Hell yeah, thread two. Congrats on getting here. Hopefully, we can breeze through another one and then some.

As to the tube-fox, very cute but also a pain in the ass. Honestly, how Arc doesn't immediately enact bullying correction, I don't know. Although, I guess that would be giving her the attention she so clearly craves. Such a vexing vixen.

Still, difficult as it is to tame foxes, perhaps it can be done; perhaps Arc can make a convenient pet out of this damned cheeky kouhai. Even he admits that he can see some utility in her wickedness, after all.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
Arc has observed that she's likely to bolt if pushed, and I don't think that will end well, given that she's demonstrated her willingness to stalk him to unclear ends. Those fangs of hers seem poised to bite, and she'll have to be handled carefully given that fact. In warding off potential fox-bites, he might need to direct her at other potential playthings. Other times, he might have to reluctantly lavish her with attention to keep her in good spirits. It's a pain but probably less painful than the potential backbiting.

She just needs to be kept away from Aya. Far, far away.

>If I had wanted to I could have interrupted the puckish act by grabbing her tongue between my fingers.
Damn bratty fox...

>She stood up straight, puffing up her chest as an ambiguous, eye-catching smile, unfolded across her lips. Lit by shifting moonlight, a few shadows came and passed over her youthful face. I looked beyond her to the cabins and to the lodge and found their exterior lights and bulbs to be too dazzling by contrast. The actual space between us seemed amorphous and full of possibility. Whatever may have been said and done would have its secrecy sanctified by the arbitrary moon above.
>I could feel a warmth radiating from her, something that could be held and possessed by something as simple as touch. Where her silhouette ended and mine began was difficult to judge from that close distance.
>Her eyes were wide, burnished by the the [sic] scheming moon and its reflected light
Don't mind me. Just pointing out bits of prose I liked. Good stuff as always.

>The giggle that followed felt compulsive but deliberate, cloying but just a little too high-pitched.
>I heard Kudomaki complain in a sing-song way even as she followed it by a small atonal giggle.
A fox with an irritating, tone-deaf voice? Say it ain't so.

Come to think of it, if she was following Arc around earlier, maybe that nasally laugh was her?

...oh god, Arc needs to get to Orin and do some damage control, doesn't he? No telling what the fox might have whispered to the dumb cat.

Incidentally, going back to >>70338, Tsukasa's appearance reminded me of the possibility that Suika's been talking to a certain cave elf. If that's the case — though we know absolutely nothing of her portrayal here — is it possible that a bit of jealousy's been stirred up in Arc's girl-bro? Maybe she's gone and talked about things between them, and maybe the green-eyed girly has seen through matters and prodded a bit at her insecurities. A potentially frightening prospect if so.

[X] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

The Moon is the real MVP in this sequence. Kouhais are temporary; the light of Lord Tsukuyomi is eternal. And speaking of the starry Bridge of High Heaven, in the midst of the wild mountains... Doesn't it make you think the moment calls for, rather than a mere foxy proxy, the fox's wielder instead? But, well, who knows whether she's involved in this at all...

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

This is an answer I feel directly from my stomach. The slight buzz from drinking; the fall of night; the scepticism and the sighs—they don't add up to a state of mind where one feels like allowing oneself to be daunted by ambiguous "limits", or of suddenly pivoting towards practical discussions. Arc's been consistently leaning on her this whole conversation—not hard, mind, but a consistent pressure nonetheless—and it feels like one last push is needed, even if he ultimately means to ease off, redirect the conversation, whatever, instead of necessarily following through. Precisely because a finely focused intention at the inflection point is what allows you to keep your momentum in one piece, and not scatter or fumble unfocusedly, when you're not really in a very "high-tempo" state.

And after all it's Tsukasa who approached and closed the distance in the first place. She can pretend to feel cornered all she likes, but if you set the surface content of the words aside and just feel the wordless momentums involved, she's still the one pushing ten different ways against Arc's very mild return pressure. If she's really managed to manoeuvre herself up against her own limits in doing so... then this will be a valuable learning experience.

>>70416
You know, mentioning it slipped my mind in the last thread, but I don't think those "green eyes" she was talking about belonged to a cave elf at all. Rather, isn't there someone you're... forgetting about?

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

Damn ratchet tube-fox! I call upon the power of Izuna Gongen to tame thy ply, shapely ass! I SHALL MOUNT THEE

>>70419
>fox-wielder
Given all else, she's probably neither a student nor involved in Arc's school whatsoever. Hell, Tsukasa might not really be a student, though to what end is hard to guess at.

>update
It may be that Tsukasa isn't truly going at Arc, but it does feel a little like a game of chicken. She's played coy about what she saw whilst following Arc around, which feels like a vague threat to make up inconvenient truths, something I'm sure Arc has probably picked up on. Buzzed and emotional or no, Arc isn't incapable of pivoting. Given his less than thrilled reaction to Tsukasa's appearance, I imagine it was quite sobering, anyway.

>green eyes
I guess that's a possibility I'd forgotten. Then again, it was pretty ambiguous; Suika's description was vague enough for Arc to remark upon. Even if it would make sense, there's no telling what a certain whale is doing in this setting.

Besides, I like the idea of certain elvish figures inhabiting 'underground' bars. It feels like the sort of shenanigans Suika would get up to.

>>70420
If Arc's not careful the matter of whose ass will be mounted may not be so simple...

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.
The fox will not survive out inquiries.

>>70421
>Given all else, she's probably neither a student nor involved in Arc's school whatsoever.
Insufficiency of Youth...

You know, despite my framing it in my post in terms of momentums, I don't feel that there's too much of a head-to-head contest going on here. It feels more like there's a mismatch in scope of expectations between the two, where Tsukasa clearly has some template for how the interaction ought to go, but Arc is still in a position where he feels, maybe, "I don't really know you, and you don't really know me". So, sure, he could pick up on her implying implications, recognise it as a source of potential trouble, and pivot away from it, but I think it's just as plausible for him to, say, pick up on an utterance like
>I get along with nearly anyone and I don’t draw attention to myself unless I want to
and become interested in why she might feel the need to present so hard as being agreeable. It's like, rather than a game of chicken being played on a pre-painted road, the lines in the asphalt haven't really been drawn yet and there are many axes along which this interaction could be analysed in retrospect.

Some of the internal monologue points to that, too, I think, like
>The actual space between us seemed amorphous and full of possibility.
>If I had wanted to I could have interrupted the puckish act by grabbing her tongue between my fingers.
It makes me feel like... his vision, perception, imagination, whatever aren't really sufficiently "primed" for just going along to get along. What kind of axes would result from that it isn't very clear, and it'd be more draining overall to be put on the back foot, and have to keep his suspicious constantly engaged, than to take an active hand right now in shaping those axes and developing an intuitive feel for them by contact.

Again, this is all gut feeling that I'm trying to draw out, so I guess this all is more speculation than reasoning per se. Hashtag #interpretation hashtag #mythoughts.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
This all seems really suspicious, but I think that Tsukasa might be more of a hassle to deal with when pushed too far.

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

As much as I like to banter, we need to be straight with her first. There are still a lot of unknowns here and any hidden agendas might screw us over later. I feel like having someone dubious as our "messenger" isn't a good idea unless we're sure we can trust her.

>>70423
I guess, but Arc notices
>It looked like she was at a limit and was set to run away if further pushed.
which feels like the sort of thing that would put him on alert. Sure, it's more of a meta-hint, but I think he might at least have it in the back of his head that letting the fox just disengage would end up being a pain somehow.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
it's stupid to push too hard for no real gain

>>70416
Was going to write something stupider when voting. But then I was distracted by the thought of fangs and biting.

[] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
She's just going to keep avoiding the truth anyways

[X] The heavenly feeling of her silk stockings that condemned me to pleasingly suffocating sin. A cup of coffee and an adult understand was all I needed.
Fox sex with the sex fox. Sox.

>>70430
It's a joke choice (and a reference to another character in ToY). It's crossed out for a reason so, sorry, gonna have to pick something else.

[x] The heavenly feeling of her silk stockings that condemned me to pleasingly suffocating sin. A cup of coffee and an adult understanding was all I needed.
You're tempting me and I'll do nothing to resist.

...is what I would say, but I know it's all just a vain fantasy. Alas. It truly pains me in a deep and ceaseless way.

It's the sort of thing that makes me want to go embrace Lake-san. Ah, Lake-san...

>filename
chu<3

>The large overshirt she wore fluttered around her as it smoothly followed her movement with a delay; it made an almost-inaudible rustle as it absorbed deceitful moonlight in earnest, shimmering in an otherworldly—and entrancing—fashion. “Ah, hah, hah~” she panted and laughed as if drunk. Kudamaki stretched up her arms, spreading them up towards the moon and the night sky. Giving off a subtle bow, she lowered her arms and then placed a hand over her chest.
>Kudamaki clung close—a buoyant presence who seemed to feast on the proximity to me. Though it was folly, I wondered what the world looked like through her eyes; they seemed to glow with a blinding glare whenever they caught beams of moonlight; the transcendent delight directed at me made me feel overexposed, a grey ghost who could not hope to hide even the blackest of secrets.
>I looked at her and saw that she still sported a smile but it was less playful, more adult, and broadcast an eagerness-to-please.
Silliness aside, I love this faeness you've given to Tsukasa. She really does feel like the sort of tricksy creature one would see in a setsuwa or other ghost story. There's almost a surrealness or dreamlike quality to this encounter, slightly different to that with Sanae. It makes me wonder if we'll ever see the fox in the daylight, or if she's strictly a creature of the night.

[x] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.
This is a tough vote; I won't even lie. I personally — as the reader — feel desperately that Arc ought to find it in himself to make amends with his childhood friend. He's found it hard to truly value her as she ought to be valued, and I think he'll harbour deep regrets about it.

Having said that, there's a couple of points to why I won't vote that way. One, it really should be through his own will and efforts that Arc makes up with Alice. Trying to pull some shenanigans to bring her around or make some perfect scenario to say his apologies isn't the right thing, in my view. He needs to go out of his way to be as sincere as he can be in his own clumsy way. Maybe it won't even succeed; that's life. The point is that he'll have made the effort himself. It's the adult thing.

Secondly, I do feel freedom is what Arc desires most — after silk stockings, of course. How would he have come to this point if that hadn't been an underlying drive of his? Just as the kouhai-fox surmises, he's one that can't be pinned down too long. I also think that, in spite of adulthood fast approaching, Arc isn't inclined to simply let youth fade away. He's the type who will, for good or ill, hold fast to it until it's no longer tenable.

And, well, I'll admit a more meta element as well. For one, I feel like it's the consistent choice, and inconsistency has been the biggest pain point in terms of outcomes for Arc. There's also the fact that I feel that this choice aligns with Suika, a figure that I think Arc should value far more than he's ever done over the course of things. It would be perhaps better for Arc to give up on his wilder ways, but he can't give up on his girl-bro.

>>70431
How cruel, sir. It's more devilish and devious than anything a fox could get up to. Teasing us like that.

[X] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.

It seems she's wormed her way into Arc's crack after all. Time to strike a deal.

She's rather relentless, isn't she? Like dead air weakens her. Without an observer, would she even exist?

Anyway, extremely impressive prose. Don't know how you come up with it in the time you do! I suppose that a more mundane setting means less fiddling about with lore and more focus on the characters and actual writing. A lot of stuff nowadays goes all in on 'deep lore' which to me isn't interesting as focusing on the characters and the plot proper. Actually I kind of hate it because my conspiratorial mind says that its all just a marketing / popularity gathering strategy because its easier for average uninvolved people to talk about simple characters and theorybait lore. So its like they're not even bothering to make anything worthwhile because that would mean compromising the work's memetic potential... thats what I think, at least...

I also get the feeling that more freedom for Arc won't necessarily mean greater control in choices, but rather that Arc will take the opportunity to attempt more karmamudra.

[X] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.

>>70431
I refuse.

>>70432
I thought it was obvious but not voting for a character makes it far, far less likely that they will show up. If they're never picked or are otherwise rebuffed, why should they appear in the future? There's a large cast and other characters who will be given a shot instead. If you want a character to be relevant, vote for them when the opportunity arises. This would be the second time people spurn the pertinent character and the supporting narration.

>>70433
Thanks. It's a matter of practice, reading a lot of books and knowing the sort of thing I want to write, making story notes ahead of time, and having a feel for the characters and the general flow of things. I think about what I want to accomplish with each update, think about the sorts of mood, images, characterization, or bits of plot I want to convey and try my best to do it in the rough word limit. Doing anything else would be too difficult for me to keep up the schedule.

I don't care for "lore" in stories; people confuse the auxiliary things in a story for the story itself; it is unreasonable to assume that anyone else will care as much about your take or setting and all those kinds of details you do. It's better to focus on doing something fun, interesting, or that wants to transmit something distinct to the reader instead. Reveal in drips, bits and pieces—if you must—but don't predicate enjoyment and understanding of a work upon stuff that isn't relevant to the storytelling process at large and its perception by other human beings who engage with it. But I'm a bitter old man who could rant about how "lore", stylistic supremacy, and obsessive fandom has made so much stuff (professional and amateur) unbearable all day long. This isn't really the place for that :V

>>70435
Shame ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

>>70438
I mean, sure; I just didn't see why Alice couldn't make an appearance in future in any case.

But if it has to be like that, then, fine, I'll change my vote. It's just hard to feel like I'm being consistent voting this way; I'd like Arc to make up with Alice, or at least make it back to some sort of neutral ground, but I also want to support Suika.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

What does it mean to desire? Surely, if it means anything, it means to desire something; to have a focus to one's attentions and not just a vague horizon. And, likewise, what does it mean to have love for someone, if not seeing that person truly and deeply?

I can't really justify this through some in-character thought process, but it's what I'm going to vote for nonetheless. A self-centred assemblage like personal freedom from obligations, tube foxes, and the student council/Yuyuko doesn't really glimmer to me with the hope of a good outcome—it seems like classic fairy-story foolishness and the setup for a deserved downfall. And it might seem even more foolish to think that mixing "machination" with personal friendship and love should turn out any better, but I think that's maybe partially out of a kind of lack of faith in others and an ultimately self-centred need to be rewarded or punished on a supposedly "pure" basis—conditioned solely on one's own efforts and actions.

Which is far from a bad thing on a naïve level, but it's not as completely upstanding as it seems on the surface, either. In fact it's the hamartia of many a classic VN protagonist, as it gets in the way of their truly connecting with others by recognising their independent agency, and in turn their ability to withstand one's own honesty with one's desires without being irreparably hurt.

In other words, I'm not deciding based on an assessment of whether the tube fox can accomplish this or that personal end to some standard of personal satisfaction. I'm deciding to be honest with Arc's desires, and also putting my faith in Alice as an equal navigator of the situation and not just as an untouched personal prize.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

>>70440
I don't know if I agree that it's necessarily Arc's desire, but
>lack of faith in others and an ultimately self-centred need to be rewarded or punished on a supposedly "pure" basis
>gets in the way of their truly connecting with others by recognising their independent agency
>Alice as an equal navigator of the situation and not just as an untouched personal prize
these sorts of statements cut to the bone for me, because I don't feel that secure in ever having really understood Arc and Alice's relationship on more than a superficial level. In all honesty, I can't say I know how Alice would receive Arc if he were to manoeuvre her into some position through contrivance, and I find that fact a little distressing. My instinct is to shy away from any such action, feeling the unknowns are too great to bear — at the cost of any upsides. It touches on sore nerves of not feeling secure in reading others and truly seeing them and their intentions; I suppose I don't know how to have faith in others.

That said, I think a desire can be as vague as 'freedom'. At the very least, it's true to my experience to not know what one wants in any specific way, merely in a broad, unfocused sense. I think it's possible Arc does want that sort of thing, but I, the reader, also don't want Alice to simply vanish from the story.

>>70441
>I can't say I know how Alice would receive Arc if he were to manoeuvre her into some position through contrivance
For me, that can hardly be considered a sure outcome in the first place. What does Alice want; what is she thinking right now? Faith, for me, is faith that she has her own thoughts and maybe even plans about Arc and isn't just waiting to be approached; won't be trivially led into such a situation unawares just because we've "set" some schemer in motion. Faith that she has the power to redefine the scenario according to her own priorities. And faith that she's a creature who also desires of Arc in return, something specific to him alone, and isn't just a stony judge waiting to "receive" whatever "best version" of Arc he can somehow muster up from himself.

It's possible that that isn't really the case. Many relationships in fiction and reality fall easily short of this. It really isn't justified by estimation, for me, but by beauty and conviction in like... the irreducible fullness of everything, and the necessity of believing. That's what makes it faith, I guess.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

While I do agree that Arc values freedom above most things, he's also been willing to go above and beyond for Marisa, Tenshi, etc. I'd say that it'd be wrong to not patch things up with Alice.

Tsukasa seems genuine enough (so far), let's see what she can offer to this. Arc may be immune to her charms, but he ain't going to be immune forever.

>If I’ve read you right, I think I know what it is already.
[x]Jump into the lake.
What about that, huh!? Did you see that coming!?

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.
Arisu!!! Anyway, I really would like to see more Alice. Besides, letting Big Sis and Tsukasa meet up might cause major issues.

>>70442
>Faith, for me, is faith that she has her own thoughts and maybe even plans about Arc and isn't just waiting to be approached; won't be trivially led into such a situation unawares just because we've "set" some schemer in motion. Faith that she has the power to redefine the scenario according to her own priorities.
...yeah, that kind of thing has totally failed to occur to me. In the context of a story like this, I guess my first instinct has been to reduce everyone to functions of choices, more or less the end-product of the voting function, as it were. It's just hard to conceive of something else, you know?

>>70445
Well, I'm putting it in terms of faith in a character, but really it's a statement of faith in the author at base, and in the potential of the story. It's not every story where you get to engage in this kind of philosophical thinking after all.

>Sensitive to my mood, she had listened to me attentively, smiled and nodded but—crucially—did not laugh. There had been a look of … contentment, if I had to really put my impression into words.
Interesting reaction. Is Tsukasa maybe less of a snake than she could be? There is at least the suggestion that she isn't simply acting in black-hearted self-interest. Maybe she does at least in part want to be helpful to others. That certainly makes her more complicated if so.

>the scandal that roiled the student population involving those two popular girls
For some reason, I thought this either had to do with Kaguya and Mokou or Sakuya and Remilia for a second, but that didn't make any sense, considering neither pair were underclassmen. Anyway, relatively deep cut for anyone who hasn't been around a while, at least on some level. Gets a chuckle from me... even if the thing it's taking the piss out of is/was far from funny.

>Alice, the incisive girl who had said those truthful words that still stung when I recalled them. From anyone else, I would have shrugged it off. But she had said it with those clear and unwavering eyes of hers; there was no chance to deny their revelation.
>It sucked to realize that I had changed.
>“You have a good heart,” Alice had said on one of those rare late-night occasions where we just had a conversation without any other pretense in play. It was a follow-up to my earnest comment that I did appreciate just how gracefully she put up with so much of my nonsense. At the time, her directness had almost made me blush and I played it off by changing the subject.
>I could always look to Alice to make sure I hadn’t lost my way.
Oof. This is pretty poignant. Feels to me like, whatever the actual cause, Alice more than likely told Arc the truth about himself, and it cut to the bone.

Then again, if Arc's changed, what of it? People do change, regardless of our desires. This is the time when youth fast comes to its conclusion and everything has to change. Is it really all about Arc changing? Could it also be that Alice has changed too? Is there some insecurity on her side because of it?

Not to say that it probably isn't Arc's fault, but I am left to wonder what's going on for Alice's part. There could be as much of an element of Alice disliking something about herself as with Arc, I think.

>a soggy serving of leftover noodles
Spaghett'? Udon? Soba? What's the dish? What's the dish, man?

>The privacy was a definite plus and, besides, I didn’t really want to room up with the other guys—they’d probably spend all night sharing gross stories about their supposed exploits with girls. If I complained they’d just use that as an excuse to deflect their insecurities and gang up against me. The respectability that came with being vice president counted for little late at night in a stuffy cabin; I’d just be Arc the outcast again.
Not going to lie, from the start, I was expecting pretty much all of that to happen. Either that, or he was going to end up sleeping outside.

...no, I don't suppose he'd be creeping into Suika's tent at this stage. Unless...

>I could see a lot of figures gathered around the fire and I heard drums, some sort of tinny wind instrument being played, and some faint singing.
The drums are enough of hint — if that's indeed a hint — but I'm less sure about the wind instrument. Is there someone I'm forgetting? Not to mention the singing could be anyone, really, if it's relevant. Maybe all of this is just a red herring?

I'm going to hold off on voting for the moment. I've run off ahead of myself on a couple of votes and ended up being a bit stupid about things, so I'd like to hear a few thoughts from others before making any hard decisions.

Part of me feels like Arc isn't entirely uninclined to the society of others after a brace with his troubled thoughts. He's obviously not going to just conk out for the night, even if it would probably be the right thing to do. I guess there's also a sort of element of not just being the stern functionary of a vice prez, getting out there and working the student body. Yeah, he doesn't care that much about the position, but he's in a place where perhaps that's what would take him out of his present state. Or perhaps it's more about living up fading youth. He's only got so much time to soak in things, and spending that precious time alone is sure to be regrettable.

Then again, I also think this is a good opportunity to spend time with Reimu. He probably ought to follow up after earlier rather than just leaving things as they lie. I personally value the relationship they have, however you want to characterise it, so there's that, too.

Going with the crowd sounds fun. When else are you gonna be able to gather 'round a campfire with your peers while you're as young as you are? Imagine it. The heat it emits. Whiffs of warm and slightly alkaline smoke. The way firelight plays on smiling faces. And wouldn't you say its our duty as a council member to make sure this fire business doesn't get out of hand, right?

[X] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

>So why was it important to me that she still think that I had a good heart? I didn’t have a satisfactory explanation. All of my best efforts continued to come up short. I could only produce an awkward coalescence of thoughts and feelings in the form of an imperfect maxim: I could always look to Alice to make sure I hadn’t lost my way.

Hmm. There's a point of intuitive dissatisfaction I feel, trying to follow along with this line of thought. Like I can recognise abstractly how it might seem compelling; but I can't summon up the associated feelings at all. Instead it strikes me as having gone one step too far. A basilisk of a thought; one which shouldn't have been voiced; a seeping font of slow petrification.

Forget it. Your heart is your own. Kill the Alice inside of your mind.

[x] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

The purpose of a fire is to attract a crowd. And the night is still young. And, heck—maybe some grilled squid is in the cards?

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.
I want to be consistent about being a dork that helps out Reimu. Other temptations don't matter.

After thinking it over, I'm going to go with my gut on the very simple law of 'more vote === more character'. I don't really want to snub anyone, but I haven't hit upon any realisations about who would potentially be snubbed, so I will lean on whatever handy Reimu-oriented axis.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

>>70450
What's the likelihood any of those faces will be smiling with Arc around? He's not exactly an outcast as such, but it doesn't feel like he's very welcome except in limited company. And if he leans into the vice prez role, well, probably even less so.

>>70451
Looking at this post, I do kind of get the feeling that it's sort of about Arc not really understanding Alice outside of the Alice in his mind. Maybe the fundamental clash is one of Arc not seeing Alice as she is, and this has prompted her to call out his self-centeredness. Barring flawed third-parties like Suika and Marisa, he has no real objective view of her. It feels as if basic assumptions could have always been flawed.

Interesting thoughts from Arc. I've always thought that Arc has always been true to himself, always free-spirited and doing what he thinks is right. Maybe there was a misunderstanding with Alice or he somehow overstepped his boundaries with her? Either way, I do agree that he may be overthinking it without properly talking to Alice.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

I feel that his current state of mind just miiight not be well-adjusted for crowds right now. Maybe going into vice prez mode will take our mind off things, perhaps with a little help from a certain miko.

[x] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.
I would like to see more Reimu, yeah. Besides, I'm a nerd who likes to be productive (sometimes).

[X] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

Sorry, won't be able to post at the usual-ish time because a bunch of unforeseen things have taken up my time and energies. I hope to be able to get around to it at some point within the next day but I'm not sure when exactly. Have a wholly unrelated image as partial compensation.

Damn. Well, take it easy. I'll keep waiting warmly.

I really like your depiction of Tsukasa, by the way. It feels like something different to a more 'typical' approach of her just being a sort of malicious gremlin. I mean, she could just turn around and be a shit, but it sort of feels like maybe she's just a little bit earnest? Maybe... she really is kind of cute? How dangerous.

Hope everything turns out good for you, big guy

>>70458
What would she order at Satriale's?

>>70461
Gabbagool, vinegar peppers, provolone.

Slightly more seriously, I think Yachie's not the type for any heavy fare. She strikes me as a soup kind of gal. Just simple soup. I don't know why I have that impression; it just resonates.

You know, if Tsukasa really isn't just a sneaky snake of a fox... maybe she could be Arc's adorable little sister. She could settle for that, right? After all, she could get all the headpats and chin scratches she can stand. Maybe even a piggyback ride if she's lucky!

>>70463
Wait, if Tsukasa becomes out little sister, does that make Arc Megumu?

>>70464
Megumu would be his big sister.

That's definitely how that works.

Probably.

>>70462
Shark fin? Bird's nest? Or something like clam chowdah or lobstah bisque?

>>70468
Probably more like consommé, simple in character but easy to fuck up. If it was anything besides clear broth, maybe something bisque-ish, sure. Or maybe she'd like lettuce soup, dragon-turtle and all.

>>70462
Maybe French onion?

>>70470
...yeah, seems about right. Simple but rich, requiring a bit of care and craft to get the right kind of complexity without going overboard. Probably the sort of thing she can't just leave to the otters. They'd probably just stock the kitchen full of scallops, anyway.

Ah, I want to see more than a brief glimpse of ToYverse Yachie. Surely, she can't be too unreasonable, can she?

Plenty of fun, indeed! We've got Yuyuko singing enka(?), full-on splendid references to criming beasts, and... oh dear, Arc's growing predilection for feet rearing its head yet again. I wonder if Reimu is right; the boy sure is paying a lot of attention to those appendages. Perhaps he needs a dose of Alice's hands to balance it out. Too bad there's not a handy (heh) childhood friend.

>A blonde woman with short hair was standing with someone else by one of the cots. I recognized her as one of the self-proclaimed “bosses”, Kicchou if I wasn’t mistaken. She glared at me and then at my escort. Predatory eyes, beautiful and untamed. Not the type to mess around.
Hummina, hummina! Please glare at me, too, boss!

More seriously, I love the callback to The Beast and the Crime. It's such an underrated story. Being able to give Yoko and Kenji another life after all of that... well, it's touching. Though, there is a missing Lala...

Also, I wonder just what these 'gangsters' are up to besides taking up space. Surely, they can't be doing something real hard, right? Trafficking illegal fireworks? Hustling stolen sports equipment? Running a bit of contraband booze? Seems like the thing they might be up to, but I hope I'm not wrong.

>He then reached into his sleeve and I thought he intended to go for a weapon but, to my surprise, it was a loop of simple prayer beads which he began to thumb with his other hand as he gave me a more thorough inspection.
Ah, I see similar things might have played out here. But does that mean that he and Byakuren...

>The light from the closest bulb made part of her face glow and her braid almost glitter and reveal its fussily-cared-for gold. By contrast, the other part of her face seemed darker and less defined. There was a deeper context than the jibe, I was sure of it, judging by how I could just almost make out something in between the light and dark, where her features were at their softest and most compelling. She showed Reimu something that barely registered as a wrinkle in her brow; a sleight that could only be correctly interpreted by someone in the know.
>Reimu hadn’t been serious at first but it looked like something had awoken inside of her; the lack of framing, the lack of context of propriety or of a role had apparently augmented her intuition to a dangerous degree. She was being playful, definitely, but there was more to it than that. Her incisive—sharp and unfiltered—question hung in the air. It refused to go away without being answered, clinging to her like a stubborn smell.
Aw shit, here we go.

Reimu ought to consider a bit of wafting if that smell's so stubborn.

[x] Tease Reimu. She's playing with dangerous forces beyond her understanding.
I'm going to be honest in saying I have no real reasoning beyond feeling like Reimu needs a good teasing. Marisa got hers earlier, so it's only fair Arc put everything in balance. Besides, if she's going to play that game, well, who is Arc to not show her just how much of a madlad he can be.

[x] Canine touhous
Honestly, this is one of the toughest fucking votes you can throw at me. I mean, there are so many answers I'd like to give for so many reasons, but I'm limited to one choice. And I have my loyalties, so I have to risk three-hundred fifty dollar fines to awoo. It simply cannot be helped.

>sabisu sabisu
Ah, Misato-san...

Oh man, hard choice to make here. It's Marisa's playful teasing up against Reimu's very blunt approach. I can't say that I'm resistant to either of them. Also, cute scene of Yuyuko not being sexily condescending to Arc for once.

[x] Tease Marisa. It's the cutest way to draw out what she's nervously hiding.

I'm going with Marisa this time. Both are good, but Marisa's gotta step up her game to match Reimu's.

[x] Passerine touhous
Utsuho isn't my favorite animal-themed touhou for no reason. I like other animal-themed touhous too, but there's something about having wings that's appealing to me. Wings just add to the "inhuman-ness" of a character more than animal ears, I feel.

[X] Tease Reimu. She's playing with dangerous forces beyond her understanding.
[X] Canine touhous

[x] Tease Marisa. It's the cutest way to draw out what she's nervously hiding.
Marisa cute. I wanna know what's got her so nervous. Besides, I'm not into feet.
[X] Cunicular touhous.
Bnuuy!

[X] Tease Reimu. She's playing with dangerous forces beyond her understanding.

No need to dog on Marisa while she's down - she seems to be... fragile, I don't know. The whole situation seems fragile. Underdog rule, and all (that isn't a real thing, I made it up)

[X] Canine touhous

= ENOKO = MORE GANG TYPE SHI.

filling in the crime void from my fallout 2 playthrough where I went to New Reno in full power armor and razed that shithole.

[x] Tease Marisa. It's the cutest way to draw out what she's nervously hiding.

[X] Cunicular touhous.
Tewi! Reisen! Ringo! Seiran! The other Reisen!

Hmmm hard choice here... For both votes really!

I kinda want to go with Marisa, but i kinda see where >>70483 is coming from maybe...? But on the other hand what is going on there?

[x] Tease Marisa. It's the cutest way to draw out what she's nervously hiding.

As for the next part... Hmmm do the foxes fall under the canine vote? Probably not... There's just so many good option in each category...

[X] Passerine touhous

I do like many of the bird touhous admittedly. Mystia, Aya... The other options are close but i think i will go with this.

[x] Tease Reimu. She's playing with dangerous forces beyond her understanding.

No reason other than that teasing Reimu feels like proper, decent stag-hunting, whereas teasing Marisa feels like laying an ambush for a mushroom risotto.

[x] Cunicular touhous
Rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit. The Corps, the Corps, the Corps.

Hey, started writing stuff but then got pulled away by things out of my control. I think it's best if I take some time to rest and come back to it with a fresh(er) brain as teasing touhous is serious business and needs to be done in a comprehensive and professional manner. So, I expect that I'll get around to the rest of it soon enough (almost definitely quicker than last time). Please wait warmly.

As for the optional vote, I found it amusing that the opinions there more or less line up with my own. (RIP felinehus &, I guess, Momoyo/beast realmers/etc).

>>70493
I don't remember the half-Moon looking so peachy...

>>/shorts/3337

In the interests of not polluting the thread with my little tributes, I made a separate thread. I lightly edited >>70322 and reposted it, along with a new thing and a cheeky little thread opener.

All of this to say that I wrote another thing (>>/shorts/3339, >>/shorts/3340) to show my love of this story. And goblins.

Forgive my shamelessness.

>>70495
Really wonderful to see. That's a really fun take. Bringing in Patchouli is neat but I also deeply appreciate the plausible and believable enough ending for Arc and Suika. Seems like you've had a fair bit of fun writing and thinking about things. In the end, this silliness is supposed to be fun first and so it's always great to see people taking that to heart. Thanks for taking the time and making the effort. It's really appreciated!

As for updates: SOON™. Matter of hours, at most, I think. Have gotten past most of the interruptions.

>>70496
Kyaa, Senpai noticed me!

Really, though, thanks! I'm glad that my particular interpretation of how Arc and his bro might end up resonates. More than that, I'm glad the fun I have with this story comes across. To me, it feels a bit like giving something back in return.

Obviously, there's a bit of self-satisfaction going on, but... well, I think Patchy's words from the intro sum it up.

Anyway, am waiting warmly for more fun. There will definitely be more tributes coming.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Such a pitiful creature is the witchlet. She tries to skitter this way and that, only to find herself boxed in. If Arc were more wolfishly minded, why, I'd say she'd be easy prey. Of course, he's too much of a dork for that, so she's almost safe there.

A soft, velvety constriction around the heart, indeed. I don't know how Arc resists picking her up and just carrying her off over his shoulder like some kind of Japanese goblin. It'd be far kinder and gentler than the knife-twisting he's doing here, the brute.

I guess if there's one thing to commend here, it's that Reimu is ultimately being a good friend and not just stepping all over Marisa. She could very easily, as Arc noted, let loose but chose instead to try and get Marisa to just fess up. Of course, it does feel like maybe she might have a feeling Marisa won't do it and leave an opportunity for herself. Then again, I can understand just wanting your friend to go for it instead of fretting.

>“Ah, so you do think I’m cute!” I exclaimed as I emptied out the accumulated reserve of smugness that I kept around for deserving emergencies. There was an instant look of sourness on Reimu’s face, as if she had been force-fed a bunch of lemons. The deep scowl that followed was more proof that I had made the right call.
Ah, this lucky bastard, getting such personal scowls from the pres. The rest of us would be so lucky; we'd only get cold, impersonal stares.

>The bravado was gone in an instant and what was left was a chastised little critter with dewy and sensitive eyes.
Help. My heart might give out.

>“Don’t act like you weren’t having maidenly thoughts too! You compared it right away to that manga and called it romantic.”
>I looked over to Reimu. I hadn’t taken her for the type to read that sort of thing. Sensing my stare, she sighed and sat up. She tried to pretend like Marisa hadn’t said anything important but she avoided making eye contact with me, instead staring at the space in front of her and stroking her chin as if giving something some thought.
Oho. Reimu being the type to get sparkly-eyed over shoujo mangos, eh? A bit of fantasising about being carried off on a white horse or some such? How terribly cute.

[x] All she needed was one last push to get over the line and be honest.
I'm not sure backing off is going to do Marisa very many favours. At the end of the day, if it's going to be a whole confession of romantic feelings, there will be a time of reckoning. Arc will either reciprocate or not, however she feels about things. If he does, well, that's great for her. If he doesn't, she at least knows where they stand. Yeah, humans are complicated and feelings can get messy, but it's not worth circling around endlessly. Life can be both long and pitilessly short at the same time.

This honestly isn't a very enviable situation for Arc, though. Either way, he's kind of playing hot-potato with Marisa's feelings, with the witchlet being the one who gets burnt if things go egg-shaped. Plus, he's in a bit of an awkward position if he goes cold on her at this point, having generally pulled her towards him before. Not that he has the best track record, but he runs the risk of sending mixed messages, you know? Real jerky thing to do to a girl.

Personally, I want him to get along with the pres, but...

[x] All she needed was one last push to get over the line and be honest.

It's not everyday you get support from your rival, so don't waste it. Would be nice if Reimu was also honest with herself too next.

>“You can’t just force it if the mood isn’t right"
Uhh, sorry I didn't hear that part.

>>70495
Also, I enjoyed your spinoffs as well and I'd like to see more for other characters.

[x] All she needed was one last push to get over the line and be honest.

When has anyone ever been patient with anyone about anything in the history of ever? All this hemming and hawing. The words you have are the words you're gonna use!! Spit it out!!!!!

[X] Patience and letting her work up to it was the considerate thing to do.

[x] All she needed was one last push to get over the line and be honest.

Marisa has gotten where she has (in canon anyway.) but just going and doing it, so she wants something? then give it a go!

[X] Patience and letting her work up to it was the considerate thing to do.
She should say what she wants to say when she wants to say it.

[X] All she needed was one last push to get over the line and be honest.

I'm late! I'm late!

uh, Marisa, uh, say what you gotta say! If the moment isn't right, you have to make it right!!!

> Something coiled around my heart. It didn’t feel like it constricted or otherwise hurt but—on the contrary—was sort of a soft velvety sensation, from the touch of a gloved hand, and it seemed to tickle and tease. Though maybe, it was closer to the soft feeling of hair brushing casually upon skin.

You've captured how I feel when I'm constipated!

[X] There was something magical to that whole story.
Watching a meteor shower with Marisa seems really nice. I want Marisa to steal Arc's precious thing.

Magical meteor showers, huh? I guess the story is finally showing a bit of the TokiMemo/Da Capo/Key-ish layer. Gotta have that whole line about miracles or dreams or whatever going on.

I did like the ambiguity of all of the supposed magical stuff in ToY's original run. Some things did seem weird and almost too good to be true, as if they were either delusions or just possibly actual supernatural things at play.

That said, I'm of the inclination to say that the whole magic thing is sort of a psychological tool as far as Marisa goes. I think she's attempting to navigate the intricacies and ambiguities of human relations by relating it to the esoteric. That's all fine and well, but there is a fine line between a coping mechanism and delusion. Part of me sort of feels like Marisa's already fallen a little over the line, and I think Reimu has that feeling, too.

[x] More mundane but equally meaningful opportunities were possible.
I have a suspicion Reimu may have been pushing so that we'd get to this point. What she wants to say will only have meaning if it comes from Arc. There's a genuine care being shown for Marisa, and I'm inclined to take this path even if it doesn't necessarily make Marisa the happiest.

I mean, I also personally think that beauty and meaning should be found in the ordinary, not waiting for supposedly special things that never live up to an ideal.

[x] There was something magical to that whole story.

Indulge in a little idealism.

[x] More mundane but equally meaningful opportunities were possible.
I want to, but I can't stand it. If something is wrong I don't want to hurt Marisa by indulging her.

[x] More mundane but equally meaningful opportunities were possible.

I remember frantically planning to view a blood moon, but there was cloud cover everywhere we went - and we went everywhere. It'd be nice to watch still, but, you know, hope for the best and plan for the worst. Bring her down gently, Arc.

huh, I'm not sure which one to pick, and my line of thought for picking the 'something magical option.' goes along the lines of even if the destiny part of the magic doesn't happen, well magic is something you make... even in this instance its the actions of the pair that make the spell happen, or something, hmmm.

[X] There was something magical to that whole story.

Give it a go, seize the magic.

[X] There was plenty of night left to be enjoyed. All sorts of things could happen in the dark.
After all, as you said, a delinquent is at his best at night. Though Arc does seem to be maturing out of his self-imposed delinquent role.

>Instead of resisting or commenting, however, she seemed to abandon herself entirely to my hug, burying her head into my chest. I felt multiple small, tingling, fires wherever our bodies made contact. Were a steady wind to fan us, I was sure that the resulting flames would consume us, uniting just above our heads.
Ah, to hold such a small, precious creature close. Arc had better appreciate how lucky a boy he is. Those who accept us so readily and fully are rare in life.

>Even her ears had been infused with a coat of pinkish red; under the incandescent light her flush appeared all the more intense, vibrant and vital. There was something intoxicating and desirable about her, almost in an illicit sort of way. I found myself thinking that I wanted to see her reaction intensify even more: to see her sweat and loose cohesion, becoming an ordinary sort of puddle.
>Reimu had, as suggested, been staring at us. She tried to play it off by pretending that she was still sore and annoyed with Marisa, scowling at us but there was little in the way of legitimate annoyance in her eyes. Indeed, she also had a trace of color on her cheeks and her brown eyes seemed to water and widen with far more tender emotion.
How does Arc's heart not give out? Lack of Key disease? Still being reasonably young? Just not having learned the true poignancy of life yet? Or, perhaps, this is what the lingering shred of the delinquent in him does. He still has that little bit of insulation that keeps him from burning away and becoming smouldering ash of sentiment.

>She slipped out of the chair from the side, bringing Marisa crashing down on top of her. The pile blonde-brunette pile heaved and laughed. I didn’t quite get why.
>“Arc, hey Arc,” Marisa spoke up, making sure to keep her face hidden from me. “Reimu and I have lots to talk about, I think.”
>“You can’t make me talk, and I don’t want to talk, especially about the stuff you want to talk about,” Reimu complained, unconvincingly. She tried to sit up but was still pinned down by the dense mass that was concentrated in Marisa’s small body.
>“Too bad,” Marisa insisted, “I want to talk before the others get back. And don’t pretend like you’re not interested in it either after….”
>“Alright, alright, I get it, just get your elbow off my boobs. It hurts.”
Yes, Reimu, it hurts, but can you imagine the pain of not being part of this pile of magical love between gal-pals?

Come to think of it, though, were they always this friendly? Maybe it's my old man memory being shitty, but I can't recall them seeming that close back in ToY. I guess it's possible that they've grown closer with time. What, perhaps, has Arc not been there for? Ah, the mysteries of such close friends.

>I had wanted to tease [Reimu] as well, after seeing the way she looked at me after I hugged Marisa, I could have asked her if she wanted a hug from me too.
Yes! Yes, Arc! You really should have done, you total melvin!

>I had to face it: I wasn’t as sharp as I used to be. It was the price to pay for becoming a polite creature of the day, making polite conversation with respectable sorts. A delinquent was at his best at night, doing heaven knows what with a devil-may-care attitude.
I suppose, but I do wonder if Arc isn't just a little desperate to hold onto a youthful identity more than anything. After all, he wasn't always dashing, devil-may-care charmer Arc by his own admission; it was a change that came on after his first year and whatever incidents marked it. He's coming up just to the edge of revelations that there are other dimensions to being a human being and standing still, a bit intimidated by them. But that's so unnecessary. Arc, you don't need to hang on so desperately! Embrace the change of life. That's the real theatre of youth playing out.

[x] It had been a long day. It would be best to wind things down and get a head start in the morning.
There are certainly opportunities to find all sorts of trouble in the nighttime, but I feel that Arc has to be feeling a tad knackered by now. The morning was already active enough, and he's been confronted with enough trouble between Suika, Yuyuko, Reimu, and Tsukasa, not to mention the oppressive weight of his thoughts about Alice. I've been there. That's the sort of thing that just robs one of any further strength.

If Arc gives in to insomnia, how is he going to tease monkes? How is he going to keep up with his girl-bro? How is he going to finally work up the bloody nerve to just get in there and patch things up with Alice? And that's just scratching the surface. There are probably also dorky athletes and catty cats to bother and tease, and that requires a lot out of a boy.

Oh, and maybe he might have a nice dream or two? Perhaps miraculous and strange things could happen, like a visitation from a tapir-like creature. Odder things have happened, after all.

[x] It had been a long day. It would be best to wind things down and get a head start in the morning.

I think he has had quite a day.

Hope everything's okay and that life isn't too bad. Waiting as warmly as always.

>the dense ass that was concentrated in Marisa’s small body
What did he mean by this?

>>70526

He meant to say that ya girl is DUMMY thicc and can't sneak around the Forest of Magic because the clap of her ass cheeks would alert the Yōkai.

>>70526
Well, perhaps it's a hint that Arc didn't try to pick her up for a reason? I mean, if she were a lightweight little Olive Oil, who wouldn't want to pick her up just to mess with her? Clearly, it's a defence mechanism: defence through density. And maybe she's also got particularly healthy bones. It's never good to have low bone density, after all.

It's just sad that her aspirations to fly will never be.

>>70527
If she was so blessed, don't you think Arc would have zeroed in on that detail already? He didn't hesitate to squeeze what Alice was working with way back when, so I doubt he wouldn't have a handful of soft, pliable bun now if given the opening, appreciator of fine baked goods that he is.

>When leaving the lodge again, I noted that the pier had been illuminated by a couple of lanterns that had been set about. A lone figure stood at the edge, holding a fishing rod. Weird, but uninteresting.
You know, I'm curious about this figure that shows up in >>70472.

Who on earth could it have been? Cap'n Murasa? None of the Myourens besides Byakuren were really called out way back when, so maybe there's a chance they're at the same school?

And what does it mean, anyway? That's twice (>>70295, >>70472) that Arc's specifically noticed fishing stuff. It feels like a hint at something. Maybe there are curiously attractive fish in the lake? Maybe something mysterious is buried there? Maybe Arc should jump in?

Ah, Lake-san...

Something else: Where's Kaguya? There's the general implication in >>69507 that Eirin is around, which feels like it would imply Kaguya being there too. Arc had a whole thing with her for a while, so he really needs to get in there and continue the apology tour.

At least, I wonder if she cared much about Arc going hot and cold on her. I guess she could be over it, but I dunno.

I'd say the same for Patchouli, but things never quite got that serious with her, exhibitionist displays of snogging to tease assistant librarians aside.

>>70529
Come to think of it, that could be Nemuno, couldn't it? They're basically in the mountains, right? She could be living quietly in a shack tucked in the woods somewhere.

Or maybe it's the coach. She's been here all along and just hasn't been noticed. She's just been lying low, trying to keep a low profile. Can't let the wrong people see her, you know?

Either way, Arc could end up getting kidnapped.