"It's kind of weird looking, ain't it?"

It found the final, coveted vestiges of its slumber cruelly wrenched from its weary mind, as its senses were filled with uncomfortable heat and the varied din of a surrounding mob.

"I've never seen a lizard get this big, do you think it's some kind of youkai?"

"Of course it's a youkai! There's no way a lizard could grow to this size."

"You don't think it eats flesh, do you?"

"What else could those teeth be for?"

"I hope it isn't dangerous.."

"How did it even end up here, anyway?"

The last question was accompanied by a slightly forceful prod against the beast's nose, it huffed in irritation and tried desperately to reclaim its lost tranquility. This would prove to be fruitless, as evidenced by a startled cry.

"Don't poke the damn thing! Do you want it to wake up?!"

"Well, it might have been dead for all we know! how else was I supposed to check?"

"Keep poking it and you might be dead the one!"

"No one should do anything until the Head Priest gets here!"

"That's right! Lady Byakuren will take care of everything!"

"For the record, if this thing tried to eat me, I would just run."

"Oh? And do you really think that you could outrun a monster like that?"

"I don't have to outrun the lizard, I just have to outrun you~"

"Why, you-!"

It chose this moment to discreetly open its left eye. It winced and rectified the action, regretting the decision as the sun's rays seemed adamant on worsening the dull ache in its head. Momentarily forgetting about the crowd of unknown voices, it hissed irritably as both its eyes opened and slowly adjusted to the light. Near immediately, someone noticed that it was waking up.

"G-get away from it! It's awake!"

"Wha-?! Gyaaaah!!"

Faster than any living thing it had ever witnessed, the creatur

Depending on who you ask. You’d get a lot of different opinions on this fantasy land called, ‘Gensokyo.’

If you were to ask the folks in the Human Village, they’d say that the land is nice so long as you stay inside the walls of the village. But if for some unfortunate reason you’d have to travel out of it, they’d still say the land was mostly fine so long as you’d stay within the well-traveled roads.

And avoided the enormous Forest of Magic.

Stayed away from any large fields of sunflowers.

Kept your distance from any large patches of spider-lilies.

Took care not to attract attention from the Tengu from the mountain

Made a large detour around the lake and avoided the scarlet mansion.

Oh and if you somehow had the ability to do so, stayed away from the big hole in the sky over yonder unless you want to visit the netherworld early.

Among other hazards.

‘But it is a nice place regardless!’ So they’d say.

If you were to ask the question to a youkai who was more willing to make conversation and not gore you for a snack ‘just because,’ They’d have a higher opinion of the land as a whole. But also mention some, if not a good chunk of the same hazards the villagers mentioned.

Then you’ve got the individuals that are practically the center of these hazards who’ll tell you that Gensokyo has no issues and will stare at you blankly and/or oddly for even suggesting that there might be some issues with this little land of fantastical paradise.

But who were you to think? You were just an outsider dropped into this hot mess out of nowhere. A case of ‘Right place, wrong time,’ that you quickly found out was all too common for something seemingly uncommon.

Months went by, through multiple strokes of luck and will. You had somehow managed to carve out a little niche for yourself as another ‘problem-solver’ of sorts. Taking cases from the village and, on the rare occasion, the more sophisticated youkai.

Luckily for you, the majority of cases were just small-time stuff. ‘There’s a weird noise coming from the attic!’ that would turn

(A short outside of /shorts/.)

A loyal host of Mononobe men-under-arms made midnight march for Iware.

[u]Sup Anons, had this idea for a while now and after some years of just reading stories here and being a part of the cyoas.
I figured I'd try to take my own swing to it as well![u/]


The sun rises, some bird chirps and as far as you can see there are no intruders in the sky or on the ground,
though you aren't certain if any are hiding behind the gravestones or trees surrounding you

But if they are then you won't spare them your wrath!

You are an Jiangshi, you are to PROTECT the graveyard from INTRUDERS.

Why is that? Because the master told you to. See even your talisman says so

[b] -Do not allow anyone to enter the graveyard
-Do not allow anyone to steal from the graveyard [b/]

So far you've been doing a good job because you are a good boy!..or good girl! your neck is too stiff to look down and check!

"Bzzzzz" Ah what is that? a foul yellow creature has slipped beyond your guard Unforgivable. it is yellow and small and yellow and it's small yellow presence is not allowed to be small and yellow here!

[] Show it your wrath!
[] Calm down, give it a chance to surrender
[]Leave it be
[] Whatever else you think works better (write in)

The ominous gong of the church bell sent vibrations through the slim, tensed body of the blonde heroine. Her journey would end inside the cathedral before her: one of black, spike-like towers and cold, metallic trusses — a holy place captured and twisted by the legendary demon, Melog. It was a fate she had been prepared for ever since she took up the blessed sword, Fortuna, said to slice through all probability. There was always a price to be paid for defiance.

A firm hand slapped her back, sending a wave of force through her leather armor and into her shoulder blades. She steadied herself and looked up at the offender: a man whose shell of gray plate armor revealed only his cold, dark eyes.

“Don’t lose your nerve,” he said through his visor.

She forced a smile as her heart fluttered in her chest. “You should know by now that my nerve has only ever faltered once: when we first shared a bed, and I gazed upon your—”

He turned away. “That’s precisely what I mean.”

She silently apologized. Even as a heroine, inappropriate humor seemed to be her only talent. Perhaps if she had any real skills — sorcery, medicine, peddling, or even farming — she would not have been forced to take up the holy sword. He would also have been spared.

Her legs pushed her forward, to the large double-doors. There were no locks, no barricades. She placed her hands on the door and struggled against its size.

Then he appeared beside her, adding his own weight to her efforts. “I have never regretted my decision.”

The heroine smiled, took a breath, and shoved against the door with all her might.


###


The foreigner erupted from his slumber and jolted upright. His light kimono had allowed the cool night to seep into his bones, and his head felt as if it were swimming in the open air. The alcohol had been unusually strong tonight, or perhaps he had drank an unusual amount — he could not remember.

“O Fortuna of purity, my body be cleansed.”

His spirit called upon his homeland’s goddess of probability, but the drunkenness didn’t subside. The alcohol’s haze was so potent, no parallel self of hi

Rice and Rain >>/shorts/2209

Inspired by, or shamelessly stolen from. Take your pick. Mibya wrote that (>>/gensokyo/15535).

Thread 1 >>41060

Previous thread: https://www.touhou-project.com/shrine/res/38956.html

It's been a while, but I'm back with a sequel to the Hakurei Apprentice. Enjoy!
_________________________________________________________________

Leaves blow in the cool wind. The red blends with the yellow, sticking to the grooves and cracks of the stone pathway leading to the shrine. A familiar sight each and every autumn morning. It was as much of a part of my routine as making breakfast and doing laundry. It’s what my Master often called ‘shrine maiden training’ when it was just daily chores. I’ve done this so many times, it’s as if the days bled into months bled into years.

It seemed like only yesterday that Yukari brought me across the barrier into the Hakurei Shrine. Despite my life in the outside world, I’d like to say that, overall, coming here was an improvement. I’ve been able to form relationships with people that I would have never dreamed of meeting. Well, people being the operative word, but… they’re still ‘people’ all the same. Thoughts, feelings, hardships, desires.

Humans, youkai, gods, fairies, spirits -- all of them are different, but they can still exist in the cut-off world of Gensokyo. Despite their eccentric personalities, I really wouldn’t have it any other way.

Master hasn’t let up in the years that I’ve been here, always being hard, always expecting more out of me than she was going to get. I know that should be encouraging, but I’m just not as gifted as she is. Tapping into her innate powers as the Hakurei shrine maiden seems as easy as breathing for her. For me, it’s a struggle -- considering I’m still having a hard time grasping the basics even after four years.

I struggle with the thought that Reimu might not be a good teacher. I’m still not entirely sure myself, but the fact remains that I live here, that she’s helped me, and that because of her, I’ve found a place to belong. There are moments where Master’s intuition and guidance are something to be admired, truly. I wish that I--

Crack.

A wooden box smashes into t

Thread 1: >>41094

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

[x] To spar.
　[x] Loser has to sleep at the opposite abode.

I strode back out, into the open. She wouldn’t get out of those habits on her own, so I decided to shake this up. Byakuren waited by the trees.

I turned and faced her, resting my left hand on my sword. Seiga didn’t help, but I still had one card up my sleeve. I threw my right hand out, shaku pointed at Byakuren. “We’re here to duel.”

She stepped out of the shade. “Excuse me?”

I shrugged my shoulders and let my right hand descend to my side. “We’re not reaching each other through conventional means. So, I’ve decided we need to speak in a more common language.”

She cocked her head. “Violence?”

“Magic bullet duels.”

She shook her head as she rolled her shoulders. “I can accept that. What are your terms?”

“Our beds.”

She froze, turning pink. “Excuse me?”

“The loser must rest in the winner’s abode. We’re companions now, after all, so we ought at least to do that much.”

She stared back, a slant to her eyes. “I think you want to sleep here.”

“Oh ho. You’ve got some fire now.”

She shook her head, face still as she balled one hand into a fist, which she pointed at me. “How many cards?”

“As many as you have.” Or in other words, the fight would continue, all out, until someone wore out or gave in. A choice normally reserved for intense, almost desperate encounters. Or extreme workouts, as in this case.

“So, you do want to sleep here.”

I growled back, half-playfully. “I’ll still win, darling.”

Lights gathered around us both as I swallowed my fears. Byakuren was savvy, but not as proficient as I in the social sphere. Yet in direct, one-on-one combat, the tables turned. I lifted off, into the air, my cape fluttering as I ascended. Byakuren hung below, hovering barely above the grass. Her head flitted between me and t

“Hey. Say something. Please?” She appeared before him with the wind gently fluttering her billowing pink dress. She brushed aside a stray hair from her eyes, and the girl smiled, her emerald eyes smiling with her.

The man would, but there was one small problem in the way: He was, in the most literal sense, mute.

[ ] Hand motions are simple enough to explain.
[ ] Mouth the words. She should understand.
[ ] So he engaged in interpretive dance.

Rice and Rain >>/shorts/2209

Inspired by, or shamelessly stolen from. Take your pick. Mibya wrote that (>>/gensokyo/15535).