Soranium: Here's the second chapter of The Capturing Goddess! Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Soranium d-does n-n-not o-own Kami nomi zo shiru sekai. I-i-it's not that Soranium c-can't! Soranium j-j-just d-doesn't! /failtsunderemode


Maijima High

HEY THERE. MY NAME IS Katsuragi Keiko. I'm a 17 year old with neither the eye for the current fashion trends or the patience for video game release date delays.

For years, I have secluded myself from 'reality' through the world of games. Throughout my lonesome years, I unwittingly became a genius at capturing males in otome games… and the rest was history.

I became known throughout the game world as the capturing goddess. There I found that I was not alone, that there were people that play the games I play. However, their skills were inferior to mine.

Anyway, 'reality' was never interesting to me… at least, the reality that was less than games. Screw that, I'd say games are more of a reality than reality itself. This all changed when a girl fell from the sky. No, I am not a hallucinating lesbian, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not dead either. I'm a goddess, you know.

At the behest of this girl from hell, I was forced to perform an outrageous and traumatizing task; in order to exorcise an evil spirit which resides in the gaps of the human heart, I had to make a real guy fall in love with me!

Even worse, the events are progressing automatically, without me pressing the O button! These developments do not consider the player at all! The 'real' again proves itself to be a crappy game.

And now, the developments are getting even more bizarre! I mean, what could be more bizarre than having a girl from hell introduce herself as your little sister? And she's in the same class as me, for heaven's sake! How does that even work? When did little sisters start being the same age as their elder siblings? If a company tried to sell this kind of game to the public, gamers would totally burn them to the ground. I'd be there personally to light up the match, too.

What in hell is she up to?

The said demon bowed and started to walk to the seat appointed to her by the teacher.

Until now, I don't really see any demonic features on her. No horns, no tail, no pointy incisors. From my view, she seemed to be a perfect example of a 16 year old female high school student.

As usual, the transfer student always gets approached by the thick-faced crowd and started to interrogate her, throwing questions here and there incessantly.

However, I did not leave my seat and decided to just listen while continuing to play my game.

"Wow, so this girl is Katsuragi's little sister?"

"She's so cute!"

"Is Elsee your real name?"

"She looks like a doll!"

"You're her little sister, yet you're on the same grade. That's so cool!"

All she could do to respond was rub her wrists together, blush, make vague facial gestures and give small 'Ah's and 'Eh's.

Well, that was until this guy whom I would equate to broccoli asked her his question.

"Hey, are you really her little sister?"

"Yes! I'm her little sister."

"Eh? You're a lot more moe than her. It's kind of a waste on the likes of that Otamegane."

I would usually ignore that kind of shallow stab, but it riled her up, because her face immediately contorted and she raised her voice at the broccoli-guy. When I saw that reaction, I knew she was about to say something stupid, so I immediately rose and briskly walked towards her.

"Kind of? The likes of? How rude! Kami… Onee-sama is an amazing person! Because soon, every-mmph?"

And I got there just in time to cover her mouth, preventing her from saying anything embarrassing.

However, this got me the attention of the crowd that Elsee had attracted.

"Eh? Every what?"

Tch. These morons are too nosy.

Without relinquishing the hold I had over her mouth, I began to walk away, pulling her with me as she tried to talk and struggle in vain.

"Elsee needs to go to the infirmary! Let's go, Elsee!"


"What the hell was that?"

We were at the rooftop again, sitting at the same bench where she emerged from purple lightning.

"B-but Kami-sama, what did I do wrong?"

"You were about to embarrass me in front of the whole class! What is wrong with you? Can't you understand that?"

"I'll never do that, Kami-sama! I was just going to tell them that everyone in the world would eventually fall in love with you!"

"That's what I'm saying! Have you forgotten what I am called? I'm the otamegane! Nobody will ever fall for me!"

"…But Takahara-kun did…"

Heat rushed to my cheeks as they undeniably gained a crimson shade.

Speaking of which

"About that, I captured the runaway spirit already! Shouldn't the contract be fulfilled now?"

For emphasis, I pointed at the chaffing metallic ring surrounding my neck, which I had tried to remove for the past few days… though in vain.

"Now take this guillotine collar off, quickly!"

"But the contract isn't over yet. We've only managed to capture one runaway spirit… In this town, there are plenty of runaway sprits hiding!"

Wait, is she implying what I think she's implying?

"H-hey! Do you mean I have to capture every runaway sprit in this town?"

She ignored me and continued to blabber to herself as she summoned a pink envelope with a skull sticker on it from... Wait, where'd she get the letter from again?

"The chief made a bunch of arrangements so that I can assist Kami-sama further. If I'm your sister and attending the same class, we can be together all the time!"

Together all the time?

"Wait, you mean you're planning to come to my house as well?"

"Of course! Don't siblings in this world live together?"

To even suggest such nonsense-! Have you no brain?

"But you're not my sister!"

Smiling like an idiot, she countered, "I'm your sister now!"

"NO!" I screamed, taking her aback.

I pumped my fist for emphasis.

"The compromise with reality ends here! I will never let you into my house!"


Café Grandpa/Katsuragi Residence

"My, my, how unusual! Keiko brought a friend!"

My mother, Katsuragi Mari. was standing at the doorway into Café Grandpa, or our house to be simple.

She was dressed in quite a simple fashion, wearing a yellow blouse with small frills, paired with a grin skirt that touched down to her legs.

Her orange hair was tied up in single bun from behind, held up by a horizontal hairclip. She was also wearing glasses, as the eye disability I had was genetic… and both my mom and dad had it. I really had no fighting chance to escape this eye-curse.

She looked to be in her twenties, and though their guesses would probably be naccurate, I couldn't blame them. Even I would say that my mom was a beauty, and would stand a chance to get the Miss Maijima award. Actually, if she wasn't too busy being gangsta in her teenage days, she would surely have won that award. Too bad she wasn't a miss anymore.

Anyway, the situation wasn't looking good for me.

How did this happen?

Earlier, we returned to the classroom to finish classes. When the bell rang, I quickly dashed off so that Elsee wouldn't notice me going. The weather was quite fair, and it felt like it shouldn't have been. Why couldn't it have had the decency to be dark and looming just to follow the mood, anyway? Reality is a crappy game, alright.

On the way back, I made a couple of intentional wrong turns just to shake anybody who might be following me off. I even turned my head around every block to check if someone was following…

I probably looked like someone who just nicked something from the convenience store and was being chased by the local police.

And yet here I was, standing in front of my mother with a girl my mom thought to be a friend of mine.

Apparently, she followed me from the air. Too bad I forgot to check from above…

I knew I should have taken the sewers. There's a manhole right in front of our house!

"Come in, come in, and have a seat! Our shop has plenty of chairs! Hohoho."

Mom's weird Santa laugh always made me shiver to the spine.

"She's not my friend."

"Of course she is! Now come, don't be shy."

Mom then walked in to prepare something for the guest, probably the usual jasmine tea.

I hurriedly walked in and closed the door behind me.

Click-

The sound of the lock calmed my nerves.

Ah, there we go. Now she can't-

Creak-

"Wow, she seems like such a kind mother… Wow! This is a neat place, Kami-sama!"

The black-haired Elsee murmured to herself in monotone as her head peeked into the door, now open.

The café wasn't really that exciting or entrancing. It even looked like your average living room, only bigger, with more chairs and tables, and a table top counter with the utensils neatly stocked behind it.

Tch. I knew I should have replaced the lock yesterday when mom told me to do so.

I tried to force the door back, but to my dismay, I couldn't. Elsee wouldn't budge. She didn't even seem to be applying any force against the door at all. Such monstrous strength… I guess she really is a demon.

My mom chose this moment to arrive, carrying 3 cups of tea on a tray.

Sniff-

Almond tea. Ah, my guess was incorrect. Why can't I ever understand your rhythm, mom?

Yes, I can identify tea flavors from their smells. Sue me.

Anyway, my mom addressed Elsee with a question, delivering it with her usual cheery intonation.

"What's your name, dear?"

"I go by Elsee!"

"Oh, I'll call you El-chan then. And Keiko, please let our guest in now. It's rude to invite a friend and not let them in. So, what brings you here today, El-chan?"

Then Elsee effortlessly pushes me off the door and wildly articulates as she delivers the most unprecedented wham line of the century.

"I am an illegitimate child of your husband."

Wait, what kind of shit are you pulling?

CRASH-

The sound of the metal tray hitting the floor and fragments of shattered porcelain scattering was the only thing that could be heard.

My mom then started laughing.

"Hohoho, you're a funny kid, aren't you."

She sounded like she was convincing herself, though. And failing,

Relentless on her efforts, Elsee then summoned the weird letter from earlier again… from nowhere, again.

"This… is a letter from my deceased mother."

Holding it with both hands, she walked over to my mother, avoiding the shards of porcelain with a grace I'd have thought she didn't have, and handed it to her.

My mom took it immediately, meticulously opened the envelope, extracted the letter inside, but showed some indecisiveness in unfolding the piece of paper, quickly recovering after a few seconds. I looked over her shoulders to take a peek at the letter, but it was too far away, and the writing was quite small. Not to mention, the eye disability that causes me to wear glasses is quite a handicap too.

Her eyes scanned the contents right to left, quick as a fax machine, before handing the letter back to Elsee with a small thank you, smiling eerily, then walking towards the café's counter while taking out the pink slide phone she barely used, while dialling the speed dial for who I knew was father.

After two rings, the receiver immediately picked up.

"Hello, honey?"

She undid her hair by pulling on the hair clip, revealing her long, flowing, waist-length hair just like mine, but longer and was colored in a brighter hazel shade when compared to the dull brown of mine.

"Yeah, it's me."

She then entered rage mode. And by rage mode, I mean taking off her glasses, revealing her angry red eyes, reverting to her natural deeper-by-an-octave voice, and grimacing at nothing but air, though she was probably imagining dad in front of her… probably tied up in convoluted and sick ways even I couldn't imagine.

"Care to explain yourself?"

Some murmurs from the phone, then she kicks on a sturdily made chair, which flies off and breaks apart upon contact with the wall.

"Explain what? Why don't you ask your f***ing d***, you b****!"

Sighing, I leaned my head against my palm and wished for this to be over with. On the other hand, Elsee was turning blue from the foul language my seemingly pure mother was spouting. For no real reason, I told her the crazy truth.

"She used to be a biker."

"You're in an f***ing overseas trip again? You f***ing piece of bulls***! So there's a f***ing child for each f***ing trip, huh?"

Ignoring my mom's emotional rampage, I started a conversation with Elsee, but in a whispery tone.

"So, that letter was?"

In an equal whisper, she replied.

"An intimate letter that the chief forged."

Figures.

As a grand finale, my mom threw her phone at the door while screaming "Don't ever come back, you f***er!"

After releasing some steam, she seemed to have regained some composure. She turned around and addressed me.

"Forget about your father, Keiko. He is dead to us."

Elsee, who might as well have been blonde, stupidly remarked "Did he pass away?"

"He's not dead! My dad's not a phone, duh!"

Then, without either of us noticing her approach, mom already had me and Elsee in a bear hug.

"Don't worry about it. I promise to take good care of both of you!"

Wait, what?

"Hold it right there!"

She didn't though. She was adamant about taking care of Elsee. I sighed in defeat.

Holy crap. What the hell is happening to my life?

And thus, the all-female Katsuragi household was born.


O-O


Her new mother was busy taking care of things on the café, so Elsee decided to try and communicate with the mysterious but all-powerful Capturing Goddess and now big sister Keiko. And failing to do so.

At the moment, her target was slumped down on the couch, alternating glances between the handheld thing she always carried around and the weird box that flashed random lights to produce accurate images, which almost resembled a cinemator from hell, except that it occupied space and had mass.

Thinking of a topic to get them started, she decided on asking what the wondrous things were.

"Kami-sama, what is that thing you're holding called?"

However, Keiko didn't seem to give her any notice, and was muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like 'not enough games this month' and 'this is a crappy anime' and 'why is this bug-demon sticking her face at mine?' and 'if only I had some sweets.'

Elsee tried again.

"Kami-sama, let's go searching for more loose souls!"

She got ignored again, and she was developing the hunch that she was being cold-shouldered by the Otoshimegami.

Half an hour of this kind of interaction passed, and she gave up, deciding to sit beside Keiko and covered her face with her hand.

That was when Keiko talked.

"Get off of my couch."

Taken aback by the statement, the demon stared at her incredulously for a moment, frozen in place.

"I said, get off of my couch. And while you're at it, go ahead welcome yourself outside the house as well."

Regaining her senses, she finally answered, getting teary-eyed in the process.

"B-but Onee-sama-"

But she was cut off by a slap across the cheek. It had stung. It had stung a lot. Keiko, her brows knotted together, teeth clenching in anger, growled in an elevated volume.

"Don't you call me that! You're not my little sister! I won't accept it, even if mom says so! Can't you understand the gravity of the situation? Because of you, mom has her eyes set on filing a divorce!"

Cupping her cheek on one hand, she determinedly shook her head, and replied. "I'll do anything! Please, be my Onee-sama! Please let me stay with you?"

Clicking her tongue, Keiko looked away and crossed her arms in disgust, though Elsee thought she saw Keiko's hand, the one she had used to slap Elsee with, shaking. Was it because of fear? Was it because of anger? She hadn't the resources or the leverage to discern that, so she settled with what she could do, and set her heart to intently listening to whatever her Kami-sama wanted to say. Keiko's conditions were Elsee's lifeline and were stepping stones to serve the squad better, after all. Her only hope, actually.

"I can't live with you."

She steeled her nerves in anticipation of what would follow, failing to notice Keiko whisper 'Now what would he say?' to nobody in particular. Keiko pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, failing to ignore the slight flash as light reflected against the eyewear. She had to admit, it was an impressive sight to see. Keiko then spoke up.

"You have failed to meet the job requirements of being a little sister!" Keiko exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the bewildered Elsee, who almost face-faulted.

J-job requirements?What an unexpected reason Elsee thought, as Keiko turned her back against Elsee causing her long unkempt locks to sway beautifully, accentuating her slim waist, and then continued at the same time her hair stopped swaying.

"BMW! This emblem should be seen clearly, even when it's not imprinted on the body physically. These are the basic conditions that make a little sister a little sister!"

BMW? Elsee thought. She imagined that four-wheeled mode of transportation that human males seem to be infatuated to.

"First is Blood, as in a blood relationship! The same lifeblood must flow in your veins! A sister-in-law: a person who is like a sister; such weak characters count as nothing in the end, and are as good as strangers!

"Next is Memory, as in shared memories! A mass of memories that families have accumulated! This is an irreplaceable bond for siblings!

"And the most important of the qualities, a heartfelt respect for the elder sibling. Worship, as in love for the elder!"

"…That last part suddenly felt forced…" Elsee voiced out, but she was ignored again, with Keiko concentrating on something interesting on her PFP. "Oh, an event," she said in a flat tone, which meant it was either a bad event or Keiko was just trying to prematurely end the conversation.

Elsee would not let it stand at that. She tried to argue with Kami-sama, even though Keiko might burn her to a crisp if Elsee pushed her too much.

"I-I don't think you need a setup like that!"

Keiko didn't even glance sidelong at her as she replied. "People ignore things like that because they believe they do not need them. That's the real reason reality rots away. This world needs higher standards. Those who are not qualified should not receive the privilege to be what they want to be!"

Then, unexpectedly, Keiko sighed. "I don't really believe what I just said, though. It's just something I remembered." She then glanced at Elsee; as hollow as it was, it was still a glance. "You are not a little sister."

She frowned at that. Just when Elsee thought she had a shot at attaining Keiko's approval, she got shot down again. And worse, the reason she gave was simply because she didn't want Elsee as her little sister. It hurt. Did her big sister also dislike being her big sister? She wondered. She held herself together, mustered up what little courage she had left, and ventured another trip out the comfort zone.

"But… But I really am a little sister! I have an older sister. Th-that dish I cooked for you… I used to cook it for my nee-chan a lot. My nee-chan's an amazing devil! She always excels at whatever she does… She's truly a devil among devils! Me, on the other hand… was stuck on cleaning duty, day after day after day… nee-chan, why are we so different when we're siblings?"

Elsee couldn't help but feel a bit of melancholy while reminiscing her days as a janitor demon. She was on the verge of tears, but continued speaking, because all she could do right which helped at the moment was speak.

"That's why… when I was chosen to be a member of the runaway spirit squad, I was so happy I was going to explode! Finally, finally… I can start working as a devil! I've waited three hundred years for this… I absolutely cannot fail! I must capture the runaway spirits!"

Once Elsee finished her speech, she patiently awaited Keiko's verdict. Surprisingly, it didn't take very long for Keiko to answer, again without batting an eyelash.

"I see. So you expect me to believe that you are 300 years old?"

"Yep! And I've had this broom for two hundred and ninety eight years!"

"Mm. So let's say I go along with your delusional story for now, as I have for the rest of this crackpot scam 'hell' made me go through. So what if you have an older sister? So what if you were a metro aide-of-hell? Should I care? No, I don't think I should. You were the one who ruined the perfect flow of my life, after all. Why should I even listen to you? You can't even take this collar off. However, since you insist on it so hard, I'm going to give you a shot at being my little sister. But I tell you, it won't be easy."

Seeing that little glimmer of hope under a deep, murky and chaotic black sea, Elsee took it hook, bait, and sinker.

"Really? Please! Please! Whatever you say! What do I do to become your little sister, Kami-sama?"

"Nothing. I'll accept you as a little sister for now, but think of it as a probation period. The moment you-"

But she was cut off by a bone crunching bear hug from the demon. "Thank you, Kami-sama!"

"Gah! Gerroff omme!" She complained with a muffled voice, to which Elsee happily obliged. "Before that, I'm going to train you to become hi- I mean the ideal little sister! Now start with cleaning up the house. Make sure every corner is sparkling clean!"

Now there was something Elsee was actually good at. She gave Keiko an informal mock salute, and with the cheeriest smile she could muster, she accepted. "Right away, Kami-sama!"


O-O


The first order was supposed to dissuade her, but I guess failing to take the weird broom on her back into consideration was an oversight on my part. Even her cooking, which was visually an atrocious monstrosity at the least, was surprisingly delicious. She must have been telling the truth about the 300 years thing. She certainly doesn't think and act like one, though. Ah, ignorance is bliss.

I was almost impressed… until she caused an explosion with her broom which blew up a wall and the neighboring house with it and gave me indigestion, and one that hurt more than dysmenorrhea at that.

After I got out of the bath, I sent Elsee out on a small errand, on the pretense of testing her little sister material, when I just wanted her out of the house in the meantime. Seriously, if the setup she had forcibly created through ridiculous means wasn't the ideal one, surprising as it was, I would have went out of my way to kick her out of the house. The errand wasn't anything to worry about, either. Even someone as clumsy as that bug-demon could fetch water… from the river a couple of kilometers south of Maijima. Seriously, though, that girl should get herself some common sense.

I stared at the closing credits for Shiki's good route in 'Little Sister Working!' which happens to be a galge. Now why was I playing galge? Oh, right, because I ran out of otome games for the month and the next one won't be out until the following week. I still think galge are just erotic material used by perverted and desperate guys, though. But otome games are different. They are an expression of the pure and clean feelings love between male and female.

Not like such feelings exist in the real world. True 'love' can only exist in fantasies, because in reality, love is just a sugar-coated term for 's why, if the two of us could connect through games, then it could be considered true love. That's what he said.

"Onee-sama! Kami-nee-sama! I'm back with the water!"

"Good. Now go back to the river and pour it back through a straw. And make sure not one drop gets spilled!"

"Yes, Onee-sama!"

I could get used to this.


Maijima High

"Ryoshu had a daughter, who, unlike her father, was a gentle and cute person."

Not paying much attention to the literature lesson at hand, I mulled over the issues I had to resolve currently while playing my games in silence. So, I decided to accept a demon's plea for help in capturing 'runaway spirits,' which reside in the hearts of people… which, by the way, is kind of ironic, since Elsee's a demon and I'm the Caprturing Goddess,and holy beings aren't supposed to be on good terms with demons, as far as I know. And I should know. I'm the Capturing Goddess, after all.

It's not like I had any other choice, though, since it was the fastest way to get rid of her in the long run. How many do I have to capture to seal the contract, though? I wonder.

"To my big sister, my Kami-sama… I, Elsee, am very happy that I get to work together with you."

An involuntary action forced me to bang my head on my desk… or was it really that involuntary? One of my classmates, Kosaka whatshisname, continued reciting the letter Elsee passed to him.

"On that note, would it be possible for us to talk by lunchtime? PS. I spilled couldn't hold out long enough last night, so I hope you could forgive me."

Cue face palm.

"Why did you read it aloud?" I heard Elsee's whiny voice saying.

"Aww, it's okay, Katsuragi-chan, I got the message across, didn't I? Now what was that about last night?"

Ugh. Now I sound like a lesbian pervert who imagines barely-clothed girls falling from the sky.

The rest of my classmates chimed in. "What happened last night? What happened last night?"

I pressed my hands against my face a little bit harder in response.

I just have to capture all those loose spirits as quickly as possible, and she'll be gone.


Author's notes

I thought flies were going to be all over the place when I came back... But it turns out some kind souls had it in them to drop their reviews for my story!

Understandably, most of what I got was 'ZOMG only girls get spirits! You suck brain juice, mon!'

About that, I'm kind of hurt about how people would think I would forget that. I mean, it's like, basic knowledge for those in the fandom, right? Yes. It is basic knowledge. And I am sorry to tell you people that I already thought of that weeks before I even typed the first letter to my word processor.

But since the manga explains it in the the rich girl archetype capture arc, it should be fitting for me to introduce the reason on the (tentatively) prince archetype capture chapter. I'm thinking of moving it somewhere where it will get more win, but I guess if I don't get it over with quickly enough, people will start saying "ZOMG Soranium is just pretending to have a reason, but actually forgot and is just killing time until that small brain owned by Soranium thinks up of something! How embarrasing! Hahaha!"

I guess I'm exaggerating a bit?

I'm also sorry for accidentally putting in hes and hims. That's what I get for writing only when sleepy and not having a beta, I guess.

Anyway, I had fun writing this chapter, and again, I am sorry if the improvisation in this chapter was far from optimal. I want this to be more than just a written version of TWGOK with a girl for a protagonist. But if you look real closely, you'll notice the time-bombs I had dropped. Come on. I know you're smart. It's not super-subtle, either, so even if you happen to be dumb as a rock, you'll still notice it.

Anyway, since excessive Author's notes can get a story deleted, I should get this over with.

Onee-sama/Onee-chan - Japanese honorifics for Big Sister

kun - Honorific for a close acquaintance, usually used for a male, but can be used for females as well

moe - Term used for qualities that 'turn on' or sexually arouse

I've finally decided against the 2-B Pencils. Well, not completely against, but Elsee won't be in it.

I fixed a small mistake in the previous chapter where I referred to Docrow as a guy. Really, now.

Well, that's enough about what I think. What of you?

Was the characterization believable? Was pacing good? Too cliche? Not cliche enough? Did Keiko's monologues bore you to death? Did I bore you to death? Bad writing style? Unclear language? Annoying writer? Comments? Suggestions? Violent Reactions?

R&R, please! Reviews are the lifeblood of stories, just so you know. Well, actually, criticisms are. So please, if you have the time, don't just say 'Yay! Your story sucked brain juice!', say 'Yay! Your story sucked brain juice! This is because...'

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to ask the most important question of all: Did you enjoy it?

-Soranium

/TCG #