"Well well well, so glad you could finally join us! Do tell, good sir, did you happen to get lost in the labyrinthine halls of my lavish estate? They can be somewhat confusing for guests, at times~" Lavish? Pretentious is more like it... But you're not going to say that out loud, at least not now; you'd rather enjoy whatever magnificent meal Sakuya has cooked up in peace. You take a seat opposite of Remilia, which leaves Flandre to your left.
"For today's meal, I felt like having something more... Japanese. Something simple. I do hope you like okonomiyaki. Bon appétit~" After introducing to you what today's lunch is, Remilia wastes no time in digging in; well, aside from a brief moment to add some of that weird seasoning to it. Despite her voracity, she still maintains perfect table manners as she eats. In comparison, Flandre is poking at her food with her usual childlike curiosity.

"O... ko... no... mi... ya... ki?"

"It's kind of like a Japanese omlette or pancake." You explain to the younger sister what it is that she's expected to be eating. Glancing to the side, you notice that Flandre's food seems to have slightly different ingredients than what you and Remilia are eating, giving it a more dark-red and brown tint, and a somewhat unusual smell. Still, she seems to like the scent of her food, eventually taking a small, cautious bite out of it, before erupting into a flurry of soft, muffled giggles, mouth still full, placing her hands on her cheeks.

"It's so good! Can we have this again some day, sis?"

"Certainly, certainly! Ah, but what about our guest; do you not like it? You haven't even tasted it yet - do you have any complaints about my maid's cooking?" You dismiss her wild allegations rampantly, promptly giving the food a taste as she looks on with that wicked grin of hers.
It's incredibly delicious, once again, to the point where the entire world around you seems to simply fade away for one blissful moment, the flavor swirling around in your mouth, spoiling your tongue to no end. It's the Hiroshima-type, where the ingredients are layered rather than mixed together. Cabbage, pork, cheese and shrimp, topped with noodles and fried egg, along with various types of seasoning. Not even bothering with dinner conversation, you wolf down the meal rather than risk letting it get cold.

"Ah, well, that was rather filling!" Reaching for a napkin, Remilia gives a satisfied nod to nobody in particular; or so it seemed like to you, anyway, and you wouldn't know for sure. You and Flandre had finished your meals before her, receiving several remarks about proper table manners whenever Remilia wasn't presently chewing anything.
"Now then, as we've all been well-fed... What do we do next, I wonder?"



[] Actually, you've got business at the library.
-{} Private business.
[] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.
[] Spend more time with the sisters. (where/doing what?)

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Spend more time with the sisters, perhaps a nice guided tour with commentary.

Heartfelt praise never hurts. After we do that then perhaps the library, though I wonder how long Patchy stays awake and such. But I think afterwards, time with the sisters would be best. Since it might help defuse what lingering things.

I'm sure she had some interesting guests over at the house, though chances are she'd find ways to lie about her direct involvement. (She thinks you're still ignorant of the truth though you and Patchy-sensei know other wise)

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

There is not a single option I don't want to pick, so I'll just have to settle with my top two.

Don't tell me you're not at least a little bit curious to see what Meiling looks like in the midst of a nervous breakdown.
...though if she's barricaded herself inside her home, I suppose you won't be exactly seeing her so much as hearing, but oh well.

[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

[X] Actually, you've got business at the library.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Spend more time with the sisters.
[X] Checking in on the gate guard.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Spend more time with the sisters.
[X] Checking in on the gate guard.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Spend more time with the sisters.
[X] Checking in on the gate guard.

[X] Checking in on the gate guard.

I don't think voting for more than one option is appropriate for this choice... We can't be in more than one place at once. If we have more time for something else after we finish whatever activity wins, we can pick something else.
I guess we could visit Sakuya, Meiling, or Patchouli with the sisters, but I doubt it would be to the same effect.

>>93060

Depends on options, since one could easily thank Sakuya then get back to doing stuff with the girls.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.

>>93061
Why don't you go back to work nigger?

[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

[X] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.
[X] Out of curiosity, go check on the gate guard.

[] Actually, you've got business at the library.
-{} Private lessons.
[] You feel the need to compliment the chef, in person.

Forget about Cina, we have business with Patchouli.

>>93075
Tomorrow.

>"You don't need to baby me though... I know I don't know about a lot of stuff, and I act like a kid a lot... But I don't want you treating me like one just because of that."

HEAR HEAR

>It'd be even funnier if Remilia went "You should have told me when you were goin to seduce him so we could do it together" (And cue Jin fainting)

ಠ_ಠ

Anyway, writing.

>>93082
>So true I wonder if there'll be a scene later on where Jin ends up walking in on flandre discovering certain aspects of her body...

Hmm...I honestly believe Flandre already knows that. There is not much to do in a locked basement; boredom and free time are...relevant factors to consider. And who knows, maybe one of her books had some special scenes written, if you know what I mean.
>It'd be even funnier if Remilia went "You should have told me when you were goin to seduce him so we could do it together" (And cue Jin fainting)

That was bad and you should feel bad.

>>93087

I...I don't know how...shit, just stop ok?

"Well, how about I catch up with you two a little later? I feel the need to go and give my compliments to the chef on such an exquisite meal. As well as, ah..." Remilia gets the idea, making a dismissive gesture at you with a flick of the wrist.

"Yes yes, do go take care of your, ahem, business; but try not to be gone too long, will you?" You're treated to the rarity of a genuine, warm smile from the lady of the mansion once again - that's how many times now? You're definitely making progress, somehow.
"I have to say, it'd get dreadfully boring around here, when you're not around to provide amusement for us!" Nope, she really does consider you her personal jester! With a demonstrative sigh, you wave to them as you exit the dining room, a slightly frowning Flandre waving back at you as her sister starts chattering with her again, in French. You can't help but notice that her cuts and bruises have seemingly already healed - must be a vampire thing. Anyway, it's not like you're leaving the mansion or anything - you're just going to take a leak and pay a visit to the kitchen - and you can't be by their side the whole time - there's other people here to interact with. Like the cook of your dreams, Sakuya.

However, before that, you've got something else to take care of. Retracing your steps in your mind, you navigate yourself to the bathroom, and do what you came to do. Looking to the side, you glance at the bathtub briefly; no, no, no dirty flashbacks to what happened before lunch, that would make the process of urinating difficult. Instead, you think back on the little incident in the garden once again. Hm... Maybe someone ought to pay a visit to the gate guard, see how she's doing, give her a hug, that sort of thing. She really did seem like a nice woman, if somewhat underappreciated by her mistress. Though, to be fair, the first time you saw her, she had been asleep on the job. Ah well, first stop will still have to be...

...

...come to think of it, where would you find Sakuya, anyway? The kitchen? Yeah, she's probably going to be washing the dishes after your lunch, isn't she? The hard part's going to be locating the kitchen in the first place - if she was really serious about what she said earlier, the mansion is completely different from how you remember it. You should probably be feeling much more alarmed at such a concept, but at least it isn't shifting in a manner that you can sense or feel. It... shouldn't really bother you then, should it? Maybe there's a pattern in here somewhere that you'll figure out eventually. But, for now, it's time to harass the hell out of the maids once again. After you've sufficiently traumatized a good dozen of them, you finally make it to the kitchen. As you enter, you narrowly avoid stubbing your toe on a suspiciously familiar heavy metal chair, oddly out of place here. There are no signs of life in the kitchen, however; you had expected to hear Sakuya humming along to the sound of running water upon entering. But no - the dishes are already clean, if not quite yet put away to their proper places. Did it really take you that long to take a piss, or does the head maid have some sort of inhuman level of dedication and speed?

With grim determination, you proceed with shaking up a handful more maids for Sakuya's location, receiving rather strange hints from the more responsive ones (as in, the ones who don't pass out over a guy nearly twice their size shaking them back and forth by the shoulders just to get them to talk) - they just point upwards. Looking up, you realize that, no, Sakuya is not climbing across the ceiling like some sort of ninja-maid. The next logical conclusion would have to be that she's on an upper level of the mansion somewhere - an attic? Or maybe... the clock tower? Well, you had wanted to see the view from up there in any case, so it's as good a place to check as any. How to get there, though... Hm. You eventually decide to just browse around and go up the first flights of stairs you run into. After a couple of puzzling dead ends, you finally come to a much longer staircase, leading upwards and upwards, until the wallpaper changes to uncovered stone blocks, engraved with various decorative patterns, most notably a rather large amount of Gorgoneia. A tall, spiraling staircase heads directly up - it looks like a LONG climb. You swear the clock tower didn't look nearly as high when viewed from outside the mansion. Oh well, you've managed to get this far without getting horribly lost, you might as well go all the way - you start climbing.
And climbing.
And climbing.

If only you were more athletic; by the time you reach the top, you're panting and wheezing like an asthmatic kid that just tried to outrun a bullet train. Another testament to the head maid's strength and stamina, if she truly is up here - and yes, indeed she is! Leaning onto the side of what looks like a balcony built around the top of the tower, the familiar so-sexy-you-wouldn't-believe-it's-not-fetish-cosplay figure of Sakuya is visible, looking over what is an unbelievably spectacular view of Gensokyo - once again, you swear the clock tower wasn't this high when you saw it on the outside. Your spatial senses must be playing tricks on you; unless there's something else at play here, which is very possible in a land such as this. But enough worrying about that, it's rude to secretly stare at a lady's backside in secret, after all.
"Why, hello there. What's the matter, broken anything else yet? Or did you get lost?" And yet, she's the one giving the initial greeting, a playful melody concealed in that mellow voice of hers. Were you really so loud in the process of catching your breath, that she can sense your presence from way over there? Regardless, you make your way to the balcony yourself, immediately taken aback by the majesty of the view presented before you; not that the view of the maid's behind was any worse in comparison, but you've always had an eye for beauty in things. It must be around 4-5 PM by now, and the sun is slowly showing signs of beginning to descend, though the sky is still completely blue.

Ah, but you came here for a purpose. "Actually, I was looking for you. I..."

"Kid, trust me... Those youthful crushes on older women? They never work out. You'll outgrow it soon enough."

"That's not wh-..." The silver-haired maid shoots a disarming smirk at you, finally turning her gaze away from the landscape; it takes you a moment to shrug off her teasing and regain your composure.
"I simply wanted to let you know that... well... I really enjoy your cooking. Honestly, I bet they don't even serve delicacies like that in the afterlife. I feel undeserving."

"The food served in the afterlife would kill you instantly, should you find the opportunity to eat any of it. I don't know whether I should feel offended, or forgive you for being uninformed." While her tone still sounds joking, you get the feeling it's only partially that; hoping you'll never be in a situation that warrants it, you file this knowledge back in the recesses of your mind. You also find yourself wondering whether or not Sakuya's in on the whole thing, with you supposed to be oblivious about Gensokyo's true nature.
"Ah, but was there anything else? It's not that I mind having company on my short, few-and-far-between breaks, but surely you have other business up here than simply paying my humble self a visit."

"Actually, I really did only come here just to see you again." She tilts her head at you, suspicion creeping onto her face. Wait... That's right, the handkerchief. You were supposed to return it, but did you actually remember to bring it along? Fumbling at your pockets frantically, it quickly becomes apparent that you did not, indeed, remember. Damn it... Sakuya stands upright, no longer leaning onto the railing of the balcony, and places one hand on her hip, softly sighing at you.

"You must be looking for... this." And with one smooth, graceful motion, she dips her fingers into the front pocket of your shirt, pulling out a familiar scarlet handkerchief, before flashing a brilliant smile at you.
"Was I right?"

"Y-yes! But... but how..?" Oh please. You're in freaking Gensokyo, and you're baffled by sleight-of-hand. Still, you swear you left this at home... Now that IS impressive.

"A stage magician never reveals her secrets." Uttering such a stock phrase, she chuckles into her palm quietly. "Actually, it's just a bit of a hobby of mine; sorry about that. I suppose you're a little too old for such tricks to be particularly impressive."

"I did forget to bring that along, though..."

"Obviously, there's more than one such handkerchief in the mansion. But I do thank you for at least feigning interest in my foolish attempts at self-amusement." She tilts her head at you, again. "Though, your forgetfulness gives you yet another excuse to visit me sometime, does it not?" You nod in response. "Well then, no harm done. I suppose I wouldn't mind you forgetting to return it again some day in the near future. Although, I do make quite a poor conversational partner!" Laughing to herself in her self-deprecation, she continues: "So, unless you'd like to chat about the weather, I would have you ask me about what else is on your mind - I can tell you've got another question."

"Well, ah, I suppose... I was wondering where the gate guard lives - Meiling was her name, right? You did say she had barricaded herself in her home after the little incident in the garden, and I..."

"Ah, so the one you lust after is Meiling after all? The mistress will be most surprised, once she hears about this... Ah, and I'm so glad for Meiling, too, she's seemed so lonely these days..." She clasps her hands together, near where her heart is on her chest.

"Don't go spreading weird rumors to your mistress! I haven't even spoken to the girl yet!"

"Then why do you feel the need to go see her?"

"I just... Well, I don't know. She really does seem like a nice person, and I'd like to see if she's alright, or if there's anything I could..."

Leaning back onto the railing, she closes her eyes. "Alright, alright, I won't pry. She lives in a small brick shelter built into the wall surrounding the mansion territory, a ways to the left of the front gate when facing it from the outside. I won't guarantee her letting you in, though."

"Thank you." Just as you brace yourself for the long, long walk back down the stairs, you hear a voice from behind you.

"Tell Meiling I said hi. You two have fun, now!"

"Don't make it sound like we're going to do anything like that?" While Sakuya's teasing is a lot friendlier than Remilia's jabs, the way most women in Gensokyo seem to be jokesters towards you is starting to grate on your nerves just a little bit. You wonder whether you're getting this treatment because you're a lone human amidst youkai, or a lone guy amidst girls. Or a little of both.
On an unrelated note, you'd think going -down- a flight of stairs would be far less exhausting than going up. Well, it isn't, when it comes to staircases of this kind of impossible length. You actually need to sit down and breathe for a good while, by the time you get down; and you've still got further to go until you're out of the mansion and outside the gate. Taking in a deep breath of fresh air to refill your exhausted lungs, you glance about; looking up at the tower, Sakuya is no longer in sight. The poor woman sure keeps busy... you'll have to ask her if she has a day or two off sometime, although this might seem awful pretentious/flirtatious coming from someone your age. Now, where did she say Meiling's place was? Ah, right, out the gate, face the mansion, go left. It takes a bit of walking, but eventually a portion of the tall brick wall juts out, forming something that looks like a cartoon depiction of a jail cell, except the windows aren't barred. A small single door is in sight, and you take the liberty of knocking on it. No response. You knock again, this time with the back of your fist, louder and longer.

Still nothing.



[] Maybe something's wrong! Break the door down.
[] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{} The sisters are probably waiting.
-{} Pay a visit to the library.
[] Mimic Remilia's voice, yell for her to wake up.
[] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.

First off I'll apologize for those posts, thinking back on it, they were tasteless.

I've since deleted them so they blight this topic no more.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

Meiling most likely cried herself to sleep or such. While mimicking Sakuya would be funny it wouldn't be the best thing to do.

Again I apologize for those idiotic posts.

[X] Maybe something's wrong! Break the door down.

Flashy entrance GO!

>>93092
[X] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.

The cadence, the tone, the rhythm, the nuances, the timbre of Sakuya's voice... we've been more than exposed to it. Sakuya's vocal mannerisms are the freshest on our minds, we have less of a chance of mimicking Remi's voice, and most importantly: the story needs more Meiling.

In honor of Meiling's importance in Hisoutensoku, of course

[X] Maybe something's wrong! Break the door down.

We have to break at least one thing every time we visit.

[x] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{x} Pay a visit to the library.
poweruppan gaems.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

Meh.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

I doubt that he can break in the door.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

'Stage magician' has always been how I'd pictured Sakuya behind-the-scenes, but this last update has a bit of an absurdist quality to it in general. It makes wonder of the person writing it couldn't really justify the protagonist's last choice of action(s).

[x] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{x} Pay a visit to the library.

Regardless, we've already torn ourselves away from the sisters for the time being, and we've been past due for some grindan gaems for a while now. We're still in grave danger of being eaten by a wild Rumia.

>Those youthful crushes on older women? They never work out.
Just how old does this Sakuya consider herself, I wonder?

[X] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.

Mostly because I want to read Jin trying to sound like a girl.

[X] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.

[] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{} The sisters are probably waiting.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

We still have enough time for the Library.

[x] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{x} Pay a visit to the library.

[X] She's either not here, or doesn't want to be bothered. Just go back inside.
-{X} The sisters are probably waiting.

>>[ ] Maybe something's wrong! Break the door down.
Then maybe Meiling can give us some pointers on how to DYNAMIC ENTRY.

... But, mainly, we should probably follow through with our plan if we went through the trouble of coming down here. Besides, the garden incident was partially our fault, and going on with the day, knowing of Meiling's despair, doesn't sit well with me at all.

[X] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.
[X] If that doesn't work, call out in your own voice.
[x] If there's still no answer, go in anyway.
[x] If it's locked, try out your DYNAMIC ENTRY.

[X] Maybe something's wrong! Break the door down.

[X] Mimic Sakuya's voice, yell for her to wake up.
[X] If that doesn't work, call out in your own voice.
[x] If there's still no answer, go in anyway.
[x] If it's locked, try out your DYNAMIC ENTRY.

Taisa update: Saturday was new games day, therefore no update. Second half of saturday was me trying to fix netplay with him, resulting in me accidently shutting off his internet. (on the router)
But I guess and hope he'll be back today.

>>93158

What

>>93158
>>93161
>Second half of saturday
I mean Sunday.

>>93161
Translation, friend managed to accidentally destroy my internet connection. Managed to get it back, update tomorrow maybe. Too grumpy and stressed today.

It soon becomes apparent that the resident of the brick shelter is either not home, asleep, or does not wish to have company for the moment; therefore, after knocking one last time out of principle, you decide it's best to head back inside, lest you leave the sisters waiting. That would simply be rude of you, after Remilia specifically asked you not to take too long. Heading back inside the gate - and pondering why a mansion inhabited by vampires, wizards and fairies even needs a gate - you send a quick glance skyward. It's gradually turning from blue to orange, the setting sun leaving the impression of an artist mixing paints to achieve that specific tone in her mind. The day has certainly passed by much faster than you could even sense, although it's not quite evening yet - the sun's been setting just a tiny bit earlier with each passing day, as fall advances to pave way for the winter. Astronomically speaking, it's not quite fall yet, either; nor does it feel that way, with the insane heat and all.

The inside of the mansion is comparatively cool, which is rather surprising as you haven't noticed anything even vaguely resembling visible air conditioning. Furthermore, it's somewhat surprising how breathable the air is indoors, considering how there's barely any windows that could be opened, and there's a whole mess of maids scurrying about consuming oxygen. Whatever system they're using to manage the air flow in the mansion, it certainly works; that aside, you need to figure out where the sisters might be. You've been gone for a little longer than you expected, making it extremely unlikely for them to have stayed waiting in the dining room.
Why is this place so freaking huge? Remilia would save a fortune off maid salaries if the mansion were anywhere close to an appropriate size for housing... how many people? Herself, her sister, Patchouli... Meiling seems to have her own little bunker, which seems a little depressing considering how much wasted room there is in the mansion itself. Sakuya seems like an inseparable part in keeping the place running. Did you forget anyone? Oh, right, there was a girl with bat wings on her head you saw the other day, carrying a stack of books - possibly a library assistant of sorts. That makes about five significant permanent residents, yet this place is almost the size of a village in its own right on the inside; emphasis on the 'inside', because you still swear it's nowhere near as spacious when seen from the outside.

In any case, asking around yields little result at first, although the maids seem to gradually be growing used to your presence; not that it's making them tremble any less intensely at your approach, but at least they don't completely freeze into silence anymore. What is it about you that's so scary, anyway? You're just an average human highschool student, after all. Perhaps fairies are one of the few creatures in Gensokyo that are below humans in overall power ranking? Seems somewhat illogical, considering Cirno's apparent abilities to spontaneously generate freezing temperatures, when compared to your own innate ability to run away screaming like a little girl.
Wait, you can also blow up lightbulbs with your brain! Maybe you should start carrying some around and detonating them for use as makeshift caltrops to aid you in your retreat, the next time you're approached by starving man-eating highschoolers. On second thought, that's rather ridiculous - partially for obvious reasons, partially because Rumia can fly anyway. You ought to ask Patchouli about that sort of thing, when you find the time. However, for now you're more interested in tracking down the sisters, and these maids are just helpful enough to turn it into some sort of extreme sport; waltzing back and forth along the nonsensically criss-crossing hallways is starting to feel rather taxing on your stamina, as is your futile attempt at squeezing some answers out of the maids. You have to resort to threatening them, exclaiming how inappropriate it is for them not to know where their mistress is at all times - they buy it, instantly, and reveal that the sisters have retired to the recreation room. It takes a tiny bit more creative interrogation to worm the location of said room out of them, too.

As expected of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, large decorated double-doors are visible quite a distance away, signifying that the room up ahead isn't yet another maids' bedroom, but is used by the mistress regularly. Pondering the futility of knocking, you decide to do so anyway, only to hear no response for quite a while. Eventually, though...
"Mmm... Come in, come in, just leave it on the table as usual." Remilia's voice, dry and bossy; it kind of hits you in the gut at first, before you realize she must've assumed you were one of the maids. Deciding it best to announce your true identity, you push open one of the doors and peek inside - a small room with a fireplace (obviously no fire), a few tables and chairs scattered about here and there. On the tables and leaning on the walls you catch sight of a rather broad assortment of items, ranging from classical musical instruments to what look like board games.

You are then greeted with the sight of Remilia and Flandre sitting in rather large matching armchairs opposite of each other, the former reclining back in a rather relaxed manner with one leg crossed over the other and her head leaning on her hand, the latter staring rather intently at a chessboard on the table between the two, wobbling her legs back and forth in the air and fumbling with her yellow neckerchief, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Then, she looks up at her sister in a most timid manner.
"Remind me again," she says, "how the little horse-shaped ones move."
Remilia throws her arms up in frustration, before noticing you slowly slinking into the room, a wily smirk finding its way onto her face as is the norm whenever the two of you establish eye contact. Is there something on your face, every time the two of you meet?

"Where have you been? Tsk, we got bored waiting for you - don't you realize how impolite it is to keep a pair of enchanting ladies waiting?" After allowing herself a smug snicker, her face briefly contorts into a light scowl.
"You wouldn't have been 'distracting' my head maid, would you?"

"What do you mean, 'distracting'?"

And the scowl vanishes into thin air, giving way to a somewhat bored look; preceded by a yawn, she continues the idle banter: "If you have to ask, then I suppose it wasn't anything like that; besides... you look far too innocent to try anything, even when in a mansion full of gorgeous women, seperated from the outside on all sides by a large lake... Teehee~" Well, sure, you know what she's getting at, but you decide to play along and act dumb just so she can have her laughs at your expense. You briefly find yourself wondering, once again, whether her teasing has some sort of ironic hidden meaning to it, but dismiss the thought upon remembering the scene in the garden; a chill runs down your neck briefly, but you manage to shrug it off without the sisters catching on. Speaking of 'sisters', you turn your attention to the younger Scarlet sibling, who happens to be staring right back at you with a timid smile, but hasn't spoken a word; apparently to avoid interrupting her elder sister. Glancing down at the chessboard, a rather sorry state of affairs becomes apparent; the board is easily dominated by white pieces, set in formations that completely pin down the black king from any movement whatsoever. A scattered handful of black pieces solemnly awaits their eventual fate of being lifted into the rather large pile of discarded pieces to the side of the board, compared to only a few measly white pawns which Remilia has lost, or sacrificed. It's only a matter of turns before Flandre suffers a brutal loss.
Well, okay, to be honest you're just trying to make the game seem that much more dramatic and interesting in your head, but it is rather obvious which side holds the advantage here.

"Hmm... Do you play?"

You're roused from your observance by Remilia's poorly-concealed playful tone, her red eyes narrowed at you and the tip of her fang cutely poking out from between her smirking lips. Noticing the somewhat blank look on your face, she adds: "Flan over here doesn't quite put up a challenge to speak of... I wonder if you could entertain me, instead. Chess, do you play it? Or would I have to teach you~?"
On the other side of the table, Flandre is also looking up at you expectantly. What is this pressure!"



[] (truth) Yes.
[] (lie) Yes.
[] (truth) No.
[] (lie) No.

and...

[] Accept the challenge, start a new game.
[] Decline politely.
[] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

[x] (truth) No.
[x] Decline politely.

Whenever a game or the like starts in one of these stories, it's virtually always unnecessarily drawn out and boring.

> "Remind me again," she says, "how the little horse-shaped ones move."

I now officially love you in a platonic, non-romantic way.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

We may lose, but playing at a disadvantage is more interesting.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

Interesting!

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

Sounds good

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

This is the only path.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

Think creative. That's what Jin does, after all.

[X] (lie) Yes.
[X] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

Hidden Skill unlock time!

[B] (truth) Yes.
[B] Accept the challenge, start a new game.

[x] (Truth) Yes.
[x] Take over from Flan - this disadvantage is a sufficient test of your skills.

"Good Morning, Remilia. May I interest you in a game of chess?"

[x] "Ron"

"Do I play chess?" Does a bear shit in the woods? You flash your most brilliant grin back at the cocky little bloodsucker, gently brushing Flandre aside from her seat, which she readily surrenders to you, silently looking on the developing situation with wide eyes. You sit down, facing Remilia, the chessboard between you as if you were two generals overlooking a battlefield - surely, if this were a cartoon of some sorts, lightning bolts would be comically flashing between your gazes right now.
"I know my way around a chessboard." That sounded slightly better in your head than it did coming out of your mouth, but the effect is all the same - Remilia's fanged smirk spreads wider and wider, her crimson eyes burning with a fire you haven't seen before; it seems the lady of the mansion certainly enjoys a good challenge, and you're going to give it to her. Or at least try.

"Oh, the confidence, it's overflowing!" The devil sitting opposite you cackles to herself in utter amusement, swinging herself back into the oversized armchair and flailing her legs about lightly, but only for a moment; regaining her composure, she reaches for the board, but you suddenly get an idea. "Well then, if you're so sure of yourself..."

Just then, you stop her. "No, I'll take over from right here. No need to start a new game." Eyes widening - whether from being impressed or merely surprised at your bravado, you cannot tell - she stares at you for a while, slowly pulling back into her seat, interlocking her fingers and holding them in front of her face, concealing that ever-widening smirk of hers. A moment of silence passes, Flandre looking to her sister and yourself in apparent confusion, not fully understanding the atmosphere.

"Your move."

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

It feels like half an hour has passed (if not a whole hour), yet eventually you suffer a decisive defeat. Still, it's a miracle you even managed to hold out this long, and you also managed to take out most of Remilia's pieces before going down in a blaze of glory. Well, as much as is possible in a board game, anyway.
"Checkmate~" Delicate pale fingers wrapped around a similarly ivory-toned chess piece descend onto the board, gently placing said piece in a manner that leaves you without any possible escape route. The game is over. Well, it was already near-hopeless when you started, so at least that gives you some comfort. Remilia's moves were simply too systematic, too... planned out. Almost as if she could see the outcome before you even started. Even so, once or twice you caught a glimpse of her raising an eyebrow or puffing out her lower lip when you exploited what few openings she left for you.
"Well, I must say! That was rather enjoyable! I'll have to play with you again another time, won't I? You really do seem to know what you're doing, after all... Managing to hold out so long, pulling quite a few maneuvers that nearly caught even -me- off-guard~" She snickers into her palm quietly, before continuing in that ever-so-subtly superior tone of hers.
"However, you cannot hope to win a war with mere pawns." Well, yes, the fact that Flandre had apparently sent most of the stronger pieces into suicide attacks for a few meaningless captures early in the game certainly provided a significant handicap. Still, the way Remilia looks at you upon uttering the word 'pawn' makes you wonder if there's a hidden jab at you being a mere human somewhere in there.

"I suppose this is the part where I bring up some metaphor about each pawn having the potential to become something greater, and so on?" Resting your head on one hand, leaning your elbow against the table, you idly fiddle around with a discarded bishop between your fingers, the sarcasm in your voice completely obvious to Remilia; still snickering to herself, she hops off the armchair, landing on the tips of her toes without making a sound - is that some sort of vampire trait, again? Are they naturally light? Do they have hollow bones for flight? No... Somehow, the concept of a vampire having hollow bones just sounds stupid. But then, so does the concept of two girls who look like they're barely into their early teens being centuries-old monsters with inhuman powers. You'd know better, of course, having nearly been eviscerated by Remilia that one time...

"Well, I do think -you- have potential in you."

"Sorry?"

She smiles at you warmly, before slowly walking closer to you; as she approaches, however, she can't maintain the expression any longer, breaking out into another chuckling fit.
"Potential to become better at chess, of course. Ah, but you did quite well indeed, considering the odds! Your playstyle was quite... creative, to say the least."

"I've always prided myself on my creativity; but your moves were just too systematic for me, I could tell you knew exactly what you were doing and there was nothing I could do to stop you."

"Mmm, but you need both creativity and systematic thinking to excel at chess. And you know what they say, you can only get better with practice, right? So, let's play again sometime." There is a distinct lack of cocky overtone in that last sentence.

"Maybe I'll beat you next time, in a more balanced game."

Amusement returning to her as if it never left, she retorts: "Hah! Beating -me- in something like chess is simply impossible, I'm afraid. But... life is not about the end, but the journey there, isn't it? Don't you agree?" You don't really have an answer. And why would it be impossible? Somehow, you can sense you're not meant to understand, in any case.

"Then maybe I'll challenge you to something else, next time. Something on more equal grounds."

Sending one last grin towards you, Remilia nods, utterly pleased with how the situation played out. You just may have impressed her, there, despite the crushing loss.
"I do admire a man who isn't afraid of rising to the challenge, despite insurmountable odds facing him... Ah, but enough about that, for now. Sakuya..!"

"Milady." You nearly jump out of your skin as the silver-haired maid appears in the room instantly the moment her mistress shuts her mouth, as if she had been there all along. It's almost as if she's some sort of ninja-maid or something, the way she comes and goes without a noise whenever she's needed. Catching sight of you, she tilts her head slightly with a smirk.
"I see you are still entertaining your guest. Will the gentleman be staying for the night?"

"As a matter of fact, he'll be staying the whole weekend."

"Is that so?" Arcing an eyebrow, revealing that she was not informed about this in advance, Sakuya turns her gaze back to Remilia.
"Then I shall go at once to prepare a room for our honored guest. Ah, but you wanted something else of me, milady?"

Remilia nods. "Chess makes me hungry."

"It is not yet dinner time, milady. You mustn't upset your diet, or you'll become plump-..."

"Silence." Twitching her wings annoyedly, the vampiress glares at the head maid with an angry scowl.
"How dare you speak to me, your mistress, with such insolence?"

"Hmm? But this is how I always speak with you, milady."

"We have... a guest. You airhead." She seems to have calmed herself down, despite her fists still being lightly clenched, and Sakuya finally gets the hint, muttering a quiet apology and taking a bow, before, er, vanishing in the blink of an eye; although you don't recall blinking just now. Exhaling tiredly, Remilia casually stretches herself, before turning her gaze back to you, seeming somewhat annoyed.
"Well, it looks like there's still some time before dinner. I feel like going to brood in privacy before possibly disciplining my maid, so if you'll excuse me... I'd appreciate not being bothered until then." Having said that, she heads out of the room with a demonic haste, slamming the door behind her with one arm - a remarkable feat, considering how much those things weigh.

...

Man, this visit isn't going as originally intended at all. The day is already drawing closer to the end, and you haven't really gotten much done at all. Maybe you're sticking around Remilia too much? The girl seems almost bipolar at times, switching from polite, warm and friendly to fits of overreactive anger. However, you have no idea what it'd be like to come from a rich family, to have a name of significance and an image to keep up... It must be stressful in its own way, too. That last little outburst, while less violent than the ones before - she's improving already! - seemed to, once again, be partially triggered by your own presence. It's as if... she wants to look good to you? Is it because of her inherent arrogance, or does she want you to like her?

...

You're thinking far too hard on this. Maybe it's best to go do something else for now and deal with Remilia later.



[] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.
[] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...
[] Disregard Remilia's wishes.
[] Poke around somewhere else (?)

[O] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

[x] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

The old site is not redirecting, not like there will be many voters anymore.
Let's get some delicious Flandre.

[X] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

[X] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

We did kind of sweep in and take over her game. Hope she doesn't feel too ignored because of it.

>>93222
>The old site is not redirecting, not like there will be many voters anymore.

I'm honestly hoping something can still be done about that. It would be such a shame for the site to come back into action, yet for those who never found out about the new URL to keep checking on the old one in futility.

At least getting a "Hey, go here." link up on the old front page would be great, if not a proper redirect.

>>93227
If holy can't redirect to this site, it should be easy to at least put up a sign on a blank page with:

THE SITE HAS MOVED, IT IS NOW HERE: http://www.touhou-project.com

This way he doesn't need to redirect and it will still bring people here. This does not even take a minute to do so.

>>93228
>implying something to be easy and quick
>holy

[X] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

Good to be back.

>>93228
Actually holy is unable to even redirect the old domain name to his own server correctly. So that plan is out too.

>>93240
>>93248
That is not possible, even i who knows nearly nothing about that sort of stuff can do this. Even a monkey can do this jesus christ. Just keep annoying him to put the new site adress on the old one so that people find the way here.

[X] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

>>93218
[X] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

Don't feel like getting lost anymore trying to find Flan. We'll see her at dinner anyway.

[X] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

[X] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

[X] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

[X] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

[X] So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

>>93271
>>93272
>>93273
>>93274

Suddenly, suspiciously united on this front.

{X} So how about that library? That was half of your motivation for coming here, after all.

>>93276
Looking kinda votespaming

>>93274
Please don't votespam. Takes very little effort to see it on the new board software.

>>93279
Apparently, the rest of the votes are clean though.

Sooo... Library it is. Calling it just to quell paranoia, no guarantees of an update being ready tonight though. Tomorrow at the latest, though.

>>93279
HY, where can i go and make a thread about a Writefag being lazy and not working on Involuntary Pedagogic Fantasy?

[] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

>>93280
>Tomorrow at the latest, though.

hooray!

[x] Hey, where'd Flandre go... again...

Aaaand after I had called the votes, it occured to me they were actually tied, not in favor of the library. Oh well, I had already started this before noticing. I'll make it up to y'all by including more Flan-time later.

Also, this update is inexcusably short due to me being invited into the closed beta of League of Legends: Clash of Fates interruptions beyond my control, but!

If, and only -if- I get a decent handful of votes within the next few hours, I'll make tonight a double-update night. I'm feeling energetic enough for a second one, I think, and it'll likely be much longer than this one.

----------

Oh, that's right - the library. You have business with Patchouli, or at least you're almost certain you do. Leaving the recreation room behind (after giving Remilia a respectable amount of time to go whereever it is that she intended to go), you try to navigate your way there, mostly going by little else than gut feeling alone. Trusting your memories in regards to the layout of the mansion turned out to be useless the last time, but even chaos has a system to it - you think you've got a pretty good idea where you're going.
Well, almost; after going in circles past the rec room door once or twice, the path begins to feel right once more, as you climb a particularly wide flight of stairs leading up to two especially wide double-doors, one corridor headed to the left and right of said doors respectively, leading elsewhere. You have no interest in said corridors, however, so you merely knock on the door, immediately realizing the futility of doing so; that library was so freaking huge that nobody could possible have heard a knock as quiet as that. And you're not about to go pulverizing your fist just to be invited in politely; you merely assemble all the might in your body and push the doors open, wondering how the hell Patchouli manages to open them daily.

Must be magic.

It's like some sort of artificial cavern network, near-completely cloaked in darkness, barely illuminated by sparsely-placed candles which give the massive library a strange purple overtone for some reason. Rather fitting, considering who manages the place. Though you've been here before, it still doesn't fail to leave you awestruck simply by the sheer scope of it all. How many books could there possibly be stored in this one gigantic room, categorized upon what seem like hundreds upon hundreds of bookcases, stretching out in all directions? It occurs to you that this room has stairs going up to a second storey of sorts, in the form of a walkway with a railing, obviously intended for access to the higher bookcases without resorting to using some sort of ridiculously long ladder. You'd think a great wizard could simply fly up to the books or something, without any need for such things to begin with.

Now, where in this labyrinthine library could Patchouli possibly be? Your confidence takes a significant blow after you spend a good five or ten minutes walking in a random direction, all of your surroundings looking exactly the same and no end in sight either in front or behind. You did go in a straight line, right? You're not lost, are you? You're... You're standing face to face with that woman you saw walking past in the hallway the last time you were visiting the mansion, with the long red hair and bat wings on her head. Woman? Actually, up close she seems more the type you'd use the word 'girl' for. While her form is very... erm... developed, she has a decidedly young appearance. She's carrying a stack of books, looking at you in surprise; come to think of it, you didn't exactly let Patchouli know in advance that you'd be paying her a visit, either. And if Remilia didn't feel the need to inform the head maid, would she have informed Patchouli? The woman before you, who you figure is some sort of library assistant, doesn't say a word, merely standing there and avoiding direct eye contact with you for whatever reason. She's looking at you, but not... not really -at- you, either, if that makes sense.

"Um, where is-..." She interrupts you with a smile; wait, how does that even work? Interrupting someone's speech with a mere facial expression? Regardless of the specifics, she did just that, before slowly setting the stack of books on the surprisingly non-dusty, utterly spotless floor. Who in their right mind would have the patience to clean such a colossal place? Libraries come to mind as among the most dust-collecting types of places you could think of. You picture a legion of those fairy-like maids scurrying back and forth between the bookcases like in some bizarre game of Pac-Man. That aside - you seem to get distracted easily, don't you? - the girl stands upright again, pointing you in the direction she must've just come from. She had to put the books down just to point to her left? She couldn't have just told you? Well, whatever; you thank her politely, also giving her a light bow just in case, as you're not entirely sure how western this place is. When in Japan, do as the Japanese do? Or something like that. She just smiles again, before picking the books back up in a motion that doesn't suggest that she's struggling with the weight in any way, and continuing along her merry way, whereever it was that she was headed to. Something about her presence felt... surreal, as if just being near her was clouding your mind, somehow.

Well, enough about that. You look in the direction she pointed, still failing to spot anything resembling your destination in the distance, the bookcases converging into a thin black line in the distance; if you ever had to imagine a literal forest of bookcases, it would look something quite like this. Just out of temptation, you whistle - not too loudly, you're just curious how well it'll echo. Quite well, apparently! A good twenty seconds pass, and you can still hear distinct traces of the high-pitched noise bouncing between walls and bookcases, resonating through the library.

"Please don't make unnecessary noises in the library."
That monotonous voice, completely devoid of all emotion, weak-toned as if spoken by a dying person, yet stern to the point of sending light chills down your spine. It could only be one person. Looking to your left, you can see a familiar, slightly silly poofy hat with a halfmoon attached to it, resting upon masses of long, incredibly long straight purple hair. She actually wears the hat and longcoat indoors, on top of her pajama-like vertically striped robe. The candlelight illuminating both her desk and her sickly pale face provides rather meager reading light - that can't be good for her eyes, yet she doesn't wear glasses, nor does she seem to be straining her eyes to any noticeable degree. Maybe youkai eyes are simply accustomed to low amounts of light? It's still difficult for you to think of Patchouli Knowledge as some sort of non-human creature, regardless of her unusual hair and eye colors. It occurs to you that she wasn't even looking in your direction when she scolded you, just now, so you make a point of walking into her little space in the middle of the library and properly announcing your presence.

Or, well, that was the plan in any case, promptly shot out of the window as she continues, still not lifting her gaze off whatever book it is that she's so intently reading.
"Greetings, Jin. I must express my surprise in seeing you here again so soon." Finally raising her eyes to look into yours with a contageously tired facial expression, her mouth shrinks and contorts into the shape of a small triangle before she resumes speaking.
"If you intend to borrow any more books, I would appreciate you returning the one you already have in your possession, first. Or did you have any other business with me..?" Upon finishing that last sentence, she visible slumps down on her desk, laying down the book and just barely resting her head on her hands, looking like the slightest touch would send her toppling over from an utter lack of energy.

"I honestly wish you'd stop calling me that. I have a real name, and it's not Jin."

"Did you truly come to waste my time on insignificant nonsense?"

FFFFFFFFFFFF..!!

"Well then, how about I call you 'Patchy' in return?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"But Remilia does it."

"Remilia is Remilia."

"But you keep calling me 'Jin' against my wishes!"

"This is one thing, and that is another."

"It's the same damn thing!" A light hissing noise brings you back to your senses, Patchouli giving you the 'shh' sign since you were yelling in a library; granted, there's nobody in here besides you and her, unless you count that assistant who probably wouldn't be bothered by some noise in these eerily silent bookshelf-catacombs. The hissing sound quickly dies out, giving way to a fit of wheezing and hacking coughs, Patchouli's face gradually turning a light shade of blue.

Shit, you didn't just kill the librarian, did you?

To your great relief, while you were panicking, she managed to pull an inhaler or something of the sort out of the pocket of her coat, and used it, soon enough returning to normal as if nothing had happened at all. You're not quite sure if asthma attacks (or whatever those are) work that way.

"As I said. No. So, Jin..." She's just going to keep calling you that, isn't she. "...did you have any serious business to talk about? Or perhaps, questions?" She leans just a little bit closer to you, gesturing with a shaking hand for you to take a seat opposite from her.
"I hate... not knowing things, and I can understand how this may especially infuriate an outsider such as yourself. I consider myself a fairly exrtensive repository of knowledge... So, if you have any questions you would like answered, I would do my best to assist you. However, if you simply came for a quick 'hello', well... That moment has come and gone, so I would politely ask you to be off."

Hm. Well, you've got some private time here, with the one youkai in Gensokyo who you don't have to keep up the oblivious facade in front of, who also happens to be the most major bookwork you've ever seen, and so far seems to be one of the few supernatural beings on your side in this strange land of mystery and danger. Do you have any questions that would come to mind right now? And about that training... You wonder, would it be best to learn how to defend yourself? Or not risk losing your touch with humanity, and cling to Remilia and Flandre for protection for the rest of your time in Gensokyo?



(NOTE: Pick as many as you like. Also, just about every option accepts write-ins for specification. In fact, it's encouraged.)

[] Ask about someone.
-{} Ask about Remilia.
-{} Ask about Flandre.
--{} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{} Ask about Sakuya.
-{} Ask about Meiling.
-{} Ask about Patchouli, herself.
-{} Ask about other schoolmates.
--{} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
--{} Ask about a specific girl from school.
-{} (Ask about someone else?)
[] Ask about something.
-{} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{} Ask about the great barrier.
--{} Ask about a location.
-{} Ask about youkai.
-{} Ask about magic.
-{} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.
-{} (Ask about something else?)
[] Ask about training.
[] Don't ask anything, leave.

>including more Flan-time later

hooray! goddamn people vote.


[] Ask about someone.
-{} Ask about Remilia.
-{} Ask about Sakuya.
[] Ask about something.
-{} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{} Ask about the great barrier.
-{} Ask about youkai.
-{} Ask about magic.

[x] Ask about training.

Powerup time.

[x] Ask about someone.
-{x} Ask about Remilia.
-{x} Ask about Sakuya.
[x] Ask about something.
[x] Ask about Gensokyo.
--{x} Ask about the great barrier.
-{x} Ask about youkai.
-{x} Ask about magic.
-{x} Ask about training.

[X] Ask about someone.
-{X} Ask about Remilia.
-{X} Ask about Flandre.
-{X} Ask about Sakuya.
-{X} Ask about Meiling.
-{X} Ask about Patchouli, herself.
--{X} Specifically, ask how these women came together. There seems to be quite a bit of diversity in this household.
-{X} Oh, and, before you forget, ask her about that gorgeous redhead who works here; the one with the bat wings. Something about her just clouds your thoughts, and you think it might be hormones.
--{X} Plus, something about her feels magnetic. You get the feeling you might end up encountering her a lot, and you're not sure why. Though, again, it may be because of how smoking hot she is.

I feel like the girls from outside the mansion are people we should learn to deal with ourselves. As for the other things... well, I kind of like being the average kid, thank you very much.

[x] Ask about someone.
-{x} Ask about Remilia.
-{x} Ask about Sakuya.
[x] Ask about something.
[x] Ask about Gensokyo.
--{x} Ask about the great barrier.
-{x} Ask about youkai.
-{x} Ask about magic.
-{x} Ask about training.

>>93337
Delicious Koakuma is great! But, we need to try keeping the main CYOA boards worksafe, for writefags who need to update from library connections and such. Porn is welcome over in /at/, but try to keep it within the boundaries of worksafe here. Sexy is good, cum all over Koa's feet is a little too exciting for /th/. Sorry.

>>93337

This and
--{} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
--{} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
- {} Ask about Youkai since for the most part they're not too different at heart (that Rumia girl is an exception)
-{} Ask about magic.
-{} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.
-{} (Ask about something else?)
[] Ask about training.

Can it be Flan-time now?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m-MjL3_63Y

>>93325
[X] Ask about something.
-{X} Ask about Gensokyo.
-{X} Ask about youkai.
-{X} Ask about magic.
[X] Ask about someone.
-{X} Ask about other schoolmates.
--{X} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
-{X} Ask about Remilia.
-{X} Ask about Flandre.
-{X} Ask about Patchouli, herself: why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?
--{X} Ask about a specific girl from school: Rumia and Cirno
-{X} Ask about someone else: Eirin and Reisen
[X] Ask about training
-{X} How dangerous is this going to be?

Learn the basics, focus on the current situation, and try to figure out why Patchu is will to dispense the wisdom while everyone else wants to play school. Also, the Icarus dream after playing with the book for the umpteenth time has me concerned. May as well get a professional's take on humans dabbling in the arcane.

[] Ask about someone.
-{} Ask about Remilia.
-{} Ask about Flandre.
--{} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{} Ask about Sakuya.
-{} Ask about Meiling.
-{} Ask about Patchouli, herself.
-{} Ask about other schoolmates.
--{} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
--{} Ask about a specific girl from school.
-{} (Ask about someone else?)
[] Ask about something.
-{} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{} Ask about the great barrier.
--{} Ask about a location.
-{} Ask about youkai.
-{} Ask about magic.
-{} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.
-{} (Ask about something else?)
[] Ask about training.

>>93340

It's not cum, it's kefir!

But in all seriousness, that's fine. Now I know exactly what the boundary is. And I will tread that boundary like a professional dancer in the future.

[] Ask about someone.
-{} Ask about Remilia.
-{} Ask about Flandre.
--{} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{} Ask about Sakuya.
-{X} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[] Ask about something.
-{} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{} Ask about the great barrier.
-{} Ask about youkai.
-{} Ask about magic.
-{} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[] Ask about training.

Don't forget to ask about Flandre. It's important to know more about her.

[X] Ask about someone.
-{X} Ask about Remilia.
-{X} Ask about Flandre.
--{X} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{X} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{X} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[X] Ask about something.
-{X} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{X} Ask about the great barrier.
-{X} Ask about youkai.
-{X} Ask about magic.
-{X} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[X] Ask about training.

I was tempted to just pick all options, but that will most certainly put Patchy into a coma.

[X] Ask about someone.
-{X} Ask about Remilia.
-{X} Ask about Flandre.
--{X} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{X} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{X} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[X] Ask about something.
-{X} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{X} Ask about the great barrier.
-{X} Ask about youkai.
-{X} Ask about magic.
-{X} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[X] Ask about training.

[x] Ask about someone.
-{x} Ask about Remilia.
-{x} Ask about Flandre.
--{x} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{x} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{x} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[x] Ask about something.
-{x} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{x} Ask about the great barrier.
-{x} Ask about youkai.
-{x} Ask about magic.
-{x} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[x] Ask about training.

>>93339 here

Changing vote.

[x] Ask about someone.
-{x} Ask about Remilia.
-{x} Ask about Flandre.
--{x} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{x} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{x} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[x] Ask about something.
-{x} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{x} Ask about the great barrier.
-{x} Ask about youkai.
-{x} Ask about magic.
-{x} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[x] Ask about training.

[O] Ask about someone.
-{O} Ask about Remilia.
-{O} Ask about Flandre.
--{O} Ask about Flandre's... condition.
-{O} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?

--{O} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
[O] Ask about something.
-{O} Ask about Gensokyo.
--{O} Ask about the great barrier.
-{O} Ask about youkai.
-{O} Ask about magic.
-{O} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.

[O] Ask about training.

-{x} Ask about Remilia.
-{x} Ask about Flandre.
-{x} Ask about Sakuya.
-{x} Ask about Meiling.
-{x} Ask about Patchouli, herself. And why did she reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normalcy?
--{x} Ask why youkai are going to highschool in the first place.
--{x} Ask about a specific girl from school. (Rumia)
-{x} Ask about Gensokyo.
-{x} Ask about youkai.
-{x} Ask about magic.
-{x} Ask about your own developing 'powers'.
[x] Ask about training.

We should inform her about Rumia before it's too late. As for Flan's condition, I think Eirin might be a bit more subtle than Patchouli. I don't want the protagonist unconsciously fearing her.

[x] >>93343
Except change the word to *normality, since we aren't Warren G. Harding.

>>I think Eirin might be a bit more subtle than Patchouli.
>>Eirin
>>subtle

>>"The boy is fine, Eirin. I merely sent him here to get rested." She eyes the whiteboard up and down, frowning. "It seems I've spoiled some of your fun by saying this. I do apologize, but he hardly needs you poking around inside him at this point." Eirin sighs in an exaggeratedly disappointed manner, before making a gesture of resignation.

>>"Tsk. What a waste of my time... And I was so hoping to get a guinea pig for my new drug; Udonge here has become less than enthusiastic about testing them as of late, you see."

>>"You do realize he is awake and can hear your every word, do you not?"

Subtle. Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

Nope, I fell asleep last night~

Writing now.

>>93385

hooray!

>>93385
Lies. You are playing games.

"Well, ah..." You ponder the concept a moment, but those violet eyes drilling into your skull make you feel incredibly uncomfortable; somehow, you can sense the way Patchouli's mind works by now, and what this feeling implies.
"Yes, I would like to ask some questions. Just give me a moment to, uh, formulate something." After this formal confirmation, her gaze immediately relaxes, allowing you to continue thinking. What to ask about? You've only been in Gensokyo for a week, and during this short period of time you've experienced more strange things, unknown phenomena, and... sexual tension, than you otherwise normally would in a whole year. You could probably ask enough to keep the both of you busy for another whole week, and to put Patchouli in a coma; come to think of it, best to stick to immediately relevant topics. Think, think...

"I'm curious about Gensokyo in general. What... what is this place? How has the outside world not discovered what goes on around here? Why have all these youkai come here? Uh..."

She stretches herself slightly, no small effort for one such as herself, trying to get herself into a comfortable position for what would surely be a long period of answering your stupid questions.
"Gensokyo, the area encompassed by the Hakurei Border, is a landlocked territory at least some tens of kilometers in diameter, although its exact size..."

"Er... Could we try to keep it simple, if possible? Also, it would be easier for me if we spoke in English."

"...Very well, I shall try to keep it simple. Gensokyo was originally a desolate, haunted region of Japan ages ago. The youkai that lived there began to terrorize the surrounding lands, and thus powerful, heroic humans were sent to exorcise and exterminate them. The off and on battle between humans and youkai continued on until 1884 A.D., when Gensokyo was sealed off from this increasingly scientific and skeptical world with the creation of the Hakurei Border. There has been little contact between these societies ever since. Today, the only known gateway between Gensokyo and this world is the Hakurei Shrine, which stands in isolation along the border on distant mountains of the far east. None can pass through."

"But then, how did I get in? And what is this border, exactly?"

"The border between Gensokyo and the outside world. This was created in Meiji 17 - AD 1884 - the creation of which marks year 0 on Gensokyo's Timeline. It's often refered to as the "Border," "Hakurei Barrier," "Great Boundary," and other such names. Essentially, a magical seal to keep it seperated from the outside world; what one would see from the outside would be the Yatsugatake mountain range and an abandoned shrine. And you were able to get in because of a certain someone, who is known to manipulate barriers and borders of all kinds."

"Who?"

"...No one important." Whoever this 'no one' is, he or she doesn't sound particularly popular, at least as far as Patchouli is concerned. It's strange, you don't recall your entry into Gensokyo being particularly different from a journey to any other place you've ever been to. Wouldn't you have noticed passing through some sort of illusionary bubble thing?

"And the youkai?"

"Well, humanity has evolved to the point where they have become a serious threat towards most youkai. Also, there are many, many, many times more humans in the world than there are youkai, by several orders of magnitude. Suffice it to say, the only way to survive in the modern world for our breed is to either hide within human society, or to escape to a place such as Gensokyo. In a way, what was once a prison for youkai has now become a safe haven of sorts."

"Is that why you came here?"

"No. I merely followed Remilia, as I have done for longer than I can even remember by now."

"Well. Could I ask some things about Remilia, possibly? You, ah, obviously know her quite well, and I haven't gotten to know her for long enough just yet, so..."

You look towards her timidly, wondering if asking such a thing could possibly be polite, but she returns to you a glance that would befit a college professor being asked to clarify something from today's lecture.
"Remilia, as a vampire? Or as a person?"

"Uh..."

"The former I would answer as a scholar, the latter as her friend, with best intentions in mind in regards to both her and yourself. I understand that you would require... more information as to how she functions, so as to avoid any tragic incidents between the two of you." It's almost as if she knows about that stupid little joke-gone-awry the other day after all.

"Um... both?"

"Very well, then." She rests her hands on the desk before her, interlocking her fingers and narrowing her eyes slightly, as the flickering candlelight makes the shadows on her thin face dance about. It makes her look even more off-putting than normal.
"Vampires are a rather unusual breed of youkai, in that the condition of vampirism can be transferred unto humans in some manner. The specific mechanics are uncertain at best - as I'm sure you can imagine, one cannot simply stick a vampire and a human in a cage for research and poke them with a stick until they do it, whatever 'it' truly is.
The theories are countless. Some say it transfers through bites, though this doesn't seem possible to prove with consistency. Supplementary theories are that it is either randomly chance-based that a human would turn from a bite; that a human must be drained to near-death and be given the blood of the sire vampire to drink; that it is all part of some elaborate magic ritual; even that vampirism is a sexually transmitted disease."

S-sexually?

"It is even uncertain what sort of condition vampirism in itself truly is. It shows signs similar to those of a disease, or virus, yet there are no other reports of any sort of inexplicably symbiotic parasite organism freely manipulating the host's DNA to such a level. It does not seem to be any form of supernatural curse, either. Some call it a case of undeath, because turned victims usually enter a death-like state before reawakening. Shameful, is it not? Vampires have existed for aeons, and we know so little about them." A bored sigh. "Perhaps they are the next evolution of mankind, this metamorphosis triggered somehow by proximity to other 'evolved' ones. Or perhaps this is just one of those things mortal minds are not meant to understand." That last line makes you wonder just how mortal Patchouli herself is - she's about a hundred years old, if her words are to be believed, yet she still looks so very young.

"What is known about them would be their basic characteristics. Vampires are a very powerful breed of youkai, that harvest strength and nourishment from the blood of the living. They are normally nocturnal, as UV rays weaken them - specifically, they stay away from the sun if at all possible."

"And Remi and Flan..?"

You swear she almost chuckled, there. "Would you believe I spent most of my time after the Scarlet Mist Incident researching some sort of sunscreen-spell under Remilia's orders?"

"Scarlet Mist..?"

"I shall tell you about that particular incident some other time. Now, vampires do have weaknesses, of sorts. Some might seem rather illogical, such as being nearly unable to cross moving water. Apparently, the sensation of moving water - be it from rain or rivers or fountains - provides a great deal of discomfort to them, similar to the sun's rays." You think back to the little drawing session in the garden for a moment...
"They are also avoidant of certain plants, such as..."

"Garlic?"

"...Fried soy beans." What.
"Common misbelief also adds holy, religious symbols to the list, as well as stakes through the heart and all sorts of nonsense. The fear of holy symbols was something that actually grew out of church propaganda in the middle ages, when the church claimed crosses and the like to ward off evil to bolster their warriors' morale. Over time, younger, lesser vampires ended up believing these stories as well, choosing to avoid a man wielding a cross rather than risk any potential harm. It's almost humorous."

"...Why are you telling me so much about vampire weaknesses?"

She looks at you sternly with those unblinking violet eyes, again. "Vampires are more resilient than you would think. Far more resilient. I do not believe it to be in your capability to significantly harm my dearest friend, Remilia, in a physical manner; however, it would be unfortunate for you to be left utterly defenseless, should you ever incur her wrath." You're not quite sure how to react to that, but you thank her with a mild feeling of lingering discomfort.

She continues: "As for Remilia as a person... Well, I am quite sure you have already seen how capricious she can be. Especially when she obtains a new 'toy', such as you. No, there is no need to make such a face; I can sense you have been thinking the same thing. Why does she keep you around? Why does she show such interest in you, feed you, protect you, interact with you? You, a mere human, your lifespan a mere blink of an eye in her infinity." The two of you just stare into one another's eyes for a while, and you shift your weight around in the rather uncomfortable chair, unable to find an answer yet again. Wait, weren't you the one asking the questions here?
"To be honest, I do not know, myself. I do know she originally intended for you to be a plaything for her sheltered younger sister, Flandre, but... Even I cannot explain Remilia's recent behavior towards you in a sufficiently objective manner." Pausing for just a moment, she adds with haste: "Just try not to read into it too much. Keep in mind the differences in your levels of power and lifespans, do not assume she cares for you more than she should. You will only end up hurting yourself."

"I never claimed to believe any such thing. In fact, the way she treats me at times would imply she really does think of me as some sort of chew-toy..."

"I am glad we understand each other, then." She's glad Remilia's treating you like this!"
"Remilia can be... difficult. She was turned at a very young age, so she has grown attached to her 'spoiled rich child' personality. With years has come a sort of maturity borne of experience and collected wisdom, but these become suppressed all too easily whenever the girl becomes bored. And she does become bored easily, having nothing to do all day other than sit around and eat cake. You could say she inherited both the best and worst effects of eternal youth."

"Maybe you should invest in a television."

You actually succeed in making her laugh, though it is very quiet and suppressed, like a whisper in the air, barely audible. "...so. Next question, while you still have my attention."

"Well, you brought up Flandre for a moment, there... I'd like to know more about her, too."

All of a sudden, she narrows her eyes at you, fixing you with a paralyzing stare, instinctively making you think back to the gorgoneia you saw in the clock tower.

"...are you sure?"

"...Yes, of course, why wouldn't I be?" What follows is the longest pause in your conversation so far. It almost feels as if time itself has frozen still within the silent reaches of the library; you actually pinch your leg to make sure you didn't space out or anything. Finally, the librarian stirs once more, slowly leaning back into her chair, eyes still fixed on you; the candlelight reflecting off them almost seems to make them glow in the dark, like a cat's eyes.

"There is a reason she has been referred to as the Scarlet Devil Mansion's "dirty secret" for a long time. She... Well... I am not sure how to put this, to be honest." Even Patchouli can't spit it out?
"Flandre... Flandre has been a problematic child ever since she was born, or so I have been told by Remilia; keep in mind that they are both about five times older than myself, so this information is not something I have been able to reliably gather, myself. I have heard enough different versions of the tale from Remilia herself to realize that not even she can remember how it started, but... There has always been something wrong with Flandre. Nobody can remember whether she was like this at birth, or if something happened when she was turned into a vampire, but... Are you sure you wish to hear this?"

"I did ask."

"You did, but, how do you say... curiosity killed the cat? In any case... I am sure you have already noticed how Flandre's mind is even closer to that of a child than her sister. Remilia has been forced to... isolate her from society, for the safety of both Flandre and those around her. Suffice it to say... I shall put it bluntly, she is not entirely mentally stable. And this is an understatement, so as not to offend you; I realize you think of her as a friend."
You don't really know how to react to this. Flandre hasn't struck you as... insane, in any way up until now. Is it really possible that you've been hanging around some sort of crazy supernatural monster all this time, at risk of being reduced to a bloody smear on the floor? Could it be... That can't be true, can it?

"...that's a lie, isn't it? She... She seems perfectly fine to me, if a little out of touch with the world, she..."

"It's true. Flandre's destructive power is... far, far greater than that of her elder sister. It took great effort and many lives to subdue her the last time she decided to rebel against Remilia." Her face contorts into a sad grimace, as if she's thinking back to this event as she speaks.
"That was also the time she lost her wings - they were destroyed by Remilia. She has learned to fly through other means, yet the remains of her wings are always a painful reminder to all of us... Although, I doubt she, herself, even remembers that event. How lucky for her, if she has managed to forget... It was only just recently that she seemed to become stable enough to go out into society, under proper supervision." This time, you appreciate the brief moment of silence; you still don't know what to think of all this. Did you really want to know? Well, logically, it's good to know who in Gensokyo is dangerously unstable and who isn't, but... But it's Flandre. How should you behave around her from now on? The same as always? Cautiously? Should you start avoiding her? You... you don't know at this point. Maybe it's best to store that thought away for now.

"...I have more questions."

"Go ahead." Her voice sounds like how you feel.

"Tell me how Sakuya fits into all of this. She seems to be pretty close to Remilia, yet I am curious how those two put up with one another, sometimes..."

"Sakuya? Hm, I was unaware you had an interest in our head maid..."

"It's not l-..."

"Well, Sakuya is the most recent addition to our household, discounting a handful of fairies who I could not possible remember by name or face. Regardless of this, she has turned the mansion into a sparkling example of efficiency in such a short amount of time. A truly remarkable human being in that sense, I would have to say."

"So, she's human?"

"The same as you, yes. Of course, she has powers of her own; as you may or may not know, magic is hardly impossible for a human to master. Of course, Sakuya has chosen for herself a very specialized, complex path of magic... Her mastery over it at her age is nothing short of impressive, although she does have room for improvement. Regardess, she has chosen to focus on her duties as a servant, for the time being." You're starting to find it a little strange how the topic of Sakuya's actual age seems to be skipped over by everyone including herself.
"But Sakuya, as a person... Well, when she first came here, she was so full of fire and youthful passion. She was younger then, easily at her physical prime for the time; in a twist of fate, her recklessness ended up landing her a position of employment here at the mansion, and she has been with us ever since. However, during her first years, she grew increasingly cold and inhuman; Sakuya as a person was fading away, leaving behind Sakuya as an unquestionably loyal and efficient servant. I do not know whether this was due to her own conflicting emotions about being a human in servitude of a vampire, or other reasons, but...
This all changed after the Scarlet Mist incident. Her personality became much more open, and she would go out into the village more often, even learning how to socialize once again. Then, after the Flower incident, she became less cold towards others as well. The Sakuya you know today is not the same Sakuya that she has always been; she has many faces, and the fact that she has shown you her kind face can only mean you have managed to leave a good first impression. She can be a very kind woman, but she can also be ten times more cruel than even our mistress Remilia, if provoked."

"I noticed you're being rather vague about everyone's pasts, Sakuya in particular."

"It would be more proper for you to earn that knowledge from them, not me. I merely told you what I judged to be appropriate for you to know."

"What about yourself, then? How did you come to be here? Can you tell me more about yourself?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"...No?"

"No."

"Er, why not? I'm just curious, that's all..."

"Suffice it to say I met Remilia during my travels in France, and we developed a bond of sorts over time; at first, I was more interested in studying her as a vampire, but over time our relationship grew into a form of close friendship. I say "no" to any further self-description, because I do not believe anyone can accurately describe themselves in an objective manner. What we are is what others see us as. I suppose you would have to ask Remilia, if you wish to learn more about me."

"Alright, but... I'll ask something more specific, then. Why did you reveal all of this information while everyone else seems to be trying their best to maintain the appearance of normality?"

"Hm, I wonder..." She rubs her chin in thought for a moment, staring up into the high ceiling of the library, the pale light from countless candles scattered about sending wobbling shadows across it.
"I suppose you reminded me of Sakuya, in a way. A human from the outside, unexpectedly finding himself in a strange new land and under the influence of a mischievous child of a vampire. While Sakuya was more prepared and more powerful than you when she first came here, you are little more than an ordinary boy; call it sympathy, call it pity, call it what you will, but somehow the thought of you being eaten alive within your first month seemed rather shameful to me.
As for the other youkai... Most are simply more civilized than what you might expect from 'monsters'; behaviorwise, they are mostly not much different from humans at a first glance. In the case of Remilia and the rest of the inhabitants at the mansion, I merely asked them kindly not to overwhelm you by showing off their inherent 'talents'." Yes, she had told you of that before; maybe you were a little prejudiced after all. There's hardly any reason for youkai to hurl fireballs or fly, or do any other flashy supernatural things at a highschool of all places, after all. What did you expect?

...come to think of it. "Wait, why are youkai going to highschool in the first place? Aren't most of them decades, if not centuries old?"

"Well. This is related to the Hakurei border. You see... the border is weakening. It's slow and gradual by human standards, but it's still happening. Some day in the unknown future, the border will likely collapse... With luck, Gensokyo will not collapse from this incident, if we can figure out some sort of method to endure it. However... when this happens, we, youkai, must be prepared to integrate ourselves into the human world, for better or for worse. So, lead by your other teacher, Keine Kamishirasawa, several of the more prominent youkai in Gensokyo created a sort of aptitude test for youkai, to measure both their intelligence and maturity - I am sure the examples of Remilia and Flandre can show you that age and maturity do not go hand in hand. Even though I have been tutoring her for many years now... Stubborn girl."

"So all the youkai in the school..."

"...failed the test. Correct. For one reason or another. Either they are uneducated, or simply not ready for integration into human society. The first-years are the most problematic. Rest assured, though; while this school is intended for youkai, miss Kamishirasawa and I feel confident in our ability to provide a proper education for you."

"Thanks for the reassurance..."

"Any other questions?"

"Ah... Well... Remember when I asked you if you could train me to use my... um... powers?"

"You hardly have anything that could be considered 'powers' just yet. And yes, I do remember; is that the reason you have come to the mansion today?"

"One of the reasons, yes."

"I see." Slowly, oh so slowly, she stands up; no, wait, she's not standing. She's... hovering? You think you recall seeing her do that before... maybe. Or do you? You can't remember anymore. For some reason, this doesn't even strike you as odd by now. Truthfully, seeing someone hover is less jarring than, oh, seeing someone shoot fireballs out of their backside.
"Then, are you prepared? Are you well-rested, well-fed? And do you have the book with you?" Oh, crap, the book!

"Er, no, I... oh." The book is in her hands, all of a sudden. Freaking wizards.

"Tell me, how far have you progressed in your own studies of this book? How much do you understand?"

"Er... Not far. The other night when I tried to read on, it just... wouldn't come to me. Like something was blocking me." A mild frown finds its way onto her face, worrying you just a bit.

"I see. Then, I suppose it was best that you chose to come to me. A human learning to discover his own potential... this is a very difficult process. It is nearly always more efficent with a mentor of sorts. This applies to most things, from mastering a craft or profession, to magic."

"Is what I can do, what I'm learning to do... is that magic?"

She lands. "Yes and no. There is very little difference between magic and psychokinesis, to be honest. Both involve using one's willpower to bend the laws of physics and nature. However, magic is more based on rituals and prepared spells, whereas with psychokinesis you have a much more malleable talent, yet it requires much more effort and is more taxing to the user. To put it bluntly - magic is easier to get a grasp of. Both have tremendous potential based on the creativity and willpower of the user, psychokinesis having fewer limits yet being more difficult to get started with. Magic is easier to teach, as well, because you can simply teach an apprentice how to cast a specific low-level cantrip of sorts, such as a basic spell for creating light; with psychokinesis, the apprentice must learn to manifest his will into reality on his own."
Having said so, she floats over to one of the shelves near her desk which, curiously enough, is not stuffed full of books, but various items you couldn't possibly begin to idenfity. She pulls out what looks like some sort of burnt stick on a stand, and places it on her desk. Sending a glance at you, she continues: "I do not suppose you could light this yourself just yet, could you?" You shake your head, and she lights the stick by producing a small flame from the tip of her finger; a thin trail of smoke comes from the tip, spreading a strange, not at all unpleasant smell around you. Some sort of incense stick?
"This will help clear your mind, help you relax mentally. Eventually, you will have to become able to harness your will without this aid, but today is our first day... So. To begin, I would have you consult the book, again."

"I just said it wouldn't come to me."

"I know. But try again; it should be easier, this time."

-----------

There is no telling how much time has passed, but you feel... enlightened? No, too dramatic of a word; you do feel different, though. The book absorbed you into it, the words clearer than ever before - no, they were not even words anymore. Concepts and ideas in their pure form were imprinted within you, as if many keys turning in countless locks inside your brain, releasing... something, within you. You're not quite ready to ascend to a higher plane of existence, but you feel like you've become something more. It's... frightening in a way. Will you still be human, if you keep advancing in this direction? It's slowly becoming more and more addicting...

You are torn from your inner monologue by Patchouli's ever-tired voice.
"Then, if you are done for now, I would have you try something." She places a small candle on her desk, before leading you quite a bit further away from it. Her hand on your shoulder in a strangely reassuring way, she continues: "Light that candle."
Okay... This shouldn't be too hard. Focus your will, become the candle, and...

*Crackle*

The candle shatters into a million pieces, prompting Patchouli to sigh and shake her head.
"Wrong, wrong, wrong. You are merely lashing out at it with your mind. You must learn to focus your will on a specific point, not in a general direction or an object as a whole. And you needn't think of it as nothing more than a destructive force. Will the candle to become lit. Command it."
Easy for her to say, she was born with a talent for this sort of thing... You don't even understand how you're doing these things. The candle is replaced, and you try again.

A good sixteen candles later, you finally succeed in setting fire to Patchouli's desk, which she hurriedly extinguishes, rubbing her head and grumbling tiredly.
"I suppose that is... progress, in a sense. Perhaps your mind still associates the concept of fire too closely with destruction. These two concepts are not necessarily tied together; you must learn this, at some point. Very well..."
For the next exercise, she produces a small ball, and you are instructed to throw it to her. Naturally, the first ball explodes, as do most of the other tools she proceeds to use for various exercises. It's a little depressing when what comes easiest to you is destruction. On top of that, Patchouli seems to be growing just a little bit frustrated. On the upside, the incense seems to be working - you're hardly tired at all so far, and you're not bleeding from anywhere.

"It seems non-destructive use of your will would require further work. We should leave that for tomorrow. Besides... you did say you wish to learn self-defense, did you not?" You nod in confirmation, and she produces yet another tool... A common sheet of paper.
"Then let us work on your accuracy." She neatly folds the sheet into an origami crane, which promptly flies into the air... and spontaneously splits into several dozen other cranes, each one flying in an erratic pattern around you.
"You have sixty seconds. Go." Go? Well, you take the hint as best as you can, trying to focus on one of the birds and... Shit, it's moving too fast. You try to 'lock on' to it for a few seconds and... Yes! It explodes into tiny shreds of paper. Now there's only a whole swarm of them left - you've got to be faster. You miss the occasional bird, instead causing noticeable dents in the surrounding bookcases, as if someone had taken a large hammer to them. Patchouli looks anything but pleased.
"I should have set up a barrier before we started..."

You're starting to feel the strain, a slight thumping in your brain beating along with the rhythm of your heart. It's unusual, to feel more tired in the head than in the body - you could probably jog a mile with ease right now, yet your thoughts are slowing down, coming with more difficulty. At least the duck hunt exercise is coming with more ease, as well. Patchouli, however, looks as unimpressed as ever, which is getting somewhat demoralizing at this point.
"I suppose we should move on. I will not be able to get you anywhere near the ability to defend yourself against even the weakest humanoid youkai within one weekend. However... there is a system in place in Gensokyo to, how do you say, even the odds in an otherwise unbalanced fight. We call them spell duels."

"I thought you said what I did was not actually magic."

"Close enough. In essence, a spell duel may be declared within the Hakurei Border, and the specific magics in place will reduce the lethality of all attacks to near-zero. Well, by youkai standards... For a human such as yourself, getting hit with a projectile will likely still cause pain."

"Projectile?"

"Yes. In a spell duel, the goal is to hit your foe with a projectile, in a pattern you create. In essence, it is similar in concept to a regular pistol duel from the outside world." They haven't had those in ages, mind you.
"The local people refer to this as 'danmaku'. You take turns firing patterns of projectiles at your foe. The patterns are intended to be difficult to avoid. The possibilities are limited only by the creativity and willpower of the caster. However, spellcards are designed to work in a 'pre-packaged' form. That is to say, it is typically not allowed to alter the spell's design in the middle of casting said spell."

"Couldn't someone simply memorize the pattern, in this case?"

"That would be the idea."

"Alright... but... why are you calling them 'cards'?"

"Ah. Well, they are typically represented by card shapes, when declared. The reasons for this would be best asked from the designer of the spell duel system, Reimu Hakurei." Makes it sound like some sort of Yu-gi-oh crap, really.
"There are certain rules that apply to spell duels. A human may choose to challenge a youkai to a spell duel to fight on equal grounds - the youkai is obliged to accept. The terms of what happens when one wins or loses should be agreed upon before the duel begins. The Hakurei shrine maiden herself can sense if a duel is initiated, and if any rules are broken; trust me, no youkai would risk incurring her wrath. It is unlikely that a youkai would back away from agreed-upon terms after losing a duel.
The first one to get hit, or to run out of spellcards, is the loser. The goal is to avoid enemy projectiles." She eyes you up and down quietly, frowning to herself. "You do not seem to be particularly athletic, so I suggest you place more focus on your offense - while a spellcard is declared, the caster is surrounded by a protective field, which may be disrupted to 'break' the spell prematurely. I do hope you are good with patterns, both avoiding and creating them..."

She waves her arms to the sides, and the surrounding bookcases slide away as if they were on wheels, leaving a rather wide empty circle for the two of you to stand in.
"I will initiate a practice duel with you, so you may experience it for yourself. We will first focus on avoidance, as that is the most important aspect of a duel to learn. It will likely be tricky for you, as you cannot fly just yet... But you should be able to manage some easier patterns."

Having said that, she hovers into the air, suddenly pointing one arm in your direction; a strange sound, like a crash of sorts, is heard, and a gust of wind blows through the empty library, enveloping the two of you in some sort of illusory circle; you can 'feel' this circle, rather than see it, but it is there, like some kind of arena. Japanese symbols appear in the air, above and below Patchouli, glowing brightly and spelling something out...

Witch of the Spring Haze
PATCHOULI KNOWLEDGE

Huh.

"...What's that?" you ask, incredulous. What is this, Pokémon?

"In the beginning of a spell duel, you must declare your identity to your foe. This action also makes the Hakurei shrine maiden aware of your presence, so it is a strict custom in this case."

"And the title?"

"You may make one up yourself, or use one you have previously been given by others. Do hurry."



[] (Insert Character Title Here)
[] "...I've got nothing."

[x]Force of Will -Jin-

[x] The clueless servant.

[x] Apprentice of Psychokinetics

Sounds Touhou-ish enough for me.

[X] Chew-toy of the Devil

[x] The Interloping Psycher

[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student
JIN

He totally is.

[x]Force of Will -Jin-

[ze] Coldest Snowball in Hell

[x]Force of Will -Jin-

[x] The Unidentified Flying Fantastic Guy

[x] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student
I like this for some inexplicable reason.

[x] Reality Bender (your name)

Our name will still be ____, not Jin. Doesn't need to be written.

>>93382
Yeah, bad word for it.

How about... Scientifically blunt? Patchouli is magically blunt, and she knows more about Flandre on a personal level.

>How should you behave around her from now on? The same as always? Cautiously? Should you start avoiding her?
Oh, right. I already failed. Nevermind.

[x] DFC is what i live for

[O] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

[B]Force of Will

[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student
JIN

This sounds so Touhou-y I can't resist.

[X]Potential of Humanity

Because Jin is developing what humanity could have.

[x] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

>>93398
[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

Nice

[x]Force of Will -Jin-
The 'Completely Normal and Unremarkable' is very Touhou-y, but it makes Jin sounds pretty depressing, to be honest.

>>93437
>it makes Jin sounds pretty depressing, to be honest.

Wow, I couldn't disagree more. The wild inaccuracy that he would be perfectly aware of makes him sound like he has a sense of humor. I think the other proposed alternatives are a lot less interesting, just because they sound pretentious.

Plus, Touhou-y is the best way to go for this sort of thing.

[x] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

[x] Stranger in a Strange Land

>>93437
>>93438

And I have to disagree with both of you. We're talking about a title here. Titles are meant to impress others, not to make them laugh. They are symbol of status and power; the better title you have, the better you are.

Now, Jin is still a begginer and is weak, but this title is probably going to stick with him for the rest of his stay on Gensokyo; he needs a title that will suit him when he powers up.

>>And I have to disagree with both of you. We're talking about a title here. Titles are meant to impress others, not to make them laugh.

Super Youkai Warhead and Hell's Traffic Accident suggest otherwise.

They are symbol of status and power; the better title you have, the better you are.

But Marisa's title is "Ordinary Magician" and she's better than most, so yeah!

>>93451

[x] - The Only One with a Penis -

Impressive, no?

>>93464
>The Only One with a Penis
>Gensokyo

hahahhaa, oh you would be surprised.

>>93451
>this title is probably going to stick with him for the rest of his stay on Gensokyo

I doubt this, considering that most Touhous have multiple titles themselves. http://touhou.wikia.com/wiki/Character_Titles

[X] Stranger in a Strange Land

[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

>But Marisa's title is "Ordinary Magician" and she's better than most, so yeah!

An ordinary magician is much superior to a completely normal and unremarkable high school student. Magician have magical power; student have classes.

>>93466

Buy Jin is not a recurring character...

>>93466
Chen - Hyperactive Monster Cat

>Marisa's title is "Ordinary Magician" and she's better than most, so yeah!

Yeah, but Marisa has the power to make that humorous, while Jin is almost powerless.
>>93470

And everybody in Gensokyo fear her, right?

>>93472
Everyone fears Chen? What the hell are you on?

[X] Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

>>93475

Chen's mainly feared by mere humans, but to a named character she's either friend or not a threat. That and some youkai avoid picking on her to avoid Ran or Yukari's wrath.

>>93479
If it weren't for my stupid love for every SDM character, i would want a Ran Route. I blame HY for this state of THP, thanks to his godly charisma every route is a SDM route. No exceptions.
too bad that he doesn't write anymore

>>93483

A) HLA R2 in /border/ might be a Ran route
B) Let's just say there's a few things kinda hidden in my story in /sdm/

HY's just taking a break after helping get the new site up. I won't dare speak for how his schedule is.

>>93484
I am only disappointed with Scorn, he promised something big for once the site is back up. Everyone delivered, Scorn learned of the joy of anal masturbation and was too busy to write.

>>93485

Hey! You try writing something when your ass feels this good.

A title, huh... You take a moment to think it over; a title is something meant to impress others, is it not? Something descriptive of the title holder's strengths and characteristics, meant to strike fear into the hearts of enemies, and leave allies awestruck. Something grand, like Force of Will, or Reality Bender, or... Haha, who are you kidding? You're little more than an ordinary highschool student, with the inexplicable ability to make small and fragile objects explode, if you focus hard enough. Well, that alone already places you a small step higher than the average human, but... As they say, self-depreciation is one of the best forms of humor. With a mild smirk on your face, you run the words through your mind, projecting them into reality before you... Or, well, you try to do so, somehow. A little bit of concentration, and blurry lines start intersecting with one another in the air above your head, eventually spelling something out while Patchouli looks on with interest, cocking an eyebrow once you're finished.

Completely Normal and Unremarkable High School Student

"And your name, too." Oh, right. Now... how did you write your name in katakana, again? You've done it so many times by now, yet it still feels somehow unnatural and strange, to the point where the white lines just refuse to go where you want them to. You close your eyes and focus on your name, running it through your head, picturing it... feels kind of weird somehow. You open your eyes to see a lone, familiar kanji floating below you, where your name should have been. Patchouli is still casually hovering opposite of you, nodding with approval.

...

"Did you do this?"

"I have no idea what you could possibly be referring to." Sure, sure... Either she's lying, or that stupid nickname has stuck to you on a subconcious level by now, somehow. Well, whatever, you can't be bothered to argue with her over that right now - you've got more important things to worry about. Like not getting splattered by whatever onslaught she's about to unleash upon you. Why did you agree to go along with this in the first place, again?
"Then let us begin." Without warning, she produces what looks like a brightly glowing white fan of cards in her hand, examining them with a bored expression on her face - in other words, with the same face she usually has on all the time anyway. She looks indecisive, somehow.
"Remind me, what day is it today..?"

"Saturday. Why?"

Suddenly, something scary happens - she grins. "Excellent."

You've never seen her grin before.

"You should be able to avoid this." The cards disappear save for one, which floats into the air above her, rotating slowly before bursting into shimmering tiny particles and fading away; what follows is a light rumbling, getting louder and harder with each passing second, as if a stampede were approaching from somewhere within the mansion; it's getting difficult to stand, yet you don't see anything in any direction. Then, suddenly, more foreboding text appears before you, giving you only the faintest idea of what you've just gotten yourself into.

Earth Sign 「Rage Trilithon」

...oh boy. You get into a ready stance, mentally trying to prepare for something incredibly unpleasant; your guess turns out to be pretty accurate, as suddenly many brightly glowing boulders begin appearing from out of thin air, rolling into the duel circle in a crushing avalanche, Patchouli orchestrating their movements from up above in the air. It's bizarre how relaxed she looks, not even any hint of focus or effort on her face, in stark contrast to how she looks whenever she attempts any action as physical as walking further than a distance of ten feet. Right now, only one word could describe her appearance, the glow of the magically created boulders rolling under her (to crush you, by the way, so don't forget to get out of the way) illuminating her figure, her incredibly long purple hair flowing in the winds generated by the isolated arena she had erected, her coat and robe also billowing in the wind... Majestic.

Oh, right. Don't get crushed. Almost forgot. Alright, try to sense the pattern, try to sense the...
Wait, there's no pattern. These rocks are rolling randomly, with no discernable sequence or design in their movements. Crap, what now? One rock already nearly misses you, which you manage to sidestep just in time. Danmaku is supposed to be non-lethal, right? You find that hard to accept when facing a freaking avalanche rolling in your general direction. That was just one small boulder, too; the main mass of the rockfall is only just about to reach you.

Sidestep, sidestep, leap, jump this way, jump that way, duck under that one rock that just bounced into the air, nearly missing your head... It doesn't take long for you to become thoroughly exhausted, your steps beginning to stumble, sweat sticking your shirt to your skin. On the upside, you haven't gotten hit yet, which you attribute more to the fear for your life than your speed or agility.

"Five..."

Huh.

"Four..."

"Huh? Wait, what are you coOOF!" While you were looking up at Patchouli, a larger rock bounced off a smaller one, landing right onto you with enough momentum to knock you off your feet and onto the ground. It hurts like a bitch, though the pain is a lot less sharp than what you'd imagine from being crushed to death by a boulder. Except you're not dead, and the boulders are all gone; even the rumbling in your ears dies off after a while, leaving behind a dull high-pitched ringing. You make a mental note to bring ear plugs the next time you pay a visit to the library for training. And maybe a first aid kit; despite your clothes and flesh being intact, you're aching all over from that hit you took just now, and... the slowness in your head got worse, too.

"I feel a little dizzy..."

"Getting hit with a boulder will do that to a person." She descends slowly, landing next to you, but she doesn't offer you a hand or anything for fairly obvious reasons; you get up by yourself.
"The dizzying effect is your mental energy feeling drained. Excessive use of magic or other psychokinetic powers, or being struck by a foe's projectiles, will end up taxing your mental energy."

"What, like mana?"

"What is this... mana, that you speak of?"

"...nevermind."

"As I was saying... The drain will make use of one's powers more difficult, as well as forming coherent thoughts; past a certain limit, it would even lead to unconciousness. Outside of life-or-death situations, I would advise forfeiting a challenge, rather than continuing until you pass out." Stifling an oncoming cough, she continues. "Your endurance, as well as your efficiency in use of your energy will increase over time, with experience. Naturally, the incense I used made it easier for you, as well..." You nod, understanding, rubbing various body parts to get the aching to stop.

"What about the pain... Will it hurt less as I grow more used to all this?"

"In theory, yes." Well, that's at least slightly encouraging to hear.

"...Can I try again? I was distracted by your, uh, countdown."

"We should stop for the night, and continue tomorrow; you need to recover your energy, and there is no substitute for a good night of sleep for this purpose. Also, I was merely counting the seconds until the spell card would expire. They do have time limits, you know."

"Oh?"

Your conversation is cut short by the sounds of footsteps approaching, the light tapping noise strangely familiar to you as it echoes throughout the library.
"Ah, I thought I'd find you here. You seem to have forgotten to check the time, young man; the mistresses have already long since finished dinner and retired to their bedchambers. They looked so very disappointed that you decided not to join them, too..." The mildly amused, carefree tone conflicting with the tone of the message she was delivering betrayed the speaker's identity to you before Sakuya herself appeared from behind one of the bookcases. It's amazing how she knows exactly where to go in this massive place, yet you'd think good spatial memory is necessary for the head maid of a mansion of these proprtions.

"I, uh, I..."

"He had an appointment with me. I am certain Remilia will understand." Patchouli steps next to you- yes, steps; Sakuya was told you were not to be exposed to the truth too, right? - as if to defend you from any unfair accusations. To be fair, you really had forgotten to check how long these training exercises were taking, and there are no windows in the library that you can see from here.

"And what of the younger sister, hmm? Flandre had stayed sitting at the table, waiting patiently long after Remilia had left. When I came and told her it was time for bed, she gave me a look as if I had stolen from her her favorite teddybear." She sends a jovial smirk in your general direction upon mention of the word 'teddybear'; you're not sure how to feel about this.

"Regardless..."

Patchouli is interrupted by the sound of glass shattering in the distance - so there are windows in the library, after all? - and a loud, obnoxious female voice resounding across the entire library.
"SAKUYAAA! It was you, wasn't it? You're the one prolonging the summer, aren't you? Get over here this instant, or I'm going to come look for you myself!" Is that... Reimu? The head maid glances over her shoulder in the general direction of the ruckus, not showing any signs of having lost her composure, her posture as perfect and elegant as ever; with a soft sigh, she turns to Patchouli.

"It looks like I've got yet another misunderstanding to clear up. I'm sorry for the trouble, mistress Patchouli, I don't know how she knew I'd be in the library, nor why she's accusing me of something like this. I'll go take care of it. Oh, and you?" A friendly glance is sent in your direction, those blue eyes of hers somehow calming you despite you having no idea what the hell is going on at the moment.
"I've prepared a room for you. I've instructed the other maids to provide directions for you, should you need them. If you still want it, you could also ask one of the maids to re-heat your dinner for you. I do apologize for not being able to take care of you personally. Good night."

And with that, she's off, walking in the direction of the noises with a firm, swift stride, the only sign of her taking the whole situation seriously is the light clenching of her fists. You feel a compulsion to follow her, see what's going on, maybe help her, but Patchouli stops you with a hand on your shoulder.

"Do as you are told, go to your room. We shall take care of this; as far as Sakuya is concerned, what goes on over there is not meant for your eyes."

"But I-..." She just sighs in frustration, before touching your forehead light with her index finger. A jolt of electricity passes through your brain into your spine, spreading a warm tingling feeling throughout your entire body, and all goes black. Then pure white. By the time your vision clears, you find yourself outside of the library, the doors just shutting behind you with the sound of locks being sealed. Not the most polite way you've ever been kicked out of a room. Just what the hell was going on there, and how did Reimu break in through a second-storey window? More importantly, why did she do this? And why was she blaming Sakuya for this strange heat wave, of all people? You'd think the wizard would be the more likely culprit, no? You're reminded that you still have no idea what Sakuya's 'powers' actually are... Perhaps it's best to just trust them and not think on it too hard. You can ask them tomorrow... They'll still be around tomorrow, right?

Your thoughts are still coming unnaturally slow, and you feel the sting of a headache coming on as you're no longer in the incense-filled library.



[] Bed. Need sleep.
[] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

[x] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

Wizard need food badly.

>>93475

I was trying to be sarcastic.

[] Bed. Need fap sleep.

[X] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

recover your energy in both ways.

How to spend tomorrow is an interesting question.

[O] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

[X] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

[ze] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

[] Bed. Need sleep.

[X] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

>the mistresses have already long since finished dinner and retired to their bedchambers. They looked so very disappointed that you decided not to join them
Pouting Remilia must be cute.

[X] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

>"And what of the younger sister, hmm? Flandre had stayed sitting at the table, waiting patiently long after Remilia had left. When I came and told her it was time for bed, she gave me a look as if I had stolen from her her favorite teddybear."

FFFFFFFFFFFFF-

;_;

>>93508

If I knew this was going to happen I wouldn't have choosen that choice

First thing tomorrow (at least as possible) is sending some time with Flan!

[X] Actually, you're pretty hungry after all that training. Go pester the maids for your dinner before you go to bed.

>>93520

I would. We've made major gains. As long as Jin is alive there will be time to spend with Flandre. Can't do that at all if he's dead.

>>We've made major gains.

Oh yes, I can practically hear the countless desks and origami animals across the land positively quaking with fear.

>>93538

We can now challenge others to danmaku duels and take part in them, even if we don't really know how to danmaku yet ourselves.

This means a world of difference when dealing with hostile youkai like Rumia. If we're attacked and we make a challenge that isn't honored, that's grounds for getting the offending youkai exterminated. If our challenge is honored, that's a fuckload of bright flashing lights and noises, letting everyone who is looking out for us know exactly where we are.

>>93542
>>If our challenge is honored, that's a fuckload of bright flashing lights and noises, letting everyone who is looking out for us know exactly where we are.

Noises? Maybe. Bright flashing lights, however?
You DO remember who we would be dealing with, right?

Now, if you were depending on someone noticing a giant blob of pure darkness, on the other hand...

Of course, that would only really be helpful if you're dueling in the daytime. That might not be the case if you're going to wait for Rumia to attack again before challenging her. After all, while she's not exactly the brightest bulb on the tree, she had at least enough sense to wait until we were completely alone before going after us as second time. I can't imagine attempt #3 at "Operation: Eat the New Kid" will have her coming when she's at any sort of disadvantage. Meaning we'll probably be alone, it will probably be dark out, and we won't be able to count on anyone coming to our rescue.

>>We've made major gains.
>you finally succeed in setting fire to Patchouli's desk

There is no desk that is safe now, WE SHALL CONQUER ALL DESKS AND SET THEM ON FIRE. They are all evil.

>>93556

And after that, we shall burn all the CHAIRS over the world.

>>93558
And shatter all the METAL CHAIRS.

While the idea of falling unconcious before the migraine sets in sounds mighty attractive, starving to death in your sleep would be a rather depressing way to go. Despite the fact that blowing paper animals up with your mind and setting fire to your mentor's desk doesn't spend much physical energy, you feel pretty damn hungry either way. Sakuya said you should ask a maid to re-heat dinner for you... Sakuya. Is she going to be alright? Well, she certainly -looks- tougher than a highschool-girl shrine maiden, but looks can be deceiving in Gensokyo, as you learned rather fast back when you were being strangled by Rumia earlier this week. You don't know how to feel about the whole thing, conflicting emotions whirling about inside you - Sakuya has been nothing but nice and accepting towards you so far, but Reimu is also your friend now, right? How should you feel about this? Or should you just not stick your nose into other peoples' business?

...the sound of your stomach growling obnoxiously brings you back into reality. How late is it, anyway? Taking a look at your wristwatch, your eyes widen in surprise - it's 1:26 AM. Just how long did you spend in that library, training and meditating and doing who knows what else? No wonder you're hungry if you blasted straight past midnight without any breaks. Time flies when you're discovering how to blow things up with your mind, and dodging magical projectiles. A jolt of pain runs through your ribs briefly at the memory of Patchouli's spellcard; something tells you that was one of her weakest, easiest ones, too. Maybe you should take up some sort of sport? Either that or pester Patchouli to teach you how to fly, although that sounds even more time-consuming, somehow.

On the subject of pestering, you manage to find some maids to shake up; they direct you to the kitchen, explaining that your dinner is in the refrigerator and there should be a maid present there who could prepare it for you. As usual, you offer them a polite thank-you and apologize for disturbing their duties, although this doesn't stop them from trembling even as you turn to leave. Still, they're starting to look less terrified of you, slowly yet surely. You wonder if the fact that your presence in the mansion is becoming common is a good or bad thing. As you walk through the hallways, you swear you can hear the patter of small bare feet, but as you look around you see nobody. Very strange; slightly paranoia-inducing. Regardless of this, you eventually find your way to the kitchen, having to rely on the directions you were given less than you had anticipated. Looks like you're getting used to the mansion itself, too.

More pattering. You turn around faster this time, yet still you are unable to catch a glimpse of your stalker. It's... probably just your imagination, right? That's right, you're just overstressed from all the training today. You just need to get some food in you, and go to sleep. Opening the fridge, you identify what you figure is your dinner - looks to be some kind of fish, with potatoes. A rather simple meal, though you're not sure how thrilled you are over the concept of eating fish right before going to sleep. Ah, screw it, you're too hungry to be picky, and you're sure anything prepared by Sakuya would be great, even when re-heated. Now, do they have anything as modern as a microwave oven in this mansion? Huh, apparently they do... This makes you wonder why Remilia refuses to get electric lighting for the mansion. Granted, the aroma of candles is something you find quite pleasing, but which is more expensive? Electric lights, or restocking on hundreds of candles every so often?

Lost in thoughts over insignificant matters, you ALMOST forget to hit the button on the microwave before it signifies being done with a loud beeping noise; wouldn't want to wake everyone up, now would you? Granted, half the staff still seems to be awake anyway; they must work in shifts. Pulling your meal out of the microwave, you take a seat on the very same out-of-place metal chair you stubbed your toe on the first time you came to the mansion. Who's on top now, bitch!" Feeling mighty pleased with yourself, you dig in... Or, well, you dig in after staring at the kitchen door for just a moment, certain you saw it move just now; you forgot to close it properly. Must've been a maid shutting another door nearby, the air can shift around in these corridors like that...

Halfway through your meal, delicious as would be expected of Sakuya, you spontaneously go blind.

Someone's soft, warm little hands are covering your eyes. You try to stay calm, keep your composure, and finish lifting the fork with a piece of fish to your mouth, chewing and swallowing in a relaxed manner before reacting to this unexpected situation.
"Erm, who..?"

"Guess who." A very familiar voice.

"Hello, Flan." The hands are removed, revealing a mildly pouting little blonde girl in her pajamas; the same ones you saw this tuesday. As back then, her hair isn't tied into that side-ponytail, either; in fact, it looks a little messy, as if she had been sleeping for a while already. Her slightly sleepy eyes further strengthen this theory of yours. She's looking incredibly cute right now, if only it weren't for one small detail ruining the image - she's not smiling. In fact, she looks a little sad.

"You didn't come for dinner. Did you want to eat alone?"

"I'm sorry, Flan; I had business with Patchouli, and I kind of lost track of the time. I didn't realize how late it had gotten, so quickly."

"Oh... okay..." She still sounds disappointed.
"I'm... a little jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Of Patchouli. She's so smart and pretty, and has important business with people, and stuff. And she has a huuuuuuuge room all to herself, full of books. I wish I had a huge room full of books like that, too..." She looks into your eyes all of a sudden, her own eyes trembling strangely.
"And, and. That I were smart and pretty like she is, too. Then I could have business with people too, and... and..." She loses track of what she wanted to say. It was incredibly adorable in a slighly sad way, though; you try not to think back on Patchouli's words about Flandre, instead deciding to talk a bit more to comfort her.

"Well, I'm here now. By the way, why are you awake at this hour? Not that I mind, but..."

"Couldn't sleep." A short and simple answer. She pulls up a seat next to you, jumping on and wiggling her legs through the air in a bored manner; you offer to share some of your food with her, yet she doesn't show much interest.

"Bad dreams?"

"...I guess. I dunno. I just couldn't sleep."

"What about Remilia, is she asleep?"

"Yeah, I think so." You run out of things to talk about, instead deciding to finish your meal before it gets cold again. Flandre seems more than content with watching you eat in any case - which doesn't bother you as much as it normally does when people stare at you while you're eating, somehow - and idly humming a tune to herself. The two of you wash the dishes together after you finish, although Flandre has to stand on her toes to reach the sink properly; you wonder how the other maids handle it. Well, they probably float on those wings of theirs. Either that, or Sakuya really does do everything in this house.

"Hey, hey," she pulls on your sleeve all of a sudden.
"Wanna come spend the night in my room?"

...

Well, that caught you off-guard.



[] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{} ...Remilia would kill you if she found out.
-{} ...Sakuya would never let you hear the end of it if she found out. Assuming she doesn't kill you.
-{} ...it wouldn't be appropriate for a guy and girl to sleep in the same bed when they're not in that kind of relationship.
-{} ...you're not quite comfortable with the idea of spending the night in the same bed with a potentially 'unstable' vampire.
-{} ...you snore.
[] Sure, why not.

[x] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{x]...you could stay up all night instead.

[O] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{O} ...it wouldn't be appropriate for a guy and girl to sleep in the same bed when they're not in that kind of relationship.

[x] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{x} ...it wouldn't be appropriate for a guy and girl to sleep in the same bed when they're not in that kind of relationship.
[x] promise her that once she's up, you can spend some time together, perhaps teaching her chess.

Hard choice to make, but this way we educate Flan some.

While the other reasons are true for the most part (mainly the part of Remilia or Sakuya killing you), this is what one should say to Flan.

>>93565
>say

Do note the lack of quotation marks in the options.

[x] It's not really appropriate, but...
--[x] Sure, why not.
--[x] You can read a book together.
--[x] You'll deign to sleep on the floor, though.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

You've been flirting a lot with Remilia lately Anon, but now I think it's time to make a choice. That scene in the bath suggests Flandre knows exactly what the implications are of what she's asking. She knows Remilia wouldn't like it, since she vetoed her earlier suggestions that you visit her room, but she's offering again now anyway. If she's willing to incur her sister's wrath over it, I think it's safe to say she really likes you and she trusts you. I think it's time to return that trust.

Rejection using Remilia or Sakuya as an excuse is going to make her feel like you're choosing the wishes of her sister or her servant over her own. Using the 'we're not in that kind of relationship' excuse is essentially telling her that you're not interested in entering that kind of relationship. Anything else and she'll assume that you're either 1) treating her as a child, 2) not attracted to her, or 3) afraid of her because she's a vampire, any of which could be disastrous.

Hell, this is a hard choice. If we do end up in the same bed (which we really shouldn't), it should be obvious but: different layers. If she's under the sheet, stay on top of it, etc. Pic not related.

>>93563
Changing vote.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

Anon has a point. We have a choice to make, and I'm choosing Flan.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

I'm sure Flandre will tell the truth should we get questioned by Remilia or Sakuya.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

Disclaimer: I'm not hinting at anything just yet, just curious for the (near?) future.

What are Anon's feelings/thoughts on routelocking?

>>93575

I've always liked it because it made things easier to manage.

>>93575
If you're doing it in hopes of avoiding the kinds of schizophrenic decision making characterized by anon, you could always achieve the same effect with gruesome bad ends.

>>93575
Could you give us an affection list of how much the characters like Jin?

>>93575
I think you should try without them. While CYOAs are obviously not real life, you always have the option in reality to... try your luck, in a matter of speaking.

Now of course in Gensokyo, this may lead to potentially fatal outcomes. But I think it would be interesting to see if Anon as a whole could stay focused on a route, when presented with others still.

>>93575
Don't lock us on one path, let us try freely. If we somehow manage to get two girls at once (unlikely), let us. If we screw it up with everyone, let us.

>>93568
This logic ... I cannot shake it.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

>>93575
I think route-locking works best if you have a particular, focused story you want to tell with whoever happens to be the central character of that route.

Anon can be flaky, indecisive, and can at times shy away from someone just because something didn't go as well as they expected it to, instead redirecting their attentions towards someone they view as "more likely" to work simply because nothing had gone obviously wrong with them yet. This can become a problem when they spend too much time trying to earn points with everyone, and fail to get enough points with anyone. Basically, the relationship equivalent of the "jack of all trades, master of none".

By locking-in the route, and making said lock quite clear to the readers, they can then focus more on getting through the story without the various fan factions squabbling over who to see or talk to to earn points with.

If the focus of the story is more or less just to interact with the characters, build and manage relationships with them, and see how things work out in the end, though, perhaps the freedom of not locking us into a route would be more beneficial.

...or could just give us more opportunites to royally screw things up. Either/or.

Personally, I prefer the route-lock, simply because the sooner people stop worrying about who they're going to end up with, the sooner they can start worrying about how well they're going to end with them.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.
[x]If you are sleeping in her room though, take the floor.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

>>93575
One of the few ways to stop Anon from ruining certain stories.

>>93596
accurate description of Anon.

>[x] You'll deign to sleep on the floor, though.

>[x]If you are sleeping in her room though, take the floor.

This shit will never work.

By accepting her offer you're tacitly accepting the possibility of what may ensue. Backing out at the last moment, after you've already crossed the threshold, is disingenuous and will just disappoint her that much more.

What's worse is that by spending the night in her room, everyone in the household who finds out is going to make an assumption of what went on there, and nothing said on your part or her part is going to completely remove that suspicion. If you thinking you can just woo some other woman after this, simply because you haven't 'closed the deal', then you've got another thing coming.

Now, if she cries tomorrow because the boy she likes didn't return her affections fully, those other members of the household are going to assume that you broke her heart because you already got what you wanted out of her. If that happens, you're dead man walking.

tl;dr:
>just follow her lead.

[] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{X} ...it wouldn't be appropriate for a guy and girl to sleep in the same bed when they're not in that kind of relationship.

Yeah. It's not a good idea. Though I do wonder what the best way to say no is.

[x] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{x} ...you snore.

[X] Sure, why not.
-[X] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

Your mind's going to explode if you stay up anyway, and it's better to know where there's a bed then trying to find one yourself (or by terrorising more maids).

[] Decline in as nice of a way as possible, because...
-{X} ...it wouldn't be appropriate for a guy and girl to sleep in the same bed when they're not in that kind of relationship.

This is a baaaaaaaaaaaaaad idea. Remi will absolutely kill us and Flan, Flan metaphorically and us literally. Remember, Remi's been making moves on us... it's highly unlikely she'll see things our way in that kind of situation.

[X] Sure, why not.
-[X] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

Best way to fall asleep is holding onto someone, no exceptions.

[x] Sure, why not.
-[x] This could end up as something totally innocent, so just follow her lead.

[x] Sure, why not.

No problem here. If we stay faithful to Flandre and show Remilia we are a decent guy who she can trust and wouldn't break Flandre's heart nothing bad will happen.

Even after the long Site downtime and the server change this story is going strong. It was unaffected by those things.
Remilia is pleased.

>>93575

I think they can be good. It all depends on the story, though.

>>93575

I think it's helpful, since let's face it us voters aren't the most focused lot, but it's the matter of context.

right now "jin"'s in a tight spot between two vampires.

That and if one does take her offer, one can only hope that Flan saves us from Remi or Sakuya.

And to be honest, if I was there with Flan and she made a cute expression, I'd cave in like a house of cards.

But it's hard to continue being friends with Flan if we get killed. (Since for Sakuya it might be business as usual, but with Remi, you know how fearsome Overprotective older sisters are.... even when they're not 500+ year old vampires.)

Hm, no real consensus I can detect on the routelock thing... I'll think it over just a while longer before deciding anything.

Also, who keeps stealthbumping the thread? Swear it was on page 2 last time I checked, no new posts at the time of me starting to write this.

-----------

"Er... Not that I don't feel flattered by the offer, but... why?"

She looks up at you, a slight hint of a frown still lingering on her pale face, eyes still trembling to a degree you wouldn't notice from any greater distance. She looks like she's about to cry, yet is exerting all of her will to suppress it, and apparently approaching her limits.
"Because... Because I'd sleep better. It felt lonely tonight, while you were gone; I didn't know where you went. It's weird..."

"Weird?"

"I'm used to playing by myself, being alone. But... I dunno. Since I met you, I've been feeling lonely when you're not around. Even when we're not even doing anything, or you're busy talking with big sis, it just feels good to be near you." She tilts her head at you, with a concerned look on her face.
"That's... That's normal, right? Wanting to be near people you like?"

Like!" Okay, okay, don't read too much into it... The word 'like' in its strictest definition doesn't have anything to do with -that- sort of thing, it's just a modern implication attributed to the word. Plus, she said 'people', in plural... Yeah, she couldn't have meant LIKE-like, could she?

...could she? You just stare at her for a brief moment, those bright red eyes gazing right back at you. Minutes must pass in unmoving silence like this, neither of you uttering a word, Flandre's face frozen in an expression of expectation, eyes gradually turning misty. You feel like you're bleeding out of your heart when she looks at you like that.

"...Sure, why not." You try to put on your warmest smile for her, which seems to have the desired effect when combined with your words - the blonde little vampire girl's face immediately brightens, the widest, most honest and sincere smile you've ever laid your eyes upon stretching across her face, like that of a child who had just gotten the world's greatest Christmas present. Hopping off her chair in an instant and landing with barely a noise, she grabs you by the wrist, nearly tearing your arm off; fortunately, she immediately realizes her strength and pulls on you with a force closer to that you'd expect from a human girl. Well, more like a human bodybuilder woman, mind you, but close enough. You try your hardest not to show her how hard you're gritting your teeth right now to make the pain in your almost-dislocated sockets go away.

"Come, come~" She urges you to follow her with a tone of voice more suitable for cooing at a small kitten, the excited smile still on her face; her motions are bouncy and energetic, and her eyes are positively beaming with cheer. Despite the fact that you're probably going to be horribly killed if (or, more likely, 'when') anyone finds out what you've just gotten yourself involved in, you feel somehow satisfied over successfully whiping that sad frown off that cute face; it doesn't suit her when she's anything other than happy. She leads you down the Scarlet Devil mansion's halls in what feels like an extremely random zig-zagging pattern, though you trust her enough not to ask about it. Besides, it doesn't take you long at all to figure out the idea behind the otherwise impractical path you're taking.

You haven't run into a single maid so far.

You'd think the maids are standing watch in specific spots or something, by the way Flandre seems to be navigating past them flawlessly; or maybe she can sense their movements? Highly-developed vampire senses? Thermal vision? Echolocation? Okay, the bat joke was a bit much, but you really don't have any idea what abilities a vampire would actually have in real life. Vampires in real life... there's a phrase you never thought you'd hear yourself thinking. Well, at any point past the age of ten or so, anyway. What you do know is a handful of their weaknesses, though. Running water and such, huh... You can't help but think about Patchouli's vague mention of Flandre's 'instability', which you yourself have yet to witness. Could you defend yourself against her with a showerhead, should the necessity arise? Would you even make it to a bathroom?

...No, that's not going to be necessary. At least you hope so. Think so. Know so. Right? You're sure Flandre wouldn't hurt a fly. The image of her snarling at Rumia the other day flashes before your eyes; suddenly, you feel yourself covered in cold sweat. You didn't think much of that look back then, but you also didn't know about the existence of vampires and whatnot at the time. Was that some sort of manic episode..? Did things come that close to her blowing up the school, or whatever it is she can do with her, as Patchouli put it, 'destructive power'?

The hand around your wrist feels so gentle, so delicate, so soft. The sound of her bare feet against the floor tiles barely reaches your ears, the tempo of her steps nearly twice that of yours, due to the difference in your heights. She looks like a child, not a monster. Gah, these conflicting thoughts! On one side, the affection you feel for this girl whose very appearance strikes an instinct within you to just give her a big hug, on the other side, your human survival instinct. You shake your head violently to clear your thoughts; they're annoyingly slow anyway, which only makes them linger for longer; this nearly makes you lose your balance as you come to a smaller set of stairs leading downwards. The door leading into the mansion basement is familiar to you, and Remilia's warning not to go snooping around down there under any circumstances immediately comes to mind.

Her room couldn't be... down there, could it!"

All signs point to 'yes' - she effortlessly pushes the metal door open, which you try for weight while passing by. It feels strong and heavy enough to keep a pack of wild bears locked down here. The staircase continues downwards, the darkness only just barely illuminated by a few dim torches mounted on the walls; it feels like you're descending into some sort of network of catacombs. Fitting for a vampire's mansion, yet somehow nerve-wrecking when you're being lead into such a place by an actual vampire. You find yourself wondering whether there are actual ghosts and zombies down here, too. That's impossible, right? The undead surely couldn't exist... Patchouli did say vampires are a type of youkai, not true undead. And she made it all sound so pseudo-scientific, too, as if reading an entry from some sort of encyclopaedia of cryptozoology.

You pass by several bolted doors, some mostly wood, some metal, some with bars... It feels like you're in a dungeon, though you try to calm down by assuring yourself it was probably like this when the mansion was originally built, and most likely serves as a storehouse or wine cellar or something in these modern, non-savage times. Yeah, nothing to be afraid of, nothing at all, no-...

You nearly piss yourself then and there when an impossibly huge rat scurries past your feet, heading through cracks from inside one wall to another. Jesus. Are there even any traps large enough to catch something like that? These thoughts are driven from your mind as Flandre finally stops in front of a specific door. Quite possibly the heaviest, sturdiest-looking door you've seen in the entire mansion, so far. Even she seems to have trouble with pulling it open, and you can immediately see why - the door is about as thick as your torso. Despite seeming strong enough to contain a nuclear explosion, it looks... dented. You can't imagine what sort of force could possibly damage a door of this scale. Or maybe you can - the dents look like they were dealt from the inside of the room. Suddenly, Flandre jumps a little, slowly turning to you with a nervous look on her face, before slinking through the thin crack in the door.

"Er, I, uh, um, I should probably, eh, you know, ah, clean up, a little... My room is a bit of a mess. Please wait a moment!" She slams the blast door before you can say that you don't really mind. It's not like your own room was particularly neat or tidy back home, either, though you've been trying to clean up after yourself like a good boy ever since you moved in with your host family. Examining the door more closely, you can see a ridiculously large amount of what seem to be different locking mechanisms, even loops for several really large padlocks. Maybe it's best not to think of the possible implications of this apparently being the door to Flandre's room... She probably just picked it because the door looked cool, right? And the dents were there before, right? ...Right? Denial is such an ugly thing. You press your ear against the door in an attempt to hear what she's doing in there, but it turns out to be entirely sound-proof.

It takes a while of waiting in a tight, dark, damp dungeon-like space - you're not claustrophobic, are you? - but eventually the door slowly creaks open, Flandre's panting face sticking out timidly, her hair a mess and her cheeks flushed. Her room must've been messier than you could possibly have guessed.
"Y-you can come in, now. Sorry it took me so long."

"No worries." Not one to decline an invitation at this stage, you let yourself in, finding the door too heavy for you to close by yourself; she reaches past you and pulls it shut. Apparently when Patchouli told the sisters to keep up the masquerade of being totally normal girls with a bizarre taste in accessories, she neglected to mention displays of superhuman strength. Granted, it's much more subtle than flying or shooting eye beams at people, or anything flashy like that. However, such thoughts are cleared from your mind as you turn around, and are greeted with quite possibly the most depressing sight you've ever seen.

A small, dark little room, the walls of unpainted bricks and the floor of stone, so tiny it can barely fit all of two pieces of furniture inside - a simple, modestly sized bed, and a comparatively sizeable closet. The closet is, for some reason or another, bound shut with chains; the way the ends of said chains (why does she even -have- chains in her room!?) are still swinging suggests that she must've just bound the closet, herself. Is there something in there she doesn't want you to see? Somehow, you don't even feel -that- curious, thinking on the Greek myth of Pandora's box. The bed itself has a heavy, sturdy-looking metal frame you wouldn't expect to see on a girl's bed, although the mattress itself still seems to be rather soft. In contrast to Remilia's bed which was covered with enough pillows to equip a pillow-fight battallion of an entire kindergarten group, Flandre's bed just has one larger pillow. Despite the bed being relatively moderate in size, Flandre is easily small and slender enough to have space left over when lying in it...

Why are you thinking about that sort of thing now? Even in a situation like this? Honestly.

One more curiosity strikes your attention in this sad little room illuminated by a single candlestick. Attached to the bed is what you can only identify as a shackle. A rather heavy, resilient-looking one, to boot. What's even more worrying is how many of the links in the chain are deformed or fused together, as if someone has unsuccessfully tried melting it; the surface of the metal is covered in deep scratches and gashes, though it doesn't look anywhere near being damaged enough to break. Why would such a thing be attached to her bed? Hell, why does she have to live in a room like this, in a freaking mansion? Why... Why all this? Why the chains, the huge metal door? Why is she treated like this? Is... Was... Has all this been necessary at some point? The damage on the door and the shackles... Did she cause it?

You turn back to your little blonde friend, her eyes shining brightly at you in the low-light of the poorly-illuminated room. At the very least, the room seems to have some sort of air circulation with the outside, otherwise one would probably suffocate to death on carbon dioxide when sleeping here. That candle doesn't help, either. This girl... This girl has been locked up in this basement for who knows how long, hasn't she? No wonder she acts like a kid, oblivious to how the world functions... No wonder Remilia didn't want you finding out about it. You wonder, was the latter point because she didn't want you interfering in their way of life? Or out of guilt?

...

You want to cry about now. Flandre's face mirrors your emotions, the frown returning as she takes a few steps closer to you; that survival instinct in the back of your head, still wrestling with your heart, almost makes you take an involuntary step backwards, but you manage to remain in control of your actions.
"Are you... Are you okay? You look kinda... sad." And yet, despite what she's forced to endure, this girl only shows concern for -your- wellbeing. You can't help but sniff audibly, wiping your eyes with your sleeve discreetly.

"Sorry... Uh... Dust allergies. I'm okay." She doesn't quite seem convinced, but doesn't press the question further either.
"So, um... What did you want to do?" You figure you might as well let her have the lead in this situation, since you still have no idea what her intentions were in bringing you here. No, it's almost certainly nothing like -that-. Almost certainly.

She just smiles bashfully once again, dancing to your side and lightly grabbing onto your wrist again. "I'm just sleepy. We can do fun stuff tomorrow... Okay?"

"Okay. Want me to read you a bedtime story or something..? Er..." Right, right, she asked you before to stop treating her like a kid; though, she doesn't seem to have taken offense. On the contrary, her smile brightens just a bit more.

"It's way past bedtime, silly... But next time, sure! I'd love that... Reading is more fun when you do it together, or someone else reads to you, after all..." You look into the corner beside the closet, noticing an impressive pile of books. Well, 'pile' is the wrong word to use; despite the lack of a bookshelf of any kind, the books are neatly stacked onto one another, and even seen alphabetically organized and categorized, at least from what you can tell at this distance. You'll have to take a look at what sort of literature she's interested in, tomorrow.

...

"So, um, we're just going to sleep now, right?"

"Mhm... Why'd you ask? Did you wanna do something before bed?" Well, no, you stopped by the bathroom on the way to her room, and there's really nothing else you could think of that you ought to have done before bed, but... that's not what you were referring to. You almost open your mouth to declare that you'd be sleeping on the floor, out of a sense of being appropriate towards a girl you've only known for a week, but a thought occurs to you before you say anything. What if she takes it the wrong way? Maybe... maybe it's alright. Maybe you should really just let go of your own reasoning, just for tonight, and let her have the lead.

"Okay, so, uh... Where do I... Well, there's only one bed, so... yeah." You can't really put it into a sentence any more eloquently than that. She just tilts her head at you in a perplexed manner, as if you were stating the obvious. Then, she gets it.

Well, she almost gets it. "It's a big bed." If that had come from any other girl, in any other situation, you may have taken it suggestively, possibly even followed it up with a flirty joke of your own. However, you've learned to take things at face value when dealing with Flandre - when she says it's a big bed, she just thinks the bed is big, not necessarily big enough for boy-girl shenanigans.

Stop thinking about that sort of thing, already.

"I forgot to bring any pajamas."

"That's okay." That's okay!"

"So, uh... Just... Just sleep together?" She gives you a funny look again, before crawling under the sheets. What the hell are you supposed to do now? Well... Sleeping in your clothes seems like it'd just look dumb and too obvious. Should you ask her not to look? No, you said you were going to let her decide things for you... If she wants to look, let her, if she looks away, let her... Oh god. Why are you suddenly nervous of a girl watching you undress? For the sake of your own nerves, you turn away from her yourself, quickly taking off your clothes - keeping the boxers on, naturally - and getting in bed with her. You consider staying on top of the sheets, but figure she'd still take that the wrong way. This is totally innocent, right? Just let her have her way...

The moment you're in bed with her, she scoots closer, putting her arms around you and snuggling closely against you, her head resting against your bare chest. Her hair is so very, very soft, as is her cheek. She's warm. And you're feeling tingly all over. This shouldn't make you feel nearly as nervous as it does; you cheer yourself up by assuring yourself it's more because of her being a vampire and her sister probably gutting you the morning after, rather than the concept of being in the same bed with a girl. But WHY does she have to press herself so closely against you? No that it's unpleasant, but you can feel those tiny little bumps under her pajama-top against you as well, and it's making certain body parts react with more than modest curiosity. Down, boy, this is totally innocent...

This feels so very awkward and inappropriate, no matter how good it feels against your body, or what you keep telling yourself in your mind.

"Hey, I, uh..."

"Good night."

"But I..."

"Ssshhh. Sleep time now."

"But-..."

"Shut up." She says this without a hint of malice in her voice, giggling into your chest, which results in her hair tickling you. Ah, to hell with it all... You place a hand on her head gently, ruffling her hair just a little bit before passing out. You're too tired to continue waging this mental tug-of-war with yourself, after all.

-----------

For a change, you have a perfectly enjoyable dream. As is to be expected, you don't remember a thing upon waking up. God damn it.

-----------

You haven't felt this refreshed in ages. It takes a moment for your eyes to adjust to the, well, darkness - that's right, you remember falling asleep in Flandre's room. Hey, you're still alive! Flandre didn't go psycho or anything in the middle of the night and tear you to shreds, and Remilia didn't show up to beat you to death with your own spine either. Your neck kinda hurts, though.
It really does feel best to sleep with someone in your arms, regardless of implications. Lazily, you bring your hand up to your face, sniffing your fingers - the smell of Flandre's hair still lingers upon them. It's a pleasant smell, really, it reminds you of... sunshine. Quite a strange word to use, considering she's a vampire. Why does your neck hurt?
Wait, where is Flandre, anyway? You sit up in bed, your eyes finally being able to see in the low light, the candle somehow miraculously not having quite burnt out yet. Aside from yourself, the bed is empty. All of a sudden, you notice a strange blotch on the pillow and bedsheets where you were sleeping, a dark stain of some sorts. ...your neck still hurts. Not like you twisted it in your sleep, but a stinging pain to one side...
Grabbing the candle, you bring it closer to the bed for light.

The stain is red.

You touch your neck, cold sweat forming all over you. Nothing, nothing, no-... Oh shit. Two small punctures, one above the other, that you can feel on the right side of your neck. You were sleeping on your left side, Flandre facing you. Did she... could she have...

...

All of a sudden, you feel a strong urge to throw up.



[x] Calm down!
-{x} Go look for Flandre, ask her what the hell the meaning of this is.
-{x} Go confess to Remilia what happened tonight, ask for advice.
-{x} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.
-{x} SAKUYAAAA!
[x] Panic!
[x] Pass out.

(Reposted.)

[x] Calm down!
-{x} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

Oh boy, oh boy! We just might be an awesome (althrough undeveloped) vampire now!

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

>>93688

Yeah, no.

I just noticed something.
How the hell are we going to open those metal doors with our human strenght?

[x] Calm down!
[x] Calm, calm, calm.
[x] Bathroom, now.
[x] Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

>>How the hell are we going to open those metal doors with our human strenght?

The way I see it, we try to open the door, and one of two things will happen. Either we can open it, or we can't.

If we can open it, the bad news is that we're probably not entirely human, but the good news is that we can at least hurry and get help.

If we cannot, then the good news is that we are still human, but the bad news is that we're still trapped and alone in Flan's room.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

Trying to find Flandre will be hard, we have no idea where she is and how to find her and the possibility of someone discovering Jin while he runs around aimless is pretty high.
Flandre probably bit him out of reflex while she slept and was so ashamed that she ran away, once she appears again we have to calm her down and tell her everything is okay.
>>93690
Not really.

>>93695
We could also use our powers to try to move the doors, but without Patchy's incense, I fear we are going to bleed to death.

>>93696
>Trying to find Flandre will be hard, we have no idea where she is and how to find her and the possibility of someone discovering Jin while he runs around aimless is pretty high.

Bear in mind that if we can actually open the door and leave, there's a fair chance that she turned us, and if that's the case then I would think we'd be connected to her on some level. There's a reasonable chance that we'd be able to sense her instinctively if she sired us.

>>93700
I doubt that Jin will turn into a Vampire and it is more likely that she left the door open when she fled.

>>93702

Fair point.

In that case, consider that if she bit us and left the room feeling ashamed of the fact, or even if she just is having one of her moments, there is liable to be a very noticeable trail. A girl with powers like hers who happens to be emotionally unstable is quite likely to carve a noticeable trail.

In fact, a good compromise vote would be to head out and check with Patch, but divert ourselves if find any obvious trails of destruction. It'll be better for everyone if we track Flan down and stop her if she's in that state.

Of course, if she's neither distraught, nor destructive right now, I'd be a little worried to think of what she'd do if she returned to her room and didn't find us there...

If she did turn us, I'm pretty sure we're going to get a Flandre's Servant End.

No sex, just an eternity of mending her teddy bear.

[x] Calm down!
-{x} Sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

>>93703

In fact, I'll change my vote to this:

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

Although I still wonder if it's a good idea to leave the room empty if Flan isn't distraught.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Search for Flandre. If she bit you like this... is she feeling alright?

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Go look for Flandre, ask her what the hell the meaning of this is.

She is probably just as freaked out about this as we are. I'd hate to compound her panic by vanishing before she comes back. The language is a little harsh, but as her friend, we're not doing her any favors by trying to sugar coat the situation.

>>93710
Allright, you got my convinced.
Changing my vote >>93696 to:

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[O] Calm down!
-{O} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{O} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

>>93716

Souhds as good to me as anything.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} Search for Flandre. If she bit you like this... is she feeling alright?

>Flandre's room

That's some depressing shit, man. The shackles almost made me cry.
>For a change, you have a perfectly enjoyable dream. As is to be expected, you don't remember a thing upon waking up. God damn it.

God damn it.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

Forgot to voice in opinion last time, but I'd rather we don't get a routelock.

[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.
[x] Don't point blame at Flandre until you can hear her side of the story. You wouldn't want Flandre to be locked back in that room because of a possible misunderstanding.

There's other possibilities here. Remilia could have done it, for a number possibile reasons: 1) Assurity that Flan's new beau won't die or leave her easily. 2) She's worried about the (apparent) intensity of Jin's relationship with Flandre and decided he had to be controlled. 3) Jealousy. She's simply making a claim over Jin. 4) Remilia is creating an excuse to lock her sister in the basement again.

Conversely, Flandre could be making a claim over you, and is now fighting for her right do so.

Any of the above would be enough reason for Flandre to stalk off and confront her. I don't think it was a lack of self-control here; given the minor wounds Jin received, this isn't merely to sate their bloodlust, rather this was deliberate act on someone's part.

There is of course the possibility that this was all setup by Sakuya in order to scare you out of the household.

>>93759
Or, the more likely one that doesn't involve some convoluted conspiracy theory: Flandre did it accidentally in her sleep. She may have never learned how to feed off a human properly, but as a vampire she must still have at least some instinct for that sort of thing. So, while asleep she unconsciously bites down on the human right next to her, wakes up suddenly, be it from the feel or taste of the blood, realizes what she just did, and fled the room.

I can't see why Remilia would do it, even for the reasons you give. As far as she knows,she still has to keep up appearances under the belief we don't know the truth about her and Flan being vampires. Granted, just seeing the state of Flan's room would clue anyone in to the fact that things aren't quite right in this house, but considering the lengths Remilia had gone to up to this point to avoid having us so much as see her flying for fear of the effect it would have on his pysche, making the poor guy wake up to find blood on the bedding and puncture wounds on his neck seems very counter-productive.

As for trying to turn him, even Patchouli said that the means by which a human becomes a vampire isn't entirely certain, and could depend on far more factors than "bite neck, recieve vampirism".

I'm all for nutty conspiracy theories, but sometimes an accident is just that.

The poor girl's probably sobbing in a bathroom somewhere, her heart tearing itself apart because she's afraid the best and only friend she's had ever is probably going to hate her and want nothing to do with her because she lost control of herself for a moment and hurt him.

Oh, and before I forget:
[X] Calm down!
-{X} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{X} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.

[d] Calm down!
-{a} If Flan left behind an obvious trail - whether or not it's destructive - then pursue that first. If she bit you, she might not be feeling very well, and you can't stand the thought of leaving her alone.
-{z} Otherwise sneak into the library - surely Patchouli will know what to do.
-{e} Leave a note for her, first.

>>93761
>Or, the more likely one that doesn't involve some convoluted conspiracy theory: Flandre did it accidentally in her sleep.
I'm completely confused how people can think it was anything but this.

Psycho Flandre just wanted a midnight snack.

Normal Flandre just needed to use the restroom.


It's quite possible that you're all getting far too dramatic.

Hell, she may not have even noticed the blood in the first place. Even worse, she noticed it, but because of sleep clouding her vision, she thought she wet the bed. The very bed that the boy she likes is sleeping in. She could now be off somewhere crying because she thinks you'll treat her like a little girl again. Being the dumbass you are, you reassure her "No, it's fine. You didn't wet the bed, you just bit me." Good way to traumatize, anon.

you know does Flan really know how to suck blood even? Since it's said she's unaware of how her food comes from humans. Then again it might be vampire instinct acting up.

>>Even worse, she noticed it, but because of sleep clouding her vision, she thought she wet the bed. The very bed that the boy she likes is sleeping in. She could now be off somewhere crying because she thinks you'll treat her like a little girl again. Being the dumbass you are, you reassure her "No, it's fine. You didn't wet the bed, you just bit me." Good way to traumatize, anon.

Assuming vampires even have to deal with such biological functions in the first place, I would think that even as sheltered and clueless about certain things as Flandre can be, that after a couple centuries she at least has an idea of what urine usually looks like and what area of the body it typically comes from. Considering these stains were on the pillow, and most people usually don't pee from their heads, that means either she was doing a LOT of tossing and turning in her sleep, or it's something other than a case of bed-wetting.

>>93772

Flandre knows exactly what her food is. She says outright in EoSD that she's never seen humans as anything more than a drink. She explicitly doesn't know how she's supposed to eat because Sakuya cooks for her, which leads her to reducing humans into a fine mist instead of biting them.

Which is all the more reason that this would probably freak her out.

While I'm writing...

>241 posts and 30 images omitted.

New thread?

>>93785
Jawohl!