> You... don't really know...
> "Morning." Sakura tells you.
> "M-Morning..." Daiyousei looks a bit down, but then looks up to you. "I am scared about this." She plainly says. You know very well that she means about what happened a couple of hours ago...
1st Archive
Hikikomori Quest.
If I stayed at home probably I would had a normal life...The story begins with Daikoku 'Daiko' Susumu. A reclusive man of 20 years who is also a hybrid of human and youkai who spends his time in his room, away from society.
With black hair, black eyes and just the usual brown kimono of the Human Village, which is where his house is located, he doesn't outstand in anything physically... except his tallness.
Everything is different inside him, however. Not used to deal with people due to his own reclusion, he can't stand to see someone in the need of help. His inteligence made him earn the respect of many of his 'friends', because it's really his most incredible feature. This is even acknowledged by the school teacher.
However, since he started to get sick from everything and everyone, he locked himself in his own room. No one had to take the time to look for him, and neither he had to care for others, as they just were... a nuisance. They were so... childish, and that was annoying. Envy? But of course they were envious of you. If not, they would have looked for you and probably tried to repair things. They were just nuisances over your intelligence.
He preferred, overall, to just stay in his room to read the book you had at hand. It was more fun than to be with other people.
To this very day, the number of times he gets out from his house is... very, very small.
Away from him, his mother is lost. Her mother was a youkai, more specifically, a Yuki-Onna. She could predict the future, albeit partially. His father is just a human that is... well, dead.
Who took care of him? Sakura Susumu, which is his grandmother and also mother of his mother. She recommends him to change his way of life... but is that even possible by this point?
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1292606.html#msg1292606
While you were at the living room of your house, reading the 'Wrath of the Exiled Vampire' book, you attended your grandmother's call while she was cooking. (She was wearing her usual blue kimono) She gave you a list with things you should buy, which had a lot of rice-tastic adventure in it. It also wanted you to donate in the Hakurei Shrine... (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1292897.html#msg1292897 )
Of course, you would have refused to make this due to the obvious 'you have to go outside' issue, if it weren't for the fact that Sakura didn't had any chance to work recently, and the money both of you had stored in the removable floor tile isn't too much. You couldn't let things be like that, so you accepted.
Before anything, you and Sakura had the usual breakfast, and she tells you that the book you are currently reading reminds her from the 'Red Mist' incident, which happened long ago but you sincerely do not remember much.
And off you went! The outside, honestly, was nice. One of the few times you go outside...
After spotting the teacher of the school and evading her, you met with the cruel fate of being tackle-hugged after a loud 'STOP RIGHT THERE!' (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1293905.html#msg1293905 )
Soon enough, you remembered this person's name. She is Arukas Hantai. With a pink kimono with flower patterns in it, she is wearing a skirt, white socks with slippers and a coat. What defines her, however, is her blue hair and eyes... and her ice horn at the left side of her head. This person was your best friend at school, and the second best of the class, only surpassed by you.
After the rough meeting, you realize you don't have the list with you, which prompts both you and Arukas to start the pursuit for it, as you see it flying due to the somewhat strong wind.
After being able to retrieve from a ceiling of a house's roof, and talking about 'super thief of woman underwear' both of you notice this isn't the shopping list! (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1293992.html#msg1293992 to
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294024.html#msg1294024 )
Instead, it was a brochure. A brochure announcing the future Fantastic Danmaku Festival. Basically, a competition that will be celebrated at New Year's (in a month and a half) where various groups of people will compete to see who can make the most beautiful danmaku pattern, and the winner will earn some money from the Hieda Family as an extra reward.
After a brief promise to both attend to the festival, you think that you should... give it a try to be less inside your house.
After starting to search for the REAL shopping list, Arukas tells you about the incidents that have been occurring all of the time you have been cooped inside your room. A vampire, even! Arukas jokes about you staying one night at the mansion vampire, and after an adorable looking upset Arukas, you compliment her (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294294.html#msg1294294 ), you finally find your list in the snow.
Both you and Arukas decide to buy the food already, so you head to the marketplace. Arukas, by the mention of the word 'faith', switches something on in your chest, in a bad way that quickly goes away (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294371.html#msg1294371 )
However, you decide to change directions. You head to the Hakurei Shrine to get that done AND THEN buy the food. So much time since you have been outside the Human Village...
In your way there, Arukas tells you about the 'Kuchisake-Onna' that attacks people at night after asking them if she's pretty. She even tells you she wants to meet that hostile someone, much to your amazement. You OBVIOUSLY do not approve this, but you are soon interrupted by the mention of 'faith' once again... and by a stranger. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294497.html#msg1294497 )
It's a girl that asks for help from both of you with her stand, whose wheels are buried in snow.
When you are about to help, however, you feel that someone is behind you. When you try to reach to the nothingness, you notice you grab something. Soon enough, it is revealed that they were three fairies cloaked, under the names of Sunny, Luna and Star, who are also the culprits. Taking Luna by the arm and not letting go, as well as threatening with calling the teacher of the school for some well-deserved headbutts, they help you to get the stand wheels out of snow. You also learn the stand girl's name: Mystia Lorelei.
Bonking Sunny's head after she tried to steal some money from your bag, she leaves, swearing revenge. After Mystia tells you that she will repay the favor by letting you eat free lampreys at night, when the stand is open, you and Arukas resume your way to the Hakurei Shrine.
In your way there, Arukas sudden change of attitude scares you slightly. Something about 'fate' and 'changing it'... This, nonetheless, leaves you deeply disturbed. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294655.html#msg1294655 )
Still going to the shrine, still uncomfortable about the previous situation, Arukas tells you she's a mixture of Yuki-Onna and Oni, making her, in her own words, an 'Ice Oni'.
Walking up the stair of the shrine you hear that there are two persons talking at where the shrine should be, but Arukas tells you she knows them. When the top is reached, only one person is there: Reimu Hakurei. The shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294774.html#msg1294774 )
Going to the donation box of the shrine, you attempt to insert the 100 yens that is what Sakura usually donates to the shrine.
... Of course, if it weren't for the fact that the muns stayed in the air, like anything. You realize this was Sunny's revenge, as she has that money AND the other 2400 yens you had in your bag. She quickly leaves and you, along with Reimu and Arukas, chase her. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294813.html#msg1294813 )
However, the pursuit quickly ends when Sunny bumps into a tree, falling unconscious afte the fact. You even clean a bit of blood on her forehead, as it was a really hard it... and even then, out of mercy, you leave a coin of 10 yens on Sunny's hand.
Afterwards, you take her to the shrine.
Sunny's Dream*Ends at Reply #366 (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1294988.html#msg1294988 )*
After properly taking care of Sunny at the shrine, she wakes up and, as a really caring way to repay you for helping her, she kicks your face due to a bad dream she had about someone named Clownpiece and... Well, it was really weird.
After that, you ask the three fairies about the vampire mansion. They tell you it's more larger inside than in the outside, for some reason that they explained as 'because the powers of the chief maid'.
You also find out that Arukas has been practicing with danmaku and can fly.
After ALL of that happened, you finally donate the 100 yen to the shrine and leave, not before knowing from Sakura that she wants to talk with Keine about the Kuchisake-Onna. After constantly 'annoying' her, she accepts to let you tag along if she's going to search for her.
Both you and Sakura converse about what motivates each other in life, and you find out that she needs to find someone, just like you want to find your mother. You also know that she and Keine, the teacher of the school, have been worried sick about you. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295203.html#msg1295203 )
In your way to the village, however, you see start to feel a heavy pressure. Soon enough, you see a figure with an umbrella that is the source of it, heading to the shrine. The power that this person has is... (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295241.html#msg1295241 )
After a dry good day to this woman with an umbrella, both of you continue your way to the village, wondering if she was the Kuchisake-Onna. You also converse a bit, learning that the power of the Onis reside in their horns, so if they are cut, they would lose their abilities and strength.
And speaking of abilities, wondering if you could have the same ability as your mother, which is predict/foresee the future, you try to imagine what would happen later between you and Arukas, only to feel a strange feeling in your right arm. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295338.html#msg1295338 )
Going further into the matter, you keep trying to decipher what this is, imagining different situations alongside Arukas.
Afterwards, you try to do so with her AND Keine. The feeling in your arm becomes a feeling of being bend and disappears. You wonder what happened...
After talking a bit about abilities, Arukas gladly offers you hug, but she awkwardly says something about protecting you, which totally cuts the flow of the situation. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295501.html#msg1295501 )
After that, both of you arrive to a less crowded Human Village, just to find out that the teacher of the school, Keine Kamishirasawa is buying some prepared food. You and Arukas go to greet her. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295527.html#msg1295527 )
Talking with her, much to her delight for you to be outside, she recommends that you could get a job related to the things about the festival and get money for home. And, at the moment, you make the important question: You ask Keine if she could teach you how to shoot danmaku and how to fly.
Keine tells you that she's looking for the representant team of the Human Village, which Arukas is in. Keine says that she's a judge, alongside Akyuu and 'someone else', and that the teams are of five people full, and one of them must be the leader. She also ultimately accepts to be your teacher at danmaku and flight. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295569.html#msg1295569 )
Keine seems to try to hide the name of 'Mokou', a friend of hers in her own words, that is on the bag she used to store the prepared food. After that, and a minor Kuchisake-Onna talk, Arukas tests her strength with you, bending your arm a little. This confirms you that the previous feeling was a indeed a prediction. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295594.html#msg1295594 )
After that, she leaves to meet with her friend 'Mokou'. Arukas also leaves to her home, telling you to meet with her at the outskirts of the village for the practice of danmaku and such.
And so you start to buy the food that the list tells you, but you feel observed all the time you are doing so. There's even a moment where a seller points to a woman with lavender hair, but she left before you could spot anything besides her hair. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295731.html#msg1295731 )
Straying from your objective of buying food, you go to a 'corner' of the village to try and meet this person stalking you, and you are successful. YOu met the forever-poker-face youkai Hata no Kokoro, her telling you that she was watching you because you were 'interesting'... except the buying stuff part. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1295839.html#msg1295839 )
Your conversation with her is... strange. She's so... inexpressive, really, so it was a mix of strange and funny 'conversation'. You find out that she's the so-called Kuchisake-Onna, and that she wants to be the 'new and improved' one. However, talking a bit with her, you offer her to join your team, which is the team for the Human Village, for the festival. After that, she leaves, not before showing you her first, albeit really small, smile.
However... in your way to your home, a voice speaks in your mind. 'Casanova'. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1296042.html#msg1296042 )
According to her, because the voice is female, she's YOU, and she wants to get out from a box in your mind. You imagine a 'you' in your mind and a possible box, just to find out that indeed, there's a box with a CAT inside it. A black cat, that is.
Attempts to take her out from it are futile, and she says to you that she's probably your 'female self'. To put it bluntly, it seems she's 'you' but at the same time is a separate being with different likes and such. Strange stuff indeed. You also offered her some names, as she doesn't want to be called 'Daikoku'.
As both of you and... the cat in the box... discuss about taking control of your body and such, you arrive at home, greeted by Sakura. Soon, you tell her about the abilities similar to your mother's. What Sakura says afterwards... is really worrying (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1296156.html#msg1296156 )
She wants you to take care and not depend too much on that ability. She says that was what made your mother be so... stressed...
After your conversation with Sakura, you head to your room, finally getting down to business to try and get the cat out of the box. (
https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,20352.msg1296232.html#msg1296232 )
Attempts and theories are made, however, they don't seems to work. She, however, tells you to lift her and try to persist. When you do so again you fall into the box, along with her, which makes everything go dark...
...
When you 'wake up' you find yourself surrounded by clothes. Calling for your friend in your mind, you free yourself from the things surrouding you... only to find out you are a black cat.
Imagining her and the box, you find out that your 'female self', is a Neko girl now.
More attempts are made, which end up feeling pain from both parties. In the end, the neko girl seems to give up. You get into the box to swap bodies with her again. This is so confusing...
...
After trying to encourage her to do more attempts, she seems to succesfully make your fingers twirl a bit, much to your surprise.
This works. The neko starts to make your limbs and everything move at her leisure, even being able to FEEL.
While doing all of this, the box literally starts to crack and, after more tests, it makes you fall unconscious once it finally breaks.
...
Coming to your senses once again, you find out that there's no more box, and that the neko can change from being a cat to her neko girl form and viceversa. Happiness envelop both of you at the feat. But the question is... how will she be outside? She's still in your mind...
And you quickly find it out. Doing more tests, you manage to swap with her, letting the neko girl be outside at the real world, while you are in her mind. This is just great.
It's late at night, so you decide to let her happily take control tonight and sleep in the real world. Tomorrow will start the new lives of the pair of neko and half-youkai.
And so, she decided her name would be Kiku.
