Reposting this in a new thread since the last was autosaging. And big thanks to Pygmalion for this new thread opener!

>[x] "Trust? Yes."
>[x] "Respect? Yes."
>[x] "Terrified of? Apparently also yes."
>[x] "Just give me a bit. I think I pulled a worldview muscle."
>[x] You want me to try to combine my magic and melee?

I look up at her, seeing the hurt in her eyes. I heave a sigh, even through my heart thumping out of my chest. "Meiling, of course I trust you."

"But..."

"I absolutely trust you. Trust you, respect you...and you just scared the living daylights out of me. I'll be fine, I promise. just... give me a minute. I think... I think my view of you just shifted without a clutch."

Meiling starts to get up. "I'm sorry. I'll give you some--" She stops short as I reach out and take her wrist. I know she could pull free if she wanted (or pull my arm free of its--nnnnot doing yourself any favors, Applepicker), but she lets me stop her. She looks back at me after a moment and manages a smile, before sitting back down beside me. That's one less thing to worry about, at least.

Now for the whole 'mortal terror' thing. I'm feeling a little better already, but I still want to take a moment to calm my nerves. Okay, a few deep breaths, eyes closed, head back. With a little effort and patience, my pulse finally stops screaming through my ears and feel my skin getting a little cooler. I open my eyes and look to my side, managing a sheepish grin at Meiling. She still looks concerned, so let's put a stop to that.

"Okay, so," I start. "I want to ask you something, too. Do you trust me, Meiling?"

"Of course," she says, sitting up. "But--"

"Then look me in the eyes." She does, of course--she never was one to back down from a challenge like that--and I look back up at her, still holding her wrist. "You k

How long is a cold century,
when one waits for love?
But what good is love
if it turns to rot?
For an eternity I've waited
for eternity with you.
For an eternity I've waited
for love undying.
For an eternity I've waited.

But not anymore.

------
"So you just let her inside? Do you have any idea-"

"What was I supposed to do? Look at her!"

"So what? That doesn't excuse you, you know the protocol, you should've called for me first-"

"I can't believe you. I can't believe you're going on a stupid power trip right now. Look at her, she can barely stand-"

"Sakuya! Stand aside. Meiling, bring her in, we'll prepare a bed."

"Yes, boss!"

"Milady!? Why-"
--------

You awaken to the sound of footsteps and the creak of a closet door. The morning sunlight filters in through the ornate glass panes of the window that crowns your bed, briefly blinding you with its glare. Rubbing your eyes, you sit up and scoot up further along the enormous mattress, away from the sun.

"Good morning, Christabel."

Sakuya is here. Her back to you, she stands at the closet, hanging some clothes and arranging them with the rest of your wardrobe. Her unnatural silver hair catches the sunlight and shines briefly like the surface of a mirror.

"Sakuya," you murmur. "Um. Hello." You are never quite sure how to act around her. She has never been anything other than polite, of course, but in the months you've been here, she's the only person who hasn't warmed up to you.

"Milady Remilia ordered me to bring these dresses here from her personal wardrobe. As a gift for you." She turns around, holding up a bright red silk dress covered in ornate lace patterns. You shiver involuntary as she looks straight at you. Her eyes are a pale blue that is almost gray, not warm like Meiling's, but calculating and cold. Sometimes you get the feeling that ra

You are Patchouli Knowledge, a physically frail and sickly magician of profound aptitude and power. You live in the Voile Archives of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, though you have constructed an attached tower elsewhere, without internal fixtures as yet, which you may or may not inhabit much. You are Friends with Remilia, the vampire who owns the mansion, who considers it entirely too much effort to try to feed off you. Your Magical Potency varies somewhat from day to day, depending on how long of an incantation you can manage before breaking off into a fit of coughs, and how much strain your body can handle in addition to the rigors of illness. You currently have a box of ninety four vials of Medication stored in the library to offset the worst of the days, however, though it will later exact a toll, and your new Magical Focus eases use of magic to a significant degree. It seems that Luck can play a reasonable part in keeping yourself healthy, though effects may vary, as can the Hakurei Hot Spring.

Your magic is based on Elementalism primarily, though you are also skilled in Diabolism and Other Summonings, which can be surprisingly versatile, particularly in combination with Golems. You can also create Homunculi, if you have the materials to hand. You do not have any suitable samples of the key ingredient, however.

The date is Aug. 30. It is Tuesday, day of Mars, of War and Fire and Conflict of every sort. Through dint of long and methodical practice, you find the use of Fire-natured elemental magics to come a touch easier on this day.

-----

It's not much of a difficult question.

After all, when all is said and done, you don't really care about who gets what, when, beyond your own schedule. And while this one is str

You are Patchouli Knowledge. You are a physically frail and sickly, but exceptionally magically powerful Magician, and live in the Voile Archives of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. You are not in the habit of leaving the first, and very seldom leave the second at all, though you have done so more frequently of late than usual for you. You are Friends with the owner of the mansion, against whom your Sun and Water magics are particularly effective, and who doesn't really want to drink your blood anyway. Your Magical Potency is somewhat variable, depending on your current degree of health.

Your magic is based on Elementalism primarily, focusing on the elements of Wood, Fire, Metal, Water, and Earth, which are fairly self-explanatory, as well as Sun and Moon, which are rather less simple elements. Simplified as much as possible, you would say that Sun is like Fire, only significantly more so, as well as having unique properties of its own that simple Fire cannot duplicate. Moon is similarly related to Water, only in a rather different sense. In some respects, the two elements could equally well be termed 'Light' and 'Shadow', though this does not hold true for all scenarios. You tend not to bother with other elements or elemental systems, though they are not unknown to you.

You have significant prowess in Diabolism, and in point of fact have summoned and bound a succubus, Koakuma, to assist you in tasks where you have determined the mansion's Maid Squad made up almost entirely of Fairies to be, in general, insufficient. You are not unfamiliar with other forms of Summonings, however while Diabolic forces tend to be more temperamental, and require a firm hand to keep in line, they also tend to be much better at their jobs when pu

You are Patchouli Knowledge, a physically frail and sickly magician of profound aptitude and power. You live in the Voile Archives of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, though you have constructed a tower elsewhere, without internal fixtures as yet, which you may or may not inhabit much. You are Friends with Remilia, the vampire who owns the mansion, who considers it entirely too much effort to try to feed off you. Your Magical Potency varies somewhat from day to day, depending on how long of an incantation you can manage before breaking off into a fit of coughs, and how much strain your body can handle in addition to the rigors of illness. You currently have a box of ninety five vials of Medication stored in the library to offset the worst of the days, however, though it will later exact a toll, and your new Magical Focus eases use of magic to a significant degree. It seems that Luck can play a reasonable part in keeping yourself healthy, though effects may vary, as can the Hakurei Hot Spring.

Your magic is based on Elementalism primarily, though you are also skilled in Diabolism and Other Summonings, which can be surprisingly versatile, particularly in combination with Golems. You can also create Homunculi, if you have the materials to hand. You do not have any suitable samples of the key ingredient, however.

You have currently returned from a brief sojourn outside to witness the final death throes of a minor magical catastrophe. Sakuya will no doubt be incensed when she discovers the state of the carpets.

Rumia, who has been following you like a lost puppy for a bit, has re-appeared nearby less one hand, having undertaken some level of physical battle, and wearing a smug and self-satisfied toothy grin, displaying subtle traces of pink blood.

---

[ ] What do you do?

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result since August 2010.

Disguise your lack of artistic talent with creative use of Photoshop.

Asking why Gensokyo works is like asking how a cartoon character can run on thin air.

Hipsters are too mainstream now.

I used to write daily updates. Then I took an arrow to the knee.

~

I don't see this story lasting longer than a single thread, but sometimes shorter stories are fun too. Enjoy, folks!
__________

The first thing you realize when you come to is that you're so heavily tied up you can't move anything but your head. The full-body armor and helmet you're wearing prevents the binds from chafing, but they're still uncomfortably tight. Your helmet covers your entire face, and the tinted visor shields your eyes from any glare or sudden flashes of light.

Looking around reveals that you're tied up on the floor of a throne room, given the ostentatious decorations surrounding you. Frescoes decorate the walls and stained glass windows let sunlight shine in, the artwork depicted upon them showing scenes from classical mythology. There's also the eponymous throne that gives the room its name, of course, and its occupant looks almost too pleased to see you trying to break loose from your bonds.

"I wouldn't bother, if I were you." Remilia Scarlet, Lady of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, cheerfully states. The vampire's jolly expression promises ill omens for your future, given your briefing on her.

"Why not?" You grunt out, still trying to free yourself. She snickers at your ongoing struggle.

"Well, those ropes are magically reinforced. You're not getting out of those unless I want you to."

"That seems to be the case." You wryly admit after a few more seconds of futile effort.

"Very good. Now, I've a few questions for you to answer." She says, voice brokering no disagreement. "Your name, if you would?"

"AE-51262." You rattle off.

"I said a name, not a string of numbers." She replies, flashing an irritated look your way.

"That's my official designation." You reply, voice flat. You hear a staccato burst of gunfire off in the distance, and your hostess cocks her head towards the sound for a brief moment.

"It seems your fellows are mounting another assault as we speak." She purses her lips. "Were they not bei

Check out the new bugs features!

Previous version: >>50389

---

[x] "I love her, even though I haven't known her for long."
-[x] "It's a sad thing indeed to be alone. And I want to be here for her."

“I know what it feels like to be alone. No-one deserves that.” Remilia draws breath as if she wants to say something, but remains silent as you pause for a short while to decide how to say the next bit. You're... not comfortable with saying it. “Also, I think... I've fallen in love. With her.” A slight, or not-so-slight, blush creeps onto your cheeks. “Don't ask me why. I'm not completely sure.”
The last bit is blurted out as you attempt to salvage the situation.

“I see.” Remilia smiles gently. She... isn't angry? “It seems like I'll have to settle with with what I have.” A small hand lands on your back after a short silence. “You seemed tired. Feel free to sleep.”
Her hand breaks contact with you. She rummages around the bed a little, presumably to find a good place to sleep in.

You'd attempt to sleep too, but she left you too confused. Just what was she up to? Did she get what she wanted? You certainly weren't expecting her to let you off with so little. Usually she would have chewed you thoroughly, spat you out and then proceeded to stomp on what's left.

An odd feeling that something has happened slowly creeps into your mind as you realize that you're suddenly very thirsty and have an acute case of bladderisabouttoexplodium. The fact that the worst feeling of sleep deprivation is also gone lets you arrive at the conclusion that you accidentally fell asleep. A quick glance reveals that Remilia is still sleeping soundly, hugging her pillow affectionately. Smiling at the cute sight, you get up and wander towards the bathroom through the quiet mansion.

One moment of relief later you're back in your mistress' room, having realized that your clothes were left there. Being as silent as possible, you manage to sn

Post #123


“So… that’s it, Miss Remilia?” I asked, putting down the hair brush and sliding a little to the side. “You’re just gonna, give up? Because you couldn’t find it all that long ago?”

“I will not hear this from you as well as her, Francesca,” she answered back in a huff. “This is not a situation you need to worry about; you may continue with my hair.”

“I’m done with your hair already. And, not to speak out of turn, but… I do need to worry about it! I mean, this is my life, isn’t it? I think maybe I should, you know, be allow to say something about it.”

She huffed childishly again, still not giving me the courtesy of eye contact. “No one has ever said you were not allowed to speak. I think only that it would behoove you not to speak here.”

Well that was a disguised slap in the face and a hearty “shut up” if ever I’d heard one. And if she could be stubborn, so could I. “Yes, well, I forgot what the word behoove means, Miss Remilia, so I’m going to talk anyways. Why don’t you want Sakuya to go look for Naganoto, or wherever?”

Sakuya seemed to have either grown tired of standing, or realized that all impact of her declaring victory at the foot of the bed had failed. In either case she sat down and slid a little closer to the two of us. It’d have been a nice little family gathering if not for the dour subject matter.

Remilia continued, still obstinate. “I like it here. I don’t want to move.”

“Well, yeah… I mean, I like it here too, it’s very nice! I don’t want to move either! But, we can’t just stay here! You know what your sister said, us fairies are just fading away! I don’t wanna die!”

“Hmmmh… Everything dies, eventually. Nothing on this earth is meant to last forever.”

“Small words coming from a woman who can outlive us all as long as there’s another living crea

Something happens in this update. I wonder how people will react to it?


Thread 1: >>/sdm/54956
Thread 2: >>/sdm/55386
Thread 3: >>/sdm/55803
Thread 4: >>/sdm/56153
Thread 5: >>/sdm/56497
Thread 6: >>/sdm/56844
Thread 7: >>/sdm/57149
Thread 8: >>/sdm/57460

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

The music starts out loud and aggressive, getting the attention of everyone in the audience. It's like a force, a blast of sound so powerful, yet so controlled, that you can't help but pay heed to it. However, after this initial blast, as though its point has been made, the music settles down into an energetic, rhythmic beat. It's loud, but not oppressive. It flows well, brings up your spirits, and overall is just plain fun. I'm pretty sure that this is the results of the collaboration between the two sets of musicians. Whatever you want to call it, it's working!

Lyrica Prismriver is pounding away at her keyboard with a broad grin on her face, clearly enjoying every last second of the performance. Her sister Merlin has switched from her usual trumpet to some odd kind of saxophone, blasting forth exuberant notes from its brass innards. Mystia has taken up a kind of electric guitar, playing with excitement and occasionally singing backup. Lunasa Prismriver stand back a little bit with a bass guitar, staring down as she carefully plays the notes, yet still swaying in time to the music despite her grim appearance. And finally, Kyouko Kasodani is front and center as the lead singer. Now, I'd heard that this girl w