Last thread is here: >>102071

More pie for your eyes.

[X] Come ooooooooooon down!
I cried a little when Rod Roddy died.

[x] Audience participation~

wondering how Kogasa might attempt surprising Miss Nightbug

[X] Come ooooooooooon down!

It would be fun to fight, but might give us away.

[x] Audience participation~

As much as a big surprise is amusing I'd rather play it safe since Mystia didn't get to tell Wriggle that Kogasa would be picking her up.

But it seems she's starting to get a sense of dread.

[x] Audience participation~

[x] Audience participation~

[x] Come ooooooooooon down!

The Surprice Is Right.

[ℬ] Audience Participation~

Closer, closer.

Does she see me?

She hasn't opened her eyes yet.

Sneeeeakysneak.

Still making pictures and patterns.

It looks more like coordination practice than a rehearsal: lots of shapes, simple pictures, but nothing related to anything else, like a proper story.

It seems she's focusing on the ability to form them up correctly and to merge from one shape into the next seamlessly and creatively.

She's doing quite well.

It's not quite like the light show last night. Everything there was laser dots and colored funkiness and amusing stick-figurey sorts of people. The color was good, though, and they didn't move jerky and stiff like you'd think a stick might. They were good.

This is only one color, glowing-firefly-butt green.

But what it lacks in color it makes up for in actual depth and real shapes and moving and feeling literally, truly alive.

It makes me think of danmaku, sort of.

Only none of it's flying at people and being shiny and blasty and painful.

That's why the "sort of."

I watch for a while more, sitting on a branch.

One image after another.

A parade of glittering pictures in dots of light

cat house box cube diamond jewel ring circle sphere ball otherone'stoolsnonononotthinkingaboutjustwatchtheshowstopthinkingSTOPTHINKINGABOUTIT COW HORSE KIRIN HORN SWORD BENDY LINE MORE CURVED Bow Arrow Added On Twang Arrow Fired Flying Arrow Rocket bang pretty explosion fireworks fireworks sets off more danmaku patterns for the sake of art and nay say I let's make it interactive what you heard me

I drop off the branch, gently and lightly.

Stop in the air, scoot forward

Play with patterns I do

No shooting back, only indulging my carelessness

That's not indulgence, that's just stupid.

Dancing I go nevertheless

Play with light, swing along

Touch not the lights that hurt

These are still just fireflies; they won't hurt. Why worry about touching them?

Sake of tradition, keep moving

Long since aware of I and ours and we girl of insects has been

A little smile, challenging me

Continue I do to dart and dodge the swarm

The patterns continue, I continue

To an end it slowly comes

It is over, I land

"If you enjoyed yourself, come see the show tonight," she says, "but don't try doing that there. You'll make the humans nervous."

What?

Oh.

"I'd like to think I make them nervous enough already," I reply. "Oni are supposed to make people nervous."

Flygirl looks at me strangely. "The only ones I know of like to drink a lot and party. Did you do any research at all before making that costume?"

[ ] FFFFFFFFFFF
[ ] This isn't what it looks like
[ ] I totally did that on purpose

________________________________________________________________________________

>filename
Her first name, specifically.

It helps if you imagine >>104424 when you think of her.

[x] FFFFFFFFFFF

[ ] I totally did that on purpose

But of course~

>>104423
[ ] I totally did that on purpose

>>104424
I'm HNNNGing as I d'awww.

[X] I totally did that on purpose
May as well come clean; she'll find out from Mystia even if we don't tell her.

[+] I totally did that on purpose

[X] I totally did that on purpose

[X] I totally did that on purpose

her last name is cute, too. I still can only think of wriggle as male, though.

Finishing Nodame Paris, and then I might sleep, or start writing. Don't stop voting yet.

>>104502
Going to try sleeping, after all.

[X] I totally did that on purpose

[x] I totally did that on purpose

[ჭ] I totally did that on purpose

Oh goddammit, she saw through this. How did she know?!

Okay, cool down. Smooth. Just like the oni you aren't.

"Absolutely none. I got the 'drink and be loud and friendly' part. Was I missing something else?"

She crosses her arms and frowns. "There's this thing with fried soybeans--"

nodnod

"Got that." Well, got it a little late, but I got it in the end, and that's what counts.

"Love of deal-making and gambling?"

Uhhh...

"Might need to play that one up."

Flygirl smirks. "How about the whole thing with the truth?"

"Oh, I've been all over that." Waaay over that.

She nods and cracks a smile.

"It's been fun talking, Miss, uh..."

"Kabuki."

"--yeah. But I've got to practice here while I wait for a friend of mine." Flygirl jerks a thumb back in what's probably the general direction of the village, or at least where she imagines it is.

"Actually, she sent me to pick you up."

"...Mystia did?" Back to frowning again.

...Huh, I never noticed those antennae before. They make her look sort of cute.

"Yep. I'm her assistant, and she's really busy right now--" No thanks to me "--so she sent me to come get you. I was lucky to find you on the first try, really."

Flygirl looks at me a little skeptically. "Mystia needs an assistant? Since when?"

Secrets are great things, aren't they? It seems more like a pain in the ass. My friend agrees. I'm sure she has her reasons. Though I'm sort of curious as to what those reasons might be. Well, maybe later. I'm fairly sure the Idea will make her more than a little forthcoming. Or at least, I hope so.

"I'm guessing she doesn't fancy having to haul around all that sound equipment and set it up by herself. I could be wrong, though."

Flygirl thinks about this a moment and then shrugs, as if concede the point. Her cape ripples a little with the shoulder movement, then billows slightly as she walks past me. Awfully trusting, aren't you? She turns back to look at me.

"Aren't you coming?"

What?

"Coming where?"

She looks at me as if I'm a rather slow child.

"...To the village?"

"Oh. I thought you were heading off to get something, or... Yeah, sorry. I'm coming."

Off we go and over and back and it's probably hunting time by now. As long as I blend in with the crowd and stay in the audio tent/kiosk thing, I should be fine. Or, if worst comes to worst, I'll have a good view of the crowd so I can at least get a head start.

I fly up along side Flygirl except maybe that's technically both of us right now but anyways and I ask her something that's been gnawing at me for a while, now.

"How did you know this was a disguise, anyway? I've been fooling most people so far."

She grins back, showing teeth.

"The bugs told me. You smell like makeup and not nearly enough like blood or alcohol."

"Really?"

"To them, yes. I doubt anybody else can get that close up to taste it."

I fiercely resist the urge to freak out and start batting at my hair and clothes.

"So, I look the part from the outside?"

"You could stand to be drinking more."

I should carry around a one of those thin flat curvy metal bottles, but maybe that's too western. On the other hand, maybe I should carry it around for my own sake, not just for the sake of this disguise. I really hope Small-walker doesn't need parts of this costume back or anything anytime soon. I'm planning to use it as long as I can.

I don't feel good about that, but it's a necessary thing, right?

I hope so.

I really do.

I think.

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

3

2

1

Touchdown

On the village green (preservation society~)

Rather, we're still outside the village walls.

Flygirl is shy

Needs escort badly

We could just go through the gates, and it'd be much quicker, to boot. I don't know how well she'll take to that, though, being around people.

Going overhead avoids people, but we'll have to go around to avoid upsetting Balanced Head Nice Blue and anyone she has watching their airspace. They take things like that seriously, apparently. If you aren't on the list, they get unhappy.

[ ] Break on through to the other side
[ ] 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

________________________________________________________________________________

I'd like for this to have been longer, but I was busy, today.

No letter should ever look like the middle of a trumpet, no matter what language.

I really like hip flasks.

[ERROR: VAGUE DISCONNECTED RAMBLING THOUGHT #4 NOT FOUND]

Does anyone know where I can get my hands on (translated) Parts 5-7 of Jojo's Bizarre Adventures? Not on any kind of online reader sort of site, either. Something downloadable.

{X} Break on through to the other side

[x] Break on through to the other side

Only two votes?

...Well, I suppose it's my fault for updating so late last night.

But at least I have >>104581 to tide me over until I have enough (thank you, by the way.)

[x] Break on through to the other side

[X] Break on through to the other side

[x] Break on through to the other side

>>104581
...crap. Release history is kind of spotty and broken up a lot. Going to have to supplement it with online reader ones, then. Was hoping to avoid that.

Is there any actual reason Parts 6-7 (Well, as much of Part 7 as they could get, at least) aren't available on a torrent anywhere? I found an active torrent for 1-5, and got 5 off of that, but 6-7 seem to be available largely only in fragmentary, non-consolidated form.

You'd think a series so popular would be easy to get ahold of, but for some inexplicable reason, this isn't so.

Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

Got to knock google a little harder, I guess.

Fuck.

I'm working on it, but I don't think it's going to be done tonight. Check back tomorrow morning (6-9pm, GMT)

I'm sorry.

>>104680
While you wait, read one of the best stories ever, and one of my bigger inspirations for this.

I give unto you: Lighthouse.
>>/others/10011
>>/others/12238
>>/others/13672

[X] 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky

Less people noticing us is better.

[x] 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.

I choose this, but I like the other song.

>>104707

Less normal folks yes, but more flyers, particularly Keine, who might give the two a hard time.

Just something to consider.

>>104608
Thing is, that group did have an anonib dedicated to the project with a Release section which would put up collective posts when a section was finished. Not a torrent, but better than that database. Unfortunately, the site seems to be down at the moment and is thus useless.

[X] Break on through to the other side

[戸s] Break on through to the other side

I eye the walls ahead of me. Well, us.

Better through than over, I decide. I hope she doesn't take this badly.

"I don't particularly feel like causing mayhem by buzzing the market. We're going to have to walk through. You okay with that...?"

Flygirl looks at me, and shrugs. "Sure."

Hmm. Maybe my information was faulty? That, or she's trying to be nonchalant about the whole thing. I suppose we'll see, soon.

We enter the village, getting some looks from the guards at the gate until I show them the identification White Opening had made for me. One of them calls over his superior, who looks at Flygirl, and nods. They apologize, and wave us on our way.

She still seems unperturbed. I guess we're good, then. I thank them, and we resume walking down the wide main road.

We pass by a small teahouse next the village walls. A large sign proclaims it to be "The Border Cafe - Last stop before you drop."

I notice the round, portly man from earlier at one of the tables. There's a cup of tea next to him, and he's reading the tengu's newspaper. Behind him is a boy in his late teens, loudly and carelessly talking to a few other slovenly looking sort of punks. It's very loud indeed, and the portly man seems to be growing more and more irritated.

"AND SO I WAS TALKING TO THAT ONE CHICK, YOU KNOW? HUGE CANS, WORKS ON FURNITURE, LIVES UP ON A HILL OUTSIDE OF TOWN? YEAH, SO I SAW HER AT A BAR ONE NIGHT, AND I WAS ALL 'HEY BABY, I'VE GOT SOMETHING YOU CAN POLISH-- IN MY PA--' "

The rotund man slams down his paper, and snatches up his umbrella, growling in rage. He turns about, and begins laying into the annoying boy, beating him about the head and shoulders with the umbrella and yelling at him all the while.

"You useless, gabbling, blathering thimble-brained dunderhead! Have you any concept of decency or volume at all? Perhaps the constant ringing in your head from the beating will give you a taste of the painful, unending noise you inflict on others whenever you open that useless mouth!"

The man cracks him once more across the head, and straightens up. He pays and strides off, amidst much cheering from the other patrons and the staff. The youth lies groaning in pain.

Flygirl watches this all with wide eyes. When she turns back to me, I shrug.

"I'd have clubbed him once in the back of the head and left him to drown in his soup, myself. He probably got off lucky."

We keep walking through town, and I try to keep to less-frequently traveled roads and avenues.

Businesses that do... well, business with people leaving and going, or who just want their business located on the edge of town, for whatever reason, gradually give way to smaller, quieter shops. There's a few bookstores here and there, some advertising special, from-the-Outside books like prized treasures (A Pictorial Guide to Los Ojos, San Pedro, and surrounding cities, Sigurd the Viking (volume 3), The Plague Doctor, Running with Scissors: the tale of the kuchisake-onna, The Collected Captain Rex (book 2), Fly Me To The Moon: a daring story of overcoming tragedy and rescue).

From one of these shops leaves Flower Girl. I'm about to wave to her when I sense Flygirl tense up beside me.

"...Something wrong?"

mumble mumble

"Hmm?"

mumble mumble entrysuckedmademelookhorrible mumble

"...You're not too eager to talk to her?"

shakeshake

"...Okay, then." Probably shouldn't tell her I've got an interview with her afterwards, then.

Although, on the other hand...

"What does she do, anyway? I heard her talking about an interview."

It's not at all untrue.

Flygirl glares at Flower Girl's departing back before turning back to me, and sighing. She puts her hands behind her head as she

"...She's trying to write up a... you know, one of those books that tells you everything about everything. 'Enpsychopenia,' or something. Only she has sections on specific people, too, especially if they're 'notable examples of their type, species, profession, or era.' She does interviews for that part of it, but she puts in a lot of her own ideas and random things she's heard from people. Hearsay and crap."

"...I'm guessing yours isn't very flattering?"

Long silence.

"Yeah. I mean, hell, even that tengu's article was better, and that's a pretty bad sign, right there. But Akyu? She just wrote a lot about how to kill bugs effectively and countermeasures against me. Can you believe that? I want people to respect and appreciate insects. That's why I agreed to help Mysty and the Prismrivers out. And that purple shortass just tells everyone I'm unpleasant and dangerous and gives them tips and hints on how best to kill me and mine. ...What a bitch."

"I can see how that'd be ...unpleasant." That's an understatement.

I've had worse, though.

I don't say as much, however. It'd look kind of weird and unnecessarily competitive, and probably freak her out.

...Besides, this is between the green girl and me.

...I shouldn't be doing this.

Shaking off such unpleasant, unsettling thoughts, I focus back on the task at hand: getting Flygirl to...

Huh.

Where am I supposed to take her? She's a friend of Extra Bird's, right?

On the other hand, she's going to be doing pictures for the songs, I'd think, if her earlier performance and the kappa light show are any indication.

We've got a little ways left to go, but planning is always good.

[ ] BeatMania
[ ] Rock Band

________________________________________________________________________________

If this update seems to have a strange sudden disjoint, it's because I wrote it in two halves, and didn't have the second half on hand to refer back to. Let me know if I fucked up with that.

TODAY IS REFERENCE DAY.

And yeah, Wriggle really got shafted in the print works.

Definitely felt better today. Wrote some of the update while waiting for church to start, so which seemed to help, oddly.

>>104723
So I figured out. Thanks anyway.

>>104694
For any of you new kids who only got here this year, and/or people who simply haven't read it:
Fucking read it.

Should have said that what it inspired was largely the writing style for this, and thoughts on that sort of mindset.

>>104680
...I kind of overshot that, didn't I? Dammit.

>(A Pictorial Guide to Los Ojos, San Pedro, and surrounding cities, Sigurd the Viking (volume 3), The Plague Doctor, Running with Scissors: the tale of the kuchisake-onna, The Collected Captain Rex (book 2), Fly Me To The Moon: a daring story of overcoming tragedy and rescue).

I recognize many stories out of these. (Won't list them until later)

I don't quite recall what the Border Cafe refers to.

>"AND SO I WAS TALKING TO THAT ONE CHICK, YOU KNOW? HUGE CANS, WORKS ON FURNITURE

Poor Reina, she's a good girl (that just happens to have Keine-grade boobs)

[x] Rock Band

[x] BeatMania

So many gone before their time.
Finish that update Max, some of us remember

>Fly Me To The Moon: a daring story of overcoming tragedy and rescue).
Syntax error

Hey, Milly! This is how you do references right! Take notes on this! They're amusing and placed in where they aren't flowbreaking, and contain jokes rather than being referenced for the sake of references!

[x] BeatMania

I have no clue what these two choices possibly are, but fuck wangbaconing.

I suspect Rock Band means the main stage and beatmania means the backstage area where Mystia is.

>>104779
Oh, for shit's sake. I left out a line.

>>104772 's second to last line should read:

>On the other hand, she's going to be doing pictures for the songs, I'd think, if her earlier performance and the kappa light show are any indication. Maybe it's the ghosts she should talk to, first.
Dammit, and thank you.

>>104777
>This is how you do references right!
Can't tell if sarcastic or not. I try to base my reference-fu on Fallout Writefag's style, for the most part. (I'd like to think I do, at least.)

>>104779
Also, Mystia's stand is out a ways, but very much in front of the stage.

>And yeah, Wriggle really got shafted in the print works.
Even Grimoire of Marisa, with its 'bug-type' spells. Isn't it sad, Wriggle?

[X] BeatMania

>>104787

I meant the place where she does her sound work, I just assumed it'd be behind the stage somewhere.

>Also, Mystia's stand is out a ways, but very much in front of the stage.
That's what I figured - the sound area is usually in front of the stage for non-arena venures. And the deejay is usually not too far from the sound controls, usually at one side of the stage.

...That's one too many repetitions of 'usually'.

[+] Rock Band

[x] Rock Band

[x] BeatMania

[x] Rock Band

I call guitar

[x] Rock Band

Calling it for [x] Rock Band.

Not going to be writing yet; it'll be a while longer until I start.

In the mean time, please feel free to talk and discuss and complain about things.

>>104775
You can get listing now.
Also, Border Cafe wasn't a reference. is, though.

>>104921

>(A Pictorial Guide to Los Ojos, San Pedro, and surrounding cities, Sigurd the Viking (volume 3), The Plague Doctor, Running with Scissors: the tale of the kuchisake-onna, The Collected Captain Rex (book 2), Fly Me To The Moon: a daring story of overcoming tragedy and rescue).

KChasm's dectective in Gensokyo story, Gensokyo Land Saga, Shadow over Gensokyo? (Not sure), No idea, FLA, Most likely referencing MiG.

I really shouldn't have even bothered waking up, today. Should've skipped it, and went on to tomorrow.

No updates today unless I wake up in the middle of the night, ready to fucking rock. It may happen, but don't count on it.

>>104948
Woken up and ready to rock.

Writin' the night away.

>>105023

While I rather liked what little I read of Grimoire of Marisa, I do completely agree with you on the quality of translations.

However, I must say that poor translations are better than none. Have you ever tried reading visual novels with AGTH / Atlas? It is an indescribably confusing experience. However, I am probably doing it wrong anyway . Completely worth it to be able to have some understanding of what is going on, though.

As for the PC98 endings, it is pretty retarded that no one ever bothered to post translations because of the Zun endings rule. I'd have supported that rule with the rest of the games, since they were going to be translated, but as far as I know no one is currently working on or planning patches for the PC98 games. So its either post the endings online, learn japanese, or never ever get to read them. Bullshit.

I still want to know what the fuck Marisa was doing to Reimu in the bad ends to Story of Eastern Wonderland, since it looked like she was burning her alive on a cross.

[ÿ] Rock Band

Planning is being planned. Please wait warmly until it is finished.

How does one wait warmly, anyway? The most obvious answer seems to me to be "in a sweater," but maybe not? I really don't know.

Further investigation into the matter is suspended until the board approves an extension on our funding.

I suppose I should take her to the poltergeists. After all, how else will she know what she should be making pictures of? It'd be like handing someone secret orders that they have to follow, but not to look at them.

Because they're secret, you see.

in what way is it like that?

in all ways

no, i don't think so

i try not to think

nothing unusual on this end, then

an end? or a beginning?

come on, don't get all crazy on me; that stuff's hard to wash off

how dare you; i'm perfectly sane

snrmkpfffffft

What a jackass.

The main residential area slowly turns into the northern-end business district of the town, but only gradually. A few small shops, and a grocer here and there. As we pass by the store I visited earlier, I see the man who runs the place is busy sweeping up the mess. He nearly jumps out of his skin when I call out to him and wave, giving him a happy and friendly smile.

Mmmmm~.

shiver, shiver

Flygirl looks him, looks at me, and turns back to look at him, again. He's already back inside, though, with the door slammed shut.

"Friend of yours...?"

"We're more like acquaintances."

"What kind of acquaintance freaks out like that at the mere sight of you?"

"One of the best."

Flygirl gives me a very, very weird look.

"You're telling the truth about working for Mystia, right? Because, like... if you're planning to mug me or something, don't even thi--"

I burst out laughing.

...Yes, she's definitely annoyed, now.

Still giggling and shaking my head, I reassure her. "No, no, don't worry. It's nothing like that. Yes, I'm with the band."

"What was so funny about that?"

"No idea. It just seemed hilarious at the time."

Flygirl cocks an eyebrow at me. "But that was only, what, a minute ago?"

"A minute, an hour, a day. We can't live in the past. You have to keep moving or die."

I can personally testify to the truth of this statement.

I wish I wasn't able to.

Life would be nicer.

"That sounds kind of grim."

"It's truer than I'd like."

We come to a fork in the road.

[ ] derecha
[ ] izquierda
[ ] ¿Por qué hay un tenedor en la calle?

________________________________________________________________________________

Do you like Westerns?
Do you like Touhou?
Then tell DX to start writing again. >>/others/10416
Reboot, resume, whatever.

Also, it's called "Elevation of the Mid-day Hour," no matter what he says.

>>104792
God, I completely forgot about that. The only good thing about that book was the cover.
For a nice bit of "what the fuck is going on here?" go read the story excerpt in Ran's entry.
<bitchbitchbitch>
Is it a crime to want translations to sound natural and believable? You'd think people would actually put some effort into checking the quality of their work, or that someone at least would see it and say "Wow, this needs some serious rewriting ."
In before harshly worded backlash that puts me in my place but doesn't address the fact that a lot of the Wikia translations really could use some work.
Still not sure if you were making fun of me or what.

>>104925
Mostly correct.

>San Pedro
is, though.
http://www.barnaclepress.com/list.php'directory=OutburstsOfEverettTrue[/spoiler]

[X] ¿Por qué hay un tenedor en la calle?
Someone could step on that and hurt themselves!

>>105026
The Wikia translation staff is evenly divided between Anglophones with poor Japanese and Asians with poor English; Wikia translations do eventually get to a decent state, but in generally requires multiple back-and-forths between these two parties, usually with discussion page shitstorms worthy of Wikipedia included.

{X}

>>105032
...
One part of me thinks, "Well, at least he voted this time."
The other part of me thinks, "Giddy, you lazy fuck."

>>105025
Oh, they're posted online along with all the other ones. Haven't you been there?

http://touhou-endings.wikia.com/

Just, nobody's translated the PC-98 ones.

[x]

hmmmmmm. Nothingness.

>>105040
You, on the other hand, have no excuse. ಠ_ಠ

>>105029 wins unless something changes in the next hour.

[X] ¿Por qué hay un tenedor en la calle?

[x] ¿Por qué hay un tenedor en la calle?

>>105039

I was well aware of this. Doesn't change the fact that the PC98 endings would already be translated by now if it weren't for the "dont post the endings" rule.

I really do think that people should at least try beating the games to earn the endings when they can, though having them online makes them easy to reference. Its always hard for me when there's a debate on something because to remember the wording of an ending I have to beat the entire game again just to see it.

I really wish Zun would add a dialog / ending viewer once you've unlocked them.

[ѱ] ¿Por qué hay un tenedor en la calle?

I remember reading that in the outside world, people look for gold in rivers, or something. Apparently this is an amazingly popular pastime, because everybody was rushing to get a spot on the river. Things like this remind me that no matter how bad my mind gets broken and made all thinking-sick, there's people out there worse off than I. After all, you'd be insane to think that a river is a great place to go looking for gold. Everybody knows that metals and minerals are in the ground.

Case in point: There's a perfectly good fork lying on the ground here, in the middle of the street.

"...Is something wrong?" Flygirl asks, turning to look back at me.

I've stopped in the middle of the road. Kneeling down, I pick up the fork.

Standing up, I turn the utensil over in my fingers, looking at it, examining it.

It doesn't talk yet. Still got the better part of a century left to go before it does, I guess. It's odd to see such a thing here, in the town. Or maybe not so odd. This little city looks like it was designed expressly to screw with archaeologists, with so many styles of buildings all in the same general place.

So maybe a Western food-spiker-handler tool isn't too crazy a thing to find.

"No," I reply. "Just found something that caught my eye." I slip it into the pouch at my side, and rejoin the becaped insect girl. I try to not want to touch the antennae on her head. I fail miserably, but I keep from actually doing so.

It's all to do with where you set the bar. Or draw the line. One of those. Maybe both?

Cutting through an alleyway down the middle brings us back onto another street. More shops, more businesses. Some municipal offices. An old, friendly-looking man with jowls leaves one of tthe buildings with a bag full of envelopes and letters. He's wearing some kind of funny white dome hat, like half of an eggshell. Regardless of his odd choice of headwear, we both wave back. It seems like the natural thing to do, for some reason. Some people just feel like genuinely nice folks, you know?

Some people also look it, but aren't.

No, no grim thoughts. Not right now. It is work-time, not panic time.

I can tell we're getting closer to the concert green, now. The spaces are getting wider. Also, I am starting to recognize the buildings. I'm pretty sure there aren't two spiral-roofed houses around this place, no matter how inventive the architecture gets.

And those big signs pointing the way to the stage and advertising the show, they give me a little bit of a hint that I'm going the right way.

Some of what are probably die-hard fans are already hanging out in small groups here and there. Unsurprisingly, most of them are on the youngish-appearing side. Certainly not all, though.

We pass by a group of some of these youngish people.

"--wouldn't trust her or Merlin within ten feet of me. Especially not Merlin. That piece of hers she does when she talks about the ghost of the killer trumpet just creeped me the hell out. Now, somebody nice and stable, like Lunasa... yeah. I like somebody cool and relaxed like her."

"Please, Minoru. Are you kidding? She's so boring. Give me a wild girl any day."

"Well, if I'm crazy for not wanting my junk ripped off in a fit of eagerness, then lock me up, Nurse Fuuko. I'm a madman, you know."

"...I dream every night about Lyrica wearing a tight red leather beating me with a whip and forcing me to lick her boots clean."

"..."

"..."

"And then all too soon, I wake up. At work, I dream of the day when I can pay her enough to actually do it to me."

"...Daisuke, do you remember what we told you about needing to end your stories a sentence early?"

Fandom is a strange and terrifying thing.

At long last, we arrive at the concert green. I'm not sure where to look for the ghosts, though.

[ ] Stage Fright
[ ] Back-door Deals
[ ] Room for More

________________________________________________________________________________

I wrote this on no sleep. I hope it isn't taking away from it.

>>105071
Was there something about the PC-98 games that makes the no-posting rule apply especially hard, or something?

After all, 6-12.3 are up; I don't see what makes 1-5 off-limits. Was the rule originally only for those specific games?

[x] Stage Fright

Sounds like a nice bet but I only figure back door means the back stage.

And I have no idea what "room for more" means.

[ ] Stage Fright

{X} Stage Fright

>>105103
Probably wherever they're staying.

I should probably clarify that there is still about an hour or two before the concert starts.

>>"...I dream every night about Lyrica wearing a tight red leather beating me with a whip and forcing me to lick her boots clean."

I like this kid.

>Fandom is a strange and terrifying thing.
Truer words are rarely spoken.

[X] Room for More
Seems like it's too early for them to be on stage or back stage already.

[X] Room for More

>>105026
You are adorable, you know that?

No, I'm not making fun of you. Syntax error is because you miscounted your parentheses. I genuinely hate Millenia's style of writing because of the pointless references and memes and in-jokes that do nothing but go "hey guys, internets, lol!"

I find your in-story references amusing and tasteful.

[x] Room for More

>"...I dream every night about Lyrica wearing a tight red leather beating me with a whip
>wearing a tight red leather
Did you accidentally your noun?

>>105153
Well, thank you.

>Syntax error is because you miscounted your parentheses.
...what? Is this about the last link there? I should have left a space between the end of the link and the end-spoiler tag. I forgot to, and that's why it screwed up.

>Did you accidentally your noun?
No. However, I did accidentally an indefinite article. And what's even more worrying is that it might have been a whole one.

>>105163
No, arg, I mean

Wait, shit, no, I miscounted. I meant the ()'s in the book list.

IGNORE ME

>>105178
Yeah, San Pedro and Los Ojos are two different references, but are in the same title. Sorry.

Also, keep voting, I'm getting some much-needed sleep.

[x] Back-door Deals

[X] Back-door Deals

Probably getting ready for the show.

>>105101

I'm not expert or anything, but here's how I figure it.

With the other games, the endings couldn't be posted, and for the longest time were not. However, all of the other games were being actively translated and patched. The PC98 games, though, were not. So we ended up getting the entirety of the in game dialog for the PC98 games, because that's ok to post. But we didn't get the endings, because either no one bothered to translate them (why would you translate something you can't either patch or post?), or the person who did translate them is still upholding the rule despite no patches for the PC98 games forthcoming.

If the latter is true, I admire their conviction, but it really leaves people who have legitimately beaten the games high and dry.

I'm not really sure why we stick the the Zun rule in the first place, considering most (all?) of us pirate the games in the first place, which is most certainly much much worse. Though with the PC98 games there really isn't a legitimate way to get them unless you want to drop a few grand on ebay or something. Good luck with that.

(For the record, I personally DO plan to buy legitimate copies of the games. Not really an option right now, though)

>I'm not really sure why we stick to the Zun rule in the first place, considering most (all?) of us pirate the games in the first place, which is most certainly much much worse.
Fucking truth.

Also, votes are currently tied.

[X] Room for More

>>105233
And they do follow that rule out of guilt mainly. Though as far as the PC-98 endings go, the endings wiki needs a good translator to look at them (Not so easy)

>>105245
I was almost expecting some jackass to vote for "Back-door Deals" for no other reason than to turn the two-way tie into a three-way tie.

Thank you for not being that jackass.

Also, this was the one I was kind of hoping would win.

KANA TIME

[▩] Room for More

They could be anywhere, but there's still some time to go before the show starts, so...

Anywhere becomes a small number of Somewheres.

A glance tells me they're not onstage.

Not onstage frontstage, anyway, so... perhaps backstage?

We amble across the green, past the outer walls of the place, and walk through rows of gently descending seating, down down, past Extra Bird's Fortress of Sound, through a wide, open part, and clamber up on stage.

Definitely no ghosts here.

Flygirl is looking back at Extra Bird's station. "That's where Mystia works, right? Shouldn't we be stopping to talk to her?"

"Well, do you see her there?"

"No, but she--"

"There you go, then. Besides, you're doing pictures for the ghosts, right? And pretty awesome ones at that, don't get me wrong."

It's like fully controllable danmaku made out of art.

The art is also made out of bugs.

If that isn't art, I don't know what is. No, hold on. That's a lie. Paintings are art.

But when you can look at something and think to yourself "I could probably have made something like this if I was high enough," it's not art.

Except for that one guy who used blood as paint. That guy was a fucking nut. He said it came to him when he came across a bunch of dead people in a room.

I hope I never get that artistic.

"Well... yes. I guess it's more for Mystia and myself than for the Prismrivers." She looks thoughtful for a change. Thoughtful is an interesting sort of expression when you're wearing a cape.

"How's that?" I start looking around backstage, and she follows me.

"Well... bugs get a bad reputation, you know? 'Ew, yuck, get it off me!' That kind of thing."

"I blame it on having too many legs." Nope, not in the janitor's closet.

"I just want to show people that bugs aren't inherently bad. We aren't disgusting. We look strange, but come on, this is Gensokyo. Humans are used to seeing all kinds of weird-looking things."

"Huh... 'spose you've got a point." They don't seem to be hiding inside the lighting, either.

I hop back down with a loud thud as I land on the stage.

"...what are you doing?"

"Ghost hunting."

"...right. Did you think to check the rehearsal hall?"

"I did. I figured the music from that direction might be a relevant to my search."

"And that's why you're looking here, first?"

"Uncertainty is a terrible thing."

"...Was that even an answer?"

"Hey, let's go check the rehearsal hall. I think I can hear music coming from there."

She glares at me. I think I'm going to wake up with centipedes and spiders crawling all over me, tonight. Or wait, would she do that? That'd be exploiting the kind of fear she wants to get rid of, though.

...

Well played, Flygirl. Well played.

Exiting back door of the back stage takes us to a few paths, one of which leads to a medium-sized white building with a flat roof. White Opening sits on a chair out front, smoking a cigarette. She's one of the few people I've seen in Gensokyo that smoke them, let alone the Outside kind. I suppose since she's not alive, she doesn't have to worry about it.

But what's she breathing the smoke in, with?

Dammit, Gensokyo.

I shouldn't complain. I'm way more of a headache to figure out, but a very clever headache, if I say so, myself. Biologically.

White Opening looks up at us, and gestures to a few more seats beside her.

"They're practicing the musical parts right now, so no need for me right now." she says, preempting my obvious question. I was going to ask a less-obvious question, but it's okay, I would have gotten around to this one eventually. "Why don't you have a seat?"

I take a chair, and after a moment, Flygirl follows suit.

It's silent for a moment.

White Opening looks over at the two of us. After several seconds of this, she speaks:

"Hey. Wanna hear a story? Especially you."

She points one gloved white finger at me.

[ ] Stay awhile, and listen!
[ ] Withdraw coolly.

________________________________________________________________________________

>>105201
>despite no patches for the PC98 games forthcoming.
Why is this what is currently happening and who can I punch to make it stop?

>unless you want to drop a few grand on ebay or something.
Fucking what.

>>105153
I don't think she writes like that anymore.

[X] Stay awhile, and listen!

[x] Stay awhile, and listen!

I guess they were at the place they're staying then.

>Stay awhile, and listen!
Oh fuck. Now I want to play Diablo again.

>>105282
Vote instead. It wastes less time and I'm ready to update again tonight if I have enough votes.

[x] Stay awhile, and listen!

[x] Stay awhile, and listen!

[x] Stay awhile, and listen!

[x] Withdraw coolly.

As expected, we were useless.
We'll have to come back tomorrow!

[X] Stay awhile, and listen!

I always felt a little sorry for Cain.

[X] Stay awhile, and listen!

On an itching feeling this might be important.

[X] Stay awhile, and listen!

[物語] Stay awhile, and listen!

Point, point.

At least it's not poke, poke.

I like the way her gloves look.

I like the way a lot of her looks, in fact.

However, she's scary enough to trump all of that, so I'm not interested in her that way.

She's nice, and I'm happy to be on her good side.

...I really don't think I would want to be on her bad side.

"Sure." I'm curious.

Her grin gets wider, and she crosses her legs, pulling another chair over without using any hands Which confirms who was working the table so well at their mansion so that she can rest those long, white-stockinged legs upon the back of them.

shhhffv they go

it's the sound of smoothness.

White Opening takes a long drag on the cigarette, then blows out a trail of smoke. She looks off at nothing as she begins speaking.

"It happened way back when I was at school. ...School back, you know," she gestures with the cigarette-holding hand. "Outside. I ain't one'a Keine's kids. I didn't grow up here. I also wasn't dead yet. But yeah. There was always crazy shit happening in my school."

tap tap knocks off some ash.

inhales.

pfoooo

"There was this student named Barry Bonds. Not the baseball player, of course, but-- oh, wait. You wouldn't know that one, would you? Ha, well. So, he was cutting class or some shit, and this security guard was chasing him. The school had guards. My school wasn't the nicest.

"So me and my friends were hiding in this hidden stairwell. This stairwell was a hotly contested battleground; every group of delinquents in the school wanted this stairwell and violent fights broke out over it. But yeah, this stairwell was so well hidden, and was checked by guards only, like, once a year? If that. So it was the perfect hiding place to chill. Therefore, everyone fought over it."

tap tap tap

puff, puff

"One day, somehow, me and my friends had found it free and were hiding out, there. And suddenly this kid runs past so fast we could not even see what he looked like. Seconds later this security guard runs by after him, and then stops to look at us, and then looks at the running kid. And he says, 'Dammit kids, your asses would be grass but I have to chase Barry Bonds.' "

"Then he started running after the kid while swearing."

She stubs out the cigarette in little dish with notches for it, and then leans back, crossing her arms.

"After we were done going "What the fuck?" we were walking through the main hall of the school, and passed by the dean's office. We saw the same guard in there complaining and saying, 'Fucking Barry Bonds. I'll catch him if it's the last thing I ever do.'

"...Damn what a name for a kid."

She chuckles to herself, shaking her head.

It's very quiet for a while.

I decide to speak up, but Flygirl does so before I can.

"Miss... Kana, right?"

"Yep."

"May I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"What the fuck did that have to do with anything?"

"As far as you know? Absolutely nothing." White Opening cocks her head slightly. "...Ah, they're done practicing."

I notice, for the first time, that the music has indeed stopped. In fact, Little Red is waving for Flygirl to come inside. She does so, almost gratefully.

I think she's had it with everyone else.

[ ] D i s t r a c t a b l e
[ ] Focus

________________________________________________________________________________

>>105307
I am sorry to disappoint.

Maybe.

[x] Focus

{X} Focus

[x] Foci

[x] Foc- oh look! Shiny!

[x] Focus

[X] Focus

Back to work with Myschi?

[x] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQqKjRGZlks

[X] D i s t r a c t a b l e

>>> import random
>>> i = 1
>>> while i != 2:
life = random.random()
print(str(life))

>>105357
trims white space I see. sucks for python programming.

>>105358
Yeah, it would be a pain. Almost like when you try to use different editors to write a Python program, or when you use an editor that doesn't replace ^T with spaces, or when you try to use multiple operating systems with different line breaks to write a Python program, or...

Sage for trolling so old it belongs in a museum.

[X] Focus

[⊹] Focus

I don't take any offense. I'd be a little irritated in her position, too.

After all, she's got a job to do.

As do we all.

...

Hmm.

I think I'm still technically a part of "All," aren't I?

That means I've got a job to do.

...Damn. I do.

Standing bolt upright, my chair wobbles a bit from the motion. White Opening glances at me.

"Goodness. Have you remembered something?"

Different door, same house. All the doors are white, and it's no use trying to paint them black.

"No time for that," I say. "I've places to see, people to go to, things to do!"

"My word. Do be careful, then."

She gives me a little wave of farewell, and I shoot out of there like a thing that gets shot very fast. Like danmaku, but no time to dodge it in. The danmaku humans have, like in that movie with Blondie and the desert and the Ugly man. Though I think they had those loud tube danmaku that you could hear coming. Still can't see it coming like the smaller, nastier, danmaku, though.

The outside is a strange and terrifying place.

At least things are normal here.

I bound over the path between here and the stage, through the back door Hey, this one has a handle, thank you very much, Architect-person and through the backstage, out onto the frontstage, and full on into Extra Bird, who lets out a nearly birdlike squawk of surprise Small rush to go with it~ as we collide.

Tumbling to the floor, we end up in a tangled mess, with me profusely apologizing and helping Extra Bird to her feet.

Okay, time to capitalize on this

Don't allow time for thinking

Um

Oh right

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you, boss! Where did you go?"

"Where ha-- what? I was looking for--- well, I-- Hold on, where's Wriggle?"

"I couldn't find you, and I took her to the building out back where the band is practicing."

"...Ah. Oh... you did? Well, okay. Yes, I suppose that works. I was hoping to talk to her for a bit before, but with the timing like this, I suppose that was the best move. Thank you, Kabuki."

"No problem, boss."

"We don't have much time, left, I... need your help with the equipment."

She only hesitates a moment when talking about it.

All right.

I grin. It's a wider grin on the inside than it is on the outside, but even so, it's a big one.

"Actually, boss, I've done all the work. I'm going to need your help."

"What?" She fixes me with a confused expression on her face.

I have a plan, born of an Idea

"I had myself an Idea the other day."

"...Yes, you were saying something about that, weren't you... All right. Let's see it."

-------

"Bass."

scribble scribble

finger moves down an item

"Lighting controls."

scribble, move

"Gain."

scribble, move

...pause

"This one would be... Amplifier... Panel...?"

peer

"Yep."

"Right!"

scribble scribble

The Idea was something so amazingly simple that I think she'd be embarrassed for not thinking of it if she weren't so happy to have a way to deal with this, now.

Two columns, many many rows.

Down one column: Words, names, and terms for sound equipment and anything even tangentially related to her job, written in Japanese.

The other column was blank at the beginning, but it's rapidly being filled in with what looks like some kind of caveman kanji. Only if the caveman in question liked lots of circles.

It's Korean, of course.

I wonder why she never asked anybody else for help regarding this. It's not a complicated notion.

Maybe it's an embarrassing one, though.

But it doesn't seem to be bothering her. In fact, she's got a smile on her face, as if delighted to be freed from her linguistic shackles, even if only as it pertains to one area of her life.

It feels really good to help.

A smile forms on my own face, and my mind begins to wander as my thoughts detach themselves from the situation at hand.

Twirl, twirl, the little thoughts go.

The atmosphere doesn't seem to feel heavy, yet my thoughts are weighed down with thinkage.

Much of it.

My thoughts are thus forced to wander over the only thing in range:

Me.

[ ] Looking ahead
[ ] Looking back
[ ] Don't look

________________________________________________________________________________

Don't worry about missing out on something. You'll have other opportunities.

Neither one is a wrong answer.

It's simply: What would you like to hear first?

If anything.

[ ] Looking ahead

[X] Looking ahead
Onward, to the future!

[X] Looking ahead

[x] Looking back

[x] Look back

[X]Twoard the Future

[X]Looking ahead.

[ ] Looking down the breasts
[ ] Looking ahead

A real problem, sometimes.

{X} Looking ahead

[¸] Looking ahead

Where am I? Where am I going?

What am I going to do?

How do I plan on not dying in the next few days?

These are all pretty good questions, alth

"Wireless mic."

ough I haven't really given much thought to them. That isn't good, right?

No. No, it probably isn't.

This is the last day of the concert tour. If the pattern holds, we'll be sleeping here, and then heading back to the poltergeists' mansion tomorrow morning.

I suppose Little Red has thought something out, but not only do I not want to keep having to rely on her, I don't think it's fair of me to keep doing so. And worse, I'm endangering them all the longer I stay with them.

"Spotlight."

So... I can't really just hang around with them forever, even if the green girl didn't come checking around soon. She would come around eventually, or somebody would talk, or slip up, or something would be noticed...

And when the green girl finally came to 'collect' me, I imagine she'd not be very happy with them.

I can't let them be hurt by her.

It just isn't right.

"Subwoofer."

So I'll have to keep moving.

...Like usual.

In order to move half the distance to a place, you must have a place a full distance away from you to move to.

It's true, and I don't care what tortoises or arrows try to say to the contrary. Fuck 'em.

"Fog machine."

So... where can I go next?

The town and the Netherworld are both out. The Haunted House is out. Magic Woods are out. The Bamboo Forest

is

is

is

is

is

The Mountain is entirely out of the question. So is anything even near the other one.

So, think positively: what's available to me?

All and anywhere Under: Down Under, Down Under In The Bad Place, Over and Under and Just Short, Over and Under and Across, Elsewhere (but I'd need to find a way to get there)... And there's the Downroad, and everywhere in between. But that's out in the open, and there's all kinds of unpleasantness here and there. However, hiders can't be complainers.

"Auxiliary Power."

I'm forgetting something.

I remember everything.

No I do.

Yes I don't.

What?

That isn't right.

Something

Something something something something something something something something

isn't

right.

More lying.

The truth: Something is missing.

But the problem comes after that: I am not worried by this -- I do not fear the loss.

I am worried because I cannot think of it, but I don't have any sense of loss.

I just said that.

Did I?

I'd like to speak to whoever's in charge, here. This is completely unacceptable.

Wait.

I'm in charge, here.

...

Fuck.

I won't say, "It's best to not think about such things; let's focus on what we can do, instead!" That's repression. Repression gets you nowhere, does you no favors, makes nothing better, solves none of your problems.

But.

I clearly can't figure this out right now.

I will not try to forget it.

But I will deal with other things. I must, because

"...Oh, sorry. Gain, Treble, Fade, and Power On/Off."

I have things I must focus on.

What have we learned today?

We decided where our next field trip is.

Somewhere Under.

Wheeeeee~

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

About twenty minutes later, Extra Bird finally finishes. Her wings flutter flutter flutter in excitement, and she pulls me into a hug and thanks me and doesn't let go

and she's crying

and

I think this meant a lot to her.

She wipes her tears, and gets to work, telling me I have the rest of the night off.

She looks the happiest I've ever seen her, right now.

The concert starts, soon.

[ ] Sneaking + Shenanigans
[ ] Superior Seating Search
[ ] See Singers
[ ] Stay Sat; Siesta

________________________________________________________________________________

I'd just like to say how grateful I am for each and every one of you who read this story. I've never really created something like this that so many people seem to like.

To all of you: Thank you.

In other news, today's mark is the cedilla, which really just sounds like some kind of adorable rodent thing.

[X] Stay Sat; Siesta
We've had enough shenanigans for one day; it's nap time.

>cedilla
Bah, I say. Its major contribution to the Romance languages is making 'c' even more uselessly redundant than it already is.

[X] Stay Sat; Siesta

[X] Stay Sat; Siesta

[x] See Singers

I wonder if this means seeing hte sisters, since we should check in with them, since they were nice enough to let Kogasa tag along on these nice days.

[x] Stay Sat; Siesta

You're writing style is always refreshing after a day of sense and reason.

>You're writing style is
>You are writing style is

[x] Sneaking + Shenanigans

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

[X] Stay Sat; Siesta

Eventually, we're going to have to figure out another place to go. I wonder if there's an unoccupied vault anywhere in the area?

OP: thank you for writing

>>105518
And my writing is a blight that should be forever kept from the eyes of humanity, god forbid it end up on this site as a parasite leeching off the good things we have.

Sage for useless post.

[∳] Stay Sat; Siesta

Soon, soon.

But I've earned my rest, I think.

I munch away contentedly on a meat bun for a while, watching the happy Extra Bird at work.

Flip twist turn slide adjust flip flip check one two one two

All is good.

All is right.

I doze off.

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

Only blackness.

But I hear something.

Two deep notes. A long pause. The notes sound again.

They slowly begin to increase.

H

e

l

l

o

and

and

and I've never heard this before

but

something tells me

wake up

It's my own voice.

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

"Hello, everybody, and welcome to the show! How many of you are ready to rock?!"

Extra Bird's voice, loud and amplified, fills my ears and jolts me awake. Looking over, I can see she's speaking into a microphone.

The audience Oh, there's an audience, now roars in the affirmative.

"That's what I like to hear!" Extra Bird's voice is filled with glee and fervor, excitement that I haven't heard in it before.

"I'd like you all to know what an awesome night tonight is, ladies and gentlemen and things not quite sure what they are! Not only do you get to hear the totally bitchin' music of everybody's neighborhood friendly poltergeists, no! You also get an awesome animated light show, courtesy of my dear dear dear dear friend and insectician extraordinaire: Wriggle! Rock-You-Like-A-Hurricane! NIGHTBUUUUUUUG!"

Some kind of music starts up, like it was theme music or something. It's probably exactly that. Spotlights swing around and around, and then focus on a figure rising up out of the stage, in a cloud of fog. The spins, and flips open their cape revealing a blushing-bright-red-but-still-determined Flygirl. The audience cheers wildly, and a grin breaks out on her face. She takes a few steps to the back of the stage, bowing and waving.

("Oh my god, she looks so cool!"
"That's a guy, man."
"Bullshit. You just have crappy vision."
"I didn't say I wouldn't hit it."
"...That's a little more than I wanted to know, Toshiki.")

The music dies down, and the spotlights dim. Some kind of thrumming, quietly rumbling bass noise begins to grow, giving the feeling of approaching gravity. It makes no sense but it describes the feeling perfectly.

"And now... The moment you've all been waiting for:.... May I present to you..."

The sound increases, and increases, and then breaks out into a musical explosion.

"KANA AND THE PRISMRIVERRRRRS!"

The roar of the ocean Which I've never heard or did I pales in comparison to the sound of the audience's enthusiastic cheering. The four ghosts float down from the rafters, waving and smiling, laughing and giggling, in White Opening's case.

("Mistress Lyrica, you're the best!"
"I'm still not dressing up in red leather for you, buddy!"
"Oh, come on!"

"FUCK YEAH, LU-NA-SAAAAAA!"
The Black Hand of Slap says nothing in response, but merely lifts a closed fist straight up, then extends her thumb, index, and little fingers, leaving the middle and ring folded down; this earns more cheering

"Merlin, will you go out with me?!"
"You'll have to wait your turn like every other girl!"
"Then take my panties!"
"...striped, huh? Okay, see me after the show."
"Ohmigodohmigodyes!"

"KANA, HAVE MY BABIES!"
"Don't think so, buddy-boy. But I'll let you have mine."
"............Okay!")

They touch down, and Little Red takes ahold of a nearby mic on a stand, causing the audience's cheering to quiet down a bit.

"Thank you! Thank you! I'm glad you all came out to see us tonight! We've got one hell of a show for you tonight, and I think you're gonna love it!"

Loud cheering.

"It's going to be one of our half-and-half sets; half original songs of our own making, and half of some of the best music from outside the Hakurei Barrier!"

Cheering and lots of interested whispering.

"Translations for the songs in the second half will be shown on the screens set up by our thoughtful engineers, so we won't be leaving you in the dark! Not that you'd be in the dark anyway, thanks to our awesome friend, Wriggle Nightbug, working the fireflies to bring these songs to life!"

Lots of cheering, again.

"So without further ado, let's get started! This one's called 'Half a Bottle of Sake'."

The song begins, and the music is, as expected, great. Flygirl's fireflies animate the song, a tale of a drunkard wandering through the wild with only half a bottle of sake at his side, and the things he meets on the way and barely survives, only because he's trying to protect his bottle and keep it from breaking or spilling.

I don't think bears get knocked out so easily, though, but what the hell. I'm having a good time.

Next up in the set is a more serious-sounding song, militaristic and drumbeat-filled, called "Springtime War." It's a metaphor-filled song about the changing seasons, and how the chill and bleakness of winter eventually gives way to the radiance and life of spring. Who knew the seasons could be so serious?

Flygirl gets a lot of use out of her more abstract and nature-based imagery and patterns, here, and does the piece justice.

Number three is something Extra Bird calls-- when I ask her what the hell kind of music this is -- 'opera.' White Opening's voice is loud and resounding as she sings this one, named "The Tale of the Rambling Catfish." Rather than being the constant focus, the sister ghosts play as a backup and sort-of mood-setting role. This 'opera' is a very strange thing.

The story is told of a huge, wandering catfish, who crawls up out of a lake one day, and battles a dragon that guards a palace with deep red walls. It seems unpleasantly familiar for some reason, but I know I've never met a dragon. Nobody has, except maybe The Emperor's Colors. If half the things I've heard about her are true, then it wouldn't surprise me.

In the end, the dragon barely wins, and the catfish retreats, grumbling to itself. In a surprise twist, it turns out the dragon was asleep the whole time, and was acting purely on instinct and reaction. The catfish was only alive at the end because of this.

The final song in the set of original tunes is something written by Black Hand of Slap. It's a slow, heavy piece called "Bad Luck." Not depressing, but it makes you feel.... yeah. Somewhere around there, but not really bad. It slows you down, really. White Opening's voice takes on more of a gentle, crooning tone as she walks around the stage slowly, spotlights following her. All the other lights are out for this one, even Flygirl's insects.

At the end, the lights go back up, and there is more enthusiastic, happy applause. Extra Bird announces something called an 'intermission,' which seems to mean 'break time.'

[ ] devour
[ ] remain

________________________________________________________________________________

Vote vote vote vote. I feel like writing again today.

Today's Mark: the anticlockwise contour integral.
I'd like to know who to bribe to get things put into the official Unicode set. I mean, do we really need that in there?

I think a water droplet would have way the fuck more usage than an anticlockwise contour integral. What the hell is that even used for? I'm sure one of you knows.

In other news: Fallout Writer Person: Please fucking write already. Who or what are you waiting on? I will find them and make them do it if at all possible. Or are you waiting until you've finished writing Palingenesia?lolcockamamietheories

>>105547
Just calm down and dedrama-ify, man.

Chill.

[ ] devour

>"KANA, HAVE MY BABIES!"
>"Don't think so, buddy-boy. But I'll let you have mine."
>"............Okay!"

Oh Kana, never change.

[x] devour

[X] remain

Less exposure is better.

>Song of Meiling's dream

awesome

[∀] devour

[X] remain

I enjoy your version of the Prismrivers so much.

[x] devour

{✓} devour

[X] Om nom nom Devour.

Writing. Don't know how long it'll take.

[<] devour

Food.

Food?

Yes, indeed.

Okay, where from?

I hop out of my chair, and join the milling crowds. Something in the air smells good. Very good, and familiar, somehow...

Oh. Wow...

Apparently a huge number of food stands arrived to set up shop while I was dozing, earlier. Allllll kinds of them.

There's a couple of ramen stands here and there. One selling something like a tube inside long thin pieces of bread. It's a rather lewd food, at first glance. It smells good, though. Hell, everything does.

Three teriyaki stands, two selling fried rice, and two selling yakitori. And one of those is run by Whitewater Fire-eater herself.

Does

I

No

No it doesn't

Move

Yes

I find the source of the smell: that strange, wonderful, beautiful, weird foreign invention called paytza.

The name on the cart is a very, very long one, and mostly filled with katakana that make no sense: "Enzo-ojisan's kosa nosutora pitza eenk."

There's a picture by the name, too, of an old foreign man smiling. Next to it, in bigger, more colorful letters are what I presume is the name written in Foreign, but I don't care three shakes of a kappa's ass; I want some of that paytza, dammit.

It's a very nice-looking cart, too.

"Could I get four slices?" I happily ask the boy working the stand.

"Sure. What kind you want?"

Kind?

"There's more than one way to make this?"

He looks at me strangely.

"Yeah. You not had pizza before?"

He says "paytza" strangely. He says it with a "Pi" sound. But he holds the paytza, so I do not comment on this.

"I've had it before," I say, casually. "...Just didn't know you had this kind, is all I meant. What've you got?"

like sandpaper, baby

shut up

okay

that was suspiciously easy

i don't really want to wait much longer than i have to; that stuff was good

but this never takes any time, does it?

it's the spirit of the thing

riiiight

"Bacon, beef, ham, pepperoni, sausage, green onions, onions, mushrooms, sweet corn, green peppers, mayonnaise, eggs..."

am

am i dead

-Bonk-

"Ow!"

that's a no, then

thank you

anytime

"You all right, there, miss?"

"Most definitely, sir. Does it come with ALL of that?"

"Uh... No, those are just some of the toppings available."

Oh my god yeeeees yes yes yes yes

Eheeheeheeeeee...

--------------------------------------------------------
[
Song #1
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsjd5_mason-williams-classical-gas_music
or http://www.megaupload.com/?d=P7CM7OBG
]
---------------------------------------------------------

I get back to the sound tent just after the first song begins playing.

Something nice and completely instrumental. Lots of strings. It's a catchy, upbeat song to get people back in a sort of feel-good mood. It's certainly working for me, I have to say. Flygirl's animations and visuals for this are sort of abstract, shifting between various shapes and things, rather than carrying along with any kind of story.

I look at the large, flat box I'm carrying. Of course, this helps with my mood-boosting as well.

I open it up, and happily inhale the aroma. Oh god~

So, so, so good.

I decided to buy an entire paytza rather than just four damned slices. I had money, dammit, and I wanted to blow it in the most memorable and delicious way possible.

I take a piece of the bacon-beef-pepper-onion-mushroom-corn-egg heavenliness, and have my first bite.

Yes.

Yes, this is perfection.

Whoever "Uncle Enzo" is, I want to give him a hug. Perhaps he invented paytza. Perhaps he only makes it.

He's still going to get hugged if I see him.

I lean back in my seat and listen to the music, letting it wash over me.

...Ooh. The horns kicked in. More beat makes it ...double upbeat? I don't care. It's nice, the food is amazing...

Everything is going well.

I wonder where, specifically, in Under I'll go next.

Probably not Down Under In The Bad Place. It's probably hot there, and the company likely sucks. Everything's going to be on fire and/or dying and/or wishing it were dead. It's really not a place I want to go of my own will. I don't even know if you can.

Whoops, dropped some corn in my lap.

...Ah, there it is.

nibble~

Now... where was I?

Travel destinations, right.

I could always try Over and Under. It might be kind of boring Across. I hear the people there are strict, and I don't know if anyone lives there. Maybe they schedule tours, or something? It worked before. Still, it's the getting there, that's the problem. Maybe a bit too dangerous.

On the other hand--

Piece number three!

Wait, what happened to piece two? I look around and see Extra Bird chewing away at my missing piece. I start to say something in complaint, then forget about it as soon as I bite into the piece I'm holding.

It's okay to share edible happiness~

....so.

On the other hand, I could go...

...Aww, the song's finished. I really liked it, too.

Wait.

Maybe I should save some of this paytza for later. I don't know when I'll have the chance to have it next, if I don't.

[ ] Prudence
[ ] Gluttony

________________________________________________________________________________

I know it might seem like choices are getting more pointless and silly.

You will be rewarded for your patience, soon. Don't worry.

Earlier today I heated up a frozen pizza. I was going to have only a couple slices and save the rest for later, but it was so good I finished the whole thing. Now I am sad because I have no more pizza.

Don't let this happen to Kogasa

[x] Prudence

>>105634
I know exactly how you feel, bro.

[x] Prudence

[x] Prudence

[x] Prudence

[x] Prudence

[x] Gluttony

Never liked leftover paytza.

[B] Gluttony

[0] Prudence

[x] Gluttony

I like girls who have a bit on their hips.

[x] Prudence

[x] Prudence

[ℙ] Prudence

-------------------------------------------------
[
Song #2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg7QYvi9NmE
or http://www.megaupload.com/?d=78MYL0EI
]
-------------------------------------------------

...Definitely a good idea.

Definitely, definitely.

I take the other half of the paytza and take it apart, splitting it into its component pieces, then stacking them, and finally wrapping them up in the plastic wrapping not-cloth. I place the resulting package, full of warmth and deliciousness, into the bag I carry at my side.

I lean back in my chair again, listening to the music. It's another pleasant song, but with vocals, this time. It takes me a moment to realize that I can actually understand them. Usually the ghosts seem to go in for foreign songs. I'd sort of wondered if Japanese music had turned into a load of trash or something since the Barrier went up: Why else would you play only foreign songs? It's somewhat relieving to hear that Japan's music hasn't degraded to such a point.

I look out over the crowd idly as I relax, letting myself just kind of float along on the gentle sound of one of White Opening's many voices.

Peoplewatching the night away.

A young couple makes out up near the upper rows of seats.

A security guard taps his fingers in time with the song.

Three young boys scarf down food while listening, almost enraptured.

White Opening leans against Little Red's keyboard as she sings, wineglass in hand, spotlight focused on her.

Three friends discuss something heatedly in furtive whispers. I assume it's whispering, at least.

The green girl makes her way across the crowd, gently and politely slipping through the rows of seats.

A small child sits on his mother's l--

Dread.

Deep, unmistakable dread fills me as my eyes flick back over to what I pray, I pray I didn't really see.

Like a stain that won't come out no matter how hard you wash it, her figure persists.

She is coming closer.

Slowly

But surely

Closer.

[ ] Silent alarm
[ ] Red alert

________________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to use a different image for this. It was one of Shiki stalking Arcueid through the city, but from a 3rd-person POV, situated somewhere in front of Arcueid, I think. Couldn't find the picture on either of the 'boorus, though, and I'm pretty sure it isn't a game CG.

I'll definitely update again tonight (hopefully earlier than yesterday's "tonight" which was actually at around 2 or 3 in the fucking morning), so vote, vote, vote.

[x] Red alert

Oh, come on.

[x] Silent alarm

We should stay cool, mellow, not panic. Sudden movements might give our position away.

I could be wrong here.

[x] Silent alarm

[…] Silent alarm

Calm down

breathe

And keep on acting normally.


I thoroughly enjoy reading this story, by the way.

[x] Silent alarm

[∀] Silent alarm

[B] Silent alarm

[X] Silent alarm

She might not have seen through our costume yet?
e-he-he-he-he
we're so fucked.

[≮] Silent alarm

Ice water fills my veins momentarily. Minutarily. Not a word, but I don't care. It's longer.

Now is the time for all good youkai to come to the aid of the self.

Only I will answer my call. I would feel horrible if others were involved.

I will not have the pain of others haunting me.

The chill of frigid, paralyzing fear numbs my body, and

and

and something comes after.

No. I will not be panicked, terrified wreck. I need to flee, but I will do so as a creature of thought.

I am a youkai. But I am not stupid.

--A warmth spreads throughout me: The spark of determination keeps the chill at bay, and illuminates a potential path through the coming darkness.

She's coming closer. Still a ways off, but she seems to be heading right here.

Calm down.

Focus. I stand up in the tent, keeping a particualrly tall bank of machines with dancing, rippling red lights between myself and her.

Extra Bird notices the sudden movement, and turns to face me. She almost turns back, but something gives her pause. A slight look of concern is on her face. I must not be looking as calm as I hope I am.

"...Kabuki?"

I don't answer, and close my eyes briefly.

Now is the time for all good youkai to come to the aid of the self.

I open them again. Extra Bird is still turned around.

"Is something wrong...?"

I give her a light, almost-not-quite-there smile. It probably isn't there.

"I'm just going outside."

pause

"I may be some time."

She nods, slowly, and then turns back to her work.

She can tell Something Is Not Right. She suspects something, at least.

I don't dare let her know more.

Out of the tent, and into the dark crowds.

Night has fallen, but nobody cares, as the show is in full swing. That slow, gentle song is still playing. Its easy, sweet tune contrasts sharply with the muted fear racing through me.

Control must be maintained.

How the hell did she find me?

Control, dammit.

I need an exit.

The song is coming to a close.

[ ] Streets paved with gold
[ ] Backstage passes
[ ] The shortest distance between two points

________________________________________________________________________________

I thought this was going to be longer.

Huh.

[x] Backstage passes

I doubt she can reach backstage so easily, and we can wait for the sisters to arrive and inform them of what's happening.

[x] Backstage passes

Let's just hope that she wont decide to use force to get to us.

[X] Backstage passes

Concert security may slow her down enough for us to gain some distance this way.

[x] Backstage passes

On the plus side, if she chooses to assault us in front of everyone and even goes as far to attack the Prismrivers as well, its probably not going to end well for her.

Lets suffice it to say that the crowd would likely not be pleased. Sanae is strong and all, but taking on 7 bosses, and a mob of angry fans? Probably not going to happen.

In fact, I have to wonder whether she's actually here for us at all. Unless she's got some mega trump card, it seems like an unfathomably stupid move.

>>105739

>In fact, I have to wonder whether she's actually here for us at all. Unless she's got some mega trump card, it seems like an unfathomably stupid move.

Well, she is the person in Gensokyo who can't be held back by common sense.

[x] Backstage passes

[x] Backstage passes

[x] Backstage Passes
also tell security to let no one except bandmembers through.

[x] Backstage passes

>taking on 7 bosses
3 of whom where easily defeated together by her equals, 2 stage 2 bosses (Maybe Kogasa counts as an EX-midboss because it's night, but maybe not because Sanae holds the element of surprise here), a stage 1 boss, and Kana... depending on how strong Kana is, it might be fathomable for her to at least incapacitate Kogasa, take her, and escape.

Then again, there's probably other audience members who could help you.

Or maybe some plotting against you.

>>105749

Prismrivers were stage 4. As were many other notable characters, including Reimu and Marisa. Admittedly they were pretty easy for stage 4, but still. Also: They were seperately playable as well, which instantly makes their strength completely up for debate. One could even question if the Prismrivers on their own would be a match for Sanae.

Also, stage numbers isn't a good measure of how strong someone is. A perfect example would be Cirno, who's been stage 1 midboss, stage 2 boss, I forget which stage she was in STB, and playable twice (and beat main characters and a stage 6 boss in her run, including post UFO Sanae). That's pretty damn inconsistent.

Anyway, point is, I don't think Sanae, Reimu, Marisa, or even bosses who are considered hax like Suika, Tenshi, or Yukari would be really be able to handle that many boss characters at once. Oh, and of course, the village guard (who are youkai in canon), and Keine (village protector) would likely get involved. THEN there's also a certain commissioner/detective as well. Not to mention that if Sanae DID attack all of them, the cat would be out of the bag.

At that point you'd probably be seeing Reimu or even Yukari interfere if Sanae starts causing real problems. Heck, she might end up getting grounded by her own gods. Even if she did manage to abduct Kogasa, in front of all those people it would leave a lot of witnesses and would probably lead to retribution.

- - -

On a completely separate note, I've kinda noticed that throughout all four threads, no one has really talked much about what is up with Sanae, other than just accepting that she's gone bonkers. Maybe we should start coming up with some theories so we can figure out how we might stop her in the long run.

Now start thinking guys: What or who could cause someone to go crazy, and what or who could help us figure out what is wrong or how to fix it?

Sounds like we need to take a trip to the underground palace.

>>105759
All true, but Kogasa is quite fixated on making sure nobody else gets hurt, which means avoiding most of the people who could potentially help us. Also, keep in mind that we may not be dealing with danmaku rules here, which means fights would come down to who has the better hax. On our side, powers to cause blindness, manipulate insects, surprise people, and... play instruments without touching them; on her side, power to... cause miracles.

>who could help us figure out what is wrong or how to fix it?
>Sounds like we need to take a trip to the underground palace.
...This is actually a pretty good idea. We don't really have enough information about Sanae to theorize at this point, and it's not entirely clear how much of that is because it just hasn't crossed Kogasa's mind versus an actual lack of knowledge .

>>105762

Mostly agree with you, but you do underestimate some of those powers.

Blindness could be the difference between getting caught and escaping, and could make it easy for the others to pick her off.

Control over bugs could possibly kill Sanae fairly easily, provided Wriggle used the right bug. I don't think Sanae is going to want to fight after being stung by an entire hive of bees, for instance.

And the Prismriver's abilities (apparently) allow them to manipulate emotions via their music, which could be quite handy when you have a mob who is more than willing to listen to you. (That might help explain how devoted their fans are, besides the obvious rocking out).

As for Kogasa's power, the way its shown in this story makes me think it could be put to real good use especially considering we apparently have two grenades in our bag of tricks. Surprise! You don't have a torso now! Oh god, actually that's not a bad idea. We should just suicide bomb Sanae, since we would be fine after while..

Anyway, the way I see it, I'm thinking this is going to be a "hallowed ground" kinda situation. She finds us, realizes she can't do squat, so decides to mock us instead.

She might try and claim we're some vicious youkai she has to exterminate in order to get people to let her take Kogasa away. Proooobably not going to work though, especially with people who can vouch for us.

Of course all that is a moot point, since Kogasa is going to try her damnedest to not get caught in the first place.

>>105759

A really interesting case is Yuugi (On par with Suika) despite being a stage 3 boss.

I think the suspected cause of her insanity is the shock of how insignficant she is to Gensokyo when she was once regarded as a human god. And that possible fact that she at times seems the weakest of the Playable humans, causes her to pick on an easy target.

As far as the matter of not getting anyone involved, that's playing straight into Sanae's hands (Considering how Sanae can easily talk with people while Kogasa's cursed not to tell anyone to the point of not being able to say Sanae's name)

Though I think Sanae possibly trying to persue her into the backstage would make a ruckus, serving as a defense. But that's assuming she's locked on to us.

There might be problems with the Underground Palace. One, they might be favored to Sanae due to what Kanako did, trying to tell them might not work since Satori might dismiss her due to Kogasa's mind being a mess.

It'd be a gamble, but this might also mean Sanae avoids Satori specifically, (Since unlike Kogasa whose mind is cluttered yet sane, Sanae has a clear mind and clearly twisted)

My question is what happened at the SDM to have Sakuya be so angry at Kogasa. (Reimu is most likely a case of possibly not standing some youkai, and perhaps Sanae's propaganda.)

But a good bet would be the Temple (They'd surely help Kogasa, at least in terms of undoing some of those curses)

[X] Streets paved with gold

going into the underworld sounds better after the debate.

[➫] Backstage passes

I'll leave through the back.

Then I can either circle around and try losing her in the streets, or make my way towards the town wall, and leave immediately.

Something.

It feels good to plan. Or maybe to be able to plan.

-------------------------------------------------
[
Song #3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTEHa0WXldU#t=0m41s
]
-------------------------------------------------

The new song is different. More modern, much faster paced. Back to foreign lyrics, but it doesn't bother me.

I have worse things to worry about. Much worse.

The speed and life spur me into movement. I feel little jolts of energy with each note, trying to spur me into action, making me itch to go faster, run, fly, jump up and down, do something do something dooooo something

So... This is Pinkblue Madness' power, huh?

...It's really something.

The desire for sudden action fades after a few moments of that.

I'm already moving by then. Not the enthusiastic, energetic, wild movements I wanted to make, but calm, subdued haste.

excuse me

sorry

coming through

whoops

thank you

sorry

sorry

pardon

I carefully and quickly hop, slip, and ease my way through the raving crowd, making my way down near the far end of the stage wall. Still offstage, but connected to it. There was an access door there that led backstage.

could I get through there, sir?

yes, I'm the oni with the band

yes, kabuki

i need to check some wiring backstage; we're getting odd, um, signals

thank you, keep up the good work

The door closes behind me, a wall between me and the green girl.

No time to rest:

This won't stop her for very long.

Up the stairs, up, up into backstageland, where all your misguided dreams of fandom come crashing down.

Well, the sisters probably aren't in the business of dream-crushing or bubble-bursting. ...White Opening, though; who knows?

Down the hall, a bit, past a few changing rooms... The lighting in this place sucks.

Music's louder, too. But that's to be expected.

Oh well.

There's the exit.

A little shove on the back door, and out I go, out into the night again.

Now I pause.

I'm scared. I don't want to go back.

Don't want to take that long journey up up up into the hall of the mountain queen.

Fear is a necessary part of survival. It is what keeps you alert, aware, and understanding of danger.

Control must always be exercised, for fear has a habit of growing too large, and consuming you.

Fear will be allowed to gnaw at my geta but never bite me

only enough to spur me on

go

go

go already

Don't want to move further away on the wrong side of the fence.

Medium white building in front of me. That's the practice hall and the place to sleep. My things are in there already, having been taken ahead.

Well, most of my things.

Okay, it should still be unlocked, right? I can break a window, at worst.

tug, tug

Shit.

Rock, rock, where's a rock?

Plenty of it behind me being played.

Not that kind of rock.

There's one.

I lean down to pick it up, and as I do, remember that I'm carrying a perfectly serviceable club.

...Kind of a club.

I feel a little silly, now.

now

now is the time for all good youkai to move move move get on with it

Right.

I turn back to the doors, just as I hear a light "thump" from behind me.

Don't

DON'T

turn around too fast.

A casual look over my shoulder.

The green girl is there, rising up from a crouch, dusting her robes off.

How did--

My eyes look past her, to the tall, tall fence; almost more of a wall, between the amphitheater and the area behind the stage.

Back down again. She jumped that?

"Does she really have to be this difficult? I just wa--"

She sees me as she looks around, and her expression brightens up.

"There you are!"

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

Why, god?

Why

Stop

Hold on. Something

isn't

The same.

No charge, no rushing movements, no immediate and brutal subdual.

Something

is

wrong

right

Subjective views aside, it's a change of pace.

It also might be a trap.

She begins walking towards me, unhurried.

"I've been looking all over for you, you know." A little smile, maybe out of frustration, follows this.

She speaks the same but her body is different.

I do not know what is going on.

The green girl draws ever closer.

[ ] Denial
[ ] Anger
[ ] Bargaining
[ ] Depression
[ ] Acceptance

________________________________________________________________________________

Oh god yes

Discussion

Lovely discussion

It is my fetish, you know.

That, and Hina. And Mima. And Ran. And others.

I hope you all have been listening to the music.

A moment's reflection reminds me that Hina and discussion together are an even greater fetish of mine.

Two great tastes, together at last.

I may very well go back to the archives and fap to Hina scenes in YMLA tonight.

[X] Bargaining

Not only is Sanae apparently behaving differently than usual, but Kogasa didn't expect her to jump the wall, indicating that she may have different physical capabilities than usual. Going out on a long, long limb here, but I think this might not be Sanae, at least as Kogasa knows her.

This is a rather interesting turn of events... I wonder if Sanae is channeling Suwako right now. Or if it's possible, Suwako acting through Sanae without her consent"...

[X]Denial

Either way, I'll keep speculation to myself for now.

Are we still in a private-ish area? As in, can we act indignant that she's broken into a restricted area and then call for security?

At the very least, if she fucks us over, she'll be earning a reputation as a criminal in the process. A criminal who obviously must have been trying to steal from the prismrivers the most famous band in all gensokyo. Because if we can't rip out her heart, we can at least ensure her shrine will be abandoned by any worshippers~ I'm sure her patrons would really appreciate that.

[x] INDIGNATION!

or, if not... fuck it. Lets get indignant anyway.
[x] INDIGNATION!

[X] Bargaining

This is different indeed, but hopefully this choice will have her on guard while dealing with Sanae.

But I think we should at least listen before making any decisions.

[x] Acceptance

I'm trying to decide if she actually recognizes her or not.

[ ] Denial
[x] Anger
[ ] Bargaining
[ ] Depression
[ ] Acceptance

Are these the steps to finally accept that you or someone you care about is going to die? I think i saw that in Scrubs.

>>105842
Google "Kübler-Ross model". It also applies to people faced with other catastrophic loss (i.e. loss of a limb, bankruptcy), recovering drug addicts, and people about to be recaptured by their adversary and tortured.

...I made myself sad.

[x] Acceptance

I'm hoping this is the choice for 'act as calm as possible and do your best to hold a civil conversation.'

I really wish a specific course of action could be planned without horribly breaking the voting style used in the story.

[x] Acceptance
Why do I think this is gonna end with screws?

i think barging is the middle ground choice (not too resistant nor too submissive)

[X] Anger

On the slim chance that she has not yet seen through the oni disguise, we inform her that she is not where she belongs...

...barring that, we don't go down without a fight.

[X] Anger

[x] Anger

>>105852
Yes, that was what i meant.

[x] Anger

isn't anger being a bit too hasty? If she was acting normal that'd be one thing, but Sanae is acting unusual, and as it shown in the past, Sanae isn't one of trickery, but outright actions.

I think a more balanced view point would be better, since we can't be too trusting.

[X] Acceptance

My guesses:

>Denial
Run away.
>Anger
Attack.
>Bargaining
Talk.
>Depression
Cry, beg, gnash teeth.
>Acceptance
No idea, but I can't imagine it's anything good.

>>105883
>Acceptance
Collapse, remain motionless? Not that we could keep that up for long enough for her to grow bored.

[X] Anger

Assuming this isn't too hostile, I'd rather act like an oni and try to shoo her away since she doesn't belong here.

I have a feeling that [] Bargaining may risk exposing some habit of speech that Sanae might be able to pick up on. Or even worse, something like, "Hey, you're not from around here are you? I'm Sanae, nice to meet you." Do not want brain hemorrhage.

Even if Sanae is not in her normal mood, I'd rather not take the risk. On the other hand, I don't know how much good it will do to chase her away from the backstage; she'll probably be watching like a hawk in case we try to escape again, since she did follow us all the way here for whatever reason.

>>105894 's post now makes me doubt whether or not Sanae actually recognizes us. I don't know whether or not it's the best idea, but I suppose it's worth a shot.

>>105901
whoops.
[x]Anger

[x] Anger

You humans come in the night and plunder what you want from the land. The earth is not your brother, it is your enemy--and when you have conquered it, you will move on. You will leave behind your fathers' graves and give up the birthrights of your children.

Why do you harass my people so, oath-breaker? Why must you hem us in and knowingly spur us to violence?

[X] Bargaining

I really want to find out what she wants, if only to confirm something I've been suspecting about the story.

>>105904
>if only to confirm something I've been suspecting about the story.
Well, don't keep us waiting.

>>105907

Its a long shot, a real epileptic tree scenario, really. It goes something like:

What if this is all really what the title implies? A simple game. One that Kogasa got far far too in character for? Thus far she's been a terribly unreliable narrator, to the point that one has to take anything she thinks with a grain of salt.

Throughout the story, she's becoming more and more sane, regaining her abilities and such. And now she's confronted with her enemy who appears to be non-hostile, and even Kogasa is confused as to why. It seems like whatever it was that she's been going through, she's starting to snap out of it.

So its possible that either Kogasa is imagining the whole thing, or that there's something bigger going on than just "shrine maiden is insane". Its also possible that Kogasa really did experience everything that happened to her, but either didn't understand the situation (and it manifested as torture to her mind).

Main problem with this theory include the fact that she cannot name people or places without going through a severe episode, but I'm starting to think that might not be as obviously linked to Sanae as we initially thought.

There's another theory I have that goes even further, but I'm going to wait on more evidence before I even bring it up as a possibility.

[⌢] Anger

Dammit, no.

This is not the time for this.

Time to blusterbluff.

I have a

tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny

hunch

Let's see if it gets me killed!

once more into the breach?

yep

well, i'll see you when you're alive again, i guess

"What do you want?" I ask, a clearly irritated tone in my voice.

The green girl stops and pauses.

"Eh?"

Very, very different.

I don't think she knows I am not me but someone else.

Well, this

this is good

maybe?

Keep it going, keep it going.

"You're following me, aren't you?"

...she blushes and turns away.

What the fuck?

"Eheh... Yeah, you got me. I'm really sorry; I just wanted to see who the oni was."

...oh?

"What?"

"You're an oni, and we don't get many at all, above the surface. Almost none, in fact!"

...Damn. I should have thought of that. But at least the idea of more oni isn't too unusual to her, or else I'd really be screwed.

She sounds excited and eager. This is rather surreal. She steps closer, now, friendly and interested.

"Well, I'm allowed to, aren't I?"

"Y...yes, but... well, it's pretty much unheard of! You have no idea how amazing this is!" She giggles to herself. "Just wait 'til I tell Lady Kanako! She'll be so proud of me~"

The green girl comes closer, closer, right up next to me.

I'm trying very hard to not scream.

And

And

And

And...

And I could just reach out and snap her neck.

grab hold twist hard sickening pop all over

problem solved, i win, hooray

And then I'll be proper fucked.

No, this isn't how it should end.

It will end with her death, but

something inside

quiet-knows something tells me maybe does it could be imaginary even less than unreal

says

It's not time yet.

Or maybe that's the colder part of me

the one with debts to settle I have yet to take the lungs of of the Silver Tick-Tock Dog can tell that she could take me out right now if she wanted and I

-no, I-

cannot.

poke, poke

The green girl's face is in front of mine.

This is not an unfamiliar sight. I've seen it before.

It's usually smiling or grinning or cold. Not uncommon to see it with blood spatters on it here and there, either.

Childish curiosity is a new one, though.

tap

tap tap

tug

Curiosity gives way to slight confusion.

"That's odd..." says the green girl, touching the horns on my head.

I'd be worried about her lack of regard for personal space, but I think I'm going to have bigger problems in very, very, short order.

Out behind the wall behind us, backaway back the way I came...

I hear the last song end.

"Thank you! Thank you very much!"

The voice of Pinkblue Madness. Does everyone get a turn talking? I wouldn't trust her with a mic, but if it's about not being thought-sick, I wouldn't trust White Opening, either... and she sort of has to have it, being their lead singer.

"Well, it's time for the last song of the night, people!"

Sounds of disappointment follow this.

flick

"Now, don't you all worry, it's a damn fine one. I chose it myself, that's how damn fine it is. So! Without any further frickin' ado..."

--------------------------------------
Song #4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiVscqYrtfM
--------------------------------------

flick flick tug tug tug

The green girl frowns.

I come back to myself and fully in my self and selves and back together again, and back away from her, swatting her hand away.

"Hey, dammit! Don't touch me so casually..."

but the damage is already done and done and duuuunnn-da-dundun ---- duuuuunnn-da-dundun-DUUUUN me in.

"Oho~? These aren't real horns, are they?"

Not good.

"Hmmm... you're not reeeeally an oni, are you~?"

The green girl doesn't seem to realize how much damage she's wrought, though. She leans forward, but still no ill will yet

but I think it's comin'

"It's a pretty good costume, though."

Twelve white horses when she does?

She'll trample me with them she will and will oh yes

and there's a little smile in her face, but she thinks this is still a joke but the lightning's about to hit--

Smiles, now, a little fun time playful smile, and she leans in.

"That a wig, too, then?"

The lightning flashes

"Come on, lemme see~!"

Her hand is raised up, and she makes a little shoo, shoo motion.

Wind blows and a small breeze gusts by. Small, except for the gust that tugs at my (not-) hair, pulling it askew---

A little light sea green tumbles down over my eyes, free at last from having been cooped up under there.

The green girl blinks, robes rustling slightly even as the conjured breeze dissipates.

She peers closer, and I see it. I see that moment, that ugly moment as the realization dawns, and pieces begin to click click click together as they fall into place.

The crack of thunder sounds, and the herd panics

That innocent smile of curiosity and confusion now blossoms, and the smile becomes a grin, wider and wider. It doesn't look ugly Yet because she keeps that inside of her not approved for outdoor use do not play on or around

"Oh.... Oh my goodness!" She begins to laugh, likely from equal parts happiness, satisfaction, and amazement. "I never would have guessed it'd be you, my little runaway~"

Her hands clap together in joy, and she begins to walk toward me, a sense of terrible purpose hidden and invisible ---except to me because I know it's there I know what is coming what is approaching--- in every

step

And she keeps on walking.

The song from onstage that just started becomes a song and not just music as they begin to sing the lyrics in the song that they sing and sing and now is the time for all good youkai to come to the aid of the self.

Youkai, aid thyself.

[ ] Up
[ ] Up
[ ] and Away

________________________________________________________________________________

The sheer number of votes here was unexpected. I love you all. All of you.

If you're not listening to the music yet, you're missing out.

>>105910
That's mostly all off the mark. The truth of the matter is far more simple.

>to the point that one has to take anything she thinks with a grain of salt.
...Not really.
The main character is crazy, but she isn't hallucinating.

>>105903
...Damn, I've heard that from somewhere before.

Fuck.

...Fuck.

[X] Up

[X] Up

[x] Up
2nd one, don't know how to make it.

[0] Up

>Fuck.

>...Fuck.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST POST I WANT TO SEE, DAMMIT

[x] Up

Goddammit.

[x] Up

[X]and Away

Because someone needs to vote for this.

>The main character is crazy, but she isn't hallucinating.
Speaking of crazy theories, this reminds me of one I've been contemplating for a while that hasn't been explicitly ruled out...

Neither anyone in-story nor the writer have actually called the protagonist "Kogasa".

>>105957
~

>>105957

I've been wondering about that as well, and what it could mean. So far nothing springs to mind.

We gained some useful tidbits of information this time around.

It seems that Sanae doesn't have some umbrella radar or anything. She was genuinely surprised it was us. This a good thing to know.

And we at least we know Kogasa thinks she could end Sanae pretty easily if given the element of surprise

[x] Away
Oh crap, we should have stayed near the stage after all. Not only that but the noise from the music will cover our capture.

Up? Away?

More Running? Running without plan, without purpose? Where's that going to get us exactly?

[x] Stage Invasion
We're gonna surprise the entire god-damn crowd - and in the process cause enough havoc to be a distraction for a better escape.

>>105983
(okay, yeah, security i know, but we should be close enough to make a mad flight there and blow something up to make an impact)

[x] Up

I don't know what the hell these things mean really.

Flying into open air is probably bad, what with the exploitation of wind currents and all.

[X] Stage Invasion

If you'd rather we stick to the vote choices then I guess [X] Up, since it sounds less up than the other two. Although the last one doesn't sound like up, but it probably implies it.

Almost forgot about this but
>>105957
Oh dear god, that would be too much. Ether that or to show just how bored Sanae is to do that to her.

>>105983
You're thinking like someone who is used to relying on others to help in case of emergencies, not someone who is facing the person who has singlehandedly tracked them down and killed them, over, and over, and over, and over, and over...

[x] Up
[x] Up
[x] and Away

Keep voting, I'm sleeping.

One more update in this thread, I think.

>>106041

Maybe she needs to stop relying on herself so much. No man is an island, and this should apply to Youkai as well. Sanae can't possibly pick a fight with EVERYONE in gensokyo, and there are very few (if any ) people in gensokyo that would be okay with what she's doing.

What Kogasa really needs to do is slowly make friends with people like the Prismrivers and gradually gain support. How we've been going about it is a good idea, but it doesn't do us any good if they don't know what our problem is. So we need to let people know.

Its not like the curse or whatever on us is even really that much of a hindrance anyway. Five minutes of talking to someone should be enough for them to get the jist of what whats going on. Something as simple as "Green girl from the mountain keeps torturing me, pass it on" would be enough for most in Gensokyo to get whats going on.

I admire Kogasa's dedication to not getting others involved, but there's a difference between being selfless and being reckless.

If she does get caught this time, I say that we just risk getting caught again to go directly to her gods and tell them whats happening, and plead for them to stop. And if the curse or whatever prevents us from doing that, we should ask someone to deliver the message in our stead, or just leave a note.

Something as simple as leaving a note for them to check whatever place she keeps torturing us and then purposely getting caught might be enough.

These are potentially risky ideas, and its hard to tell how open this story is for write-ins, but its worth mentioning.

As for the situation right now I really do think that this is the best chance for exposing Sanae for what she is that we are ever going to get.

We could just fly over the stage and make sure everyone sees us being attacked. Throw no danmaku back at her. Let ourselves get hit by a stray shot, and purposely take a fall where everyone can see us, while begging her to stop if she decides to come down for us.

If she wants to be a bitch and hunt us everywhere, we can make her look bad in front of everyone.

>>106066

Yeah since it's obvious that the solo approach isn't working. And is in fact something that Sanae counts on in her plans. It's like a loop and the only way to break out of it is if Kogasa asks for some help.

>>106041

Actually my thought was less about going there to get help and more about going there to get a huge powerup (by surprising the hell out of everyone in the audience) and causing enough of a riot to basically make it harder for Sanae to follow us.
As a bonus the prismrivers will *see* and since they have the jist of what's going on they can tell others - if we just ran without giving them some idea of why we ran then it reflects badly on us.
We don't necessarily have to get people directly involved in fighting Sanae yet but we do need to get people to see that we are telling the truth about her.

>>106076
On a side note (fucking non deleting posts) If we did go underground... wouldn't Satori just pluck the entire damn story from our heads? I can't see her refusing to help anyone who needed help that badly.

>>106077

You'd assume that it'd make sense to Satori, if the narration is anything to go by, while basically sane, her head is a mess.

>>106079


What if she read the mind of Kogasa's umbrella? He can explain it to her.

>>106077

Satori's power doesn't work like that. She can only read surface thoughts, not someone's memory. Remember how she does that spellcard before using your partner's spellcards?

The reason for that is that particular spellcard is actually a hypnotic pattern to bring traumatic experiences to the forethought of one's mind so she can use it against her opponent.

So really, even if things go badly underground and Satori decides to fight us, shed use that card, and then she'd be privy to all the gruesome details, which would hopefully make her take a step back and feel sorry for us.

Honestly though, Satori isn't who I was suggesting we see, since she would probably actually be pretty useless to us unless we managed to get her to fight Sanae and hopefully bring out whatever traumatic experience caused this whole mess.

Who we REALLY want to see is Koishi, who's ability to read and manipulate the subconcious might possibly provide a solution to our curse. She also might be able to "fix" Sanae, if she's actually gone bonkers, and not just evil. At the very least, she could give us some insight into what is really going on.

Best of all, Koishi could actually do all of this completely undetected due to her ability. That is, if we manage to convince her to help us.

>>106095

I wonder if the umbrella 'speaking' to her is a sign of her flawed sanity or not.

I just had a terrible thought.

What if Sanae's gods are in on it?
As in they're helping Sanae with her messed up goals. It makes sense when you re-read the first few paragraphs of this 'adventure.'

[⇪] Up

It's time I took my leave.

I hate to see you come, but it's good when I see you go.

Out Fox Ed Lady.

Sides are clear.

Eyes go dart dart I am panicking yes yes you see me doing it riiiiight

I hope

She wears a kindly smile. Not kindly. Friendly. Happy. Hello smugness, are you there?

Nobody answers.

Sometimes you gotta knock (on, knock on; knock on the door) a little harder, but I don't think that will work for her or right now because there is no time, none, none, none, none at all because

she is here

And she reaches for me and you can see it in the way her fingers curve into claws only at the last minute but only to make sure she has a good hold

Or maybe not

I'm only in a position to guess.

However

She's been watching my eyes and I can see (again! God be praised! Thanks be to Christian sorcery! Send your donations--) that she's been watching them. I don't let that show in my eyes, so she can't see it back and that means we are not mirror to mirror making infinite worlds in the glass.

Sucker.

Bang zoom straight to the moon or not. But up I shoot all the same like a rocket. The rush of air plus rush of lift + rush of successful (momentarily) execution of ruse + a given rush R = mh, where m is the magnitude of the surprise and h is the human-ness of the subject. Solve for fuck you.

Air blows past me and I move past it. Moving quickly at several somethings per something.

Angry cry from behind me, so I'm doing something right.

But then

There's something wrong

Something my eyes see or something over my skin or something I can hear I think it's all of them

Trees bending incorrectly that's a 5 point deduction young pine

The feel of conflicting currents stop arguing any way the wind blows it's blowing in not just any but the wrong way which way is that not my way that's for goddamn sure

And in my ears where I hears there is laughter sweet and fresh like a burst of blood from a hunter's arrow in the animal's throat

Things are rapidly deteriorating.

I don't think this will end well.

One last shot.

And then we'll see what we shall see.

The Shape of Things To Come?

No sir, I don't like it.

[ ] Emergency Landing
[ ] Buzz the tower

________________________________________________________________________________

No comments on the music? Any of it? How disappointing.

Short update is short but also means VOTE NOW SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE TODAY

It only means that because I say it does, not because of the shortness. But they're generally together.

...Oh, right. Next update will be in a new thread.

[x] Emergency landing

I get the feeling Buzz the tower is using the wind to zip past Sanae. I'd like to see other folks' take on it.

Oh my God, we're Suwako.

[x] Buzz the tower

>>106121
As terrifyingly plausible as that is at first blush, our friend's complaining about not being noticeable and transformation into a club makes it unlikely that we're not a tsukumogami of a long, thin object.

[X] Buzz the tower
Kogasa's supposed to be back up to full power; we can only hope that's enough. I have a sinking feeling that we're not going to get a bad end if Sanae catches up.

[x] Buzz the tower

{X} Buzz the tower

>>106121
Now, whyever would you think that?

[B] Buzz the tower

[x] Emergency landing

[x] Emergency landing

>Sometimes you gotta knock (on, knock on; knock on the door) a little harder

Thought of this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdE1JCEKtg4

[x] Emergency landing

[x] Buzz the tower

[x] Buzz the tower

Hey guys, I haven't read this story much, but is this pic still related?

>>106144
Oh, it will be.

[x] Buzz the tower

>>106121
And there have been references to parentS. This makes me think both goddesses are there.

No comments on the music? Any of it?
Sorry, music got overshadowed by imminent death.

[x] Buzz the tower

As for the music, I actually haven't ever clicked a single music link in any story that has ever offered them. Perhaps I should start.

[۩] Buzz the tower

Like it or not, do or die.

Fight and flight.

Huh.

Once more, 'round the dreary west and curl and curve around and drop and I see the buildings under me zip zip zip brick and tile and wood and glass. Building Materials on your right. No thank you, I'm full.

Now

Wait for it...

Arms spread out, a thump as the contrary current catches cornered creature concerned over capture and flings her back at the green girl.

Straight I go and launched I be are am.

Okay...

What was I going to do, now?

Well, back to basics.

The green girl's eyes go wide as the winds at my back push me right at her. Gosh, you'd think she'd--- Mmm ---have expected this. Why else would she have done that?

Works (badly) for me But play the hand you're dealt

I soar past her, surprise turning to irritation if I hear her indignant shout right.

Pull up, pull up--

I'll splatter into the wall of the backstage if I keep going much farther and

wait

And I see a full house in that hand

as it were.

Ah

Ahaha

How's a little publicity sound, you bloodthirsty bitch?

Angling up, I adjust my flight path such that it should take me over the wall

And I'll make my debut a smashing success.

Up I go and here's the edge of the wall and I can just see the first of the outer rows of people in the crowds.

A grin spreads across my face because I'm home

free

the home is

free

of me

because the unseen fist of god reached down and struck me

it hurts

and home free falls up and up and up

the air rushes in my ears as I am borne to the ground

I wish this had gone better.

C R A C K

Sharp, sudden pain.

And

And colors

painful very many much a lot

they

does

in't

not go

hurts

hiylo where

nuh-uh

it

hurts

i cant

goodnight moon

________________________________________________________________________________

Next part to follow in the new thread I'll be making tomorrow, since this one is already autosaged and I already know some people aren't going to notice this.

Here's a little something for everybody:
This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHYDFClkqHw
...is the song I heard which inspired me to write this story. Forget the video, just listen to the music.

FFFFFFF--

>Next part to follow [...] tomorrow

--FFFFFFFFFFFFF--

>>106160

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Well..


Doesn't that suck.

...This might take me more than a day to write.

I hope not, but it might.

brb workan and Stone Ocean

>>106183
You're doing this just to torment us, aren't you?

>>106212
No. I'm back and working on it even now.

New thread: >>106277

New thread: >>106277