What am I doing

[heaventenant]

What's happening, are we going out for some exercise? I'd much rather stay up here and live the dream for a little longer. Drinking until we sleep, sleeping until we drink, so on and all that. Besiiides, you're a human right? There's really nothing you can do about that. Unless you become a youkai.

And the putting me somewhere thing too.

Anyway, I'd be lying if I said there's nothing you could do in one sense or the other. You're the one running this party after all. If you're the feast master then arrange a decent venue for the festivities. Let's gather all the people up and drink until we can no longer speak!

... A place where I lose my tolerance for alcohol? That's cheap! I really won't be able to talk if that happens. And then how will everyone know how to get to the party? You're organising a flop.

Comments

[heaventenant]

[Frantically downloads the latest chapter--]

...

[O H.]

Hey there, fancy a drink?

[It's okay. Don't be scaaared. Come ooon.]

[ibarakasen]

[HAHA sorry about that.]

Uh...

[Craaaaap. No good no good no-]

I don't drink.

[Praying to every god imaginable that is indicative of Suika not recognizing her.]

[heaventenant]

[ITS ALL GOOD~]

You don't? Aaah. But it's a special occasion. Come on, just one saucer.

[Look, she's already pouring some sake out and everything.]

Do I know you? It's too late for the 'I know all about you' line now. I'd rather not go back to that anyway.

[ibarakasen]

[LUCKY DAY.]

No, you can keep it. I wouldn't keep an oni from their drink, it'd just go to waste over here.

[That and she doesn't want to, yanno... go back to any old habits.]

As for the other... I think we... may have run into each other a couple of times.

[Trying so hard to end this conversation before she's recognized... not even likely, Kasen.]

[heaventenant]

[Hmmm~]

I thought so, I never forget a face. Sometimes. [The drink gets in the way now and then.] Here, it's poured out and waiting. You wouldn't decline a drink from an oni would you?

[Griiin~]

[ibarakasen]

That would be even more reason to decline a drink. If you think you're gonna get me drunk and then kidnap me to eat me, you're barking up the wrong tree, Ibuki.

[... Kasen, no one calls Suika that.]

[heaventenant]

Kidnap and eat you huh? You have me pinned as a really shady person, I have to wonder what sort of stuff you've heard about me.

[Well fine. She'll just have to bring the saucer to Kasen. Stumbling over now~]

Don't go reading those tengu news articles and taking them as fact, that'll get you nowhere.

[ibarakasen]

... I know that you're an oni. That's all I need to know.

[This isn't working in chasing her off as much as Kasen wants it tooooo...

Also she's going to... back away.]

No one reads the tengu articles and takes them as fact anyway. I know what I know from my own experiences. [Like, oh I don't know, having worked with her as an oni before, Kasen?]

[heaventenant]

Oho, well that's something.

[Because onis are amazing and all that.

Stop backing away. It makes it really hard to deliver sake when you don't hold still. With a little hop Suika will start to float over rather than stumble.]

You know I asked Yuugi about mountain climbing sometime. You should come too with the rest of us, Ibara.

[ibarakasen]

[...]

... I-

[FUUUU-!]

... No! No, I am perfectly fine never speaking to any of you ever again.

[Grumpy Hermit: Turn On.]

[heaventenant]

[I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU/KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU/STALKER ONI FOR LIFE--]

Well we can't exactly be the Three Devas now can we, come on.

[Once she's close enough Suika is going to try and sling her free arm around Kasen's shoulders. All oni should be buddy-buddy with each other riiight?]

Drink up, let's get a party started.

[ibarakasen]

[Noooooooooooooooooooo]

... That title stopped meaning anything when we gave up the mountain, and you know it.

[She tries to get away but-

... Well, she can't outmuscle Suika.]

... I don't want to drink anything, though.

[heaventenant]

It can mean nothing save for nostalgia's sake then. Enjoy the old times and all that!

[You can't deny her for much longer~ Before long she's poking the saucer into Kasen's cheek.]

Awww it's just a little drop, it'll be like drinking nothing. Especially to someone like you, no matter how long you've been keepin' yourself dry.

[ibarakasen]

I would rather forget the old times. It's easier that way.

[Harumph. She is just going to stare at that sake. Staaaaaare.]

It won't be 'just a little drop', I can't let myself be tempted by more...

[Though boy is that sake starting to smell... really good.]

And it's been a couple hundred years and I'd like to keep it that way, Ibuki. [... She gets points for obstinance, at least?]

[heaventenant]

Nowhere near as fun though. How're we meant to reminisce over a drink if there's nothing to babble on about?

[Sure, points for obstinance. Though by the time you're rolling around on the floor those points won't be worth much.]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Pretty sure your need for a drink should have properly matured by now I~ba~ra~ [If the sake had feelings then you might have hurt them by now. The poor sake, down it before you upset it anymore.]

[ibarakasen]

Ki, Ibuki. I. Ba. Ra. Ki. There's more to it than just thorns.

[The attempt at distracting herself ultimately proves futile, however. Because, eventually, she sighs and takes the sake dish.

But doesn't drink. Yet.]

And reminisce over what? 'Yes, remember that time we made servants out of an entire race? Hey, I wonder if they hate us for that.'