The New Touhou Character Alternate Interpretation Compendium!

Rin calls Utsuho 'Okuu' in the Extra Stage backstory.

Damn it!

Actually, I checked the wiki, and her SA profile lists Okuu as her nickname. So, yeah.

Edit: X2 Correction combo.

edited 5th Jun '11 5:07:31 PM by Bocaj

This is canon

Oh, and Okuu calls herself that in one of the paths. Nitori's, I think

This small world of ours

The youkai that were driven underground had to come to terms with their new, confined sphere of existence. But aren't those on the surface just as confined, under that unseen barrier that bars them from ever touching that sky they claim to own? And inside their cages, people further distance themselves from others and seek out only a select few people to interact with, and places to be in. We all create our own cages. It's nothing abnormal. It's going to be okay. We can live just fine in this place, on our own. We don't need anyone else. Hey, Koishi. Please trust me. It's going to be okay.

You're not listening, are you?

The elder sister believed in her own words. A world of restrictions is a safe world. Their new home was spaceous and ornate. She did not even ask for as much. The mind-reading sisters' bond is a special one after all. While those around them pace about, vessels of restricted minds wandering amongst the unyielding walls of the material world that connects them, they had a freedom much greater to enjoy, a world far wider to explore: The inner world of their beloved sister. The material world is a tempter. It offers many things, yes, but... if you just leave behind your greed a little. If you just... stop asking for more. Then this life isn't so bad, is it?

There is a fine line between hedonism and love.

There is a fine line between enlightenment and fatalism.

The sister's bond was not strong enough to endure the tug of so many worlds tearing at their hearts and their bodies. The weakest link had to break. And it broke.

Their home was spaceous and ornate. Even though there was no need for words, Koishi would run through the halls shouting out her feelings, just to dance about in the echo of her words reflecting off the empty walls. The animals who joined them are obedient and only talk amongst one another when the need arises. Sometimes the younger ones damage the walls and dirty the floor. It gives the housekeeper something to do. Anything is fine. She does not ask for much. She does not want to ask for more. Even though it has left her behind. Her world.

The elder sister pauses and puts the broom against the wall. Something has changed. With slow, tentative steps, she enters the kitchen. The table offers a half-heartedly assembled fruit cake and snacks, rapidly approaching decay. It has been a long time since her sister visited. There is nothing unusual about this. And yet, something has changed. The most beloved pets, the black cat and raven, often leave the house now to visit their new friends who recently dropped by... Was it recently? Has it been two weeks, or months?

She takes a bite of one of the snacks. If it ever had any taste in it, it does no more. How long have these been waiting here? It's high time to make new ones. Koishi might return any day now.

The decaying mass disposed of, the elder sister stands still for a long time. She sits down on the floor. Buries her face in her legs to darken her two eyes. They hurt sometimes. The material world is not for her. Why couldn't her sister have been the same? Why did she have to be so obsessed with what's outside?

Or was it her? Was it Satori who should have been more like her sister? Is she in the wrong? Is her sister? Is everyone else, who pushed them away, in their arrogance, their selfishness.

The black cat and raven visit the surface. How? It only begins to occur to her. How is this possible? The stone walls are impenetrable. The iron law of the contract is unbreakable. Who enforces this law? When did this change? What happened to those barriers? How did they get torn down? Are they torn down, or is it just a fracture in the surface? What force does it take to bend that which cannot be moved?

Has it been minutes? Hours? Days. Thoughts spiral in the enlightened mind, searching desperately for a new order.

Eventually, the elder sister stirred. The black cat's ears perked up as she called for the raven. Satori gets up, opening new eyes.

Koishi.

This world can be changed. This material world.

I don't know when, I don't know how.

But if you return. When you return.

I want to welcome you to a world that is worth returning to.

edited 5th Jun '11 10:07:18 PM by Fawriel

... Oh. Wow. That was beautiful. It carried such a wonderfully introspective vibe to it. Bravo.

"Introspective"? I couldn't think of a more fitting word if I tried.

I have to admit, I'm actually not all that happy with it, hah! But oh well.

There's no room left in the write-up after that conclusion, but I imagine that, once her eyes got used to the light again and she told Orin and Okuu what's up, she went straight into the middle of the city without fear. The hate of the common folk can't hurt her, and she's strong enough to protect herself from direct assault.

Eventually, she meets Yuugi, and demands her assistance. What is this? Making demands of an oni? Haha, that's interesting. Do you even have the strength to carry around such a big mouth?

Telling an oni what to do means challenging an oni, of course. A duel ensues. Satori isn't nearly powerful enough to beat Yuugi. But the oni knows an earnest heart when she sees one, especially when it looks right back at her. And that is how Satori made the first of many powerful allies on her way to becoming a decisive force in opening up the underground.

edited 5th Jun '11 10:21:30 PM by Fawriel

I suppose most authors can't give fair judgement on their own work; they either hate it or love it WAY too much. Still, nice job, Faw.

Well I don't hate it. I just found myself using that choppy style again, and I don't think it's really appropriate for this write-up. It works well for someone like Koishi, but I think for Satori, it would've been better to write in a more composed style, saying what I want to say more through artful formulation rather than through a particular style of presentation. But I guess that's a limitation of not planning out write-ups beforehand and wanting to get done in not much longer than an hour.

I wasn't really going for a straight definition of "Hate." I guess hyperbole was inappropriate.

Guess the review period is nearing its end. Anyone care to review the review period? Was it a good idea? Was it a good idea, but could be better handled? If yes, how? Should we keep having them in the future, and if so, how often? Et cetera!

I LIKED IT. It gave people a time and excuse to do the write-ups they'd been meaning to do but had been too shy or lazy to do. I give it two thumbs up.

I think it was a fantastic idea! (Of course, I would...)

The execution was great, too. Bringing the characters up in groups with their writeups was a good way to get people thinking and maybe looking for gaps in the thread's understanding.

TWO thumbs up? YOU'RE INSANE!

sorry. Couldn't help it. 2 thumbs up does = The Master, after all.

Mmm, yeah, it was nice...<3

Probably we shouldn't do them too often, though. Also, as for who's next, I still say Parsee.

I vote for Parsee too. Let's defuse this jealousy bomb.

If you guys are gonna start voting for Parsee all over again, I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill someone.

I'm trying to defuse the jealousy bomb, here.

^^ Am I missing a reference somewhere?

A reference to those combined approximately 5.000 votes she got the last couple times people thought it was necessary to vote, if you will.

It's the jealousy bomb. He wants to kill us all.

So, who is Faw likely to kill? Depending on the answer, I may have to vote for Parsee

It may hit anyone.

Preferably Tardises, though.

Uh oh. Better fix your chameleon circuit, mate.

I voted for not Parsee last time. I dun remember who it was but it was distinctly not Parsee.