>>35730 [Well, we've come to DoomHou's third thread with thirty-one chapter and God knows how many words.
I'd like to thank all you anons out there for reading a voting; you give me to strength to continue when things get sticky.
Apologies for the delay. Computer woes, school woes, surprise pirate attacks all conspired to keep me down.
Also, I would like a
New Thread Review for anyone with thoughts. Tell me where I suck, where I own, what struck you and what didn't. Kick my ass or kick it; it's all up to you.]
In that moment, the entire world pulls into focus. The birds outside sing. The floor creaks under your steps. You draw close to her, and, in a motion, wrap her up in your arms. She feels warm and tense in your hold; her eyes go wide for a moment and her cheeks go red. She smells sweet and womanly to you, so sweet that you ignore her surprise and kiss her.
When you finally break, Meiling looks disheveled, stunned, but above all else joyous. Her tears still streak down her face as she breaks into a glorious smile.
"I love you, babe."
"Guts?"
With sudden force, she pulls you down to the floor, on top of her. Her hair flairs out into a red carpet: the acute feeling of her warm body beneath you, the gentle breeze of her breath on your face, all conspire to excite you. You kiss her again: this feeling coursing through you never gets old, a feeling you'd almost forgotten over years of Martian wandering: the feeling of being close to a woman.
Your hand tightens around hers, fingers intertwined, as you kiss her again, her lips soft and alluring. When you break off, she speaks in a dreamy and vague voice. "Your beard is scratchy."
"it's not a beard yet. Just a stubble."
"Oh." She pauses. "it's still scratchy."
"Do you want me to shave?" At moment in time you would do just about anything she asked of you.
"Not really. it's kind of nice."
Well then.
With a sudden roll, you pull Meiling on top of you. She gives a shriek of delight, legs clamping around your waist: she leans down and kisses you again, her weight pressing down pleasantly on your chest, her hair falling down around your head and blocking out the light.
"How's it nice?"
"I don't know. It makes me excited."
"Excited?"
"Like this."
She leans down presses her lips to yours. The kiss is quite nice; Meiling's good at this, so you do your best to reciprocate in kind. Before long, you're pawing at her dress to get her out of it -- that black looks so unsightly on someone so vibrant -- and she pulls at your robe, yanking it open to fall across the floor the dress pulls away, exposing the plain white brassier. Shit, how do you get these open?
"Ah? Guts?"
"What?"
"We shouldn't do this yet?"
"Why?" Your heart sinks.
"I? need to take care of something first."
"What?"
"Erm?" she blushes. "Do I have to say it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Well," she swallows, playing with her hair. "I really don't think I should have a litter right about now?"
"A? litter?"
"Well, yeah. I can't get pregnant right now."
Oh.
Ooooooooooooooh.
But? "You have litters?"
Meiling turns scarlet. "Well? yeah? youkai have litters."
"Cool." You pull her down into another kiss. She's good at this: very good at it. You decide not to think about how she gained this knowledge, instead turning your own skills on her. Before long she's quivering in your arms, her tongue reaching out to entwine with yours. For a moment, she breaks loose.
"Ah? Guts? I don't know if I can turn back?"
You grin as she unclasps her bra -- as it falls away, you drink in the sight. they're just about perfect, by every criteria you can imagine applying. She frowns and covers them. "Stop staring?"
"Aww. they're so cute too?"
She turns red. "You gotta embarrass me too?"
"it's a little late to be worrying about that!" You pull her down into another kiss, enjoying the feeling of her breasts against you. Meiling gives a satisfied purr as you grope her a bit, one hand going to her breasts while another holds on to her butt. Her legs tighten around your sides; you can feel the powerful muscles coiling with tension beneath her skin, and you grin.
"I don't know? Oh? Guts!" She startles as your hands snake under her skirt and into her panties, moist to the touch. You pause for a moment, throwing her a quizzical look. Blushing scarlet, she nods. "But Guts?"
"Don't worry about that, I got an idea."
"What idea-- wah!" She gives a small scream as you rotate her swiftly on top of you -- ?How-- what--"
"You've never done the Sixty-Nine before?"
"Well? no?"
"Then this should be fun!" You ride her dress up and see--
#####################################################################################
Meiling lazes comfortably in the crook of your arm. The afterwards is the most wonderful feeling, one you'd nearly forgotten during your long war against the demons. Her chest rises and falls against you, a beautiful sensation, but? nonetheless, there is still business. Always with the fucking business (pun fully intended). If you could, you would rest like this, with Meiling, until you died -- but a comfortable retirement will have to wait until the demons are dead.
"Meiling. I need to talk to you about something."
"I know. it's Remilia."
"-you know?"
"I don't think Marisa would have contacted me otherwise."
"Sharp."
Meiling gives you a wry smile. "Everyone thinks I'm a little slow. they're right. But being slow? lets you really think things through." She sighs. "But? the truth is? I'm worried about Lady Remilia. She's scaring me."
"How?"
"She? one time, I heard her talking to someone. And when I went into the room, she was alone. It sounded like she was scared, like something was threatening her? she was pleading with it. And when I asked her about it? she just stared at me. Like I would get hurt if I talked about it." Tears form at the corners of her eyes. "And then that new demon-slayer showed up, and? I don't like her. No one knows anything about her, like she doesn't really exist?"
"Huh." You sit upright. "Meiling, I need you to be my eyes inside Remilia's circle." She looks despondent. "We'll fix this! But we need your help, and-- please don't cry."
She pulls you into an embrace. "I want it back."
You understand. Meiling wants her life back -- she wants those good things again, peaceful days in Gensokyo. You hug her tight. "Meiling. This will be set right. No, no, listen to me. It will. We will bring this world back together. You and I, and everyone else who remembers."
She nods against your chest.
"Good. So you're in? You'll help us?"
She nods again.
"You don't have to."
"I want to help."
"Good."
"And? Guts. I love you."
"I love you too." You're not sure how you can be so sure about this -- but, hell, why not? Meiling's beautiful, kind, strong, understanding? and you're pretty fine if you do say so yourself. Love sounds fine after a lifetime of carnage.
The door slides open, revealing Reimu -- licking a popsicle. "Hey, Marisa says you need to-- OH SHI--! SORRY!" The frozen treat plunges to the ground as Reimu flees the room, slamming the door behind her. Well, she's old enough to handle it.
"She dropped her popsicle?" China frowns. "I wonder if it's still edible."
"Five second rule ran out."
"Yeah, but it's more like five minutes for Youkai. Stronger stomachs, you see."
You lean down and kiss her on the cheek. "Marisa's right, though. You should get back."
Her heart visibly sinks.
"But we'll meet up again soon."
She swells up. "Yeah, no moping. Just... be careful, OK?"
"Eh?"
"You died once. I don't... want you to go away again. I don't think my heart could take it."
God, she gets more moe every day.
##############################################################################
"Hey, Guts, there's news -- what are you grinning about?" Eirin pokes her head in your tent.
"Oh, nothing."
"I know that look," she says, sagely. "That's the look of a man who just got laid."
"Is it."
"Yes. It is. I've done my fair share of psychology, you know." She enters and takes a seat -- admittedly, looking a little the worse for wear. To be expected, she's the best healer in camp and there are plenty of wounded. There are bags under her eyes though, and her uniform looks disheveled and wrinkled. "Who's the lucky girl?"
"Gentlemen don't tell," you chide.
"Alas. Foiled again by selective use of the gentlemanly code."
"Are you somehow implying that I am not the image of a sophisticated upper-class gent? Also, I seem to have lost my monocle somewhere around here..."
"I lost my top hat. It seems there is a dastardly thief on the loose."
"Seriously, though, what's up?"
"Remilia's getting ready to move."
You sit up, going serious. "Details."
"I got this through Momiji. This evening, she's going to make a speech to the assembled soldiers, a five thousand, in all. She'll state her purpose there -- fabricated or not -- and then the army will march to drive the demons out of Gensokyo." Eirin's gaze is hard and serious -- somehow tragic, mixed with how tired and old her face as become.
"Hrm... I got some weird intel on her."
"Eh?"
"Apparently, she's talking to people who aren't there; sounds desperate, like she's pleading with someone. Can't really say where this came from, but-- Are you OK?"
Eirin's gaze is fixed on the ground, her hand over her mouth. Her eyes dart to and fro -- like she's thinking faster than you ever could.
"I need to research this."
"Huh? Why?"
"There might be more to this than either of us know. I need to do research." She gets up to leave.
"Wait up! What the hell is going on?"
"I don't want to say anything for sure, but... where do you suppose humans and youkai and fairies and all the things of earth come from?"
"I... uh... do you want that in thirty-five words or less or...?"
"They come from the earth, under our feet. Where did the earth come from?"
"Uh..."
"No one actually does know, but we sages call it Heaven -- the realm of the gods. Now... do you suppose the demons have something like that?"
"HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?!"
Eirin gives a short, mirthless laugh. "I don't know. But there's a grim parallel to it. Us, Earth, Heaven; Demons, Hell, and... whatever it is. I don't know what it's name might be, but Patchouli Knowledge could have a clue."
"Patches, eh?" You regret cuddling with her -- now she's all pissy, most likely. "I'll see what I can do. But what's any of this have to do with Remilia?"
"Have you ever heard a voice? In your head? Compelling you to do... the most awful things?"
You freeze, staring at her. "How... how do you know about that?"
"I've... it's a symptom. But that's what they are. The devil-kings. Whispering in our ears." Eirin climbs out of the tent, eyes focused on the setting sun. "Be on time to Remilia's speech."
##############################################################################
You find yourself hewing to Momiji's group. The woman herself sits on a stretcher, bandaged but surprisingly healthy. Only now do you notice that she's got her share of scars on her face and hands, some left from impromptu stitches, other places where it looks like her limbs were severed and reattached.
Remilia and her entourage gather on a raised platform, surrounded on all sides by her impromptu army. Fairies hover above the heads of the onlookers, oni tower above, humans crane their necks to see -- you note familiar faces throughout the crowd, even Alice Margatroid -- she's way in the back, sitting against a six-by-three foot box that absolutely dwarfs her.
"Ladies and gentleman," Remilia begins, with a flourish of her black cape. Sakuya, Meiling, Patchouli, and the new Demon-slayer stand behind her. "You all know why you have been summoned here, and you all know the circumstances under which this army was convened. We were formed from the blood of those who fought in the early days of the war, in disorganized groups that wandered around Gensokyo in search of liberation.
"But, from their countless sacrifices we rose up: one, singular army that will sweep the country, rooting the demons out of every corner of Gensokyo -- and then sealing the portals that admit them into our world.This is our duty: it is sacred, it is perfect. And, to that end, my good friend Patchouli Knowledge has researched tirelessly to find a weapon equal to this goal.
"She has found it, and when the time comes you shall all know it. For I will carry this weapon of destruction into the final battle... and I will walk away from this battle, ready to help rebuild Gensokyo in any way I can..."
In the end, you tune out most of the speech, and find yourself daydreaming about Meiling. Oh, her body is divine... if only you had a few more hours to pleasure her properly. Alas and alack.
As you look skyward, you find yourself staring at the heavens.
"The vampire has become quite the politician."
You glance to your side. Yukari, looking as haggard as ever, sits next to you. No one else seems to notice.
"She's a slick one, all right. Should you be down here?"
"You've nodded off, Guts. Communicating through dreams is no feat.."
"Well, shit. I hope Remi doesn't get even more pissed than usual."
"Oh, you aren't alone, I assure you."
"Small comforts."
"You know..."she pauses for a long moment. "I hope you realize that your dalliance with Hong Meiling is supremely temporary."
"What are you getting at?"
Yukari takes a moment to steady herself. "All in all, Meiling is a very minor power in Gensokyo -- not to disparage her, but it is the truth. And if you truly choose her over all others... things could go very badly for her."
"Dammit, Yukari, just come out and say what you mean!"
"Quite simply, Guts, some of the most powerful entities here are after you -- I presume you've learned why. If they register Meiling as a threat, well, things could go badly for her."
Well, crap. You never thought about it from that angle.
"Who is after me, exactly? I could clean house ahead of time."
"Oh, I can't know all their intentions. That psychopath Yuuka springs to mind. Remilia. If I thought she had the intellect for it, Flandre. And... that Patchouli Knowledge is acting very suspiciously."
"Patches? No way, she's my teddy!"
"Excuse me?" Yukari throws you a puzzled glance.
"Nothing. Look, who else needs to go on the shitlist?"
"No one, so far as I know. Guts--"
Of course, speaking of powerful entities... ?What about you, eh?"
She laughs bitterly. "You are a savvy one, aren't you? But no, I have little interest in this ritual. I do not think I'll be around to enjoy that power very long."
You feel a little bad as her gaze turns down. There's a strange dankness in her eyes -- a look you've seen too often. Entirely too often. It only shows up in those who know they are going to die.
After a long moment, you reach over and pat her on the shoulder. "Come on, it won't be like that."
"Oh, I know that it will. And, to be frank, I have little concern for my own fate -- I am more worried that you will not live."
"What?"
"And take you away from all the friends you've made, all the pure things you've protected...?"
Well, shit. it's been a while since anyone put it it that way...
"No, no. My own fate is secondary to that of Gensokyo?s. There is one thing I can do, however: offer you the chance to become my familiar. Again. If you do that, I could protect you and Meiling. Otherwise... I can make no guarantees."
"Sorry. You've got my answer."
"I see." Yukari's expression remains downcast. "If that is your choice, I shall abide by it."
"Guts!
Guts!?
You startle awake as a sharp hiss enters your ears. Eirin is prodding your side frantically.
"The speech is almost over. Wake up!"
"Yeah... yeah."
You glance around -- plenty of sleepy humans and youkai, and Remilia is finishing up with some rhetorical flourishes. As the speech ends and the crowd dissipates (after some cursory applause), you lean over to Eirin. "So... uh... what did Remilia say, exactly?"
"In short, time to move. We're sweeping south, through the forest, and then in a full circle of Gensokyo. Sounds bloody."
"Without a doubt." Urgh, you can't even do much about Remilia without endangering Momiji's company. "Guts!" Momiji calls you over, sitting up in her stretcher. "I need to speak with you."
You sidle over. "Yeah, what is it?"
"In short, I received orders recently -- the Kennel will be in the vanguard, and thus in a great deal of danger. You are not technically one of us, and..."She leans over. "If you stay back with the main group, you will be closer to Reimu and Marisa."
Heh. She's in on it, ain't she? Clever dog.
Well, your instincts lie on the front lines, the Oni Regalia gripped in your sweaty palm as you slash demons down.
On the other hand, Meiling.
[ ]... ?I'm going on the front with you, Cap?n."
[ ]... ?I need to keep an eye on things in camp."