Author Topic: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic  (Read 6623 times)

Serp

  • It's all about overwhelming force and irresistible style
  • And in a pinch, style can slide
Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« on: February 14, 2010, 11:42:34 AM »
   Just the other day, Ruro commissioned a fic from me for Valentine's Day.  Her request was a strange one, to be sure, but I've never been able to deny her anything, so I accepted her challenge.  Powered by the two greatest forces in the universe, love and chocolate (not necessarily in that order), I completed it in one sitting.  This fic is horribly wrong in so many ways, but hopefully it manages to be horribly right as well.  Suck on that, Shikieiki. :3

- - -

   Gensokyo was abuzz with activity, as Lily White was not the only one celebrating the coming of spring.  Yuyuko Saigyouji was holding a grand party at Hakugyokurou, and all the denizens of Gensokyo were invited.  There was only one catch:  Yuyuko had decreed that in the spirit of the season, anyone wanting admission into the party would have to bring a date.  Those that tried to enter without one would only win an audience with Youmu's sword.

   The vast majority of Gensokyo's residents paired themselves off almost immediately, in a frantic flurry of activity to ensure that they were not left out of the fun.  But at the Myouren shrine, Byakuren found herself at a disadvantage.  One by one, each of her likely partners had already been claimed.

   “Oh, I'm surprised you haven't heard yet.  I like sinking ships, too, after a fashion.  Walk with me, and I'll tell you an old story.”  So said Eirin to Murasa, and the two left the shrine.

   “It hurts, doesn't it, to be looked upon as a mere varmint, an annoyance?  I understand it.  I understand...  you...”  Wriggle suavely said as much to Nazrin as she took her hand.

   “The old guard of Gensokyo gains another member.  Want to swap stories about our mistresses?  Come with me, it'll be fun.”  And so Ran and Shou flew off together.

   Meanwhile, Ichirin had gone off to the Human Village to look for dates.  She had found Marisa for herself, and Rinnosuke for Unzan.  Or maybe it was the other way around.  In any case, Byakuren was up the creek without a paddle.  She searched around Gensokyo, but the story was the same everywhere.  Everyone had already been claimed, or else they had no intention of going in the first place.

   And that was how she found herself looking upon something she didn't expect to see for awhile longer yet: the Sanzu river.  And there to greet her was Shikieiki Yamaxanadu.  Not my first choice, Byakuren thought to herself, but it feels right somehow...

   “You're early for your judgment, Hijiri Byakuren.  Have you come for consultation on improving your moral standing?”  The Yama stood straight-backed, holding her rod before her with both hands.  Her feet were planted firmly on the ground, and attached to them were the Yama's long... straight... smooth... legs.  Perhaps it was merely the ambience of the season, but Byakuren found herself wondering just why the uniform of the Yamaxanadu bared so much skin.  Somehow, the rest of the dark skirt and coat just served to punctuate the parts it didn't cover.  Shaking her head, the magician brought her mind back to the here and now, and realized that she had been asked a question.

   “Nothing so formal,” Byakuren replied.  “Actually, I came to talk to you about the festival that's being held at Hakugyokurou...  Have you heard about it, Shikieiki?”

   “Of course.”  Shikieiki smiled.  “Yuyuko can always be counted on to promote goodwill among Gensokyo's residents.  To live a virtuous life, one should love her neighbors, and the celebration will certainly give everyone a chance to step back and examine their own karma.”

   Whew.  I was half afraid that she wouldn't approve of this whole thing.  Then...  Byakuren took a deep breath   “Have you...  Have you thought about going there yourself?”

   “Hm?  I suppose not.  I believe Yuyuko has said that one needs a partner to gain admission, and Komachi says she'd rather stay here.”  The Yama fidgeted with her rod and stared off into middle distance as she spoke.  “Even so, there is a righteousness in experiencing all the wholesome pleasures of life.”  Shikieiki blinked and refocused her gaze on Byakuren.  “Why do you ask?”

   Argh!  She's going to make me ask her outright, isn't she!?  “I, um, uh...”  Byakuren felt her face growing hot.  She twiddled her fingers together and stared at her own feet as she tried to muster her courage.  “Um...”

   Suddenly, the two were interrupted by a flash of light.  Space itself twisted and warped, and a mighty wind blew from a portal in the space-time continuum.  With a last flash and a bang like a cannon, the Probability Space Hypervessel materialized on the bank of the Sanzu.  The front hatch opened, and a girl stepped out.  Bright red hair, billowing black cape, and a hint of strawberry fragrance – Yumemi Okazaki flourished as she made her entrance.  “Ha!  I hope I'm not late for the party!”

   Shikieiki Yamaxanadu adjusted her hat and frowned at the new arrival.  Byakuren was nowhere to be seen.  “No, scientist, the festival has not yet ended,” Shikieiki replied carefully.

   “In that case, I'm off to find a date!”  Yumemi retreated back into the Hypervessel, and a moment later, it disappeared in another flash of light.

   “A fitting punishment for a party-crasher.  Let her wander Gensokyo and see that everyone has already been claimed...”  Shikieiki sighed.  “Even so, perhaps I should be more generous.  There is virtue in one who uncovers the mysteries of the universe.  As things stand, it seems most likely that Byakuren and Yumemi will find each other and go to the festival together...”  She paused as she tried to decide what she thought about that.  Eiki found the magician's hesitant advances...  cute, somehow, and discussion with the scientist was always stimulating.  Could it be that the Yama herself was succumbing to envy?

   “Go for it, boss!”  Komachi popped up out of nowhere and offered her two ryo.

   “Huh?”  Eiki was caught off guard for once, blinking at Komachi.

   “The saint, or the scientist.  Whichever.  Just go for it.  Find a date, go to the festival.  You're ahead of schedule with your judgments, as always.  Not that I can remember the last time you've said it to me, but I know you did say once that to live only for one's job is a sin against oneself.”

   Shikieiki nodded slowly.  “That is right, Komachi.  You've been listening to me after all.  Yes, I think that Byakuren was trying to ask me out in the first place.  I should make it clear that I was not rejecting her – and I will make it clear to Yumemi as well that I am not unwilling to be her partner, either.  I'm sure that they will choose virtuously, with everything out in the open.  Thank you, Komachi.”  With that, Shikieiki left to go find her date.

   Komachi smiled in satisfaction to herself.  With the boss gone, she could laze around 'till the festival's end.  Silently thanking Yuyuko for hosting such an effective distraction, Komachi leaned up against a nearby tree and promptly dozed off.

   - - -

   Meanwhile, Byakuren was hard at work in the inner sanctum of the Myouren Shrine.  The air was thick with incense and candlelight.  Byakuren was huddled down, drawing shapes on the floor with an engraved athame.  A complex spell circle began to take shape as Byakuren incanted under her breath in a forgotten language.

   Byakuren abruptly stepped back and surveyed her work.  That Yumemi girl will be trying to steal Shikieiki away, I know it...  But with this, I can stop her!  The magician sprinkled silver dust around the spell circle.  “A curse on Shikieiki Yamaxanadu and Yumemi Okazaki,” she intoned.  “Let all communication between them run afoul of its intended purpose.  May misunderstanding drive a wedge between their hearts.”

   Byakuren pierced her hand and sealed the spell with a drop of blood on the spell circle.  The symbols began to glow with a harsh blue light, and Byakuren smiled.  Yes.  With this spell, I will be unstoppable.

- - -

   Yumemi was busy with her own preparations as well.  That clever Yama, letting me believe that the playing field was still open.  I suppose it's only fair, though, considering that I showed up at exactly that moment to scare off that new girl...  Byakuren, was she called?  A deep red light suffused the laboratory as Yumemi mixed together her vials, illuminating the devilish grin on her face.

   Yumemi held up the finished product to the light.  The most elegant fusion of magical and chemical knowledge.  A love potion, potent enough to subdue even a god!  One who drinks this will be consumed with single-minded, insatiable desire for the first person she sees.  Get them to drink this, and then capture their attention, and I will be free to pick whoever tickles my fancy most at the moment.

   The scientist brought the vial over to the jugs of juice she had prepared.  One of cranberry, one of strawberry.  One for them, one for me.  Yumemi upended the vial over the strawberry--

   “Oh, damn.”  She had wanted the strawberry for herself.  “Whoops.  Oh well, I'll just let them have the strawberry, then.  Victory tastes almost as sweet.”  Now, all that's left is to wait for them to come to me...

- - -

   The Probability Space Hypervessel was parked outside the Human Village.  Shikieiki found it first.  She stood outside, pondering how to get Yumemi's attention, but then the door opened on its own, and the red scientist was there to greet her.  “Shikieiki Yamaxanadu!  What a pleasant surprise.  Please, come in.”  Eiki found the scientist's smile dazzling, somehow.  She had shed her cape, and the outfit she wore beneath, while it looked modest at first glance, clung to her womanly curves.  That youthful energy combined with her flamboyant manner - Eiki found herself admiring the red-haired girl for reasons entirely unrelated to moral virtue.

   Byakuren spotted them from high up in the sky, where she was flying on lookout for Shikieiki.  She was looking through a lens of magic, magnifying her field of vision well enough to spot the small details on the ground far below.  She caught sight of Shikieiki being welcomed into the Probability Space Hypervessel.  I knew it!  The magician put her arms out ahead of her, flying towards the ground like Superman – she broke the speed of sound, so frantic was her flight, and the sonic boom sent birds scattering throughout the forest of magic.

   Yumemi turned to close the door behind herself and Shikieiki, but suddenly Byakuren was standing there as well.  “Hey,” said Byakuren, not even breathing hard, “mind if I join you?”

   “Not at all,” replied Yumemi.  “I'm here to get to know all of you, so of course I'd love to talk to Gensokyo's newest resident.  Byakuren, was it?”

   “Hijiri Byakuren,” she replied.  “Hello, Shikieiki.  Um, we never got a chance to finish our conversation back there...”

   “Please, come and sit down.”  Yumemi put one hand on Shikieiki's back and one on Byakuren's, and led them into her parlor.  Shikieiki directed suspicious looks at both of them, but remained silent for once.

   The three girls sat down in a triangle around a table in the Hypervessel.  Yumemi went straight to business.  “So, Byakuren, you're new to Gensokyo, right?  Tell me about your shrine, I've been curious ever since I heard about it.”

   Byakuren was taken aback by the unexpected attention.  She's trying to steal away Eiki, isn't she?  Then why is she paying any attention to me?  “My shrine?  Oh, it's just a little place I run with a couple of my friends, nothing special...”

   Yumemi laughed.  “No need to be so humble.  I've seen it before.  It's a really great ship.  Believe me, I know a good ship when I see it.”

   Shikieiki started to smile, at seeing the two of them get to know each other.  They actually get along pretty well.  Maybe I should just let them go together.

   “Enough about me,” Byakuren said, “What about you, Yumemi?  I've never seen you around Gensokyo in my time here.”

   “Oh, I'm a scientist from the outside world.  Someday, I want to prove the reality of magic to the skeptics out there.”

   Byakuren leaned forward, completely engaged by Yumemi despite herself.  “Careers and goals are one thing, but what about your personality?  Your likes and dislikes?  I notice that you seem to like the fragrance of strawberries.”

   “Strawberry perfume, strawberry designs, strawberry cake and strawberry juice...”  Yumemi counted them off on her fingers.  “Yes, I do like strawberries.”

   “Strawberry juice?”  Byakuren licked her lips.  “You know, that actually sounds pretty good.”

   “Oh, let me get you some.”  Yumemi started to stand up.

   But Shikieiki managed to stand up before her.  “I may be the guest here, Yumemi, but I should give you two a chance to get to know each other.  Let me get the drinks.”

   Yumemi glanced up at Shikieiki absentmindedly.  “Oh, alright, I'll take some str-  um, I mean, cranberry juice.  You two can have the strawberry juice.”

   “Alright, I'll be right back.”  Shikieiki went off into the adjoining kitchen.  She pulled the two jugs out of the fridge.  Hm, I wonder why she wanted cranberry, when strawberry is her favorite...?  Oh, I see.  The jug of strawberry juice was half empty, while the cranberry one was untouched.  She was worried that there wouldn't be enough for all of us...  What a good host.  Shikieiki held up the strawberry jug.  But I think there's three cups worth in there.  She'll be pleasantly surprised.

   Shikieiki poured three cups of the strawberry juice and threw the empty jug into the trash can.  She brought the cups out and handed one to Byakuren, one to Yumemi, and kept one for herself.  The other two were still talking.

   Byakuren looked up at Shikieiki.  “Ah, thanks...  So, Eiki, I was thinking about that festival...”

   Yumemi tensed up, but Shikieiki smiled and waved Byakuren's words aside.  “It's alright.  I can see how well you and Yumemi are getting to like each other.  If you two want to go together, I have nothing but good wishes for you.  You're both good people.”

   Byakuren smiled back, but still looked a little uncertain.  “If Yuyuko let me go with both of you, I would, but still...”

   Yumemi abruptly stood up.  “I propose a toast,” she said.  “To neighborly love!”  The others gladly agreed.

   “To neighborly love!”

   “To neighborly love!”

   The three girls all swallowed their juice, then put the cups down on the table.  Yumemi licked her lips.  Mm...  strawberry...  Her vision went blurry for a moment, and she felt heat running through her body, reddening her cheeks.  Wait...  strawberry...?  The other two girls were experiencing a similar moment of uncertainty as the love potion did its work.

   Suddenly, the door to the parlor slammed open, and Remilia Scarlet walked in.  “So, Sakuya went and asked Meiling to the festival without even thinking about my wishes!  Well, I'm not going to be left behind, and I heard that you three were here, so...  um...  Why are you three looking at me like that?  Hey!  Wait!  Stop!  Ah-!  Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah~!!!”

- - -

   In the end, none of them made it to Yuyuko's festival.  They were sorely missed, but when asked about their absence afterwards, they unanimously declared that they had managed to have a good time on their own.  Enjoying Valentine's Day is just a matter of having the proper mindset after all.
[15:13] <Sana> >:<


ShinyaKyoto

  • Yukari Yakumo's Slave
Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2010, 12:31:53 PM »
I enjoyed this fiction. Thanks for the person who commissioned it and to Serpentarius!

♛ Apher-Forte

  • Am I to go home...or shall I stay alone?
  • *
  • Forever lost at sea, a distant bell rings for me
    • Himitsu's NSFW Blog ~ contains NSFW material
Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2010, 12:39:34 PM »
* Alstroemeria-F gives thumbs up

  <-- my artwork thread, click me!
[ Find my cosplay photos here. ] OMG I HAVE TUMBLR FOLLOW PLZX Will You Remember Me... ?

Serp

  • It's all about overwhelming force and irresistible style
  • And in a pinch, style can slide
Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2010, 12:46:02 PM »
Quote from: Sakura-Rurouni

I was going to post this but then I remembered the image size limits so

[15:13] <Sana> >:<

Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2010, 07:37:58 PM »
There are other ways around the image-size-limit yaknow :P

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2010, 10:13:30 PM »
Did they end up tearing each other apart in order to get Remilia? How long would the potion last?

Poor Remilia!

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

IcedFairy

Re: Tangled Webs of Strawberry Red String - A V-Day Fic
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2010, 01:29:07 AM »
There are other ways around the image-size-limit yaknow :P
I believe that "mistake" was intentional.

And I heartily approve.  Both of it and the fic.