Note:
Sequence of Chronology
- The Shrine of Gensokyo: Prologue
- The Shrine of Gensokyo
- The Miracles of Gensokyo
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This is for you, Kiro. Thanks for the review and feedback man!
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[?Why? hi there, Welcome?]
Smiling, I held out a hand to the little girl who was here for the first time.
[Welcome, to the Hakurei Shrine.]
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The Miracles of Gensokyo
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v416/dwrulez/Signatures/Miracles_bannercopy.png)
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Sitting down with the parents of the little girl, I sat down and listened to their woes.
They were worried, worried about how she would be able to survive in the new environment.
[You see, Miss Reimu? she? plays with Fairies all day.]
[and they are youkai, Miss Reimu. I know that some youkai are like us? but some youkai are still dangerous?]
The mother looked at me in worry as she hugged her little girl.
I understood her concern, the people of the human village had long viewed youkai as dangerous and it was unreasonable for me to expect them to believe in them in such a short time.
[Little girl? do you play with Fairies?]
Fairies are the weaker youkai, sometimes friendly and sometimes dangerous but definitely not smart at the beginning.
They have voices, soft voices that many cannot distinguish from the squeaks and squeals they normally emit but they do have voices and intelligence and is self aware, unlike many other youkai like the best youkai that is so commonly blamed for attacks.
Fairy youkai are the easiest to approach and the hardest to understand, due to their shared nature.
If this little girl can play with her? she might be spiritually talented since birth as the fairies feel comfortable with her.
[Yes, I do Miss Shrine Maiden?]
She nervously told me and I ran a hand through her fingers, softly telling her that it is okay, I am not mad at her.
[Well? do they look like this?]
Gesturing, I heard the tell-tale of the two darlings that I kept at the Shrine.
The twinkling of the bells they wore on their heads signaling their approach.
[Ran, Chen.,. be nice okay?]
Smiling as the two fairies looked at the little girl, then at one another before flying over and sitting on her shoulders.
[~~~~]
Listening to what they were saying, I was about to translate it for the little girl and her parent?s benefit when she spoke herself.
[I?ll play house with them! They know how to play house, don?t they! I made clothes that might fit them too!
Can I, Miss Shrine Maiden, can I?]
I nodded to her and then turned to her stunned parents, who were looking at her child in shock and at the same time a little bit of fear as she conversed with Ran and Chen.
[She is spiritually gifted, a child that can speak with Youkai, not unusual as Children do have clearer thoughts then we adults do.
But to display such traits at such an early stage, that is certainly very rare and very valuable.]
I told them more about youkai and her special ability, for her to be able to talk to youkai at such a young age, it is surely an advantage to her as she would be able to seek assistance from youkai if necessary and more likely than not, she would never be targeted by youkai again.
[Youkai knows one of their own from the others? naturally there will be risks but your child will be safe from a majority of youkai.
If you are still worried, take these.]
Passing them a few amulets and charms, I told them to place them in the walls of her room and around the house if necessary.
[This amulets will shine brightly and will weaken the powers of stronger youkai if they sense hostility.]
[T-Thank you, Miss Shrine Maiden! Thank you for your help!]
The pair thanked me as I told them not to worry, they must be relieved now that they know their child is safe and even special not as they feared, that she was a danger, a threat to their lives by merely existing.
[? Be careful on your way down!]
Waving to the three of them after the little girl was coaxed to play with Ran and Chen another day, I patted both their heads for a job well done.
[Thank you, you really came through for me. Did you have fun?]
Smiling tenderly at the two of them, I went back to what I was doing before I was interrupted by the couple.
The two dears were called Ran and Chen in memory of my dearest friend?s memories, they are fairies that have bonded with me and is part of my extended family.
Learning from experience and trail and error, the two of them have more or less adapted to their new environment, even donning different clothes like us, made specially by Alice, who are attached to the two dears.
Where I am is the Hakurei Shrine, once the only Shrine in Gensokyo but now the more ancient and grander shrine of Gensokyo, the other one being the Moriya Shrine, in which the Patron Goddess is Yasaka Kanako, the Goddess of the Earth.
[? Ah, Suika!]
Hearing the sounds of her chains rattling in the air, I turned towards the direction of the Torii gates and waved to the figure flying towards the Shrine.
[Suika! Okaeri!]
[Reimu! Taidama!!]
Crashing straight into my arms, I absorbed as much of the impact I could before I fell to the ground, laughing and giggling with Suika, who was all grins as she got off me.
[Welcome home, Suika?]
[I?m back home, Reimu!]
This is Ibuki Suika, the final part of my extended family and a Shrine Maiden in training living with me at the Shrine itself.
She is youkai, an Oni in fact with two horns at the side of her head but she is absolutely a dear, with her blondish orangey hair and childlike frame and features, rarely anyone would not squeal and say she was not adorable.
She was left out of a large portion of my life due to an incident, an incident that was as painful and fuzzy to me than everyone else that was involved.
Returning back to my homeland, Gensokyo half a year ago, I tried to make up for the lost time even when I know it wouldn?t do much.
The scars that are left from the dark times will never heal but the least I can do is to ease their pain? to make up for the times lost.
--
[Lunch is almost ready Suika.]
[Yay! Is Marisa joining us today?]
[Who knows? But I?ll set a setting for her, just in case.]
I was all smiles as the both of us entered the Shrine to the hall that we would have our meals.
[Okay!! I visited all the homes today, Reimu! They were all fine, no youkai attacks today again!]
Suika smiled happily and I nodded in agreement with her, the youkai were leaving the village alone after the incident and I would not have it any other way.
Youkai are human too even if many of them call them spirits.
Youkai or spirits are supernatural beings, made of magical powers and powered by one?s faith and belief of them although at times they are strong enough to simply feed on fear and beliefs of people directly.
Without humans there might not be spirits or youkai as they take shape from the fear and believes of people, giving them shape and form and powers.
With some exceptions like fairies, pixies and elemental spirits, all youkai is originated from humans directly.
Spirits of the forest gain form through people?s worship and from magical energies coursing through the woods but their shapes and forms is different from how one views them.
Their forms are ethereal, varying from person to person but a general consensus will be built throughout the generations of stories that is passed down.
Humans give birth to youkai and they fear and revere them at the same time, odd really but people?s thoughts and beliefs do change throughout the years.
My patron spirit is the Great Hakurei Spirit, the spirit that surely exists that watches over the Shrine and the People of Gensokyo, my belief in her will never waver or change even if I have never seen her?
but that changes nothing, I still hold her in the highest regard and I serve her, tending her quarters and borrowing her strength to serve the people.
I serve the people and the spirits, to me they are equal in terms of importance?
I can?t choose which is better, which is the side that I will side with. I will never do that, both of them are just as important to me?
--
[Suika, will you be a dear and set the tab-]
Walking with her into the dining room, I shook my head as Ran and Chen flew up to us, having set the table before hand and they flew in front of us, wanting praise as they twittered with one another.
[Thank you, dears~]
Stroking their head while Suika pulled their cheeks, I told Suika to have a bath while I serve lunch.
We take turns to go down to the village every day, to spend time helping the villagers with anything related to Faith.
We would offer prayers to the residential gods and spirits in their homes, pray for rain and for good health as well as youkai extermination, or in my case, youkai banishment from the premises.
[I wish you were here?]
Settling down at the table, I looked out the window and I immediately thought of my dear friend and fellow protector of Gensokyo.
Gensokyo is a world that is hidden from the other world, the world that is current at the 21st century.
In Gensokyo, traditions stay alive, faith in gods and spirits are rampant and people must form bonds to survive.
It is really eat or be eaten in Gensokyo, the people fear youkai, fear the threat of floods, famine, drought and diseases.
Even I am not spared, I fear for my life sometimes when I confront dangerous youkai but sometimes, the fear does not kick in till afterwards.
I? I do not know why, when I step in, to resolve a dangerous situation, my body seem to be unable to register the feeling of fear even when my foes are those that can easily kill me.
? Someone once told me that only one who knows true fear display fearlessness in the face of danger.
[?]
Gensokyo is wonderful and beautiful, filled with dangers and wonders like no place I have ever seen before.
I love this land and I would do anything to save it and with me, was perhaps my youkai counterpart, Yakumo Yukari, the gap youkai and the Guardian of Gensokyo.
Yakumo Yukari was a true friend, a person that I knew from young that was although sometimes annoying, mischievous and generally a person I would not want to deal with.
But she has been the one person silently watching over Gensokyo, keeping an eye on everything and everything from behind the scenes.
She is the one refraining from the public?s eyes, preferring to hide her deeds then to bask in the all the glory.
She was my friend and the one who sacrificed herself for Gensokyo.
She made the ultimate sacrifice, doing what she believed was right for Gensokyo? only for it to be wrong?
Her sanity corroded, her judgment flawed? she made a terrible mistake but that does not mean she should be despised, her name to be tarnished her past deeds forgotten.
Till the end, she believed what she was doing was right?. I know, I know what she did was wrong? she was planning mass murder, a genocide of Gensokyo if she pulled it off?
but yet, I believed her love for Gensokyo was true.
If it was not, why would she struggle so defiantly against me when everything and everyone was against her.
When miracles were performed on my side and I rallied back despite everything she threw at me.
True, she ignored all the warning signs, that the life of Gensokyo was sucked away and was in danger of her plans? but all of it, was it not due to the crushing responsibilities on her shoulders?
She wanted Gensokyo to be remade in her desire?
She wanted to be free of the responsibilities, the pressure on her that finally drove her over the wall.
When one passes the border of Madness and Sanity, there is no coming back?
If she was free of such burdens would she have not made such mistakes?
I do not know, I cannot possibly know?
What I do know is that she loved Gensokyo the most, more than anyone else.
I could only what would happen if she had come to her senses earlier? would she not need to die in my hands?
I feel so helpless when night falls and I wake up alone in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat, my dreams always seem to be the one where I saw Yukari?s last smile as she faded away to oblivion and my hands slick with red blood, her blood.
Every night I have the comforting sounds of Suika snoring softly and the small breaths Ran and Chen emit as they slept beside me, they were my emotional support, telling me to live on, for their sake, for Gensokyo?s sake and for Yukari?s sake.
For each day that I live and sleep in Gensokyo I call that a small victory, something that I had earned and fought for and I had nearly paid the full price for it.
I had crossed over to the other side after my struggles, meeting the yama and was ready to be judged till I was sent back to my world.
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[The Hourai Elixer in the Princess?s blood might have given you temporary immortality? ?.
It is a mystery even to me, Hakurei. I have never seen a case like you before, perhaps with another death we will find out?]
[Erm, no thank you, Miss Yagokoro.]
[Naturally I was pulling your leg. Still, I would expect you to age slower than most people and?]
Leaning close to me, Miss Yagokoro confessed that she suspected that I might take on characteristics of a half-youkai.
[It must be due to your long exposure with powerful Magic, the mysterious way your wounds healed and the blood transfusion from many powerful, magical beings.
Even if you were untainted before returning to Gensokyo, you certainly are now.]
[I-I know?]
Lowering my head, I told Miss Yagokoro what my duties were, maintaining the border requires powerful magical charms that needed to be reinforced with chants and barriers daily.
By looking at the manual Yukari gave me and with another gift from Yukari, this time the revered manual that was left by my ancestors, I was learning how to manipulate gaps and borders just like her.
[? They will manifest soon, Hakurei. You are human but you will have youkai characteristics. Fitting, don?t you think?]
She smirked before handing me my prescription as I looked at her in silence. Were all of these the truth?
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[Yo, Reimu da ze!]
[Ah? Marisa!]
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Author's Note:
Another update when I have the time
and again, R&R would be appreciated