Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
[x] Debrief the Forwards and explain about the night-demons.
- [x] Then head back to the mansion.
- [x] Then head back to the mansion.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Home Again, Home Again
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Decline to debrief the Forwards and see if Megane is done with Cinque.
- [X] Then head back to the mansion.
You lean against Lulu as you consider Shari's question, then poke Lulu with your wing. She jumps and squeaks, then makes a face at you, and you shake your head. "Sorry, Shari, but you'll have to do it without me. Ilya and I can't stay too long, and we still have to see someone." Ilya curtsies gracefully as Shari nods, sighing.
"It was quite interesting, Meister Finieno. Maybe I'll be able to play with it sometime." Shari grins, but once you're all turned away - except one of your clones - she shakes her head. Then she notices your clone looking at her and smiles nervously while waving her hands in that 'please don't slaughter my village' way some people do. She's cute, so you decide to leave her village alone, and your clone catches up to the rest of you. When you get back to the cafeteria, though, Megane still hasn't joined the party, and Lulu's happiness fades to sadness. Agito, sitting just with Zest now, waves you over.
"Aw, Lulu! What's wrong?" You pat Lulu's head as the three of you take the free seats.
"Flan and Ilya have to go back soon, but Mama's still with Cinque and I don't want to bother them …." You nod.
"We can stay a bit longer, but Remilia did say to not be too long, and if Megane's helping Cinque, I don't think it's a - what?" Zest, Agito, and Lulu are all giving you odd looks. "Everyone said Cinque wasn't feeling well, right?" Zest looks away embarrassedly, Agito turns a furious look on Nove and Wendi - who both look surprised and then more than a little worried - and Lulu looks like she can't decide whether to laugh or to cry and starts shaking her head. You and Ilya look at each other, and she shrugs. Okay, so you were lied to … why? Zest finally clears his throat.
"Eight years ago, Cinque was one of the Combat Cyborgs that attacked A- Megane's unit and almost killed her. Cinque hasn't been able to make herself meet Megane due to her guilt." His voice is quiet, and a certain image comes to mind: a certain photograph Marino showed you, a picture that included Zest and Megane. You tilt your head slightly and narrow your eyes at the knight, but he simply stares back at you, unperturbed. Before you decide whether or not to say anything, however, the cafeteria door crashes open, and Megane leads a crimson-blushing Cinque into the room.
"Mama!" Lulu dashes through the room, knocking her own chair over, and tackles her mother. Megane smiles and steadies Lulu as almost everyone smiles and returns to their food, drinks, and conversation. You, of course, watch Cinque, whose face only seems to be getting redder, especially once she looks over and sees you watching her.
"See, Ilya? She looks a bit like you, but you're cuter." Ilya giggles and lunges forward to lean over your shoulder - a technique that works quite well when used on Berserker, but not so well on someone the same size as her. You're pretty sure you look kind of silly. You wag a finger for Cinque to approach your table, and she sighs before heading toward you, followed momentarily by Lulu and Megane. "... You still look a little red, Cinque. Are you sure you're well enough to be out of bed?" Which has the desired effect on Cinque, and Megane reaches over to whap you on the head.
"Flandre, be nice." You nod and smile naturally at Cinque, who finally starts to calm down, and a wing reaches down to right Lulu's chair as she and Megane slide into the wall seat with Zest. Cinque sits hesitantly, her eyes flicking between you and Ilya. "Cinque, this is Illyasviel von Einzbern, and she's a friend of Lulu's as well as Flan's. Ilya, this is Cinque." Cinque nods briefly and murmurs a polite hello, while Ilya somehow manages to curtsy while half-draped over your shoulder. You'll have to practice that ….
"Ah, Mama, Ilya's having a birthday in a few weeks! Do you think we'll be able to take them somewhere?" Megane eyes Ilya thoughtfully as you smile at Lulu.
"Yes, you'll have to show us your new friends, too!" She blushes at your gentle teasing, of course.
"How - no, you'll still be under twenty, right?" You blink at Megane, confused at the odd question, and Ilya nods uncertainly.
"Yes, I'll be … either eighteen or nineteen. We haven't worked out the calendar differences yet." Her voice holds the unasked question of why as Megane stares into space thoughtfully - but before you can ask explicitly she nods and leans back and tousles Lulu's hair.
"There's … something that you and Lu might be able to participate in together. If it's still being held, and they don't change the requirements too much. If you're interested …?" Ilya looks at her blankly for a moment, then shakes herself and nods excitedly. Lulu claps her hands energetically and grins, and Megane sighs happily. "Good, I'll start looking into it. I should have more information when you come by for your birthday." You play with Ilya's hair, and she stretches your cheeks. Unable to lick her fingers without involving your clones, you pursue the next most reasonable option: reaching over to stretch Cinque's cheeks. Megane laughs, although it takes Cinque a little too long to realize that she's suppose to pass it on to Lulu. Once that happens, however, Lulu catches her mother, and Megane gets Zest … although he tries to simply endure it stoically, at least until Agito simply moves out of the way and lets everyone in to take pictures. That is too much for him, and he shakes his head desperately before covering his face. The chain broken, the rest of you release each other, and Megane pats Zest's shoulder contritely. You nod back toward Nove and Wendi, and Cinque nods, gently pulling Lulu with her to leave the two in a semblance of privacy. Nove and Wendi are even quite polite, if a bit nervous, for the short time you spend with them.
But, soon enough, it's time to leave, and you make your farewells before heading back to the entry to go back home. You and Ilya turn and wave one last time to Lulu and Megane, and then you pass through the portal. You return to the library, but something is quite different - the world is tinted red, and there's a strange liquid over the entire floor that you can see. Patchouli and Remilia stand in front of you, within a complicated series of magic circles, and Ilya clutches your wrist. "Please don't fight her, Illyasviel," Patchouli says quietly, and Ilya nods … and something happens over the course of several long minutes. Finally, the colors return to normal, the liquid on the floor is burned away, Ilya collapses against you, and Remilia slumps but doesn't fall. "Remi?" Your sister waves her hand dismissively before looking at Ilya.
"Can you feel anything different?" You glower at Remilia - she could have warned you and Ilya! - but Ilya just shakes her head, and Remilia frowns.
"Nothing feels … different. Just - sleepy … better." She yawns and stretches against you, and she smiles gently. Remilia nods, and you notice that her wings are drooping, but not hanging like you'd expect them to be if she just did something truly grand ….
"Flandre, take her to your room and get some rest for now. I need to see if I can detect any changes yet, or if we will have to try something else. I will see you tomorrow." You nod, still unhappy with her arbitrary timing, and she dissolves into a swarm of bats as you gently pick up Ilya. Patchouli doesn't say anything, or move at all, and you fly to your room. Remilia may have been very high-handed, but of course you aren't going to just make Ilya sleep alone somewhere after something like that! You will have to remember to get some of her clothes to keep in here, though, since your clothes aren't a very good fit. Ilya is asleep before you finish getting her changed, and once you get into bed you, too, fall asleep quickly - but only lightly ….
- [X] Then head back to the mansion.
You lean against Lulu as you consider Shari's question, then poke Lulu with your wing. She jumps and squeaks, then makes a face at you, and you shake your head. "Sorry, Shari, but you'll have to do it without me. Ilya and I can't stay too long, and we still have to see someone." Ilya curtsies gracefully as Shari nods, sighing.
"It was quite interesting, Meister Finieno. Maybe I'll be able to play with it sometime." Shari grins, but once you're all turned away - except one of your clones - she shakes her head. Then she notices your clone looking at her and smiles nervously while waving her hands in that 'please don't slaughter my village' way some people do. She's cute, so you decide to leave her village alone, and your clone catches up to the rest of you. When you get back to the cafeteria, though, Megane still hasn't joined the party, and Lulu's happiness fades to sadness. Agito, sitting just with Zest now, waves you over.
"Aw, Lulu! What's wrong?" You pat Lulu's head as the three of you take the free seats.
"Flan and Ilya have to go back soon, but Mama's still with Cinque and I don't want to bother them …." You nod.
"We can stay a bit longer, but Remilia did say to not be too long, and if Megane's helping Cinque, I don't think it's a - what?" Zest, Agito, and Lulu are all giving you odd looks. "Everyone said Cinque wasn't feeling well, right?" Zest looks away embarrassedly, Agito turns a furious look on Nove and Wendi - who both look surprised and then more than a little worried - and Lulu looks like she can't decide whether to laugh or to cry and starts shaking her head. You and Ilya look at each other, and she shrugs. Okay, so you were lied to … why? Zest finally clears his throat.
"Eight years ago, Cinque was one of the Combat Cyborgs that attacked A- Megane's unit and almost killed her. Cinque hasn't been able to make herself meet Megane due to her guilt." His voice is quiet, and a certain image comes to mind: a certain photograph Marino showed you, a picture that included Zest and Megane. You tilt your head slightly and narrow your eyes at the knight, but he simply stares back at you, unperturbed. Before you decide whether or not to say anything, however, the cafeteria door crashes open, and Megane leads a crimson-blushing Cinque into the room.
"Mama!" Lulu dashes through the room, knocking her own chair over, and tackles her mother. Megane smiles and steadies Lulu as almost everyone smiles and returns to their food, drinks, and conversation. You, of course, watch Cinque, whose face only seems to be getting redder, especially once she looks over and sees you watching her.
"See, Ilya? She looks a bit like you, but you're cuter." Ilya giggles and lunges forward to lean over your shoulder - a technique that works quite well when used on Berserker, but not so well on someone the same size as her. You're pretty sure you look kind of silly. You wag a finger for Cinque to approach your table, and she sighs before heading toward you, followed momentarily by Lulu and Megane. "... You still look a little red, Cinque. Are you sure you're well enough to be out of bed?" Which has the desired effect on Cinque, and Megane reaches over to whap you on the head.
"Flandre, be nice." You nod and smile naturally at Cinque, who finally starts to calm down, and a wing reaches down to right Lulu's chair as she and Megane slide into the wall seat with Zest. Cinque sits hesitantly, her eyes flicking between you and Ilya. "Cinque, this is Illyasviel von Einzbern, and she's a friend of Lulu's as well as Flan's. Ilya, this is Cinque." Cinque nods briefly and murmurs a polite hello, while Ilya somehow manages to curtsy while half-draped over your shoulder. You'll have to practice that ….
"Ah, Mama, Ilya's having a birthday in a few weeks! Do you think we'll be able to take them somewhere?" Megane eyes Ilya thoughtfully as you smile at Lulu.
"Yes, you'll have to show us your new friends, too!" She blushes at your gentle teasing, of course.
"How - no, you'll still be under twenty, right?" You blink at Megane, confused at the odd question, and Ilya nods uncertainly.
"Yes, I'll be … either eighteen or nineteen. We haven't worked out the calendar differences yet." Her voice holds the unasked question of why as Megane stares into space thoughtfully - but before you can ask explicitly she nods and leans back and tousles Lulu's hair.
"There's … something that you and Lu might be able to participate in together. If it's still being held, and they don't change the requirements too much. If you're interested …?" Ilya looks at her blankly for a moment, then shakes herself and nods excitedly. Lulu claps her hands energetically and grins, and Megane sighs happily. "Good, I'll start looking into it. I should have more information when you come by for your birthday." You play with Ilya's hair, and she stretches your cheeks. Unable to lick her fingers without involving your clones, you pursue the next most reasonable option: reaching over to stretch Cinque's cheeks. Megane laughs, although it takes Cinque a little too long to realize that she's suppose to pass it on to Lulu. Once that happens, however, Lulu catches her mother, and Megane gets Zest … although he tries to simply endure it stoically, at least until Agito simply moves out of the way and lets everyone in to take pictures. That is too much for him, and he shakes his head desperately before covering his face. The chain broken, the rest of you release each other, and Megane pats Zest's shoulder contritely. You nod back toward Nove and Wendi, and Cinque nods, gently pulling Lulu with her to leave the two in a semblance of privacy. Nove and Wendi are even quite polite, if a bit nervous, for the short time you spend with them.
But, soon enough, it's time to leave, and you make your farewells before heading back to the entry to go back home. You and Ilya turn and wave one last time to Lulu and Megane, and then you pass through the portal. You return to the library, but something is quite different - the world is tinted red, and there's a strange liquid over the entire floor that you can see. Patchouli and Remilia stand in front of you, within a complicated series of magic circles, and Ilya clutches your wrist. "Please don't fight her, Illyasviel," Patchouli says quietly, and Ilya nods … and something happens over the course of several long minutes. Finally, the colors return to normal, the liquid on the floor is burned away, Ilya collapses against you, and Remilia slumps but doesn't fall. "Remi?" Your sister waves her hand dismissively before looking at Ilya.
"Can you feel anything different?" You glower at Remilia - she could have warned you and Ilya! - but Ilya just shakes her head, and Remilia frowns.
"Nothing feels … different. Just - sleepy … better." She yawns and stretches against you, and she smiles gently. Remilia nods, and you notice that her wings are drooping, but not hanging like you'd expect them to be if she just did something truly grand ….
"Flandre, take her to your room and get some rest for now. I need to see if I can detect any changes yet, or if we will have to try something else. I will see you tomorrow." You nod, still unhappy with her arbitrary timing, and she dissolves into a swarm of bats as you gently pick up Ilya. Patchouli doesn't say anything, or move at all, and you fly to your room. Remilia may have been very high-handed, but of course you aren't going to just make Ilya sleep alone somewhere after something like that! You will have to remember to get some of her clothes to keep in here, though, since your clothes aren't a very good fit. Ilya is asleep before you finish getting her changed, and once you get into bed you, too, fall asleep quickly - but only lightly ….
"Flan?" Your eyes open instantly and you look into Ilya's eyes. "Don't be too angry with her, okay?" You pout … but if she's asking you that, then she probably at least had an idea of what was going on. Still -
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ilya smiles and leans forward to hug you.
"Remilia said it would work better if you didn't know. That you would want to protect me, so if something did go wrong, your power would serve as a buffer against hers - but that if you knew what was supposed to happen, that you would think she was doing everything right and nothing would go wrong." Your mouth twists wryly; that's certainly a very accurate assessment of you, and it is hard to imagine Remilia getting something important wrong ….
"So that was to help you live longer, right?" Ilya nods.
"I … I don't know how long I want. She said she can't make me immortal - I'd have to talk to Patchouli about becoming a magician for that - but that centuries should be easy if she can see me every forty or fifty years, and that's mainly because of how my nature interacts with the world. I just …." You squeeze her and pat her head.
"It's fine, Ilya. If you have time to think about it, to decide what you want, that's good enough for now." She nods into your shoulder, and you stay that way for several minutes before she pulls away, smiling brightly.
"So, what should we do today?"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Ilya smiles and leans forward to hug you.
"Remilia said it would work better if you didn't know. That you would want to protect me, so if something did go wrong, your power would serve as a buffer against hers - but that if you knew what was supposed to happen, that you would think she was doing everything right and nothing would go wrong." Your mouth twists wryly; that's certainly a very accurate assessment of you, and it is hard to imagine Remilia getting something important wrong ….
"So that was to help you live longer, right?" Ilya nods.
"I … I don't know how long I want. She said she can't make me immortal - I'd have to talk to Patchouli about becoming a magician for that - but that centuries should be easy if she can see me every forty or fifty years, and that's mainly because of how my nature interacts with the world. I just …." You squeeze her and pat her head.
"It's fine, Ilya. If you have time to think about it, to decide what you want, that's good enough for now." She nods into your shoulder, and you stay that way for several minutes before she pulls away, smiling brightly.
"So, what should we do today?"
DM Note: No, that's not a typo, and the quest isn't over yet. Since there isn't a vote, however, is there anything else that people want to see in-quest, as opposed to just being answered?
Alright, here's one idea, provided you asked with possibility of timeskips and not just in the immediate wiht those two. In the visit, it's quite easy to get why Marisa was picked ot visit instead of Alice given Rin, but it's still a shame we did not get to see much more of Alice and her craft. And maybe how you imagine some would see her dollcraft. But if what Megane brought up is what I think it is, well, Alice could possibly be around to help maintain Ilya's artificial limbs and thus we get a nice show of her dollcraft compared to how Midchilda do prosthesis implants.
Happy Ending
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Remilia watched her sister as she stalked through the library. Flandre was with Illyasviel, of course, testing her with a logic puzzle. They would need to slow down soon, probably - but for now, she simply needed to know where they were, and with that knowledge she was able to walk up two flights of stairs and move across the mansion in a mere two steps. Useful, but not as fun as flying … but right now, she needed to do it, and not procrastinate any more. Flandre noticed her presence first, of course, but of the physically present, it was Satsuki who noticed her second. The girl was truly exceptional, and she wished she had more information on her. Oh, well. "Good morning, Flandre." Her sister nodded, Illyasviel inclined her head, and the servants bowed.
"Good morning, Remilia. Breakfast already?" Remilia shook her head and kept her expression blank.
"Actually, I wished to ask you to accompany me somewhere. We would be gone some time - most of the day, at least." Flandre's eyes widened slightly and she cocked her head to the side for a moment before glancing at her friend, and Remilia shut away the pain, how it hurt that this time, her sister felt she had to have her friend's consent - but the young magician simply pushed the vampire toward her sister.
"Go on, Flan! Really!" Flandre giggled and smiled hesitantly at her sister; Remilia nodded once, allowed a slight smile to cross her lips, and Flandre nodded.
"Okay. We'll be back, Ilya. Satsuki, if we're not back tonight, see if Meiling wants any help, okay?" The junior vampire bowed, and Flandre waved for her sister to lead the way. "… Where are we going, anyway?" She had noticed the general path they were taking - down to the library - and was curious about her sister's somewhat odd behavior.
"A special place, for us," was the cryptic reply, and Remilia fumed inwardly - not at her sister's question, but at her own cowardice. Was it really so difficult a thing to say? But Flandre, if she took offense, did not show it, merely squinting suspiciously at her sister and grinning. As they reached the stairs leading into the library, she pounced on her sister's back. No surprise was achieved, of course, but Remilia played the part well, and they tumbled until they reached the floor - with the elder-for-convenience's-sake sister on top. Finally, she truly smiled at the defeated pout, and gently tapped her sister's nose. "It will not be long, Flandre." She rose, pulling her sister with her, and whimsically embraced her before dissolving them into swarms of bats. For how short a distance they needed to go, it was a pointless change, but the feel of her many bodies flying so close to her sister's bodies, the occasional dance between individual bats - it felt good, and she could relax as she viewed the world through hundreds of pairs of eyes.
They reached the portal area, passing seamlessly through the defenses and protections, and landed before a single portal. Remilia awakened it, but this portal did not lead to a fanciful world of monsters or magic, of high technology or godlike beings … not anymore. Flandre frowned at the mundane sight of a sleepy, somewhat modern village at night, and gave her sister another curious glance, but again Remilia had locked away any visible signs of emotion. She merely held a hand out to her sister, and they passed together across the borders of reality. And when they stood atop a grocery store, they looked up, feeling once again the intensity of their own home moon. "This is …!" Flandre's eyes widened as she took in the language on the signs, the feel of the air, and Remilia nodded.
"Yes. This is …." She turned and her eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of the beginnings of a construction yard across the road. "It seems I shall have to more directly prevent them from such desecration," she said, her voice cold and harsh - but then she shook herself, and her voice was once again full of warmth. "Later, however. Come, Flandre." She flew across the road, ignored by the lone human walking nearby, and her sister landed next to her as a portion of the land wavered. Remilia led her sister into the earth, into an unnatural cavern that had been raised over a lonely and forgotten cemetery, and Flandre exhaled, then swallowed nervously. Her sister paced through the headstones and crosses, touching some and smiling at others, until she finally found a certain spot, where she sat down in the dirt and patted the ground beside her. Flandre slowly, warily, approached her sister and sat down in the place of her oldest memory. "… We're very different, aren't we, Flandre?" She looked down, away from her sister, and held her knees as a certain fear crept over her, and nodded slowly. Remilia took a deep breath. "Yes, we are. So … very different. And that is why I have hurt you so much." Flandre jerked up and faced her sister with wide eyes, shaking her head wildly.
"No! No, you didn't! It - it was me, I hurt you, I -!" Her voice failed her, and even as tears flowed from her eyes Remilia pulled her close. Heads touching, one crying and one calm, the sisters held each other.
"… Flandre. My dear sister. Did that not cause you pain? Does that memory not hurt you?" Flandre sniffed and buried her face in her sister's shoulder. "We are very different. And … Flandre." She gently and carefully held her sister away, held her upright, and looked at her. She knew what her sister thought was coming - repudiation, punishment, retaliation. Her dear sister …. "Flandre. A long time ago, you did something terrible. And, because we are different, we reacted differently. We faced our problems differently, buried them differently … and because we are different, we faced away from each other. Let us now … face each other." Flandre quivered, lips trembling helplessly against her sister's complete calmness. "A long time ago, you did something terrible. And I … I did nothing. I pretended it had not happened. That was because I was afraid of losing you, my sister - that if I had acknowledged it, then there must have been difficulties between us. I thought that if I ignored it, avoided it, we could bypass those difficulties. But you … my dear sister, you wished for its acknowledgement, didn't you? You wanted me to say something, to chastise you for your sin, and when I did not - you thought that I was simply forgiving you, because you are my sister and I love you." Flandre pushed away her sister's arms and dove forward, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing her, burying her face against Remilia's chest. Remilia began stroking her sister's golden hair. "You are my sister, Flandre, and I love you. And I have hurt you, so very much, by not acknowledging what happened, by not forgiving you. That is … Flandre, after all this time, let me say it clearly: I do not, nor did I ever, believe that anything you had done needed to be forgiven."
"… So … now we …?" Remilia sat behind her sister in the dirt, cleaning and combing out her hair.
"No, Flan. We don't forget it. We remember it, and the mistakes we made, and we keep going forward. We don't start over, but we do start again." Flandre sat quietly for a moment.
"Remi? … Can we keep doing etiquette lessons?" Her sister chuckled.
"Of course, Flan. What was the last one we did?"
"Good morning, Remilia. Breakfast already?" Remilia shook her head and kept her expression blank.
"Actually, I wished to ask you to accompany me somewhere. We would be gone some time - most of the day, at least." Flandre's eyes widened slightly and she cocked her head to the side for a moment before glancing at her friend, and Remilia shut away the pain, how it hurt that this time, her sister felt she had to have her friend's consent - but the young magician simply pushed the vampire toward her sister.
"Go on, Flan! Really!" Flandre giggled and smiled hesitantly at her sister; Remilia nodded once, allowed a slight smile to cross her lips, and Flandre nodded.
"Okay. We'll be back, Ilya. Satsuki, if we're not back tonight, see if Meiling wants any help, okay?" The junior vampire bowed, and Flandre waved for her sister to lead the way. "… Where are we going, anyway?" She had noticed the general path they were taking - down to the library - and was curious about her sister's somewhat odd behavior.
"A special place, for us," was the cryptic reply, and Remilia fumed inwardly - not at her sister's question, but at her own cowardice. Was it really so difficult a thing to say? But Flandre, if she took offense, did not show it, merely squinting suspiciously at her sister and grinning. As they reached the stairs leading into the library, she pounced on her sister's back. No surprise was achieved, of course, but Remilia played the part well, and they tumbled until they reached the floor - with the elder-for-convenience's-sake sister on top. Finally, she truly smiled at the defeated pout, and gently tapped her sister's nose. "It will not be long, Flandre." She rose, pulling her sister with her, and whimsically embraced her before dissolving them into swarms of bats. For how short a distance they needed to go, it was a pointless change, but the feel of her many bodies flying so close to her sister's bodies, the occasional dance between individual bats - it felt good, and she could relax as she viewed the world through hundreds of pairs of eyes.
They reached the portal area, passing seamlessly through the defenses and protections, and landed before a single portal. Remilia awakened it, but this portal did not lead to a fanciful world of monsters or magic, of high technology or godlike beings … not anymore. Flandre frowned at the mundane sight of a sleepy, somewhat modern village at night, and gave her sister another curious glance, but again Remilia had locked away any visible signs of emotion. She merely held a hand out to her sister, and they passed together across the borders of reality. And when they stood atop a grocery store, they looked up, feeling once again the intensity of their own home moon. "This is …!" Flandre's eyes widened as she took in the language on the signs, the feel of the air, and Remilia nodded.
"Yes. This is …." She turned and her eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of the beginnings of a construction yard across the road. "It seems I shall have to more directly prevent them from such desecration," she said, her voice cold and harsh - but then she shook herself, and her voice was once again full of warmth. "Later, however. Come, Flandre." She flew across the road, ignored by the lone human walking nearby, and her sister landed next to her as a portion of the land wavered. Remilia led her sister into the earth, into an unnatural cavern that had been raised over a lonely and forgotten cemetery, and Flandre exhaled, then swallowed nervously. Her sister paced through the headstones and crosses, touching some and smiling at others, until she finally found a certain spot, where she sat down in the dirt and patted the ground beside her. Flandre slowly, warily, approached her sister and sat down in the place of her oldest memory. "… We're very different, aren't we, Flandre?" She looked down, away from her sister, and held her knees as a certain fear crept over her, and nodded slowly. Remilia took a deep breath. "Yes, we are. So … very different. And that is why I have hurt you so much." Flandre jerked up and faced her sister with wide eyes, shaking her head wildly.
"No! No, you didn't! It - it was me, I hurt you, I -!" Her voice failed her, and even as tears flowed from her eyes Remilia pulled her close. Heads touching, one crying and one calm, the sisters held each other.
"… Flandre. My dear sister. Did that not cause you pain? Does that memory not hurt you?" Flandre sniffed and buried her face in her sister's shoulder. "We are very different. And … Flandre." She gently and carefully held her sister away, held her upright, and looked at her. She knew what her sister thought was coming - repudiation, punishment, retaliation. Her dear sister …. "Flandre. A long time ago, you did something terrible. And, because we are different, we reacted differently. We faced our problems differently, buried them differently … and because we are different, we faced away from each other. Let us now … face each other." Flandre quivered, lips trembling helplessly against her sister's complete calmness. "A long time ago, you did something terrible. And I … I did nothing. I pretended it had not happened. That was because I was afraid of losing you, my sister - that if I had acknowledged it, then there must have been difficulties between us. I thought that if I ignored it, avoided it, we could bypass those difficulties. But you … my dear sister, you wished for its acknowledgement, didn't you? You wanted me to say something, to chastise you for your sin, and when I did not - you thought that I was simply forgiving you, because you are my sister and I love you." Flandre pushed away her sister's arms and dove forward, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing her, burying her face against Remilia's chest. Remilia began stroking her sister's golden hair. "You are my sister, Flandre, and I love you. And I have hurt you, so very much, by not acknowledging what happened, by not forgiving you. That is … Flandre, after all this time, let me say it clearly: I do not, nor did I ever, believe that anything you had done needed to be forgiven."
"… So … now we …?" Remilia sat behind her sister in the dirt, cleaning and combing out her hair.
"No, Flan. We don't forget it. We remember it, and the mistakes we made, and we keep going forward. We don't start over, but we do start again." Flandre sat quietly for a moment.
"Remi? … Can we keep doing etiquette lessons?" Her sister chuckled.
"Of course, Flan. What was the last one we did?"
Because it needed to happen.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
That is rather later than I'd intended to keep the thread going (and a description of my view of Alice's current dollcraft wouldn't be too difficult to just explain). I don't actually intend
to even go as far as Ilya's birthday, really. There's ... one thing that'll be coming up after next update, which should take 1-3 updates unless something changes, and ... I dunno, Candeloro might take another update or two?
And then it's done. Flan and Ilya and Lulu and the others will continue doing things, but the Quest should be wrapping up.
Hey, you wanted to ask us what we would like to see. This is what I had in mind. It doesn't have to be that far away then, I just believed it seemed convenient an excuse for it to happen.
But if we're restricted to Gensokyo and current cast here, then I'm drawing a blank for now.
Title Goes Here
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
You sway from side to side with Ilya on your lap as you look down from the shelf. Illyasviel and Leysritt are dueling, with Illyasviel using that huge axe Remilia had when you all came back here and Leysritt using her own weapon. Illyasviel seems to demonstrate greater skill, despite never having used the weapon before, but Leysritt has the stature and mass to use it more effectively, and is currently winning. "Alright, Ilya, time for your practice!" Ilya sighs and tries to pick at your fingers, laced across her stomach.
"Flan … I've never tried it with two people, and this is a completely different spell, and we're a bit high up …." You giggle and nuzzle her cheek.
"Well, I can catch you if you start losing concentration because you have a slight susceptibility to tickling." She squirms around to pout at you and you kiss her cheek. "Come on, we told Patchouli you'd work on it, right?" She sighs and faces forward again, and you scoot her back so you can hug her more securely. Finally, she sighs again and focuses on the far bookshelf. Red patterns appear on her skin and glow faintly, but you can't hear anything. Almost a minute after the patterns emerge, she finally starts rising into the air - clumsily, and without you, although your grip means she pulls you up as well. She halts, not even a meter over the top of the shelf, and grips your elbows with trembling hands, and the magic supports you as well. You float up, almost a meter more, and then Ilya starts flying you to the bookshelf on the other side. You understand Koakuma's description as 'dog paddling' - it's slow and jerky, clumsy, and Ilya hunches her shoulders ever so slightly. Too bad you can't snuggle her right now …. Halfway across, however, she shudders and dips, and you do catch her and fly under your own power.
"… I'm sorry, Flan." You pat her head.
"It's fine, Ilya. This is why you're practicing, right? So you can work on magic and learn how it feels. And it's better to have someone who can make sure nothing bad happens if something goes wrong, right?" She nods slowly and you rest your chin on her shoulder. "Do you want to fly again, or should I take us to the other side and you can try some simple flight by yourself?"
"… That's not a choice, Flan," she says, whining, and you titter.
"No, it isn't. Patchouli let you get away from your lessons with her, but she did say you had to practice. So, we've had some fun and games, and now we're going to make sure you do some practicing. If we don't, Patchouli will either stop teaching you - and she is probably a better teacher than my sister - or work you harder and not let us skip lessons." Ilya sighs and nods.
"Fine, fine. Mm … carry me, then." You giggle and dance through the air, Ilya in your arms, as Illyasviel and Leysritt continue dueling below.
"Okay, this isn't fair," Illyasviel says, and you give her a look.
"I think it's perfectly fair," Ilya says, earning a scowl from the other girl. "What do you think, Leys? Fair or unfair?" The maid finishes fixing Illyasviel's hair and bows.
"Fair." Ilya grins. Kyouko gives a thumb's-up sign, her mouth currently busy with a chocolate fish of some kind. Satsuki sits next to her, somewhat nervous about sitting while you're working, but at least you didn't have to follow through on your promise to tie her up.
"Three to one, it's fair."
"Like -! Arrgh, you don't think it's fair, do you?" You shrug.
"I mean, whether or not it's fair isn't really relevant. I like feeding Ilya, and I'm rather good at cooking." You reach for a ladle and rap Kyouko's fingers as they creep across the table. "No, bad girl. You get to eat when everyone else does." The opportunistic redhead pouts for a moment, then sits up straight as you point the ladle at her. You turn back to the food - good, yummy food, bread and dumplings and everything else Ilya wanted. Everything looks alright, so your clones move the rest of the platters to the table as you sit next to Ilya. Illyasviel looks over everything in almost the same order Ilya does, and you hold back a grin as you see her restrain herself to keep from taking things before Ilya can. She is a good girl … if you teach her to cook, as well, maybe you can get a personalized apron for her: 'My arms can bend a bow of bronze; my fingers were trained to fillet.' Or would that make Kyouko upset?
"My, my - a midnight snack? And I was not invited? Flan, how could you?" You lean back over your chair at your sister's voice, and she is, for some reason, standing upside down with her feet on the top of the doorframe. You wave your hands at her, and one of your clones presents her with a fresh dumpling. She smiles and takes it gratefully, then bites into it, and you giggle at the sight of Remilia with a dumpling held in her mouth. Ilya giggles, too, and you flop upright and turn around, resting your head on Ilya's shoulder.
"Do you want to join us? There's plenty to eat, and lots of space." Of course, you know what the answer is going to be even before Remilia slowly devours half of the dumpling.
"Haa~. Unfortunately, I cannot," she says, and you nod. "I do, however, have something to ask you. Our theater is opening tomorrow, and I cannot decide on what to show. The premier viewing will be a small group - you and me, Patchouli and her familiar, Deis, Illyasviel and her servants, and possibly Sakuya - so I am presenting them with cards on which to mark their preferences." She waves her free hand, and a card flies toward you, floating in front of you until you take it. You frown at it - it doesn't name whatever she wants to show, and describes them only by definition. One with the best characters, one that's basically smut, and one that can't decide if it's depressing or uplifting. You frown at her.
"So … what are they?" But she just titters at you.
"Now, now, Flan - you know better than that!" And you do, but that doesn't stop you from sticking your tongue out at her, and she chuckles. "Anyway, as I said, the first viewing is tomorrow, so make sure to vote for the best one." She winks, curtsies, and spins, vanishing before she makes a full revolution. Illyasviel, Kyouko, and Satsuki all look at Leysritt's card, and Illyasviel starts to make a suggestion, then covers her mouth and shakes her head. Ilya taps her card against her chin, then tucks it into her sleeve so she doesn't lose it.
What do you do?
[ ] Combat practice!
[ ] Teach Satsuki maiding.
[ ] Skip to the theater
[ ] Other?
[ ] [Vote] Best characters.
[ ] [Vote] Smut.
[ ] [Vote] Indecisive.
[ ] [Vote] Vote later.
DM Note: … Slightly complicated vote structure, but I think you guys can handle it. If Skipping to the Theater and Vote Later both win, then I guess the theater will show Drive Angry. I do intend for this to be the only vote on what to watch, so … I guess if people make votes for what to watch without voting for doing something, I'll keep a manual tally of those as 'Skip to Theater' or something. :shrug:
... And copying is being weird :/ Also, turning dashes into bullet points :/
"Flan … I've never tried it with two people, and this is a completely different spell, and we're a bit high up …." You giggle and nuzzle her cheek.
"Well, I can catch you if you start losing concentration because you have a slight susceptibility to tickling." She squirms around to pout at you and you kiss her cheek. "Come on, we told Patchouli you'd work on it, right?" She sighs and faces forward again, and you scoot her back so you can hug her more securely. Finally, she sighs again and focuses on the far bookshelf. Red patterns appear on her skin and glow faintly, but you can't hear anything. Almost a minute after the patterns emerge, she finally starts rising into the air - clumsily, and without you, although your grip means she pulls you up as well. She halts, not even a meter over the top of the shelf, and grips your elbows with trembling hands, and the magic supports you as well. You float up, almost a meter more, and then Ilya starts flying you to the bookshelf on the other side. You understand Koakuma's description as 'dog paddling' - it's slow and jerky, clumsy, and Ilya hunches her shoulders ever so slightly. Too bad you can't snuggle her right now …. Halfway across, however, she shudders and dips, and you do catch her and fly under your own power.
"… I'm sorry, Flan." You pat her head.
"It's fine, Ilya. This is why you're practicing, right? So you can work on magic and learn how it feels. And it's better to have someone who can make sure nothing bad happens if something goes wrong, right?" She nods slowly and you rest your chin on her shoulder. "Do you want to fly again, or should I take us to the other side and you can try some simple flight by yourself?"
"… That's not a choice, Flan," she says, whining, and you titter.
"No, it isn't. Patchouli let you get away from your lessons with her, but she did say you had to practice. So, we've had some fun and games, and now we're going to make sure you do some practicing. If we don't, Patchouli will either stop teaching you - and she is probably a better teacher than my sister - or work you harder and not let us skip lessons." Ilya sighs and nods.
"Fine, fine. Mm … carry me, then." You giggle and dance through the air, Ilya in your arms, as Illyasviel and Leysritt continue dueling below.
***
"Okay, this isn't fair," Illyasviel says, and you give her a look.
"I think it's perfectly fair," Ilya says, earning a scowl from the other girl. "What do you think, Leys? Fair or unfair?" The maid finishes fixing Illyasviel's hair and bows.
"Fair." Ilya grins. Kyouko gives a thumb's-up sign, her mouth currently busy with a chocolate fish of some kind. Satsuki sits next to her, somewhat nervous about sitting while you're working, but at least you didn't have to follow through on your promise to tie her up.
"Three to one, it's fair."
"Like -! Arrgh, you don't think it's fair, do you?" You shrug.
"I mean, whether or not it's fair isn't really relevant. I like feeding Ilya, and I'm rather good at cooking." You reach for a ladle and rap Kyouko's fingers as they creep across the table. "No, bad girl. You get to eat when everyone else does." The opportunistic redhead pouts for a moment, then sits up straight as you point the ladle at her. You turn back to the food - good, yummy food, bread and dumplings and everything else Ilya wanted. Everything looks alright, so your clones move the rest of the platters to the table as you sit next to Ilya. Illyasviel looks over everything in almost the same order Ilya does, and you hold back a grin as you see her restrain herself to keep from taking things before Ilya can. She is a good girl … if you teach her to cook, as well, maybe you can get a personalized apron for her: 'My arms can bend a bow of bronze; my fingers were trained to fillet.' Or would that make Kyouko upset?
"My, my - a midnight snack? And I was not invited? Flan, how could you?" You lean back over your chair at your sister's voice, and she is, for some reason, standing upside down with her feet on the top of the doorframe. You wave your hands at her, and one of your clones presents her with a fresh dumpling. She smiles and takes it gratefully, then bites into it, and you giggle at the sight of Remilia with a dumpling held in her mouth. Ilya giggles, too, and you flop upright and turn around, resting your head on Ilya's shoulder.
"Do you want to join us? There's plenty to eat, and lots of space." Of course, you know what the answer is going to be even before Remilia slowly devours half of the dumpling.
"Haa~. Unfortunately, I cannot," she says, and you nod. "I do, however, have something to ask you. Our theater is opening tomorrow, and I cannot decide on what to show. The premier viewing will be a small group - you and me, Patchouli and her familiar, Deis, Illyasviel and her servants, and possibly Sakuya - so I am presenting them with cards on which to mark their preferences." She waves her free hand, and a card flies toward you, floating in front of you until you take it. You frown at it - it doesn't name whatever she wants to show, and describes them only by definition. One with the best characters, one that's basically smut, and one that can't decide if it's depressing or uplifting. You frown at her.
"So … what are they?" But she just titters at you.
"Now, now, Flan - you know better than that!" And you do, but that doesn't stop you from sticking your tongue out at her, and she chuckles. "Anyway, as I said, the first viewing is tomorrow, so make sure to vote for the best one." She winks, curtsies, and spins, vanishing before she makes a full revolution. Illyasviel, Kyouko, and Satsuki all look at Leysritt's card, and Illyasviel starts to make a suggestion, then covers her mouth and shakes her head. Ilya taps her card against her chin, then tucks it into her sleeve so she doesn't lose it.
What do you do?
[ ] Combat practice!
[ ] Teach Satsuki maiding.
[ ] Skip to the theater
[ ] Other?
[ ] [Vote] Best characters.
[ ] [Vote] Smut.
[ ] [Vote] Indecisive.
[ ] [Vote] Vote later.
DM Note: … Slightly complicated vote structure, but I think you guys can handle it. If Skipping to the Theater and Vote Later both win, then I guess the theater will show Drive Angry. I do intend for this to be the only vote on what to watch, so … I guess if people make votes for what to watch without voting for doing something, I'll keep a manual tally of those as 'Skip to Theater' or something. :shrug:
... And copying is being weird :/ Also, turning dashes into bullet points :/
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
I did, and it's not your fault that I wasn't clear about what I was thinking. What I'd intended was more lingering/dangling plot-lines or arcs that people want to see wrapped up before the quest officially ends. Starting a new arc - it's not something I want to do, basically.
... Which, now that I look at what I just wrote, kind of describes both Ilya's party and Megane's idea, doesn't it? Plotlines that people want to see wrapped up, and my only defenses are 'they haven't started, so they can't finish', and the not-completely-whining 'Don't want to.'
I'm sorry for getting your hopes up.
Honestly, I don't even care for those (even if it would be nice). Like I said, my idea was just to use those two things as an excuse to have Alice on that side with her own brand of magic compared to Midchilda in that area. That's it, that's all. I just saw those mentionned in the background and then you could forget them. I just regretted group did not get to visit Alice.... Which, now that I look at what I just wrote, kind of describes both Ilya's party and Megane's idea, doesn't it? Plotlines that people want to see wrapped up, and my only defenses are 'they haven't started, so they can't finish', and the not-completely-whining 'Don't want to.'
I'm sorry for getting your hopes up.
Okibruez
(Verified Mid-Boss)
- Location
- Dreams
[X] Combat practice!
[X] [Vote] Best characters.
I wonder which playwrite these are from. Shakespear would seem the go-to, but there are some rather brilliant German plays and Operas. ... though I'm not sure some of those would be suitable for a small gathering like this is to be.
This story's good. It's been fun. Wrap it up at your convenience and when you want, since you're the writer. Or wrap it up here and start up a sequel.
Just, you know. You do you. We're just along for the ride.
[X] [Vote] Best characters.
I wonder which playwrite these are from. Shakespear would seem the go-to, but there are some rather brilliant German plays and Operas. ... though I'm not sure some of those would be suitable for a small gathering like this is to be.
This story's good. It's been fun. Wrap it up at your convenience and when you want, since you're the writer. Or wrap it up here and start up a sequel.
Just, you know. You do you. We're just along for the ride.
Last edited:
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Teach Satsuki maiding.
[X] [Vote] Smut.
[X] [Vote] Smut.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
... Votes are locked.
Learning Maiding
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Teach Satsuki maiding.
[X] [Vote] Smut.
You look at your card for a few more seconds, then draw your finger across the 'Smut' box. You know Remilia is probably going to want the one with the best characters to win - she set it up that way, and she wasn't exactly subtle with that suggestion at the end - but if something like this is even an option, you really want to know what it is. You can always watch the best characters later, after all. The card flashes and the text changes: 'Thank you for using Voters Anonymous. In order to maintain anonymity of the votes, your selection will be added to the poll at some point in the next sixteen hours or the previous six hours.' Huh. Then the card withers and disintegrates, and you shrug. Now, what to do …?
"You voted already, Flan?" You nod as Ilya watches you thoughtfully.
"If she'd wanted us to discuss and compare options, she probably would've given them to us all together. Waiting until we're separated means she wants us to make our own decisions, and for that, I can just vote now." She nods slowly and takes out her own card for a moment before returning it to her sleeve. You turn your attention to your maid. "Satsuki, what is Sakuya teaching you so far?" She sits upright and takes a breath.
"Cooking and cleaning, laundry and taking care of clothing - and keeping track of different materials when there aren't labels …." She sighs and slumps a little, then straightens back up. "Um, meals and grocery planning, too." You nod, and your still-present clones grab Kyouko as she carefully tries to slip away from the table. That means she isn't - yet, at least - teaching her duties for serving you, specifically.
"Domestic chores. Good, good, make sure you teach Kyouko about them. I'll give you some time after we finish." Satsuki nods smartly, and Kyouko slumps resignedly. Illyasviel chuckles and pats her head, then looks at you.
"Can I watch?" You look at her for a moment, then at Ilya.
"Ooh, are you going to teach Satsuki? I want to see, too! We can compare how we do things!" You nod, making sure to include Illyasviel, then stand up.
"Alright, then, let's go to my room." Satsuki leads the way, and after a few steps you release Kyouko. Illyasviel latches onto her, instead, and you and Ilya share a grin at the sight. Kyouko even pats the younger girl's head once or twice, although her expression quickly tightens and becomes unreadable. You focus on Kyouko's hair - it's probably closest to Satsuki's own hair, rather than yours, and certainly not Ilya's - but having a side-by-side isn't too bad ….
"First you - ugh! - mess with my - ow! - hair, then you put makeup - guh! - now you're choking -!" You sigh and Ilya giggles as Satsuki tightens the corset on Kyouko.
"You can still talk and breathe, so she isn't killing you. I bet there's still centimeters of space she could tighten it!" Satsuki actually hunches her shoulders, so you know she's not tightening it as much as she could be, but it's fine. "Really, though, this is just for Satsuki to practice dressing someone, so it's not like I'm going to make her tightlace you, or make you wear a corset for a week." Illyasviel frowns at you, then checks her hair in the mirror one more time, but the ponytail still hasn't magically disappeared. It's hard to tell if she likes it, though. Kyouko keeps making noises until Satsuki finally steps back and lets you inspect her work. You nod approvingly and Kyouko pushes herself to her feet.
"I mean, you're just a little kid, what do you need - huh. This … isn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's … it's a little tight, but I could probably run in this if I had to …." You roll your eyes; maybe she confused corsets with foot-binding? You motion for Satsuki to continue, and she pulls Kyouko to the dressing table. Kyouko grumbles as Satsuki forces her to stand just right, but she keeps herself composed as the outfit is assembled around her. You keep an eye on Satsuki's actions, and while she's mostly correct - at least, she's generally not wrong enough to need correction - you do point out a few problems when it looks like she's going to miss them. And she has to touch up the makeup and Kyouko's hair, and then comes the difficult - for Satsuki, right now - choice of jewelry, particularly since Kyouko won't remove her ring. She finally does it, however, and after a final prowl around the scowling maid, you applaud quietly. Satsuki blushes and you hug her, and Kyouko sighs. "Fine, fine, it's good, now can I get out of this? I feel like I'm wrapped in a blanket." Two flashes in quick succession leave the poor girl dazed, and Ilya and Illyasviel give similarly cheeky grins as Kyouko slowly turns red, even through the makeup. You hold her arm as she looms threateningly at them.
"One more picture, and smile nicely. Here, use the fan." She hunches her shoulders angrily. "Then we can decide which one to send to Mami, or I can paint a portrait based off one. Or we can dress you up another time and I can paint you then." From the first mention of her friend's name, however, Kyouko freezes, defeated, and she blinks rapidly to clear her eyes. You hold out a handkerchief that she takes quickly.
"That … that's not fair," she manages to choke out, and you nod.
"To you or to her?" She freezes again, then shakes her head slowly and deliberately.
"No … I'm - I'm not doing that. Some other time." You meet her teary eyes for a moment, then nod.
"Okay. Satsuki, help her get changed and the makeup off, then teach her normal duties." You watch as your maid takes off everything she just put so much effort into putting on, then leads Kyouko to the bath room. Ilya and Illyasviel look a little down as they look at the cameras. Hmm … the food trick probably won't work again ….
What do you do?
[ ] Skip to the theater.
[ ] Practice with Berserker.
[ ] Other?
[X] [Vote] Smut.
You look at your card for a few more seconds, then draw your finger across the 'Smut' box. You know Remilia is probably going to want the one with the best characters to win - she set it up that way, and she wasn't exactly subtle with that suggestion at the end - but if something like this is even an option, you really want to know what it is. You can always watch the best characters later, after all. The card flashes and the text changes: 'Thank you for using Voters Anonymous. In order to maintain anonymity of the votes, your selection will be added to the poll at some point in the next sixteen hours or the previous six hours.' Huh. Then the card withers and disintegrates, and you shrug. Now, what to do …?
"You voted already, Flan?" You nod as Ilya watches you thoughtfully.
"If she'd wanted us to discuss and compare options, she probably would've given them to us all together. Waiting until we're separated means she wants us to make our own decisions, and for that, I can just vote now." She nods slowly and takes out her own card for a moment before returning it to her sleeve. You turn your attention to your maid. "Satsuki, what is Sakuya teaching you so far?" She sits upright and takes a breath.
"Cooking and cleaning, laundry and taking care of clothing - and keeping track of different materials when there aren't labels …." She sighs and slumps a little, then straightens back up. "Um, meals and grocery planning, too." You nod, and your still-present clones grab Kyouko as she carefully tries to slip away from the table. That means she isn't - yet, at least - teaching her duties for serving you, specifically.
"Domestic chores. Good, good, make sure you teach Kyouko about them. I'll give you some time after we finish." Satsuki nods smartly, and Kyouko slumps resignedly. Illyasviel chuckles and pats her head, then looks at you.
"Can I watch?" You look at her for a moment, then at Ilya.
"Ooh, are you going to teach Satsuki? I want to see, too! We can compare how we do things!" You nod, making sure to include Illyasviel, then stand up.
"Alright, then, let's go to my room." Satsuki leads the way, and after a few steps you release Kyouko. Illyasviel latches onto her, instead, and you and Ilya share a grin at the sight. Kyouko even pats the younger girl's head once or twice, although her expression quickly tightens and becomes unreadable. You focus on Kyouko's hair - it's probably closest to Satsuki's own hair, rather than yours, and certainly not Ilya's - but having a side-by-side isn't too bad ….
***
"First you - ugh! - mess with my - ow! - hair, then you put makeup - guh! - now you're choking -!" You sigh and Ilya giggles as Satsuki tightens the corset on Kyouko.
"You can still talk and breathe, so she isn't killing you. I bet there's still centimeters of space she could tighten it!" Satsuki actually hunches her shoulders, so you know she's not tightening it as much as she could be, but it's fine. "Really, though, this is just for Satsuki to practice dressing someone, so it's not like I'm going to make her tightlace you, or make you wear a corset for a week." Illyasviel frowns at you, then checks her hair in the mirror one more time, but the ponytail still hasn't magically disappeared. It's hard to tell if she likes it, though. Kyouko keeps making noises until Satsuki finally steps back and lets you inspect her work. You nod approvingly and Kyouko pushes herself to her feet.
"I mean, you're just a little kid, what do you need - huh. This … isn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's … it's a little tight, but I could probably run in this if I had to …." You roll your eyes; maybe she confused corsets with foot-binding? You motion for Satsuki to continue, and she pulls Kyouko to the dressing table. Kyouko grumbles as Satsuki forces her to stand just right, but she keeps herself composed as the outfit is assembled around her. You keep an eye on Satsuki's actions, and while she's mostly correct - at least, she's generally not wrong enough to need correction - you do point out a few problems when it looks like she's going to miss them. And she has to touch up the makeup and Kyouko's hair, and then comes the difficult - for Satsuki, right now - choice of jewelry, particularly since Kyouko won't remove her ring. She finally does it, however, and after a final prowl around the scowling maid, you applaud quietly. Satsuki blushes and you hug her, and Kyouko sighs. "Fine, fine, it's good, now can I get out of this? I feel like I'm wrapped in a blanket." Two flashes in quick succession leave the poor girl dazed, and Ilya and Illyasviel give similarly cheeky grins as Kyouko slowly turns red, even through the makeup. You hold her arm as she looms threateningly at them.
"One more picture, and smile nicely. Here, use the fan." She hunches her shoulders angrily. "Then we can decide which one to send to Mami, or I can paint a portrait based off one. Or we can dress you up another time and I can paint you then." From the first mention of her friend's name, however, Kyouko freezes, defeated, and she blinks rapidly to clear her eyes. You hold out a handkerchief that she takes quickly.
"That … that's not fair," she manages to choke out, and you nod.
"To you or to her?" She freezes again, then shakes her head slowly and deliberately.
"No … I'm - I'm not doing that. Some other time." You meet her teary eyes for a moment, then nod.
"Okay. Satsuki, help her get changed and the makeup off, then teach her normal duties." You watch as your maid takes off everything she just put so much effort into putting on, then leads Kyouko to the bath room. Ilya and Illyasviel look a little down as they look at the cameras. Hmm … the food trick probably won't work again ….
What do you do?
[ ] Skip to the theater.
[ ] Practice with Berserker.
[ ] Other?
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Practice/Play/Fight.
ultima333
Lazy Snug Youkai
did she
did she forget that flan is literally hundreds of years old
[X] Practice with Berserker.
Big guy looks great in a Hawaiian shirt
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
A corset's primary function is to enhance fashion by shrinking the waist and emphasizing the hips and bust (generally); Flan, as she has the form of a 8-9-year-old girl, would therefore gain nothing by wearing a corset. That is the point Kyouko is making, not that she actually is an 8-9-year-old girl.