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We need to add these to our repertoire.

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>>2698672
You've had a hard day. Couple of days. Something.

Actually, you're really not sure how long it's been since you found yourself in a car barreling toward the mountain in front of the biggest thunderheads you've ever seen.

But you are sure that eventually, after fighting a flood and presiding over a strange benefit concert, you found a bed.

And you were damn grateful.

Things didn't work out well after that.

You're back there. You're watching your sister smile and walk into Hell.

You run after her, try to pull her back, but end up stumbling through yourself, falling into an angry blast furnace of a land. Mountains and shards of rock jut up like teeth trying to eat the burning ball in the sky, a sort of twisted parody of a dying sun.

Then you look up at your sister. She's frilly, and screaming, dark lines painting themselves toward her face like veins...

And then you're awake, lying on a floor. Well, technically, you're lying on a futon on the floor. Liska's still sleeping peacefully, but Melon's bed is empty.

You pull yourself together, shrug on some clothes, and walk out into the hall.

It's carpeted in people. You have to be damn careful not to step on any of the sleepers, as you try to find a way out.

How the hell did you make it to the archery range? This place is a fucking maze. At least you're outside. It's a lot easier to get your bearings outside the castle.

[2/3]

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>>2698686
You hear a solid THUNK from one of the targets. Apparently someone's out here already.

That's not an arrow.

That's a fucking sword quivering in the archery target.

Who the hell?

You round the corner, and see a familiar head of blue hair.

"How the fuck did you get here, Sue?" you ask.

"Hitched a ride with Freebs," she says, turning back toward you as she scratches the ferret behind his ears, "he was telling stories when he came back to check on us, and it sounded like you're havin' a real fun vacation. Beautiful place," she says, looking around, "and it's got that 'just washed' smell like after a big rain."

...Yes, Sue would think this was fun.

>I'm actually on my way to check on the aftermath of that rainstorm
>How's the demon killing going?
>Want to go look for Melon?
>This is going to be a short visit, Sue
>WRITE IN

>>2698696
>How's the demon killing going?

>>2698696
>>This is going to be a short visit, Sue
Immediate Family, not extended Family.
>>I'm actually on my way to check on the aftermath of that rainstorm

I have a couple questions just throwing em out

What are our plans on the loop thing?
Do we have any plans on how to achieve immortality or at least lengthen the puny human lifespan?
Whats our midterm goal? After freeing the girls and securing an alternative stable source of power, what next?
How does the wife feel about concubines?

I feel that we should make contingency plans for if we dont manage to solve the loop thing before years end. Ask harriet what could be done. I, for one, approve of seeking immortality so we don't leave the wife lonely for literally all of time. I think those anons who want mgdad to die for 'drama' and 'character development' miss the fact that mgdad will want to pursue the path of immortality once all the immediate issues are taken care of if at all possible. From what we've seen there's surely some magic bullshit that can do the job.

>>2698696
>I'm actually on my way to check on the aftermath of that rainstorm
>Want to go look for Melon?

>>2698707
>concubi-
DON'T

>>2698696
>This is going to be a short visit, Sue
the team is already one girl short, that's just not safe
>I'm actually on my way to check on the aftermath of that rainstorm
if it's still bad, consider calling Harriett to know if she remembers an huge flooding in japan this day in different timelines, the white fox getting killed and his wife crying over it could be a pretty stable event
>How's the demon killing going?
>>How's everyone else doing?

>>2698710
DO

>>2698707
For immortality, we should probably talk about it to Bernie or Heinrich

>>2698699
09:49 - 10:05 Voting period and all.

>>2698707
>loop thing
If you manage to not let the world end, that probably solves itself.
>how to achieve immortality
Well, if you start meditating right now, you might achieve enlightenment fast enough.
>After freeing the girls and securing an alternative stable source of power, what next?
You say that like it's going to be easy.
>How does the wife feel about concubines?
Take a wild guess.

>>2698717
i'm guessing that she'd accept it at first but would grow to hate it but wouldn't dare to confront us about it and wouldd end up taking a one way trip to japan to become a goddess... or worse

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>>2698696
"'Big rain' doesn't do it justice," you tell her, "I'm actually on my way to check on the aftermath. Want to come?"

"Sure!" she says, walking after you with Freebles on her shoulder.

The two of you walk around the castle. Sue's humming to herself and seems to be in high spirits. And she's walking rather close to you.

"How's the demon killing going?" you ask, hoping to not have to walk in near-silence the whole way. You walk a little closer to the other side of the hallway.

"Getting T.T. to do that was genius!" Sue says, with a skip, "we're finally pulling some good ones now! I didn't think it was going to work after he just got small fry the first time, but they're getting bigger and harder - nothin' we can't take, though."

She smiles up at you.

"I'm a little worried about the team being two girls short," you tell her, walking past that little rock garden. Are those pebbles levitating between Melon and Haru?

Well, at least you know where your daughter is.

"Ah," Sue says, and it looks like she's fixated on you enough that she didn't even notice your daughter's training, "Rachel and Einz are doing great. Besides, T.T. just cleared his," and she laughs, "'emo kid array', so we're good for the night."

Oh. The time difference. And then you realize Sue's got a few splashes of blood on her clothes.

So she's been fighting demons, and then decided to hitch a ride back here with Freebles afterward?

"He's really calling it that?" you ask, trying to picture the red-suited wizard using that as an official name for anything he made.

"Oh yeah," Sue tells you, "it's damn funny how he grumbles about doing something 'so amateurish and low-class'," she finishes with a passable imitation of your sworn brother.

Ok, that's probably a bit entertaining, you think as the two of you stroll out onto the battlements and see the destruction below.

It's not as bad as it could be, is all you can tell yourself.

"Morning, brother!" Sachio says, waving toward you. Reiya Hamasaki's standing there with him. Looks like you weren't the only one that thought about checking on the flood.

"We will need to bring in the government," Reiya says, and she glances at Sue, "for complete recovery."

The blue-haired girl is just staring out over the destruction below, eyes wide. Looks like Freebles didn't give the full story.

"I'll have to go through my father's papers for his contacts," Sachio tells her, then asks, "so who's this? Do I have another niece I didn't know about?"

>Let Sue introduce herself
>She's one of my crew
>She's a friend of Melon's
>Do I look like I have the blue hair gene?
>WRITE IN

>>2698745
>>She's a friend of Melon's

>>2698745
>>She's a friend of Melon's

>>2698745
>Let Sue introduce herself
>get ready to block her mouth if she starts saying "concubine" or something as silly

>>2698745
>She's a friend of Melon's

>>2698745
>Do I look like I have the blue hair gene?
>Let Sue introduce herself

Our hair is fuckin gray. How is he supposed to know if we had blue hair or not?

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>>2698745
"She's a friend of Melon's," you tell him, "hitched a ride with Freebles."

"We are rather at capacity," Sachio says, with a pointed glance down at the valley, "so I hope it will be a short visit. What's your name?" he asks Sue, taking a step forward.

"I'm Sue," she tells him, looking him over and bowing slightly, "do you guys do handshakes?"

Sachio laughs, "of course," he says, as Sue steps up and shakes his hand, "haven't you heard of Japanese businessmen? I'm Sachio, this guy's brother in law. And sworn brother, and all that. And I don't mean to be rude about the visit - any other time I'd be happy to invite you to stay, but under current circumstances..." he says, and gestures at the floodplain with his left hand.

"I'll take you up on it later," Sue says, smiling, "I've never been to Japan before."

"But there's something better we could do," she tells him, her eyes fixed on the sword at his waist.

Sachio's eyes narrow, and then he catches her meaning.

"Well," he says, and that grin shows off too many sharp teeth, "it's not as if anyone's awake yet."

Oh hell. It just sort of happened. And maybe you should have seen it coming. But you can't deny that you're a little interested in how these two stack against each other...

Reiya Hamasaki's standing a little behind Sachio, just like you're standing a little behind Sue. You can't read the look in her eyes, but she's not doing anything to stop it.

>Alright, but when I call it, you two stop
>This had better be 'friendly'
>Hamasaki, let's just back up and watch
>Goddammit, Sue, stop starting this sort of thing!
>WRITE IN

>>2698775
>Alright, but when I call it, you two stop

If things go well maybe sue will fixate on Sachio instead of us.

>>2698775
>>Hamasaki, let's just back up and watch
one is a grown adult and the other can regenerate lost limbs. this will be good.

>>2698775
>Hamasaki, let's just back up and watch
>Alright, but when I call it, you two stop

>>2698775
>This had better be 'friendly' Sachio has enough property damage to deal with right now
>Get to the spectator section and have a chat with Hamasaki. So uh... I think you let the donation money in the box.

>>2698775
>This had better be 'friendly'
>Alright, but when I call it, you two stop

>>2698791
Left* the money in the donation box.

>>2698775
>Alright, but when I call it, you two stop
>Hamasaki, let's just back up and watch
they're made of the same wood

Slightly off topic. Kelly was fucked if he had actually managed his hit. I wonder if his employer knew all about that.

>>2698813
If he didn't negotiate a getaway it's is own dumb fault.

>>2698814
The problem isn't the getaway. the problem is an actual fucking GOD would be out for his head that he didn't know about and his escape route might have been in her path.

>>2698717
I'd guess she'd be fine with it as long as they know their place. And she gets a turn.

>>2698821
land gods are pretty deeply tied to their land, no? he'd "just" have to go far enough fast enough

>>2698821
She didn't freak out until after Sachio showed. Doubt she even knew it had happened.

>>2698829
I was figuring that the search parties of Yokai might tip her off. Plus she's the god of the mountain and all that so she might just hear anything that's said on the mountain like a getaway car with a two people talking about their latest hit and confirming it to the client.

>>2698833
If he didn't thoroughly research his job it's his own dumb fault

>>2698833
Pretty sure Kelly has killed a small g god or two in his time.

He's like Tom Holt's "Kurt Lundqvist".

>>2698775
This had better be 'friendly

>>2698833
I'm certain there was plenty of talk about it that night, and she didn't really seem to care.

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>>2698775
"Alright," you manage to say over the almost palpable atmosphere of killing intent, well, more like 'competitive intent', radiating off of them, "but when I call it, you two stop. And this had better be friendly."

"Don't worry, brother," Sachio says, his grin getting wider, "I'll treat her like my own family."

Considering that you saw him decapitate his father, that's not comforting.

"I can handle myself," Sue tells you, pushing you away. And there's something in the way she moves that tells you that you'd have to put both of them on the ground to have a hope of stopping this.

You nod at Hamasaki, and jerk your head toward a place to sit and watch. She catches your meaning, and the two of you are sitting side-by-side as fast as a definitely not running pace can get you there. The stones of the battlements are actually fairly comfortable.

"I think you left his donation in the box," you tell the shrine maiden.

"I am fast," she tells you, and twitches her sleeve enough that you can see the stack of bills Sachio left at the shrine.

You didn't even see... but were you really paying that much attention to her at the time? Things happened pretty quickly. Did she run back for the money while you weren't looking?

Then you look back at the two combatants. They're just standing there?

But even you can feel that something is happening.

Although you're not really sure what.

"What is she?" Hamasaki asks you, "she challenged him without provocation, and he took her up on it."

"She's a magical girl," you say with a grimace, "they do that."

"Does that translate to 'mahou shoujo'?" the shrine maiden asks you.

"Probably," you tell her, and then things start happening.

Sachio draws his sword, answered by a set of four blades appearing from nowhere around Sue, and one dropping into her hand. She blocks his slash, and then he's on the defensive, parrying the swords that scream at him from the air.

And your brother's grinning even wider than before.

"Let us get to a tower," Hamasaki says, getting up and running. The edge of the battlements is starting to seem like a dangerous place to be, with the clatter of steel on the stones.

A few seconds later, you're looking down at the fight. It's a pinwheel of shining blades, a storm of slashes and counterslashes.

And suddenly, a few youkai are up there on the tower with you.

A tengu flaps down and whispers "is she your daughter? I would take her as a pupil."

Is that tanuki really taking bets?

>You're going to have to ask her yourself
>What's this 'mahou shoujo' thing?
>Just watch
>Hope this isn't enough to distract Melon and Haru from the training
>WRITE IN

>>2698836
He and Shelby said earlier that he was expecting to sleep in the mountain. I don't think his getaway vehicle was anywhere near and he was planning to avoid search parties in the forest.

>>2698848
>>What's this 'mahou shoujo' thing?

>>2698849
man I don't care

>>2698848
>No, one of her friends.
>>She plans on coming back to Japan, maybe she'll be up for it.
>What's this 'mahou shoujo' thing?

>>2698848
>What's this 'mahou shoujo' thing?

>>2698848
You're going to have to ask her yourself

>>2698848
>No, one of her friends.
>You can talk to her about that, but I suspect we will be heading back to the states soon.

>>2698896
>>2698848
This.

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>>2698848
>What's this 'mahou shoujo' thing?
Do you have a second to talk about our lord and savior "FUCK HELL"?

>>2698908
What is his cape pinned to?

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>>2698848
"One of her friends," you tell the tengu, "and she's thinking about coming back here, maybe she'd be up for it."

"I may ask her after," the tengu tells you, beady bird eyes following every move of the combat, "if she survives."

That's a dark thought, but you're going to call it before that, right?

"What's this mahou shoujo thing?" you ask Reiya.

Her eyes don't even move from the fight as she answers.

"For love and justice," she mutters, "a modern thing. If I am a staff, with one side held by humans and the other by... the 'supernatural'? then they are a sword, with the hilt in the hands of humanity."

Or held by the rats. It seems like she doesn't have the full picture.

Then you're distracted by shouts from the spectators. You look down, and see Sachio's blade wreathed with fire.

And then Sue goes frilly, and there's a noise from the crowd of youkai around you. Hard to tell if it's positive or not.

There's a crowd gathering below the battlements as well, sleepy-eyed folks rubbing at their faces, and... yeah, that's Haru and Melon in it too. And Liska - you couldn't mistake those ears anywhere.

The thing's become an exhibition, you realize, as a sheet of flame covers the castle wall, answered by a slicing storm of blades appearing from the air.

In the middle of it all, Sue and Sachio are slashing, parrying, almost dancing around each other, locked in a terrifying tango.

They're both bleeding. It seems like each of them has inflicted some superficial wounds on the other.

But Sue's getting pushed back. You don't know if it's experience, or raw power that's making the difference. And Sue was probably tired from fighting demons when she showed up here.

She's still fending Sachio off expertly, but even you can tell the tide has turned. The tanuki behind you is doing a land-office business, and you can hear him adjusting odds.

You think you hear a yell of "the sword!" over the roaring flames.

>Throw the Thousand Year Blade to Sue
>Place bets
>Jump down and get in the mix
>Call it
>WRITE IN

>>2698913
>>Throw the Thousand Year Blade to Sue

>>2698913
>Call it

It's distasteful having to use the swords power to win a friendly match.

Tell Sue to git gud scrub if she wants to keep going down this route.

>>2698913
>Call it

>>2698913

See >>2698921
As mean as it is, a sword like that isn't supposed to be used outside of extreme circumstances.

>>2698913
>Call it
no external help, playtime's over.

>>2698913
>YELL GIT GUD
>GO BIG OR GO HOME

(please go home)

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>>2698912
I guess it's held at the shoulders, pined to the wifebeater?

>>2698913
>Call it

If you need fucking the sword, You don't deserve it.

>>2698921
Yeah.

>>2698912
it's tied to his chest hair with a really thin string

>>2698913
>Call it
But the question is: how?

>>2698964
Pop off a shot into the air.

Very American.

>>2698964
whistle

>>2698979
Yeah the dadwhistle

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>>2698913
"I'm calling it!" you yell from the tower, "S-"

And your voice is overwhelmed by a torrent of cries, yells, cheers, and anything else a human (or inhuman) throat can utter.

Townspeople enthused by seeing a human stand against the lord of what goes bump in their nights.

Youkai wanting to see their new lord prove himself.

Reiya mutters at you "stopping things now will be bad."

Well, it's not like you could stop them. Seems like the roar of the crowd is dead set against that. Hell, you're pretty sure those two can't even hear you over it.

And there's a flurry of activity below, each contestant plowing into the other, having learned their opponent's fighting style.

Sachio parries a blow, and two swords appear from thin air and skewer his shoulder.

"She knew he would block that way," the Tengu says to himself, "from the blind spot! Wonderful!"

For him, maybe. But you can't really see how either of them winning the deathmatch it looks like this is heading toward is going to lead to a better tomorrow for aynone.

Blades whirl below you, each fighter pushing every advantage they can take. Taking every stab and slice they can through their opponents' guard.

And then, in an instant, their swords are at each other's throats, and they pause. Any move from either of them would end in death.

And they both did it at the same time?

"DONE!" you yell from the tower, "TIE! IT'S OVER!"

You can almost see the tension drain from Sue and Sachio as you vault off the short tower and run toward them.

"You're pretty good," you barely hear Sachio say, "damn glad this was just friendly."

"Same," Sue tells him, as they pull their blades away from each other's necks, "I wouldn't want to see you serious."

"I wouldn't want to see me serious," Sachio tells her, as, uh, did the shrine maiden beat three yuki-onna to his side, and where did she get those bandages?

"Good fuckin' fight," they both say, almost together, as you realize you've somehow become Sue's corner. And someone hands you a couple rolls of bandages.

"Sue!" Melon yells, running over, still panting from climbing the battlement, "I didn't even know you were here!" she finishes wrapping the blue-haired girl in a hug.

Then she takes the bandages from you and begins tending to her friend.

"I did pretty good, huh?" Sue says, looking up at you.

>You did good
>You really wanted the sword for a 'friendly match'?
>There's this tengu that wants to talk to you
>I'm just glad it ended without anyone getting too hurt
>WRITE IN

>>2698986
>You did good

>>2698986
>You did good
>I'm just glad it ended without anyone getting too hurt
>You really wanted the sword for a 'friendly match'?
>There's this tengu that wants to talk to you
ALL THE THINGS! In that order if possible?

>>2698986
>>You really wanted the sword for a 'friendly match'?
>>There's this tengu that wants to talk to you

>>2698986
>You did good

>>2698986
>>You did good
>Pat her head. She deserves it.

>>2698986
>You did good
>Pat her head. She deserves it.
>I'm just glad it ended without anyone getting too hurt

>>2698986
>You did good

>>2698986
>You did good
>Pat her head

>>2698994
>>2698986
Yes. All the things. Tell her we're very proud.

>>2698986
>You really wanted the sword for a 'friendly match'?
>There's this tengu that wants to talk to you
those

>>2698986
He still has his arms. I'm dissapointed.

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>>2698986
"You did good," you tell her, and ruffle her hair, "I'm kinda proud of you, actually."

Sue smiles up at you, as melon starts bandaging her arm, and you hope she's not reading too much into it. That's a bit like hoping The War To End All Wars doesn't get a sequel, isn't it?

"Melon," Haru says, cutting through the moment (which you're a little grateful for), "I might have figured it out, after seeing her," he jerks his head at Sue, "fight. Let's get back to it."

Your daughter looks at you, and you mutter "your choice."

"You'll take care of her, right?" Melon asks.

"Yeah," you tell her, and she gets up to follow her uncle back to the garden.

"So Melon's gonna be like that too," Sue says, weakly, as you continue bandaging her, "don't fuck around with that stuff, I'll be fine in a couple of hours," she tells you, sitting up.

"Magically, maybe," you tell her, "but I hope she doesn't catch his attitude."

Sue laughs at you "don't think that's gonna happen. She's too kind. She's not like us," she tells you, grinning and looking between you and Sachio.

Wait, like 'us'? She's lumping you in with him and... herself?

Oh, right, you blew her arms off the first time you met her. Totally in self defense.

"Look at her taking care of him," she says in a whisper, glancing at the shrine maiden, who's busy dealing with your brother in law, "she's too kind too. She probably doesn't even realize the path she's on!" Sue says, and starts laughing until it stops in a pained cough, "fucker got me between the ribs," she says, and then sees the look on your face, "I'll be fine. Gimme an hour."

Magical girls.

Jesus.

"That was a most impressive display," a voice suddenly says at your elbow, in a flurry of black feathers, "I would be glad to take you as a pupil!"

It's the tengu from before.

"What did you think of that fight?" Sue asks him, her eyes lighting up.

"Your greatest failure," the birdman says, "was not gauging your opponent fast enough. once you knew what he could do, you could only..."

They start an animated conversation about swordplay, and you take your chance to get out.

>And you go find Melon and Haru
>And you go ask Liska what she thinks about all this
>And you just sort of wander off
>And you decide to go talk to Sachio and the shrine maiden
>WRITE IN

>>2699090
>And you decide to go talk to Sachio and the shrine maiden

>>2699090
>And you go ask Liska what she thinks about all this

>>2699090
>And you just sort of wander off

Lets see if Mother in Law shows up.

>>2699090
>>And you go ask Liska what she thinks about all this

>>2699096
13:37 - 14:00 voting period.

Hope I resolved the 'call it' decently. It didn't seem like those two (or the crowd) would go for that until they felt it really should be called.

>>2699107

>13:37

noice

>>2699090
>And you just sort of wander off

Let's be a tourist for a bit.

>>2699090
I would protect that smile to my very last breath.

>>2699090
>>And you go find Melon and Haru

>>2699134
If it's the source you have shit taste.

If it's in this game, same.

OP, a little bit of feedback:

Please don't write a description of the scene mid sentence. I know that they can be used to add some emphasis to a moment and to give the idea that the character is taking a moment to breathe, but most of the time it tends to break the immersion and the flow of the sentence. It would feel better if you do it after the sentece is over. For example:

"Your greatest failure," the birdman says, "was not gauging your opponent fast enough. once you knew what he could do, you could only..."

and

"Your greatest failure, was not gauging your opponent fast enough." the birdman says. "Once you knew what he could do, you could only..."

>>2699134
you know, she seems way more reasonable once she is not bloodlusted and actually lusted by those love shotgun rounds freebles made for us.

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>>2699090
You make your way off the battlements, and push your way through the crowd toward where you saw your wife's ears.

That one guy had better not be kneeling to you. Just collapsing under the stress or something.

"What do you think about all this?" you whisper to Liska, once you reach her.

"Holy shit," she says, "you should have been a diplomat. She just showed them all," she continues, waving an arm across the crowd, "that a human can stand against one of... us. On even ground. That's probably done as much as Sachio opening the castle."

Humans living alongside the supernatural?

Is that what you're laying the groundwork for here? Or had they already laid the cultural framework for it, and you happened to be there when the floodgates broke?

"How did you get that to happen?" Liska asks.

"Sue hitched a ride with Freebles," you tell her, "and it just sort of happened. I couldn't really stop them."

"It wasn't fixed?" she asks, eyes narrowing, and then she laughs, "I've got to sass Sachio about that," she says, and heads off toward the battlement.

Leaving you to just wander. So you do.

Most of the castle has woken up now. People are moving around, in little knots, cautious of the various youkai standing around or walking past. Acting like they're in a castle of demons.

There's a very ambitious gambler trying his luck at cards against a tanuki, a frosty-faced yuki-onna, and a couple of tengu. You're not sure if he's winning, but they're all having fun.

And you see some kids bowing at a kappa, who has to go refill the hole in his head after every round. They're laughing at him, but you're pretty sure that's a smile on his froggy face.

Maybe this is a way for people to deal with being drawn into this world. Or perhaps this is a world their folklore prepared them for.

It's not your world, even if you're hip-deep in it.

[1/2]

>>2699147
the comma in your second example reads like mixing up german grammar with english words. It hinders legibility.

>>2699182
Both examples are from Haiku´s post, commas and all. The only difference is just that i rearranged the second one so that the birdman's action is after his sentece. if you really have an issue with that, tell Haiku.

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>>2699177
Then you round a corner, and almost bump into a white-haired man.

He sniffs.

"A family reunion?" he asks, in English tinted with several accents, "oh, I think we've met, even if you were memorially impaired for it."

"Not sure I caught your name," you tell him, suspicions rising in your mind.

"I'm going by John now," he says, smiling, "I heard there was something going on back home, so I headed back."

"Good to meet you," you say, realizing who this guy is, "...for the second time. Tell me you're not going to duel me about that royal flush."

He grins, holding up his hands.

"Of course not," he tells you, "I'm just here to salute the new family head, and I think some economic aid might be in order."

"Glad to meet someone who's not trying to murder me," you mutter.

"That is the usual thing, isn't it?" John asks, "but not really my style. Hoyle's my bible. Did you assist my brother with his coup?"

>Not exactly
>I believe there's a card game over there you could get dealt into
>How the hell did you ship out with the Dutch?
>Economic aid?
>WRITE IN

>>2699201
>Not exactly
>I asked a question and he gave an answer that Sachio really, really didn't like.

>Everyone seems to be remarkably cool about patricide here. Is this just how you do things when you're immortal or was he that big of a dick?

>>2699201
>Not exactly
More along the lines of stepping out of the way, and letting family sort family matters.

>>2699201
>Not exactly
>More along the lines of stepping out of the way, and letting family sort family matters.

>>2699201
>Not exactly

>>2699201
>Not exactly
>I asked a question and he gave an answer that Sachio really, really didn't like.
>I did keep the assassin waiting to knock them off from doing anything until it was all sorted out.

>>2699201
>WRITE IN

OUR Brother handled it himself, I just helped tidy up the end a little bit.

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>>2699201
"Not exactly," you tell him, "I asked a question. Sachio really didn't like his answer. Then I just stood off to the side and let Sachio settle family matters. I fobbed off an assassin until it was all sorted out, even. Keep it in the family, right?"

John cocks an eyebrow at you

"No wonder you play good poker," he finally says with a laugh, "first I heard of anything was the flood, and I guessed it was mom."

"Everyone seems pretty cool about parricide," you start, "is that just how you do things when you're immortal -"

John cuts you off, "someone was going to do it one day," he tells you, "honestly," he whispers at you, "my money was on Haru, and I'm going to have a couple of bookies on my back for that."

Wait, this guy was betting on which of his brothers would kill his father?

"Sounds like you won't have any trouble paying them off," you say, and then whisper, "so he was just that much of a dick?"

"Look," he whispers back, "why do you think I shipped out with the Dutch? Why do you think mom bailed on him to become a land goddess?"

Those are kind of decent points.

"A bit surprised it took the Thousand Year Blade that long to convince him, though," John tells you, and then he glances at your belt.

Even a practiced poker face can't hide that look of shock.

"I won it off him a couple weeks ago," you tell the slack-jawed kitsune.

"So even without..." John says, trailing off.

"I TRIED TO GET HIM TO DO IT," the sword says, "I TRIED FOR YEARS. YEARS!"

Yup, you're still in free fall down the rabbit hole here.

John starts laughing, with that peculiar barking edge to it.

"Well," he says, "at least it was him, and not the sword. I've got to see my brother," he finishes, brushing past you.

As soon as John rounds the corner, you hear Sachio's unmistakable voice, even if he is yelling in Japanese.

Then he repeats it in English for good measure: "welcome my brother! Party like the prodigal son's returned! Because he has!"

At least Sachio's ok enough to yell. You weren't really sure, after Sue finished with him.

There's a maelstrom of activity, voices shouting in a language you don't know, youkai flitting everywhere, and some bemused looks on the faces of the human townspeople.

Seems like they're preparing for another feast.

It would have to be a feast to feed this many people.

>In the confusion, find Sachio and ask about what the sword said
>In the confusion, find Melon and Haru
>In the confusion, find Liska and ask her what the hell is wrong with her family
>In the confusion, just go with it and head into... would this be 'brunch'?
>WRITE IN

>>2699279
>In the confusion, just go with it and head into... would this be 'brunch'?

>>2699279
>Just step away from it all for a little. Find a quiet place and clear your head.
It has been non-stop crazy and if something important happens they can find us easily enough.

>>2699279
>In the confusion, get mobbed by all them Japanese ladies who can't speak a lick of English

>>2699279
>Find a tree and take a siesta. Try out this meditation shit and become enlightened.

>>2699279
>>In the confusion, just go with it and head into... would this be 'brunch'?

>>2699279
backing this >>2699290
>>2699311

>>2699279
>Go to city and buy some weeb items
>Don't stare on a highschool girls
>Stare anyway

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>>2699279
This has been some non-stop crazy. But you've had enough.

Nothing is currently on fire. The town PROBABLY can't get much more destroyed.

After that display earlier, nobody's going to screw with Sue.

There are a lot of responsible and powerful folks around. Well, powerful, if not responsible. And they're mostly reasonable.

You just want to find a nice, quiet place. Hopefully under a tree. Maybe you can reach enlightenment.

So you find a tree in another rock garden, and slump down under it.

If something terrible happens, someone will find you.

Right?
You're not really sure how long you sleep for, but at least it's dreamless.
A hot tongue wakes you up, lapping at your face like a dog. It's a... golden fox?

Once it notices you're awake, it sits back on its haunches like it's very proud of itself.

And then, uh, Melon's sitting there?

"I did it!" she says, "I can fully transform now! Look at my tail!" she says, suddenly changing back into a canine in front of your eyes, and waving her fox tail around.

>That's nice.
>Five more minutes...
>Great job!
>How long have I been asleep?
>WRITE IN

>>2699279
>>In the confusion, find Melon and Haru

>>2699366
>>Great job!

>>2699366
>Great job!

>>2699366
>Scratch her ears.
>Great job!
>How long have I been asleep?

>>2699366
>>Great job!

>>2699366
>Great job!
> 5 more minutes.

>>2699366
>Eskimo kisses as you scratch her ears
>How long have I been asleep?

>>2699396
. . . . That's some Trump and Ivanka stuff there.

No touching our daughters you perv.

>>2699418
stop being a faggot. Now you are going to tell me that you are against parents kising their children on their cheeks?

>>2699418
The fuck? What? How do you make that connection?

>>2699418
>Eskimo kisses
>Somehow equates to something not relevant to the quest
>ConfusedBlackMan.gif

>>2699452
I think anon confused eskimo kisses with french ones?

>>2699366
>Great job!
>How long have I been asleep?

Once we see the stepbrother, in a joking tone
>Hey, think you can teach me that? I'm thinking a german shepherd

>>2699466
Yeah we should totally do this
>Not dobberman
Step up anon

>>2699418
Out... of all the political members you could pick... You chose the two that aren't like that?

Anon please take your advance autism and leave.

>>2699472
Anon has a PhD in Autism.

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>>2699366
"Great job!" you say, reaching out to the fox, and pulling her into a hug. Then you scratch her behind the ears.

"Dad!" Melon yells, now a human again in your arms, "I told you those were sensitive!"

Oh.

"I'm pretty damn proud of you," you tell her, hugging your daughter.

"You should be," Haru says, detaching himself from the tree behind you, "I've never seen someone get it so fast," he finishes, and walks away.

"Think you could teach me?" you ask his back jocularly, "I'm thinking German Shepherd."

"Only if your mother got frisky with one," he says, glancing back at you, "Hmm. A definite possibility. We're trying foxfire tomorrow, Melon," he calls back over his shoulder, walking out of the rock garden, and Melon's eyes light up.

That's a scary thought. But maybe you should thank the guy sometime. Melon's certainly able to go back to fully human now, you realize, as you pat her head and don't feel a second set of ears.

"Uncle Haru," she tells you, "figured out how the magical girl thing works after he saw Sue fight," she says, leaning back against the tree, "he can't get it off me, but he taught me to get around it, if that makes sense."

Magic's really never going to make sense to you, but you've got the feeling it doesn't even make sense to the people who use it.

"And you should have seen Sue's face!" Melon continues, and you can feel her giggles, "Freebles took her home after that, but she was shocked when she found out I was the 'trained fox' she'd been feeding treats to!"

"Sounds like you've had a fun day," you tell her, as you look at the sky and realize how late it is.

"It's been great," she tells you, snuggling against you, "looks like you had a good day, too. Everyone's been tiptoeing on this side of the castle. You must have been exhausted."

"Guess I was," you say, "seems like they managed to not burn the place down."

Melon laughs.

"Uncle John almost did," she says, "but it was just a card trick."

A card trick with fire? You probably don't want to know.

"It's almost time for dinner," Melon tells you, standing up and letting her ears pop out. Ok, those are really cute.

So you stand up and follow her inside. You didn't reach enlightenment, but at least you're well rested.

And Melon's certainly enjoying this family trip.

You realize all too quickly that you're going to need that rest as you step into the main hall. Someone's brought up a second table to expand the table on the dais, and there are a number of rather important-looking folks seated at it with your 'family'.

That does not look like a fun discussion.

>Sit down and ask Liska what's going on, in a whisper
>Sit down and ask the table what's going on
>Cruise the low tables - whatever's going on up there isn't your business
>Sit down as if nothing's going on
>WRITE IN

Guys you forgot something
>[X] Touch Fluffy Tail

>>2699436
>>2699450
>>2699452
>>2699453

I actually meant touching her ears.

Jesus dudes. She said they were *sensitive* take a hint.

>>2699489
>Sit down and watch the conversation play out.
>Ask Liska what's going on if we still can't decipher what's going on

>>2699472
I mean, Trumps the only one I know who said he would fuck his daughter so . . .

>>2699489

>Sit down and ask the table what's going on

Time to Gaijin Smash the conversation.

>>2699489
>Sit down and ask Liska what's going on, in a whisper
>Tell Liska that we might need to chat with Miss Hamasaki about the rats since we think she clearly has a different picture of what they're like.
>Drunkenly sing Stand by Me to Liska at some point afterwards before we go to sleep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwZNL7QVJjE

>>2699511
There's nothing to go on when we got nothing to describe what would be considered a "Trump and Ivanka stuff there" in your original post m8.

>>2699489
>Sit down and ask Liska what's going on, in a whisper

>>2699513
16:38 - 16:50 Voting period or so.

Great, one vote apiece for three incompatible votes.

>>2699490
>>[X] Touch Fluffy Tail
I'm calling "you're my DAD, dad!" on that one.

>>2699552
I think he met Liska.

At a meal in front of her family. So not tons better.

>>2699552
Such is life in the zone.

>>2699489
>Sit down and ask Liska what's going on, in a whisper

>>2699511
Being sensitive doesn't mean she gets a sexual reaction from it, you pervert. You don't orgasm when you are in a dark room and suddenly someone turns on the light.

>>2699578
I personally thought she meant it as if they were ticklish.

>>2699583
in my case i tought that she found the experience somewhat hurtful, like when your arm goes super numb and it hurts when you try to move it or touch it.

>>2699511
>Be sensitive
>Think sexual right away.

Did you ever fucking get tickled before?

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>>2699511
Think of it like getting an itch you can't reach scratched, it's really nice it's not sexual in any way.

>>2699578
I've seen too many anime foxgirls act like it's more than just "sensation".

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>>2699489
You sit down at the table, almost unnoticed by the other participants.

Ok, you can't follow the conversation, but it's a heated debate between some old Japanese dudes and Sachio, with the shrine maiden playing some sort of interference. Kelly slips in a couple of laconic remarks, but you're really not sure what they're talking about. John's leaning back, smiling, and whenever he opens his mouth, you can see veins throb on rather dignified-looking temples.

You lean into Liska.

"What's going on?" you whisper in her ear.

"It's about getting the government in to help with the flood recovery," she whispers, "while hiding the fact that this castle is basically a functioning feudal dynasty of youkai, and that, uh, mom caused the flood. And negotiating a treaty between the castle and the town and the local goddess, and what connections of the old head's," she says, nodding at the fox head nailed to the wall behind Sachio, "we can safely leverage. It's complicated."

Yeah, that sounds complicated, all right.

"Wow," you mutter.

"It gets better," Liska whispers, "nobody knows if the portions of the government that know about or respect the supernatural were in bed with dad. So if they roll in, they might take Sachio out in revenge. And after seeing that flood, you have a pretty good idea how well that's going to go with mom."

"THERE'S AN EASY SOLUTION," you hear inside your head.

Oh no. You know what the Thousand Year Blade's going to say.

"MARCH ON EDO!" it says, right on cue, "TAKE THE SHOGUNATE! KIDNAP THE EMPEROR! PUT THE OFFICIALS IN THEIR PLACE! THE OTHER OFFICIALS, NOT YOU."

"I'll take it under advisement," you think at the sword.

"So it's a clusterfuck," you whisper back at Liska, "where we go from one act of god to a supernatural war in a heartbeat. Depending on what the old man's connections are."

"Basically," your wife whispers to you, "Kelly's offering to take responsibility for the hit, if he gets on a flight out before they tell anyone. John's offering to bankroll the rebuilding effort, but nobody wants to owe him the favor, and the guys from the town think him showing up right now is some plot of Sachio's."

"And that's assuming none of the neighboring youkai decide this is a power vacuum," she finishes.

Fuck.

>I heard there was dinner, and I'm hungry (settle into normal conversation with WRITE IN)
>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow.
>We can work this out - Sachio, your dad had files, right? Blackmail list. He's gotta have a thousand years of dirt on everyone.
>Hamasaki, any chance we can play this totally normal when the government shows up?
>WRITE IN

>>2699647
>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow
The sword is making more and more sense as these threads go on

>>2699647
>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow.

WE MUST DO IT FOR THE FAMILY!

>>2699647
>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow.

This sounds like a stupid plan and yes I kinda want to see how it goes.

>>2699647
>>I heard there was dinner, and I'm hungry (settle into normal conversation with SUE AND MELON)

Godammit you faggots. taking tokio doesn't help in the slightest and might even force a reset

>>2699647
>Unironically invading Japan for America
AMERICA FYCK YEAH

>>2699662
17:25 - 17:40ish voting period.

God help me, are we actually doing this?

>>2699511
>>2699578
>>2699592
>>2699625
>>2699639
Liska's comments the first time the MC touched Melon's ears made some implications about what 'sensitive' means. Looks like the MC didn't quite get it.

>>2699647
>Honey I think I need more booze. The sword is beginning to make perfect sense to me.

>>2699683
I'll second this
>>2699647

>>2699647
I want to, if possible, anti-vote for the 'take over japan' thing.

>>2699647
>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow.

>>2699680
Never post an option you’re not willing to write, Boss.

>>2699647
>>Hamasaki, any chance we can play this totally normal when the government shows up?

>>2699647
>The best bet is to always follow the money. Fortunately there seems to be an accountant right here.

>>2699680
you wrote yourself into it, again.

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>>2699692
>Never post an option you’re not willing to write, Boss.
I don't.

>>2699676
We take em over with financial accountant power. The Tokyo cannot afford to let it be known they were under the thumb of a war criminal responsible for nanking this whole time!

>>2699707
>>2699715
Listen, while I want to say that those voting to actually listen to the sword is retarded and to ask them nicely to stop being retarded, if our father in law was in some way controlling japan from the shadows, the least we can do is cement our brother in laws place at the head of the table because it's going to turn into game of thrones.

>>2699719
I was trying to steer them a little but off of the crazy train via actually remembering what our damn job and expertise is.

>>2699726
we can't go managing an entire country when we already have enough on our plate with the coming apocalypse and everything at home, this is retarded, they need to stop being retarded.

>>2699647
>Write-in
Slam your hand in table to get the attention of everyone
>I swear to God if I don't hear a fucking consensus between you two I fucking know two nukes aren't enough but I will SEND my sister to level a fucking city so you fucking go ahead a make a deal where everyone fucking gets it got it?

Magical Mafia don mode:ON

>>2699728
Grandpa should have given the children some civics lessons. We just need to establish what the (financial) routes of power were so that the brothers can handle the rest.

>>2699729
Oh yeah if they don't listen to reason
>Invade Tokyo put John as new prime minister, Haru as JSDF and Sachio on Japanese Diet

>>2699731
Exactly I'm fine with this being the 'listen to the sword' deal we can only offer advice and support to our brother in law we cannot get personally involved, we already have a dragon at home and a coming apocalypse, we don't have time or energy to deal with this stupidity.

Speaking of energy we still have contracts of several magical girls we need to deal with, too much on the plate and they're saying 'it's not enough'

>>2699647
>The best bet is to always follow the money. Fortunately there seems to be an accountant right here.

>>2699735
Probably a bad idea. The prime minister of japan apparently changes all the time. I presume that means the old one has been killed and replaced by a shapeshifter that relinquishes power to the guy that killed the actual PM.

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>>2699647
"Someone translate for me," you say, standing up. Liska looks up at you, with a look you remember well.

It's the same look she had before she got about twenty people, mostly teenagers, 'blitzed like Poland' in your backyard.

The rest of the folks seated at the table look a little startled, but half of them volunteer to translate for you. You guess that at least a couple of the guys from the town know English, but they're not letting on.

Just have to keep whatever edge they can get, huh?

"I believe there is historical precedent for what I am about to suggest," you say, and wait for Hamasaki to translate.

"Given the danger posed by the current government to us, to our family land, and to the rightful order of things under heaven," you say, and Hamasaki translates. A little slower this time. As if she can't believe where she thinks you're going with this.

"We will march on Edo, I mean Tokyo," you continue, "we will depose the shogun, I mean the prime minister, kidnap the emperor, and create a better government where humans and the supernatural live in peace together!"

Ok, those two guys definitely know English. You can see their eyes go wide halfway through your sentence, along with the other English-speaking members of your family. Everyone else's do after the translation.

Sachio looks like he's been slapped in the face with a fish. John's grin is in danger of splitting his head in half.

Seems like the lower tables aren't listening. That might be best.

"NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!" you hear the sword inside your skull, "GO ON AND GIVE YOUR MARCHING ORDERS, EVEN IF MOST OF YOUR ARMY IS PEASANTS!"

"You have got to be fucking with me," Haru says, after the shock wears off.

>Of course I'm fucking with you - but if you guys can't find an option you like, remember that there's a worse one waiting in the wings.
>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.
>Of course I'm fucking with you - but I'm not going to sit here while you talk in circles about five different problems instead of tackling them one at a time.
>I'm serious. And we can do it - once I call my forces in.
>WRITE IN

>>2699647
>>We can work this out - Sachio, your dad had files, right? Blackmail list. He's gotta have a thousand years of dirt on everyone.
He should have some
Point out that it exists and if we cant find it fast enough we.
>>We're taking Edo, I mean Tokyo. And we're taking it tomorrow.

>>2699774
>>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - but if you guys can't find an option you like, remember that there's a worse one waiting in the wings.

>>2699784
Actually changing to this I can get behind doing some account wizardry

>>2699774
>>2699774
>>Of course I'm fucking with you - but if you guys can't find an option you like, remember that there's a worse one waiting in the wings.
>>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.
>>Of course I'm fucking with you - but I'm not going to sit here while you talk in circles about five different problems instead of tackling them one at a time.
Pretty sure all three of these can apply since we will just work overtime to follow the money quickly. And the first and third are kinda them same.

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - but I'm not going to sit here while you talk in circles about five different problems instead of tackling them one at a time.
>Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.

We can always go for the emperor if we get nothing, I guess.

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - but I'm not going to sit here while you talk in circles about five different problems instead of tackling them one at a time.
>Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living. Somebody who actually knows local politics to help me figure out if a transaction is a big deal would help out a bit.
If that doesn't work then you can always listen to the sword's advice and try to march on Tokyo since it's better than the alternatives you were worrying about.

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.
>Of course I'm fucking with you - but I'm not going to sit here while you talk in circles about five different problems instead of tackling them one at a time.
A combo of these two, not necessarily in this order.

>>2699800
Look alive
>Bernie can have his expansion in Japan (he really like Japanese Schoolboys for some reason
>Mary will go to her pilgrimage of Mahou Shoujo
>Sue likes Japan
>Karen probably is a weaboo
>T.T. is also a weaboo
>tfw the only obstacle we cant take over is the entertainment industry where the Artist, Entertainers and VA are protected by a union of Magical Girls, Supernatural Entities and their boss is Cutethulthu who goes Kya Kya desut'ng or that loli Nyarly-chan

>>2699774
>Of course I'm fucking with you - Sachio, if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living.
An open coup is last resort
I really hope there's we have to resort to it

>>2699800
this person has my vote

>>2699774
>I'm serious. And we can do it - once I call my forces in.

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>>2699774
"Of course I'm fucking with you," you say, and hear some sighs of relief. You hear a second round once the shrine maiden finishes translating.

"But I'm not going to sit around while you go in circles on five different problems at once," you tell them, "if you can't find a good solution, remember what the worst one is."

Then you sit down, as Hamasaki translates through your statement.

You get an odd variety of looks. One of the old guys on the other side of the table looks almost... disappointed?

"Sachio," you say, "if we're going to make it out of this, I need your dad's files. I follow the money for a living. And if we can't get square with the outside world, it doesn't matter how we work things out here."

"Sure," he says, still in shock from the earlier announcement, "shall we adjourn to the tunnels?" he asks the table, and then repeats himself (and probably part of your statement) in Japanese.

There's a bit of argument, but son enough, everyone from the high table is walking down into what you're guessing is a World War Two era bunker complex under the castle.

"Were you serious about all that?" Liska whispers, brushing up against you.

"Maybe," you whisper back, "or maybe I need to drink enough that the sword doesn't make sense."

"I've got just the thing," she says, winking at you and nodding down at her hands.

Wait, did she grab all those bottles on the way out of the main hall?

And she's got that grin again.

There are vaults of documents down here. And while you can follow the money, you can't follow Japanese to save your life.

Luckily, there are people who can. It's rather a free-for-all, though. This guy knew about all the skeletons, in all the closets, for a thousand years.

Who they were, why they were in the closet, who to call about their grandfather's sins, the whole nine yards. Following the money isn't even necessary half the time.

And you get the feeling he only kept the documents on the most interesting or useful skeletons...

Hours (and a few bottles) later, the old man who looked disappointed about you not going through on the potential coup is telling you, with broken English and some help from Hamasaki about how he used to be in the Diet, but his party stabbed him in the back, and how he could ruin half the cabinet with this stuff.

You can't pretend to understand Japanese politics, but you get the impression that if a journalist got into this place, there would be some interesting and possibly catastrophic changes.

"IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLER TO MARCH ON EDO," the sword says into your mind, "RATHER THAN FIGHT THIS WAR OF SCRIBES."

But the important part is that you seem to have the strings of a lot of potential puppets here. A lot of rather important puppets.

>I'm going to say it once - we're using this stuff to make sure we stay safe, not to further our agendas
>Sachio, how do you feel about journalists and historians?
>I think we're covered. And we have a dinner to eat.
>WRITE IN

>>2699937
>>I'm going to say it once - we're using this stuff to make sure we stay safe, not to further our agendas

>>2699937
>I'm going to say it once - we're using this stuff to make sure we stay safe, not to further our agendas
>I think we're covered. And we have a dinner to eat.
Food and drink. But focus on FOOD.

>>2699937
>You have two general options.
>You can let them know that we figured out their secrets that the old head figured out and we are capable of using them. Or we let some journalists and historians have the greatest moment of their careers and use that as way to expand your power if you feel like it or just to send a message that you guys aren't a soft target.
We aren't the head of this castle. Sachio is and we shouldn't be making that decision for him. We'd probably have to catch a plane before the power struggles are finished anyway.

>>2699937
>I think we're covered. And we have a dinner to eat

>>2699937
>I think we're c>Sachio, how do you feel about journalists and historians?

>>2699937
>I'm going to say it once - we're using this stuff to make sure we stay safe, not to further our agendas
>WRITE IN
"Sometimes the simpler solution isn't always the best solution."

>>2699937
>>2699963
second

>>2699937
>I think we're covered. And we have a dinner to eat.
> We can focus on finding stability dirst and then deciding what to do.

>>2699963
Supporting too i mean we already have too much in our plate

>>2699680
What I don't get is all the people who think tickling a teenager isn't sexual.

Like.

Naw man, that shit's weird and easily becomes sexual. It leads to sex a lot. But where do I think I am, I guess.

>>2699963
>>2699937
Yeah, we arent MacArthur

We should definitely get a lucky charm or treasure to help us invade hell.

We should also put out an open invite if anyone wants to invade hell with us.

>>2699937
>>2699963
Supporting this

>>2700030
I was giving you the benefit of the doubt but it's pretty clear that you're a pervert.

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>>2699937
"Sometimes," you think at the sword, "the simplest solution isn't the best one. We can't kill the entire JSDF."

"WE PROBABLY COULD KILL ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM THINK TWICE."

"I think we're covered," you say to the room in general, "this place would be a field day for anybody with a newspaper."

You're hungry. And judging by the way everyone starts going back upstairs, you're not the only one.

"Sachio," you say, pulling him aside as the rest file out, "you've got a few options with this stuff. You let a few important people know, very subtly, you've got your dad's blackmail list, and you can use it. That should be enough to keep this place safe."

"And door number two?" he mutters at you.

"Use it smartly and become the next emperor or prime minister?" you tell him, "or let some journalists and historians have the best moment of their careers. I'm only going to say it once, but I recommend just using it to make sure we stay safe, not further anyone's agenda."

Wait, when did you start using 'us' to refer to the townspeople of the valley and Sachio's little kingdom of youkai?

"I'll think about it," he tells you, as the two of you walk back through the tunnels, then whispers, "that was... rather a lot to take in back there. Not sure I'm cut out to be a spider in the middle of that kind of web, honestly, not my style."

That's a little bit of an understatement, you think, as the two of you walk back into the main hall.

"So now that's over," Sachio says, addressing the high table at large, "we've got a dinner to eat. And I think we were going to discuss some sort of agreement between us and the townspeople, and how we're going to pretend everything's normal when the government shows up, with the help of some judicious blackmail."

Then he repeats himself in Japanese.

If you keep hanging out with these people, you are really going to have to learn that language. But you hope you don't have to.

If you never come back to Japan, your return will be far too soon.

Well, at least the food's good, you think, beginning to eat as the discussion between the youkai lord and the townspeople gets going again. It seems a lot less desperate this time.

>Get a play by play from somebody
>Just eat and go to bed
>Talk to [WRITE IN SOMEBODY AT THE TABLE] I'm not teleporting anyone else in for you this time.
>Check in with Freebles on how things are on the home front
>WRITE IN

>>2700058
>>Get a play by play from somebody
Wife.

>>2700058

>Get a play by play from somebody

>>2700058
>Get a play by play from somebody

They better channel their best John Madden impression while doing it.

>>2700049
Oh yeah, definitely. That's why I can recognize when things are inappropriate like the ear touching.

You guys didn't pay attention to how it was recieved.

>>2700058
> >Talk to [WRITE IN SOMEBODY AT THE TABLE]

Invite that Dude who wanted to invade Edo to invade Hell with us.

>>2700078

> >Talk to [WRITE IN SOMEBODY AT THE TABLE]

Invite that Dude who wanted to invade Edo to invade Hell with us.

>>2700058
>Bring up Freebles and ask Rei- Hamasaki what exactly what she thinks he is.The love and justice thing she and the rats say seems in stark contrast to the actual contracts given. Ask for her to make sure Sue doesn't get into some cultural obligation clusterfuck with the tengu. (Sue might be wary of contracts by now, but that doesn't mean she knows what might be considered a binding contract to something that isn't a rat)
>Drink a little too much and serenade the wife with a love song.

>>2700058
>Just eat and go to bed

>>2700085
I feel bad for the sword, to think it was fonally going to get to march on Edo but then to be denied.

>>2700089
>>2700058
I'll back this one. It should be informative!

We might not like what we learn, but that's what makes it fun!

>>2700058
>Write-in
>There is a DDR machine somewhere go Challenge Kelly
>Drag Haru and Liska and have a couple double dance

>>2700098
I've been kinda wondering why other anons weren't bringing this up with her. Her job is literally what our home city needed to prevent the rats from running amok making the types of contracts that they make. She's the closest thing to a supernatural judge/cop/Dredd in this situation and. as loathe as we probably are to get a little girl involved in this, she might actually be the one we're supposed to call when something's strange is in the neighborhood.

>>2700105
Maybe that's why they're in America now.

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[META POST]
I'm continuing the thread, but I just took a shower, so the next post will be a bit slow.


I forgot to link the archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Shotgun

Looks like that problem with the last thread solved itself.

This thing needs to be updated for the most recent arc, and some technical details that have been revealed, but it's what I've got for an info sheet: https://pastebin.com/Ci70z8w1

And now, the Questions Nobody Asked Corner:

Why is Reiya Hamasaki (the shrine maiden) the 'default' translator for a lot of the recent scenes? Because she's the most neutral person between Sachio's group, your group, and the townspeople, if not actively favoring the townspeople. Hearing her version of what you're saying is somewhat more credible for them than hearing it from the other bilingual folks at the table.

Why does the MC keep thinking of her as "Rei- Hamasaki"? Because he's been trying to get the 'address her by her surname' thing straight in his head. He's been getting better about it as time goes on.

Could we really have marched on Edo/Tokyo? Yes. It would have basically blown the scope of the quest wide open, and eclipsed a lot of things, but I would have written it. Glad I didn't have to write Attack On Tokyo Quest, though. Also, the Japanese imperial family is supposed to have divine descent, and this is a setting where that's possibly a real thing, so old Akihito might not have been a pushover...

Why are you doing [X]? Because it amuses me.

>>2700121
Prettymuch. Seems like somebody needs to be tutored on this stuff and set up shop although at this point it's probably like trying to stop drugs in columbia.

>>2700126
Bernie managed to carve a niche out for himself and the city as a netural zone. Maybe hooking Reiya up with him is what we need to help take it national.

>>2700124
Nah, somebody mentioned earlier that the emperor had to admit not being divine after WWII instead of the emperor had to claim he wasn't divine. It's an important distinction. The (remaining) imperial treasures on the other hand would probably be real.

>>2700130
Melon's a half and half. She might work as a shrine maiden in training thanks to that theoretical neutrality to sort out the stuff in the US after the quest is over.

>>2700153
On the other hand, she's the daughter of the Shotgun Shogun. That miiiiight carry it's own baggage.

What other titles do you think we've picked up by this point?

>>2700157
Breaker of The Three Sons,Matador of the Minotaur,Seedmaker of the Idoru.

Is there an archive for this?

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>>2700058
"So," you say to Liska, "want to give a play-by-play?"

She smiles at you as you take a bite.

"The away team opened the half with a nonaggression proposal," she says, "the good old 'don't eat our kids' play. But the home team's pulling out a different playbook, and ran the ball twenty yards past startled defenders with a 'live in harmony' gambit, echoing their success earlier in the game with the 'flood mitigation plan' drive."

You just had to use sports words to ask for a translation, didn't you?

Hamasaki pulls out a book, most of which looks handwritten, and cuts into the discussion.

"Ooh," Liska continues, "ref on the field, ten face penalty for the home team! They were intimidated into helping with the refugees. But she's pulling out a 'history lecture', on the field, wait," Liska asks you suddenly, "can refs make their own plays?"

"I don't think so," you tell her, "but I doubt they're playing NFL rules."

And you're definitely not in kansas anymore.

"The ref's unexpected intervention puts the ball solidly back with the home team," Liska says, "a timely 'you've been worshipping their mother for a thousand years' scores them a, uh what down is it again?"

"I don't know and I think the gag's getting old," you say, taking another bite.

"That's a 'our tanuki have been drinking in your bars since you were kids' solidly into the endzone!" Liska finishes triumphantly, "they're still debating the technicalities of jurisdiction and how laws get applied to the two sides, but I'm pretty sure the police chief is absolutely sold on having supernatural help with anything crazy that comes up, and it's just details now. Sachio's at least getting out of this with being the heir to an eccentric family living in that castle on the mountain, instead of being a bedtime scare for naughty children."

Well, that seems to be a step forward, you think, but wait, aren't the cops supposed to be demons or something?

Hamasaki walks over as the discussion between the kitsune brothers and the town elders gets more friendly. Even Haru's smiling, as he makes a theatrical gesture and the others laugh.

"I believe I should thank you for this," the shrine maiden says, "may I sit over here? They have begun telling stories."

And judging by the look on Liska's face, and some of her giggles, the anecdotes have gotten a bit off-color.

"Sure," you tell her, and she takes a seat on the floor next to you.

>You holding up ok?
>I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles, and we've got some questions. Also, do you know what he is?
>Uh, I don't know how to put this politely, but demon cops?
>Think Sue's going to get into any contractual trouble if she takes that tengu up on his offer?
>WRITE IN

>>2700217
>You holding up ok?
>Think Sue's going to get into any contractual trouble if she takes that tengu up on his offer?
>I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles, and we've got some questions. Also, do you know what he is?
This looks good to me.

>>2700216
>archive
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Shotgun
It's linked in >>2700124 too. Someone messed up on a chapter, so 'Shotgun' is the only tag that works.

>>2700131
Let's be honest - had you guys really decided to Monster Movie Edo/Tokyo, I was not going to let historical inaccuracy stop me from throwing a divine emperor at you.

>>2700229
Thanks!

>>2699366
Did she just lick our face?

>>2700241
Yes

>>2700217
>I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles, and we've got some questions. Also, do you know what he is?

>>2700225
Supporting.

>>2700229
I wasn't talking about historical inaccuracy. I meant a character in your story who would know if he was divine specifically said that. Sealed the lid pretty tight on a divine emperor.


>>2700217
>Ask if sue has any weird (possibly contractual) obligations if she takes that tengu up on it's offer.
>I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles, and we've got some questions. Also, do you know what he is?

>>2700121
I did some thinking and after considering a bunch of the basic myths and traditions still going around I think the US is the only one that really has lost their equivalent of whatever Reimu is.
Africa still has witch doctors(those roughly translate into paladins in the west) and every other area besides the continental US (and maybe china) takes their supernatural shit seriously on some level. I'd guess it ties into the genocide of the native americans leaving a bit of a vacuum.

>>2700225
Supporting

>>2700245
K

>>2700264
Also the fact that it's not real and while it's the worlds oldest government American culture never really developed the kind of superstition that doesn't get eclipsed by things like going to the moon, or world wars using industrial production to field massive amounts of destruction. I mean, where do you think Americans came from anyways. They originally had all the superstitions. Don't idealize the natives with that hippy benevolent savage BS. They did just as much empire building and genocide as other places.

Of course in game it's probably a conspiracy.

>>2700285
Uh.. you're reading into things a bit much. Like I'm almost genuinely concerned for you. I can't even call it projection.

America does have cultures and superstitions but they do not have any unified cores of protection and the "supernatural police" probably stayed back home because that's where the creatures they made deals with live. America is a melting pot and that melting pot includes the supernatural.

eg Some Irishman's ancestral deal with faeries doesn't mean jack shit if the faeries are thousands of miles away and knowing how to deal with the ones he lived with doesn't prep him for some indonesian homosexual rape ogre with a 2 foot long cock. (that's a thing)

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>>2700217
"You holding up ok?" you ask Hamasaki.

"I am tired, but I will be fine," she tells you, "I was not exactly trained for something of this nature."

"None of us really were," you say, "but we'll manage. You might know some stuff I don't - is Sue going to get into trouble if she takes that tengu up on his offer?"

"This is not Black Bird," she tells you with an all too straight face, and you can hear Liska giggle behind you.

"I meant contractual trouble," you say with a sigh, "I know some folks who've gotten some really bad deals from the supernatural."

"It would not be like that," Hamasaki says, "it would be like a teacher and a student. That tengu practices the art of the sword, and nothing mystical beyond it."

That's good news at least.

Speaking of bad contracts...

"I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles," you say, and the ferret pops out of your pocket. He's been sleeping there for a while. Apparently, teleporting across the world takes it out of you, particularly if you're pulling other people along.

The ferret bows, and gives what you assume is some sort of polite greeting, which the shrine maiden returns. You could swear you saw him start to reach for a business card, but he catches himself.

Old habits die hard.

"Why do you," Hamasaki asks, switching back to English, "I am being impolite, but I have been wondering why you have yakuza tattoos?"

"Sign of loyalty to my bro here," Freebles says, giving you a playful punch in the arm with his paw.

"Do you know what he is?" you ask her, although she still seems puzzled by his response.

She stares at him for a minute, then reaches out toward his head, stopping with her hand out an inch from it, as if waiting for permission.

Freebles nods, and then the shrine maiden starts petting him.

"I do not know," she tells you, still stroking the ferret, "but he is not from here. Not like," she glances around, taking in the other supernatural creatures and humans in the room, "them. Us."

>Not from here? Like what I call demons?
>Then where is he from?
>Have you met anything like him before?
>You said you weren't trained for this?
>WRITE IN

>>2700217
>>I'd like you to meet my bro Freebles, and we've got some questions. Also, do you know what he is?
>>Uh, I don't know how to put this politely, but demon cops?
>>Think Sue's going to get into any contractual trouble if she takes that tengu up on his offer?
>>2700217

>>2700310
>>2700285
I could probably phrase my point better.
Who do you go to in America if you think that there are demons, werewolves, or other crazy shit going around? Your most well known general option is a televangelist and those guys are obviously full of shit.
Other places around the world will have some priest/priestess in a nearby village you can turn to or traditions telling you what shit you're in or even an organized religion. America has your best shot being the MIB not killing you to cover things up.

>>2700319
>Then where is he from?
>Have you met anything like him before?

Let's get the basics out of the way first.

>>2700332
Yeah, America gained all the supernatural creatures, but none of the organization and core traditions of anywhere else. The typical american doesn't think of elves or fairies as Fae, for example, and don't know how you're to conduct yourself around them. They don't know anything about vampires or werewolves besides the movies. They don't know about the native beasts either. It's just a big mixed up pot of madness, with none of the order.

>>2700319
>Then where is he from? He told me he was a japanese businessman in his past life so I figured he roughly fit into something you might have been taught about.
>Have you met anything like him before?
>Freebles, Did your death have anything to do with how you became... like this?

>>2700342
Supporting, along with
>do you know any other equivilant existing of your job in america/other countries?

>>2700332
Yeah I wasn't disagreeing with that.

It was your reasoning as to "why" the lost the superstitions from their homeland.

Thise superstitions are part of an identity that their home cultures had that didn't get recreated in America. You can see American Tall Tales develop with supernatural creatures, but most of it simply never sank in as the culture and society grew alongside technology.

Sure there were fad movements like the whole Age of Aquarius thing and wmthe Satanic Panic of the 90s, but not much of the bred in the bone you see elsewhere that continues on in large part because that's what people have simply always done.

I'm not sure where you get the "projection" part from, because I think you misunderstood my post quite badly.

It's funny you mention the MIB because conspiracy theories are pretty much US superstitions. The supernatural aspect is the only thing missing, just replace it with aliens or nazi space technology or whatever.

>>2700310
Also reminder, those things don't actually exist so you know. There's no actual reinforcement except for cultural explanations for things.

>>2700344
> Vampires and Werewolves are lies made up to hide the actions of the lizard people!

American superstitions, right there.

>>2700319
> He says he was originally Japanese though. Do you mean he didn't come from this Japan?

>>2700319

>Not from here? Like what I call demons?

>>2700353
I think another piece of the puzzle here from a cultural/folklore perspective is that the colonizers/settlers in America were, for the most part, already Christianized, and Christianity does not play nice with supernatural creatures, unless they're too traditional to root out. (Leaving milk out for the fae/brownies/etc., for instance.) Added to that, there's a lot of influence from particular Christian traditions where you are your own mediator with the supernatural (most Protestant traditions go for that), which ties into the philosophical individualism that underlies a lot of American stuff.

This is how you get stories like The Devil And Dan'l Webster, where a folk hero (secular) lawyer argues a man's case with the devil.

That's my two cents on the American superstition thing.

>>2700361

ILLUMANIT

>>2700350

LN title would be

> I accidentally worked with the Mi-Go and when I found out they killed my body and put my soul in a Ferret body that needed to be fueled by sacrificing magical girls while saving the world, but they charge me so much for using the body that I can't ever pay them back so I started a rebellion with this dude with a shotgun

Next Isekai twist right there, I was Reborn as a Contractor is the manga title.

>>2700367
Yeah, it's usually a conflux of events and not any one single cause.

>>2700353
Those are the modern superstitions.

There are plenty of general supernatural ones i've heard/read about that never really involve going to an "expert" as much as the person themselves outwitting the target with their knowledge, knowing to GTFO (Wait till Martin comes), article entries (eg stories about the hide-behind but no actual detail on how to deal with it),or the person losing even after they outwitted the supernatural Eg Jack scratch being denied entrance to both heaven and hell as a result of his "victory".

American superstition is basically that you're on your own.

...Oh god, I just had a thought. /x/ is the magical authority for America, isn't it?

>>2700396
SCP would probably do a better job than whatever might actually be there.

>>2700396
Then they really need to stop trying to summon demons to get laid and become proper wizards.

/x/, the SCP database, and Creepypasta, all being legitimate supernatural authorities for North america... My god.