Granted it was an overreaction but still...My couch. Mine. People spend more time on my couch then I do...With that said...Nothing too bad has occurred as of now we're in a silent agreement to keep Shion happy until she's ready to go. I don't know the details of what has been happening between the Yorigami sisters, but from our brief interactions...Shion is abused to the point of dying and its just because she's a poverty god. I don't know if she has Stockholm Syndrome or not. I do recognize how she's very...polite and tries to speak simple sentences, but it comes out in fear. It'll take alot of time to remedy her mental health.
"Uhmmm...Venus right?" Right now we're tending to the newly built green house, and started growing winter remedy herds along with lettuce...I look up from my crouch position to see her struggling to hold a pot of overturned soil. Right...if she's stays long enough maybe she'll get stronger. She's a tiny girl though and it'll take some time. I take the pot from her with ease as she groans from picking it up...I've changed alot since then. She sits down on a clay pot as I doubt she can cause much damage. I begin my scattering process as she speaks her mind.
"I heard about what happen...I'm not mad at you...You was just...trying to protect your family. Joon used to be so kind...And then...well we move here and ever since then. She has never been the same." She makes a heavy sigh as I pad down the fresh soil. I can't really stay in here as I can potentially burn it down. Luckily there's a bell.
*Dingoling*
This got the other two attention. They put a bell here for my use to tell them it's time to get inside. Other than my sleeping arrangement...the floor. We've been coasting by and work has lighten up a bit so we're not out here until what I can guess is early afternoon.
"What you making today?"...Yesterday was my turn today it's...Tenshi and Shion's turn. Basically it's their home ec lesson today...fry ham and toasted garlic bread to make a regular sandwich...Niether of them cook and I can just guide them. Finally making it back inside...I could see their faces become less flush. I pulled Tenshi and Shion to the counter.
"What?"
"I can't cook." Well you're both learning simple cutting and toasting. I grab the only two kitchen knives and check the fridge for garlic...There it is a small basket of garlic cloves...the best part you don't need to be precise just keep cutting until it's a small pile... I check our dried preservatives and found a loaf of perrywinkle bread...not my favorite, but it taste really good toasted. Tenshi the cloves, and Shion the bread as I began guiding Shion's cutting hand to split it down the middle it's fine the ham is my part anyways.
Seriously a whole hock of meat and bone?...Yeah I can work with that.
I quickly use my own knife to cut any excess fat and dump it into a wok as I carefully cut off the meat from the bone and frayed the meat as I drop the bone in...I'm gonna use the bone marrow for flavor. Taking a pan I take some fat a put it in...most of this is frying anyways. Get that fatty liquid and now you can dump and stir the cured ham by itself or you can apply dry rubs for flavor, but that's a little advance for these two. I show Shion the lateral cuts for the two halves and she got it right...mostly. I check the cloves cutter and she did well enough atleast its a finely cut pile.
Anyways, salt the meat cut the bone in half and start stirring any and all marrow into your cuts...simple flavoring is salt and pepper mix with a little butter, this is how I'll kill everyone in Gensokyo. Fatty foods design to stop even an Oni's heart.
"It smells great...but what is this stuff?"...Frying and cooking Shion. When I cook I make something from my side of the world. I enjoy rice and curry and all that, but I need something more, and people need meat to build muscle on top of fat. I also cook for more than one person alot, and usually you don't want leftovers for a huge group.
Finally got the bread ready with a little oil and butter and then placing the garlic on the sliced bread and begin toasting in another pan. I took the bones out of the wok and yeah there's a spare bone pile that Yuuka keeps for gardening purposes. It's good fertilizer. With the leftover juices I pour them on the ham and stirred...yeah that's the salty smell you want. Flipped the toast and I show Tenshi how to do it and she mimic it...well enough, now then grabbing a plate to put the cooked ham in and that darken red look is when you know its ready. The toasted bread is our sandwich buns...Annnnnd done...salted cooked ham bathed with in fat and marrow the perfect way to kill any Yokai's human eating habits...I know what meat taste like and yeah this is animal...I really hope I haven't been eating humans this whole time...Or yokai. Why have I started thinking about that now?
Things are hectic here like they were back then.
Anyways toasted buns and put them together and it's a crunchy salty and sweet sandwich...Yeah that was worth it.
"I...never...thought I'd have such tasty food before." I doubt I taught her anything beyond cutting bread and cooking already cured salted meat basted in it's own fat, but hopefully she'll learn to make her own food.
"Seriously where do you get these ideas?" My home experience was great...minus some external issues. Mom seems to like my eccentric taste as she savors hers. Tenshi actually did well flipping the toast.
"So what else is there to do Yuuka?" She swallows slowly and fishes from her vest pocket a piece of paper and slides it over to Tenshi.
"Great, Shion and Me will do that." Before she could leave Mom tsk and pointed at me and Medicine...wonderful.
"I'm certain that me and Shion can deliver your coin to the kappa."
"Take them cause I want you to be trustworthy."
"The hell does that mean?"...
...Tenshi buckled from the silent treatment in frustration.
"Argh! Fine, come on kiddos we're doing a late payment run to the kappa's." Sweet, people that are at my height range. The short shin kickers will reign supreme. Beware tall people you shins shall be kick.
Other than me silently chuckling at my awful revenge plan that got me weird looks from everyone. Everyone must think I'm crazy...I'm not.
"Sometimes, I wish you'd talk, but then nothing would really change cause you just be saying whatever comes to mind."...Rude. Not wrong, but rude nonetheless Medicine.
Shion was being recheck on her winter clothes... The whole thing was an oversized brown wool dress... She still wore those destitute tags on it. Guess those just don't go away given her ability.
"Ready to go Shion?"...With her hands cup together and her fidgety close off stance she was afraid of everything that we did the first day of her tending with us at the garden. As much as I felt like I went too far...Shion deserve better than what she's been given. Really can't choose your blood family though. Her hesitants as she looks away from us only for Mom give her a comforting shoulder rub jolting her to nod.
"Y-Y-Yes, let's go." With that we headed off with a large portion of yen and cucumbers. With the salt keeping the ground from icing over we can freely move through the garden and upto through the path to the Youkai Mountain...jeez that scorch mark is still there but atleast there's not the hole. This will also be my first time at the mountain; sadly it's too windy to get there by flying without risk so we're walking there.
"Sooo, Shion."
"Hmmmm?"
"The markings...wanna talk about them?"
"...N-No."
"...Look, I care about you alot Shion. But, you gotta open up to me. I already know where those markings are from. It's obvious."
"...No, I'm fine."
"Of course you are...now. But what about the future when I find your lifeless corpse in a piss on open ditch?"... You know trudging along to Tenshi's paced as we made our way there. There's not alot to say about Shion's condition. I saw the bruises and burnmarks on her arms.
"I'm always here for you Shion. Seriously, just let me have one talk with your sister." Talk in the sense of hurting her actually. It's nice that Tenshi has something to fight for instead of being an asshole to everyone.
"My sister is a good sister...When we get a good amount of yen I get enough for sugar water and bread. Sometimes, I'm able to get soup with meat in it."...Yeah you're living the dream alright.
"Back then though, It was shared udon as big as the two of us, my favorite was fried rice with spicy chicken curry, teriyaki beef on the side, and a little cinnamon roll glazed in white frosting."...I'll make a note of this as I want her to experience that stuff again. How did this place change her sister like this unless... Her mood changes depending on how much currency is actually available locally to gather. The outside world is so abundant with it that these two could never want for anything and has a massive amount poorly managed folk as well. This place however, it works on whatever is available around.
"Don't worry I'll treat you to all your favorite foods soon enough." Shion's face brighten up at that from her nervous demeanor.
"I look forward to it...Brrrr...The cold is something else this year. It's certainly better than the last year's winter."Concerning stuff aside as she buries her head into the black color heavy wool muffler that was bigger than her head so she wraps it into a shroud.
"Yeeeeeaaaah, seriously how did you two became friends?" Yeah, that wasn't explain ever.
"We met during the dream world incident with the occultic balls. Man my dream self was insane."...More insane than you're now Tenshi?
"Well, our dream selves are our idealize version of who we're supposed to be, but I didn't think I want to be like my dream self."...Probably sees herself in a better position, but with her mentality she can't look past what she is...the god of poverty that's barely even that...all she is now is a scared lost girl.
"Wouldn't you want your life to be better than the bare minimum." We're at the bare minimum Tenshi. I think we're doing alot better than most here.
"...No? I think? What is the bare minimum for all of you?"...You can't be that naive or that lost about what you should need? The white snow and dead trees and the semi darken grey sky gives this place such a surreal nature I haven't notice til we're walking on the landmines of an abuse victim.
"Shion...you deserved better than what you've been given. So help the Yama and dragon above us. I'll make sure she doesn't hurt you again." Tenshi stern eyes and calm voice showed me a side of her I'm not used to seeing in her. Why are you not like this all the time?
"...Do I...want better?"We're now going in a circle. I groan in the fact that everyone should want for better days no matter how bad their situations is.
Back to that silent but mushy treading through snow. I swear though that it feels like a blizzard is coming and there are few suspects to the sudden change to the weather.
"We should be near the mountain path now but, all this snow and gloomy weather is picking up heavily we should rest at Moriya Shrine."...Oh good the other shrine and it's gods what could possibly go wrong.
" A-a-are you sure they'll let me inside?" We can only hope.
"HEY YOU THERE, FIGHT ME!"Well I know that voice and here comes the resident Ice Fairy, and her ice wings are massive compare to her child size body. Unbothered by her very element she looks very comfortable in just the blue dress and her smug expression at the other three huddle near me for warmth. I honestly don't feel the cold anymore as I've been regulating my own temperature to not burn people around me.
"You there, in the dress." Wow thats...oh she's pointing at me while we're heading up the path to the Moriya Shrine.
"Wait...You're...The kid that looks like Yuuka. Aw that's no fun." I was lenient with things, but recently people chose violence. I just want to be left alone Cirno. We watch as she considers her options.
"Guess I'll go see sister snow cause none of you are fun." She flew off just as quickly as she showed up...not much we can do to satiate such a fairy as she is basically impossible to get rid of here. Snow sister? Oh the the Yuki-onna Letty...yeah she is prime suspect to this weather. As I now notice the path was cover in heavy snow.
"Damn...I'll find the bitch whose making this so much more difficult then it needs to be." I'd rather not find Letty knowing what she's capable of...I'll have my warmth(soul) sucked out, and I probably wouldn't be able to escape no matter how strong I am now.
"It's just up there...and then we can rest and warm up...well for us and for you to cool down you walking candle." The snow falling really makes it hard to see what Medicine sees minus the giant bright red thing in the distance that is a tori.
"Come on let's just run up there." A collective nod and then the incoming struggle of moving up snowed in steps as we've made our way up.
"Geez, I hate winter!" After what I've seen Medicine. I get why so let me help carry the burden. annnnnd...GOTCHA!
"WHOA! PUT ME DOWN! THIS IS EMBARRASSING!"...I don't want to see a Medicine popsicle again.
"Can...CAN I GET SOME HELP TOO!?" I only now realize Shion really isn't that athletic to begin with as she's leaning against a Tori guiding us up to the shrine. I give Medicine to Tenshi and the look she gave me was utter shock and confusion.
"FINE! BUT, ONE OUT OF PLACE HAIR! I'LL KILL YOU!"...The same to you as I went back down to pick up the really light poverty god.
"...mmmmph!" She probably expected Tenshi as her blue eyes are looking at me bounding up to the top pretty easily from her bridal carry position.
"...That was...fun?" I think the cold is getting to you Shion.
"WHATS WITH ALL OF DA RACKET OUT HERE!?...Oh it's the garden...and oh...oh no ya don't mister!" Suwako points her finger at me. Come on, don't do this.
"I know who that is in your arms...Don't be bringin curses that are not mine into mah shrine child!" Curses? Is Shion's ability...a curse? Then can it be suppress like with Tenshi's natural good luck?
"If it is a curse then I'll carry her burdens now let us in we won't survive out here." Tenshi steps with a retort as Suwako looks betweeb us and sighs.
"Aw hell. Fine, but she is your responsibility celestial." Tenshi chuckle.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't change a thing about it." She slides the door open enough for us to slip right into the living area of shrine...quite spacious.
"Momma whose...Why is she here!?" Sanae saw the poverty god and quickly grab a vacant broom in the room to swat at her. Only for Suwako to stand in front of her.
"Momma!? What are you doing?"
"Just...trust me Sanae. And stop calling me momma in front of guests. I'm not your guardian anymore, I'm your goddess remember?"
"So why are they here?"
"Ya see the storm out there?" Sanae nods.
"That's why, it's only for a few hours what could go wrong?" Knowing how my life is, and my current track record...everything.
"When you say it Suwako you've already curse us...again." Don't tell me she's like me in that way.
"Come on Sanae, I don't mean for things to happen.
"Hisoutenko." Suwako blush at that.The balloon robot?
"It was a nice balloon Sanae, but how would aye have known that at the time."
"IT WAS SO COOL! THEN YOU BLEW IT UP!"
"AYEM SORRY, BUT IT WAS SCARY AND IT WAS BIG! WHAT DID YA EXPECT!?"Do they seriously yell about a balloon that spook everyone here back in the day?
"Are you two arguing about that balloon again...and...Yama be with me why? Why is that thing in here!?" Ok Shion, isn't a thing. She's a person like all of us...I now know why they hate stuck up gods atleast Suwako didn't just degrade her for something she can't control.
"Alright, look can we just... stay calm. Little god, you said she's a curse...isn't she a goddess?" Suwako put her hands to her hips.
"She is, but her ability shouldn't be constant...unless." She bit the corner of her lips as she gesture us to sit at the kotatsu. The girl's gather around it and immediately relax as I chose to stand near the entrance and slowly turn my excess heat off.
"What happen to you?" Shion began biting her already short fingernails as she try to ignore the stares she's getting.
"Nothing...I'm fine." Suwako grits her teeth in annoyance.
"Ayem a patient god, but even Aye know the difference between a god that is treated right and one that was treated poorly."
"I'm...not treated...poorly."
"You are...and your ability is protecting ya cause ya refuse to face the truth."
"No."
"Shion, please let us help you. Just say it."
"I'm fine."
"Girl, you gotta talk."
"I SAID I'M FINE!"
*THUD*
She slams her fist on the table in frustration as she cries into her palms.
"I...I...I...no...I'm fine really." Shion teary eyed smile and sudden calm demeanor didn't help anyone to be at ease. Suwako gently holds onto her hands and softly smiles.
"Then let me help ya. I have charms that can suppress your curse. Not permanently like an actual cleansing ritual. Which you need, but since we don't have the time...here." Suwako pulls out a frog pin and firmly place it in her hair over her left eye.
"There, as long as ya wear that people won't be affected by ya. Also, it's cute. Just don't lose it ok child?" Shion nods as Suwako returns to her reserve self. Talk about a hectic world huh.
"Good, now that is settle. What brings the garden here?"
"We're here to take goods and yen to the kappas. As you can see though, that's quite hard with the storm outside and only one of us can brave it." Medicine looks at me... I shrug at her cause as what else can I do...the legwork isn't the problem. It's the fact we're carrying 20 pounds of snow on us.
"Care to donate to us?" I look at Medicine with the same apprehensive look as we kinda don't...In all honesty they have enough donations from the village and the Tengus.
"Nah, you seem much more well off then the actual Hakurei. Don't you think you should spread good faith to the one that allows us to survive?"...Touchy comeback Medicine, but it is a point of contention. Kanako's face harden at that and she drop her facade.
"Think carefully of where you are doll, this bed of roses is still thorn infested. Look before you step as you might get hurt little one." Medicine smiles, girls...seriously again?
"Funny, avoiding my question."
"A shrine is not to benefit it's maidens, it's to benefits their gods. The Hakurei doesn't even believe her teachings cause of her very upbringing." Her smirk says it all.
"All the more that we should help her more than you." We're tempting fate right now.
"Can you two not do this? I get that everyone don't get along, but seriously is this worth the debate?" Medicine and Kanako didn't break eye contact.
"No."...These b...ladies really like being cutthroat about their stance on the matter.
"Ok I've had enough, seriously doll let it go. We've already have too much to handle and the less problems in the future...the damn well better." For once I agree with Tenshi.
"Ummmmm." Everyone look at the social destitute Shion as she thought of what to say.
"I'm...thirsty... do you have tea?Water is fine with a little sugar in it." The flabbergasted looks from the Moriya Shrine side of the table.
"Yes, I shall make some tea, anything else?"
""Something...good to snack on."
"If you don't mind leftover sunflower seeds from this Autumn."
"That'll be...Great."
"Medicine care to help me make tea?
"Yeah, I need to do something or I'll go insane."
Medicine and Sanae rose from the heating table and left into what I assume is a kitchen that was to my right. Quickly did Sanae came back with a small bag and gave it to Shion. She opens it and slowly nibbles away on them. She even tries to suck at the shells...quite a familiar sight to me.
"Now then, Celestial. Can ya?" Suwako gestures at a vacant room.
"No."
"It concerns me as well Tenshi."
"Argh, alright we'll be right over there if you need us Shion." That just left a mute, a wind war god, and malnourished god. Kanako look between us before settling looking at me whose been standing leaning on the left side wall of the entrance. She smiles at me. I've gotten used to not trying to pull faces at people so I stay neutral.
"Just what got you so interested in a mindreader? Surely with such a low level ability you could've fallen for anyone else." Not true as a relationship requires more than actions can give at times. Plus, the one mindreader I would prefer is quite hard to find in comparison to Satori.
"Unless...This is her ploy to get back at me. Come on kid, wouldn't you want a real woman to please your needs? One that can keep up. That much magic means you gotta have alot stamina."... I sigh as I cross my arms.
"Fine, but with me atleast you get a full course meal and not just a half." That was awful. Did Sanae teach you these terrible pick up lines? Just, stop please.
"Kid, I'm serious, just how many can truly offer such a deal? Certainly not many. Underneath that veneer your just as unfaithful as is any other men here." Yeah, I shook my head as I'm not into the whole cheating thing.
"Alright suit yourself, you'll never get a body like this to play with." She waves a hand down as she splayed out to show off more of herself. Sadly, many women here look like you. I'll look, but won't touch. I now see why Suika gave me that warning. It's possible, thanks to many years here that the older youkai have got into many adulterous acts...or try, just because they're that confident and yet. Man, the Oni must despise cheating cause they'll give you their whole world and are honest with themselves.
"...Leave him...alone." I forgot that Shion is still here. I don't need you to defend me on this. I can handle a little harassment. Kanako look at Shion with wide eyes and had this cheshire like smile in her direction. Shion squirm from that odd display.
"I'm sorry, but do you forget whose domain you sit upon? Mine, I'm it's head goddess and what I say is the final words child. So sit there and be a good little poverty god wallowing in her own pity party." Some of this was the truth as Kanako really is the one that called the shots around here. The harsh words didn't seem to faze Shion as she grabs the frog pin from her hair and was about to take it off...yeah let's not do that.
"...Why?"...I stop her hand from taking it off. I don't know the radius of Tenshi's good fortune but if it's really close.Lets not try to cause problems while we're in here as well.
"She...doesn't deserve...her good fortune...and faith. Not...like the others here. Sanae is kind,Suwako is nice,You are a gentle force of good nature, Medicine is trying to be better...This wind goddess...shouldn't be allow...to continue." Seems that's why she wants to cause poverty, but it's directed at the leader of the Moriya Shrine. Shion...please you gotta let this go...think it through. Shion grunts in a fruitless endeavor of trying to move my hand, but it stay. She even tried punching, even as her frail arms could barely be felt. Kanako was amuse at the spectacle.
"Alright, you win child. Your body may be weak. But, your spirit is strong. I like that and I'll respect your wish...for now of course." I let go of Shion gently and she lower her arms and went back to happily eating the sunflower seeds. The others finally came back.
"Yo, what happened in here?" Good question Medicine.
"I got this "sweet tea" from the garden and wanted to finally taste it. You ok with that Shion." Shion nods as she was given a cup of warm tea. She sips it, and her smile widens.
"So good, so warm...It helps...with the cold." Yeah nothing beats that home feeling of warm tea.
"So, what did ya do try to do this time Kanako?"What Suwako got as an answer was just the smug expression as Suwako sighs.
"Please stop trying to seduce faithful men when I turn my back from ya. You're turning my shrine into a bathhouse...stop that." Kanako laughs at that as if she's proud of what she's doing.
"Any faith is good faith as long as it's not rejected."...Yeah judging by the sudden change in Suwako's face, and Sanae's sudden disappointment this seems like reoccurring thing that is frequent.
"It's not funny, it's not a badge of honor. Back then I was married, had kids to look after, I loved my family above all. But, Aye'm a goddess who knows better than to whore herself out. I taught Sanae that. Every year we see a family get broken up because our local gods an' youkai can't control themselves. What if ya mess up? What if ya come back pregnant?...What then?" Such a thing didn't bother Kanako as she is as sleazy as you can imagine. Man this place needs to be clean up...it's odd to think the uhhhhh matured youkai have had sex before. As much as I meant by the three Fs. I wasn't expecting this.
"Relax, I don't do it all the time."
*THUD*
Suwako slams her open hands on the table.
"DON'T BE DOING IT ALL GODDAMN IT! AYE TOLD YA TO QUIT IT, BUT YA AIN'T LISTENIN! IF AYE CATCH YA DOING IT AGAIN AT SPRING TIME! AYE'M RIPPING YOUR TITS OFF AN FEEDING THEM TO THE SNAKES OUT BACK YA BAG OF FAT FLOOZY!"...Suwako's aura was visible as a white snake coil around her waist. Kanako was still nonchalant even from the outburst.
"Alright, I won't... so are they staying over?" What? No we gotta get going. I open the sliding door and...OH COME ON! It's a blizzard out there. Closing it I see Suwako has calm down.
"Well, it's always nice to have company. Aye apologize for that to ya'll." Yeah I can see why it gets annoying. She respects herself and others and expects the "leader" of the shrine to be the paragon of examples.
"Well guess we're staying, and don't worry I'll think about it Suwako. Thank you for your advice." Suwako smiles at Tenshi.
"Ya not a bad kid after all. I can respect those that want to help their friends." Speaking of...where am I going to sleep at, or rather rest?
Don't worry we have spare rooms and futons here." Thanks Sanae.
Author Notes: Tenshi and Shion centric act of the story. I wanted to get this out before the weekend. Yeah heavier topics for winter. I think it works cause we must take the good with the bad.
