<<set $tf to 0>><<set $tf1 to false>><<set $tf2 to false>><<set $ref1 to false>>
<<set $ref2 to false>>
How long ago was it, that you had fallen into this place? It was hard to keep track of time properly without seeing the sun. It didn’t help that your memories were… fuzzy, at best, regarding how you got here. As if a hazy mist had glazed over your subconscious. You vaguely remember stumbling through dark caverns before coming across the capital, and it only took you a few minutes to make a disastrous first impression. You were harassed by strange figures—people, or so you first thought. Only later would your employer call them oni.
That employer turned out to be Satori Komeiji—the girl everyone fears.
She was, apparently, one of the few people who could understand you, using her third eye. …You think? You admittedly don’t understand how her ability works in the slightest. It lets her read minds, but does that mean it translated them into Japanese, or was she always fluent in English? You can speak Japanese now- some sort of strange talisman Lady Satori slapped onto you when you accidently delivered the wrong box to Miss Okyuu- but before that she must have-
Ah, you were doing it again, getting lost in your own thoughts. It seemed to annoy the mind-reader, who called your thoughts ‘chaotic’. You had done your best to filter your thoughts more around her, but it never seemed to work well. If anything, she just found your attempts amusing.
That might be why she took you in, really. An idle amusement. You had been around the youkai animals in the palace long enough to know how very inhuman their way of thinking could be, and had the cuts to prove it. So far be it from you to decide why she did things.
Still, you couldn’t help but think about it… The reason why she took you in, despite her somewhat… antisocial nature. Maybe she pitied you. Maybe she simply didn’t want a lost human causing trouble in the depths. Either way, she gave you work, and a place to stay within the Palace of Earthen Spirits—deep in the heart of Old Hell.
That was where you were, after all. Hell… or so everyone insisted. If that was true… then shouldn’t you be dead? Yet your lungs still filled with air, your heart still beat. You were alive, impossibly alive, in a place meant for the dead. Right? You're quite certain you would remember dying. You had lucked out for a few months now, but could that last forever? Even now, going to the capital is dangerous, and many people- youkai, you remind yourself- are willing to turn you into lunch. Could a human like you really-
A smack to the back of the head snaps you from your thoughts, a jolt of fear running up your spine.
"Spacing out around a Youkai? Someone might just eat you up, ya know~"
You glance over your shoulder, attempting to be nonchalant in hiding your fear.
[["...Miss Orin."|Intro2]]Looking over your shoulder, you find Orin watching you with a mischievous glint in her eyes., The wisps of the undead dance around her. It’s still unnerving to you, despite living here for a while, and you suspect she has them linger just a while longer around you than anyone else.
“Eh? You’re thinking something rude about me, y’know? What did I do, huh?!”
Huh? W-wait, is it possible she can also read-
“No, you’re just that obvious! Will you calm down, boyo?” She puffs out her cheeks in a pout.
You force yourself to relax, trying to ignore whatever it is the youkai wants. You try to get back to cleaning, but before you could lift the broom, she leans forward until her face nearly bumps yours. Only then did you notice she is dusted head to toe in ashes… which she is dragging over the floor you just cleaned. Great.
“Hey hey! Geez, can’t you have a conversation with your pal Orin?”
“Are humans and youkai allowed to be pals?” You mutter, recalling the brags of youkai about their attacks against humans.
“Don’t be such a stickler, we live under the same house! We’re practically sisters, you know!
“There's a lot wrong with that statement.” You mutter, given that you were both male and human.
“Don’t sweat the details so much~”
You wonder, and not for the first time, if her freewheeling nature is due to being a youkai or due to being a cat.
You think you used to have a cat. Trying to remember hurts.
“You’re thinking something weird again, aren’t you?!” she huffed—right before twirling your broom out of your reach. Wait, what? You were just holding that!
“Like I said, you’re too obvious~ Anyway, you’re relieved of your duties! Satori-sama wants to see you for some reason~ Be good, okay?”
“Huh? Miss Satori? What does she want?”
“You’ll just have to find out~”
“So you don’t know either, got it.”
Orin sticks her tongue out at you as you walk away, making an exaggerated look of betrayal that you weren’t certain you believed. Fortunately, Miss Satori’s office is close to where you were cleaning, so it wasn’t a long walk at all.
[[Enter her office|Intro 3]]You blink, confused. Miss Satori called you here... to drink?
“A celebration, in a manner of speaking. You’ve been here for quite some time,” Satori replies as she fiddles with the cork.
That… is true. Satori found you some time ago, and took pity on you after... after you ended up here. In hell.
You wish you could remember how you got here. You still missed home. If you could just figure out how you got to Gensokyo, then maybe you could-
She sighs, the motion soft and practiced. “The memories will come when they choose to. But even I cannot unlock something that does not exist.”
You swallow. She’d told you before that your mind was an anomaly—almost as if the world had forgotten you. Or rather, as if your own consciousness wasn’t something the world recognized as entirely real. If that was true, then your missing memories weren’t simply buried. They might not be anywhere. They weren’t something she could uncover or hypnotize you into retrieving. Not that you even believed hypnosis worked that way—
“Stop thinking.” She raises a hand, as if physically halting your thoughts. “Has anyone ever told you that you think far too loudly?”
Miss Satori does. Constantly.
“Yes, I suppose I do.” She says, not quite amused.
“Well,” she continues, folding her hands neatly, “regardless of how long you’ve been here, I have no qualms about allowing you to stay. Though…” Her gaze drifts to the bottle. “Consider drinking with me a way to improve your tolerance.”
My tolerance?
“A proper Gensokyan needs to be able to hold their drink,” she says calmly, as though reciting an obvious rule of the universe.
You frown. You’ve never been a strong drinker; the Oni in the Underworld capital, who are already aggressive with you, tend to find the fact that you are such a weak drinker far worse than you're status as an outsider.
“Hm… well. There is only one way to improve, no?” she murmurs.
She pours a glass of what you assume is wine, though you’re not entirely convinced. The liquid catches the light strangely, and the scent doesn’t resemble anything you recognize—not that can trust your memories. It is certainly different from the harsh, burning alcohol the oni gulp down.
“I don’t think you would survive what the oni drink,” she adds matter-of-factly.
…Fair enough.
You look down at the glass, weighing your nerves against her expectant gaze, and-
[[Take a sip|TF 1]] or [[Make conversation|Refusal 1]]
You lift the wine glass to your mouth and take a small sip. It tastes like nothing you have ever drank before-something like fruit juice mixed with cough syrup, but with the artificial sting of a cheap gas station energy drink. It slides down your throat warm, but settles in your stomach slow and cool. A strange energy stirs in your limbs, yet your muscles feel heavy, as if you just finished working out.
You shift in the chair. …It feels off somehow. The seat seems higher than you remember, or maybe you’re just slouching a bit. You straighten your back, then adjust again, trying to find a sitting position that doesn’t feel subtly wrong.
Satori watches you with something between amusement and concern.
“I wouldn’t say I’m amused. I just find it incredulous that you’re fidgeting so much.”
Your gaze meets hers—but at a slightly different angle than before, as if your perspective has dipped a bit. Must be the dizziness-the drink set in fast. You suppose you really are a lightweight. You rub your forehead.
A faint tingling spreads across your skin, crawling lightly along your face and arms. You assume it’s the alcohol- alcohol does that, right?
Satori nods, taking another sip of her own glass.
The tingling sensation is strangely delicate—almost like a soft breeze brushing over your bare skin. You lean against your hand as you try to listen to Satori, though your chin feels oddly smooth when you rest a hand against it, the familiar prickle of stubble noticeably absent. You assume you shaved more thoroughly than you thought this morning… or maybe the drink has numbed the sensation.
“-though, I will say that I find it somewhat impressive.”
Huh? You weren’t quite able to catch what she said. You suppose you had better just nod-
Satori rolls her eyes. “Have you forgotten I’m a mind reader?”
…Right.
You sheepishly rub your hand against the back of your neck. Was it always that smooth? Probably. Your forearms feel different too, the sleeves of your shirt gliding more easily along them. You absently rub your hand beneath the sleeve to feel at it, and find it feels soft. For a second, you feel alarmed, since your arms usually have a bit of hair to them, but your head still feels buzzed from your drink, and you let it go, opting to shift in your seat again. The chair feels even larger now, and your feet don’t quite rest on the floor the same comfortable way they used to.
“Maybe that’s because you’re slouching.” Satori says airily as she glances you over. “Or maybe you’re shrinking.”
Har har, hilarious. You almost snark back at her, but your head is starting to swim, so you let it go.
“Again, I’m a- oh, forget it.”
Your eyelids feel heavy. A hazy pressure settles over your thoughts, softening everything around the edges.
Satori sighs in mock exasperation.
“Honestly. One sip, not even a full drink, and you’re already acting drunk. Is this the placebo effect in action?”
You try to protest, but the words fall apart in your fuzzy mind. Everything feels warm and strangely comfortable. Too comfortable, maybe. Your clothes feel ever so slightly larger on you, and your sense of scale keeps shifting by tiny degrees.
But you blame the alcohol. What else would it be?
Your head swims.
Your skin tingles pleasantly and the slight feeling of vertigo finally fades.
You shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts.
Satori clears her throat, trying to gather your attention. You think she said something though you can't recall what.
"My... you really are a lightweight, aren't you." Satori says, more a statement than a question. You can't bother to feel offended though, and just blink like an idiot.
Satori takes a sip of her wine, and you look down to your own glass.
<<set $tf1 to true>><<set $tf += 1>><<if $ref1 == true>><<if $ref2 == true>>
<<set _path = "Story 1">><<else>><<set _path = "Choice 3">><</if>><<else>>
<<set _path = "Choice 2">><</if>>
<<link "Try to focus" _path>><</link>>
You gaze down at the wine glass, absently picking it up.
<<if $tf1 == true>><<set _path1 = "TF 2">><<elseif $tf1 == false>><<set _path1 = "TF 1">><</if>><<if $ref1 == true>><<set _path2 = "Refusal 2">><<elseif $ref1 == false>><<set _path2 = "Refusal 1">><</if>>
<<link "Drink" _path1>><</link>> or <<link "Don't Drink" _path2>><</link>>Satori suddenly raises her glass to you. “A toast, then.” Then she pauses, and looks at you expectantly. “...I don’t actually know what we should toast to.”
The balls in your court. What to toast to?
<<if $tf1 == true>><<if $tf2 == true>><<set _path1 = "TF 3">><<else>><<set _path1 = "TF 2">><</if>><<else>><<set _path1 = "TF 1">><</if>>
<<if $ref1 == true>><<if $ref2 == true>><<set _path2 = "Refusal 3">><<else>><<set _path2 = "Refusal 2">><</if>><<else>><<set _path2 = "Refusal 1">><</if>>
<<link "Toast to recovering your memories and drink" _path1>><</link>> or <<link "Get distracted and don't drink" _path2>><</link>>“Well, let’s toast to… uh. Health?”
You stare into your glass as if the answer might be hiding at the bottom.
“That doesn’t work,” you mutter lamely. Surely you could come up with something better than that?
“We could drink for the sake of drinking.”
That doesn't really count as a toast, though. It's gotta be more meaningful, you figure.
“Does it really matter?”
Yes—! You were the one who suggested it!
Satori blinks once, slow and contemplative. You’re more surprised that she let you finish the statement, though she simply shakes her head, exasperated. “Hm. I suppose I did start this. You’re very good at drawing out emotion from me.”
…Is that good or bad, you won-
“It is what it is.”
You open your mouth to argue, but Satori abruptly drops her face into her hands with a soft groan.
“We’re supposed to be drinking,” she sighs through her fingers. “Ugh. You’ve dragged me into your nonsense again… This always happens when the two of us spend time together, doesn’t it?”
Well, you—
“No. Don’t try to deny it.” She lifts her head just long enough to give you a half-lidded, unimpressed stare.
Then, with a resigned sweep of her arm, she grabs the wine bottle and tucks it back into the desk drawer, the glass clinking softly as it settles.
“I’ve had enough alcohol, I think.”
Didn’t you say Gensokyans have high alcohol toler—
“Hush, you.”
Her reply is immediate, as she glares at you in irritation. Her third eye flicks toward you with a look you can’t decipher, somewhere between annoyance and affection, you figure.
“What part of hush do you not understand?”
Sorry, I’ll stop thinking now.
You look down at the table, trying not to smirk.
She must have had more wine than you thought. It makes sense—she’d already poured herself some before you even came in. You wonder how long she'd been drinking for?
Strangly, Satori suddenly goes still.
Her shoulders stiffen, the third eye narrowing slightly—just for a moment. Something in your thoughts must have hit a nerve, though you can’t fathom what. But just as quickly, she relaxes, smoothing her expression back into gentle neutrality. The eye blinks once, slowly.
You raise an eyebrow at her.
Satori shakes her head, dismissing your unspoken question before it even forms.
[[You shrug|Story 2]]Your head feels dizzy. Something about the wine didn’t sit right with you. “That’s fine. We were just finishing up here.” Satori says, She’s smiling at you, but the smile seems sad.
“It’s a strange feeling.” Satori says, looking you up and down. You aren’t certain what she’s looking at.
It’s just you.
“That is what I am looking at.” Satori says. You don’t understand.
You try to stand up, but trip over your legs. Something feels off. The room is spinning. You collapse onto the ground, but Satori is suddenly next to you, helping you up. When did she-
“Don’t try to rationalize it. It's fine. This is normal. You simply need to accept that.” Satori whispers into your ear. Her voice is calm as ever. For a moment, you feel yourself still, but something in your mind starts screaming for you to get away. How odd. Satori has only ever been kind to you.
Satori moves in front of you. Strangely, you are slightly shorter than her.
Wait. You're quite certain you are taller than her. That’s right, you even commented on it when you walked in, she’s-
Satori’s third eye glows.
You blink, and you find yourself at the door to your room. You are tired and need to go to sleep. You don’t even bother taking off your clothes, collapsing on your bed in a dreamless slumber.
[[Sleep|Demo End]]You rest your arm on the table, noticing the paperwork still strewn about.
“Ah. I admittedly hadn’t quite finished all of my work.” She says, following your train of thought. “Though, what’s left is mainly just busy work. Tasks that aren’t necessarily urgent, just time consuming.”
Satori takes a sip of her wine, nodding in satisfaction at the flavor.
“It’s quite good, you know.”
You look over to the mostly full bottle, though there isn’t any sort of label on it.
“Most alcohol down here is made by the Oni, and their organizational skills leave much to be desired.” Satori says. You suspect there is a story behind the vitriol in her voice. “Oh, there very much is. Another time, though.” Satori sets her glass down and quickly slides the papers into a neat stack, though you notice a few of them are left out. They also don’t really look like business documents.
“They aren’t. I write as a hobby, you see.”
Huh. You didn’t know that. “Everyone has a hobby, anon. Just like your drawings.” You fidget nervously. You’d rather nobody knew about that. “I have no one I plan on tell, so do be calm. Besides, your drawings look quite nice. I would like to see them in person later.” You nod. You would like to have the chance to read her work, too.
“...Mm. I’ve no reason to deny you, I suppose.” She takes another sip of wine, and looks over to your glass.
<<set $ref1 to true>><<if $tf1 == true>><<if $tf2 == true>><<set _path = "Story 1">><<else>><<set _path = "Choice 3">><</if>><<else>><<set _path = "Choice 2">><</if>>
<<link "Follow her gaze" _path>><</link>>Taking another sip of the wine, you feel that same lightheaded wave roll through you again. And just when you thought it was starting to fade. Your fingers tighten around the glass. Maybe accepting Satori’s offer for another drink really wasn’t the smartest idea.
“Ahem,” Satori says delicately, as though nudging your wandering mind back on track.
Well… yes, you wouldn't really say your mind is wandering.
"It's always wandering, frankly." Satori says. Hey eyes- well, her normal eyes- glance upward for a moment, toward your head, though you can't figure out why.
"All of my eyes are normal, thank you very much." W-well, you know what I- you grimace, unable to finish your thought. Your head itches, not really painful though somewhat annoying. Maybe you are a lightweight after all.
“A bit,” she agrees easily, “but that is what we’re working on here, no?”
You can’t argue with that.
“No, you can’t,” she replies before the thought even finishes forming.
Your hand drifts upward to push a stray bang out of your eyes—only to hesitate.
Your hair brushes your eyelashes, a soft, whisper-light touch that makes you blink. Since when did your hair fall that low? It feels longer… and lighter… and oddly silky, unlike the coarse, almost sharp hairs that you’re used to.
“Are you playing with your hair now?” Satori asks, her expression unimpressed.
You hadn’t meant to, but the sensation distracts you. A lock slips between your fingers with surprising ease, smooth enough to almost glide.
“We’re supposed to be drinking,” she continues, sounding amused, “but you keep getting sidetracked… well, I suppose watching this is interesting in it's own way, though I still...” Satori shakes her head.
You don’t really know what she’s talking about, but you decide that it offends you.
“No, it doesn’t.” she replies immediately. “You’re only pretending to be offended. It amuses you.”
And how would she know that, miss—
Her third eye blinks at you, the movement crisp and knowing. You stop mid-thought, feeling foolish.
...
Your fingers slide into your hair again almost unconsciously.
It… wasn’t this long before, was it? The tips now brush the sides of your jaw in soft waves. When you shift slightly in the chair, the strands sway with a gentle bounce. The ends curl inward just slightly, framing your face in a way that feels—oddly natural. As if they’ve always done that.
Is it lighter? Fluffier? The hair near the back of your head feels buoyant, soft enough to puff outward in feather-light tufts. And the texture—your hair has never been this soft. It’s always been a challenge to handle, something your mother would complain to you about to no end. You eventually got fed up with her fussing and decided to just keep it short. Or… you used to? Your hand drifts through it again, mesmerized by how effortlessly it parts and settles.
You only notice the color when a pale strand catches the light.
Blonde? No—green. A soft, minty green, brightening as it falls toward the ends. It looks… uncanny. Like it isn’t a natural color that should be appearing on a human. …Your hair wasn’t this color before. What-
“It’s fine. Calm down.” Satori says, her voice cutting clearly through the alcoholic fog.
“It’s fine if your hair is changing. Or maybe, your hair was always like this. That would make more sense, wouldn’t it? There’s nothing strange about having green hair. There’s many people in Gensokyo with green hair.” Satori soothes you. Something about her voice seems wrong, her tone of voice offputting, but that thought slips away quickly.
“Your hair was always this way. You’re only properly noticing it now.”
The fog clouding your mind fades, if only slightly.
…Right.
Of course.
Miss Satori is right, after all. How could you mistake something like that? Your hair was always green. You’re almost surprised you weren’t teased for it more growing up. You’re quite certain your mother always hassled you to take better care of it, didn’t she? Or at least, she complained about your hair to some degree or another. You suppose it doesn’t quite matter what she thought about your hair.
Another soft lock slips across your cheek, curling there as if claiming the space.
You brush it aside, not thinking much of it. Your fingers leave a faint trail through the velvety strands before they fall neatly back into place, perfectly framing your face once more as the itching in your scalp finally fades.
You sigh, sinking slightly into your seat.
Satori places her glass down, before leaning across her desk and patting your head.
She seems satisfied with it, and you don't hate the feeling despite your confusion at her sudden closeness.
"Well, I wouldn't have done it if I knew you would dislike it. It suits you, I'd say."
Satori smiles. You feel uneasy.
"No, you don't." Satori corrects you.
You almost disagree, but a rush of vertigo pushes the thought from your mind.
<<set $tf2 to true>><<set $tf += 1>><<if $ref1 == true>><<set _path = "Story 1">><<else>><<set _path = "Choice 3">><</if>>
<<link "Try to focus" _path>><</link>>Satori watches you rotate the glass a bit with a frown.
“What are you- no, you’re not going to aerate this wine. I’ll have you know it’s fine as is.”
Well, you suppose, but consider-
Satori blinks with all three eyes at your thoughts, then her face falls into a deadpan.
“I’m not incredibly familiar with ‘movies’, but this doesn’t make you look any cooler, really.”
Shot down in flames!
“Don’t be so dramatic.” Satori sighs. “You really do remind me of her…”
Her? You look at Satori, but before you can open your mouth, she suddenly glares at you. “Let us talk about something else.” There is something cold in her voice that makes you instinctively agree with her. She winces somewhat at your fear, but steals her expression back to normal quickly.
You feel bad, now. You’ve definitely brought down the mood of what was supposed to be a celebration. Maybe you should go-
“Don’t.” Satori orders, looking at you. “It’s fine. I’m not lying when I say I enjoy your company, you know. Though…” Satori pauses, looking somewhat bashful. It’s a cute look. Satori flushes pink and shakes her head. “Lets… change the subject.”
<<set $ref2 to true>><<if $tf1 == true>><<set _path = "Story 1">><<else>><<set _path = "Choice 3">><</if>>
<<link "Nod mutely" _path>><</link>><<set $tf += 1>>
“Well…” You think it over for a moment, before deciding on something. “Let’s toast to-”
“Yes, that’s a splendid thing to toast to,” Satori finishes for you, smiling warmly over the rim of her glass.
You shoot her a look.
You knew it was a bit pointless, but it’d be nice to complete a thought.
She only smiles wider, offering no apology whatsoever.
Still, you clink your glass against hers. The final swallow of wine slides down your throat with a warm, tingling burn. For a moment, nothing happens.
And then, just like before—
—something shifts.
Your shoulders soften first. The broadness they once had eases inward, narrowing with each subtle breath. Your collarbone follows, becoming more delicate, arching higher beneath your skin. The shirt you’re wearing slides downward slightly, the collar opening wider around your neck as if your frame beneath it has slipped smaller. You try to sit up in the chair, suddenly uncomfortable, but find your body slower to cooperate.
Strangely, despite that sluggishness, your limbs feel… lighter. Not weaker, simply less somehow, as if the meager muscle mass you were so proud of had been misplaced. You watch your own arm, transfixed, as the changes progress. Your muscles refine, smoothing into a more delicate outline. Your bones seem to shift beneath your skin, but the sensation is muted.
Your torso seems to settle differently, and your spine begins to realign itself with an unnatural ease, vertebrae subtly adjusting in your back. Your ribs draw inward ever so slightly, causing your silhouette to become more slender. Your waist narrows and your posture finally straightens itself.
Your hips follow suit, tightening inward, then subtly flaring just enough to preserve proportionality. Your thighs reshape underneath your clothing, the fabric loosening around them as muscle redistributes into a softer, smoother form. Your legs slim subtly, your calves refining while your thighs take on a smoother curve.
Your entire build seems to reorganize itself, becoming more compact, more delicate.
This should hurt.
It should at least feel alarming.
But instead, the sensation is just… muted. Strange. You stare down at yourself in confusion, trying to understand why nothing feels wrong even as everything visibly moves.
Your throat tightens suddenly. You reach up instinctively as the faint bump of your Adam’s apple withdraws inward, smoothing into the line of your neck. Your throat flutters once, then twice, and then—
“Hm,” Satori hums, watching you closely. “Your voice will sound different now.”
“My voi—”
You stop.
Your voice catches in your throat, light and airy as words leave your lips. Higher pitched and almost lilting in tone even without emotion behind it. It startles you enough that you cough, but the sound is just as bright and soft.
Satori nods knowingly. “Your voice is settling. It suits you.”
“S-settling? What is… settling…?”
“Only a small change. Nothing alarming.”
You swallow, startled. “That— That’s—”
You wince. Your voice sounds wrong. There’s nothing bad about how it sounds- a bit childish, but not harsh on the ears. But it is missing the distinctive rough edge that always seemed to follow it whenever you spoke.
You try to speak again, but find your voice unsettling. Satori disagrees, and smiles faintly. “Ah. There it is. Yes… that’s much closer.”
Closer to what?
The thought barely forms before a tingling feeling crawls up your face.
Your face tingles as your jawline softens, the angles smoothing into something rounder, more delicate. Your cheekbones lift subtly as you smack your lips, and you notice they feel different, ever so slightly thinner. Your nose shifts, becoming smaller, more delicate. The slopes of your brows shift, giving your expression a naturally brighter arc.
Your eyes widen—not in surprise, but physically. The shape rounds delicately, lashes lengthening. Even without a mirror, you can tell they’re opening into a rounder, larger shape—more childlike, more vivid.
“And the color is changing, too,” Satori adds mildly.
You freeze.
“The— the what?” You almost jolt in surprise at your own voice.
“Your eye color.” Satori says, as if this is somehow a normal occurrence. “It’s only a slightly different hue,” Satori sighs, reading your rising panic as easily as breathing. “You’re overreacting.”
Your eyes dart around, looking for a mirror, or anything that reflects so you can see what's happening to you.
But there’s no mirror in the room. Staring at the wine glass reveals nothing.
Satori looks you up and down, all three of her eyes studying you in a way that feels strangely intent as your body continues to change beneath your clothes.
.
She turns away the instant you think about it.
Your hands tremble faintly. When you adjust your grip on the glass, it feels… larger somehow. Or maybe your fingers feel smaller? Narrower? When you hold your other hand up for a moment, your fingertips look a little slimmer than they should, the joints more petite, the knuckles softer.
“That… can’t be right—” you start.
But Satori says your name softly, cutting through your spiraling thoughts.
You lock eyes with her.
…
You blink, unfocused, and look down at your hands again—
But whatever worried you a moment ago slips away into the fog inside your mind. You can’t remember what you were even concerned about.
You set the glass back onto the desk. You aren’t even sure what’s happening anymore.
By the time the wave of transformation ebbs, your clothing hangs on you awkwardly.
Your sleeves pool around your wrists, your shirt droops forward where your shoulders have narrowed. Your pants bunch uncomfortably, threatening to slide.
Satori, already tuned into your thoughts, sighs.
“Honestly,” she mutters, “coming here wearing something like that… You’re absurd.”
She doesn’t sound upset.
More like she’s gently teasing you.
You feel like it should be obvious why, but as you look around, you don’t feel odd. The only thing that seems different is your clothes… right?
Your head swims. You wonder if there is something wrong with you.
Everything feels quiet, slow, clouded—like you’re swimming in molasses.
Still, a tiny voice in your consciousness pushes through the fog:
You’ve had enough wine.
Satori nods as if she expected it.
“Yes. I think we’ve had enough. And thank you for indulging my whims.”
Well… it’s fine, you suppose.
Still, you’re not sure your alcohol tolerance has improved at all—
“Don’t worry, we’ll continue in a few days.” Satori says, sliding the wine bottle back into her desk with a gentle click.
There is a part of you that is very concerned, though you can’t quite understand why that is.
[[You feel dizzy|Story 1]]You’re met face to face with what would, from a distance, appear to be an ordinary pink haired girl. She’s a head shorter than you, slight in frame, with faint bags under her eyes that give her the air of a tired office worker-
“Excuse you. I’ll have you know I get a perfectly adequate amount of rest.”
Satori tilts her head slightly, as if offended on principle. Up close, of course, it’s obvious she isn’t ordinary. A thin, pulsing vein curls out from her temple and and coils around her body toward her feet, with the signature characteristic of a satori youkai in the center, her third eye.
Said third eye blinks at you. When you first met her, you didn't meet the two eyes on her head, but instead locked gaze with her third eye. It had been unnerving when you first saw it blink—
“Yes. You were quite frightened at our first meeting.” She says it plainly, as though commenting on the weather. “Someone less calm might have lashed out at you for that, you realize.”
You grimace. Some Oni have tried to attack you for that sort of thing. Still, you don't mind her strangeness as much. If anything, you find it… almost charming? Despite her inhuman features, the light pink coloration makes the third eye seem almost cute.
“…Ah. Well, thank you.”
She pauses, caught off guard for a heartbeat. “It’s unusual hearing a compliment from someone who isn’t one of the pets…”
…Ah, right. Miss Satori can read minds, so you should probably apologize.
“I-”
“It’s fine,” she cuts in gently, voice slipping back into its usual calm monotone. “If anything, I prefer compliments over insults.”
You relax a little. Despite the stigma surrounding her, she truly is kind.
“I’m simply the sort of person who takes pity on strays,” she adds lightly.
Well… lucky you, then.
…It would be nice if Orin showed such mercy to you as well, you thought unabidden.
“She’s enjoying the novelty,” she explains. “There aren’t many newcomers here. And fewer still who are human enough for her to tease. You’ll forgive her, won’t you?”
You’d try. But she is—
“It’s the nature of youkai to scare humans,” Satori finishes for you. “And I am a youkai as well, I will remind you.”
So… you want to scare me too?
Her lips curl into a smile. On anyone else it might have been warm. On a youkai before a human, though… Yes, youkai were truly scary, you thought.
Satori suddenly sighed, disappointment evident as if you answered incorrectly.
“You did.” She confirms.
You frown, confused. Didn’t she just say you were supposed to be scared?
She doesn’t respond at first. Instead she studies you—quiet, intent, as though memorizing your face. Was she worried she would forget you, you thought amusedly.
“Yes.“
As if that makes any sense.
“It isn’t supposed to,” she replies. “Humans and youkai think in different ways, yes?”
While you’re trying to figure out what Satori means, she motions you forward to the chair in front of her desk. You sit. After a moment, she reaches beneath the desk and retrieves a large red wine bottle, setting it on the table with a soft clink.
[[Wine?|Choice 1]]“Hm.”
Satori looks you over, eyes critiquing you for… something. You really hope she isn’t considering a uniform for you. “Who do you take me for, some sort of aristocratic fetishist?” Satori snarks.
That seems to be a barb at someone specific.
"It is." Satori mutters. She seems the same as always, but… maybe a little dissatisfied?
“I’m not dissatisfied.”
Did you do something wrong, you wonder?
“Were you not listening to me? I’m not upset at something, if that’s what you’re curious about. I’m merely thinking about something.” Satori says, her gaze flicking to your untouched glass of wine.
…You suppose it was pretty rude to not drink. You must have gotten distracted.
Ah. Well, there's an easy way to solve that!
You pick up the glass, ready to down the entire thing in one go- but Satori calmly pries it out of your hand.
"I didn't 'pry' anything. I lightly took it from your hands. You're just weaker than me." Satori says, though you don't quite believe that her slight frame is stronger than yours. Satori glares at you and you take the hint to stop talking. She sighs.
“It's fine. I should have taken into account your lack of alcoholism. It's a bit surprising. In Gensokyo, it might as well be water.” Satori brings a hand to her chin. “...A different approach, perhaps.”
Approach to-
Satori waves you off. “You need not worry about that. Just meet me here tomorrow at around the same time, okay?
What? This still doesn’t make much-
“I’ll explain properly tomorrow. I have to go fetch something in the meantime.” Satori says, before walking to the door.
“Escort me to the entrance of the mansion, and you’re free to go after.” Huh? Why does she want you to take her there? She stomps on your foot, far more powerful and painfully than her frame suggests. Her face is turned away from you, but you still hear her speak.
“I would appreciate it if you learned to read between the lines, if only slightly.”
You’re left confused even when you’re lying in bed, hours later.
[[What was that about?|Demo End]]Demo is over.
thank you for playing. please offer advice for the endings and the rest of the tf.