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24030 No. 24030




She is quiet now.

It took her the better part of an afternoon to vent. There's no better way of describing what she did than that. Plenty of words wasted on the small things and minor incidents that, by themselves, do not signify much. Actions fitting a concerned friend or perhaps an overbearing one. Strung together, they resemble a conspiracy or a methodological approach to someone. Kaguya did not let you forget for a moment that Eirin is the kind of person that carefully weighs all options before deciding on something. The implication is, therefore, that no incident is ever a spontaneous and isolated event. Being chided for skipping out on a meeting to be with a lover is as weighty and deliberate as being told that the rabbits enjoy pounding rice cakes.

Her complaints are not just denunciations. You detect something like wistfulness in her words every now and then. Perhaps it's something different, something more akin to would-be admiration withheld a proper outlet. There is a lot of emotion that she carries with her but not much bitterness you think. In that there might be a way forward, a way to move on but you're unsure of what to say or not to say. Your track record on interpersonal relationships is spotty at best, especially when it comes to relationships between others. It's funny that you remember dealing with Kaguya's antipathetic and hot-tempered friend with fondness – she certainly did not make life easy for you even when Keine tried her best to smooth things over. Not in a million years did you expect that things would somehow be worse with Eirin. Still waters run deep so it seems.

After sifting through it all there should be a lot worth thinking about. The optimist in you assures that the answer to all of this, or at least part of the answer, lies in what she said. The belief that it's hopeless is likewise represented but does not speak as loudly as hope does. It will take a lot of effort to filter and lock down exactly what you need and to determine how to best use it. You may need Kaguya's help to deal with this or maybe a fresher perspective. There probably will be no indication that you're on the right track either, given how stubborn and distant these lunarians can be. Sighing feels something of a natural thing to do.

You gave up challenging Kaguya hours ago. It felt somehow more appropriate to let her just get it all out as she felt like it then to try to steer things into a more manageable direction. Definitely an exhausting experience. Your brain is a quagmire of information where every attempt to step in and sort things out results in getting stuck for the longest time. Ultimately it somehow ended like you are now, the both of you quietly sitting together. It's as if a hole has been created because of the volume and force of things that came out. You seek to be close together so as to cover that space up with your combined presence.

A single paper lantern has been lit outside. The resulting light is barely strong enough to allow you to distinguish the floor from the walls. Only by virtue of her being so close can you tell where Kaguya is and even then anything besides her upper body seems to meld into the dark alongside your own legs and lower body. An observer might have a hard time deciding if there are two people or just one in the room at a glance. It's so quiet that even a fly's buzzing would sound like a jet engine by comparison.

Imperceptibly at first, Kaguya begins to move. A light ripple of feedback rolls into your arms and another washes over your chest. The sensation is so weak and so sudden that you first believe it is simply a result of her body adjusting itself into a more comfortable position. Her head slumps forward, her face completely hidden from your view. Another wave of motion comes forth, followed by yet another. They are weak but regular. It's different than the previous regular breathing or firm but gentle vibrations caused by her talking. It puzzles you. A thought crosses your mind one which immediately explains the situation. The realization makes your heart sink like a concrete block into a deep lake.

She is trying her best not to make any noise. The unnatural muteness of the tiny sobs is wholly disconcerting, as if she's trying to keep it a secret even from herself. She seems so helpless, so incapable of even realizing what her own body of doing. If she seems like putty in your arms you realize it is because her own heart must be struggling to keep a consistent form. Her limpness betrays weakness that was not readily apparent before. This is not something someone who cares about her ever wants to see. Your heart and your mind wish to react in different ways. The sudden nature of this incident washes away all other complicated thoughts you've had the whole day.

[] Hold and caress her
[] Reassure her with words
Expand all images
>> No. 24031
[x] Reassure her with words
>> No. 24032
[x] Hold and caress her

Words would be too loud in the silence. Let our actions speak for us. Kaguya needs to get this out.

Why does that "wiser man" comment feel like a jab at anon. It's like Teruyo is subtlety telling us we screwed up the last choice. PARANOIA HOW DOES IT WORK!
>> No. 24033
>>24032 here
Since the site doesn't seem to want me to delete my last post. After thinking a bit more, I would like to change my vote.

[x] Hold and caress her
[x] Reassure her with whispers

Everyone has times when they can't hold it in anymore. Let her get it out knowing Shirou is here for her. She has seen Shirou like that and she was there for him.

Though on another note, Shirou needs to start planning on how we're gonna become immortal so we can stay with Kaguya.
>> No. 24034
[X] Hold and caress her
>> No. 24038
[X] Reassure her with words

Although contact will calm people often enough, Kaguya needs something more than a shoulder to cry on here.
>> No. 24040
[X] Reassure her with words

Sometimes even complete peace and silence can become suffocating and maddening.
>> No. 24043
[x] Hold and caress her

Works for me~!
>> No. 24044
And Kaguya may take a physical contact the wrong way at this time.
>> No. 24048
Doesn't seem like there's much point in waiting so it's coinflip time.
>> No. 24051

>And Kaguya may take anything said the wrong way at this time.
>> No. 24079
File 131473704489.png - (610.71KB , 637x850 , pounce.png ) [iqdb]
Saying nothing, you hold her. You hope the warmth of your body comforts her and reminds her that you're there for her no matter what. With one of your hands you stroke her cheek, finding a warm moist trickle marring her otherwise perfect features. She does not vocalize her sadness nor does she reject your touch, allowing you to do as you please.

You wipe her cheeks and the stream of quiet tears with your hand. With an arm wrapped around her, you lean forward, and press your head gently against the side of hers. The fresh fragrance of her hair wafts to your nose while you softly nuzzle her. It's slightly uncomfortable to position yourself like that but your larger frame nonetheless is able to keep up continuous contact with her slender and delicate frame.

For as long as she cries you keep at it, silently reassuring her with your presence. In the absolute silence of the room you can hear two sets of heartbeats, both slightly accelerated. These dull thumps are reminders that time continues to pass even in this secretive little nook of the world.

It never ceases to amaze you how completely smitten you are by her. Even in the dark, where you can't see her face properly, you feel the softness of her body and her warmth and focus your affection wholly on her. All previous choices have led to this moment and to this commitment and probably nothing can deter you from wanting to spend more time close to her. It's painful to contemplate ever being truly apart again. This is why you have to try your best, you are sure.

Kaguya herself is the one that ends the embrace after a long while. She wriggles slightly, making you withdraw your and and letting her do as she please. The tears were but a small shower, not the deluge it could have been. She separates from you, leaving a gap of air where before there was nothing but the warmth of two bodies pressed together. She sits opposite you, turning to face you.

You can't see her face properly. The single lamp outside fails to do anything but cast shadow through the screen door. Her sitting posture is as flawless and refined as ever... you think at least. She waits, silently sitting with some unknown purpose to her actions. You don't dare to break the silence, believing that it's best that she figure out for herself what she wants next. If she wants to speak to you, she'll speak to you. You'll listen to her as you always do, if that's what she wants.

She makes up her mind soon enough. There are no words accompanying her actions. In a quick and sudden motion, she shoves you backwards with her hands. Caught by surprise, you tip over backwards. She advances towards you without getting up. In only a brief instant she's upon you, her body looms above yours.

Her movements have a feline-like quality to them. Cautiously but resolutely her hands dance around on you as she presses closer. Having lost balance you watch as Kaguya's shadowy form springs on you and then pins you down like a disciplined predator. You feel her weight on your legs as her fingers mapping your body in the dark. It's like she's committing your shape to memory using only tactile feedback.

“Just let me take care of everything,” Her voice bubbles in your ears like a smooth and effervescent whisper. It's dangerously seductive. The easy way out, simply letting her do as she pleases, seems to be the only way forward. There's very little willpower left in you. Certainly you're anxious to see what will happen next, your heart beats a little faster and you barely manage to lift your upper body up a little using the palm of your hands as support. It's a pathetic response but for someone who has completely lost the initiative it's only natural to stumble about like this.

The poor lighting in the room contributes to the general lack of restraint of your imagination. And your weakness. As Kaguya slowly and deliberately undoes the button on your trousers, each button that is released making a popping noise, you struggle to make something of the expression that she is sure to have. You can't see her face, only her long hair coming around the sides of her head and draping onto your legs and body. There's a moment that you imagine hearing her giggle, as the final button is undone. You know better than to ask. In fact, you don't dare to think of risking missing out on what's happening. It's selfish.

There's no pause nor hesitation about her motions. Quickly and surely she goes for a familiar part of yours. A hand grasps it, her long slender fingers wrapping around the circumference in an assertive move. You're already engorged, your imagination having kicked your body into gear the moment she began to reach for your crotch. Again you think you hear a pleasant little giggle. It's enough to drive you mad with anticipation.

You wait with bated breath to see what will happen next. Your whole body is on edge, every nerve overeager to fire information back to your brain. Anything and everything would likely stimulate you greatly. Being led along instead of leading brings with it the thrill of expectations of the unknown.

“I shouldn't be so surprised at how eager you are,” Kaguya teases. There's an enthralling sultriness to her words, something that fires up your heart and your lust to an unimaginable degree. Kaguya as she is is very aware of the effect she has on you and certainly is not going out of her way to indulge you further.

Her hand gently moves up and down the swollen mass. Sensitive flesh moves down and then up. A single period. It's enough to almost let your raging desire burst. It's only the desire to see things go even further that somehow contain it. She states with a little pity in her words, “It looks like you're in pain.”

The pity is just an illusion. There is obvious delight in her next action. Something that befits a merciless beast playing around with its prey. Loosening the grip of her fingers, she seemingly abandons the idea to stimulate you in that direct manner. Instead of your throbbing shaft, her hand comes to hold a long black strand of pure silk. Between her fingers she holds the very tip of the strand and you watch in stupefied awe as she brings it close to your manhood.

The circuit is closed and completed.

A bolt of fierce lightning shoots from your groin to your brain, causing you to inadvertently convulse. The shocking touch lasts only a second. She withdraws, letting you gather your wits for a moment. But the respite is short. She presses the tip of her hair across the highly erogenous head, stunning you with a steady wave of electrifying pleasure. You lose balance and find your back against the floor. That doesn't slow her down. The silk continues to tickle your extremity, touching all of the tender and receptive spots of the glans. Never in a million years would you expect something like this to stimulate you so strongly.

She's not content with the already serious state of collapse you find yourself in. Without letting you recover, you feel something else wrap around. It is a soft, unmistakably smooth thread that coils around like a constricting boa. This snake finds its way all the way to the top where some of your fluid lubricates it. You can't bring yourself to lift your head up to watch. Your body won't cooperate. Drowning in ecstasy takes top priority.

You feel her fingers once again gingerly touching you. They move and rub the silken snake up and down. It is an incredible sensation; The sleek coil feels like there is a sheet of fine fabric sliding across your painfully receptive shaft. It is like a sin to feel her hair rubbing up along the length of your penis. Every move brings you closer to an inevitable end, one which miraculously is prolonging itself because of just how otherworldly the sensation feels to you. A series of moans escape you, joining your long-gone sense of shame in face of the pleasurable assault.

Her sensuous torture does not end there. A prisoner to passion, you feel like you are going to lose your mind when you feel a warm sensation blow across the tip. Just like the strands of hairs playfully exploring earlier, her warm and directed breath tickles you in all of the right ways. Her fine hair is still firmly enveloping you as she quietly blows air at you. Your heart is beating wildly and you can feel that the beat is clearly echoed in the over-hardened extremity. She soon stops and resumes the previous motion of fingers and hair.

Giving it all that she has, there's an intense effort put into stimulation. She moves her hand with vigor and energy. For what could have been either a few tireless minutes or a whole wonderful eternity she keeps at it. With all that she has done to you, you can't hold on for too long. Your whole body seems to allow itself to spurt itself away in a fiery hot explosion. It's so intense that you forget how to breathe for a moment. You don't have the strength to look up, to see what Kaguya is doing, but you're sure that you've sullied her, stained her in a way a beauty like her should never have to be stained.

“I'm sorry,” You mumble pathetically, basking in a likewise incredible afterglow, “I probably got you all dirty.”

Though you can't see her face you imagine she's smiling, judging from her words, “Nothing we do together can make me dirty. You've long since corrupted me.”

“How... cheesy,” You laugh, slightly out of breath. A line like that from her is totally out of character. You remind her of how it really is, “I'm the one who is supposed to say stupid stuff like that.”

“See what I mean about having been corrupted already then?”

You feel her roll off of you and to the side. In the darkness of the room you both let out a little chuckle. It's a while before either of you say anything.

“Are you alright now?” You break the silence, “Not that I minded that just now but you know I'll keep worrying if you lie to me.”

“Role reversal is a bit too much...?” Kaguya seems to muse, “No, I'm alright. Sorry for worrying you. I was just thinking too much and then I ended up doing something on an impulse to repay you for your kindness. Was it that much of a surprise?”

“It caught me completely off guard,” You admit, “I never expected you to go that far, especially with your hair. It's so different than other times.”

Already you can feel your loin stir again in remembrance of what happened a short time ago. It was difficult to forget something like that.

“You messed up my hair a little, I'm going to have to wash it now before there's any sort of damage. A woman's life is her hair you know.”

“Since it's my fault I should help you,” A burst of energy enables you to sit up.

The princess sighs, “You're hopeless, aren't you?”

Despite multiple protests you're able to convince her to let you help her out. The bath is quickly becoming the place with the most special memories for you. Hard work merits just rewards. There's plenty of reward for your work. The sweet scent of shampoo and perfumed flesh fills your night.

The next morning you get up early. Kaguya is sleeping by your side, her arms wrapped around a pillow. It's a very undignified pose for a princess. By contrast her expression is rather peaceful. The fact that you've seen her multiple times in more unguarded states brings a smile to your face. You quietly get up and stretch, feeling sore from some of the more awkward positions you were in not too long ago.

[] Wait for Kaguya to wake up
[] Get a head start by yourself (write-in)

Inb4 turnout and results depress me further, further sapping willpower and slowing update rate.
>> No. 24082
[x] Wait for Kaguya to wake up

I want to watch her sleeping face. It's too precious to give up for something as simple as a head start on the day.

I'm really a hardcore Reisen fan. A Tewi is fine too. However, I REALLY like your Kaguya. Damn it, Teruyo.
>> No. 24083
[x] Wait for Kaguya to wake up

That was quite some surprise, though I think it best to stick around until she wakes up. Women do hate to wake up alone.
>> No. 24086
[X] Wait for Kaguya to wake up
>> No. 24087
[X] Wait for Kaguya to wake up

While there are plenty of things to take care of now, savoring each moment with her is best.
>> No. 24088
Dear gentlemen, there's something I need to say: Though I was mostly joking with the little line earlier I'm afraid it has come to pass that I feel that I can't go on. Effective immediate I am giving up writing. I'm simply too tired of all of this to keep lying to myself that things will get better. I am tired of trying to engage people with limited success. I am tired of pouring my heart out into every crappy update to no avail (what I feel would excite elsewhere and if done by someone else seems to fall completely flat when I try it). And I am tired of constantly failing to remedy the endemic timidity and lack of thought about consequences in the choices made. It is completely shameful that despite every effort I made I was unable to ever encourage a proper, clear and well-directed write-in. I've tried my best to play down these failings, driving along as best I could in hopes to at least provide entertainment to both myself and the handful that actually bother to vote and read.

I have not lost my interest in storytelling. It is simply that it seems that for every two steps forward I take there's one step back. The frustration I feel for being such an inadequate storyteller is ultimately sucking out most of the joy that I feel when seeing the efforts made by some. In the two and a half years that I've been writing this (and over three overall! How very little there is to show for all that time!) there have been other lows but this one seems to be the greatest by far. I'm in enough pain these days due to a condition and I certainly don't need the stress and anxiety that comes from hoping for better and checking constantly in vain giving me an ulcer on top of it all. The ever-slowing and ever-dwindling number of votes has been a most cruel torture. Furthermore the continually diminishing returns in term of impact and impressions left on readers has drowned my optimism out. These are all very selfish reasons, I realize. I'm sorry. It's gotten so bad that I can't ever really talk to anyone about this though, they all either downplay the issues and offer no solutions or simply are not interested. It's a fool's errand to hope for anyone to give a toss.

The guilt I feel for leaving things unfinished is bad enough. Especially when we've come so far. This story should have been over with at least a year ago. I'll wrap things up in a probably unsatisfying summary of an ending eventually. Well, it's only appropriate that a crap story get a crap ending (ha ha I don't even know if I'm kidding anymore). At this stage I should also reveal an open secret, I am the writer responsible for the DEFT series and thus the other story on this board as well. No malicious intent was meant in hiding that fact and I would have revealed it anyways once I finished this run. It follows that they won't be seeing any real endings either. I have never seen myself as a real writer and my only objective was to have fun telling an interactive story and making people enjoy themselves. Watching readers and fun hemorrhage from everything I touched sure was delightful I assure you.

That covers most of what I wanted to say. As far as my role as owner of the site goes, that will remain unchanged for the immediate future. Despite the fact that the site is slow, that the community has several shortcomings and that I won't be writing I still enjoy occasionally reading a few other stories. Besides, my sense of responsibility is still nagging at me to take things one step at a time. If in the future this changes I guarantee that it will not inconvenience the day to day operation of thp.

I'd like to leave it at this but my sense of fair play makes me believe that you are entitled to demand a little more satisfaction from me, as interest on the time I've asked from you. If there's something that I haven't covered here, I'll gladly address it if you bring it up. I'll also make sure to at the very least listen to whatever it is you have to say. It's only fair that I treat the four or however many of you are left with respect. For now though I plan to drink myself to oblivion and hope that I don't lose any more sleep from the pain.
>> No. 24090
This is one of those "damn, I knew something was wrong but I didn't say anything" moments. This news is very depressing. I may not have voted recently in this story, but I followed the other ones faithfully. They were well-written with excellent characterization. It's heart-wrenching to hear that they'll never be finished. (Not that this story wasn't, I'm just terrible with writes-ins; and I felt this story required Olympic level write-ins.)

As a reader, it felt like everything we discussed in our votes didn't really matter. It really felt as if this day was inevitable.
My main question is this: what did you really expect from us, the readers?

If the problem is on your end, nothing we ever do will satisfy you as a writer. If it *is* a problem on our end, at least give us another chance now that we know where you stand.

But most of all, I'm concerned about your well-being. It sounds like you need help, man. Depression combined with constant pain is a terrible mix. I'm not being disingenuous here, seek some help!
>> No. 24091
There is so much self-deprecation in that post that I can only get about a paragraph into it before my eyes glaze over.

If you're worried about voter count for this past update, there is a little something that may have knocked out the entire US northeast. That is quite a lot of people, including me. If you're worried about voter count dwindling, then the fact this run is still going is probably to blame. Don't let yourself go down some shitty slippery slope of blaming yourself in the readers. Just chillax and keep going.


That is because everything is fine.

If you really are going to stop writing it's up to you I guess. I liked all of your stories, including the first DoaLF run which was the first story I read on this site. Hopefully you feel up to writing again at some point.
>> No. 24092
Cant say I didn't really see this coming, hate to see it happen this way though. All I can say, to be honest, is thank you. Thank you for writing this for so long, when the number of people reading dropped, and for dealing with the last five or so of us, who really couldn't get anything done to save our lives. But most of all, thank you for having the courage to come out and tell us, that you were done. Nothing is worse than a writer simply leaving. It would have been easy for you to simply stop updating, and leave the few readers you have left in a lurch, but you didn't. I hate seeing you stop, this, but I can't blame you for it. If, you ever end up writing something on here again, know that someone will read it, even if that someone has no clue what the hell he's supposed to do.
>> No. 24097
I can only hope you get better and regain that gusto you had when you wrote the original DoLF. This board's going to be quiet for a while, with Serial ATA being on vacation and Stove being patchwork-level lazy.
>> No. 24099
You're right about that. Although I really cared and tried to take into account the mood and thoughts of the readers into future choices and actions the main problem was that you yourselves never followed through on what you said. It's all swell if you talk about needing to show Eirin that you're dependable and whatnot but when you get the chance to you are irresolute, for example. Though I've become increasingly proactive in steering things in a way that I think is what is meant by the majority, I never wished to snuff out all choice.

>what did you really expect from us, the readers?

Not very much. I have never expected in-depth analysis (though I admit to enjoy it very much on those rare occasions). Instead, I wished for only perhaps three very simple things: 1) People to realize that there are consequences to actions and that they are not always immediate, 2) Realize that characters are not static and 3) Be proactive with their interests. In other words it all boils down to "think for 2 minutes before voting and keep choosing the series of options that take things in the direction you wish". All the other added stuff, like asking for people to share their thoughts is because there is no quantifiable way of proving that people are doing those three things except by seeing what they write. To see if they get what they're doing. The added bonus is, of course, that if you guys talk to each other you're more likely to understand different viewpoints and perhaps reassess the choices you would have made.

I've never really had high standards, I understand that anonymous strangers on the internet will often not see eye to eye. But, you know, when it seems like they consistently fail to communicate with one another or have a clear understanding of what's going there are only two conclusions to be made: Either they are all lacking or I am. I am not arrogant enough to assume the former, especially seeing how there is cohesion and healthy exchange in other stories. It really does depress me when it seems that people are missing what I thought was plain and clear things such as characterization. For example, the complete lack of understanding of Alice and her teaching methods even though she herself has explicitly said what it is that she is trying to teach. And yet people still assume that she is just being difficult. No, fixating on failure and something like the girl whose hand is bleeding is fine as a choice - otherwise it the choices wouldn't have been there - what is not fine is not realizing the direction you're taking with those choices though there is plenty of warning. It's very much my failure when I see that people don't understand why what they're doing is producing different results or how they got there. This is one example that is repeated again and again in everything I write. If the issue of drawing someone in a guarded and private moment is so clear cut, why is it even a choice? Why does the protagonist vacillate and feel uneasy about it? The lack of understanding of how and what they're doing. This is why I've insisted on comments, since my hope was that that would lead to realization. Unfortunately that hasn't really been the case.

>I felt this story required Olympic level write-ins

This has never been the case. In fact, every time someone has had a wall of text for a write in I've told them to tone it down. You may recall that the last few write-ins have ultimately just ended in me picking and choosing what I thought was the spirit and best things that you guys were trying to say. What frustrated me is that you wouldn't even try. For all that was said and all that was implied no one actually steps up and goes, "hey maybe this is a good chance to not be so passive". What's wrong with suggesting you should ask around about, say, if life has always been harmonious in Eientei? Or telling Kaguya that she might be suffering from tunnel vision? Those are very basic things which I've only thought of just now but which could have important repercussions later. This timidity depresses me, that no one will even try, even if the majority disagrees.

Perhaps the problem is ultimately on my end. Perhaps I expected too much. It's just so wearisome to see stuff that I pour so much of myself into writing get this sort of reception. It may be that that's because I'm a mediocre writer who fails to captivate people and thus am just experiencing the results of my skill. I don't really know, self-depreciation aside there's a large part of me that thinks I should be getting more of a rise from, say, the last update than what the reality was. It was fun, relevant to character development and one of the main themes of the story. At least that's what I felt and intended as I wrote it. If me at my better form gets an 'eh' in terms of reaction and results the vast majority of the other stuff I do will do worse. It's not that I don't want to write, on the contrary, I love storytelling. No matter how much of myself I put into my craft the audience only decreases in size and in interest. It goes to show how stubborn/masochistic I am that I've come this far.

Man I've said so little with so much text. I want to be able to believe in what I'm doing. A frankly dead series of boards and entrenched community that refuses to yield even an inch does little to help that. No matter how stubborn I am I can never change that. It makes very little difference if I write or not it seems, judging from prevalent attitudes. Heh, I pretty much am just a sad and bitter individual, eh?

Considering how things have gone in the past every time I've brought up concerns I'm not sure that things would be any different given another chance. I'd love to believe in myself and the site again and if you can somehow prove that me continuing wouldn't be just my considerable willpower dealing with unending adversity I'll be exceedingly happy and more than willing to start up in earnest. Good luck with getting others to play ball, people tend to be selfish and indifferent towards this sort of thing. Years on the site prove that all too well. Having a fire in your belly is altogether too rare.

>That is because everything is fine.
Glad you think so. I'm not going repeat my reasons but if you can't at least see where I'm coming from then we can never understand one another.

>knocked out the entire US northeast
Right that explains patterns across months and across different stories. I hope that you personally are fine and not to make light of peoples' suffering but that's definitely not a good long term explanation. There are some people with whom I've spoken with and they are always quick to blame the holidays, vacations, work and just about any other thing on diminishing activity. There will always be something going on somewhere, the users of this site are not all concentrated in one country and timezone. It makes for a poor excuse. A dearth of activity and interest has to be explained by other factors.

>I can't blame you for it
If our roles were reversed I'd blame me. In fact, I blame me as is. It's alright to be angry and disappointed. I know I am.
>> No. 24101

Fair enough, this was absolutely the case in just about every scenario. I didn't see this with Eirin until it was too late. But with Alice, I was adamant that we stay the course and be consistent. I said as much. What can I do beyond that? I'm only one anon after all.

>What frustrated me is that you wouldn't even try.

You're right. No excuses here.

If given another chance, I'd change that. Hell, if you gave us one last update, I think you'd be surprised at the reception. Is that too much to ask? Maybe. Is it selfish to request it? Sure. Is this story worth one last hurrah? Absolutely. I don't think I'm alone here either.
>> No. 24102
I agree completely.

This is >>24089 speaking from my heart and not just covering it up with comforting words. I feel like I'm being punished for reading this story. It may be irrational, but that is the way I feel. I've only recently caught up on this story and only got to vote maybe twice.

Even so I love the characters. I know they are not real. I know this just a story. However, this anon still "feels" for them. I want to apologize to Eirin. I want to make Kaguya smile. Tewi should get to play more pranks and Reisen should have someone to appreciate her. Sorrow is what I feel right now.

Have you ever come across a arcade game someone left without finishing? You see the character with just a sliver of life and the computer has 2 wins and a full bar. That is what I walked into. Even knowing I couldn't win, I tried. Because it's just too sad to leave it.

This story deserves an ending. These "people" deserve a "happily ever after", if not for us the reader. Then do it for them and yourself.

There are so many more things I want to say that I just can't put into words. I know I'm being selfish. I know I'm weird for thinking like this. I know the real world doesn't do "happy endings". This is my plea. Please don't give up yet.
>> No. 24103
There is so much I could say about a number of things, though I honestly doubt much if it would really matter.

I must confess, I have neither read nor voted in this story for quite some time now. I really am sorry about that. For the most part, though, it had nothing to do with the story itself. I just have an unpleasant tendency to stop doing things that I used to enjoy.

For example, drawing. I used to be able to draw for hours on end, and yet I have not been able to muster up the drive to manage anything more than a crude doodle or two for the past five or six years. The few times I bothered to try to start up again, I quickly realized how much worse I was after not doing it for so long, and that pretty much killed whatever motivation I had left for it.

Now, I did not stop for absolutely no reason. I don't want to go into it, but long story short, I just couldn't do it anymore. I wasn't enjoying it, I didn't want to do it, and so I didn't.

That was a mistake.
I bring this up, because I can't help but feel you are making a similar mistake now.

Throwing in the towel on a story that you no longer feel motivated to write, that you no longer find enjoyable to write, and has become more like a chore and constant source of stress and disappointment is one thing. A story is no fun to read, let alone participate in the formation of, if the one writing it isn't also having at least as much fun as everyone else. While I hate being left hanging, I'd rather see a story left with no ending than be given a horrible one. That, I can understand.

Giving up on writing entirely, though? Unless you are absolutely certain that it's just not for you, and you have zero interest in it at all, you seriously should reconsider that. You said, yourself, that you still have an interest in storytelling, didn't you?

So, these particular attempts have not exactly turned out well, for various reasons. Why should that mean you must give up on it altogether?

Does it make sense to give up on playing music, despite you being genuinely interested in it, just because you haven't been successful with the one or two instruments you've tried? Of course not! There are so many instruments out there, and you may have simply not yet found the one that is right for you.

I don't think telling stories is that much different. They are both ways of expressing yourself, and entertaining others. Yes, these stories haven't gone how you would have liked, but there are so many other ways of telling stories. Is it really okay to just give up, without seeing what else might work?

I don't mean just a different setting, different characters, and different tone, either. You could tell a story mostly through drawings, or even crude MSPaint doodles, than text. Or a poem. How about a CYOA in the form of a poem? Better yet, make it an epic. Imagine a CYOA in the style of the Odyssey or the Epic of Gilgamesh. I have no clue if anything like that would be up your alley, but damn if it wouldn't be interesting to see.

The point is, whatever you choose to do, don't just give up. It's tempting, I know, but unless you truly plan to never write anything ever again, it's not going to help things. The only thing it will help is to get you into the habit of not doing it. Believe me, that is a bitch of a habit to kick.

If you are interested in storytelling, than telling stories is what you should do.

I could go on, I'm sure, but between my need for sleep, and the fact that I'm not sure if anything I've already said is even of any value, I'm going to just stop for now. Just know that I'm sorry things have turned out like this, and I hope you'll feel better.
>> No. 24105
What's the real status of A/DEFT 'canon'? Does Arc really end up with Suika (like in that one scene) or with another girl?
>> No. 24106
I think you're confusing Teruyo with another author.
>> No. 24107


What is he confusing?
>> No. 24108

While both have similar issues with depression/wanting to direct a story a certain way despite anon collective (or chaotic) mindset/ issues projecting their thoughts to their readers as they like and lamenting heavily on that ecetera.

The author of DEFT is not the same author as Teruyo who is the author of DoaLF.

>>24105 is mistakening that DoaLF was written by the author of DEFT which is not the case at all.

Hell some of the authors here share that similarity of having crippling/irrational anxiety and depression so don't go thinking they're all the same person now.
>> No. 24109
I don't see how it would be any different than the other times I've decided to soldier on despite the harsh reality. I don't see how my frustration would ease with only two people. Even if I were to beg everyone I know to read, it would probably just come down to just you guys. I can't justify feverishly checking for votes and spending so much time thinking and writing on the assumption that things will be exactly as they were before. Putting it into a wider context: Not one person has brought this up in the irc chat and only one, who doesn't even read or really care about the ultimate fate of my stories has offered passing sympathy. It may not be entirely wise to see them as a microcosm but from where I stand it's not a good sign.

I understand what you're trying to say. Unfortunately I don't think I want to try storytelling in any other context (excepting occasionally tabletop RPGs which I sometimes already do). I am not a real writer and I feel that I would be unable to write a regular novel. The main appeal to me and what has kept me going for these years is what I see as the special nature of these stories. They are heavily dependent on the interaction of both reader and writer. It's fun for me to see and feel that I have an engaged group of people and I suspect that those readers likewise (ideally) appreciate the effort put into captivating their imaginations. The fact of the matter is that the amount of fun I feel is maximum when I get the feeling that I have others engaged. It is anathema to me to, for example, spend so much effort hoping to stimulate others like with the last update and get little in the way of feedback for it (the same goes for most updates but you can make a stronger case due to content here). So it's pointless for me to try to branch out, write an epic or do something fresh when the main appeal of writing here (reader interaction) if failing. I've already tried branching out doing different pieces stylistically and conceptually all with the same results - a dwindling number of voters who shy away from involving themselves. It may truly not have been my fault that you yourself stopped reading but fact of the matter is that you did - as did many others. I can't get blood from stone and there is probably nothing I could say on the site or irc to convince people to get involved with what I write.

There is no canon insofar where that ended since that depended on where people took the various stories.

I hope for your sake you're trying to be clever. Otherwise it's a bit sad.
>> No. 24110
I think most of those in IRC who support you have posted something here and avoid speaking in the chat as to avoid rubbing salt in this injury.

Please take a break from even thinking of the story until you get out of this spiral of depression.
>> No. 24113
>>I am not a real writer and I feel that I would be unable to write a regular novel.

Teruyo, how many people writing on this site do you seriously believe would ever call themselves "real" writers?

I'm not saying you should try writing an actual novel, or even write something that doesn't require audience-participation. All I am suggesting is that you try something that is fundamentally different from what you have attempted already, both in terms of the nature of the story itself, and in terms of how you go about making it. More than that, you need to fundamentally change your outlook on things.

I won't say DoLF hasn't had problems, things that could have been done differently or better, but I believe the greater issues here have more to do with yourself.

Case in point:
>>I can't justify feverishly checking for votes

Now, I don't know if I'm misunderstanding something, but that sounds an awful lot like something I used to do when checking the tracking page for a package I'm waiting for. Namely, F5-ing the hell out of that page constantly.

Don't do that.

The only thing that will ever accomplish for anyone is to drive them crazy.

In a perfect world, yes, you might be able to hit refresh and see no less than half a dozen posts responding to voting to your story within mere hours of you putting it up.
It would be great if that's how it happened, but basing your expectations on the ideal situation is, I feel, a large part of why you wind up so consistently disappointed when things don't turn out that way.

And you have been disappointed. Frequently. I know this, because you've say as much. In a way, it's good that you are honest about that, but it can also be rather off-putting.

I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but I know there has been at least one instance of my returning home to find that, in the span of time I've been away from anything with an internet connection, you've not only posted an update, but posted about the lack of response to your update. I know you wanted people to just try to check in more frequently, not wait so long to respond or vote, and so on, and that's fine. But, what of those who do not comment or vote for hours or even a day after the fact because they can't?

To be honest, it is more than a little frustrating to read complaints about people not voting, knowing you are among those being complained about, when you can't do anything about it.

I've actually commented on something about this before, but people here will naturally pull away from a story when they so much as suspect a writer is going to drop it. Looking back at previous threads of just DoLF, it is rather clear that this dissatisfaction you've had with this story has been going on for quite a long time, and it only serves to make this current development look all the more inevitable.

You're unhappy, but why?
Because your readers aren't as engaged as you would like them to be? Because they don't discuss their choices enough, don't take into consideration the reasons others give for their own choices, or even bother to look at what else someone might have come up with after they've already placed their vote? Because they don't take into account the situation in the story, the context in which they are acting, or how circumstances may have changed over time? Or, is it because they don't check the thread as often as they could, or make their vote as quickly as they can?

I won't deny these aren't problems. They are.

The thing is, these are problems that you can't control. You can't.
You might be able to influence them to some degree, but otherwise these problems that have plagued your stories are out of your hands.

And yet, to hear you speak on the matter, it sounds like these play a large part in why you are so disappointed and unhappy with these stories.

I could be wrong, but I think this is the core of the real problem, here. Namely, much of your expectations (and by extension, your disappointments) with these stories are rooted in something you ultimately can't control.

You can't control how many people like your story, how quickly they vote, how much they comment on things, or any of that. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" and all that. Why, then, should you base your happiness and satisfaction with this story on that? What sense does it make to allow your enjoyment of making something to hinge entirely on those factors that you have the least control over?

Yes, these stories are heavily dependent on reader interaction. In fact, interaction is the entire point of them. But, as far as I have ever been able to see, the problem with DoLF wasn't that there was no interaction, it was that there wasn't enough interaction. But what is "enough"? Is there a set standard to go by, or do you have to decide what is or is not enough? If it is the latter, why can you not simply adjust that?

It's not a bad thing to want to play to a packed house at the club, but if all you consistently get is one or two full tables, maybe you should stop expecting a packed house, and just focus on enjoying the handful of patrons you do have?
So they don't laugh at your jokes as much as you would like, and you're pretty sure at least a couple of them are just there because the drinks are cheap, but so what? They're there, they keep coming, and as long as they're not throwing bottles at you, you can pretty safely assume you're doing something right by them.

What I would have recommended? Trying to stick to that "one update per day" thing you once had going. Maybe not every single day, perhaps every other day. Whatever the rate, just make it something that is guaranteed to be consistent and predictable. Update, then step away. Don't check to see if anyone has replied or voted or anything. Just push it from your mind until the time came to come back, see what you have to work with, and then start writing based on that. It doesn't matter if you have just one vote, or twenty, whether it's tied, or a landslide. Flip a coin, or figure out some way to mesh them together, the important thing is to just do it. Then post it, and then step away again. Just keep doing that.

By getting into the habit of updating frequently, your readers will naturally get into the habit of checking in and responding frequently. When you falter, and your updates start coming more erratically, from twice a day to once every two days to once a week to once a month, if that? What happens then?
Your readers start getting into the habit of not checking in. They get used to not having a story to read, and so they stop bothering to see if there is anything new to read of it.

You need to get these habits to work for you, when right now they are working against you.

Get in the habit of updating frequently, and get out of the habit of obsessing over whether or not anyone is reading or voting. Most importantly, shift your focus off of how people are responding to what you're doing, and center it squarely on the thing you're doing, in and of itself.

This is part of the reason why I suggested trying something fundamentally different from the sort of CYOAs you've done. If you must have reader interaction, fine, but perhaps it should have a reduced role in the writing?

Personally, I think the writing itself should be the primary source of any happiness or satisfaction you feel. If you're doing it, you should be doing because you enjoy doing it. Having an audience for it should just be icing in the cake. As vital as it may be for the story, it should not be as vital for you. If you have a lot of people on-board with you, great, but if it's only a couple? That should be just as fine.

Not to say that it is fine to trudge along with only a handful of readers, but that's the sort of mindset that one might need to have to not allow such circumstances to get them down.

If you don't like your situation, it seems to me that your choices boil down to either changing it to better fit you, or change yourself to better fit it. If the former isn't likely, then that just leaves the latter.

Disappointment comes from the betrayal of expectations. If you're expecting something and not receiving it, and there seems to be no way to make it so you do receive it, what else is there to do but to adjust your own expectations? Or, possibly, even do away with expectations altogether? Let every response become an unexpected surprise!

It's all about your perception. Same reason why, when you see a problem, someone else seems to either downplay it or claim there isn't a problem. It's because what you see as a problem, they don't see as a problem, or at least, not as much of a problem.
Maybe you're right, and it is a problem. Maybe they're right, and it's not. I don't know, and I'm willing to assume I'm not qualified to tell the difference.

All I do know is that this mismatch of perceptions, this disconnect between you and, in this case, your readers has been a chronic issue, and will continue to be as such so long neither side adjusts to be more in line with the other. As I've already said, you can't control what the other side does, but you can try to at least do something to change on your end.

As always, there is probably more, but I think I've rambled on long enough as it is, and to continue to do so now will only result in my either becoming increasingly incoherent, or just repeating myself.

And, on that note, I apologize if I'm mistaken or out of line about anything I said. All I have to go by is what I see, and this is what I see. My interest in the story may have faded, but that's not to say I don't still care. If I didn't, I wouldn't even be writing any of this.
>> No. 24114
This seems to hit the nail on the head and it makes a lot of sense.
>> No. 24115
You are absolutely right for the most part. The problem is, however, that I have been continually adjusting my expectations for a long time now. From the number of votes to expect, to their frequency and content - all of this revised again and again. I know very well that it was for the most part unrealistic to expect others to adjust but you have to bear in mind I've been writing in similar conditions for over three years now. That, if anything, proves that I'm stubborn.

During these years I have experimented with different stories and different ways of updating. Long and regular, short and frequent and then more irregular schedules (in the time period of weeks often). I cannot state with confidence that anything has helped. To once again decide on an arbitrary schedule and stick to it for a while does not seem like an especially promising solution. Besides, this ignores a very basic truth: That I generally wish to write at a pace that would have completely avoided having this story be so over schedule or having everything else yet unfinished. Things were different before and a lot could be done in little time. Things still work that way in some parts of the site. It may be unfair on those who are away for a moment but that is far less cruelty than stretching out things into the unfinished years-long limbo hell that most stories here seem to go into.

Still, I would completely overlook all of that if only I felt that we were progressing in a healthy direction. As much as I would like to have plenty of votes within a short time frame. it's all secondary really. What's important what I've said before about people realizing what they want and where they're going. Getting only 3-4 votes is a bit sad, perhaps, but I would honestly not mind if they were more often than not votes that weren't, well, stupid. That's putting it harshly but I can't be bothered to think of a more diplomatic way of putting it right now.

I'm not contesting what you've said directly. That is because I agree that your solution is the most realistic. The problem is that it requires even more willpower. I am not going to stop checking the site overnight, for crying out loud I own the place for a reason. It's because I'm in deep that I even bother. The fact of the matter is that I cannot give up what is essentially my main motivation - a desire for a group of people to jump in and get engrossed with the experiment that is the CYOA and for their desire for more to be nigh-insatiable. For when there's a dramatic scene they'll be appropriately affected and so on. I've got a passion for what I did and, despite the occasional lulls, I have never gotten bored of this. Yeah, a big part of the reason I'm so frustrated is because of myself. I cannot amend that part of me otherwise there truly is no point in writing. I may be unable to control how others behave and look upon the story but if I just give up then I'll depend solely on my own stubbornness. And apparently that has a three and a half year limit.

Writing is not an end unto itself. These stories are of no value to me when they're done except as a reminder of what was going on while they are running. I care nearly exclusively about the journey. What makes or breaks a story is the audience there, getting involved, noticing the small things in the text and using their reasoning and desires to drive things towards a fun direction. Truthfully if anyone were to comment how something that I finished was good and worth reading long after I had moved on I wouldn't really care. The icing on the cake for me would be that. The cake itself is the adventure and how we all conduct ourselves.

Ultimately I cannot bury my head in the sand. I can't just wait and hope for the best. Experience (recent experience too!) shows that people will gladly leave things as they are for days if not weeks. This is as true for this story as it is for every other story I have on the site. So, what other solutions are there? None pretty much. I cannot get new readers as much as I may try, people like yourself have lost interest and the rest are often too timid to talk amongst themselves. See why I have long since been adjusting my expectations? I'm the hanged man, unable to move forwards nor backwards, having tried just about everything from regular updates for long periods to times to other types of stories and more subtle things like positive reinforcement.

I think that if I say more I'll be repeating myself. It is because I understand your position that I cannot accept it. It is because you are no longer a reader that underscores the absurdity of it all. There really is nowhere new to go here. Either I keep doing what I've been doing while in pain and under stress like the fool that I am or I take the drastic measure that I have. You know what's the worst thing of all? Realizing that all I really wanted can be simplified to 'attention' in its various meanings. It's not something I'm comfortable with but it's concise way of framing it. Even if I were to saddle back up and tilt at more windmills there is no guarantee that I would be successful in the least and I'm tired of banking on the long shot.
>> No. 24174
Hey Teruyo i just got through doing a marathon readthrough of this and i'm sad you will be stopping the story,but i have to ask. do you think most of the anons deserve Darwin Awards for their inconsistent (and just plain stupid at times) voting?
>> No. 24175
You already won a darwin award for:
-being a faggot,
-using a nickname while not being a writer,
-saying Anon is dumb, while not being a writer or an admin,
-bumping a dead story,
-not placing a capital after a dot,
-and of course not reading the rules.
>> No. 24177
yes this was brought to my attention recently. i won't be using a name anymore. also the reason i'm not using proper punctuation or capitalization is because i'm using a PSP. have you ever tried typing without a proper keyboard? it's a pain in the ass!
>> No. 24179
Want me to tell you how much I care about how you're posting here? Protip: I don't.
Also, sage your post.

To avoid bumping dead threads, one should write "sage" in the Email field. Not in the Name field, for it is idiot, and not in the Subject field, for it is stupid. In the Email field "sage" will be written down by thy good and honest anonymous.
>> No. 24180
>> No. 24182
No comment. I don't think playing the blame game is healthy. Things are what they are and the only thing that should be relevant is how to improve things. Of course that's an ideal world scenario.

Chill the fuck out. It's funny you bring up rules when you clearly are breaking rule number 4 of a grand total of 4.

Don't spam this thread with inane posts such as that. You either say something related to the story/writing or say nothing at all.
>> No. 24183
Rule 4? The one about spitting memes?

Anyway, I don't think I posted it before, so here's my opinion. I tried avoiding posting, because you dropping that story was a very huge disappointement, but I'm going to drop this anyway. Sorry if I repeat a few things, I haven't read the whole thread.
So. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed in that story. The first run was not really interesting (too many memes, etc...), and the second run was way better (even if I sometimes had the feeling we weren't going anywhere).
I'm kind of annoyed by the sudden end, and I'm more annoyed by the excuse you gave.
I'm not very experienced, nor as a writer, nor as a voter.
Hell, I may be a "bad reader", since I'm not always voting for the best choice. I'm not always in the mood for reading serious stories. Sometimes, I just want to take it easy after a hard day, and I don't really want to bother thinking about the perfect write-in. So, most often, I don't vote. Or I vote for the funniest option. Run away from Eientei with Kaguya? That was a good idea.

You want to write a "serious" story, with consequences? That's a very good idea. But dropping the story because you are "disappointed by your readers", that's... not the right thing.

I'm a pathetic writer, with only a few shorts story under my belt. But I think that you should't rely on write-in too much.
That's just my opinion, and I'm probably too young and inexperienced, and probably wrong too. But stopping a story because you're tired of your readers is not a good thing.
>> No. 24223
I don't recall saying any of that.I suggest you do read the whole thread since your assumptions of my motivation and justifications are just wrong. Anything further I can say in reply to your post will just sound even more condescending (current sentence taken into account).

>Rule 4? The one about spitting memes?
Community guidelines are not rules.
>> No. 24307
Against my better judgment I'm doing something stupid again. There is no point in writing up an ending for this story and posting it considering how close to the end the story already was. Since I've promised myself that I would finish this no matter what (related - promised not to shave off my 'stache and beard at the beginning of the run until I finished and I'm sick of those already) I figure I may as well be masochistic and take another stab at this thing. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results then I certainly am insane.

Before you rejoice/curse me there's something I need. I need a headcount of people who would vote and read until completion. This is to mostly set my expectations at an appropriately low level. I trust that most of the people who took the time to reply to this thread are well familiar with how I feel and what I'd like. I'm going to be an asshole now and say that if you don't like it, tough cookies - I don't want you reading or participating. I just want a committed group, no matter its size. I don't care if you haven't read in a while or voted sporadically in the past as long as you can immerse yourself as much as I try to. Not to drudge up all the crap from before but I don't have high standards, just the spending of a minute or two thinking and if necessary discussing with peers. Not everything is deep but the choices are there for a reason.

For all practical purposes you can revote/discuss the update while you're at it. We're starting off tabula rasa, pretending that I just posted that and no one voted or said anything. I feel that this way you'll get a feel for the story again maybe. If you want to ask me about past events in order to refresh your memories, feel free as well. I'll answer with a brief summary.

And now to address a couple of other points:
>Will you be resuming updates on your other stories?

Not at the current moment. We'll see how this goes and if I feel confident enough to entangle myself again.

Do check out >>/others/37032 it's a story idea I've had for a long time now. I'm writing it even though I've got so much other stuff because, frankly, I feel like it. Not to blog but my life is very shitty at the moment and it's a nice distraction from the many issues that hound me. It is also projected to be shorter than the average story and more linear. So ideally would not take forever to complete.

>Won't we just disappoint you again with your impossibly high standards?

We've been over this time and time again. Just do your best, that'll be fine. Think, no zombie voting and the occasional bit of praise won't hurt (my ego that is). You can omit the last part I'm just being facetious, though it is always nice to hear people talk about parts they enjoy. Sense of accomplishment and all that and bonding.

>Are you going to quit halfway?

I really want to get rid of the beard, it's been long enough.

>Why are you such a faggot?

Why are you such a faggot?

>Who are you quoting?

The voice in my head, obviously.

>Will Reisen ever get a route?

You should ask yourself that. Not my fault Reisen fans never are there for her when it counts.

>Suika, Alice or Reimu (or perhaps Marisa)?

Only one woman for Arc: Patchy. Whoops, wasn't meant to spoil the ending. Should have been obvious with all those hints that she was the promise girl from all those years ago.

>Isn't this getting a little stupid?

Yeah, it is. I'll stop now. Here's hoping for a somewhat healthy partnership.
>> No. 24308
>I need a headcount of people who would vote and read until completion.

Count me in. But it has been such a long time, i forgot some things already. A constant flow is what keeps you to the story.

Let us get that Kaguya ending.
>> No. 24309
I'm in. I'll have to reread a decent portion of what's happened after work to refresh my memory though.
>> No. 24310
Counte me in too. I'll probably need to re-read the whole thread again, but I want to know the end.
>> No. 24311
I'm in. However, be aware that I can only check the site once or twice a day. Work takes up large chunks of my days and I have no internet access during those times. If that is good enough, then add me.
>> No. 24312
You can count me in.
>> No. 24313
I'm in. I'll vote till the end.
>> No. 24314
Fuck. Yes.

I'm glad you reconsidered. Ecstatic.
This is going to be like english literature all over again. What do you want? Contextual analysis? I'll go and analyze your freaking sentence structure if you'll write again and keep writing.

So here is my request: What is our current standing with the residents of Eientei? I know how Kaguya feels but Eirin is a bit fuzzy. I don't even remember anything about our last encounters with Tewi or Reisen. Given enough time, I could reread and pick it up again, but that would delay my voting. No spoilers, just a recap.
>> No. 24317
You have my sword
>> No. 24318
File 131799558377.jpg - (259.02KB , 640x750 , and my axe.jpg ) [iqdb]
You have my axe

>Not my fault Reisen fans never are there for her when it counts.

The worst thing about that is that the fans are used to it
>> No. 24319
While I may be completely insane and the spring of hope buried beneath all the cynicism inside me is ever flowing, I have to point out that this is not the best of starts. It is in fact, hilarious if you like the irony that a call for dedicated people who pay attention has people completely ignore a clear request. I love you guys, really, but you're killing me here. Reread the post I made earlier if you want to get going (hint: read past the second paragraph). I would spoon-feed the lot of you but then my cynical nature would get the best of me.

I loathe literary analysis personally. I'll never ask you to do that. Besides, my prose doesn't deserve commentary. Just, like, occasionally factor in motivation when talking about a character or choice. Maybe try to convince others of something. Or maybe just state that you liked a certain part of action or something. I really do mean it when I have low standards, so long as it appears that you're thinking about something in the story be it the characters, choices, themes or even just how something was funny/cute/whatever then it's okay. Talking to other voters is also fine. Just do whatever comes naturally. I don't want detailed analysis for everything or if it's forced.

As for a summary of standings, I guess I can do something general on the spot.

Tewi: Messes around with Shirou whenever she feels like it and occasionally uses his stuff without asking. No outstanding beef or source of awkwardness. Can be reasoned with.

Reisen: Has endured some indignities at the hand of Shirou and Kaguya in the past but is on speaking terms nonetheless with him. Shirou helped her with some of the chores 'recently' such as sweeping.

Eirin: The last encounter with her was a 'conversation' in the infirmary that involved her completely dismissing Shirou's statement as empty words and putting it in no uncertain terms that he should not cause a mess or there'll be very unpleasant consequences.

I don't know if that's good enough but I hope it helps.
>> No. 24320

Yes, I will read and vote from start to finish, even if I don't like what direction things turn. If I cannot bring discussion to the table, at the very least you'll have a 'hooray!'

Recap would be sorely appreciated.
>> No. 24321
There really isn't much to recap. Nor would I know what to include. This is a character-focused story so any detailed summary is either just going to be copy-pasting extracts or offering the 'truth' (word of god) which ruins the whole point. Really you'll be fine if you just read this thread and perhaps some of the previous one. That should be enough to jog memories. Events are not as important as general interaction with characters and I'm afraid I can't convey that in a summary.

Since I risk just repeating myself I'll say that it's much more important to remember the general points of how previous things were resolved (after running away with Kaguya, when rejecting EIrin's help and every progressive stage of getting closer to Kaguya and learning how she feels) than it is to remember, say, that there was a red ribbon by the door that one time you went to blah blah. There's nothing in the environment that moves the plot along, it's all about the interaction with the characters. Focus on Kaguya and your relationship and keep in mind Eirin's general role and you'll be more than prepared.

Also a 'hooray' is fun to see and all and I understand if sometimes there's nothing to say but if you really can't think of anything else add a throwaway comment about a description, phrase or something that caught your eye in the update. It might inspire you or others.
>> No. 24322
Thanks for the recap.

Now VOTE. You freaking dolts.

[x]Get a head start by yourself (write-in)
[x] Breakfast in bed: Scrambled eggs, browned sausage links, golden waffles, fresh orange juice, and crispy hashbrowns. Everything a growing princess needs.

This should get the ball rolling. Nothing says "I love you" more than getting up early and making the perfect breakfast. I hope I didn't leave out anything important Don't forget syrup! Prefereably maple.
Now, can we have a discussion on what type of eggs Kaguya is partial to? I think it's scrambled, but who am I to judge?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting my butt down to the nearest Bob Evans and ordering something like I just voted~
>> No. 24323

[x] Breakfast in bed: Scrambled eggs, browned sausage links, sizzling bacon, golden waffles, fresh orange juice, and crispy hashbrowns, hot coffee. Everything a growing princess needs.

I can get behind this. Expressing gratitude is always far more sincere when done with actions instead of words. True care manifests itself in the little things we do for others. After all, there are few things genuinely energizing in the morning than a hearty breakfast.


I am appalled however that you forgot two basic staples: bacon and coffee. My vote reflects this, every man should spoil his princess.

Though I have to say that a cultured princess like Kaguya is probably partial to "eggs benedict", I'm not sure it'd be entirely appropriate for breakfast in bed. I could be wrong though.
>> No. 24325
-[x] Breakfast in bed for Kaguya

As awesome as it sounds to know exactly what we want to cook. We may need to improvise with what is in the kitchen.

We also need to think more on another goal,spoiling Kaguya even moregaining immortality. We still have that pesky time limit called a life span.

I honestly thought you wanted a head count before we got to voting, not a head count and voting at the same time.
>> No. 24326

I agree. He wouldn't be pursuing it for the wrong reasons. In this case it would simply be so he could stay at Kaguya's side for eternity. I think this issue *could* be a factor in Eirin's disapproval of Shirou. No matter how happy he makes her now, he won't always be there. And when that happens, Kaguya will be *very* affected. Pursuing immortality could begin to pave the path towards Eirin fully accepting Shirou as a match for Kaguya. Maybe. It's not the full picture, but it could be part of it.
>> No. 24327
I would say as soon as we finish spoiling Kaguya a bit with breakfast. We really, really need to talk to Eirin. However, I have a bad feeling she is gonna make this very hard on us, like "The tiger or the Lady" hard.
>> No. 24328
[X] Wait for Kaguya to wake up

I'm going to vote this way. While starting off would be a great way to declare independence, wouldn't doing things together be much better?
>> No. 24329
Yes it would, but it is the thought that counts here. Surprising our lover with a hearty breakfast after a contented night together puts a smile on my face. We could always make another meal together. Dinner is more fun to make together since it involves dessert~
>> No. 24331
Okay. I getcha, and I'll change my vote to the above one.
>> No. 24332
[x]Get a head start by yourself

Also, I think we're forgetting something here. During the escape, Shirou passed out briefly. Was that explained?
>> No. 24333
There was also that strange feeling that Shirou had after drinking that 'water' Kaguya left for him.
>> No. 24334
-[x] Breakfast in bed for Kaguya

What a better way to start the day then to feed Kaguya and just overall show her how much she means to him. Especially feed.

It may be simple but it is too awesome to pass up.
>> No. 24357
Haven't meant to say stuff and disappear for a while, I know that's annoying. I've just been waiting for everyone to have their say. Seems like that won't happen for some reason. 2/3rds of the total is not that bad though so I'll be dealing with this sometime soon, mostly dependent on me getting into it. Yeah, a bit fickle on my part I'll admit but it's hard to resume something after a long time if you're not in the mood.
>> No. 24376
I'll be around to vote on your other stories, though not this one since i'm not really interested in it
>> No. 24377
If all goes well and I don't die from too much work, I should have something within the next day sometime. Don't hold your breath though. Just a status update.

Thanks, I guess. The thing is though that the here and now matters and while I enjoy everything I've started the hard truth is that without being able to get things done here none of the rest will ever get finished. So yeah, the headcount was for the people here, the people on which everything else ultimately depends on. If you don't like this, that's fine, but right now it's all that matters.
>> No. 24396
Yeah, this is really the worst thing - fans of Reisen have simply gotten used to this kind of stuff.
And all it seems to take is one vote of not being there, and then any Reisen path gets derailed into yet another Kaguya story...
>> No. 24398
You think it's any different when:

-a /sdm/ story with a chance of Meiling gets derailed into Sakuya or patchy
-when a /border/ story with a chance of Prismrivers or Higan gets derailed into Yukari or Yuyuko's domains

And so forth. All those willing to do anything with Reisen are stricken with depression, laziness, and/or fled from the site.
>> No. 24399
There are so many interpretations of each character that people are just bored of Teruyo's Reisen and perhaps find her uninteresting. If someone wrote a story with a different kind of Reisen and a different Kaguya then maybe the story would be derailed straight into bunny territory.

Resien just has a really shoehorned role in fanon and it's a pretty boring one.
>> No. 24400
Update ETA: I need to get off my lazy ass and write. I need a kick or something, I'm basically waiting on nothing.

Now hold on there just a moment. There only two stories in /eientei/ that can be considered 'developed'. They are, incidentally, the only two stories that have gotten past the first few threads. It's disingenuous to state that every story is a Kaguya story since the vast majority are anything but that. The fact that they don't get far is another matter entirely. The stories outside this board, moreover, tend to favor Mokou and Keine from what I've seen.

As an aside, I have to remind you all of the other story I've written here and how personalities and interpretations have varied in that. I honestly don't think it's about different takes on the characters. If a writer or anon wanted a story to be about Reisen, it would have happened long ago. You really have no one to blame but yourselves. That's the underlying point I've been trying to make with all the jokes, all the stupid shorts and whatnot. If you want something done, you got to invest yourself into that goal. Let's not forget the not-so-subtle incentive there is for a Reisen route (hint: besides the bitching about the lack of her route look at the top of this board).

I'd say the SDM situation is slight bit more different but that's just me. Recent developments aside where Patchy is the protagonist, stories there tend to focus on other characters. And, well, /border/ is in a state as lamentable as /eientei/.
>> No. 24401
And of course, there are dumb reasons like my own. I feel like I'm keeping up pace with my writing at the moment, but adding one more story would completely ruin that pace.
>> No. 24404
There's the whole matter of character popularity/fanon power levels and some of us are hoping when this or LSL finishes, other characters may get a chance.

Though does this mean we have permission to go to Poosh and start a quest to find Harker and drag him back here? Unless something comes up suddenly, this will be the quickest way to get a Reisen story.
>> No. 24407
So, /sdm/ anons have just as much reason to dislike Sakuya as I have for being sick of Kaguya?
Sounds fair enough.

Honestly, I'm tempted to suggest that there should be someone who writes about "a single Touhou comes to our world, and no one else is there, and she meets the protagonist without bringing him to Gensokyo", just to make sure there won't be any attempts at derail the wholething by jumping at someone else.

Kind of like that "Excuse for Aya" story that's being done - that seems to make sure there won't be any attempts by others to jump at a weak moment and move it towards some other touhou.
>> No. 24408
You've made your point, I guess. Let's move on now. Deal with Kaguya being the choice for now and don't derail thread any further. Try /gensokyo/ or /blue/ for more bitching about this. I'm also guilty of derailment too so I'll make sure to stop. Story stuff only from now on.
>> No. 24410
File 131922323248.png - (2.18MB , 1161x1575 , happiness and not just thighs.png ) [iqdb]
The day begins with furious chopping and dedicated handling of cookware. Clothed in the garments of a master chef, a pink apron with a deformed cutesy bunny head stitched on the front, you prepare a magnificent morning banquet for your sleeping princess. Someday you'll make a great housewife, so your thoughts conclude. It's a little disconcerting but it doesn't feel exactly wrong either. Stay-at-home dads are all the rage in some countries, you tell yourself. Gender roles are just silly social convention that definitely are of no relevance to you. No way that an old forgotten mansion in the middle of the woods with polished wooden floors and some very traditional-looking inhabitants would be insistent on the old ways.

If they were, you could always stage a protest with the modern-looking Reisen, burning bras and decrying your oppressive patriarchy. Freedom and sexual liberation for all! No being put down by the man! Of course one flaw with that reasoning is that it's really a matriarchy (who is in charge is a matter of debate – but it ain't you) and you don't cross-dress. Maybe if Kaguya asked you to, but even then it would be weird. The manly party of you categorically rejects an absurd idea like that. No matter how pretty you might feel That said, there's something alluring about silk and lace that makes you feel a little bit funny. When you think about cool silk sliding across your legs it causes you to redden a little. It's best not to dwell too much on the why of that.

Your strange thoughts and, frankly, altered state of mind almost cost you a fried sausage. There's a fine line between golden and crispy and burnt. A competent chef knows when to cycle in the next item and only waste the minimal of time. Everything has to be just right, absolutely perfect. Nothing less will do. You have your pride. A man without ideals and, dare you conclude, the relevant ethos is nothing. Hill of spatulas be damned. It was the only path. No regrets.

It's in this silly state of being that you continue and finish the breakfast feast.

It's a lot of food. More than enough to feed a small family. Quite the variety too. Everything from the classic scrambled eggs (it should be noted here that when cracking and whipping up the eggs you felt something akin to true peace, like achieving some form of limited enlightenment) to fresh juice and beyond. It's a bit of trouble to carry everything, even with trays, and it requires all of your concentration. Surprisingly, you don't drop anything.

“Wakey-wakey,” You gently stroke her head. Her eyelids fail to open and her nose twitches. It's like she's resisting being woken up. Not a problem ultimately. A gentle nudge there and a few soft words have the princess up and awake. You smile and try to not sound too patronizing. It's hard not to come off as patronizing, “My dear sleepy princess, I've made a grand breakfast for us.”

“Mm,” She rubs her eyes, “Smells good.”

“My treat to you,” You present her with a tray. She sits up and looks at the contents with a sleepy smile. If she had bed hair it would be a picture perfect moment. One to tease her over later. Her delicate pajama is truly only something a princess would wear. Flowing and delicate, embroidered front and with straps. This has the added benefit of exposing her shapely shoulders and exquisite neckline to the world.

As she digs in, she seems to slowly awaken some more. You're glad that she seems to enjoy it, you certainly like the rich breakfast. Made with love, so there's no way it wouldn't be tasty. You wolf down your own cooking earnestly, seeing that she apparently likes the meal. Damned good. And to think that you almost turned your mind to steel in order to get things done.

“If I didn't know any better,” Kaguya soon has the clarity of mind for banter, “I'd say that all of this fried and rich food is your way of telling me that I'm too skinny.”

“Hm, maybe I do like my women with a little meat on their bones. Waifs aren't really my thing,” You stroke your chin as if pondering the subject.

“Now I can't tell if you're joking,” She shakes her head. It doesn't keep her from eating another bite of crispy golden deliciousness though.

“Don't worry, I'd love you even if you were a little... pudgy,” You use a non-offensive term, “Anytime you want to exercise, I'm available by the way.”

The truth is that she's the very model of perfection. Maybe it's your affection that blinds you to her flaws but there's no part of her that you don't love. Is there room to improve upon perfection? You don't think of it like that. You love her for who she is and if she really did fill up her dress just a little more you'd be fine with it. Same goes for the opposite happening, her already slender figure might become even more erotic. An already very shapely bosom could become even more pronounced by contrast to a more streamlined figure. It makes little logical sense. Then again, it doesn't have to make sense. Your imagination works on both scenarios at full steam, truly happy with either. An active imagination is truly a wondrous thing.

“It doesn't take a mind-reader to understand what you're saying,” She sighs, as if crushed by the weight of the world, “If strangers could see me now, they'd think me uncouth. Speaking of such vulgar things, in such a familiar way. I do like etiquette, you realize.”

“But you like being with me better,” You tell her, “If you seriously didn't like how I behaved you would have told me, right? I mean what sort of lady of good standing allows someone as ill-mannered as me act like they please?”

“Maybe I like bad boys,” She whispers with a frown.

“I heard that,” You tell her, “It's not that. You don't care for all the pomp and circumstance to begin with. All you care about is being relaxed, right? And I think I make you feel at ease.”

“Only sometimes,” She begrudgingly admits. By now she's finished eating, plenty of food is left untouched on her plate. You can't blame her. You were a little too overzealous in the cooking. Most people can't handle so many different types of foods in the morning. Or in the quantities served.

“Fair enough, sounds to me like you need to be a little more honest with yourself,” You remark. Knowing her it's just a matter of not knowing how to express herself. Like when she didn't know how she felt because she had no other experiences to compare it to. She was troublesome like that. There was clearly a gap in her upbringing, the normal part dealing with feelings and the realities of relationships. Maybe an older sister would have been just the thing for her, you find yourself thinking. That's a dangerous thought. A know-it-all bossy and nosy older sister type would have cramped your style. Forcing things along and you would either have been at this stage sooner or not at all, having since been teased to death over one of the many embarrassing incidents that happened in Eientei.

“Oh, shut up,” She puffs her cheeks, defiantly.

“Ok, I won't push my luck,” There's nothing to do but be the bigger person and back down. “Did you enjoy your morning service?”

“The food was wonderful, thank you,” She smiled. Then added, “Don't call it 'morning service', that sounds dirty.”

“The princess is a girl after all, huh?”

“Sometimes I wonder why I even like you.”

“Please don't say things that make my heart freeze.”

Kaguya giggles, “You make it easy to tease you. If you don't stop, you'll get your just desserts.”

You sigh, “Alright, I give.”

Evidently you can be rather more touchy and delicate than she is. Insecurity is something that continually haunts you, something that is central to your current woes. Your future, that is. Eirin has a lot to do with it and so does Kaguya. There's something missing, something that you haven't done probably. That's the only way you can justify not having succeeded in establishing a truly peaceful life.

“Is anything wrong?” Kaguya asks, “You're making a weird face.”

“I was just wishing that I could lose myself in the present without worrying about tomorrow.”

“Hm, you sound like someone with a lot of burdens to carry.” You can't tell if she's poking fun at you.

“It's hard to decide what to do, there's no obvious choice.”

“You always seem to know what to say to me.”

“That's not true,” You shake your head, recalling all those times when it felt like you were walking on eggshells around her. She's still a mystery in some ways, someone who can surprise you at any time. “I'm just stupid and stubborn, so I did stupid and impulsive things. A lot of it wasn't manly, it was just me acting spoiled.”

“And what's wrong with being a little spoiled?” She asks, as if forgetting all the downsides in the past.

“It's hard to be both reliable and spoiled. Add a little of the reality of nor wanting things to blow up and things are really hard to see through.”

“Sounds to me like you're expecting too much of yourself too quickly,”Kaguya chides, “I mean, I'm taking things slowly, not running away. Isn't that what you wanted from me?”

“That's different.”

“How so?”

“I'm confident about how I feel about you so it'll all work out.”

“Isn't that a very childish way of thinking?” When you look at her you notice that you've genuinely annoyed her. Instead of the usual playful tease or embarrassed indignation there's real disapproval in her eyes.

“Sorry, but I just have to believe some things,” You explain, “Otherwise I wouldn't have made it this far I think.”

“I thought you were above believing in fate and that nonsense.”

“This isn't quite like that,” You find yourself defending your feelings, “I just am willing to do whatever it takes so I'm saying that no obstacle is going to permanently set me back.”

Somehow you fail to convince even yourself. If you truly believed that then you wouldn't be anxious. You wouldn't mull over threats and what may happen in the future. Because everything would work out thanks to the power of love. Kaguya is right but it's not easy to admit. It's painfully obvious. Pathetic doesn't even begin to describe what your denial is like.

“Maybe I should get a job,” You mumble to yourself.

“Because it's the right thing to do? Isn't that just convenient reasoning?” She certainly does not pull any punches when she's upset, you find yourself thinking.

“I want to to be able to take care of you, no matter what happens. Independence is the way to go for any meaningful long-term plans to be put in place.”

“You shouldn't force yourself to do something just because of some absurd notion you might have about our lives,” It's Kaguya's turn to sigh. Her shoulders droop as she speaks, “In case you haven't noticed we aren't a young couple in the village who want to be together even though our parents forbid us to see one another. Getting a job and eloping won't improve things. As romantic as it may be,” For a brief moment there's a flash of a maidenly smile, “there's no real need to abandon our lives here, we don't go wanting anything.”

“You're basically saying that it would just be for my ego's sake?” I read in between the lines, “But then you'll agree that the status quo isn't perfect? It isn't healthy to live like this.”

“I'm not the smartest person in the world,” She sighs again, looking more downcast, “I don't have an obvious solution for whatever it really is that's making you worry. All I can tell you is what I've decided which is to live with the decisions I've made. In short, I assume the consequences for choosing the path I chose. You're not the only one in this relationship. I also wanted it.”

“It feels like I have to apologize,” You hold her by the shoulders gently. Her loosened clothes make her look thinner than she is. The truth is all that you can give her, “it's easier for me to think only about my perspective, that I've done everything and I've accomplished everything but you've also been there alongside me the whole time. You're acting with me. It was stupid of me to assume otherwise.”

“Don't get too hung up about it,” She smiles softly, “I think you knew that all along deep down, you're just trying to protect me. I don't need that kind of protection anymore. Being held by you feels nice though.”

“I could do this forever,” You wink before kissing her. She tries to protest, saying something about having just eaten and not having a chance to freshen up but you don't care. Her token struggle is briefer than usual. Physical affection is too pleasurable in the end. An unguarded Kaguya is proof of your intimacy. Breakfast was a great idea, after all.

There's no doubt anymore that any approach you take has to involve Kaguya. You had your chance to act independently and it's simply no longer an option now that you've been reminded of certain elementary facts.

“I never did ask you something really important,” As you gather up the dishes and trays you make small talk with Kaguya.

“And what would that be?” She asks as she gets dressed and straightens her clothes. Your gaze clearly makes her nervous as she messes up the button order on her blouse not once, but twice. You want to offer to help but that would likely make things worse.

“How do you like your eggs?”

“Oh. Is that it?” She pouts.

“What's with the disappointed look? No, nevermind, let's not get sidetracked.”

“Poached eggs are nice, and this one time I really liked when Reisen made what she called 'Eggs Florentine”. Fancy name for a tasty dish.”

“I see...”

“Don't worry though, I still enjoyed the scrambled eggs,” She sees through you quickly enough, offering what amounts to a 'good effort' metaphorical pat on the back. She's a thoughtful lover. Though your ego would prefer it if she worked on her timing a little. It's just not the same. Praise first, gentle correction for the future follows. That's the golden rule of letting someone know that they could have done just a little better.

“Oh spare me, just let me sulk in peace,” You complain with an exaggerated sniffle.

“I love anything you make or give me, you should know that,” She says something embarrassing like that with a completely straight face. It's a wonder how she's able to vacillate so strongly between her assertive self and her more bashful self. Women are frightening creatures, of that you have no doubt. Capable of cunning plans and cold-hearted manipulation. Even pure innocent Kaguya and her sheltered upbringing did not prevent her from being able to push your buttons.

[] Get an outside opinion on how you're doing together (specify)
[] Brainstorm together (specify what about)

[] Cosplay sex time
>> No. 24411
[X] Get an outside opinion on how you're doing together (specify)

Because why the hell not.
We need someone else to offer an opinion besides us and Kaguya, and that woman seems saner than anyone else we know and coudl easily get a hold of.
>> No. 24412
Unlimited Spatula Works? Bravo, you've put a smile on my face. I'll never handle a spatula without care again.
That whole scene? Magic. Nothing substantial even happened, but I feel like we've made incredible progress.

[X] Brainstorm together
[X] Strategies of reconciliation. Identify key emotions involved with the with the dispute between Kaguya and Eirin.

The first step is to identify the emotions at the center of the divide between Kaguya and Eirin. Kaguya's side has already been discussed, but Eirin's is a little murky. We know why she disapproves of Shirou, but what emotion lead to the dispute? Could it be embarrassment? Eirin put her dignity on the line when she tried to seduce Shirou. He denied her and then told someone very dear to her that she acted that way. Shirou is the source of the dispute, which means he could potentially be part of the solution.

Brain storming on this topic should bring order the chaos of emotions and serve as a starting point for developing a working solution.

Now, give me some feedback and let us turn this lackluster write-in into a winner.
>> No. 24414
You asides from perhaps Tewi? Let's not forget that Eirin seems to have her own agenda that she's not sharing at all, and Reisen's too close to the whole thing to be completely neutral.

Not a bad idea... though how would we break through Eirin's icy shell as I get the feeling even Kaguya's in the dark about things. I'll try thinking more through the night.
>> No. 24416
I'm sure that she appreciates honesty. She wrote him off because he was being inconsistent. The trick is going to devising a plan that matches both complete honesty a certain degree of sneakiness.
>> No. 24417
This, I believe, is a good starting point. However, I feel like we not only have to bring Eirin around, but also Kaguya. If I'm remembering correctly, she was rather "heated" at Eirin after the "lock-in" incident.

I would love to talk to Tewi and get her view on things overall. A new perspective of things might make things easier to view without as much bias. Then again, she could just give the run-around without telling us anything.

I think Eirin might be a bad idea as I don't think she would be willing to give us any help. Then again, she might just be willing to talk to us if we just "suck it up" and blunting ask what she wants.

However, if we go by past interactions, she probably would just "test" us again. Eirin doesn't look at Shirou as an equal but as a "know-nothing kid" (my words, not Eirin's). That doesn't put us in a favorable position when we talk to her.

I feel like a guy who woke up with a hang-over and found out he pissed in someone's cereal while he was drunk.
>> No. 24418
I don't fully trust Tewi.
I'm not sure why, but there's something in the back of my head saying she should be kept at a distance, for now.

And, either way, we're not going to be able to keep Eirin out of this, so might as well brin her i on our own terms.
>> No. 24420
Last time I checked this story, Tewi was the closet thing to a bro Shirou has here. And I don't remember any cases of her leading him anywhere wrong. And the people who would best understand Eirin are usually hard to reach and won't be likely to help Shirou for whatever reasons. (Watsukis, Yukari, etc)
>> No. 24424
[x] Get an outside opinion on how you're doing together (Tewi)
- [x] Ask her to be brutally honest

I think we need votes. My opinion is that while Reisen is the safest vote, but I don't think she's the one capable of saying the truth with the least amount of bias. Tei has been helpful at the least with us, and because of Reisen's proximity, Eirin's obvious bias, and the failure of what happened when we asked something similar to Kaguya, I think Tei is the best option.
>> No. 24426
- [x] Ask her to be brutally honest

After thinking more on it, I think Tewi is our best choice.
>>24424 said it best. Tewi has always been on our "bro", even when she was playing pranks. That's just her nature though. Though we should be careful of pranks, remember our belt?

On a off note, I dread thinking what Eirin's price would be for the Hourai Elixir. Immortal life with Kaguya, but at what cost?

Teruyo... why do you tease us with that strike-through? Though, if I didn't feel the situation was needing something a bit more serious. I would vote for it, just because I know it would be awesome no matter what happened.
>> No. 24427
This is assuming Kaguya didn't slip it into his drink earlier while off at the shrine.

- [x] Ask her to be brutally honest
- [x] Ask her for any insight on Eirin

This is basically my sentiments in the first place.
>> No. 24429
- [x] Ask her to be brutally honest

I was waiting for more opinions because i was unsure on what to do. Someone who is honest and tells you his or her opinion without holding back is good. You might always miss something that someone else noticed.
>> No. 24432
- [x] Ask her to be brutally honest
Sure, let's go with this

Could that be done?
I wouldn't mind having Harker back, if it meant we could get more stuff in /eientei/, and see what kind of reward you get for a Reisen story.
>> No. 24443
File 131948319561.jpg - (168.45KB , 500x676 , a girl and her carrot.jpg ) [iqdb]
“Do you have any plans for today?” You ask as you come back from the kitchen, finding that she's getting dressed the next room over. As much as you may want to peep, your lovable rogue level is too low to pull off a stunt like that and not get chewed out. People are weird like that, it used to be that a guy back in the day could act as perverted as he wanted and his limited-color palette and gradient-haired love interest(s) would ultimately find it somewhat endearing. At most the girl with drill hair would get a bit miffed and call you names. True love was quite straightforward. But you know to behave.

“Actually, yes,” She informs you from the other room, “I was planning on meeting an acquaintance for tea.”


“Don't 'oh?' me like that, you make it sound like I've never met anyone besides you.”

“I'd never assume that a sheltered princess would know anyone from outside her bubble,” You joke, “Whoops, did I say that out loud?”

“Don't get all sour on me just because you're jealous.”

“Why would I be jealous?”

“Oh, because he's quite dashing, smart to boot.”

“Please,” You snort, “you're trying too hard.”

“Maybe I am,” She emerges, changed into her usual attire. Her smile does not seem to be for you as she tells you an anecdote, “People find their way to our little corner of the world, without being invited like you were. Some of them are on missions, some of those missions are acts of true dedication. I know you would rather talk about the things I've discovered about the outside world but I also really like talking about stories and tales I've heard. It just so happens that occasionally someone will be interested in hearing me out.”

“I don't mind that, you know. You're plenty interesting as far as I'm concerned.”

“Well, maybe. Sorry, that bit about meeting someone was a lie,” She sighs, “People move on after years and decades, get on with their lives perhaps even settle down and have children. They're just memories. I wouldn't know where to look for most of the people I've met anyhow.”

You're not sure if to leave the subject there. Despite her overt playfulness you can tell that there's something to what she's saying. It's something you don't think you can really understand. The concept of many years and decades is hard to fathom. Perhaps that's a consequence of not having an especially noteworthy life until coming to a place where time doesn't seem to matter at all. The months you've spent at Eientei could just as well be years and you'd never really know.

Kaguya is the one who decides to change the subject, “Why were you asking in the first place?”

“Oh, just because I wanted us to get an outsider's opinion together.”

“Opinion on what?”

“On us, where we are and where we're headed. Maybe it'll help me to form a more informed opinion on what I should be doing next,” You scratch your head as you say the last bit. It sounds pathetic.

“...is this your idea of couple therapy?” She laughs, “Well, I don't really mind if it'll make you feel better.”

“It's not like that, I'm not sure what it is but I have a good idea who would be best to ask. I don't know many people outside of Eientei well enough, maybe that shrine maiden would be nice enough to say something but she doesn't really know us. Besides, she probably had her own life to sort out. For obvious reasons it can be certain people here, so it leaves one viable candidate.”

As you pour the tea into the three cups, Kaguya whispers into your ear, “Can she really help us?”

You nod silently, offering a cup to Tewi. She sits opposite you, across the table. A look of unusual calm is on her face, none of the usual mischievous energies showing. It was suspiciously easy to find her and even easier to convince her to come along for a talk. Her polite patience does not seem insincere to you, just a little odd.

For a moment you recall the conversation you were having with Kaguya just before she came in. You wonder if she overheard any of it. That might explain things. Asking Kaguya if she liked getting dressed in new and exciting outfits may have been a bit inappropriate, but your imagination prodded you to ask. It didn't seem like the princess understood very well what you meant. There wasn't a chance to figure out if she was being coy or if you needed to be a bit more blunt before Tewi knocked on the door and cut that whole conversation short. Seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity. Playing dress up as an adult was exciting for a whole host of different reasons.

“I wanted you to give us your opinion,” You get right to it, dispelling other distracting thoughts. Your explanation is succinct, “We'd like to know what you think of us and if there's something that we ought to be doing better.”

“May I ask why?” She asked in turn, her voice steady and unimpassioned.

“You should already know why.”

Of that you have no doubt. Tewi is the type of person to be in the loop for everything that's happening. Her insight has helped you in the past.

“Tewi,” The princess adds, “We just want you to be honest and maybe we'll both be sure we're on the right track.”

“Somehow I feared you wouldn't remember my name,” Tewi says the oddest thing.

“I'm sorry that it took me a while to learn it but with so many rabbits it was hard to remember names,” Kaguya apologizes.

“I didn't mean anything by it,” Tewi shakes her head, “We just haven't really talked much despite living together. Reisen usually scolds me for bothering everyone so I just avoid everything but the rabbits.”

“You seem well-acquainted with Shirou, every time we're all together you've talked.”

“We have a mutual understanding, I think,” She states with a little tilt of her head.

“So then, will you tell us what you think?” You don't particularly feel like being very patient, “The pure undiluted truth, no matter how you think we might take it.”

“Not a problem,” She smiles. Her cup is emptied and you pour some more before she continues, “Simply put, I think you're too fixated on conflict.”

“How so?” You ask.

“Things take their time. Sometimes bad things happen and sometimes there's a clash of ideas or wills or whatever, but usually change is slow and gradual. I mean, look at you two; I don't know the details about what finally caused you to admit how you felt but the lead up to that was not one big event after the other, just a bunch of small ones right? Same thing since then, it's not like you're closer one day from the other but every day you're together you've felt stronger feelings right?”

“I think I see your point, but I can't really agree,” You bring up some of the things that have happened along the way. Festivals, rivalries and weird moon rabbits – all those big things that seemed to affect every single choice you made.

“I'm not really familiar with the whole love thing you have going on, us rabbits mate when it's right to do so,” She doesn't hesitate to imply she is experienced in carnal matters. It's not really relevant to what she has to say, “let's say you did something that annoyed me and then you apologized. I forgive you but the truth is that I probably will be in the process of forgiving you for a while. It's not like I can just flip a switch and all my feelings are back to normal, right? It's the same thing. No one thing made you suddenly love one another, though there might be an event that formalizes the acknowledgment of those feelings.”

“She's right,” Kaguya agrees, “it took a while to put into words but how I felt did not happen suddenly.”

“So is the conclusion that we're fine and we should do nothing special?” You feel like sighing as you ask.

“I didn't say that,” She corrects you, “You're fine in the sense that you're currently happy but you're worried about what is going to happen sometime in the future. You shouldn't obsess about conflicts and specific events but you shouldn't ignore things either. I think that as long as you present a united front you'll be fine.”

“Face everything together in other words?”

“You're a cute couple. A princess that used to be alone and didn't trust outsiders with her heart and a dolt who fell for her irrational kindness.”

“I won't dispute the dolt thing,” Kaguya smiles. It's a diplomatic smile, one that doesn't betray her feeling as she speaks, “But I've always had an open policy to people. It's usually people who don't have an open policy towards me. They're the ones who like to pretend they're interested in something else.”

“I'm sorry, I didn't really mean to generalize quite like that,” Tewi respectfully apologizes. She's definitely holding back. You can't decide whether it is because of a real sense of respect or because being too honest is not beneficial for her. “The past is complicated, so let's just talk about now.”

“If we wanted to change someone's opinion about us, how would we go about that?” You ask a very not-hypothetical question.

“Depends on the person,” She answers, “If everyone else she trusts thinks that things will be fine then she might change her mind. Likewise a few years of responsible conduct should do the trick.”

“How unreasonable,” You complain.

“I'm sure that that's the exact why she feels. Potentially, anyways. Who knows who you meant with that question?” There's a sly smirk on her face.

You tea got cold while you listened to her talk but you drink it anyways. It still feels like you're missing something, but you can't quite figure out what.

[] Write-in
[] Ask her straight out how to deal with Eirin
[] Allow Kaguya to direct the conversation if she wants to
[]Beg for the return of the sex tapes
>> No. 24445
Couple therapy with Tewi. We came to the right person. It really took a while for the feelings to surface and the relationship to form. Just reminds me of that camping trip and the episode with eirin shortly thereafter. The whole thing was kind of rocky and not sure what to do half the time.

But i think she is right. Shirou really obsesses with conflicts and such way too much.

I think the solution to the problems is not to try and solve this all alone. But do this thing with Kaguya. Together. I don't want another thing like putting them together and screw things up again.

>That is one example of many used to establish precedent. It therefore follows that there is little reason to expect you to act any different in the future. To me at least, it seems like you will sacrifice difficult long-term propositions in favor of short-term satisfaction.
He is often much talk but they really accomplished much together already. There must be something that could convince her or show her a proof.

>“The issue at hand is the future. What guarantee is there that you will do your best or even just be there when you're needed? How will you earn your keep, so to say, by continuing to be in our lives? It is not difficult to imagine you desisting when the going gets tough or worse – being completely confused and helpless when confronted with trouble.”
Especially when she says something like that. Her caution and worries are simple, yet right. The problem may arise that when you try to do things with Kaguya together it will only be seen as hiding behind her or using her.

>If you were to ask me how much I trusted you to honor those words I would simply tell you that I did not trust you at all. 'I will follow your example' – there's no evidence to back that up, as established by all your other pledges of doing so and so no matter what. Need I remind you that the times I volunteered to help, you flat out refused every proposal at every step of the way?
All the action and choices are literally coming back to bite us in the ass. Every word and path we took brought us here. Everything he can say has a weak convincing or meaning at best.

>“She doesn't like our being together because of the path I've chosen. The way she sees it, I'm not doing anything good with my life. I'm wasting my opportunities, perhaps afraid of other possibilities.”
>“I'm sure she can be reasoned with, we just have to find the right way to approach her.”
>“Doubtful,” When it comes to matters of principle and direction,” She explains, “She is 100% sure of her position. If I don't change in a way that she approves of then she won't be happy.”
>What Eirin expects and what Kaguya has decided remains unclear. And you can't really get at it despite asking rather direct questions.
Which brings us right back to the problem. How do you deal with this kind of situation. It would be time for Kaguya to come clean and not hold back in telling everything. Either that or just figure things out on our own and just do the right thing at this point.

At any rate, i think Tewi's job is done here. She brought them back on the right track and she can't solve all the problems for them.
>> No. 24447
I agree. Your research really puts it into perspective. Since we've learned most of what we need to know, why not leg Kaguya take the lead?

[x] Allow Kaguya to direct the conversation if she wants to.

Come on people, it's been how long since the update and there's no votes? This shit is what almost killed the story. At least make it look like you're trying.
>> No. 24448
Since just today, not that long also ever since the "throwing in the towel" a while back (again) I had just assume some one mistakenly bumped the thread out of regular conversation or some spam bot got in again.

That said


Reasonable enough considering the number of times Shirou's tried to get a direct answer he's stopped short of threatening suicide in order to get a straight answer after seemingly exhausting other options.

I've forget if he's ever had to go that far finding answers though

Also do take into account that the memory error combined with short tempers of certain anon makes for a rather delayed response.
>> No. 24452

Talking to Tewi has set my mind at ease. I guess we need to "take it easy" for while. Instead of trying to create a situation to prove our worth, we should just wait for another such situation to arise naturally. Besides we probably need to try to spend at least some time with Reisen and Tewi as well.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Tewi's peepholes.

I wish we had gotten that belt back. I miss it. However, I must admit that hotgluenamous has come a long way.
>> No. 24454
>why not leg Kaguya take the lead
Exactly what i worry about. Like
>You will learn from, and defer to, Eirin in the future
which made things worse.
followed by
>Think of your own way to settle Eirin's disapproval
which went nowhere.

>“The choices I've made aren't exactly the best choices, for starters,”
>“I am utterly selfish and always have been.”
>“So what does she expect from you?”
>“To make a hard choice, probably,” She looks away, “One I really don't want to make.”

Kaguya already knows what Eirin wants and expects of her. But she just can't do it because of Shirou. Thus she did something stupid which lead to the current situation.

So much for a recap, but that still leaves the problem at hand.

Read what >>23454 wrote. Especially the talking part. We have nothing we can bring up with Eirin that would work. Her opinion is solidified already. The action that can be taken are limited and the few left are even worse. Is there anything he can say that she can't prove wrong before he can even say it? If there are no words, how about actions? And with such a sad track record i can't think of anything. Maybe only a heroic feat would help. His own actions and choices brought him so far so the only thing i can think of is to be a man accept and take responsibility for what you did in all those 20 threads. No more hiding. Pour out your soul. Unconditional. Kaguya caused enough problems, but this is just between Shirou and Eirin. To somehow prove that Kaguya's love and trust are not misplaced and that he can be a fitting man for her while dissolving all her worries and fears. A lot of work to do there.

Either that or try things together with Kaguya. Plus, we should not see Eirin as an enemy. She is the kind of person that carefully weighs all options before deciding on something.

>Because we're both stubborn and she said some things that she shouldn't have. She thinks she knows whats best for me and for you,” She clenches her fist, “She's said some things that she shouldn't have said and can now never take back. Her actions are none to better. It's completely unacceptable.
The two of them are both stubborn idiots. And with him they make three big idiots. From alone it will never be resolved between the two.

Just reminds me what teruyo said back then
>Really guys, we've come this far and now is not the moment to act like timid morons.
These choices just don't cut it. We need something better here to avoid the downer/normal ending because once again we do not know how to deal with the situation.
>> No. 24460
I'll be playing devil's advocate for a bit because I'm tired of sitting around, just waiting. Don't take this as word of god, though there definitely will be personal bias. It may not be proper for a writer but, hey, the site is too dead otherwise for me to entertain myself.

>I think this may be the right time to see if Kaguya'll open up.

Kinda sad when you ignore what has been nothing but opening up. This is a reminder that nearly every single one of the last few choices has been basically 'wait and see'. Kaguya talks about the issue? Wait and see and don't steer the conversation. Following that there was no attempt to handle matters, just waiting and making breakfast. Sure, it may have been prudent and a good thing to do, leading to a productive meeting but it is still the passive thing to do. There is a pattern here. To me what sticks most in my mind is the more proactive decisions made, such as standing up and kissing Eirin, running away with Kaguya and being even a bit forceful with her. Don't kid yourself that this is anything but passive.

For all you know Kaguya may talk to Tewi about getting a pair of matching sweaters. You are yielding to the desires of the characters. Which may be fine, maybe there's no need to impose on everyone but don't kid yourself that it's anything but that.

I could say a lot about the supporting evidence here but I think I've said perhaps too much already.


Don't worry about that. The slowness, few votes and a whole bunch of things won't make the story go away. It may frustrate me and make me sad but there's nothing to be done about it. The only new thing that's a let down is the apparent disappearance of everyone who said they'd be here. That's why I've been waiting days without saying anything. Just the way the world is, I guess. In the end I think it's just a bit of a shame. Not having the full compliment. Simple fact is that the story isn't as good as it can be if there aren't as many people joking around, offering different opinions and whatnot. The choices made suffer if there aren't some calling for some of the different choices. Call it irrational but it really pissed me off earlier in the thread when some of the more long-winded people were going on about everything while saying that they weren't really involved themselves any longer. I really do just write for the people who get involved so it bewilders me when I do everything short of giving out free candy to encourage a relaxed environment where you can get in deep however you please and it doesn't really go anywhere. But yeah, sorry, this is what happens when I'm sleep deprived and really bored. I get the urge to type up stupid crap like this. It's one way to escape the harshness of life - another is booze and I am completely out.
>> No. 24461
[x] Ask her straight out how to deal with Eirin

As much as I want to say that this vote wasn't influenced by Teruyo's post, it was. Somewhat. But that doesn't mean I haven't thought it through.

This option has a higher risk of negative repercussions, but I like to believe that with a great risk, comes a greater reward.

It may be uncomfortable for the princess to discuss such things, but it's gonna have to happen sooner or later.

Even if all it ends up doing is upsetting Kaguya while Teiwi ends up saying a whole lot of nothing, at least the issue is out in the open.

No regrets, etc.
>> No. 24463
>Were you referring to the first run?
No. I was thinking about this run. Currently i am waiting for someone to throw me some ideas or thoughts so i can work with that.

You can clearly see undecided and uncertain in his words when you read up. Kind of reflects that.
>> No. 24465
>>24311 >>24452 here. I'm still here. I haven't went anywhere. I just can't check like 15 times a day. I've voted in the previous two decisions as well.

Alright, after thinking about it a bit. I know Teruyo is right about the whole passive thing. Of course, the whole being proactive thing that many tried "obviously" worked. Jury is still out on that.

I'm kinda interested in those sex tapes. The voteoption is vague enough I want know more. Of course, it's also silly enough that I want to choose it anyway.

Changing my vote to
[x]Beg for the return of the sex tapes

I told you to stop teasing me with those silly strike-through. Don't blame me, you started waving that carrot in front of me. Even if we go down in flames, at least we'll have fun along the way.

Sadly, I was hoping that Kaguya and Tewi could mend the fence a bit between them. Oh well, I suppose this should be about us.
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