>>35655000
>"I said, I'm not going home!" Stand here stubbornly until one of them concedes.

>>35655000
>Forget that, fight your way through! No matter how many monsters there are!
We are rescuing her!

>>35655000
>Volunteer to stay here, send everyone else home.
>"I said, I'm not going home!" Stand here stubbornly until one of them concedes.
Somehow I doubt the monster is going to argue with Priestess, and Kaori is very mistaken if she thinks Masami is leaving.

>>35655000
>>Argue with Kaori some more, maybe she'll see some reason.
Don't make us kidnap you or start a war.

>>35655000
>Argue with Kaori some more, maybe she'll see some reason.
>"I said, I'm not going home!" Stand here stubbornly until one of them concedes.

>>35655000
Shit I'm laaate.
>"I said, I'm not going home!" Stand here stubbornly until one of them concedes.
>Argue with Kaori some more, maybe she'll see some reason.

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>>35655000

Every time I'm about to go to bed, on a plot important thread, when I can't compromise on my sleeping schedule. Every time. Every single fucking time without fail.

Why do you hate me.

>>35655398
No time to put off important life business like the present!

Also

>Argue with Kaori some more
>"I said, I'm not going home!" Stand here stubbornly until one of them concedes.

>Writing!

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>>35655425

Oh-ho, one day I'll get you for this.

One day.

Damn you, Heart of the cards.

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"That's a lie and you know it! I'm here to visit you, Kaori!"
Wow that made her mad, her once saddened face now distorts into an angry snarl as she repeats the same lie that she's been saying ever since she left you that night.

"I AM NOT KAORI! There's nothing more for us to discuss! Go home!"
"I said, I'm not going home!" I yell back at her.

Maeda tries to step between us, and turns to me.
"H-hey, now, Masami. It's clear we're not welcome here and she doesn't want us. Plus, this place might be riddled with monsters. I don't think you shou-"
"I don't care! I'm not going to leave her alone again!"

She looks at me with shock on her face, "You are so hardheaded, you know that Masami?"
"Yes! I'm glad you understand now!" I say, smugly.

"Are you done up here!?" Kaori says again, looking as impatient as ever.
"No! I'm not leaving until you come out of your shell!"

"Children, what did I just say?" The monster looks the most impatient out of everyone standing here. "If you want to continue your squabble, do it more quietly."
"There's no need to, because I'm done!" Kaori shouts, as she retreats back under the door and slams it behind her.

Now it's just us and a monster, staring awkwardly at one another.

>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"
>"I'm going after her!"
>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"
>"Maybe we should just leave."
>"Girls, I'll help you get back home, but I have to be here for her."
>Other

>>35656281
>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"

>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"

>>35656281
>"Girls, I'll help you get back home, but I have to be here for her."

>>35656281
>>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"
>>"I'm going after her!"
>>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"

>>35656281
>>"I'm going after her!"

>>35656281
>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"

>>35656281
>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"
>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"

>>35656281
>"I'm going after her!"
>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"

>>35656281
>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"
>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"
Bitch you're gonna have a sleepover whether you like it or not.

>>35656479
Fuck yeah sleep over.

>"I'm going after her!"
>"Hey! I want to be here with Kao-Magician. Can I spend the night here?"
>"You said one person could visit her, right? I'll be that one person!"

>writing!

>>35656516
>SLEEPOVER INTENSIFIES!

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I turn to Maeda and Aiko, "I'm going after her."
"WHAT?" They say in unison.

"B-but! There's probably more monsters inside!" Maeda says, gripping my shoulder.
"Yeah! And really, I like Kaori, but not enough to risk you getting hurt!" Aiko says, gripping me from behind with a bear hug.

"So that's what you feel you should do? Then I can only say 'Best of luck, Masami'." A lone voice responds with certainty.

"RYOUTA!" Aiko shouts at him, "You're not serious, are you?!"
"You're even dumber than I thought you were if you think we're going to let her stay here alone!" Maeda says, scolding her brother.

"I'm serious." Ryouta says, crossing his arms. "If Masami thinks this is the right thing to do, then I can't tell her she's wrong. This is her decision."

I can't see my face, but I can feel the really wide smile I have on it.

That's when Maeda grabs his ear and pinches it.
"I can't believe someone can be as dumb as you. This isn't visiting a friend's house, this is someplace we've never been before and have no idea what's inside! We're not going to leave her here like this!"

"Please.."

Their attention turns to me as I continue, "Please, I need to be with her. She's a very confused, angry person who doesn't need to be alone at a time like this. She just needs someone to talk with her, and it'll be fine."

I can hear Maeda sigh, "You have to be one of the most stubborn people I've ever known."
Looking at my feet, I nod. "I know."

"..Help us off this roof."
"..Really?"
"Well, we're up here, and you're going to spend the night again. So we should leave you alone."

I wrap my arms around Maeda and thank her several times. Aiko continues to chastise Ryouta for giving me the idea. Which is fine, but I'm not going to just walk away when Kaori needs someone to be there for her.

(1/2)

>>35657237
Time to see how Fortune is at night!

>>35657272
Is it night? We woke up during classes and it took like an hour to get here.

This place would be a billion times scarier at night I'm glad it's not night.

>>35657237
We should probably also apologize to/thank that monster for being so patient and polite.

>>35658140
Good idea.

Op is kill.

>>35658508
Well shit I knew it was going to be a short thread but I didn't think it'd stop mid post.

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>>35657237
I help everyone off of the Mansion's rooftop, and bid them goodbye. Aiko was reluctant to leave, going as far as to continue watching me as I leaped back to the mansion's roof and disappeared from her sight.

Taking out my phone, I call Mom up and let her know that I'm probably not showing up to Fortune or maybe not even coming home tonight. I'm sure spending so much time away from home is going to worry her, but she'll understand if it's for Kaori's sake.

"Hello, Mom?"
"Oh! Hey honey! What happened with Kaori?"

I explain to her how Kaori is being stubborn and how I'm being stubborn in return. I tell her that I'm refusing to leave her house until she admits that she has friends and doesn't have to be alone.

I left out the part where her house is a scary mansion filled with monsters. What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

Mom only sighs on the other side of the line.
"I really don't support this, but as long as you have your phone, then I guess it's okay. Don't miss school because of this, and don't spend too much time away from me."
I don't know what she intends to do if I happen to spend too much time here, but I'd rather not find out.

We chat over some smalltalk and say our goodbyes to one another before hanging up.

The monster hasn't moved an inch since I did all of that. It's almost as if he expected me to stay here, and was waiting for me.

"So, are you going to be visiting, Priestess?"
"Priest-" then I remember, "Yes, I'm not going to leave Magician's side until she feels better."

"..Good." He says, adjusting his weight. He seems very unsteady on his two feet.
"Oh.. Um. Thanks?" I can only think of one other monster that was as polite as he's being.

Carefully climbing down the ladder, that's when I notice.
Kaori.
Standing at the base of it, with a really sour look on her face.
"I thought I told you to go home!"

>"Not until you stop being so stubborn!"
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"
>Some other remark?
>Other

>>35658541
>>35658508
No no, that just took we way, WAY too long to get that last update up.

It's not good because my update rate is slowing down tremendously, I'll have to enact some serious measures to keep updates fast and brisk like I used to have

>>35658564
>"Not until you stop being so stubborn!"
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"

>>35658564
>"Yeah, and I said no! And I'm twice as stubborn as you are! Ten times!"

>>35658564
>"We're having a sleepover."

>>35658564
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"
>We're sisters after all!
>This is now a sleepover.

>>35658564
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"
>"If you think we aren't friends, then we are going to have sleepovers everywhere you hide until you admit we are."

>>35658564
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"
>"I'm staying over"

>>35658564
>"Did you not hear me the last few times?"
>"I'll go if you come along!"

>Did you not hear me the last few times? I'm saying over!
>For a sleepover!
>That won't end until you admit we're friends!

Writing! Hopefully faster this time.

>>35658752
>Wont end until you admit we're sisters.

>>35658752
This is adorable and all.. but isn't this the perfect opportunity for fortune to pull that good girl Hoodoo on Masami?

>>35658866
Its most likely a trap. But I think that "good girl" thing isn't some magic or anything that could be done over night. Just plain old conditioning.

>>35658981
We Hope. The good girl thing isn't some kind of magic or overnight shit.

>Turns out magician was doing this to prevent them from dragging Masami here.

>Masami has played right into their hands

>Prepare for good girl route.

>>35659153
Thankfully, Heart isn't stupid enough to make things that pointlessly, hopelessly dark.

>>35659242
I don't know.. I can see that happening.

I wouldn't be opposed to a redemption arch. Having to slowly come to the realization that we might be someone other than Priestess.

>>35659292
>>35659242
That would be not a terrible idea. But I doubt its going to happen since he planned for ~40 Threads, and that would require siginificantly more time..

>>35659292
Yeah, "Surprise! The bad guys can completely override your will whenever they want because magic" would have me out of here so fast there'd be a thunderclap. The "good girl" thing smacks of old fashioned emotional manipulation anyhow.

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"Didn't you hear me the last time? I'm staying over!"
"Why!? Didn't you hear ME the last time? I don't want you over!"

Why does she have to be so stubborn?
"I'm staying over for a sleepover! One that isn't going to end until you admit that we're friends!"
Or until Mom drags me away, whichever happens first.

Her face turns a completely new shade of red, her voice raises in volume.
"WHY WON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!? I BETRAYED AND HURT YOU! ISN'T THAT ENOUGH?"

"No! That just tells me that you need a friend and-"
I can feel myself hesitate on my words, and I'm not entirely sure why.
"-and a sister. I think you need someone to call your own."

Her face goes from anger to complete indignation. She truly seems insulted at my words right now.

"A sister? You think I need a SISTER? Get a clue! Just because I like your family doesn't mean we're sisters!"

But... It does too..

(1/2)

>>35659563
>Get a clue!
Magician, don't ask for the impossible.

>>35659367
The good girl thing can't be that bad, or Mom would never have managed to defy Fortune long enough to get us emotionally tied to her rather than "Father".

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>>35659563
"Excuse me, Magician. What is all the noise about?"

Great, it's another weirdo. This one stands much smaller than the gargoyles on the roof, but is still clad in head-to-toe armor.

"N-Nothing!" Kaori says, instinctively moving as if she's trying to hide me from it. "I was just, um."

"It looks to me like you have an unscheduled visitor."
"She was just leaving!" Kaori spats out, again backing away from the monster.
Why is she so scared of this thing? It honestly looks kind of ridiculous when compared to the others.
"You know that your father has forbidden any unexpected guests. And- I've heard from a little bat upstairs that someone might be dropping by. Perhaps you should allow me to escort her, I think your father is most expectant to meet her."

Wait, what? Is that why that guy was being polite? The jerk!

"No! No! You can't take her! You see.. Um.." Kaori starts to look flush for a minute, searching around on the ground and the ceiling for some kind of hint or clue.
That's when she snaps around backwards and grabs me by the arm, hugging it tightly.
"You can't take her because she's mine! She's my prisoner! I lured her here, so I get to show her to father!"
"..Really." The monster says in disbelief.
"EH!?" I instinctively gasp, looking in her direction.

"Yeah! It's true! I planned this whole thing to capture Priestess. Now I have her! You would be defying his orders if you took her now."
She looks really confident, which is good, because I've suddenly lost lots of mine.

"..Very well, Magician. We'll be keeping a 'close eye' in case she decides to escape." He says, turning back and making his way down the hallway.

(2/3)

>>35660116
Kinky.

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>>35660116
Kaori practically drags me into her room and slams the door behind her, locking it tightly.
Her room isn't very impressive. It's composed of a single-bed in one corner with a table hastily pushed into the other. On the table is a small vase of wilted flowers. The sun lazily shines through a half-drawn curtain over the tiny window.

Everything else gives me the creeps, the wallpaper is some kind of purple/white monstrosity that clashes wildly with the curtains. The dusty carpet is covered in the white dots of the deteriorating popcorn ceiling. And a tiny, dim light is all that manages to brighten the room some, suspended from a simple ceiling fan braced against the roof.

Though, compared to the hallway we were just in, this room is akin to a banquet hall.

Kaori walks over to the bed and falls face-first onto it. Burying her head into the tiny pillow.
Outside the door, I can hear the shuffling of metallic footsteps against the wooden flooring.

"I would tell you to jump out the window and run, but it's nailed shut." She says, sighing.

>"Why do you let him treat you that way? Just go someplace else!"
>Don't say anything, hug her instead.
>Offer to take a nap with her.
>"Forget this place! Let's just leave!"
>"You know, I think I want to have a word with your father, too."
>"I'm hungry."
>"I have to go to the bathroom."
>Other?

>>35660271
>Don't say anything, hug her instead.
>Want to play any games? Any guys or... girls you like at school?

>>35660290
*Meant after an acceptable time of hugging and silence

>>35660271
Hug her. Did you bump your head lately? Nailed shut isn't enough to keep us anywhere.

>>35660271
>Don't say anything, hug her instead.
After some hugging
>"Why do you let him treat you that way? Just go someplace else!"

>>35660271
>"You know, I think I want to have a word with your father, too."
>"Why do you let him treat you that way?

>>35660271
>Don't say anything, hug her instead.

>Don't say anything, hug her instead.
>Long hug
>Why do you let him treat you that way?

Writing!

Next post will be last of the night, apologies in advance.

>>35660782
S'okay man, at least as far as I'm concerned. Any content is appreciated and this is still good even if it's short.

>>35660782
All good dude. I'd prefer you to run until you drop dead from exhaustion... but we've got laws against that.

>>35660271
>"Why do you let him treat you that way? Just go someplace else!"

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I walk over to her and flop down on the bed next to her, embracing her into a hug.
"Please stop acting this way, this isn't like you." I grab her shoulders and try rocking her back and forth, she shrugs me off and continues to pout into the pillow.

"And you know how I'm supposed to act!? You don't even know me!" She violently rolls over and turns her back to me.
That doesn't stop me from grabbing her into another hug. She doesn't get to be sad while I'm around.

--

I wake up, still in her bed and with my arm pinned under her body. She's rolled onto her back and has somehow thrown the blanket over both of us in our sleep.

Which I find very strange, because I don't remember having a dream of any kind. Despite being passed out almost completely.
Maybe Kaori is to thank for that? She's still asleep, though. Occasionally tossing and turning as if she's having nightmares of her own.

Slowly, she stirs and sits upright.
"Oh right.. I forgot that you're still here." She says, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi.." I say, almost sarcastically. "I didn't have any weird dreams. Did you keep them away?"
"mmm." She stretches her arms out, "I sometimes absorb people's dreams. I don't know how it works, it's just something that happens."

Absorb their dreams? That's a weird power.

"Um. I wanted to ask. Why do you live with the guy if he treats you like this? Why do you let him treat you like that when you could leave at any time?"

She thinks about my question for a minute, and sighs.
"Priest-.. Or should I say.. Masami. If your Mom asked you to do something you didn't want to do, would you turn her down?"

I'm not sure how to respond to that.

"The only thing that separates us is that Izumi was the person who found you. I can't just disobey my father. He may be a little cold at times, but he's my family and I love him. You should know what it means to love family more than anyone, Masami."

She has a point, but I can't say that I can relate entirely.

>Thread end

Okay

Sorry for that last post taking so long.

Let me know what you thought of this thread.

Also, as an announcement, sometime either next week or the week after there is going to be a break. Lasting about a week or so while I'm away on interviews. We'll see how it works out.

Thanks for the thread, everyone!

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>>35661453
Forgot my picture

>>35661433
Family is someone who loves you back!

>>35661526
That snappy comeback might make it into the next OP post.

>>35661453
Thanks for running dude.

>>35661453
Thanks for running.

This is shaping up a lot more comlicated than expected. I like that.
We definitly have a lot of work before us for our happy end.

>>35661556
>Found you.

That's worrying.

Adding to the loves you back thing we could probably add on a LIKE ME!

>>35661453
Thanks for running.

>>35661573
Yeah if I remember correctly in the first thread we where worried that we had been abducted.

Sort of puts a dent into the whole imaginary person thing.

Hell maybe that dream where we were Empress means something different...

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Also as a heads-up, I don't see any feasible way I'll be ending on 40. I mean, that's only 8 threads away.

Maybe, if I time it right, I can end on 49 like it's been a four-cour magical girl show.

>>35661989
Oh no, a quest I enjoy greatly will be running longer than anticipated. Whatever shall I do?

>>35661989
Well don't push to end it sooner! Let it live as long as it can!

>>35662075
Now now, let's not become Bleach.

>>35662171
Good lord no. Bleach quest stopped at 47 and Cosgrove let it die unfinished. I'd never want that to happen to anything else...

>>35662195
I, uh, meant the anime. Of course I don't want this to die unfinished.

>>35662219
Never actually seen the anime. Buddy told me Bleach quest was far and wide better and that I'd cry when I actually saw Tres and Halibel so I've not felt the need to watch it.

It's funny I don't watch any anime really. So all the anime quests tend to be great for me.

>>35662303
It never ends. Imagine the worst of powercreep and milking it for all it's worth.

>>35662342
I swear Kubo is trolling his fanbase.

>>35661573
>Adding to the loves you back thing we could probably add on a LIKE ME!
She has a point when she keeps saying we barely know her, you know.

Not that I'm saying you should stop being ridiculously stubborn. But have some perspective.