THREAD ONE: >>185269
THREAD TWO: >>185998
THREAD THREE: >>186634

OKAY, REAL TALK FOR A MINUTE BEFORE I GET STARTED.

CLEARLY I CANNOT FINISH ANYTHING UNLESS I HAVE A DEADLINE ON MY ASS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. THAT'S WHY I'M PUTTING A SWORD OVER MY NECK FOR THIS.

I WILL PUT OUT AN UPDATE EVERY DAY UNTIL THIS TALE IS FINISHED. IF I MISS A DAY, I'M KILLING THE STORY RIGHT THERE.

WE'RE IN GODDAMN SUDDEN DEATH NOW, FOLKS. UPDATES WILL PROBABLY BE SMALL. THEY WILL LIKELY BE SHIT. BUT BY THE EMPEROR, I'M GETTING THEM OUT OR I'M GOING TO DIE TRYING.

BUT THEN, THAT WAS HOW THIS WORKED WHEN WE STARTED, ISN'T IT?

HERE WE GO.

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>>169829


[x] Let Youmu have this chance to show her stuff!
[x] Use the Dex

Aw. It looks like there's no way out of this without fighting, huh? ...That's pretty disappointing, but... Well, Youmu seems to be pretty into it. She's sure ready to fight, so...

"...Um, go ahead, Youmu." You say, a little hesitant to actually authorize the violence that's about to proceed.

Youmu immediately moves in front of you, skidding up to the edge of the water and readying her sword as she stares up and out towards the Cirno who has been mocking your group, her whole body tensed like a coiled spring ready to release.

Mima only huffs for a moment before floating back to you and leaning on your shoulder, declaring that she's willing to let Youmu have dibs this time. Besides, she prefers actual challenges and not sacks of hot air.

Yukari remains wary atop your head, not actually going back to sleep as you feel her settle down to watch what's coming up.

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Bloody fucking rain. Of course it had to fall now of all times, heavy enough to guarantee I won’t have a dry or warm inch on me anywhere. The chill is already settling. To boot, I’m running upwind: the heavy raindrops blind me almost completely, I see nothing but a barrage of water.
This godawful city too. Barely any light in this stretch of wretched slum to navigate by, random garbage strewn all over the horribly uneven, muddy ground. Were I anybody else, I’d already be sprawled face down on the water with a broken leg or two. Even through the rain, I can smell the rot here, and the people living in it.
And what’s up with these fucking clowns, what do they think they’re doing chasing me in this kind of weather, in the middle of the night? I knew they were stupid, but this is something else entirely. They can’t even catch me when it’s bright and sunny, what are they hoping to accomplish? Anybody else in this city would have been left alone by now, for fuck’s sake. Many have, actually. I’ve offered bribes and everything else you’re supposed to do, what’s the deal?

It’s all shit. I hope this city burns to ash, that everyone in it gets taken by the kasha to burn in hell, that the ground where it stood gets salted, cursed and nothing grows on it ever again. I hate it all.


I grin.


Hop, hop. The idiots chasing me are already losing ground, and we’ve barely gotten started. Over puddles and holes, over cat-sized scurrying rats. Around the corner into a one-man-wide alley, over a fence, out again, around another corner. I stumble over a beggar trying to take shelter and leave him sprawled on the water. Tough luck, buddy.
I avoid climbing to the roofs: this part of the city is too poor for it. I’m more liable to step through a shoddy roof and break my neck than make a clean escape.
It’s not too long before the already barely audible clinking and yelling behind me fades completely, drowned out by the deafening white noise of rain. I slow to a jog, turning through a few more alleys just to be sure. What’s wrong with these guys? It’s been what, 5 years? They still haven’t learned that they have no chance o

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[x] Hina and then Merlin

[x] Software Engineer

~p+p~

First, you need to go and fetch the misfortune goddess. It’s only been an hour, maybe two, but it feels like it has been forever. Perhaps she might be able to calm down any crazy situations that might arise. With the decision in mind, you stroll up the staircase, keeping a watchful eye on every inch. Who knows whether a stray box or a loose sock may be looming, ready to send you spilling back down the staircase.

Your passage up to the top of your home does not take long at all, thankfully, and soon you are in front of the door to her temporary home. After a momentary hesitation, you reach up and knock at the door with a sharp rap. After a pause, the door handle turns and the door swings open.

Hina is currently kneeling on the ground, facing away from the door. You see one of her ribbons whip to the side and back around her arm as you enter in. She does not look up to acknowledge you, choosing instead to continue her study of the floor beneath her. “Hey there, Hina. What are you doing?” She does not respond immediately, and you can’t help but to clear your throat shortly. “If you’re busy, I can leave you be to it.”

“It isn’t so much. I’m just trying to ensure that I’ve gathered as much misfortune as I can.” The goddess turns her head, inclining it slightly and not meeting your eyes. She seems to be instead inspecting your feet. “I may have been a little over enthusiastic with my earlier actions… Your house may be a little overly full of it as a result.”

“Well, I did want you to take care of it. It may have been a bit much, but in the end, it worked. ...I think. Don’t think she’s caused any more trouble directly since then.”

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You button the last button on your immaculate white coat and pull down the brim of your matching hat. Quite the shock to find such a thing in your mail, but you will hardly complain about that. A promotion is never a bad thing. Suspicious, maybe, and concerningly vague, definitely. But, in and of itself, a promotion tends to be a good thing. "Captain Meira..." You smile a bit at the sound of it. You, a decorated officer. Funny how these things work out, huh? You chuckle a bit, deciding to look over your things before you get going for the docks.

Your sword may not be quite what they'd call standard, but you managed to dress it up to fit the look. They don't need to know that it's not that flimsy thing they gave you. ...Honestly, the sword's the only thing of real value in there. It's why you plan to keep its case by your side in transit. If you were to lose it, you would never be able to forgive yourself.

As you head for the door, luggage in tow, you take one last look at the picture hanging on the wall. Your cheeks tug back down for a moment, but you shouldn't be sad about it; it's been two years already. "Rest in peace, Mina." You give the picture a quick peck, before putting it away in the luggage. You don't want to forget this, do you? You did promise you'd never let her memory die, and you're not going to be proven a liar any time soon.

Inspired by another quest elsewhere, and considering Valentine's Day is only a few days gone, I feel like I can still safely try for something romantic without being too late. I don't promise swift updates – I write other things here that also deserve my time and effort, and frankly starting this story is a terrible, terrible idea on my part, but the idea was sticking with me and I want to see where it goes.

Now, let's get on with the show, shall we? Apologies ahead of time for this first update being on the exceptionally short end – an unfortunate consequence of character creation.

***

You have to admit, your days don't usually involve you being kidnapped, tied to a (exceptionally comfortable, you have to admit) chair, and stuck in a room black as pitch and only slightly less suffocating.

What makes this even more unusual is that, just a moment ago, you were doing something else entirely, and then WHAM, said the universe, YOU ARE NOW KIDNAPPED.

Right now, you're currently feeling–

***

[ ] Clueless: One moment you were dozing off on your flight back home to the States, and the next you were here. It's times like now you curse airport security; traveling unarmed always bites you in the ass whenever something like this happens. (Outsiders are hardly knowledgeable about Gensokyo and the dangers therein, but you have experience dealing with strange lands and stranger troubles, and possess an exotic air some natives will be fascinated by.)

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This is not going to be a serious quest but goddammit it's November and I should try to write something daily, contest or no.

LET'S SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THIS TO CRASH AND BURN.

**********

It's really quite a surprise when you wake up again, considering your thoughts on the afterlife.

It's an even bigger surprise that you're firmly within nature's terrible grasp inside a forest, full of BIRDS and GRASS and SUNLIGHT, considering you were riding through an underground railroad when you got disemboweled.

If you were less reserved with your words, everything within a mile would hear you hollering something along the lines of 'choke on it, Death, NEO WINS AGAIN!'

Or maybe not, because when someone's all noisy in nature, that someone tends to get eaten by Grimm.

In any case, you pick yourself up, check yourself over, and scowl deeply, because your clothes are sporting a nice big cut across your stomach. On the one hand, you suppose you should be grateful torn clothing is the only sign anything happened to you at all, when by all rights your guts should be spilling out of the gaping hole that isn't there now but definitely was the last time you were conscious. On the other hand, that skull-faced bitch is in for a good shanking next time you see her.

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The human village was quiet, for a change. It wasn’t empty, though. It was just quiet. The sun peaked over the horizon, and the cold, evening fall air would soon give way. Soothing winds caressed the land, the nostalgic amber glow of the sun dawning…

Reimu stood drowsily in front of the village job board, hair slightly frazzled and expression tired.

“See!? Crazy stuff’s been happenin’, ze!” Propping her arms by her sides, Marisa excitedly addressed the job board. “Buncha youkai’ve been going totally crazy!”

...Reimu yawned. “...So?”

Marisa’s eyes widened. “So? So!? We gotta kick some serious youkai ass, ze! It’s what we do!”

...At that, Reimu nodded slowly. “Not this early in the morning, we aren’t.”

Rolling her eyes, Marisa cast her gaze upon the job board again. “Whateve~r, Reimu. Guess you don’t want any of the reward money…”

Reimu sighed. “...I guess now’s a good time to wake up as any.”

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Family can be a blessing and a curse; the larger one is, the more issues come to light, though many would say it’s worth the price of admission. Sometimes the blessings are better than the helping hand of a tutor, and sometimes the curses are far, far worse than a little tugging of hair.

A mother and father always have great visions of grand futures. Of grandchildren with parents with grand dreams for them as grand as their dreams for those very parents. Of their children following their teachings into the next generation, and knowing that their job was done well. That those children will do the same, following in their footsteps. And their children, and theirs as well. Parents ask for a world freely given by children from all walks of life.

To some, family has a value greater than anything. Others see it as greater than nothing. There are many more views of family in between, and it can vary between different members, but, in the end, it is something we all have.

All families have far reaching histories that bind them together. Rare is the man who wasn’t born, and rare is the man who can claim as such truthfully. Even inconsequential histories are history, regardless of import. Some claim great heritage of ages past, others claim great inheritance of estates and land. All who are born gain some small part of their parents’ history, and their parents’, and theirs, ad infinum. The chain reaches back farther than most are willing, or able, to see. The bonds do not begin merely in humans, and instead stretch back into the great seas themselves.

Long ago, there were no families. Not by any stretch of the word, and certainly not as we see them today. There was no hair being tugged, or tutorings needed for a big test. There was no hair, and the only test was survival. Year by year, century by century, over eons these things came to be. Life, at first, was microscopic and inconsequential. Slowly, with every turn of the world, some small change was made.

The tree took roots, and those roots dug deep and started spreading at first rapidly, then they divided a million million times over. Some parts began to slow, others kept the same pace, and many

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You are a Bonéka (according to my sources, that’s Indonesian for “puppet”.) You happen to specifically be a C[favorite Touhou character from the games] at level 5.
It is early morning and time to wake up. You yawn and stretch out your adorable tiny arms, accidentally sticking one through the thin leaf wall of your pint-sized dwelling. This is the fifth time you’ve done that this month – unsurprising, since this is the fifth day of the month. You make a mental note to find a better wall for your humble abode as you cutely nibble on a scrumptious acorn.
You live [by the Big Road, named for the large amount of mice that use it / in a miniature fishing village overlooking a vast freshwater ocean filled with tasty Magikarp / amongst perfectly ordered sunflowers that stretch as far as the eye can see].
And then you hear a million little voices screaming in disarray, arguing over your location and your species. In amongst strange cries of “start” and “up b” most of the voices seem to form coherent thoughts. Eventually, the cacophony dies down, with the voices in agreement that you are…
[x] a C[favorite Touhou from the list] that is living in…
-[ ] a shrubbery at the side of the Road of Reconsideration.
-[ ] a Bonéka village on the banks of the Sanzu.
-[ ] between flowers in the Garden of the Sun.

Remember, the list is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13hV6pNVkhwwUgmvM1P9xHdNQeMWy8ywjNoN982vaegA/edit?usp=sharing