>>211465
Awoo has at least had three updates in the past year. Poor Kyouko has had one update in the past two years! This injustice must be righted!

The Curse writhes, its barely distinguishable face contorting in baneful agony.

“No,” it says. “The sacrifices that I have made, the evils that I have felled—they were all for you… for us. I have made the darkness my own so that none could harm us. I have never wished to become what I am now… and yet, that was the only path forward. To preserve us.”

“There is no us,” you hiss. “We are not equals, nor will we ever be. Since my conception, you’ve used me as nothing more than a tool. Then, as you scurried away, you had deserted me just as you had deserted my priestess. I had naught but the curses I’ve inherited from you. But in your last waking moments, you had placed the greatest curse on me thus far: To become Hakurō.”

“The mantle you adopted had led us to this point: You, our priestess, and I have all reunited. And I have suffered as you have—am I not also You?”

“No. You are not. And by Amatsu’s will, we are no longer bound to each other.”

You manifest an item in your fist—it should be a familiar sight to Roku, though it is now merely a remnant of what it once was. You reveal a crushed talisman as you open your palm. Within its charm is now sediment, thanks to the assistance of the Hakurei Miko. To think that such a delicate piece would house the bond between three murderous deities and the ties between them. But all it takes to sever those ties are the hands of one mortal shrine maiden.

Even between the darkness that scarred Roku’s face, his expression displays an emotion that you are well acquainted with: fear.

“You understand now. Without Amatsu, you are nothing. You are merely a forgotten god. No, rather, you are but a crude beast. And I, Hakurou, am the embodiment of worldly hatred and vengeance. Because that was what you have made me. And for what purpose? To selfishly imprison the soul of my priestess and corrupt those consumed in the Maw, turning the innocent into the cursed? Amatsu may have once been the harbinger of chaos, but I know no truer evil than you. Yet, in your thirst to eternally

And then what happened, Author...?

Quick doodle I did at the office. Sketched it in paper and then I tried getting it into a post-it but the former is rough and the latter turned out wonky. Anyways, I liked the rough one so I'll be posting both. This is the first time I did a sketch before the post-it and it turned horrible lol.

I hate this pen, I miss my old one :'(

>>213059

maybe it's not the best art as you said but I still like it, especially because it's mom Ran with Kosuzu just being happy

Next thread is up! Let's see what's for sale now, shall we?

>>213061

>>212757
Mima

gimme Mima.

Im here for Mima

Karmanations everyday.

>>212744
Metaphor Re:Fantazio. I just finished up the main quest on the island. There was a small, tiny, blink-and-you-miss it reference to Etrian Odyssey in that part, which I really liked.

Anyway, the next thread is up! Onwards, to the next thread! >>212766

[X] Just get his attention, so the girl could get away while he was distracted. Throw some taunts at him, and then run for the hills.

Taunting? That sounds like Marisa.
This is also the less likely for us to get busted. Throwing rocks could probably pull more attention on us.

Really looking forward to the Marisa vote! It'll be the first one I can actually participate in as I only got into this fic during this arc...

Kosuzu took a slow, deep breath, trying to reason it out.

“If… if I did choose to be just a Motoori again -”

“We would both still be planning to tutor you,” Yukari responded. “Your first few lessons would differ, but we will teach you everything we could, of course.”

Ran nodded in firm agreement. “We want you to be the strongest you can be, Kosuzu. Anything we can do to help you, we will.”

The young kitsune looked between the two of them. She took a deep breath, asking just one question.

“You… think it’s better for me to hide, don’t you?”

Yukari knelt down. “We think it will be safer for you. Perhaps, in the fullness of time-”

“I… I never minded the thought of becoming a youkai, in my past life. Perhaps I was too curious for my own good.” Kosuzu stepped forward. “And I know that it was stupid, and reckless… but I still wasn’t afraid.”

She sighed. “But… once I actually became a youkai, I’ve been nothing but afraid. Running away from things. Trying to hide when I was hurting. Letting Tsukasa walk all over me.”

“I know… I know it’s safer, and probably less stressful for everyone if I go back to my old family,” Kosuzu admitted. She put her hand to her chest. “And I know that if I stay with them only, I’ll still be able to grow in skill. But…”

She clutched at her chest, looking up at Ran and Yukari. “But hiding away is what a kuda-gitsune does. And I’m not a tube fox - I’m a kitsune.”

She focused. “Me and my friends - we’re going to be fighting to protect the world. I can’t just run and hide away from my problems. I need to face them head-on. I need to get stronger, I need to be braver. So… I’m not going to just claim I’m some stray fox. I’m keeping both of my families.”

For a long moment, neither of the elder youkai spoke. Kosuzu’s resolve started to falter, as Yukari seemed to mull it over.

“You’re certain of this?” Ran asked, one final time. Kosuzu… nodded, firmly.

After a long, long moment… the sage shrugged, a grin slipping out from behind her veneer of professionalism. “Ah well, we tried

Thank you for this perfect ending. Kosuzu’s thought process got called pretty quickly, but it still feels so impactful because she chose, in the end.

>>212140
Adorable mom cosplays... I appreciate the boldness of putting Ms. Has Not Appeared In This Story front and center but completely obscuring all of her features.

Small details I noticed!
- I was confused by Okuu's Koistume having a closed eye, but she'd totally remember timeline B's Koishi that way, so it's a little tribute to her.
- Reimu has little holes in her headband for her horn-nubs.
- All of them hold their baskets slightly differently, with Kosuzu even having to use her actual tail to match the pose.

Thank you for all the amazing art, and Happy Halloween to you as well!

>>212140

Love the picture, especially the Marisa in the back as a Ghost giving Mima rep!

While it may be unintentional, I also like the idea that Okuu accidentally made a costume of Universe B Koishi instead of Universe C Koishi, if only because it paints a funny image that while she can mostly keep the details between those two lives separate, she still mixes them up occasionally

>>212140

Thank you again for all the wonderful pictures, Kosu!

This one came as no surprise to me personally. Kosu approached me with the idea of all the original ICs dressed as their moms for halloween, including Marisa hidden as a sheet ghost. Then I was the one who came up with an idea for how she could still fit the theme.

We've actually already got draft designs of Marisa's options waiting in the wings. We've been sitting on them for a little while, in fact.

But if you want to see them, there's only one way forwards! onwards, to thread ten! >>212143

>>211829 here.

Remember this?
>“The big mistake I made was underestimating Reimu herself. Trying to curb her potential. I tried to quash her unique qualities, when they were exactly what she needed to make it through.” Yachie raised a finger. “Likewise, allow me to say, do not underestimate young Kosuzu. I believe there’s quite a bit of potential lurking just beneath the surface there.”
Adding as a write-in to either vote:
-{X} Ms. Yachie said it best, we all have the potential to help you all.

It's basically voicing the thought but gives the adults a reason not to push back on the idea.

[UNDO] “I can fight too! Let me join you!” She couldn't get her worry about Reimu and Mayumi out of her head.

[X] “Can we do anything to help here?” There had to be something two young scholars and a living computer could do.

I'll repeat myself in that I did not actually expect Yukari actually letting them go with her, but I can agree that these three might be more useful in the backline, especially since Yumemi would probably be left alone otherwise. Let them stay with Yachie, maybe even helping organize the defense.
There might be something else in Ran's grimoire to help (apart from the scope), who knows.

New thread:

>>211848

I guess Alice might also have some anger to burn off, between her best friend getting hospitalised and her initial set of allies getting party wiped and Shanghaied.

Ran: God I hate Jiangshi, fuck them, they're abominations, they're gross, they're dumb, aaaaaaaand she's right behind me isn't she?

>>211521

My guess is she was interested in testing out the limits of a Jiangshi. Anything in the name of a living doll.

>>211449

it would also end up a bit funny when Akyuu gets the full description of Sanae and go... "HEY, WAITAMINUTE! I saw her all the time when the Watasuki sisters wanted to pet a bunny!"

>>211436
>>211444
I like the idea of fairy Marisa as well! Firstly, it fits her mischievous and somewhat short-sighted personality well; secondly, the camaraderie of fairies, chaotic as it may be, would be a nice contrast to the depressingly dysfunctional family relationship of Kosuzu and Tsukasa in this arc; and thirdly, weak as fairies may generally be, being a fairy *would* give Marisa one very useful ability: being able to resurrect endlessly as long as she is not "erased at a conceptual level".

Ah, whoops.

New thread here:

>>211466

>>211123

Pretty sure the first daughter is Chen

The book that is addressed to the "second daughter" is called the bluebell grimoire, and bells are a significant theme for Kosuzu. Pretty sure that little preamble was written after she was taken in hopes that it would make its way to her and help her come safely home. Which it has in its own way twice now.

Also on the first daughter bit, look back at how surprising helpful Chen way trying to be to Kosuzu there. (Reimu noted it as unusual from her memory. And also the fact that Chen has grown a bit compared to what Reimu and Kosuzu remembers, she's trying to be the big sister!)

> …Though, now she was looking at her… “Chen… how tall are you?”

> The cat looked back, confused. “...Maybe it’s just me, but… I feel like last time, even a few years from now, you were still… shorter. Right?” She turned to Reimu for confirmation.

> Keiki smiled. “Youkai grow at least partially depending on their mental age. Some can seem to eternally be children, and some can mature rapidly compared to humans. It’s not uncommon for some youkai to experience some form of arrested development if they reach an equilibrium they’re happy with. ...Granted, it's no less uncommon to find them deliberately hiding their age, for one reason or another.”

So Chen thinks of herself as Kosuzu's big sister, and is now bigger than she was in the previous timeline because Chen believes that big sisters are supposed to be bigger than their little sisters. Is that why Okuu is smaller than she was in the last timeline? She thinks of herself as Youmu's little sister and little sisters are supposed to be smaller than their big sisters?

Does that mean if Marisa ends up a fairy, we could potentially get big Mama Cirno after Cirno takes the newbie fairy under her wing?

Kosuzu's adventures continue in thread 7!
>>211127

[x] No wait, did he say he told Mayumi some bits? Did he know about her being a youkai, somehow?

>>210827
>>210829
>>210830

The vote was called as of >>210824, (see >>210823) so the extra votes aren't necessary. (Though it would've been a touch hilarious if they had been for the other option and/or somehow tying it up again. Tough I'd guess that Gooboi would just go off of the initial tiebreaker vote in that situation XP )

New thread up at >>210832!

And hopefully a second update incoming tonight too!