Hell yeah, thread two. Congrats on getting here. Hopefully, we can breeze through another one and then some.

As to the tube-fox, very cute but also a pain in the ass. Honestly, how Arc doesn't immediately enact bullying correction, I don't know. Although, I guess that would be giving her the attention she so clearly craves. Such a vexing vixen.

Still, difficult as it is to tame foxes, perhaps it can be done; perhaps Arc can make a convenient pet out of this damned cheeky kouhai. Even he admits that he can see some utility in her wickedness, after all.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
Arc has observed that she's likely to bolt if pushed, and I don't think that will end well, given that she's demonstrated her willingness to stalk him to unclear ends. Those fangs of hers seem poised to bite, and she'll have to be handled carefully given that fact. In warding off potential fox-bites, he might need to direct her at other potential playthings. Other times, he might have to reluctantly lavish her with attention to keep her in good spirits. It's a pain but probably less painful than the potential backbiting.

She just needs to be kept away from Aya. Far, far away.

>If I had wanted to I could have interrupted the puckish act by grabbing her tongue between my fingers.
Damn bratty fox...

>She stood up straight, puffing up her chest as an ambiguous, eye-catching smile, unfolded across her lips. Lit by shifting moonlight, a few shadows came and passed over her youthful face. I looked beyond her to the cabins and to the lodge and found their exterior lights and bulbs to be too dazzling by contrast. The actual space between us seemed amorphous and full of possibility. Whatever may have been said and done would have its secrecy sanctified by the arbitrary moon above.
>I could feel a warmth radiating from her, something that could be held and possessed by something as simple as touch. Where her silhouette ended and mine began was difficult to judge from that close distance.
>Her eyes were wide, burnished by the the [sic] scheming moon and its reflected light
Don't mind me. Just pointing out bits of prose I liked. Good stuff as always.

>The giggle that followed felt compulsive but deliberate, cloying but just a little too high-pitched.
>I heard Kudomaki complain in a sing-song way even as she followed it by a small atonal giggle.
A fox with an irritating, tone-deaf voice? Say it ain't so.

Come to think of it, if she was following Arc around earlier, maybe that nasally laugh was her?

...oh god, Arc needs to get to Orin and do some damage control, doesn't he? No telling what the fox might have whispered to the dumb cat.

Incidentally, going back to >>70338, Tsukasa's appearance reminded me of the possibility that Suika's been talking to a certain cave elf. If that's the case — though we know absolutely nothing of her portrayal here — is it possible that a bit of jealousy's been stirred up in Arc's girl-bro? Maybe she's gone and talked about things between them, and maybe the green-eyed girly has seen through matters and prodded a bit at her insecurities. A potentially frightening prospect if so.

[X] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

The Moon is the real MVP in this sequence. Kouhais are temporary; the light of Lord Tsukuyomi is eternal. And speaking of the starry Bridge of High Heaven, in the midst of the wild mountains... Doesn't it make you think the moment calls for, rather than a mere foxy proxy, the fox's wielder instead? But, well, who knows whether she's involved in this at all...

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

This is an answer I feel directly from my stomach. The slight buzz from drinking; the fall of night; the scepticism and the sighs—they don't add up to a state of mind where one feels like allowing oneself to be daunted by ambiguous "limits", or of suddenly pivoting towards practical discussions. Arc's been consistently leaning on her this whole conversation—not hard, mind, but a consistent pressure nonetheless—and it feels like one last push is needed, even if he ultimately means to ease off, redirect the conversation, whatever, instead of necessarily following through. Precisely because a finely focused intention at the inflection point is what allows you to keep your momentum in one piece, and not scatter or fumble unfocusedly, when you're not really in a very "high-tempo" state.

And after all it's Tsukasa who approached and closed the distance in the first place. She can pretend to feel cornered all she likes, but if you set the surface content of the words aside and just feel the wordless momentums involved, she's still the one pushing ten different ways against Arc's very mild return pressure. If she's really managed to manoeuvre herself up against her own limits in doing so... then this will be a valuable learning experience.

>>70416
You know, mentioning it slipped my mind in the last thread, but I don't think those "green eyes" she was talking about belonged to a cave elf at all. Rather, isn't there someone you're... forgetting about?

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

Damn ratchet tube-fox! I call upon the power of Izuna Gongen to tame thy ply, shapely ass! I SHALL MOUNT THEE

>>70419
>fox-wielder
Given all else, she's probably neither a student nor involved in Arc's school whatsoever. Hell, Tsukasa might not really be a student, though to what end is hard to guess at.

>update
It may be that Tsukasa isn't truly going at Arc, but it does feel a little like a game of chicken. She's played coy about what she saw whilst following Arc around, which feels like a vague threat to make up inconvenient truths, something I'm sure Arc has probably picked up on. Buzzed and emotional or no, Arc isn't incapable of pivoting. Given his less than thrilled reaction to Tsukasa's appearance, I imagine it was quite sobering, anyway.

>green eyes
I guess that's a possibility I'd forgotten. Then again, it was pretty ambiguous; Suika's description was vague enough for Arc to remark upon. Even if it would make sense, there's no telling what a certain whale is doing in this setting.

Besides, I like the idea of certain elvish figures inhabiting 'underground' bars. It feels like the sort of shenanigans Suika would get up to.

>>70420
If Arc's not careful the matter of whose ass will be mounted may not be so simple...

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.
The fox will not survive out inquiries.

>>70421
>Given all else, she's probably neither a student nor involved in Arc's school whatsoever.
Insufficiency of Youth...

You know, despite my framing it in my post in terms of momentums, I don't feel that there's too much of a head-to-head contest going on here. It feels more like there's a mismatch in scope of expectations between the two, where Tsukasa clearly has some template for how the interaction ought to go, but Arc is still in a position where he feels, maybe, "I don't really know you, and you don't really know me". So, sure, he could pick up on her implying implications, recognise it as a source of potential trouble, and pivot away from it, but I think it's just as plausible for him to, say, pick up on an utterance like
>I get along with nearly anyone and I don’t draw attention to myself unless I want to
and become interested in why she might feel the need to present so hard as being agreeable. It's like, rather than a game of chicken being played on a pre-painted road, the lines in the asphalt haven't really been drawn yet and there are many axes along which this interaction could be analysed in retrospect.

Some of the internal monologue points to that, too, I think, like
>The actual space between us seemed amorphous and full of possibility.
>If I had wanted to I could have interrupted the puckish act by grabbing her tongue between my fingers.
It makes me feel like... his vision, perception, imagination, whatever aren't really sufficiently "primed" for just going along to get along. What kind of axes would result from that it isn't very clear, and it'd be more draining overall to be put on the back foot, and have to keep his suspicious constantly engaged, than to take an active hand right now in shaping those axes and developing an intuitive feel for them by contact.

Again, this is all gut feeling that I'm trying to draw out, so I guess this all is more speculation than reasoning per se. Hashtag #interpretation hashtag #mythoughts.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
This all seems really suspicious, but I think that Tsukasa might be more of a hassle to deal with when pushed too far.

[x] Press her for a better answer. Even if it’s “cruel” or “mean”.

As much as I like to banter, we need to be straight with her first. There are still a lot of unknowns here and any hidden agendas might screw us over later. I feel like having someone dubious as our "messenger" isn't a good idea unless we're sure we can trust her.

>>70423
I guess, but Arc notices
>It looked like she was at a limit and was set to run away if further pushed.
which feels like the sort of thing that would put him on alert. Sure, it's more of a meta-hint, but I think he might at least have it in the back of his head that letting the fox just disengage would end up being a pain somehow.

[x] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
it's stupid to push too hard for no real gain

>>70416
Was going to write something stupider when voting. But then I was distracted by the thought of fangs and biting.

[] Accept her “explanation” for the time being. Move on to more practical matters.
She's just going to keep avoiding the truth anyways

[X] The heavenly feeling of her silk stockings that condemned me to pleasingly suffocating sin. A cup of coffee and an adult understand was all I needed.
Fox sex with the sex fox. Sox.

>>70430
It's a joke choice (and a reference to another character in ToY). It's crossed out for a reason so, sorry, gonna have to pick something else.

[x] The heavenly feeling of her silk stockings that condemned me to pleasingly suffocating sin. A cup of coffee and an adult understanding was all I needed.
You're tempting me and I'll do nothing to resist.

...is what I would say, but I know it's all just a vain fantasy. Alas. It truly pains me in a deep and ceaseless way.

It's the sort of thing that makes me want to go embrace Lake-san. Ah, Lake-san...

>filename
chu<3

>The large overshirt she wore fluttered around her as it smoothly followed her movement with a delay; it made an almost-inaudible rustle as it absorbed deceitful moonlight in earnest, shimmering in an otherworldly—and entrancing—fashion. “Ah, hah, hah~” she panted and laughed as if drunk. Kudamaki stretched up her arms, spreading them up towards the moon and the night sky. Giving off a subtle bow, she lowered her arms and then placed a hand over her chest.
>Kudamaki clung close—a buoyant presence who seemed to feast on the proximity to me. Though it was folly, I wondered what the world looked like through her eyes; they seemed to glow with a blinding glare whenever they caught beams of moonlight; the transcendent delight directed at me made me feel overexposed, a grey ghost who could not hope to hide even the blackest of secrets.
>I looked at her and saw that she still sported a smile but it was less playful, more adult, and broadcast an eagerness-to-please.
Silliness aside, I love this faeness you've given to Tsukasa. She really does feel like the sort of tricksy creature one would see in a setsuwa or other ghost story. There's almost a surrealness or dreamlike quality to this encounter, slightly different to that with Sanae. It makes me wonder if we'll ever see the fox in the daylight, or if she's strictly a creature of the night.

[x] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.
This is a tough vote; I won't even lie. I personally — as the reader — feel desperately that Arc ought to find it in himself to make amends with his childhood friend. He's found it hard to truly value her as she ought to be valued, and I think he'll harbour deep regrets about it.

Having said that, there's a couple of points to why I won't vote that way. One, it really should be through his own will and efforts that Arc makes up with Alice. Trying to pull some shenanigans to bring her around or make some perfect scenario to say his apologies isn't the right thing, in my view. He needs to go out of his way to be as sincere as he can be in his own clumsy way. Maybe it won't even succeed; that's life. The point is that he'll have made the effort himself. It's the adult thing.

Secondly, I do feel freedom is what Arc desires most — after silk stockings, of course. How would he have come to this point if that hadn't been an underlying drive of his? Just as the kouhai-fox surmises, he's one that can't be pinned down too long. I also think that, in spite of adulthood fast approaching, Arc isn't inclined to simply let youth fade away. He's the type who will, for good or ill, hold fast to it until it's no longer tenable.

And, well, I'll admit a more meta element as well. For one, I feel like it's the consistent choice, and inconsistency has been the biggest pain point in terms of outcomes for Arc. There's also the fact that I feel that this choice aligns with Suika, a figure that I think Arc should value far more than he's ever done over the course of things. It would be perhaps better for Arc to give up on his wilder ways, but he can't give up on his girl-bro.

>>70431
How cruel, sir. It's more devilish and devious than anything a fox could get up to. Teasing us like that.

[X] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.

It seems she's wormed her way into Arc's crack after all. Time to strike a deal.

She's rather relentless, isn't she? Like dead air weakens her. Without an observer, would she even exist?

Anyway, extremely impressive prose. Don't know how you come up with it in the time you do! I suppose that a more mundane setting means less fiddling about with lore and more focus on the characters and actual writing. A lot of stuff nowadays goes all in on 'deep lore' which to me isn't interesting as focusing on the characters and the plot proper. Actually I kind of hate it because my conspiratorial mind says that its all just a marketing / popularity gathering strategy because its easier for average uninvolved people to talk about simple characters and theorybait lore. So its like they're not even bothering to make anything worthwhile because that would mean compromising the work's memetic potential... thats what I think, at least...

I also get the feeling that more freedom for Arc won't necessarily mean greater control in choices, but rather that Arc will take the opportunity to attempt more karmamudra.

[X] The ease and comfort of a carefree life; no yoke, no driver; no student council, no Big Sis. True freedom, even if it meant being ignored, judged, and exiled to the periphery.

>>70431
I refuse.

>>70432
I thought it was obvious but not voting for a character makes it far, far less likely that they will show up. If they're never picked or are otherwise rebuffed, why should they appear in the future? There's a large cast and other characters who will be given a shot instead. If you want a character to be relevant, vote for them when the opportunity arises. This would be the second time people spurn the pertinent character and the supporting narration.

>>70433
Thanks. It's a matter of practice, reading a lot of books and knowing the sort of thing I want to write, making story notes ahead of time, and having a feel for the characters and the general flow of things. I think about what I want to accomplish with each update, think about the sorts of mood, images, characterization, or bits of plot I want to convey and try my best to do it in the rough word limit. Doing anything else would be too difficult for me to keep up the schedule.

I don't care for "lore" in stories; people confuse the auxiliary things in a story for the story itself; it is unreasonable to assume that anyone else will care as much about your take or setting and all those kinds of details you do. It's better to focus on doing something fun, interesting, or that wants to transmit something distinct to the reader instead. Reveal in drips, bits and pieces—if you must—but don't predicate enjoyment and understanding of a work upon stuff that isn't relevant to the storytelling process at large and its perception by other human beings who engage with it. But I'm a bitter old man who could rant about how "lore", stylistic supremacy, and obsessive fandom has made so much stuff (professional and amateur) unbearable all day long. This isn't really the place for that :V

>>70435
Shame ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

>>70438
I mean, sure; I just didn't see why Alice couldn't make an appearance in future in any case.

But if it has to be like that, then, fine, I'll change my vote. It's just hard to feel like I'm being consistent voting this way; I'd like Arc to make up with Alice, or at least make it back to some sort of neutral ground, but I also want to support Suika.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

What does it mean to desire? Surely, if it means anything, it means to desire something; to have a focus to one's attentions and not just a vague horizon. And, likewise, what does it mean to have love for someone, if not seeing that person truly and deeply?

I can't really justify this through some in-character thought process, but it's what I'm going to vote for nonetheless. A self-centred assemblage like personal freedom from obligations, tube foxes, and the student council/Yuyuko doesn't really glimmer to me with the hope of a good outcome—it seems like classic fairy-story foolishness and the setup for a deserved downfall. And it might seem even more foolish to think that mixing "machination" with personal friendship and love should turn out any better, but I think that's maybe partially out of a kind of lack of faith in others and an ultimately self-centred need to be rewarded or punished on a supposedly "pure" basis—conditioned solely on one's own efforts and actions.

Which is far from a bad thing on a naïve level, but it's not as completely upstanding as it seems on the surface, either. In fact it's the hamartia of many a classic VN protagonist, as it gets in the way of their truly connecting with others by recognising their independent agency, and in turn their ability to withstand one's own honesty with one's desires without being irreparably hurt.

In other words, I'm not deciding based on an assessment of whether the tube fox can accomplish this or that personal end to some standard of personal satisfaction. I'm deciding to be honest with Arc's desires, and also putting my faith in Alice as an equal navigator of the situation and not just as an untouched personal prize.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

>>70440
I don't know if I agree that it's necessarily Arc's desire, but
>lack of faith in others and an ultimately self-centred need to be rewarded or punished on a supposedly "pure" basis
>gets in the way of their truly connecting with others by recognising their independent agency
>Alice as an equal navigator of the situation and not just as an untouched personal prize
these sorts of statements cut to the bone for me, because I don't feel that secure in ever having really understood Arc and Alice's relationship on more than a superficial level. In all honesty, I can't say I know how Alice would receive Arc if he were to manoeuvre her into some position through contrivance, and I find that fact a little distressing. My instinct is to shy away from any such action, feeling the unknowns are too great to bear — at the cost of any upsides. It touches on sore nerves of not feeling secure in reading others and truly seeing them and their intentions; I suppose I don't know how to have faith in others.

That said, I think a desire can be as vague as 'freedom'. At the very least, it's true to my experience to not know what one wants in any specific way, merely in a broad, unfocused sense. I think it's possible Arc does want that sort of thing, but I, the reader, also don't want Alice to simply vanish from the story.

>>70441
>I can't say I know how Alice would receive Arc if he were to manoeuvre her into some position through contrivance
For me, that can hardly be considered a sure outcome in the first place. What does Alice want; what is she thinking right now? Faith, for me, is faith that she has her own thoughts and maybe even plans about Arc and isn't just waiting to be approached; won't be trivially led into such a situation unawares just because we've "set" some schemer in motion. Faith that she has the power to redefine the scenario according to her own priorities. And faith that she's a creature who also desires of Arc in return, something specific to him alone, and isn't just a stony judge waiting to "receive" whatever "best version" of Arc he can somehow muster up from himself.

It's possible that that isn't really the case. Many relationships in fiction and reality fall easily short of this. It really isn't justified by estimation, for me, but by beauty and conviction in like... the irreducible fullness of everything, and the necessity of believing. That's what makes it faith, I guess.

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.

While I do agree that Arc values freedom above most things, he's also been willing to go above and beyond for Marisa, Tenshi, etc. I'd say that it'd be wrong to not patch things up with Alice.

Tsukasa seems genuine enough (so far), let's see what she can offer to this. Arc may be immune to her charms, but he ain't going to be immune forever.

>If I’ve read you right, I think I know what it is already.
[x]Jump into the lake.
What about that, huh!? Did you see that coming!?

[x] The familiar eyes from next door; they had been clear and bright during the last sunset we spent together but had turned cold and distant since. I missed the joy found in the everyday exchanges.
Arisu!!! Anyway, I really would like to see more Alice. Besides, letting Big Sis and Tsukasa meet up might cause major issues.

>>70442
>Faith, for me, is faith that she has her own thoughts and maybe even plans about Arc and isn't just waiting to be approached; won't be trivially led into such a situation unawares just because we've "set" some schemer in motion. Faith that she has the power to redefine the scenario according to her own priorities.
...yeah, that kind of thing has totally failed to occur to me. In the context of a story like this, I guess my first instinct has been to reduce everyone to functions of choices, more or less the end-product of the voting function, as it were. It's just hard to conceive of something else, you know?

>>70445
Well, I'm putting it in terms of faith in a character, but really it's a statement of faith in the author at base, and in the potential of the story. It's not every story where you get to engage in this kind of philosophical thinking after all.

>Sensitive to my mood, she had listened to me attentively, smiled and nodded but—crucially—did not laugh. There had been a look of … contentment, if I had to really put my impression into words.
Interesting reaction. Is Tsukasa maybe less of a snake than she could be? There is at least the suggestion that she isn't simply acting in black-hearted self-interest. Maybe she does at least in part want to be helpful to others. That certainly makes her more complicated if so.

>the scandal that roiled the student population involving those two popular girls
For some reason, I thought this either had to do with Kaguya and Mokou or Sakuya and Remilia for a second, but that didn't make any sense, considering neither pair were underclassmen. Anyway, relatively deep cut for anyone who hasn't been around a while, at least on some level. Gets a chuckle from me... even if the thing it's taking the piss out of is/was far from funny.

>Alice, the incisive girl who had said those truthful words that still stung when I recalled them. From anyone else, I would have shrugged it off. But she had said it with those clear and unwavering eyes of hers; there was no chance to deny their revelation.
>It sucked to realize that I had changed.
>“You have a good heart,” Alice had said on one of those rare late-night occasions where we just had a conversation without any other pretense in play. It was a follow-up to my earnest comment that I did appreciate just how gracefully she put up with so much of my nonsense. At the time, her directness had almost made me blush and I played it off by changing the subject.
>I could always look to Alice to make sure I hadn’t lost my way.
Oof. This is pretty poignant. Feels to me like, whatever the actual cause, Alice more than likely told Arc the truth about himself, and it cut to the bone.

Then again, if Arc's changed, what of it? People do change, regardless of our desires. This is the time when youth fast comes to its conclusion and everything has to change. Is it really all about Arc changing? Could it also be that Alice has changed too? Is there some insecurity on her side because of it?

Not to say that it probably isn't Arc's fault, but I am left to wonder what's going on for Alice's part. There could be as much of an element of Alice disliking something about herself as with Arc, I think.

>a soggy serving of leftover noodles
Spaghett'? Udon? Soba? What's the dish? What's the dish, man?

>The privacy was a definite plus and, besides, I didn’t really want to room up with the other guys—they’d probably spend all night sharing gross stories about their supposed exploits with girls. If I complained they’d just use that as an excuse to deflect their insecurities and gang up against me. The respectability that came with being vice president counted for little late at night in a stuffy cabin; I’d just be Arc the outcast again.
Not going to lie, from the start, I was expecting pretty much all of that to happen. Either that, or he was going to end up sleeping outside.

...no, I don't suppose he'd be creeping into Suika's tent at this stage. Unless...

>I could see a lot of figures gathered around the fire and I heard drums, some sort of tinny wind instrument being played, and some faint singing.
The drums are enough of hint — if that's indeed a hint — but I'm less sure about the wind instrument. Is there someone I'm forgetting? Not to mention the singing could be anyone, really, if it's relevant. Maybe all of this is just a red herring?

I'm going to hold off on voting for the moment. I've run off ahead of myself on a couple of votes and ended up being a bit stupid about things, so I'd like to hear a few thoughts from others before making any hard decisions.

Part of me feels like Arc isn't entirely uninclined to the society of others after a brace with his troubled thoughts. He's obviously not going to just conk out for the night, even if it would probably be the right thing to do. I guess there's also a sort of element of not just being the stern functionary of a vice prez, getting out there and working the student body. Yeah, he doesn't care that much about the position, but he's in a place where perhaps that's what would take him out of his present state. Or perhaps it's more about living up fading youth. He's only got so much time to soak in things, and spending that precious time alone is sure to be regrettable.

Then again, I also think this is a good opportunity to spend time with Reimu. He probably ought to follow up after earlier rather than just leaving things as they lie. I personally value the relationship they have, however you want to characterise it, so there's that, too.

Going with the crowd sounds fun. When else are you gonna be able to gather 'round a campfire with your peers while you're as young as you are? Imagine it. The heat it emits. Whiffs of warm and slightly alkaline smoke. The way firelight plays on smiling faces. And wouldn't you say its our duty as a council member to make sure this fire business doesn't get out of hand, right?

[X] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

>So why was it important to me that she still think that I had a good heart? I didn’t have a satisfactory explanation. All of my best efforts continued to come up short. I could only produce an awkward coalescence of thoughts and feelings in the form of an imperfect maxim: I could always look to Alice to make sure I hadn’t lost my way.

Hmm. There's a point of intuitive dissatisfaction I feel, trying to follow along with this line of thought. Like I can recognise abstractly how it might seem compelling; but I can't summon up the associated feelings at all. Instead it strikes me as having gone one step too far. A basilisk of a thought; one which shouldn't have been voiced; a seeping font of slow petrification.

Forget it. Your heart is your own. Kill the Alice inside of your mind.

[x] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

The purpose of a fire is to attract a crowd. And the night is still young. And, heck—maybe some grilled squid is in the cards?

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.
I want to be consistent about being a dork that helps out Reimu. Other temptations don't matter.

After thinking it over, I'm going to go with my gut on the very simple law of 'more vote === more character'. I don't really want to snub anyone, but I haven't hit upon any realisations about who would potentially be snubbed, so I will lean on whatever handy Reimu-oriented axis.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

>>70450
What's the likelihood any of those faces will be smiling with Arc around? He's not exactly an outcast as such, but it doesn't feel like he's very welcome except in limited company. And if he leans into the vice prez role, well, probably even less so.

>>70451
Looking at this post, I do kind of get the feeling that it's sort of about Arc not really understanding Alice outside of the Alice in his mind. Maybe the fundamental clash is one of Arc not seeing Alice as she is, and this has prompted her to call out his self-centeredness. Barring flawed third-parties like Suika and Marisa, he has no real objective view of her. It feels as if basic assumptions could have always been flawed.

Interesting thoughts from Arc. I've always thought that Arc has always been true to himself, always free-spirited and doing what he thinks is right. Maybe there was a misunderstanding with Alice or he somehow overstepped his boundaries with her? Either way, I do agree that he may be overthinking it without properly talking to Alice.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

I feel that his current state of mind just miiight not be well-adjusted for crowds right now. Maybe going into vice prez mode will take our mind off things, perhaps with a little help from a certain miko.

[x] Things are lively by the fire. Approach the crowd and socialize.

[x] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.
I would like to see more Reimu, yeah. Besides, I'm a nerd who likes to be productive (sometimes).

[X] Check if all student council business has been concluded for the day.

Sorry, won't be able to post at the usual-ish time because a bunch of unforeseen things have taken up my time and energies. I hope to be able to get around to it at some point within the next day but I'm not sure when exactly. Have a wholly unrelated image as partial compensation.

Damn. Well, take it easy. I'll keep waiting warmly.

I really like your depiction of Tsukasa, by the way. It feels like something different to a more 'typical' approach of her just being a sort of malicious gremlin. I mean, she could just turn around and be a shit, but it sort of feels like maybe she's just a little bit earnest? Maybe... she really is kind of cute? How dangerous.

Hope everything turns out good for you, big guy