The reason why I think that asking Maimi if she wants it is the silly choice is, because is because it allows for a failure state to the question of Maimi being able to fit the sword in her beak.
I'm suspecting that the normal Maimi choice is more definitive in her picking up the sword, because it has no failure state.
[X] For herself to have the sword, she'd be waiting for this all her life.
Desperately as Miyako wanted to ask Koyomi to please, please give her the sword, she knew at this moment the answer would be a firm no from her. So, she internally sighed, biding her time to spring the question it was. Though there was another question she could ask about the blade.
"How d'you think the sword ended up at this carnival then?" Miyako asked.
Narrowing her eyes, Koyomi said, "I still can't say for sure, but I have my theories. The easy answer is the arena got a little too careless picking up swords, but no, more likely the original Hanazakari was killed when the Frost Fair attacked Tokyo, her Starshoot unearthed as the ice melted. Quite a few.... died that way."
Switching to a related but lighter note, Miyako then said, "By the way, I checked out the Frost Decade exhibit they've got here. They really went all out, what with all the holograms and the big displays of Cherry and Chrysanthemum in Full Bloom. It's super-impressive!"
"I'm sure it was," Koyomi muttered, looking aside and rolling her eyes.
Her expecting Koyomi to respond like that, Miyako then asked anyway, "But Cherry and Chrysanthemum still really would've been something back then, huh? They were Japan's two highest rated Hanazakari!"
"Rated according to what?" Koyomi scoffed. She then said, "I met both of them only once, at Shin Sekigahara-"
"Still more than me," Miyako and Emi found themselves saying in unison.
"-so I'm no authority on them," Koyomi went on, then her gaze darkened, "but we're talking about two girls given the power to kill in one blow and give binding commands back when they were still in school; I trust the exhibit didn't give that 'knocked out' bowdlerising. They're not people anyone, let alone all of Japan, should just mindlessly hero worship is what I'm saying. Think, it's no coincidence Cherry never makes public appearances anymore."
Seeing Miyako back down and start to droop, Koyomi then sighed and said, "They were certainly intimidating when I saw them though, even if Cherry didn't look it at first. So in that sense you're right, they were sure something."
"Ah, thanks. It's what I wanted to hear," Miyako nodded along as she said. Yeah, it was foolish to have thought Koyomi would say anything that upbeat, despite the likes of Cherry and Chrysanthemum, but Miyako wouldn't have known unless she asked. That did make her want to get her next question over with though. "So, there was only one mention of you there, in a list of Sekigahara vets-"
"Good, writing already brings me more than enough publicity," Koyomi said, arms folded.
Then Miyako continued "-but there were quite a few mentions of Hoshizora-san though. Not heaps, yeah, but a few."
"Oh, was there?' Koyomi then muttered, her previous stance faltering. "No surprise I suppose, but they better not have sugar-coated anything."
"Ah, just basic stuff in relation to RUNE, that's all," Miyako quickly said, tugging her collar.
"There wouldn't have been anything about someone like me in there, I'm sure of it," Emi had to say.
Having to hear another self-putdown from the woman who'd been one of her favourite mangaka, it was then Miyako gambled on a lie. "Actually, Daimon-sama, there was heaps about you in there. When they talked about what Hanazakari did after the war, boom, there was a cover of the first issue of your first manga right there for all to see!" she said.
Her breath slowed as she expected her lie to be found out even without a visit to the exhibit, but instead Emi actually smiled and said, "Thank you, I-I never would've thought." Miyako relaxed, even if most likely Emi was just humouring her. Koyomi did shoot her a knowing look yet still said nothing.
"Anytime. Hey, I was planning to go somewhere, er, private with Kazuya-kun," Miyako then brought up, "so maybe you two would like some alone time together? At the, er," she quickly looked around for somewhere, "Mirror Maze, yeah. Could be inspiration for your art, maybe. Not really my sort of place though, gives me all sorts of… self-image issues," she squirmed. "Okay, catch you later!"
"Mirror Maze?" Koyomi had to ask as Miyako took off, "What does she think I am, a child?" though she then had to admit, "Well, I wouldn't mind losing RUNE here, and I doubt mirror mazes are the Purified's haunt, so the idea's not without merit."
"Nozawa-chan brought up self-image, and mine couldn't get any worse," Emi muttered, looking at her hands again. "And, ah, being alone with you wouldn't be so bad, Arisugawa-sama."
Koyomi winced hearing that, yet still the two went into the mirror maze anyway. Entering a dark, purple-draped building, it soon showed itself to be a maze alright, with several-storeys tall doppelgangers looming over every possible exit. It was Emi's turn to wince seeing her hands blown up that big. And if the idea was to be alone and away from RUNE, well…
All the mirror images were then replaced by that of a single, all too familiar person. At that sight, Koyomi transformed, drew her own quill-blade, and said, "Back off! If it's Daimon you want, you're not touching her, and you are not going anywhere Sfira."
"Did I ever say I would?" Yumemi's voice echoed all around them, before in a rippling flurry she stepped right out of the mirror. "And really, is this how you greet people on your birthday? Must you make it all about you, hmm? You used to be more courteous."
"Arisugawa-sama, is this-?" Emi tried to say as she stepped backwards.
"I am Hoshizora Yumemi, yes, your 'Arisugawa-sama's' oldest friend. Little as she acknowledges this," Yumemi said, then turned to Koyomi and sighed, "Now, what stories have you been telling Daimon-san about me? Oh yes, the intel I received told me you were sheltering her. And a mangaka too, like you dreamt about being all those years ago."
"I am not handing her back to that cult you've been fraternising with, and you are not getting your hands on her Cultivar," Koyomi hissed.
"RUNE may have benefited from the Earthly Purified's co-operation, that I can't deny, but Kamizono and I are far from sisters-in-arms. Besides, it is not the Cultivar that's the problem, merely its user. Who knows," Yumemi said, then shot a glance back at Emi, "Had you struck with it when the time was right, Izumi-san could still be alive. Ah, but who am I to speculate?"
As Emi shivered, Koyomi again rasped at Yumemi, "And you wonder why I've been telling 'stories' about you to her."
"Indeed. Well now Koyomi, you can find us at the rotunda when you're ready, that's all I wished to tell you. Ogami certainly isn't exaggerating when he calls his husband an expert caterer," Yumemi said, before turning to leave the way she'd entered.
"If that was all," Koyomi muttered, "then you of all people of course couldn't have told me like a normal person." With Emi standing there not moving an inch, she told her, "Look, don't let what Yumemi says get to you. She's like Kamizono, she just wants to use you, no matter what she says."
Emi strained to nod, before she muttered, "Could I really have- No, you're right, I shouldn't let what she says get to me."
Reiji had already been patched up in the Summerland medical bay, that sword at least having held back unlike that Heart Leech. With him grunting, gasping, and having to be supported by Kazuya as he tried to stand up, it looked like he'd be on crutches a little while longer.
Then Miyako running into the room sent him nearly stumbling over once again. "Reiji-kun, I got you something!" she said right away. As Reiji sighed and nodded, she then handed him a disc and told him, "It's a recording of a Hanazakari stage play! I did mean to take you to the one here in person, but y'know, stuff happened," she winced, seeing Reiji's state.
"Hah, you would make theatre a lure to snare me into your interests, eh?" Reiji said, still trying to be defiant. But then he relented, "Hey, thanks for thinking of me," then got on edge again, "Wait, why is Narcissus in this? You know what I think of her as an 'actor'."
"Er, sorry, but she was in pretty much all of them," Miyako said, "Guess with her powers she's really able to get around." Among other things, she remembered what Koyomi had said about her.
"Anyway, there was this place I was really thinking to invite Kazuya-kun, but ah, I guess I shouldn't, if he's looking after you."
"I insist, I'll be fine," Reiji said, despite not looking it. "If Kazuya's okay going somewhere with you, that's his business. I mean, getting all possessive over him was how this whole sorry farce started," he sighed. He wouldn't have been the only one to have acted that way lately.
"Are you sure?" Kazuya asked his friend, with Reiji nodding again. Kazuya then turned to look at Miyako and said, "I see. Where did you have in mind?"
"Ooh, there's this haunted house dark ride. Thought it could really help you feel stuff again!" Miyako said, rapidly pointing to it on a map.
"But is fear an emotion I should really want?" Kazuya then asked, "I suppose you did say even negative emotions were better than none."
"And it's just the feeling of fear, there's nothing to actually be scared of, so you're only experiencing the emotion," Miyako said, even if telling someone not to fear before taking them to a haunted house was kind of self-sabotage.
"If you say so," Kazuya said before he went with her.
Tokyo Summerland's Test of Courage was a shack ricketier than Koyomi's, and thrice as large with thrice as many overgrown plants. The mansion attraction was bathed in an eerie violet glow, and the place was positioned just right so that a tingling wind whistled out of it. Of course, what was the most intimidating was the line outside of it.
While Kazuya stood the whole time, having to queue this long made Miyako start seriously fidgeting, even want to call off the whole thing. But eventually they were ushered onto a cart, as the doors opened with a piercing creak.
Throughout the ride, they were regaled with the story of a girl who'd lived here long ago. When her twin sister was possessed, the exorcist that'd been called for ended up burying her alive instead. One wrong killing, one demon-riddled girl still out there…
When the ride ended, Miyako walked out and saw Kazuya was indeed trembling. "See, what'd I tell ya? The ride's totally made you feel something," she said.
"I am afraid the ride itself didn't make me feel scared at all," Kazuya said, without any telltale defensiveness to his tone. "But yes, I am feeling fear, or more… nervousness you could say. Anxiety? I feel it about, about you."
Miyako took a step back hearing that, but Kazuya quickly added, "No, this feeling is not about you being transgender at all, that's okay. It's more… because I'm close to you, I feel worse about something happening to you, or that I might lose you, that's the most I can put it in words."
Miyako gasped then blushed. For a second, she was worried this nervousness was due to what Kazuya's teachers had to done to him, but she knew better than to bring it up here, or that Reiji had been the one to tell her about it.
Instead, she said, "Kazuya-kun, I… think this means you love me. Being so nervous about someone close to you, that's- that's part of love."
Kazuya stopped to take that in, but then said, "I always heard love was more pleasant than this, I never imagined it being intertwined with fear."
"Well, er," Miyako was at a loss for something to say, but then came up with, "Whatever this feeling is, do you wanna stop feeling it? Would it be better if you didn't have me to think about?"
"No, not at all," Kazuya said, with a hint of panic rising in his voice.
"Then it is love!" Miyako said, smiled and threw herself around him.
Yet as the two embraced, Miyako caught sight of Sora of all people, standing right there looking at them. "S-Sora? I thought you'd gone?" she said.
"Ah, realised I'd left a bunch of stuff here at the last minute," Sora said in a rush, before he gulped and added, "I'll-I'll just be going."
Article:
Miyako reacted by:
[ ] Telling Sora "Hey, don't go!"
[ ] Asking Sora "W-we're still friends, right?"
[ ] Trying to be positive with "Ah, see you soon!"
[ ] Just letting him go, there was always the internet.
[ ] Just letting him go, Kazuya should be her focus now.
[] Yelling out, "Don't make me choose!" [Miyako lacks the Emotional Strength to say this.]
[ ] Purposefully moving to Sora, and saying cheerfully, "Ah I'm sorry Kazuya if you're confused, I'll give you time to figure it out then. Sora let me help you get your things." (PrincessScribe write-in)
[ ] Write-in
[X] Just letting him go, Kazuya should be her focus now.
Honestly feels a little uncomfortable that she's pushing "That must be love! You love me!" given his history, rather than waiting for him to figure out emotions on his own. But, well, it's Miyako, despite her stats nobody has ever accused her of emotional intelligence. Hopefully it gets worked through, and he decides that yes, that is how he feels about her.
Pretty indifferent about Sora tbh, but regardless this is not his moment.
A little surprised Koyomi doesn't seem too worried about the sword's origins, she seems the type not to accept coincidences.
I will admit the ending to this update was a little rushed, due to me also having two assignments to juggle. Might also have to revise that remark from Koyomi too.
Also, definitely didn't intend for what was meant as a lighter cooldown arc to end up the longest
Merely Players did have a logical endpoint, being after the play was put on. Carnival Masks I admit has been looser, being mostly 'wander around the carnival'.
Since we had three action arcs in a row before it, I figured another cooldown arc was needed, especially with the reception Fountain of Youth got
Honestly feels a little uncomfortable that she's pushing "That must be love! You love me!" given his history, rather than waiting for him to figure out emotions on his own. But, well, it's Miyako, despite her stats nobody has ever accused her of emotional intelligence. Hopefully it gets worked through, and he decides that yes, that is how he feels about her.
I'm of the let it cook opinion, say it's love, break hearts, create bonds, ruin each other, or build a better alloy out of your two minerals. It's more fun to be manically affectionate early and just bathe in the honeymoon / second honeymoon period before it's gone. Pushing people to take risks and have experiences is better than wallowing in what could have been. Those little risks are some of the most exciting parts of any fling. It might even just be a general raw attraction which can be very scary and intense. Especially when it comes to losing someone. Then again, I've always confused platonic "friendship" love and lustful "let's break each other and make a mosaic" love.
If Kazuya doesn't really know, maybe Miyako should give them an immediate way to figure it out.
[X] Write-in: Purposefully moving to Sora, and saying cheerfully, "Ah I'm sorry Kazuya if you're confused, I'll give you time to figure it out then. Sora let me help you get your things."
If I understand the cultural norms and everything at play, Sora would at least walk out of the room with Miyako? Which even if there's a complete rejection later still gets the job done. It also shows Sora AND Kazuya that Miyako has options. Moves the power dynamic to Miyako's side of the table, that she's willing to play the field because she knows she's worth it, and makes them both feel like they might risk losing something special.
Or it blows up entirely in Miyako's face.
(If this write-in isn't possible then Sora hasn't done enough to earn Miyako chasing him. Was told the write-in was OK!)
[X] Just letting him go, Kazuya should be her focus now.
"Well, maybe it just amped up your emotions, made you go all 'blind rage mode'?" Miyako asked. to which Ryoichi just scoffed.
She then looked at Koyomi's deep scowl and could only think, She's gonna say RUNE's behind this, right?
Let's assume that the intended outcome here was for Ryoichi, under the control of the evil(?) sword, to outright murder Reiji in a public spar. Leaving aside that the sword is visibly emitting mystical black shadow-smoke, that would point toward this being some sort of plot to either humiliate his family or get him removed from succession - and that if whoever planned this isn't a babbling lunatic, then this sword is the only card they had at hand for this plan.
RUNE doesn't really fit the bill, unless they 'just' provided the sword to whoever did this. If they did so, then they presumably had reason to think none of this could be traced back to them.
What I suspect at the moment is that this is an attempt to create public panic on part of the Epstein faction which wants the Frost Fair to come back. After all, this does feel like it could be a scheme-of-the-week on Sailor Moon. In that case, the sword was just a convenient prop for their little PR pageant - it's visibly spooky, it causes aggression in those exposed to it, but it's also not terribly likely to result in mass casualties if they set it loose in a public area.
"Yeah well," Miyako said as her brightness faded, her clenched, and a tear started to fall, "you're no Hanazakari either. Is that it, you know I'll always like more than- more than-" More than you was what she couldn't bring herself to say.
"No, that's not it at all," Sora gasped at that accusation. As all this tension started to weigh on him, he then asked instead, "Er, so what's the deal with that swan? Guess there's something to them if they came right for that sword."
Good to see that we avoided a full-on meltdown - and even if it's a pretty obvious bit of deflection, I am curious about what's going on between Maimi and this sword.
My first instinct was that it was part of her MaGi regalia, and it failing to dematerialize when she isn't in her MaGi form (if I remember rightly, she technically still can activate her transformation, it's just that the clothes are now tailored for her swan form) is part of the same malfunction that left her trapped as a swan. She no longer had arms to wield it, and either it was too big/cumbersome for her to haul away or she panicked and left it when the malfunction first happened; either way, it then fell into someone else's hands and ultimately ended up here.
"<Humans' red sap,>" Sfira remarked, then corrected themselves with, "<Ah, sorry. 'Blood', yes, think that's the word.>" Reiji just groaned louder, though Miyako had to admit blood was like sap, er, in a way.
From what I remember, there really isn't much difference. Both of them serve the same function - a fluid medium for easy circulation of necessary life-sustaining compounds throughout the body.
She couldn't help but remember that Cherry and Chrysanthemum were the first two Hanazakari she'd ever tried to contact. It had naturally been a disaster, given how private Cherry had become and how busy Chrysanthemum was.
I can imagine why having that kind of power might become a significant psychological burden. On the other hand, such a power points more toward a sense of absolute focus - somewhere between determination and the desire to solve problems 'at a stroke' - than any kind of homicidal desire.
Kinda weird they still call Vasilisa-san 'the Zinnia'. I get having issues with her, but Arisugawa-sama did tell me she at least tried to rescue them. Though maybe calling her by her flower is respectful on Pathragada, I guess?
I think the answer's simpler than that. Having a name seems to be a mark of significant status in Pathragadan society. It might be that Sfira is literally unused to the idea of having to remember so many different names, or that she's so used to referencing people based on their clan (IE, flower) that remembering people by their flower is the equivalent to keeping track of names for her.
In any case, she didn't have much interaction with Vasilisa, so she'd obviously be less likely to remember her name than she would the names of people like Miyako and Koyomi, who she's spent significant time with.
"<Because it's... not of the way of things. The higher castes have always been rigid about which species can and can't come to Pathragada,>" Sfira said, sounding like it was a question they never thought they'd be asked.
"But they finished off the Frost Fair," mostly, "just like you told them too!" Miyako said. If it was over the Dandelionhearts dying, she'd at least understand, but that didn't even come up.
Except that the Hanazakari aren't a recognized caste within the Pathragadan structure. The Dandelionhearts were*, but it's unclear whether the Pathragadan elite have spared any real thought to the aliens which the Dandelionhearts made use of while fulfilling their penance. Hell, it wouldn't even be a particularly questionable decision if they had, and concluded that said aliens being allowed to freely wield the powers of the Pathragadans for the remainder of their natural lives was reward enough for their service.
(And had they lived, it's possible they would have been given permission to visit Pathragada, or that their caste already had the right to do so under particular circumstances.)
True, but the question was whether Koyomi would leap to assuming so anyway. Even if the only time Koyomi's done so was when RUNE really was responsible.
There's also that the sword refused to kill Reiji, though I won't say yet if that was the sword acting in general or specifically.
Also true, but it's a question of whether Miyako's put two and two together by now. For a Hanazakari fan, she's been otherwise hesitant to ask much about Pathragada, given she hasn't liked what she's heard
[X] Write-in: Purposefully moving to Sora, and saying cheerfully, "Ah I'm sorry Kazuya if you're confused, I'll give you time to figure it out then. Sora let me help you get your things."
[X] Just letting him go, Kazuya should be her focus now.
Miyako's urge was to just say anything to Sora, she didn't know what, just… anything! But all she felt was her throat seizing up, as she could only stare at Sora out from the ride's exit. She settled for waving goodbye, with him blushing, nodding, and doing the same back to her.
As Sora left, Kazuya began to say "Is something wrong? You were very vocal about wanting to be with me, and yet him going away has left you-"
"I'm fine!" Miyako sharply cut him off, before she mumbled, "It's fine, really. I shouldn't be getting hung up on him, and you're what matters to me now." Her mouth ceased up again after that, and when she did say something again she did so quite rapidly. "Hey, if you were concerned, that's good! Emotions and all. Anyway, you probably wanna check up on Reiji-kun again, and I was gonna get back to Arisugawa-sama. Okay, let's go!"
Her elbow now locked around Kazuya's, Miyako then took off with him in the opposite direction, with said elbow-locking keeping him from stumbling behind from her speed. "Is running fast like this also due to love?" he asked whenever he had enough balance.
"…Sometimes," Miyako just mumbled.
The sky darkening did little to make the crowds thin through the park, given the nighttime attractions the place was already offering this soon after reopening. Yet someone the two could still easily spot was Reiji of all people, walking around out of bed somehow. Kazuya was quick to ask "Reiji, are you alright?" while Miyako gasped and rushed over.
"I'm fine, entirely, absolutely fine!" Reiji insisted, much as his wincing face and unsteady gait said otherwise. "See, what I did tell you, Kazuya? You had, argh, no reason to fret over me at all," he tried to say.
Kazuya and Miyako's first instinct were still to help him to the nearest bench. Miyako's next instinct was to lighten things up, so she said, "Hey Reiji-kun, good news. While we were away, Kazuya-kun and I both confessed our love to each other!"
But good news was not how Reiji took that at all. "Wait, Kazuya-kun, is that what- what you really said to Nozawa-chan? And did you mean it?" he asked him, before he turned to her and gritted his teeth, "Nozawa, please don't tell me you've been leading Kazuya on."
"I said I cared for her, but also felt what's called anxiety around her at the same time. Nozawa said that feeling was natural for people in love, and…" Kazuya said, "I can see what she means."
"But I-" Reiji suddenly said then stopped, before he breathed and deep then told Miyako, "Look Nozawa, if you and Kazuya did confess to each other, and you're so ill-attuned to the norms of love that you start blurting it out immediately, then-" another deep breath "-I shall be keeping my eye on you, you hear? See what he sees in you," he said as if Miyako wasn't already his friend.
Hesitating over just how to respond, Miyako did tell him, "Oh come on, people blurt out their love all the time. Like we've moved way beyond 'The moon looks beautiful tonight' these days."
"Have we really?" Reiji asked, eyebrow cocked, "because it sounds to me what you're not specifying is 'people blurt out their love all the time… in fiction'." Miyako flinched and gave no verbal response.
Taking Miyako aside, Kazuya then whispered to her, "If love's a good emotion, then… why is Reiji getting this way? He's never been like this around me before."
"Well, er," Miyako began, then making extra sure Reiji wasn't hearing, though her side-glances may have got him suspecting, she whispered back, "It's 'cause love's such a good emotion that people feel another emotion around it, jealousy. Don't worry Kazuya-kun, since Reiji-kun's your friend, he'll be over this sorta thing quick." Not that she could quite tell which of them Reiji was jealous of. Then in a desperate attempt to make Kazuya feel better, she said, "Besides, it can be fun to make people jealous, er, sometimes," her stomach then squirming when she realised what she'd said.
"Wait, but jealousy is a bad emotion, isn't it?" Kazuya asked, clutching his head by now.
"There you are!" Ryoichi's voice suddenly shot out. Kazuya's brother then walked right up to him and said, "Well, I believe you've had fun, experienced your recommended dose of emotions, eh? About time we were off, doubt you're going to find any respectable job here by sticking around longer. Well, unless I can somehow convince mother and father to buy this whole place."
While those words left a sour frown on Miyako, she relaxed herself on realising Ryoichi had heard nothing of her and Kazuya's confessions, that undeniably would've made him say something. The thought of Ryoichi finding out making her squirm, she whispered to Kazuya, "Let's keep you-know-what a secret from Ryoichi-kun. Like Reiji-kun said, be more careful."
About to ask something back, Kazuya instead kept quiet as Miyako asked, though still shook his head.
Everyone tensed when Ryoichi cast his eyes on Reiji, but then said of all things, "…Sorry about that."
At a loss for how to react, Reiji just nodded his head as Ryoichi left with Kazuya. The latter still waved goodbye to the two of them, with Miyako waving back the hardest. Her new boyfriend now off home, Miyako then looked at Reiji and asked, "Hey, I was just gonna find Arisugawa-sama. Want me to help carry you?"
"Thank you, but I need no assistance," Reiji said back, only for him to groan and clench his teeth as he stood up. He then had to sigh, "Maybe I really should head back to that sick bay till its time to go, huh? Maybe they'll have somewhere I can watch that play you got me, who knows?"
Miyako smiled back at him, about to pat him hard on his shoulder before she realised that could cause him more pain. So she just gave two thumbs up and said, "Great, I know you'll like it!" even if she didn't really know.
She soon found Koyomi looking dumbstruck over by a candy-striped, swirl-columned pavilion. Balloons were bouncing under it, sparkling 'Happy Birthday!' streamers were hung up, and a densely frosted cake with four creamy layers and ten blazing candles was in the middle of it all.
"You seem caught off-guard, Arisugawa-san," Hachiro said, him one of a few gathered there. "Thought it'd be obvious we'd throw you a party, us inviting you here for your birthday."
As for the others, Emi was a given, and Hachiro's Kuramazov-loving daughter Shiori was no surprise either. The only one Miyako didn't recognise was an apron-clad man with a puffy hat and sleeves, his sharp and scraggly hair and stubble and sour face at odds with his outfit. No Sfira though, with it likely Koyomi had told them to stay away else RUNE try to capture them. Would've been fun to explain the whole idea of birthdays to them though, Miyako thought, already doubting they had them on Pathragada.
"Yes, I am well aware," Koyomi muttered, her eyes narrowing as they scrutinized her cake.
"What, you think we drugged your cake or something? Sheesh, picky eater aren't you?" the unknown man grumbled. "Spent hours on that thing, y'know." Notably, Koyomi said nothing to counter him.
"Really Koyomi, treat yourself for once," Yumemi said on appearing out of nowhere, nudging Koyomi towards the cake. "Far better than that green slop you normally eat too," she muttered, a line Miyako shamefully grinned at. The look on Koyomi's face told of even less of an appetite now.
"Ah, Kuramazov-sama, Miyako-san, this is Ueno Mikoto, Adzuki in Full Bloom. My other father," Shiori said, gesturing at him.
"Oh yeah, Hachiro-sama told me about you that, er, that one day," Miyako said. Er, you don't really look like I thought a dessert chef would, she kept to herself as she took in his aloof appearance. "Desserts huh? Sounds like a lot of fun!" she said instead.
"Well, it is on a good day," Mikoto muttered. "Y'know, Hachiro and Shiori told me about you. Heh, you're already annoying as they said you were."
As Miyako twitched at that, Hachiro bit his lower lip then came in to say, "Ah, Mikoto's just messing around, aren't ya? He's always been like that. Don't worry, no harm meant."
Shiori meanwhile sighed at her second Dad, before she pulled out a present and handed it to Koyomi with a deep bow. "I had to get my new favourite author something, I just wasn't sure what. So, er, I hope this is okay," she said. Shiori's voice did sound like a younger Hibiki, now Miyako thought of it. Of course, Hibiki was a versatile enough voice actress that lots of people would sound like her, or the other way around.
Unwrapping the gift, Koyomi found herself with a copy of Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther. A book Miyako remembered Koyomi had already read, but regardless, Koyomi gave a modest smile back and said a simple, "Thank you."
"Oh yes, here," Emi then said, as she suddenly pulled out a large, patchwork stuffed animal of no determinate species, a horn up there, a hoof down there, a wing over there. "You've done so much to me, yet I still hadn't gotten you a present. So here, I won this in the arcade, just for you!"
Would've been cool if you'd drawn or written something, Miyako couldn't help thinking, though kept quiet.
Yumemi had to ruin it again as she prodded, "Oh, so is this the sort of woman you're into now, Koyomi? More subservient, less confident, hmm?"
Less authoritarian, Koyomi was about to hiss. But she worried if that word would still describe Emi, still recovering from her workplace and that cult, even if she was on the following end compared to Yumemi. Emi's own reaction to Yumemi's words was just to step back.
Fortunately, no better a distraction arrived than Maimi. Or not so fortunately, as she flapped her way over and dove headfirst into that cake, icing flying everywhere. "Oh c'mon, is this the thanks I get?" Mikoto exclaimed.
"Maimi, no! I shouldn't need to still tell you; you can't have human food!" Koyomi grunted as she tried to restrain Maimi. Yumemi was already jotting down notes, a bemused look on her face.
At first, Miyako was content to lick the icing off her face, but then both she and Emi saw something. Shiori's long bangs had been pushed back by the flapping of Maimi's wings, and they could see why she grew them out. For where one side of her face should've been, there was a miniature forest of vines growing out from her eye. Like the plants that grew inside Hanazakari except… different. Wrong.
Guilt on her mind, Miyako looked away again. But between Shiori's strange half-face and everything with that phantom sword, things were getting suspicious again. As a budding reporter Miyako should've been all over this, but instead, she just felt a spinal chill.
Well, Miyako and Kazuya probably can use someone to keep an eye on them. Here's hoping Reiji is up for the part without being too nosy about it.
Meanwhile, Koyomi is having a very awkward birthday. To the point the swan diving the cake might have been on the more pleasant side... that might just be the entertainment for me as a reader. Any future invitation from Hachiro are under even stricter scrutiny of potential Yumemi involvement. (Which isn't really a bad thing for me, but I'm sure Koyomi disagrees.)
And I guess I should say something about Shiori showing some signs of being half plant person, but after her biological parentage being teased, that checks out.
Taking Miyako aside, Kazuya then whispered to her, "If love's a good emotion, then… why is Reiji getting this way? He's never been like this around me before."
"Well, er," Miyako began, then making extra sure Reiji wasn't hearing, though her side-glances may have got him suspecting, she whispered back, "It's 'cause love's such a good emotion that people feel another emotion around it, jealousy. Don't worry Kazuya-kun, since Reiji-kun's your friend, he'll be over this sorta thing quick." Not that she could quite tell which of them Reiji was jealous of. Then in a desperate attempt to make Kazuya feel better, she said, "Besides, it can be fun to make people jealous, er, sometimes."
The answer that wouldn't have sent up red flags would be that because love involves such a great degree of closeness and vulnerability, people naturally fear that they (or someone they care about) could be taken advantage of - that infatuation is being confused with love, or that their partner will end up abusing that closeness, etc.
"Other people are just jealous of our love~" is the kind of thing you usually hear from 20-something scumbags trying to sleep with teenagers.
Shiori's long bangs had been pushed back by the flapping of Maimi's wings, and they could see why she grew them out. For where one side of her face should've been, there was a miniature forest of vines growing out from her eye. Like the plants that grew inside Hanazakari except… different.
The obvious implication would be that it's a consequence of her being a child of Hanazakari. We don't really know the circumstances of her conception - surrogacy, intercourse between the two after one had transitioned but before the other had, etc, etc - though, which makes it significantly harder to guess at what this might mean.
Mostly makes me remember an idea from a sci-fi nature mockumentary called South Scrimshaw, where the species which gets central focus - the Brillo whale - has evolved to be highly dependent on symbiotic relationships with other organisms in order to survive.
One of the common symbiosis strategies is for a young whale to encourage plants of various kinds to take root in their outermost layer of blubber (which is exceedingly thick, to help it serve precisely this sort of purpose). Optimally, the outcome is that the whale provides the plants with protection from predators and allows their seeds/shoots/etc to propagate over vast distances as the whale travels, and in exchange the plants act as a passive source of supplementary nutrition by sharing some of their sugars with the whale*.
Things can become infinitely more complicated than that, obviously. We see examples of how these 'gardens' tend to become their own little ecosystems over time, with various kinds of sealife showing up to snack on the plants and then being allowed to stay because they also eat parasites, or nest in the foliage in exchange for helping protect the whale from predators, etc, etc.
Much of a Brillo whale's life is taken up by the work necessary to keep their personal web of symbiotic interactions in good order, because failing to do so can kill them just as effectively as any external predator.
There are also sacrifices involved - for example, Brillos which cultivate plant symbionts lose the option of venturing into the deep sea to hunt, because the plants need at least some amount of sunlight to stay healthy.
Carnival Masks now over, my overall idea for this Arc was it'd be one where there was no threat, but Koyomi naturally would be constantly suspicious there was one. That didn't quite pan out what with the phantom sword, though even that was dealt with in less than a single post.
Another bit of trivia is Carnival Masks got moved up early in the Arc slots after the reception Fountain of Youth got. I figured a return to Fool Bloom's roots (NPI) was needed after that arc, even if it does kinda contrast with Blue Lotus establishing himself as more of a threat at its end
Integration and Corporate Entrepreneurship All a 'human' needs is a mountain of confidence, the right skin and a briefcase that holds all the answers. Three simple things that will arouse the two most fundamental emotions these creatures can have greed and fear.
These emotions function like smoke for lesser species. With some seeing the smoke being attracted to the possibility of carrion and others fleeing from the danger of the fire it conceals. "Sato" Mused that it was was fitting how his favorite humans tended to show off their status by surrounding themselves with the smoke from their expensive cigars. Those are the apes that can easily be deluded into thinking that their status would make them different in the eyes of the Great Frost Fair
Sato pulled out a cigar and offered it to the last year he had been working towards for the last year, the CEO of a certain Zaibatsu. The man was little more than a vessel for desperation which was barely held in check by years of practice and nicotine.
"It's an honor that Endou-sama is extending his trust in me to present you with this opportunity." He said bowing to the pawn that got him in, "The hard times for our company have been felt by everyone, but I think that this will change our future."
Sato slowly opened the briefcase while allowing himself a grin.
Soon the apes will eat out of his hands.
And he will be one step closer to the title of Frost King.
18 Years later
A familiar voice spoke up from behind him "Father."
Sato closed looked up from the contents of his favorite briefcase and turned from his desk to the splintered wall which had given way to a white figure in a purple dress with glistering silver on the base of her shoes with one of her legs lifted as if ready to deliver a kick. "Kokono? Your grandfather was not amused when the weeds had taken you and my wife from me. Have you come to join your dear old dad?"
"No father, It is my duty as your daughter and as Star Lotus to undo your crimes. You've always been there for me. We have this place surrounded father. Please surrender." She lowered lowering her foot and dismissed the silver flame, "The only reason RUNE hasn't killed you yet is because I still am the only one who believes that there is something good in you."
"I thought I taught you better than that," Sato started laughing as he dropped his disguise and calling up a ball of magic in his hand, "Only a fool lowers their weapon in front of their opponent."
He had never killed one of his own children before, maybe this could get him to feel something of his own again.
No matter how much greed or fear he called up, he couldn't get himself to move, he couldn't get himself to.
"Why?" Sato asked as he lowered his arms as everything seemed to become less important from his internal struggle.
"Because you need to pay for your crimes, dad." His daughter answered with a guilty look on her face.
Sato couldn't care less.
You wouldn't believe it, but I made this Omake in order to be able to make some minor edits I was talking about earlier here;
I think that I could try to make a more cannon version, if you want. Still a civilian front, but having one of the mega corps be his source of income shouldn't change that much. It might take some time though, I'm not a very fast writer.
Honestly, as of now I'm gonna get rid of the canon/non-canon distinction for omakes, it never really gelled with me and made me feel like I was putting down certain entries. The distinction was mostly there to prevent EXP overflow, but we haven't been getting enough omakes for that to be a problem.
So from now on, all omake side-stories are getting 100xp, unless we start getting too many of them in which case I'll lower it to 50xp.
But anyway @WallFlower where would you like to allocate your 100xp?
