The dead man accepts judgment with unusual aplomb. Whereas others might squirm at having their sins read out or—as had been the case earlier—attempt to interrupt the session with hasty interjections and justifications, he seems almost indifferent to what the Yama has to say. If the judge is surprised by this unusual man, she hides it well, being as meticulous in presenting the facts of the case as with every other preceding soul that day. His quiet poise still makes an impression on the others watching and they pay careful attention to the build up to the sentencing.

Being sentenced to hell seemed like the obvious outcome; the lot of most sinners is an opportunity for repentance followed by punishment. So you're surprised when he is instead sent to the Netherworld. The man offers a bows to the judge once the proceedings are concluded. Then he is escorted away from the court, his fate to be advanced by a shinigami acting as bailiff. This proves to be the last act of the court for the day.

The presiding yama thanks the clerks of the court for their hard work and ends their long shift. She puts away her hand mirror into a protective bag and then rises from her seat. Before retiring to her chambers, however, she looks over at you and beckons you to come with a nod. That’s a very exciting development for you, as you’ve never been in the private chambers of a judge before. Truth be told, you have no idea what to expect. Your first courtroom experience today has already made your head swim more than once.

It appears that the Yama does not have very extravagant tastes. The room is an austere space with a few chairs, a simple shelf with some scrolls and a large desk with a stack of documents. She takes a seat and invites you to do the same. “How was your first day at court?” she asks, allowing a slight smile to form on her lips for the first time in the day.

“It was fascinating, Enma,” you answer. “Hearing about what goes on and actually seeing it with my own eyes is like night and day. I am not certain I am ready.”

“Modesty is good, Candidate,” she says, using the official term endorsed by the ministry, �

Tokyo is the same as it has been these past eighty years, crowded, cramped, but at the same time a very free and open environment. Sure new buildings are built, but what makes this city what it is has failed to change.

It is a city of dreamers, conmen, and opportunists; it opens its doors wide for those willing to do what it takes to claim what they want, though it has a nasty of habit of turning those same into the destitute.
Though this city has no place for one such as yourself anymore.

You didn’t board the first train the Gap Master sent out, there was an exodus of us, the forgotten, but you stayed behind, there are still plenty of games to play in a city such as this.

That was 1954.

Every ten years another invitation would be sent out, giving promise of a paradise, this “Gensokyo”, and every time more of us would leave, by 1994 there was hardly any left to board the trains.

It wasn’t until most children couldn’t even see you that you decided to leave.

The year is 2014.
___

Previous Thread: >>29707

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[X] Awyrgan, what do you want?

Everybody else falls silent as the tank slowly drives up to you. "HATCH DIRECTIVE REQUIRES A COMMANDING UNIT TO DEFINE. DO YOU WISH TO REVOKE THIS LIMIT?"

"Yes." You affirm, "Nobody other than you yourself know better than what to do in this case."

"Hold on!" Nitori protests, "What if it decides to just never hatch?"

"NEGATORY. HATCHING DIRECTIVE IS MANDATORY. HATCHING PARAMETERS CAN HOWEVER BE DEFINED. DO YOU WISH TO ALLOW ME TO DEFINE HATCHING PARAMETERS?"

"I do not know." Tenma says, with just the hint of nervousness, "What are your parameters, Iron Wing?"

She was standing against the blistering assault of white, entranced in it.

The violent wind felt poetic in a way for how she felt. Always changing direction, never forgiving to the people inhabiting it. The wind threatened to tear away her hat, so she took it off, letting her golden blond hair flow freely in the wind's torrent. She looked at the scenery from the top floor, hoping her sister would come back soon, but inwardly she assumed the worst. She quickly shut it out of her mind.

It was only a few days away from tonight that the anniversary of that event would arrive. She felt the melancholy seeping in once again. She couldn't sleep, which made her end up here. Footsteps made their way upwards, cloaked by the howling blizzard.

A girl of light blue hair opened the door to the top floor. She saw her gold-haired sister gazing blankly. Inwardly she felt irritation at her constant gloom. It happened, the blur haired sister thought it should be left at that. Quietly, she walked back downstairs to go back to sleep.

Neither was going to hold tolerance for the other much longer.

----

The Fifth Day

When I woke up, I felt incredibly warm. I felt several blankets on me, all of which were familiar. Right, I brought spare blankets with me. The warmth nearly lulled me back to sleep, but I couldn't let that happen. After waging war in my mind for about 10 minutes, I got up out of bed.

Hello! this is my first story on this website. Hope you enjoy it, but before we start, I should mention a few things. This is a multi-route story that depends on your choices. Some questions will be vague and influential, so if you'd like to know who your going for, check one of the boxes below

[ ] Hints. Any choices that impact your relationship with the characters will have a "+1" and then the name of the character. This will tell you which route your going on.

[] No hints. Basically going in blind. Use with great responsibility.

=====
Inari Shrine, Kyoto – Dec 31, 23:54
=====


I stuff my phone away again after checking the clock one last time. The breach is predicted to happen shortly after midnight, so I still have a few minutes. I’m already done preparing for a change, so there’s not much else for me to do other than relax and wait.

I’m ready for whatever it decides to throw at me today.

It’s New Year’s Eve with only a few minutes remaining in the year. Off in the distance I can hear the cheer of people as they enjoy their festival. Their laughter as they play at the booths with their friends and/or companion. A few cries of frustration can be heard as they lose at a game only to try again until they either get it, run out of money, or decide it isn’t worth it.

I’m a little ways off the beaten path between the shrine and the festival. From here I can see each and every person passing through the tunnel of tori. Of course they might see me as well, but it’d be a little harder as I’m concealed by the shadows of the trees and the illumination from the path blocks their view this far into the darkness.

I’ve placed myself in a small patch of trees away from the path to the shrine. It’s part of a small groove of willows which surrounds the shrine grounds. The area where I’m working tonight isn’t too dense; in fact I’m in a pretty open area.

"I'm back, Reimu. I'm back," Marisa sighed, "and I don't know why. It's been so long since I was last here. I'm confused, I'm lost, and I just continue to waver back and forth. I'm looking for closure and I can't find any. I'm filled with questions and there's no one to answer them anymore. Did I make the right choices? The kids at school turn to me for answers, Reimu. Who do I turn to?"

Killing yourself is the only answer.

The Hakurei Shrine was completely desolate, surrounded very closely by trees. Unlike the shrine Marisa was all too familiar with, there was no grand clearing. No sturdy walkway. No. Reimu.

"It's been so long, you probably don't even know what happened. You probably heard about my 'execution'. Everyone did, I'm sure; everyone came to watch Yuuka's judgment. Shiki knew everything, you can never hide from her eyes. Yuuka's innocence, the actual culprit, and where I was hiding. I'm talking too much, again, aren't I?"

Ignorance of the law excuses no one.

Marisa took the pause in the air as an opportunity to sit down on the corner ledge of the shrine. While the rickety building appeared old and worn-down, the well-kept stone ledge provided plenty of room to just sit down, look up at the sky, and...reminisce about old times.

"All of this was my fault, and I felt it was best if I left that land forever. Yeah, I had rescued Kana from the mansion, and she was now under my watching...okay, I wasn't there all the time, but I looked out for her. I couldn't just take her away from the land that had given her life, Reimu. I just couldn't. It'd be too selfish of me. But..." Marisa trailed off, her eyes starting to wistfully tear slightly. She closed her eyes and forced a smile, reacting to no one in particular.

"She bonded to me. To me, Reimu. That land really knew what I was. From that moment forward, no matter where I went or what I did

Incursion v0.3 patch notes:

- Disregard all previous patch notes
- Historical records may have been altered significantly
- Welcome to the wonderful world of genre shiftnon-stable oscillation


=========================================
- You are now in #THP
- Topic: Welcome to #THP - The Hood'n Projects | all hail our one true god: http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/1438795 | NEW 2HU LEVEL: HALF-LIFE 3 | Archives: http://adf.ly/6thyed | ROYAL RAINBOW! | ❦ REMOVE SAKE DISH FROM PREMISES ❦ | <%DemmyYacht> YandereAliceFag: I am Faggot Prime. Leader of the Turbodicks. | Chillout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu0aRI97x1M
- Topic was set by perestroika!~Nitori@Ice.Fairy.Lasts.Longest.Thats.Why.Im.The.Strongest.BURMA-SHAVE in 04.23.20XX at 01:34:54
<Tiger> >20XX
<Tiger> >still no new 2hu
<Stitch> where the fuck is my zweihander
<Stitch> mfw they removed it

You are Chen. A nekomata, and you are in a bit of a snit.

Realisticly you are in a bit of an snit most of the time.

Humans would blame your master for letting her master use you as a toy, but you live off nightmares and boundry crossing.

No, the fact that Rumia, _Rumia_, beat you at euopean history pub trivia game, and that you are still comming off your second heat are both more relevent.

Or maybe you should get in a fight? That might blow off some steam if Master's Master isn't going to need you in bed today.

You play with the water, still feeling grouchy as Master just smiles her irritatingly smug smile at you.

You let your mind wander>

Alas, it had all come to this. I really, really should have seen it coming.

With a trembling hand, I took a beautiful silver pocket-watch out of my overcoat and slid it across the table. The man opposite me hummed in pleasure, picking it up and examining it with a casual laziness. And as the hollow feeling grew in the pit of my stomach, I grit my teeth and braced myself. The bartender, sensing something in the air perhaps, looked over; but he returned to cleaning his mugs after seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing but two men, having a late night drink with one another.

Sadly enough, I was one of those men. And I would be the one on the receiving end of what was to come next.

Would I be vaporized on the spot? No, despite their influence, even they wouldn’t do something that flashy. Better to make it to like I choked on a pill or something. Or suffered from a heart attack… but I shouldn’t let my imagination get the better of me. More realistically a limb perhaps, as a sort of payment or warning. “Steal from us and get fucked!” has always been their modus operandi, though not necessarily said in such a crude manner. But a trail of broken bones told the tale of their retribution, and that was from those who had submitted quickly.

Those that didn’t weren’t heard from at all.

I nervously watched as the man turned the timepiece over in his hands, smiling all the while. He finally laughed in approval and took off his hat, balancing the pocket-watch on his head. And with a wink and a slight shake of his hat, the watch disappeared.

“Voila,” he said with a grin. “Magic.”

I damn near pissed myself, there and then.