/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46079869
well, it died for me at least.
No new content, no main story updates, treating old players like shit, just reruns and poorly made events. An enormous open world full of nothing.
People still play it, of course. Cool character design an stuff. But it broke my heart...

>>45254765 (8/-)
—
To say is easy. To do…

I gulp, hands trembling, standing still in front of my own house's door, night a cold and harsh blanket… The living room lights were on, which meant Mokou was awake. I feel tears welling behind my eyes, but swiftly clean them, Anon's words fresh in my mind melding together with Suzu's to create an amalgamation of inevitability—one I knew too well would come. The lie was unsustainable; I've got no courage to pursue alternative methods, and, as I said to Anon, "I never wanted any of this." I repeat lowly to myself, feeling slumped.

May or may not want, I pushed the lie forward and now reap what I sowed…

… Clenching my eyes and feeling a bout of courage, I open the door, blood scalding—

"Yo!" Mokou's voice reaches me, courage turns to dust. She's sat upside down on the couch, holding a book to her face—'1st Year With your Twins'—which she throws to the side, getting up and closing on me, and, before I can protest, I'm lifted in a tight hug, the immortal carefully avoiding squeezing my belly; my upper bones, however… "How's my favorite trio doing? You dumbasses made me all worried, taking all night to return home!" Laughing, she puts me down. I stare at her, eyebrows furrowed, instinctively hiding my shaking hands—even so, Mokou looks confused. "You okay there, Keine? You hungry or… oh! Is it one of those 'cravings'? Just say, and I'll make it!—though: no bricks, 'kay? They ain't nutritious for our kiddos!" She moves into the kitchen, preparing condiments and pans for cooking.

Outside, it starts to rain.

I watch her back for an elongated moment, that well of despair thought to be dry after talking to Anon rapidly filling, eyes watering… I can't do this; I can't—but I have to!

I gulp a block of ice and move, legs wobbly. "Mokou…"

"Keine! I know bricks look tast—"

"I'm not pregnant." Words burn like acid.

Mokou spits, choking on her own words, and I'd have gone to help her if she hadn't started to cackle like a hyena. "What the hell, Keine?! My sides! Bleh, I hate gulping saliva…" My face contorted as she finally recomposed herself, turning to me and showing her tongue. "You took them to the circus to return home a jester?" Her laughter goes on but quickly fades away as tears strand down my face, worry taking over as she rushes over to me. "Fuck—Keine? Keine! You okay? Damn, is this one of those extreme mood swings…?" The last part is whispered, her strong arms leading me to a chair. Inside, the shame—a growling monster—takes over at seeing just how enthralled in the lie Mokou is.

It hurts so much… yet…

"No, no… Mokou," I clench her white shirt, her puzzled eyes on me. "I'm not pregnant," I repeat, her eyes frowning even more. "Everything started as a rumor; the kids spread it! It's not real! I'm not pre—"

"Wow, wow, stop and calm yourself down, Keine—can't you listen to what you're saying?!" Anger painted her tone, her hand unconsciously reaching for my belly. "I heard their hearts; you told me—"

"I-It was a lie." I dodged her eyes and looked at the ground, the dam busting. Mokou remained silent, still, then her gentle hand grasped my chin and turned my eyes back to hers, now kneeling in front of me—her smile pained, confused; eyes wide.

"T-This all a joke, right?" I denied it with my head, biting my lower lip. "—I listened to their hearts beating—"

"It was Danmaku pulsing in my stomach…"

I could feel her skin itching, and averted my gaze. "—e-everyone was saying you are; they threw a party, but the beginning was screwed because you had morning sickness—" I gestured again, and I could feel her trembling, daring to look into her eyes. Few are the times one would see Fujiwara no Mokou, the immortal, crying, and one I can remember is— "—… We were going to name the boy after my father." I stared deep into her eyes—the disbelief, pain, confusion… anger, and betrayal—crying and dizzy, I denied it again.

Behind her eyes, something good died.

"… Y-You… had fun with this, Keine? Lying, deceiving… torturing me? Your friend?" Her voice trembled.

"No! N-No, I—" Words froze inside my throat as I watched her face go through immense anger, reddened eyes of fury, tears rolling, body rigid, and I prepared myself to be punched so hard I'd forget my name—

"… Oh, but I think you had fun, Keine. It's amusing to prank the immortal, isn't it? She has no feelings; she's not alive nor dead, but she's also not a youkai—she's just a murderer with no heart—might as well be the whole truth now…" I feel thrashed.

On the way back home, I thought about how this would go down—maybe a fight, screaming, emotions flying, violence—but this… This is much worse.

"No! Let me explain, ple—" I try to catch her hand, explain things—she'll understand, she's my—

But Mokou violently pulls her hand away, and I fall from my chair face-first onto the floor. Ignoring the hot liquids flowing on my face, mind a mess, I stare at her from the ground.

She was devastated.

And, silently, Mokou left.