a breath of relief in this hazy room. "We already had our fun, Marisa. It's time to give another girl a shot, hmm?" Before I can shoot back, Alice is already curled up next to me, leaning her head on my shoulder. It's heavy, she's sweaty, her hair tickles my nose, and I don't have the heart to push her away.

She ignores my thought process, thankfully, and reaches out with a slender hand to tap at the magical pamphlet. There's a quick flash of dazzling light, and the illusion takes hold once again; images of gorgeous women appear all around the room, and Alice breezes through them all, tapping on the parchment with her flawless digits to bring up the most relevant... parts? Parts.

And then, suddenly, feet. They're... pretty nice feet, as far as feet go, snug in a pair of shiny black shoes with tall, imposing heels. But it's only when the angle moves up that I start paying attention. This woman's legs are flawless; tan, unblemished skin over powerful calves and plump thighs. The viewpoint even lovingly pauses, zooming out to take in more of those legs as she slowly crosses and and uncrosses them; she's always sure to keep the juiciest sights away from view, but the camera still manages to catch flashes of black, damp silk between her legs.

Further up comes the waist and hips, full and warm and curvy. The woman is wearing an elegant black bustier, one that further emphasizes her hourglass figure and pushes up her extremely generous bust. Her soft, lightly-colored skin contrasts sharply with the bustier's fabric, which stops just above the nipple line. The view lingers there as well, with a small chuckle heard off-camera, before it zooms up to reveal the woman's smooth shoulders. I see a black choker wrapped snugly around her neck, bearing a shining red ruby that contrasts with a few strands of dark green hair. Then, finally, it gets to her face. A familiar face.

Yuuka's ruby eyes gleam in the dim light, and just a calm flutter of her eyelashes steals my breath away. Her lips are awfully delicious too, so full and red that I could kiss 'em all day. It's a sight for sore eyes, and the cool look she shoots at the camera as it pans away makes my heart beat just a bit faster. The full picture of this powerful lady's body is dazzling - statuesque is the best way to put it, and the green haired lady is absolutely in control.

With slender, tan fingers, she begins to gently tap at the gem in her collar, still looking right into my eyes. "It's part of a matching set, I'll have you know," she tells me, with a low, throaty voice and a fetching smirk. And as her hand starts to trail down from her neck to her cleavage, dipping into the valley of her breasts, I follow with my eyes and take in the sensual show. It's a perfect distraction for her sleight of hand; like magic, a second collar appears in her other hand, held betwixt two fingers. But this particular collar has a long leather leash attached, which drapes against the length of her arm. "If you impress me, maybe I'll let you try it on."

When Yuuka deigns to get up from her chair, it's like watching art in motion. Her long, powerful legs stretch and flex as she stands, the distinct clicking of her heels on the wood sending shivers up my spine. The sashay of her hips draws my eyes with every step as she walks closer to the camera, and soon enough I'm staring right into those piercing eyes.

"And if you don't..." The woman's grin is hungry, predatory - I'm not sure whether to look forward to Yuuka's tender affections, or to be scared of my life.

But Alice's terribly unclassy snort yanks me right out of the fantasy - which is a shame, since that's where Yuuka's introductory video ends. "She's an expert tease. None of her clients ever get to wear it, and they always come back for another shot. She makes people want to be submissive; I'm a bit surprised you were into that at all. Wearing the dress in a relationship doesn't seem like your... thing."

The only thing that stops me from sputtering is the teasing grin on Alice's face, which I promptly wipe off by pushing her down onto the bed. "Sex and relationships are two different things, as you very well know! Besides, maybe I can turn the tables on her - ot maybe I just like a challenge. Tell me neither of those chokers would look good on me, eh?"

"They would look terrible on you. The gem's far too garish, and the leash is so...cliché; chokers are supposed to be subtle accessories." Alice shoots me down just like that, before getting back up and fiddling with the pamphlet some more. But even I can feel the irritation rolling off my ex, and I'm obligated to figure out why.

"She doesn't give you a coworker's discount on her fruit business, does she."

"Not at all. I pay full price just like everyone else." Pfffffffft. But while I'm busy suppressing my mirth, Alice leans over to me, taking just a few moments to... 'load', I guess, the next vid. The hum and tingle of magic starts up again, and then I'm left staring at a whole lotta whispy, blinding mist.

But it clears, just a bit, and I have to rub my eyes to make sure I'm seeing right. "Wait, Komachi works here?"

Alice doesn't say anything. Not that she has to. Komachi Onozuka is sitting on the edge of a steaming hot spring, skyclad under a pale, full moon. It's a classic shot - the thick, hot steam acts like a censor, wrapping up the shinigami's voluptuous form while keeping just enough of her tanned skin on display. It helps that her eyes are steamy too, all half-lidded and filled with a sort of... relaxed, languid desire.

"Tonight's a night for romance." Komachi's voice is - well, sleepily cheery, is the best way I can put it. She just always seemed delightfully relaxed, and this recording's no exception. With a slow wave of her arm, she brushes away more of the hot spring's vapor, revealing both a small bottle of sake - and, of course, her body. Guess which I drool over first.

They say hot springs are good for the skin, and Komachi could easily be the poster girl for that argument. Her warm, tan skin has a glow to it, and I can't see a single blemish or wrinkle. Some of the steam's even condensed onto her, making countless little beads of water run down her soft, healthy body.

She's taken those shiny bobbles out of her long red hair. It's actually kinda long when she lets it down, enough to reach her shoulders. The water's clear enough for me to enjoy her legs, but it seems the camera has a different idea in mind. It focuses on her upper half, and I can't blame it; her huge, round breasts are on full display, slightly paler than the rest of her skin. Hell, they might be even larger than Yuuka's. When it zooms in on her soft mounds, I can even make out droplets of water trickling down their curvy surface all over. Her slow, relaxed breathing only helps to coax the water downards, and the faint bouncing that accompanies her breaths is just gorgeous. One of her arms rests easily on the rocky edge of the spring, supporting her weight; I can just picture it lovingly wrapped around my waist. As we watch, she lifts her other arm and pours herself a cup of sake, which she clasps in her fingers and brings to her lips...

She sips. It's a fine sip, and the viewpoint seems focused on those full, red lips of hers. But Komachi's a bit too focused with putting on a show, what with the way she bats her pretty eyes, or how she just curls her lips into a gentle smile... while trying to drink. It's a tad silly that she spills so much alcohol, but the way the gleaming, tingly liquid runs down those mounds of hers is quite the sight. The heavy swell of her breasts is positively dripping now, and if I closed my eyes I could practically smell the slightly sweet, slightly acrid musk of the alcohol.

But I don't. Close my eyes, that is. Because Komachi is looking right into them, leaning forward just a bit and letting her milky white breasts sway with her tipsy movements. "Whoops. Silly me," Komachi purrs, winking at the camera before leaning backwards again. The magical viewpoint didn't zoom in, and it only takes another second to realize why: because the busty shinigami cups her right breast and bends her head down, all the better to lick all the sake off her pale, weighty tit.

Komachi's tonguework is quite the sight - they're quick, careless laps at first, meant to actually clean up instead of tantalize. But as soon as she reaches her nipple, her tongue slows down, taking the time to swirl around her pretty pink areola. Her moans are rich, low, and just a bit muffled, as her body tenses up for what comes next.

With a small grunt, she lifts her breast further up. And then she shivers as she seals her lips around her aching, erect nipple to give it a loving suckle.

That pale body of hers is flush red when she finally stops; the loud, wet *pop* and the thin trails of saliva keep me glued to my seat as Komachi licks her lips clean, cheerfully laughing for the camera. But the joy she's feeling doesn't hide her arousal - when the viewpoint pans down her to her long, wet legs, they're just slightly askew, in the process of spreading. Unfortunately, it's just for a second - because the redhead clears her throat, drawing attention back to her face and her still wet breast.

"The place is nice and all, but... I could use some company, don't you think?" She teasingly asks, and the image fades away while her hand starts reaching for her thighs.

A kind of lightheadedness takes over, and I can't help but mull over the busty redhead over and over again. "So, question. Is this place just for the sex?"

Alice shakes her head as she fiddles over the pamphlet some more. "No - the Lotus Pavilion is officially 'a place for relaxation'. I imagine you just want to share a drink with Onozuka, then?"

"Well, not 'just'. But between her and Yuuka, it's a pretty hard choice."

My fellow blonde just shrugs her bare shoulders, like she isn't affected at all. A shame, I guess; there go my threesome fantasies. "I heard about your rebound attempt with Komachi. Maybe you'll have better luck here," she replies.

"It wasn't a rebound attempt, it was - oh forget it." I'm not here to mope, after all, so I just curl up to watch the next little introduction.

The scene switches to a dark, moonlit room. A window's open in the background, and its sheer curtains billow away from an insistent breeze. In the foreground, a bright beam of moonlight spills over the sheets of a bed. Sitting there is a young woman with short blonde hair and matching yellow eyes, kinda like mine. They're a lot brighter, though, and her hair's a nice, clean shade, unlike my own - gotta admit, I'm a bit jealous. It takes me a while, both because of the strange lighting and because I don't know her too well, but when the camera pans over to her violin I finally recognize who she is. One very pretty and very cold Lunasa Prismriver has a thin blanket wrapped around her, tight enough to show off her petite frame and small enough to reveal her pale, respectable cleavage.

The pretty violinist is - well, she's looking quite fine, with the way that blue sheet wraps around her. But the same can't be said for her mood - there's nothing so obvious as a frown to give her away, but her distant gaze is a bit unsettling, and I'm all too familiar with what those slumped shoulders mean. All the same, Lunasa puts on a brave and beautiful face as she breathes in deep and raises her violin with shaky hands.

A few mournful notes echo into the air. And then... nothing. All that buildup, and Lunasa gently lays her instrument beside her, curling up and rubbing her arms for warmth. The camera - it lingers uncomfortably on her prone form, forcing me to intrude on something far too personal. Bad Distasteful memories start to well up, and something chills me to the bone, but I don't have the will to look away.

And just like the women before her, Lunasa finally notices the 'camera'. She flinches, because of course she does, and the tired glare she sends me is all sorts of discomforting. But while I fidget underneath her gaze, the violinist starts to soften, uncurling from the bed and standing up to face me.

The blanket is amazingly thin, and while it was a good enough covering when she was sitting down, it's just a bit too small to do its job in a standing position. Lunasa tries her best, of course, holding it by opposite corners and wrapping the fabric against her front, but her hips are just curvy enough to jut out from their covering, and I can see her nipples, hard from the night and windchill, indent ever slightly into the blanket.

The rest of her body's a mystery to me - the viewpoint's zoomed in enough that I can't drool over her legs, and there's no way for me to turn Lunasa around and examine her bare back. All the same, I'm too focused on Lunasa's distant smile to give the rest of her much attention. Everything about her just screams vulnerable, and I just want to hug her and say it's all okay.

"Hey there," she whispers, and even though she doesn't quite say it in sing-song, her voice is still pleasing to hear - soft and light and obviously musical. "Could you help me make some new songs? Happy ones."

The video finally ends, and I finally let go of my breath, covering up my emotions with a quick, if strained, chuckle. "Wow, she's a good actress."

"No, you just have a fetish for sad girls." Alice's calm mockery settles my heart as she reclines on the headboard; the dry, cutting words help me focus like nothing else, and I take the pamphlet from her to browse Lunasa some more.

Sure enough, I can't find any pictures that come off as 'happy'. They're all beautiful shots, with the violinist on varying poses and states of undress, but the most Lunasa manages is an... almost vacant smile. A physical action with no emotion behind it. It's not heartbreaking, but it's unsettling, and it'd make anyone want to take care of her, hug and kiss her sadness away.

"Well, she's consistent at least." Like I said, I've never really interacted with Lunasa, so I can't tell if this is an act, or another youkai thing like what Alice is going through. All the same, it does catch my interest... and her body helps too, all slender and gentle curves.

"I couldn't really say - I've never worked with her before. Lunasa often has music practice with her sisters, so she doesn't work here often." Alice doesn't give much attention to Lunasa in the end, as she ever-so-heartlessly wrenches the pamphlet from my hand. Flashes of magic spark from her fingers as they brush and glide on the parchment, and the last pictures of the blonde fade away into the ether.

They're replaced by another video of a brown-haired girl, slumped over the desk. The only things I can pick up are the skritching of the pen, and the woman's steady breaths. In that hunched-over position, it's hard to tell who she is, or what she's doing. Her long twintails shines in the murky lamplight as they fall on the desk like a curtain, preventing anyone from seeing what she's doing.

Because, unlike Lunasa, this lady knows she's being watched. Her ears, long slender and pointy, twitch as the camera moves around; she even goes as far as to shift her weight around in her chair, angling her back so it's always facing the viewpoint and nothing else. Watching her do something so childish gets a giggle out of me, and the way the magic seems to focus on her shifting hips and ass is appealing in its own way.

But we're distracting her, it seems, and eventually it becomes too much to bear. She throws her head back with a grunt of frustration, letting her pen clatter on the desk as she takes a break from writing and thwarting her audience. It's a bit annoying when the camera decides to focus on her work instead of her, but then I actually see what she spent so much time on.

Even if it's only an ink sketch, it's remarkably well done. Hatate Himekaidou is staring right back at me, lust shining in her eyes as she puts her body on full display. She's nude, small droplets of sweat dotting her skin, and her long legs are spread apart, showing off firm, juicy thighs. Her hands snake beneath the crooks of her knees, and I can see just how detailed she's drawn her fingers and petals. Girl knows what she likes.

But then the camera spins back to the woman herself, and the real thing blows the sketch out of the water. Hatate hasn't moved an inch from her chair, but now that I'm looking at her head on, I'm drawn to her partly unbuttoned blouse and the barest inch of black fabric underneath. It's deliciously sinful, the way the camera focuses on those long, perfectly manicured fingers, as Hatate trails them up her body and towards those last few buttons. A few quick pinches and they come undone revealing a pair of perky tits, clad in an intricately lacy bra.

Hatate's whimpers are terribly cute as she teases herself with one hand, cupping her left breast while the other pulls on her clothing. A few adjustments with the hem of her shirt reveal a flat, pale stomach, and for a moment I have the urge to lick it all over, and swirl my tongue around her navel. But then her legs rise up, and our viewpoint has to back away to make room; two loud *thunks* cut through the silence as Hatate raises, and rests, her feet on the desk.

The position of her arms might be different, and she might be wearing clothes, but Hatate's in the same pose as her sketch now, lusty eyes and smile all. And with a coy wink, she makes the effort to hitch up her checkered mini-skirt, letting it hang loosely around her tummy while revealing her loins to the world.

Her dripping, dildo-stuffed loins, covered by black panties so soaked they look like they're about to rip apart. The part of her skin that's exposed is wonderfully flushed, and her entire body just screams 'ready for fun'. The crass display of lust makes me guide my own fingers to somewhere nicer, and it's only now that I realize juse how damp I am.

"I've been getting into illustration lately," she murmurs, smiling all the while. "But I've hit a roadblock. Maybe you can model for me? I promise you'll love it."

And just like that, this last video ends, leaving me hot and bothered and hungry for more. Alice is the same way too, judging by the way she clenches the blankets again and again.

"That... that was kinda blatant, huh." I state the obvious in a daze, because I can't think of anything else. I barely notice Alice gently slapping her cheek, coaxing some sense back into herself, and as the video replays itself in my head my heart beats a hard and fast stacatto in my chest; I'm so caught up in my fantasies that it's only Alice forcing the pamphlet into my hands that brings me back.

Alice closes her eyes and clears her throat, then starts speaking from memory. "One of these four ladies will be your companion for the night. Due to the nature of your visit, Ma'am, we ask that you choose one foreplay and sexual act each, which will be shown on the pamphlet after your decision. Furthermore, the Lotus Pavilion offers complimentary aids and medications for your pleasure, which will be listed as well after your choice in activities. Please feel free to take your time, and craft your perfect rendezvous."

Well. Well well well...

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

This has to be how they hook in repeat customers; it's too damn hard to just pick one. Still, I'm not a paying customer yet so I shouldn't complain. Who should I spend my evening with?

[ ]Yuuka Kazami
[ ]Komachi Onozuka
[ ]Lunasa Prismriver
[ ]Hatate Himekaidou

[x]Komachi Onozuka

I'm curious of their past, and plus it's Komachi.

[x]Alice Margatroid
[ ]Komachi Onozuka

I suppose it's too late to back out now, but I can't help but think this is a really bad idea. When your ex-girlfriend offers you one of her co-workers to bone, you run the hell away. This isn't going to help our relationship any, and you'd think Marisa is mature enough to realize that a one-night stand with a prostitute isn't going to make her feel better. Or maybe she isn't, and that's the whole point.

In any case I'm going to abstain from voting this time around. Sorry if this came off as rude.

>>37658
See, the thing is... nobody involved here is normal, and none of the other parties are human.

Most real-life experiences are going to be inapplicable.

(Also, it lives!)

[X]Yuuka Kazami

I guess I'm in the mood for bondage.

[X]Lunasa Prismriver

(Probably) Pissing against the tide. Oh well.
Welcome back.

[X]Yuuka Kazami

[ ]Lunasa Prismriver

Something tells me this won't be the last time we come to the Pavillion, and Lunasa is apparently rare.

Oh, and even if it is, she needs someone to HUG HER.

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

I'm probably alone in this one, but Hataters just comes off as fun.

[X]Komachi Onozuka
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

[ ]Lunasa Prismriver

I'm gonna rain on the parade and ask why are we spending so much time/words in /at/ material when there was a perfectly good story going on already.

[x] Yuuka Kazami
Eh.

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

Voting for surprise dom option.

>>37670

Because that's how the votes went?

[※]Lunasa Prismriver
Because sad girls call out to my heart.

"Hey again guys - since we're doing multi-round voting, I figured it'd be best if we sped up the process just a tad. So you have one more day to vote on our favorite girls!"

>>37658
>>37670


"Trying to look at it objectively - you're right, this is kinda an iffy plan. I got... swept up in the moment.

"All the same, you guys - or the majority of you guys, at any rate - did vote on it, and unlike with the visit to the Pavilion itself, it didn't seem... important enough, I guess, to veto it. Especially since a few of the readers got so pissed when I made that executive decision."

"As an aside, he current breakdown's like this:

Komachi: 4 votes
Lunasa: 4 votes
Yuuka: 3 votes
Hatate: 2 votes

"Which, to be frank, I wasn't expecting at all. People just like sad girls in snow, eh?

"Still, it means that things are still literally neck and neck, so if you haven't voted yet, or want to change votes, please go right on ahead."

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

[x] Hatate Himekaidou, because getting on a reporter's good side could help promote our school.

>>37678

Good thinking.

>>37675

>Hata-tan's losing face

Somehow, this just makes me want her even more. Weird. And as one who voted for Marisa to take Alice up on her offer, I stand by my vote. The poor woman needs to unwind a bit. And I think that this is Alice's way of reaching out in a strange sense.

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

[x]Hatate Himekaidou for the reason stated above.

[x] Komachi Onozuka

I can't not vote Komachi.

[※]Lunasa Prismriver
Marisa needs practice cheering up sad girls.

>>37684

It was just a video promo. I doubt she's ACTUALLY sad.

>>37680

"Not weird at all! Everyone knows that crazy chicks are the best in the sack. And that picture has just the right amount of despair, rage, and lust.

"I'd be mighty grateful if you could elaborate on what you mean, though - that is, about Alice trying to reach out to me."

>>37685

"I'd claim that my bullshit detector didn't go off when I was watching her - which is true - but like I said earlier, I don't interact with Lunasa enough to have a good read on her.

"Still, even if she isn't sad girl moe, it's not like she'd pull a complete 180 on me. That's just dishonest, and clients don't like dishonest ladies of the night. It's bad for business all around. Worse to worst, I'll just figure out what really makes her tick."

>>37655
[x]Lunasa Prismriver

[x] Lunasa Prismriver

I'll vote for the rare one, I guess.

>>37691

Elaboration? Dunno if I can put words to it. It's just her trying to show what she does, and why it's fundamentally harmless. That sort of thing. Kind of a direct explanation of her choices.

[x] Komachi Onozuka

[x]Hatate Himekaidou

>>37655
[O]Lunasa Prismriver

>>37655
[x]Hatate Himekaidou

>>37675
[X]Yuuka Kazama

>>37655
Since I cannot into Komachi, I shall instead into Hatate

[x] Hatate

>>37694
>>37707
You only get one vote, pal.

Ok what the fuck. That is seriously like...a fuckton of votes. You sure are popular Marisa.

Lunasa's tempting - her sadness, her slender form... If nothing else, I really do want to see what makes her tick. To turn that frown upside down, as the saying goes, before she moans my name to the heavens.

But... that'd take more than one visit, I think. And after all this exhaustion I just want to spend some time with a fun-loving girl, and waste the hours away. Yuuka, and Komachi are nice, too, but I just have way too much baggage with them to enjoy some mindless fun.

So I tap my finger against Hatate's name, and that's that.

And just like Alice said, the names fade away, revealing acts and drugs galore. The former's pretty cut and dry, thankfully, but the latter...

I turn my head to Alice for an explanation, and... she's vanished while I wasn't paying attention. Was I really that lost in thought?

Still, at least the pamphlet's giving me instructions. All I have to do is pick what I like.

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

Valued Client, below is a list of activities that you and your chosen companion may enjoy together. We ask that you only choose one from each list:

[ ]Massage
[ ]Hot Springs
[ ]Drinks and Games
--------------------
[ ]Oral
[ ]Vaginal
[ ]Anal


Furthermore, we have a collection of complimentary enhancers for your enjoyment. We only ask that you choose up to two from this list:

[ ]Lactation Inducer
[ ]Phallic Synthesizer
[ ]Aphrodisiac
[ ]Energy Drink
[ ]Sensitivity Oil

>>37715
Marisa, why do you like sad girls in snow so much?

[x]Drinks and Games Drinking games!
[x]Vaginal
----
[ ]Lactation Inducer- Should have chosen Keine

[x]Phallic Synthesizer- So it makes Phallic music? How does that work? This requires a home test.

[ ]Aphrodisiac- Marisa would explode

[x]Energy Drink- Not as good as mushrooms, oats, but will do

[ ]Sensitivity Oil- Marisa would explode

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Vaginal

[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Sensitivity Oil

I'd rather see Hatate coming over and over than something just longer.

>>37712
Sorry, I voted the first time and it gave me some error, so I waited a while and tried again, and here we are.

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Vaginal

[x]Sensitivity Oil

Count me as one who's enjoying this direction, too. Sexuality's a great story vehicle and doesn't need to be confined to all-ero /at/ stuff!

"Something I forgot to mention - I'll be counting the votes for acts together, but the drugs separately.

"That means, if Person A votes for Drinking and Games, and Vaginal, while Person B votes for Drinking and Games, and Oral, then that's two votes for Drinking and one vote each for Oral and Vaginal.

"However, if Person A votes for the Phallic Synthesizer and the Sensitivity Oil, while Person B just votes for the Sensitivity Oil, that's two different votes, and they're not added together."

>>37713

"I'm blonde and hot. Of course I'm popular!

But more seriously - it's sex. Of course people will be interested. It's the lowest common denominator, after all. I fear the day when I'm about to hook up with one of my actual love interests."

>>37716

"Sad girls... well, I like making people happy. And knowing you brought such a bright, gorgeous smile to such a pretty girl - wouldn't that make anyone's heart flutter?

"Plus, sad girls in snow shouldn't be sad. It's correcting an error in the universe, I say!"

>[ ]Lactation Inducer- Should have chosen Keine

"Keine was a choice from the very beginning! The notion of a student-teacher romance was just too good to not entertain. It's just that no one was interested in her, so... yeah. She kinda fell by the wayside."

>Marisa would explode

"Toots, you have no idea how explosive I can be."

>>37717

"Well, as far as I can tell - there's nothing that actually says I'd be the one taking the drugs. Maybe I'm supposed to discuss it with Hatate, or she takes them all, or - I got nothing. It'll be a surprise, at least."

>>37719

"Well, so long as it's an honest mistake! Not like it really mattered, in the end; a lot of people liked Hata-Tan, apparently!"

>>37722

"Glad to see you're enjoying yourself over there! Let's hope Hatate and I can put on a good show."

[ ]DRINKS ANDTHE GAME[s]S/s]
[ ]Vaginal (and lovin' too)
[ ]Phallic Synthesizer
[ ]Energy Drink

>>37724
*Komachi loses the Game, again*

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Vaginal
[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Energy Drink

[x]Drinks and Games
[X]Anal
[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Sensitivity Oil

NO PAIN NO GAIN.

[x]Drinks and Games
[X]Anal
[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Energy Drink

[x]Drinks and Games
[X]Anal
[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Sensitivity Oil

I like this idea.

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Vaginal
[x]Energy Drink
[x]Sensitivity Oil


I am personally gunning for something done in mid-air. Why? Just because.

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Anal
[x]Phallic Synthesizer
[x]Aphrodisiac

Hey, Marisa, are you a top or a bottom?

[x] Drinks and Games
[x] Vaginal
[x] Phallic Synthesizer
[x] Sensitivity Oil

Hatate seems like the kind of person who'd enjoy some drinking and lewd contests. Also seems like we should get as much out of this was we can, and I think vaginal and futa would be good for that. Sensitivity boosting should be fun too, no matter who gets the penis.

Okay, let' see now...

[c]Massage.
[c]Vaginal.
[c]Aphrodisiac.
[c]Sensitivity Oil.

I really hope that after this, Marisa needs to continue her (mis)adventures around Gensokyo with her leotard-clad apprentice. Also, Maribel's backstory when?

>>37726
But of course!

[x]Drinks and Games
[x]Vaginal
[x]Energy Drink
[x]Sensitivity Oil

"Just like before, I'll be closing votes a tad early; you guys have one more day to close votes, so hurry up and get them in!"

>>37731

"I've tried mid-air sex, and it's not all it's cracked up to be. You really do need a third person to take care of the actual, you know, flight, or else you just tend to crash into a tree or the ground right before you hit your peak."

>>37732

"I'm whatever feels good at the time, of course! Whether that's top or bottom depends on my partner and my energy."

>>37735

"I do have tomorrow off after this night with Hatate, so who knows? Maybe I could train 'Suzu some more."

>>37726
>>37736

"You two lost me. Fill a pal in?"

>>37740
What it you sat side saddle on a broom, while a nice lady sat in your lap or stood up on the broom?
>>37740
Do you have any prior experience with ladies growing phalluses and did you hang wet lingerie from them to dry?

[X]Drinking and Games
[X]Anal
[X]Phallic Synthesizer
[X]Sensitivity Oil

>>37740
I think the general implication is that Komachi doesn't win votes in most things.

[x]Massage
[x]Anal
[x]Lactation Inducer
[x]Sensitivity Oil

Countervoting, mostly, to drum up interest in other things. Oil+Massage is fantastic, after all.

"And with votes counted, it looks like Hatate and I are going to get buzzed and mash our groins together and wow that sounds hilariously terrible when I put it like that.

"Still, the sensitivity oil and... 'phallic synthesizer' might help us out. How does the last one even work anyways?"

>>37741

"What tends to happen is that either my partner falls off, or we start corkscrewing straight into the ground. Maybe there's a way to make sex on a broom enjoyable, but I sure as hell haven't found it."

>Do you have any prior experience with ladies growing phalluses and did you hang wet lingerie from them to dry?

"Not quite sure what you mean there."

>>37745

"Thanks for trying, at least. Every vote needs a good tide pisser or two!"

Where's the update?

>>37853
It'll come eventually, Marisa tends to take a while to update.

>>37853
>>37854

I am so, so sorry for how long this took. Writing erotica is a lot harder than I thought it'd be. And the hangover didn't help any.

Still, I hope you guys enjoyed what little I was able to put down onto paper!

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

When I make my choices, it's morbid curiosity that guides me more than anything else. Curiosity about what is completely beyond me, but I've never been one to sit in some dark forgotten corner and brood. So as the sparks of magic tickle my fingers, and the parchment in my hands displays a classy thank-you message, I close my eyes and rest my weary tush.

The Pavilion doesn't spare any expense - these beds are really, amazingly comfortable. The mattress might be a bit too hard for some chumps, but it has just the right amount of give for me. The sheets aren't half bad either, soft silk that's just warm; comforting, even. Though there aren't any windows here, the room doesn't feel stuffy at all; I'd pay good money to buy the bed outright. Or maybe just rent it out. They... probably do that...

But soon enough I can't breathe at all, and it's only after my eyes are wide open and I'm spluttering that I realize I'd dozed off. The room is as dim and cozy as ever, and I'm a bit too preoccupied with getting sweet, sweet air in to notice my new, uh. Companion. Yeah, companion.

"You scratch like a bitch, you know that? And I say that in the meanest possible way." Hatate teases while I rub my eyes awake. It takes a bit before all the blurriness is gone, but once it is I can see a few faint red marks alongside her arm. I'd probably be more mortified if I couldn't still feel how she pinched my nose in my sleep.

Still, as a paying customer, I have the luxury of being miffed, and thus I... luxuriate. With a grumpy huff, blonde hair, and crossed arms, I'm the picture perfect of a prissy princess~

But Hatate doesn't buy it at all, and just flings a wet, warm towel at my face. But I misspeak - it's more damp then wet per se, and like everything else in this place, it's wonderfully comforting.

A bit too big, though - sure, it's washing away all my fatigue, but it looks like it's more of a towel for bathing than face cleansing. It's white, because of course it is, but it's terribly thick too. I can feel trails of droplets running down my neck and underneath my clothing, and any bit of pressure causes it to start dripping down onto the blankets.

It's not like I have to deal with the cleanup, so I really shouldn't mind. Though now I'm left wondering what poor sod has that duty for their day job. Having to deal with all those scents and sights - here's hoping they get an employee discount.

It's only when I hear clinking glass and flowing booze that I manage to roll myself out of bed. But I'm not exactly in my Sunday best; with all the stains and scuffles in my outfit, I'm feeling just a mite out of place. It's easy to keep things clean with magic, but - maybe I should focus on looking a little nicer. Or at least have whites that are actually white.

When I finally pull my head out of my ass, I'm a bit relieved to know that going casual's still in fashion. Hatate's blouse is pretty well made, not to mention pretty, but it's nothing particularly extravagant - just simple white cloth, buttons and breast pocket at all. Her skirt's the same way, the only thing making it stand out is the black and purple dyes for the cute checkered pattern. But Hatate wears it well... or maybe just seductively. Leaving a few buttons undone is an oldy but a goody, and even in the flickering candlelight I can see the her the top of her soft, respectable breasts - and what appears to be a lack of a bra. The skirt's deliciously short, too, and her black stockings make for a yummy contrast with her pillowy and milky thighs.

But while ogling is fun, I can think of a couple things that are a bit more enjoyable. So I sit my plump ass down on a cushioned chair, stretch out my arms and legs, and smile at a pixie face and purple eyes.

"You know, you're not supposed to fall asleep until after you cum. Did Alice tire you out that much?" The only thing that keeps Hatate's words from being a cruel mockery is the jovial tone in her voice - unlike the sultriness in her little advertisement, Hatate just sounds... airy? Light? I was never good at describing things. Enjoyable, I suppose!

"We had a lot of sexual tension, is all. A couple of drinks and I'll be raring to go, trust me." I brush off her gentle needling like it's nothing, taking in the sights and smells of drinks being poured. You know it's the good stuff when you can smell that itchy, burning scent from across the table; people who drink for the flavor are suckers.

Once she's poured for both of us, I take the saucer in one hand and raise it to my lips. Hatate does the same, too, but there's a dangerous, hungry look in her eyes as she glances over me. For my part, I pretend to not notice, and simply enjoy the way the candlelight shimmers off the sake.

It goes down my throat like fire, and it's only from long practice sessions with Reimu that I'm able to finish the entire saucer of booze without choking. I'm still left massaging my throat from the pain, and I could just about feel the tears collecting in my eye-corners. But the important thing is that I didn't literally choke the alcohol down, so I'll just ignore Hatate's rather fetching smirk and her stifled laughter.

Still, once the drink has settled - and my lovely companion has poured me another round - I take the time to properly appreciate the sake. Not too sweet, not too sour. A surprisingly strong burn to it, as my tears can attest! Served at a good, mellow temperature, and if there are any nuances, I wouldn't be able to say - despite all my faults, I'm not a boozehound.

A breathy, and dare I say luscious sigh pulls me from my rambling and towards the other woman in the room; Hatate must have closed her eyes to focus on the sake's flavor, and even if I can't trust my own judgment, I can trust hers; the tengu is smiling, gently smacking her pink lips and licking the excess alcohol off them. It's the good stuff - and the way she swirls her finger around the glass bottle's lid, coating it with what traces of sake remain, is just begging for some interaction.

So I interact! I gently lift her slender, damp digit with my own, and lead her ever so seductively to my mouth. I daresay that sake tastes much better when drunk off a pretty woman~ There might only a few droplets on Hatate's index finger, but I still lick from the tip to the base, and suck off as much as I can.

If there's a blush on my cheeks by the end, it's because of the booze, honest to gods. And certainly not because Hatate decided to give her finger a tonguebath right after I did! Though it is a surprisingly flexible tongue, and my free hand may be drifting downwards without my permission.

"So, Hatate." I begin, doing my best to lean back and act like I'm not crossing my thighs to ease the ache. "What kind of games do you have in mind? Strip poker?" I didn't come here to drink my sorrows away after all, and even if flirting is fun, it's also terribly exhausting. A nice, sexy game to loosen us both up sounds perfect.

"Isn't that a bit cliché, Marisa?" Hatate fires back, and I have to resist the burning need to get up and gesture at my terribly cliché witching outfit. Still, she's mum on any of her own ideas, so for a few minutes we simply sip our drinks, enjoy the atmosphere, and play footsies underneath the table.

Hatate's the first one to break the silence, and I finally understand why Reimu gets chills when I smile a certain way. "'Never Have I Ever' - have you ever played it, Marisa?"

But I smile back just as serenely, because I just can't resist. "'Never Have I Ever' played Never Have I Ever. Take a shot, Hata-tan~"

The scowl on her face is just so deliciously pouty, and it makes me wish I had a camera, or at least borrowed Aya's. Hatate's a good sport though, and simply, if glumly, takes in a mouthful of sake.

But instead of taking her own turn in our little drinking game, Hatate reached down under the table to do... something. I couldn't tell what at first, but since my feet were squeezing on her plump thighs, it didn't take long to figure out what she was up to. She spared me the indignity of tickling me, thank heavens, but I still had to shift around a bit to make room for her pretty hands; I even helped her strip off those tight, silky stockings, hooking my toes around the band and pulling.

Feeling Hatate's long legs flex and twitch under me was quite the pleasure, and carelessly tossing her clothing to the corner was even more fun. There was a fire in Hatate's eyes now, as she stared and pondered on what to say; luckily for me, I had way more articles of clothing than she did. This'll be a cinch!

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

"Never Have I Ever... had sex while flying."

It was a good thing I had stopped nursing my drink, or else I'd have sputtered all over Hatate. Sitting across from each other was just too impersonal for either of our liking, so naturally we decided to sit together at the head of the bed. As it was, my face was contorted in a visage of shock, pure shock I say - even if a part of me was enjoying the other girl's mirth.

"How - how have you never tried that?" Everyone flew in the 'Soak. Sex while flying was like, like - murdering someone, or getting absolutely smashed your first time. It was a rite of passage!

And Hataters, poor innocent Hataters, just Hatates like it ain't no thing. "My wings get too sore when I'm having sex on the ground, you know? Everyone's always rough and makes me lie down and my feathers get too rustled."

"...But unless they're fucking you like into a sheer cliff wall it's okay isn't it? 'Cause, you know, the air."

The space around us grows terribly contemplative, as Hatate, impaired as she is by our drink, tries her best to make sense of my gospel. In the meantime, I enjoy me my delicious, nutritious eyecandy; it's been quite a few rounds since we started, and by now both of us were in our undies. Hatate's were a gorgeous black ensemble, all frilly and tight against her white skin. And kinda skimpy - it really looked like she was going commando earlier! She smelled nice, too, and I couldn't help but giggle and slide my hand against her soft, curvy body.

But maybe I was getting too grabby, because another pouty 'Hmph' echoed into my ear. "Hey, don't change the subject! Drink up and strip down, Marisa!"

I could lie! I did lie a couple times, denying acts I totally and shamelessly performed, and Hatate humored me to keep our game going. Girl was surprisingly vanilla, or maybe just a better liar than I. Even though she was wearing so much less than I was, I only got her to take off her blouse and her skirt. Hatate, on the other hand, stripped me of my everything, leaving me bare and helpless against her lustful gaze. All I had left was my own underwear - and that wasn't gonna last for long.

I lingered, languished, and... lethargiced, but eventually Hatate's prying hands were too much for me. I could feel those dexterous fingers rub against my back, hooking into my bra strap and giving me a few sharp, elastic snaps. Each pull and release demanded that I mock-moaned in pleasure, but it wasn't enough to fool my partner a bit. The gasps and whimpers when she assaulted my neck were a different story; Hatate's lips weren't wind-chafed at all, and feeling her warm softness press against my own felt... more than good. It was comforting.

So when she savagely tore my bra off, how could I resist? Plus, it made the punishment booze for being a complete deviant taste all the sweeter.

I hoped I wasn't an ugly drunk. Some people just get the worst red splotches everywhere, with their faces all slackened and completely unappealing. Girls like Reimu or Hatate - they were pretty drunks, with a warm, rosy glow everywhere, everything about them screaming enjoyment and happiness and life.

Or maybe I'm just a jealous drunk. I mean, I get that Hatate's a youkai so rules don't apply, but even after probably a gazillion years she's still banging. There's no justice in the world, she can date all the cute teenagers she wants while I'd get so much shit if I was the tiniest bit older and still wanted Kosu - oh hey there's an idea.

"Ehehehehe. Never Have I Ever been sexually interested in someone ten years younger than me." BOOM. Perfect. Hatate's 'Oh that's bullshit' look is just the best, with that half scowlsmirk and the way she's barely resisting the urge to compliment my amazing skill at deviancy identification.

But when she undoes her twintails as a forfeit like a hack I have to resist giving her my own 'Oh that's bullshit' look. Because I undid my hair-ribbon too and she allowed it. Not that it makes her look bad - the opposite, really! Her hair's delightful and fluffy, and the way it naturally gravitates towards the 'hair covering one eye' style makes her look both hilarious and smoldering. Everyone likes a touch of mystique, and having part of your face covered by your hair is much better than being half-framed in the shadow.

She has to do a hair flip to make sure it doesn't get into her drinking saucer either, which is just the best. My grin is as wide and content as can be~!

"Never Have I Ever been sexually attracted to someone ten years older than me. I win, Marisa."

...Never have I ever seen someone look so damn smug while three-quarters naked. She's exulting in her victory.

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

When Hatate orders me to get up and stay still, my pride demands that I at least humor her - and I have to admit, being so closely examined by someone is a thrill all its own. That the tengu takes her sweet-ass time makes it even better; I curl my toes into the carpet whenever she leans closer, gentle fingers daintily brushing against my skin.

There are places she focuses on more than others, of course; my front isn't up to snuff compared to other girls I know, but Hatate just seems positively fascinated by my full rear. I can't stop squealing whenever she gives me a love tap, and that tell-tale burning on my face appears when she progresses to outright kneading. I have enough practice to avoid getting weak at the knees, though; instead, I just lean backwards into Hatate's squishy tits and let her support my weight. Her warm, strong hands sink into my ass now that I'm pushing back into her, and all that extra pressure and pleasure is slowly flowing into me with each rhythmic squeeze.

It's not bad, not at all; Hatate's breaths, these short and airy puffs, leave a nice tickling as they brush against my neck, while the kisses she peppers over me just spark and tingle. I play my part like a pro, letting out breathless sighs and throaty moans when her hands start to wander. One starts to cradle my hip, almost encouraging me to sway to an imagined beat, while the other reaches around to toy with both my entrance and my slick, hot thighs.

I crane my head to look at her, and she does the same for me. And we both start to laugh, because our little dance seems like something out of a bad romance. But it's nice all the same, even when I start to feel something hot and throbbing rub up against my back, and hear Hatate groan as she starts rocking her hips. Not that I have much experience with cock, and maybe it's the alcohol talking, but it's certainly enjoyable.

Alas, our moment of bonding under the candlelight's not meant to last; even if - hell, because I'm already ready, our little game just has to continue. We have one last toy with which to play, after all~ So Hatate breaks away from me, our sweaty skin making us shine in the warm, shadowy light; and I can't bring myself to care about the lack of skinship, because the sight of her breaths steal mine away. Slowly and methodically, her gorgeous breasts gently rise and fall, tiny trails running down her swells and into that delectable cleavage. And her smile - there's a humor there, the slightest edge of teasing that makes it all the more exciting.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a small calligraphy brush lying on top of a saucer. A third one, I mean - not the saucers we were using earlier. It's such a delicate, stereotypical thing - lacquered wood, silken bristles... I don't know whether to be entertained or disappointed that Hatate won't be using her hands to oil me up. It's just so... classy.

"I hope you don't mind if I take my time with this, Marisa," Hatate's in complete control right now, and her throaty, almost condescending tone makes me want to helplessly sigh. So as always, I play along, and bashfully cover myself as best I can - which isn't much. My thighs are just far too slick to hide my arousal, and when I cross them to look more demure an echoing, wet squish fills the air.

I don't need to fake a blush this time, and a few embarrassed giggles come out of me before I can help myself. "Well... I guess it's pretty obvious I'm enjoying myself, huh?" I murmur back, and when I move my hand to try and wipe away my juices, all I accomplish is leaving thick, sticky trails all over my fingers. They're warm, and I play with it as I always do, and I'm just a bit too engrossed to notice Hatate's next actions.

She gives me just a single gentle shove, and I'm left flat on my ass as I fall onto the bed. The mattress feels softer than ever now that my legs have turned into jelly, and it's just too damn comfortable to bother getting up. The ceiling's all I can see from my angle, but that's perfectly fine; I can still hear Hatate slowly getting rid of all her clothing, and in the meantime my hands... wander, as they so often do.

Closing my eyes comes natural to me whenever I start teasing this and that, and a few gentle scratches around my nipples helps start me off. It's ticklish, and just a bit painful, but I can still feel my body start to flex and curl up from the pleasure. The hisses of breath I let out just seem so vulgar now, echoing in my ears as loudly as the pounding in my chest... Hatate's moans of approval don't break through to me at all, but a short, hot puff of air against my thighs certainly does. Gods, I'm glad I didn't kick her when I flinched.

Hatate lingers between my legs, letting me get used to her gentle breathing across my skin. Her hair's a lot softer than I gave it credit for; it doesn't tickle at all when she moves herself around, and instead it feels... well, like silk. Or a brush, a hundred tiny frictions that linger against my skin and make me resist the urge to buck. She takes it all in stride, though, letting me rest my weary legs on those slim, pale shoulders. And when I squeeze my thighs tighter to trap her... I feel something burning hot and wet press into my skin.

"You don't mind, do you Marisa?" Hatate teases me like a monster as she slowly nibbles my thighs, soft lips using just enough pressure to force me into a shudder. "I just can't coat you like this. And just wiping you clean is too boring..." She trails off while her kisses trail on, her cheeks and nose getting smeared all over. If she's trying to clean me up she's doing a terrible job; not that I mind. The small hints of moisture on the drier parts of my legs make me tingle, and the gentle kisses and barest love bites force me to take big and slow breaths. In and out, in and out.

Not that it helps once she uses that tongue of hers. I clench my teeth tight shut to keep from mewling like some innocent virgin, but it's just been too long since I felt soft lips and a strong tongue. Hatate never lingers in one place as she methodically licks me clean; her tongue darts in and out, lapping up just enough of me to make me curl my toes and silently whimper.

Still, she avoids my ladyhood, and keeps to her premise of cleaning me up. I'm only almost disappointed - almost, because I have an inkling of what comes next. My arousal doesn't die at all when she pulls away from me; I make her work for it, though, and I giggle when Hatate struggles so daintily to escape my thighs without hurting me.

My entire body's turned into so much mush, so all I can do is feel my heart pounding against my chest, and the trails of sweat that are running down all over me. Everything feels so warm now, and even moving just an inch makes the sheets cling and linger on my back. Hatate's humming sweet nothings as she goes to get what I assume to be the sensitivity oil, and I can't help but keep my eyes on her - and on the hot, throbbing thing between her legs. It just looks so... comical, seeing the thick thing drip and sway with each sashaying step. Hatate's even leaving a trail of droplets behind her, staining the luxurious carpet underneath, and a part of me just dies at the idea of having to clean up the room afterwards.

The rest of me just gets giddy when Hatate comes back, balancing a small saucer of oil on outstretched fingers - not a drop is spilled before she finally sets it on the nightstand. Good thing, too; it'd be too much of a waste. I take just a bit too long to prop myself up; it's a bit harder than usual, since my entire body's just turned into so much mush. And Hatate just sits there, flashing me warm smiles and swirling the oil about with slender nails. Before pushing me back down as soon as I'm up.

Pomf! Hatate follows me down right after, her hot, soft body splayed right on top of mine. Her heart's going at a nice, steady beat, and her hot little breaths tickle my ear in just the right way. It's... comforting; her weight, I mean. Hatate's just so warm, and the way she smiles against the side of my head just makes me tingle a bit. So I wiggle, arcing my back to feel her firm chest with mine own, and she wriggles back, scooting up bit by bit until my mouth was filled with her breasts, and her spanking new cock was pressed against my thigh.

"H-hey," I mewled into her, and isn't that a stereotype in and of itself? But it's nice being on the bottom sometimes, feeling someone's warm, gentle weight press onto me. It's comforting. "What... what about the oil? The brush?" I can feel my face flush, the pins and needle prickling all against my cheeks, and Gods, I could just die.

And Hatate's throaty chuckle made my everything melt. And, well... the way she shook those wide hips helped too. "I changed my mind, Marisa." She casually declared, and I didn't have room to squirm at all when she swung her hand out to grab the saucer of oil, and poured it right into my cleavage.

I'll admit it. I screamed. The oil lived up to its name, and feeling a liquid fire run down my body was just too much. It was too concentrated - and at first, it was on the cusp of hurting me. But then Hatate started moving again, using her entire body to slowly spread the oil around, giving both our fronts a nice, even coating.

It was so, so slick. Every movement Hatate made was slow and deliberate, and the low grunts she made only made me groan back in response. Everywhere, I could feel Hatate's skin, that hot, gentle friction, slowly giving way to a wet and slippery grinding. That gorgeous skin of hers was shining now, and her squishy, hot tits pressing everywhere into me was... amazing.

But what felt even better was the throbbing, aching thing pressing into my tummy. Each little pulse of heat and blood was just so close to my entrance that I wanted to slam my thighs together - or spread 'em further, I'm still not sure. I could feel a... a stickiness, coming out from her tip, and the way it smeared with the oil left my belly button filled with - spunk, I guess?

And slowly, ever so slowly, Hatate made her way back down, shaking her hips all the while. I couldn't resist resting my hands on 'em, and the soft smacking of flesh on flesh right against my soaked thighs made me clench up everywhere. And when she prodded into me just a bit, parting my sensitive lips...

Well, I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll go into any more detail. A proper lady never fucks and tells~

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

I wake up, as I usually do, with a huge hangover, completely naked, and on the couch in my house; the soreness in between my legs is new, though. Well, not really, considering Alice, but - hmm, how do I put it, what's the term - Jamais vu? The feeling you get when you experience something familiar and it feels new. Regardless, it takes me a moment to realize that I did, in fact, pass out away from my house, and then I resolve to never consider who was the poor sod who dragged me back home. Because then I'd be obligated to beat her up for not dressing me.

It's the silver linings that matter the most when everything is dizzy and just too much, and I'm a lot more pleased then I ought to be when I see my witching outfit all nice and pressed on the coffee table. The little white letter on top did seem a bit out of place, but I needed a goddamn shower first. I smelled like massage oil, and a couple spells to get rid of the hickeys was a must.

There was a weight off my shoulders, I won't lie. I was dancing on air all the way back to my living room to dress up, and reading the little note only made my day brighter. Even if it was complete chicken-scratch. No wonder the tengu use typewriters.

Marisa,

You're a pretty fun drunk, you know that? And I say that having drank with oni - which isn't saying much when you think about it. They can put it away, sure, but they're just a mite too energetic for me.

Whoops, I'm digressing. I wasn't expecting too much when I offered - just wanted to add another notch to my belt, you know how it is. But, you're pretty good. Also you talk in your sleep; good thing you were in the Pavilion, or I'd spill what you said to everyone~

So, thanks for the night. I enjoyed myself! And if you ever wanted to visit me again, I wouldn't mind at all. Might even give you a discount if you play your cards right.

-Your Hata-tan

P.S. Coming up with date ideas is a bitch and a half, isn't it? So here's a little something something exotic for ya. Use it wisely! Or just burn it on me, I don't mind.

What girl wouldn't flutter her heart at reading that? And her little gift was just as nice: a pair of all day passes to the Tengu Village. No restrictions, no questions asked. And sure, I've seen where they've lived from a bird's eye view, but everyone was curious to see what it was like on the ground floor. Even if it was just like any other Village, it'd certainly be an experience.

I ought to thank Hatate somehow. Maybe with an exclusive interview? Or busting out a page from my blackmail book and handing it over. Decisions, decisions.

And speaking of - I did promise Byakuren and Akyuu that I'd go talk to the parents of my cute little students, but it could wait. Indefinitely, if I felt like being a dick. I felt giddy today, it's true, so maybe I wasn't thinking with my head, but I did have all day to do things. And it was pretty early in the morning~

So, where to now?

[ ]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

[ ]Suzunaan. She'd still be asleep, the poor thing, but I do have things I need to do at the library. Like see if any of my books were checked out. Or draw lesson plans. Or draw on Kosuzu, that's an option too.

[ ]My students' houses. In retrospect I prooobably should have asked their folks for addresses when they signed up, but the village isn't that big. It'd be nice to get this out of the way and move on to more fun things. And just... walk around in the streets of my youth. Relax. Mingle with the common folk.

[ ]Myouren Temple. If I'm getting an influx of students, I'm probably going to need a helping hand, and smoothing things over with the good and wholesome Lady Hijiri would absolutely help. Plus, I still want some magic lessons from her!

[ ]Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

[X]Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

[X]Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

The harem route is the only route.

[x]Myouren Temple.

We need more Byakuren in our lives.

[x]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

Chilling out with old friends, getting a relaxed eyeful of shrine maiden... good times.

Also: that was hot. Well done.

[x] Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

Nothing's better than chilling out with hot Miko.

[X]Suzunaan.

Because sleepy, cute Kosuzu. I want more Byakuren too, but we're not exactly operating during business hours, are we?

[x]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

>I even helped her strip off those tight, silky stockings
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

But in all seriousness, it was good, even if you cut it off just when it was getting really good.

[x]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing. 

>>37864

Well, they were playing a strip drinking game. That kinda requires taking clothes off.

[x]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

Not bad, but you shouldn't invoke the Lotus Pavillion without being prepared for the full results.

[x]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

[x]Suzunaan. She'd still be asleep, the poor thing, but I do have things I need to do at the library. Like see if any of my books were checked out. Or draw lesson plans. Or draw on Kosuzu, that's an option too.

This story does not have nearly enough adorable librarian.

[x]Myouren Temple. If I'm getting an influx of students, I'm probably going to need a helping hand, and smoothing things over with the good and wholesome Lady Hijiri would absolutely help. Plus, I still want some magic lessons from her!

Because the world needs to know what Byakuren does as a wizard.

[x] Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

Honestly, that was...kind of boring. Should have gone with Yuuka. That would have at least been interesting.

>>37857
[x]Suzunaan. Or draw on Kosuzu, that's an option too.

Get the sharpies out

[X]Hakurei Shrine. Knowing her, she's probably gotten the seeds but hasn't planted a single one yet. Maybe I could go and help her out with that! Annnd talk about the whole 'human/youkai student mix' thing.

Alas, Marisa, you have forgotten the cardinal rule of birds (it's a pun):

"Nobody eats a crow, it's a garbage bird."

>>37859

"Ehehe. Yeah, I definitely wouldn't mind ending up in a threesome. It'd be a rush like little else, and making two people happy is way better than just making one girl happy, right?

"'Course, the other girls would need to like each other, too. Or at least have some chemistry. Reimu and Akyuu don't really interact much, and Miko and Kosuzu don't seem like they'd have anything in common - just as examples!"

>>37861
>>37864

"I'm glad you enjoyed it! A lot of the delay behind it was just... making my experience sound enjoyable. Having to describe myself in the heat of passion is just a mite difficult, so in the interests of time I think I'll just skip over any future scenes instead of burning two months on sex.

"Also, I helped her take off those stockings because I like playing footsies."

>>37867

"Ehhhh. I was prepared for the full results. I just wasn't prepared for writing bout it. Erotica's a lot more difficult than I thought it'd be. Sorry to get your hopes up."

>>37872

"I'll totally admit that it wasn't too titillating, but I was enjoying myself, at least! Hatate's a nice girl with nice hips, so don't be too harsh on her."

>>37873

"Sharpies? What are those? I was just gonna ink her."

[x] Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immediately shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

(Although the Suzunaan option is tempting.)

>>37878
>"Sharpies? What are those? I was just gonna ink her."
A writing instrument whose tip is a solid, "sharpened" block of felt (rather than horsehair or what-have-you). In some cultures it's become the traditional tool for drawing mustaches (etc.) on sleeping people who are too drunk to wake up.

[x] Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

I actually feel bad about that. Miko has been our biggest supporter, and then we kind of just went to her biggest rival for help. I don't regret voting for asking Byakuren to help, but I do want to make it up to Miko. I wouldn't be too upset if talking to Reimu about about our students won instead though.

[x] Senkai. Speaking of students, I should probably spend some time buying Miko's forgiveness. She was the first donator, after all, and after all her support I immeditely shacked up with her political rival. Having her actively helping would do wonders, just like Byakuren, and everyone says it's better in a three way.

Gotta stay on everyone's good side somehow, if through no other way than sheer audacity.

>>37878
>"Sharpies? What are those? I was just gonna ink her."

Are you actually a squid youkai, Marisa?

"Right, here's the customary warning. You guys get one more day before votes close! And it's pretty close to boot, so get cracking!"

>>37880

"That... that's actually a pretty cool idea for a writing instrument. Maybe a bit wasteful, though - why would use use cloth to write when you can, you know, keep it as clothing?"

>>37881
>>37882

"You're in luck then, since Miko and Reimu are pretty much neck in neck when it comes to votes! Either way, I'm sure it'll work out. Maybe. Audacity does a lot, but it can't do everything..."

>>37883

"If I was a squid youkai, you bet your sweet ass I'd be squirting all over the girls nonstop. And tentacle-ing them, too!"

I'm gonna go with Option A: the Hakurei Shrine. Reimu deserves a status report, especially since Akyuu seems to have been recruited.

Also, I noticed that about once every set change or so, Marisa or some other girl has a less-than-warm moment. This is just a theory (with a healthy dose of personal preference) but I think Lunasa's scene would've started with a shared less-than-warm moment between her and you, if that route had been chosen. Just my thoughts.

[c] Suzunaan. She'd still be asleep, the poor thing, but I do have things I need to do at the library. Like see if any of my books were checked out. Or draw lesson plans. Or draw on Kosuzu, that's an option too.

I can't choose. Damn it, there are just too many possibilities behind the votes.

>>37885
Uh, Marisa, are you by any chance a fan of Lovecraftian lore? The mental image of you handling all the ports at the same time is too hot and too sexy to handle.

"Time's up, guys, and thanks for waiting warmly! Looks like we'll be giving my Reimu an update on what's happened so far! With any luck, this won't take two months."

>>37886

"I, uh... I have no idea what you're trying to say here. That Lunasa and I would be snippy to each other if I had hooked up with her? I'm not sure why you'd prefer that, unless you just like drama. But hey, who doesn't?"

>>37897

"I know exactly how you feel, trust me. It's why I always farm out the choices to you guys! Thanks for simplifying my life in these tumultuous times~

"As for Lovecraft... well, his stories are a good read when you're in broad daylight. In public. With a hakkero in your pocket just in case. But, his works seem a little dated compared to some other horror writers - and the reoccurring image of his protagonists desperately writing how the mind-breaking monster is coming to eat them instead of, like, running or hiding or anything gets a good chuckle out of me.

"His actual magic books though... hoo boy that's some high level stuff. The Necronomicon's filled with centuries of work, and not all of it's mind breaking, evil, or mind-breakingly evil. And Kosuzu won't let me borrow it indefinitely.

"As for what I'd do with it, well... so long as I could reverse it, summoning tentacles would be pretty rad. Extra prehensile limbs? Yes please!"

>>37899 I meant you and Lunasa would both be freezing at first, that's all.

>>37900
Would she be a sad girl in snow?

>>37901 Lunasa, yes. Marisa, sort of. The "sad" part wouldn't apply, at least.

So, a) that was adorable.

But, uh, b) Murdering someone is a right of passage in Gensoukyou?

>>37899
Marisa, I am sorry, but I do not think you can be trusted with an ink shooter. Besides, someone might decide to grill your tentacles and sell them off.

>>37899

> "The Necronomicon's filled with centuries of work, and not all of it's mind breaking, evil, or mind-breakingly evil. And Kosuzu won't let me borrow it indefinitely.

Say, which copy is the Japanese translation based off of? There's the English (and expurgated) version by John Dee (1586 AD), the Greek version by Theodoras Philetas (950 AD) that Dee's was based off of, the Latin version by Olaus Wormius (1228 AD) that was also translated into German and Spanish, the original Al Azif in classic Arabic (730 AD), or the English Sussex Manuscript (1597 AD, based on the Latin version) which is even more of a ticking time bomb.

On a related tangent, does Kosuzu have a opt of the Black Sutra (In Burmese, c.700 AD, by U Pao)? Byakuren might be interested in it.

Visiting Reimu necessitates a lot more preptime than I'd like, sometimes. I mean, I never regret going, but there are so many things I have to do to put her at ease. Like actually making sure I'm clean instead of abusing magic to hell and back. Actually showering soap and all - as opposed to just jumping in and out is... it's almost a novelty at this point.

Yes, I actually take two showers before I go to Reimu. Living in the Forest of Magic is all fine and dandy, but it's not all that great on the nose. I've lived here long enough to get used to the moldy, foresty scent, but I swear that Reimu has a better sense of smell than a dog. Seeing her wrinkle her nose whenever she deigns to visit my humble adobe feels really bad... plus, I can't go visit her reeking of alcohol and sex again. The shit-eating smile that's plastered onto my face will be bad enough.

But it's not just personal freshness that matters. I have to dig out some cash from my secret stash for proper bribery donations, and keep the hakkero nice and lubed up to boot. I don't think Reimu's been in the village for a while, either, so if she's still living off of Miko's generosity then she's gonna be irritated as all get out.

Maybe I should go with two rolls of bills instead.

My flight to the shrine is thankfully silent. No crows, no fairies, no stray thunderclaps from activated spellcards. And considering that I'm just a bit too sore to ride fast, I even have time to pick up a couple fruits for Reimu and me. Mostly apples, but there are a few that are a bit more... out there. Persimmons and plums are realistic enough, but by all accounts the bananas and coconuts don't make any sense. Not that I know much about plants, but I'm pretty sure tropical fruit shouldn't be growing so healthily. Or at all.

Oddities aside, they're delish and I don't have to pay Yuuka a cent - nor interact with her a whit. I hope she's not offended I went with Hatate instead of her; considering our past and her weird thing with Alice, hanging out with her now would just feel the tiniest bit awkward.

Back to better things! I didn't pack a commandeering bag this time, so unfortunately I can't carry too much - or much at all, if I think about it. I end up having to roll 'em up in my apron to keep 'em from falling out of my grasp, and it's not a sure thing; a few of the smaller apples end up tumbling down down down, and splattering on the forest floor. Luckily, I'm in no rush at all, so I restock at my leisure until I break past the Forest and into the mountains.

Lack of speed for me means lack of booms, sonic or otherwise, so I touch down next to the lake behind the Hakurei Shrine as silent as a mouse. So silent that I don't bother Genji's sunbathing at all. So silent, in fact, that I can hear arguing in the shrine. Or maybe ranting. Reimu's being silent, and instead a distinct, rich, throaty voice is filling the air.

"Reimu, you can't waste your time forever with tea drinking and gardening," Yukari nags, and my heart instantly goes out to my red-white maiden. I can picture her with closed eyes and clenched teeth, and it's painful to see. "You should be going out there and finding a nice boy to woo! You're eighteen now, you're not getting any younger."

I'm about to rush in and play distraction when Genji crooks his head up just to shake it at me. And who am I to ignore such a wise, handsomely bearded turtle? He knows more about Reimu's troubles than I do, so it's the least I can do to pet his shell and listen to his advice.

Besides, he isn't telling me to go away, so I lean a bit forward to pick up more of Yukari's frustrations.

"I just don't understand. You're in the springtime of your youth, Reimu! You're a celebrity! You should be leveraging that into at least babymaking sex! Who wouldn't want that notch on their belt, eh?" Is that what this is about? Reimu would make a wonderful mom hands down, but I can get why she wouldn't want that yet. Babies are expensive, and the stigma of sleeping around or being a single mother wouldn't help her or her finances. Even if Reimu would look gorgeous as a mom. Yukari continues on regardless, and I can't help but wince; she only gets that guttural tone when she's really annoyed. "Gods help me Reimu, I didn't help raise you to be a pru - you're lesbian aren't you."

"Again, Yukari, I'm not lesbian." Reimu's denial comes out like a long-suffering sigh, and also she's absolutely lying, but anything to get away from a nagging parent. Not that Yukari seems to care; I can never tell if that old hag is being serious or playing things up for the sake of playing things up.

"It's perfectly fine if you are, dear, surrogacy is always an option. The kappa could probably commission a special strap-on for the deed if it matters that much to you. But what's truly important is what girl you have your eye on!" I can hear a bowl shattering on the floor, and Reimu's old table creaking and groaning, as Yukari brushes everything aside to... probably lie on top of it, I imagine.

"Let me guess, Reimu, let me guess... not the vampire, I hope, she has a horrid personality. And I know for a fact it's not the Moriya brat, you're still smarting over her dumb, dumb coup. Princess Kaguya would be a good match for you, I think, she's not actually that high maintenance..." It goes on like this for a few more minutes, and it seems like Yukari considers, then discards, every pretty lady under the sun. "But let's stop beating about the bush, hmm? Reimu, since when were you attracted to Marisa? She's possibly the worst choice you could make."

Annoying ninnies aside? Aaaawwwww ye -

"Marisa? You're right, she is the worst choice I could make." ...ah. Wow, thanks Reimu. That felt good to hear. Cripes, even Genji winced a little at the bluntness.

But Reimu continues spilling the beans, and I can't help but listen, as her voice grows lower and touches of anger get sprinkled into her words. "Marisa's good to have as a friend, but I'd go insane if I had to put up with all her... idiosyncrasies. She loves far too easily. Someone flashes her a smile or a bit of wit and her heart melts like that. Even if you're her best friend, she'll still scream and call you a bitch if you even look at her latest paramour the wrong way. If we became a couple, she wouldn't cheat on me, probably, but... her eyes would wander, I'm sure.

"And the worst part is - she's too irresponsible. Too prone to flights of fancy. Like this whole library thing. It just feels so... unplanned. If she was studying magic all the time like Patchouli or Alice, I'd be able to accept that. But - she says she steals things to help with this or that, or she's cataloging magic mushrooms, or inventing some new spell, and I never see anything come to fruition. Half the time I'd bet she lies, cheats, and steals just for the thrill. How could I ever want to trust my love and livelihood to... to that?"

Silence. From me, because I'm too busy clenching my teeth and balling my fists. And from Genji, who's wisely decided to get out while the going's good. I can't blame the poor thing - I'd flee too if I weren't the topic of Reimu's rant.

It's not as quiet inside, however. Reimu's table gives one last groan as Yukari, presumably, gets off it. Maybe to hug Reimu, maybe to fuck off, who knows? I'm not paying it too much mind. The morning sun's starting to beat down on me, but I don't think it's the heat that's leaving me bothered and hot.

Even Yukari doesn't dare break the silence - for a few moments, at least. And maybe I'm just being uncharitable, but she just can't seem to resist getting the last word in. "Speak of the devil and she'll appear, it seems. I'm glad you've put some thought into this, Reimu dearest - if you're waiting for an acceptable lover, I don't mind you taking your time. I'll be off now, alright?"

I don't hear a response, so Reimu probably just nods or waves her off. Either way, the low, buzzing hum of Yukari's teleporting gaps doesn't pop up quite yet; instead, light, gentle steps echo on the shrine's wooden floors, creaking ever closer to me.

When the shade of her parasol starts to cover me, I'm forced to crane up to look at her. Yakumo Yukari stands there with a pleased, gentle smile on her pretty pink lips, and gods do I want to punch it off her. "You can go in now," she says, not unkindly, and on a better day I'd even be gracious enough to say her voice was pretty. But right now, all I can think about is just how ridiculously not-smug she looks, with a twirling umbrella and glittering purple eyes.

So I go in, and do my best to ignore the now-fading presence of Reimu's impossibly young pseudo-grandmother. The shrine is eerily silent now, and if it wasn't so compact I'd probably have trouble locating her. But my shrine maiden is, for good or ill, a creature of habit, and I find her sitting in the front porch as always staring at... nothing in particular. The donation box got moved, after all.

She doesn't bother looking at me, or maybe she can't bring herself to do it after badmouthing my... apparently terrible name. It's the least I can do to ignore those slumped shoulders, and pretend that her shattered bowl, still filled with cooling rice, is right where it's supposed to be.

Giving her an apple is the tiniest bit above the call of duty, but Reimu's sad, cute, and desperately unwilling smile is too rare to resist bringing out.

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

"...and Akyuu was actually really... understanding? I mean, she wasn't too happy about the whole youkai/student thing, but she was willing to play along. Guess the girl takes her debts seriously - I just showed her a little accounting and she was ready to help with Byakuren!"

Our fruit supply has dwindled to nothing by the time I finish describing the little meeting I had yesterday, any my mouth is left filled with a lingering, juicy sweetness. It's rude of me to lick and smack my lips like that, but Reimu doesn't seem to mind. Or pay much attention at all. None of her her usual actions or interjections - not even a stinging remark when I complimented Byakuren's fine form! She just... sits there, nibbling on her breakfast the entire time, and looking sad all the while.

It forces my hand. At this point, I'm obligated to milk some kind of reaction from my fair red-white, and considering her earlier comment... she'd probably be interested in this bit of gossip. So, like it's nothing special at all, I shrug my shoulders and let the words fly. "So, Alice and I made up. Kind of."

"You actually forgave her? What, did she go down on her knees and beg for you back?" Reimu's response is lightning fast and just as vemonous - which is impressive, considering the sheer lack of energy in her... everything. Girl doesn't even look at me, and instead falls backwards to lie down on the wooden porch. But at least Reimu's actually paying attention and not tuning me out. Definitely a start.

"Mmm, nothing like that. Well, we did kiss and make up, but... she explained why. And I understood. It was a weird youkai thing - she said she was becoming obsessed over me, so she basically... became a hooker to see to get some alone time and see if she... she couldn't emotionally connect with other people." Holy fuck did it sound bad when I put it like that.

She's not impressed. Hell, neither am I. that explanation's just too horrid. "You bought that. You understood - ugh, of course you would, you stupid, stupid..." She doesn't finish her sentence at all, and instead just rolls over to her side, curling up just a bit and facing away from me. "Sorry Marisa, but I'm a bit tired. Don't you have a library to take care of?"

Reimu's entire body does the exact opposite of trembling in angst and rage. Instead, she goes still, very slowly and calmly, retreating away until nothing's left but a serious face and a hardened heart.

Luckily, hardened hearts are pretty easy to break through if you know just the right spots. "But Reimu," I singsong, acting like nothing's wrong at all. "I thought you just let me do the library thing to get me off your back?" A cheery, smug tone taints my words, and a distant part of me's surprised about how well I channel Yukari.

Regardless, my words effect my Reimu as they so often do. She turns back towards me, and her long billowing sleeves almost get trapped under her. As it stands, they get caught in the crooks of her knees, and her arms don't so much cross as much as her hands rest on each other's wrists.

Blank and unamused. That's how Reimu does glares. "So how much did you hear?" And that's how she argues, with a plain and simple tone.

"I quote, 'How could I ever want to trust my love and livelihood to... to that?'" I spit out the last bit with a hacking roughness from the back of my throat, and Reimu does the best impression of a statue I've ever seen. So I smile to put us at ease, and I'm not too sure whose pain I'm numbing.

We stay like that for a little longer, until Reimu needs to breathe and smiling hurts for me - and then I continue ruining Reimu's day. "So... did you really not... believe, in me?" The words come out without my consent, but they're still as solemn and sincere as can be.

Reimu's always been tit-for-tat, and so she puts away her sharp, clever tongue. "It's not a matter of belief, Marisa. It's... I thought you'd get bored. Your mind wanders too much. I like that, sometimes," she admits, "because it's funny. Cute even, when you can get so excited about so many things. But... well, remember your 'Grimoire of Marisa'? You stopped updating that a long time ago. And from where I sit, it seems like you just sort of fell into your fling with Alice. Thanks for not telling me about it at all until I was accusing her of stealing the moon."

"...Bitter much?"

"Bitter much," Reimu agrees. She keep her cards close to her chest, but if I ask, she'll show them to me. "I thought this whole library thing was just you getting fired up over nothing again. The best I can do when you're... passionate, like that, is just help you burn out safely."

Burn out safely. Like I'm something dangerous and fragile. Gods, Reimu. "Am I so irresponsible that you have to treat me like a child?"

Reimu's sigh is filled with a great deal of emotions that I'm not sure I want to define. We're stuck in silence, while she mulls over her words and I mull over my thoughts. It's... frustrating, that's for sure, and I'm just starting to scoot over to cuddle her when Reimu finally speaks.

"Marisa, out of everyone in Gensokyo, I care about you the most. I'd trust you with my life... but maybe not with smaller things."

...How am I supposed to respond to that? She closes her eyes again, so casually and naturally that she can hide away from my reaction. Not that it would have mattered; my face is calm and collected, if a bit too blank, and I take a few unassuming breaths to make sure my voice won't warble.

"At least trust me with the tea?"

"Ever and always." Reimu mumbles her agreement as she scoots further up, and as I get up to go to her kitchen, I can hear a slow, tired yawn. It's kind of a relief, in a way - come hell or high water, Reimu's always gonna get in a morning nap.

So, that's maybe five minutes for Reimu to rest up, and five minutes for me to think about life and love. So what now?

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

[ ] Get out. Reimu did ask me to piss off earlier, and at this point it's sounding pretty good. The steam from the tea will get her up - I'll just go back to the Village and not waste my time.

[ ] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

[ ] Write-in

-----------

>>37901
>>37902

"What can I say? Sad girls are great, and snow is great. Two great tastes that taste great together!"

>>37910

"Uhh... kinda sorta. I mean, not for people who live in the Village, but given that fairies get into tuffles all the time, and they come back pretty much instantly... yeah, one of the more funny rites of passage is accidentally murdering a fairy dead."

>>37911

"Please, I'd only squirt on the girls that deserve it! And if someone grilled my tentacles off, I'd just make new ones. And make mad money selling grilled tentacles, to boot."

>>37913

"As far as I can tell, the Japanese translation's based off Dee's. For all intents and purposes, the Al Azif's been lost to the sands of time, and it's only Great Britian that had any real contact with Japan until modern day times. On the other hand, it could be based off the Manuscript, but if it was Kosuzu would have doomed us all a long time ago.

"As for the Black Sutra, I actually tried digging around Suzunaan for a copy a while back. Thing is, it's so obscure that nobody Outside has really heard of it - so it's never had a chance to fall In.

"Funny how that works, huh?"

[X] Get out. Reimu did ask me to piss off earlier, and at this point it's sounding pretty good. The steam from the tea will get her up - I'll just go back to the Village and not waste my time.

Chica needs some space. If she wanted you around she'd ask you to stay.

[X] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

A little ink should calm her down.

I have no clue where that metaphor's going, whatever.

Okay, let's all take a deep breath here and think for a moment.

First of all, ouch. That definitely hurt, and no two ways about it. But Marisa, nothing hurts worse than the unadulterated truth. And admit it, Reimu had a point there, didn't she? Even if the words were harsh, there was definite honesty there... and she's probably not the only person who thinks along those lines. Remember, Akyuu was not exactly impressed with you, either.

So instead of just writing Reimu off altogether, think over what she said, carefully. She's worried that anything between the two of you, you wouldn't take seriously. That it would be a momentary fancy. Just walking away right now would prove her right, and I don't think you really want to do that.

So here's your chance to demonstrate to her that she's wrong. Make this library work. Don't let it be just something that you give up on after a week or two. Dedicate yourself to it, create something with your own two hands, and show Reimu that yes, you can be trusted and relied upon. Just walking away now would, I feel, be a big, big mistake, and might even ruin any chances you have with Reimu in the future. Leaving is the 'walk away from Reimu' option; let's not take it.

So! This is what I recommend:

[x] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

Don't walk away. Emphatically, don't walk away. Don't let Reimu think that things between the two of you just went kaput. Stick around, and try to talk things over.

-[x] Think about what Reimu said. Those words were honest frustrations. How much of them were true, and how much do you need to work on?

Let's be honest, Marisa. To a degree, you've been taking Reimu for granted. Remember that dream with Mima? You pretty much felt that you could have Reimu whenever you wanted; this is a reminder that ALL relationships take effort. Show Reimu that you want to put in that effort.

...You know what? Fuck it. Let's go whole hog here. Simple question: Do you love Reimu? If the answer is yes, then LET HER KNOW. Make a commitment. That's what she's actually looking for from you. Otherwise you really are wasting each other's time. So, if keeping Reimu by your side is honestly what you want to do, then:

-[x]Tell Reimu that you love her, and that you are damned well going to prove it to her.

Because let's face it: some things are worth working for, no?

[x] Get out. Reimu did ask me to piss off earlier, and at this point it's sounding pretty good. The steam from the tea will get her up - I'll just go back to the Village and not waste my time.

This route was not made for me.

Guys, remember when it was about running a library and teaching?

Also, vote should not be seen as just about route or not. Honestly...

[X] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

She did start that rant off with "Marisa's good to have as a friend," didn't she? I'm sure you don't much want to prove her right about anything right now, but if you're going to, it might as well be that.

Even if your answer to >>37936's question is "no, not like she wants me to" — and that's a perfectly good answer, if it's true — you should probably stick around for a bit. (And if it is some flavor of "yes", I don't think you should tell her any variation on "I'll change, I promise". Her whole point is that she doesn't trust you, and she has that fact as a cheap and easy retort to any explicit promises; and Reimu does not strike me as the kind of girl who has ever believed that omnia vincit amor.

Aaaaaaalso I am not convinced that taking advice from random people with questionable senses of humor is all that conducive to changing, if changing is a thing that you're going to be doing. Seriously, I for one am a big bag of dicks; my first impulse was to suggest that you set out a tin of salt next to the tea.)

[X] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

I feel like up and leaving now would just leave bad feelings in the air, which isn't going to help anyone. Yeah, it stings, but honesty tends to do that. In hindsight a conversation like this was bound to happen at some point.

Give Reimu her five minutes, then talk it out like friends do. If we really need to work some tension out, that's what danmaku is for.

If she really doesn't want to talk, at least we've let her know it's on the table.

[x] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

I was going to leave a comment but >>37936 summed my thoughts up far better than I could ever hope to of.

>>37943 here. Forgot to add:

-[x]Tell Reimu that you love her, and that you are damned well going to prove it to her.

Marisa, it's time to stop being flighty and make your decision.

[x] >>37936

This.

[x] Keep her company.
Might be bitter, but even if Reimu is not romanced, she could use the company. Out of curiosity, has Marisa seen Yukari with gold eyes, or just purple?

>>37944
Yes, it is time for Marisa to make promises she cannot keep. That will go over well.
>>37938
Remember when no one voted to do library things?

[X] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

I can relate to Marisa, but Reimu's last comment was definitely as close as we'd ever get to returning to normal or beyond if we just up and left.

[x] Get out. Reimu did ask me to piss off earlier, and at this point it's sounding pretty good. The steam from the tea will get her up - I'll just go back to the Village and not waste my time.

Fuck Reimu; get Byakurens.

"Alright guys, you know the drill. One more day until votes close! And if you guys don't usually read the back and forth between me and the other readers, I suggest you read it today. It's important!"

>>37936
>>37943
>>37946

"I... see, part of what you guys are saying is right, but I also think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe just a bit.

"Reimu and I argue like this a lot. Not about this subject mind you, but there's a reason why Reimu and I aren't getting too worked up. It's not explosive - just a little hurt and melancholic.

"And, romance with Reimu aside, it seems kinda unfair to presume that walking away would forever after destroy any relationship I have with Reimu, friendship or otherwise. I mean, shit - Reimu laid down some heavy stuff, I'm allowed to compose myself. For at least five minutes, and longer if I'm a prima-donna wallflower young woman in love.

"Not to say I don't want to stay. Just... I dunno, it's complicated. And both choices have their good parts."

>>37939

"Good parts all around, but - what do you mean, 'no, not like Reimu wants me to'? I... I mean, she did just spend a good chunk of time lambasting me. I don't think she wants to think of me like that. And if she did... well, it'd make things easier if she told me."

>>37948

"I could keep it! Maybe. Possibly. I'd hope so, at least, if I made it. The question is whether or not I want to.

"So I guess it's time to set some ground rules. If Mixing business with pleasure wins, we'll have a secondary vote for the write-in. And yeah, >>37939 might be right - trusting you guys for advice probably isn't the best idea. But it's certainly worked out so far!"

>>37947

"The best cure for bitterness is lots of love, right?

"As for Yukari... why would she ever have gold eyes? They've always been purple - the royal color's basically her entire gimmick."

[x] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

Friendship doesn't always mean romance, sometimes someone just needs a hug.

[x] Get out. Reimu did ask me to piss off earlier, and at this point it's sounding pretty good. The steam from the tea will get her up - I'll just go back to the Village and not waste my time.
Too much Reimu. Needs more Kosuzu. In a tight, skimply purple leotard.

[X] Keep her company. It's not the first time Reimu's been pissed, and it certainly won't be the last. I'd be quite the fair-weather friend if I left now when all she needs is a shoulder to lean on.

Friends man.

"Alright, votes have been tallied, and it looks like we want to give Reimu her dues. So I'll be sticking around the Hakurei Shrine for a bit longer.

"But, you guys aren't too united on... on whether or not I should make my feelings towards Reimu obvious, let's say. So we're going to have a run-off vote.

Should I confess my love to Reimu?

[ ] Yes
[ ] No

"Help me out guys, please. Be as honest as you can - maybe you think Reimu and I are meant to be, maybe you think we'd end up killing each other, but when you vote, please give me a reason why. Just a line or two's enough."

[ ] No

>>37957
[x] No

[ｘ] No
I dont like Reimu.　Enough reason right there.

>>37957
Marisa can always be friends with benefits, such as the benefit of getting knocked up by Marisa.

>>37957

[X] Yes

Who else to keep your head on straight but the bluntest of shrine-maidens?

[x] No

Call me selfish, but I like the other girls more.

[x] No

I firmly believe a relationship with Reimu is feasible, but I don't think now is the best time to bring it up. We'll have to prove her earlier points wrong with our actions before we can talk to her about it.
Walk the walk before we talk the talk, as it were.

>>37960
>>37963

I haven't voted yet, but are these really okay votes? I mean, instead of considering whether Reimu and MArisa would work out as a couple, it seems like most of us are voting no because another girl is more appealing to us.

[x] Yes

Mainly because You and Reimu have been through thick and thin and by this point you've evened out whatever rough spots pop up im marriages.

[x] Yes

I feel that the both of you fit very well together, and cover for each other's shortcomings.

[x] Yes
I'm not particular about Reimu, but it'd mean I can actually read this story again.

[x] No.

Other girls are better.

[/] Yes. It'll at least throw Reimu off her guard enough to discuss other things.

[X] No.

I feel like they make better best friends in the grand scheme of things.

>>37965

Welcome to THP.

[x] Yes

For a second, I was firmly against the idea until I remembered a confession is not the same thing as a route lock.
Telling her true feelings levels out the playing field for Reimu to start making advances as well as for Marisa to start making some of her own. Whether it ends up becoming something more, well... let's cross that bridge when we come to it.

[x] First, accept hers.

The one she inadvertently gave you when she didn't know you were there. Her honest and true feelings.

Because it's not really the confession that matters, it's why you're confessing. If you're going to do it to try and push some sort of reciprocation out of her, or bring it up in any fashion which implies that it should somehow be weighed against her objections, or just in general try to place your feelings above hers, then absolutely not and also you should leave right now.

... that was harsher than I really wanted to be; but there is nonetheless no sense in which you should expect her to accept a confession in which you haven't accepted her 'anti-confession'. If you can't do the second, then don't do the first.



>"Good parts all around, but - what do you mean, 'no, not like Reimu wants me to'? I... I mean, she did just spend a good chunk of time lambasting me. I don't think she wants to think of me like that. And if she did... well, it'd make things easier if she told me."

It's not how she wants to think of you, it's how she wants you (or someone) to think of her.

[x]Yes. A million times yes.

I think you mean it this time. I think that she's the one and damned if you should let anything get in your way. It's time to grow up, Marisa, and stop being flaky. Reimu and you are meant to be, so get on with it!

>>37973
[x] First, accept hers.

(O) First, accept hers.
This write-in. It was made for me. seems to make more sense than the original two votes.

It's time like these that we must ask ourselves, what would Yuugi do?

She'd probably tell you to say

[x] Yes

and stop beating around the bush if there's something that you feel like you need to say.

[x] No

>>37965
That's the author's job to consider. The readers' job is to vote for what they personally want to see, not to be surrogate authors and guide the story along the path that "makes the most sense."

"Business as usual - votes close in 24 hours! Thanks for sticking around so long!"

>>37961

"I am not entirely certain on the ramifications and possibility of knocking myself up, and I am perfectly satisfied with my state of uncertainty."

>>37973

"Well... shit. I mean, this stuff is why I'm sharing with you guys - a ton of heads is better than one, you know? You raise a lot of points; hell, I'm kinda worried a bit that I'd be using my feelings like a sword. Or a Spark. Unleash your annihilation of love.

"I'll be counting this as a Yes vote, but - don't worry, you've given me some food for thought."

>>37977

"No, see, Yuugi's an oni. She'd rape her paramour into submission. Which has some possibilities, but none I'm fond of."

>>37978

"I don't hate it when you guys don't give a reason, or maybe give a reason I don't like; more heads are better than one, you know? If I disagreed with an option completely I wouldn't put it up to vote."

>>37973
this

>>37989
Silly Marisa, I meant a benefit to others. Ladies just lining up to get knocked up by Marisa so they can ensure children with a wide smile.

"So, uh - it looks like I'll be sharing how I feel with Reimu. Well - this'll be scary. Wish I was allowed to get cold feet, eheh.

"Regardless, we're abut to hit the autosage camp soon, so yayifications! We'll be moving to Thread Four with the new update, and as always I'll post a little link here when it's out. In the meantime, if you guys have any questions or comments, feel free to share!"

>>38012
Do you feel awkward explaining your attraction to Reimu after enjoying quality time with Alice and Hatate?

>>38012

First, good luck with Reimu. Second, does Genji ever say anything? Or is he the strong, silent type?

>>38034 I'd, personally, wager he's the strong sleepy type. It just seems to fit, doesn't it?

>>38012
Good luck, Marisa!

"Thread 4's right over this way, what are you waiting for?" >>38122


>>38019

"Not particularly. I like them all in different ways, so it's not too hard to focus on the lady in front of me."

>>38034
>>38038

"Reimu claims that Genji talks, but I've never heard him utter anything that wasn't in turtle. It's probably a Hakurei Secret, like how Reimu can eat nothing but sweets and still avoid weight gain."