~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library
Phantom of Dream
darkro90:
Spoiler: Actually, I've made this... fanfiction back in 2012, and haven't updated it since then after writing 8 chapters. Now, I sort of feel like continuing after rediscovering my lost passion in these 3 years, and I hope you enjoy this... fanfiction.
Disclaimer
This story is based on the Touhou project, and all its canon characters, locations and events are a property of Team Shanghai Alice, ergo ZUN.
All characters and events in this story are entirely fictional and any possible similarities between them and real people and events are purely coincidental and not intentional.
Phantom of Dream
A Touhou Project Fan Fiction
By darkro90
Chapter 1
Did you see that shadow?
First, there were forests
With a girl, surrounded with sphere that were darker than black, wander the forests.
And then, there were none.
*RRRRIIIIINNNGGG*
As the abrupt alarm sounds mightier than a meteor shower awoken me from the deep slumber, I lunged at my desk beside me and turned off the source of my agony every morning. The alarm.
While recovering from the racket that the alarm caused, I took a quick glance at the clock and realized that it was still 6:01 AM, still two hours away before the festival I awaited long starts.
So it's the day, huh?
Lazily, I get up from the bed and start my preparation before going into the festival. Yes, it is it.
The Anime Festival Asia.
It was held near my home, so near that it only took ten minutes of walking to go into the venue. I was excited to go there because only recently I have started watched animes and stuffs like that, and I have already get addicted to it. I can skip my college classes only to marathon a whole season of animes that I've downloaded illegally in the night before I slept. But I have other reasons besides the animes stuffs like cosplay and things like that.
Touhou Project.
It was inevitable in a festival that includes animes and Japan stuffs would be polluted with Touhou Project fans such as me, and usually there would be a huge numbers of them. Some cosplays as Touhou characters itself, some sells trinkets that in some way related with Touhou, and some even attend the festival only for Touhou stuffs that were brought by those Touhou fans, not for the anime stuffs that were the main focus of the event and were brought by the festival itself.
I'm always committed to never shows my real face or identity to people I met on the internet, that's why I always refuse to go into offline meetings whenever I was invited to it. Some says I always refuses to go because I was either too shy or anti-social for it, but my own reason was only because to separate my real life and internet life.
As I walks the streets that leads to the venue of the festival, I noticed that the street were more crowded than ever. On normal days, the streets were barely polluted by pedestrians, only by cars and motorcycles, that even occurs only up to 9:00 AM or so. But today, even at 7:00 AM, the streets were already crowded by people that were going into the festival.
Near the entrance, I already saw a number of people buying the tickets to the festival. Some already brought them via internet far from the event day, and when they get into the venue, they only have to shows their proofs of buying to get the ticket. As for me, I was confident that there would be spare tickets to sells on the spot.
"Hello, is there still any ticket left for the exhibition?"
"There still is."
I breathed a sigh of relieve.
"Okay, I buy one for the exhibition only."
"Sure, that would be.."
As I reach for my wallet in my backpack, I noticed someone cosplaying as one of Touhou Project character, Yukari Yakumo, sitting below a tree with a pink parasol covering her from the loose sunlight that wasn't covered by the tree's leaves, staring at the long queue line with a bored face. However, as I take a closer inspection on her, something is definitely wrong. She?
Resembles her too much. The blonde hair of her that flows freely when the air strokes them can't be a wig. And those dark, golden eyes surely weren't some kind of soft lens used for cosplaying. It was perfectly natural. Her face also were otherworldly beautiful that I can't describe it further. She wears a purple, Chinese-style tabard with various trigrams over a pale pink dress, complete with her mob cap with a red ribbon decorating it. Worse of all is, no one seems to notices her. How someone could not notices a perfect cosplayer like her is too disturbing for me to didn't take note of. No way that even a single person from the huge crowd that were in the queue for the ticket didn't notice her. But the facts tell me otherwise.
"Sir? You want to buy the tickets or not?"
As the cashier asks me impatiently, I realized that I haven't brought the ticket yet because of the outstanding cosplay I saw now. Hurriedly, I take the money needed for the ticket from my wallet and give it to the cashier to complete the transaction before the person behind me got mad and the perfect cosplayer moved out before I even got the chance to take a picture of her.
Half running, I walks toward her while thinking what sentence I should say to her. Luckily, when I was stands directly in front of her, I have found the perfect word to ask for her picture.
"May I take a picture of you?"
She gets a little startled hearing my sentences, but smiles afterward. Her smiles, for me, looks a little relieved one. Maybe she's sitting there the whole time, waiting for some crazy otaku like me to take a picture of her.
"Sure, go ahead."
I proceeded to take a picture of her. I only took one picture of her, partly because I don't want to look too much like a crazed otaku, and partly for preserving spaces for my camera memory. After all, this second-hand camera could only take one hundred pictures.
"Thanks."
I thanked her while I check my picture shot.
"Hehe, you're welcome."
It? it would be a shame if I didn't ask her number, or in the very least, her facebook or something. But asking her directly without talking a bit would be too ballsy and disrespectful.
"Nice Yukari cosplay you do here, you really do look like her."
She only smiles hearing my complement.
Is that a forced smile she gave, or a genuine one? Usually, when I complement a cosplayer, they'll thank me or become boastful of their achievement. I never met a cosplayer that simply smiles after I complement them.
After a one minute of awkward silence, I finally gather some courage to asks her directly about her information.
"Say? do you have any facebook or something?"
"Face?book? I'm afraid no"
She answers with a smile.
Someone at this time of year, still didn't have any facebook? Oh, I get it. You were either too elegant to use facebook, or maybe too shy to give it to me. Completely understandable, Miss Cosplayer. If I were you, I wouldn't either give my facebook to a random stranger I just met.
Come to think of it, I haven't asked her name yet.
After putting my camera to my backpack, I offered a handshake to her while introducing myself.
"Sorry if I were rude. My name is Noru. Nice to meet you? err.."
"Yukari Yakumo. Nice to meet you too, Noru-san."
She accepted my handshake.
Yukari Yakumo? Is she roleplaying or what? Well, otherwise I completely forgot rule number two in festivals like this:
Never ask a cosplayer their real name.
"Nice to meet you too, um? Yukari-san." I answered it with a smile.
Before I got to talk anything else, she stands up and unfolds her pink parasol.
Did I just make someone uncomfortable by my words? If I was, I would eternally regret this, and to think that of all people I offended, it should be a beautiful girl that cosplay as Yukari.
"Noru-san, do you believe in fate?"
A much unexpected question comes out from her. I thought at first, she would move out because of me being a total creep to her.
"Fate? Hmm? honestly, no."
She smiles hearing my response.
"So you think our meeting here wasn't meant to be, that this was purely a coincidence?"
Is this a test? If this was a visual novel game, I would already be presented by two option of choice that would either lead to bad end, or a good end.
"Hmm.. to think that this was a coincidence would be logical, since we haven't met before. Saying this encounter was fated was too ridiculous for me to handle."
"I see?"
She says with a satisfied smile.
"Then you can have this."
She handed me a small yellow paper, with a three big red kanji word written on it.
"What is this?"
"A gift. You can try reading it before you sleep." She says it with smiles that were a little? ominous.
I turned away a bit to put the gift she gave me inside my backpack.
"Thanks."
"No, it should be me the one who thanking you." She answers with a small chuckle at the beginning.
When I turned to her again, she's already disappeared.
What the hell just happen? Did she just run out or something? Well, in any case, I got this gift she gave me, not anyone get free goodies from a cosplayer these days.
I decide to put this behind, and enter the building where the festival is located.
"So tired?"
I muttered to myself before dropping my almost numb body to the bed. The festival was great and wasn't a disappointment like many of my internet friend said it would. I took a quick glance at the clock, noticing that it was already 11:02 PM.
Ah, I almost forgot to write my reports and upload my pictures. I'd bet they would flock and bow to my collection of pictures, mostly the Yukari one.
And also that gift she gave me... wouldn't hurt to see it.
I dragged my tired body to the computer desk and turns on my computer that hasn't been turned on today. Scrolling through chan, the board I regularly visited, I found nearly ten reports of the festival I attended earlier. I decided to take a look at them before posting myself. Out of ten thread I saw, none of them have the picture of the person that cosplay as Yukari I met earlier in the morning.
Seriously? Even these guys couldn't get a picture of her? Hmph, I guess this is my time to shine again.
After finished waiting about ten minutes for the upload to complete, I create a report thread similar to ten report threads earlier I read, with the Yukari cosplay picture last and my most prized picture. I even added these lines before the picture:
'And here it is, ladies and gentlemen, my most prized photo of all; Super Yukari Cosplay!'
While awaiting responses for my thread, I decide to play one of Touhou game series, Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. I never succeeded in clearing the extra stage, and now I decide to give it a try again.
"Ugh? that was way really close."
I mutter with disappointment. I was a step away on beating the extra boss, Flandre Scarlet, while suddenly my joystick lags and got hit in the process, wasting my final life. Before I press the "Restart Stage" button, I decide to check back my thread to see the replies on the thread.
Seven posts in ten minutes? This is nice.
With a little excitement and anxiety, I read all the response starting from the beginning.
"To: OP
Dude that was awesome takes of picture. Though many of them was 2ho characters. But it was fine for me since many of them weren't half bad.
Although, I still don't quite get it why you take a tree picture for the super yukari cosu you mentioned."
Troll attempt? What are you talking about?
I checked back my previous Yukari picture that was uploaded in the thread. The picture shows off correctly with the beautiful smile of her decorating her already beautiful face. I checked the second response.
"To: 1
wtf with the yukari pic? I refreshed 5 times and it only shows a tree. Wrong picture uploaded, OP?"
What the heck these guys talking about? It showed up perfectly fine for me...
"OP was high or something, uploading tree and grasses."
"To: 3
Ikr, but other pics were decent, Aya's one was my favorite."
"To: OP
Nice tree."
The remaining two responses were pretty much same. They said they see the other cosplay picture perfectly, but they can't see the Yukari's one.
"What the heck are you guys talking about? The Yukari's one shows up perfectly fine for me." I respond.
But when I post it, there were already ten more response with the same answer.
No Yukari, but other pictures shows up perfectly.
As I read the responses, one took my attention clearly.
"To: 13
Maybe he met teh real yukari, lulz"
I swallow my saliva nervously after grasping what's probably going on.
Real Yukari Yakumo, from Gensokyo? But that's simply?
Nonsense.
Or maybe, I've played too much Touhou this week.
I take slight peek at the balcony, and managed to drag myself to go there for some fresh air. While overseeing the quiet roads beneath the balcony, I managed to calm myself a little bit and try to remember what just happened earlier in the day.
There is some possibility, but?
It couldn't be. And of all people, why only I could see her? It's not like I'm some shonen hero type that got some super secret power or something.
Or... am I...?
Hah. Just kidding. I'd never step into that level of delusion.
But still...
While remembering the day I just went through complete with this fiasco, I remembered that the cosplayer, or who I think it was, gave me something.
The paper! If that was really there, then..
It wasn't an illusion or something.
Anxiously, I entered my room and close the window leading to the balcony. With my heart pounding even faster, I opened my backpack to search the yellow paper that I got earlier in the morning. Shockingly, it was there. Behind a Touhou artbook I brought earlier.
It's... here. Then surely that encounter really happened. But, just to make sure?
I scanned the paper and uploaded it to the board. But to evade some meaningless argument with my fellow board member, I decide to create a separate thread for it, basically asking about what's the kanji meaning that written in the paper. Within five minutes, there were five responses, only one that appears to translated it seriously.
"To: OP
The word written there was:
夢の扉
Or in romaji, "yume no tobira." It means Dream's Door.
You know, for a second I think it resembles 2ho miko talisman that she used for attacks. You get it from a 2ho merchandise stand or something?"
Of course! Reimu's talisman!
How could I didn't recognize it?
Then if it was true, this... might be a?
Portal to Gensokyo?
I cleared my throat nervously, and stared at the yellow paper. I tried to keep thinking rational about all of this, but with the recent happenings that started this morning, I know that it wouldn't end well.
Or maybe, it would end pretty well. It all depends on the circumstances.
I took a quick glance at the clock, realizing that it was already midnight past four minutes. I decided to call it a day and turned the computer off. Before I managed to hit the hay, I remembered what the cosplayer, that supposed to be the Yukari, told me earlier this morning.
"You can try reading it before you sleep."
Dream's Door? would it means that I will enter Gensokyo in my sleep? Or will I get ported out in the middle of my dream or something?
Partly excited and anxious about the outcome, I try to read the content of the small yellow paper aloud.
"Yume no tobira!"
I closed my eyes, waiting for something to happen, like some magical girl waiting for her transformation to finish.
After sitting silent for a minute, I opened my eyes with great expectation. But instead, like something I've expected in the back of my mind, nothing happens.
Figures?
Instead of something happens out of ordinary, I realized that I was getting sleepier than before. I managed to put the yellow paper to the desk besides my bed before I go into my deep slumber.
Ugh?
Why does my bed feels rock solid?
And where's my damn pillow?!
Wait... that's weird...
Not a single minute was elapsed before my sleep; I already awoke somewhere else beside my comfy bedroom. It was pitch dark, I could barely see anything else. I could feel the surface of the land i was sleeping on, and I can only guess it was grasses that covers the ground where i slept on.
Wait a minute?
Is this? am I?
Lucid dreaming?
Ha! First time I actually managed to do it without putting any efforts to it.
Then again, even when I put my efforts in it, I never succeed.
I try to stand with my hands supporting my body. I try to look around, but there was barely something to see because of the pitch dark lightning.
Hmm? I should try creating a portal to Gensokyo in here, those guys at lucid dreaming forum says that you only need some mantra to do it.
"Portal, open up!"
Nothing happens after I say those words aloud.
Well, that's strange. It should work if I was in a dream?
Or? I wasn't?
I decides to look around for a faint light source. When I turn my head to the right, I saw a ray of moonlight, lightning up a small dirt pathway that leads to god-knows-where.
Damn, if I was sleepwalking into somewhere, I could be in a real trouble.
Without any more option presented to me, I decide to follow the trail of dirt while the moonlight brighten my path forward. After five minutes of walking, the trail ends to a large field with many trees appears to be cut down. Strangely, it wasn't cut down like usual lumberjacks do. It was cut down crudely, with burn marks everywhere. It was like a field of battle.
What the hell happens here?
Wait a minute?
Before I sleep, I was?
I quickly realized the situation after remembering what happens before I enter my slumber.
I'm in real trouble now. If this was really Gensokyo, I just made the stupidest mistake of all.
Wandering around in the middle of the night wasn't a very wise thing to do. Especially when there's a certain youkai that wanders around.
I felt the night breeze passing through my body while I try to comprehend the situation. The Gensokyo I knew from my excerpt of reading information about it was unforgiving, and almost guaranteed deadly for intruders, or should I say, outsiders like me.
Wait a minute. This wind felt too strong. Something's not quite right...
It came from... above?!
I quickly noticed someone was hovering above me. When I look up, I saw a girl with short blond hair and ribbon tied to her left side of her hair. She also wears a black vest, white blouse and skirt, surrounded with dark spheres, hovering above me.
I hope she wasn't Rumia.
Nope, I was wrong.
And now I'm totally screwed.
Chapter 1 Ends.
Tsuken Yasashi:
Oh dear, another Gappy Stu/Sue Formula on Touhou fanfics... Not gonna say negative or positive about it atm, so just keep building up the story. We'll see how this turns out to be...
darkro90:
Chapter 2
Apparitions Stalk the Night
First, there were two souls
One hunts the other one, while the other one ran for their life.
And then, there were none.
A cold breeze swept upon my face, dropping a single sweat from my forehead. As much as I want to run as fast as I can away from her, my leg won't move at all, probably because the sheer amount of terror I felt right now, or?
The insurmountable amount of excitement I've had right now. Not everyday you can meet a Touhou character, in the flesh, with your own eyes, without some proxy like artworks, games or something. But Rumia is the one I would've rather avoid right now, given the circumstances. It was nice to know that I just met a Touhou character in real life though. Or, should I put it, in Gensokyo.
If there's Rumia, then there should be... others. But that's not what I should be concerned about. Right now, my first priority should be getting out of here alive and head to any place that is safe enough for me to avoid wandering hungry youkai like her.
Asking direction to the Hakurei Shrine sounds like good idea if I happen to stumble into the Human Village.
With those thoughts, I gained some courage and determination to escape this dangerous youkai that's, probably, waiting for me to go panic and run madly without thinking for some plan first. Slowly, I try to moves my leg a little without making any useless noise that might makes her notices my attempt to escape from her.
"That's strange~"
But before I could move an inch, those lines made me froze in place again and snuffed any courage I have gathered. If a normal little girl said those, it wouldn't scare me to death like this. But if you know that she wasn't a normal girl, that she was a starving man-eating youkai, you probably guess that she's about to pounce you anytime soon.
"For a second, I thought a human was here. But I don't see anything? maybe it's just my imagination."
She starts to hovers forward slowly in my direction. Another cold breeze swept through my face as I waited for her to be far enough for me, so that I could moves away from her safely. After she was far enough to be not on my sight again, I sighed a breath of relieve and starts to walks in the opposite direction where she headed.
"FOUND YOU!"
Unfortunately, that is the biggest mistake I've made this night. As I try to walk slowly, I didn't notice a branch was in my way, and when that branch crack was heard echoing through the forest, she screamed those words in my direction.
Usually, those cute screams imitated by my fellow Touhou fans in MewTube would make me cringe at how cute and perfect they are at imitating Rumia's voice, even though neither I nor them never heard the real one. But hearing it from the real one only gave me a slight relief of knowing that even if I die tonight, I've heard one of Touhou's character real voices. Besides, she sounds cute way cuter than those MewTubers that attempt to imitate her voice.
Crap. Time to run?
Time to run.
Hearing those screams gave me the adrenaline and motivation needed to sprint faster than I usually do on gym classes that I usually took when I was still a high school student.
As I ran through the forests, I can feel that she's already tailing me by hovering toward me, even though I haven't looked back because of unexplainable fear I felt that if I look back, it would slows me down significantly. Because of the amazement I felt if I looked at her face? Or is it because of the morbid curiosity I felt at her dark sphere? Before I could answer that myself, I heard a strange sound coming from behind that sounds like a incoming bullet you used to hear if you play those first-person shooter game. I took a quick glance behind, and my fear was confirmed.
She's shooting magical bullet, or should I put, danmaku, at me.
It was only a single, purple colored danmaku she shot at me, but I didn't dare enough to stop and let the danmaku hits me to see what impact it would give to my body. Fortunately, I managed to roll forward in time before it could hit me right the back while avoiding a tree that blocks my path in the process.
The previous tree I avoid earlier was hit instead of me, and it gives a small, low pitched but piercing explosion sound when it does. The tree itself leaves a small burnt mark on the spot it got shot. It seems the danmaku itself gives a slight burn, but wasn't severe enough to burn a whole tree by a single bullet. Probably, it would do the same to my body if I get hit. But I wouldn't risk my body and my whole life only to prove my obvious theory was correct.
"Ugh, stop moving so I could hit you~." She says while continuing on shooting her danmaku blindly towards me. One of the bullets almost hit me, only missing by an inch.
I obviously can't do that, Rumia. If I do that, I would probably get shot and eaten alive by you. And if I get killed now, I can't meet other Touhou character.
Well probably I would be sent to Hakugrokurou, and ends up by Komachi retelling my whole life up to the point before being eaten by you, but that's still a nope.
Hell, I even haven't got the chance to see your cute face up close.
As my fatigue began to catch up only after 2 minute of non-stopping sprint, I began to lament my lack of exercises in my spare time. When I try to slow down a bit, I felt a rock large enough to obstruct my movement hit my foot, causing me to trip and hit a hollow tree right in front of me.
Shi-
Landed awkwardly and face first on the tree, I still count myself lucky as I still could evade a bit of the tree before getting all of my face mashed up with the tree hard, only managed to get a gash in my cheek in the process. As I try to recover from my fall, I look to my above, only to see Rumia's holding her both hands pointed at me, with palms open. Purple energies began to gather around her hand, and I can only guess that she's charging her attack for a one-shot kill.
What should I do? I already get into her point of view, there's no way to evade this one. Trying to run again would only tires me further, and she can easily aim me at that point. Or? should I bet? Should I rely on my remaining luck? After all, I only learned this move in video games?
I sat on the grasses while leaning to the tree. My plan was to feign surrender to her, while I don't expect any mercy, I could expect her guards down while thinking that I was an easy target, thus no aiming is required. I could try to dodge the bullet on the small window timeframe when she shoots the charged up danmaku, because from my split-second observation in seeing the bullets and some wishful thinking, it was pretty slow to begin with. Well, not as slow as a turtle, but certainly not fast enough like a real bullet. Although I was betting my life on it, this is the only chance I have.
"Giving up, are you~
don't worry, it will be quick and painless~"
The wind moves the grasses around me, and shaken the leaves of the tree I was leaning. The silence was only broken by the small humming voice of the energy gathering by Rumia. It was quite a melody, to be exact. The cut in my cheek starts to bleed a little, and I began to realize that if I didn't go back fast, either Rumia will chase me to death here in this obscure forest located in Gensokyo, or I'll bleed to death little by little, which I didn't really want to.
The clouds finally unblock the moonlight which I hoped for long ago, and the light itself shines at the very spot where I sat. With the help of the light, I finally managed to see her face at last, obscured little only by the dark sphere she created. The face of the cute, grinning little girl that wants my flesh so bad. Is she grins because she founds her dinner at last? Or because of the accomplishment sense she had right now, that she has successfully caught a human? Well, I hope it wasn't either both, because if my stupid stunt succeeded without a hitch, she would be disappointed.
"Well then, bye bye~"
Now!
As she lashes out the energy she's gathered at me, I almost caught myself too dazed by the moving concentrated energy directed at my face. In a apparently slow motion, I managed to see the pattern of the danmaku. At first glance, it looks like a large purple energy that would surely disintegrate anything that it hits. But upon closer look, it was made and arranged of small bullets that was moving in harmony and straight to it's destination without any fluke.
Without spending another millisecond admiring the danmaku, I rolled sideway before the danmaku hit me. Although I managed to dodge it in time, leaning to the tree was a bad idea, as when the danmaku hits the tree; it was shattered and completely blown up, with its pieces flying toward every direction. I managed to cover myself from the tree pieces with my both hands while I was pushed back a bit because of the explosion, but I knew it wasn't sufficient.
"Ugh!"
I let out a small groan of pain when splinters of the tree gashes my arms. I still considers myself lucky because it didn't hit my vital areas, but nonetheless it adds more bleeding problem to me if the chase going to last until morning.
Running before she charges up another danmaku sounds like a good idea.
I managed to summon the every last bit of strength I had to stand up and start running again. While the gentle breeze that was flowing to my face when I was running is enough to keep my concentration without passing out, it didn't help too much with my bleeding problem both in my cheek and arms. The one that is pretty badly wounded was my left arm, and as my right hand was only gashed a little, I used my right hand to pressure my wounded left arm to stop the bleeding a little.
"Ahahaha, yes... keep running, I like it when they didn't gave up easily~"
I realized something when she uttered those lines. She's purposefully shot the danmaku slow so I could dodge, and she also let the chase continues on. I remember that the danmaku were usually used along the spellcard rules, and as far as I know, danmaku isn't meant to be some sort of hunting device. Judging from her lines and expression, I think she knew that even if I somehow managed to get even remotely a meter away from her, she can simply pounce at me full speed and happily enjoys a happy meal on this dreary forest. And the reason behind all of this mess was very simple.
She's enjoying the hunt.
And I am simply the helpless prey right now.
It's pretty sad to think that this might be my first and final run on Gensokyo.
As I continue to run forward, I noticed the bleeding on my wounds got worse. Not only just that, I also noticed that my line of sight got blurrier each time I took another step. The feeling was identical like when you're sleepy, but if pain gets any of your sleepiness completely gone, it didn't help too much in this case. As I can't keep going anymore partly because of my pain and the blurry feeling I experience, I let myself fall to the ground.
Expecting a soft landing to the grasses that surrounds the forest ground, I was greeted instead by an endless void when I face the ground. Without any time to react, I began to freefall through the void. Usually, if you fall from higher ground, you'll greeted by breezes and air that flows to your face. But this time, it's different. There was nothing, it was akin to falling deeper into sleep.
Crap, did I die...?
This sucks. I haven't even met others?
Well... Hakugyokurou it is then. Or maybe? straight to the Blazing Hell?
Guess I'll be seeing Komachi soon..
And thus, my consciousness slips even further while I fall into the endless void.
"Ugh?"
I felt like I just dreamed something very fantastic.
Before I open my eyes, I was expecting that I would wake up in a futon, prepared by Youmu, in the Hakugyokurou while being briefed about how pathetic I died. Or maybe, I would wake up in a familiar looking shrine while Reimu and Marisa chat about random things in the balcony.
But upon feeling the surface of the bed I slept on, sense of disappointment overwhelms me. It was so familiar like my bed, and I realized that I was back on my apartment room upon opening my eyes. The sun already sets out in the outside, but luckily my room's curtain spares me the agony of being basked in sunlight before even I get prepared for it.
So much for being spirited away to Gensokyo eh? I guess it was only a dream after all.
A real vivid one, that is.
As I try to move myself from my bed, I noticed something amiss. When I took quick glances at my bed, I noticed it was soaked with fresh blood. While it wasn't too soaked like there was a murder going on or something, it was certainly horrifying. When I try to support myself with my arms to get up from the bed, I felt sharp pain coming from both of it.
"Argh!"
What... the hell..?
As I checked my both arms to see what's wrong, I get the most startling revelation.
Both of my arms were bleeding and wounded, exactly the same in the manners when I was dreaming about Gensokyo. I rushed myself to the bathroom to check my faces. As I got to the mirror above my washtable, my eyes opened wide in disbelief.
A wound in the cheek, and my clothes were dirty with dirt and grasses. I can only look at the mirror while lost at thoughts.
What in the world...
But... it was surely only a dream?
Or?
It wasn't...?
Chapter 2 Ends.
aUsernameIsFineToo:
THE PLOT THICKENS...
Somewhat of an unexpected twist there... I like it.
darkro90:
Chapter 3
Memory of Forgathering Dream
First, there was a man
Bewildered and lost in search of an answer.
And then, there were none.
"That should do it."
The doctor said it as he sewn the last string into my skin. Although it did sting a little bit, it was nothing compared to the pain I've been through last night. The difference in the pain is like day and night.
"So, what did exactly happen?"
Before I tell him what exactly I've told him just now, I try to remember what event that just transpired in this morning.
This is bad, real bad.
I frantically opened my bathroom mirror in search of bandages and disinfectants to treat my wound before it got worse. The sounds of my blood dripping from both my cheek and arms didn't help much either, amplifying further my sudden panic attack.
Found it!
After two minutes of frantic search, I finally managed to find right medicine to my wounds. Although the bandage was in perfect condition for use, the disinfectant tells me otherwise. The bottle that was supposedly to contain it was completely devoid of any liquid that was supposed to be the disinfectant for treating open wounds.
Who's the perfect genius that puts empty drugs in here?
Right. Me.
After two more minutes of skimming through medicines that was lined up in front of me, I found something that made me feel relieved, and at the same time, worried.
Alcohol??
Well, even if it's going to be more painful than getting your saved games deleted, I'd take this over some nasty infection any day.
Before I apply the alcohol to my wound, I've prepared to bite a towel that I used daily to clean my hands after washing my hands. Although there was a painkiller pills lying in front of me, using it would only makes me a coward for not embracing the pain like real man do, or a real hardcore Touhou player do when they faced with a ridiculous amount of bullets while playing in Lunatic difficulty.
Or maybe I'm just making excuses because I'm not even really sure that is some painkiller pills.
Slowly, I pour the alcohol into both of my wounds at my arms, starting with my left arm as it looks like the worst one. When the cold liquid touched the open parts of my wound, the sensation quickly changes into a burning one like I've being burned alive, only at that part where I pour the alcohol in. Although it is hurting like hell, it was nothing compared to last night, where I was forced to run for a minute with both of my arms and cheek wounded pretty bad. The pain I suffered last night was very excruciating that I almost felt numbness in both of my arm, especially the left one.
T-this will suffice for the moment.
After the alcohol covered most of my wound at my left arm, I proceed to pour it next at my right arm's wound. Even though the wound isn't as worse as my left arm, I could still feel the piercing pain resonating from it.
Hurriedly, I wrapped my arms with bandages I found earlier, and applied band-aid to the wound in my cheek. I know that this would not last long, so I braced myself for a five minute walk to a hospital near my apartment.
When I cross the lobby of my apartment, I could feel the stare of people around me. They're probably either too flabbergasted or confused on why and how a young man like me walks around the lobby with bloodied bandage wrapped around his arms, complete with his shirt covered with grasses and dirt. The guard of my apartment asked on how can he be of any assistance, but as I felt that could let to a very complex situation which really isn't needed at the moment, I politely decline it.
"?Like I've told you before"
I paused for a moment before continuing my answer.
"It was a hiking accident."
Well, it's not really that far from the truth.
My excuse is perfectly justified as there was a hill near here, which is a popular place for hikers to go. Although, I was about to made excuses how I fell from the stair into shards of glasses, but then I realized how stupid it sounds, not to mention that it wouldn't explains on how the grasses and dirt could came into contact with my shirt.
"And as I've told you before too, too many people hiked to their death in that hill. They should've closed that hill from the public before any more accident occurs." The doctor says with a frowned face. It is true that the hill was dangerous, but only on rainy season or something like that. And so, I can only conclude that he's exaggerating things.
"Uh? about the stitches, so when I can come back to remove it?"
"You don't have to." Says the doctor while he sorts out his stitching equipment.
"What?"
"It was an absorb-able one that I've used for your wounds. Besides, the gash didn't look as worse as it was, so it wouldn't leave any scar."
"What about the horrid bleeding?"
"That was because of your late treatment. Although you're fast at applying the alcohol to disinfect it, you should've come here as soon as you got that wound."
Looks like jokes on me now.
After I sorted out all the payment and paperwork on the hospital, I decide to ask for a break from the college for one week to rest and recover from the wound I suffered while I was "hiking". With the doctor's note, they can't refuse my request and I got my break easily without any hitch.
The truth is, I'm planning to use this precious one week to research and prepare for my next arrival at Gensokyo. This one week should not be wasted on things like idling at @chan or MewTubing, as I have the ticket to Gensokyo itself. It would be a waste, and I would feel bad myself for not using the gift Yukari given me.
After I got home at my apartment, I packed my bed cover laundry it. It wouldn't be too wise to leave it to the cleaning services, as there would be too much questioning about the origin of the blood, and I don't want to waste any precious time for it. But before I do my trip to the laundry, I decided to try visiting Gensokyo again, only this time on midday.
I hold the magical talisman tightly, and mutter again the incantation needed for my trip to the long awaited fantasy land.
"Yume no tobira!"
As I closed my eyes, I waited for something happen like portal opening up or a gap appeared out of nowhere. But instead, I was greeted by the silence of my gloomy room with dark lightning, caused by my strict 'no-light allowed' rule inside my room.
Why this doesn't work at all? Last time I did it, it worked perfec-
Wait, last time?
Last time I did it, I was?
I suddenly come into realization, that last time I did it; I did it before I go to sleep. Also, taking Yukari's hint with it and the meaning of the words etched on the talisman, I came to the conclusion that it works by spiriting away my body when I go to sleep, provided that I read the incantation first before going to sleep.
I still need to test it further though. The talisman itself could've causes some nasty side effect given the powerful nature of it.
I should be careful.
It was still midday, and I didn't have any intention or the sleepiness to goes for a daytime nap. I decide to use whatever time I got left before night sets in to research Gensokyo a little bit further, and if it was possible,
To contact ZUN himself.
ZUN himself should've known all about things related to Gensokyo.
And I suspect that he was invited there in the same manner as I am by Yukari. Only this time, he decides to spread words with games, novels and manga as his medium.
I wonder what reaction he would make if he knows there are other people that entered Gensokyo too.
I breathed deeply, turned on my computer and start to do exactly what I've planned before. Research more on Gensokyo, while staying true to its official materials only while I try to contact ZUN in the meantime.
I muttered a long sigh while I glanced at the clock. Although it felts like only an hour was elapsed, it was already 7:24 PM, and it seems I subconsciously eat my lunch while I vigorously researched all things that is related to Gensokyo. Although, the rumbles in my stomach indicates that I haven't eat any dinner yet.
While I eat the cup ramen I brought earlier for dinner, I came upon the realization that I was taking all of this too lightly.
My life was on the line the whole time yesterday. And yet?
I took this entire affair lightly without even considering the worst outcome for me.
Should I continue?
Or not?
Living in Gensokyo was always my deepest fantasy this entire time, but is it really worth it to put my life on the line?
I should... think about that first before I do another trip to Gensokyo.
I dispose the already empty plastic cup of ramen to the nearest trash bin, and open up the window at the balcony to gets some fresh air while I oversee the streets below.
The traffic wasn't too jammed, but not so empty either. Vehicles moving smoothly on the street while some pedestrians walked casually in the catwalk. Gust of winds move the leaves on the trees that was located beside the streets. The atmosphere was enough for me to calm down a little while thinking the best choice for this.
This world isn't so bad either.
Although, compared to Gensokyo, I would take the possibly stunning scenery of the Fairy Lake over this soulless scenery of endless pavements and cements.
Maybe some other Touhou diehard fan wouldn't think twice of moving to Gensokyo permanently if they got this same opportunity like I get.
But, I, unlike them those rabbles that were willing to sacrifice their lives for the fantasy land, still have some things I would like to do here.
Surely though, I could, probably, do those things in Gensokyo.
Still...
I need more time before I could decide what side of coin I should pick.
After a minute standing there while feeling the cold breezes and enjoying the sight below, I entered my room again and close the window to checks how things are doing in the computer again.
When I opened the tab for my mail, a pop-up window startled me a little because I honestly didn't expect any mail tonight, aside from ZUN.
"You have one new e-mail.
From: ZUN
Subject: RE: I need your help
Read now?
[YES] [NO]"
After I gulped a little bit of my excessive saliva, I anxiously pressed the [YES] button.
"Dear Imaginoru-san,
I honestly think that you have played too much of Touhou Project.
All of those words you've said really made little sense to me, as the works I made was completely based of my imagination, without any of real "Gensokyo" references as you mentioned on your mail.
Maybe a little break from Touhou Project is all you need now.
With love and respect,
ZUN."
Figured as much. That mail I sent you was too incoherent either for me.
Although I closed the e-mail with a little bitter feeling, I still have hopes that when I got the solid proof to back my claim, he could help me on traversing this whole turns of event. After browsing a little more bit, I took a quick glance at the clock again, to find that it was already 10:11 PM. I decided to continue the research tomorrow and head towards to the bed.
Before I turned off the bed lamp, something caught my eyes. Something that lies on the bed desk.
The talisman.
Should I? try it again tonight?
But considering the outcome of previous night?
This could be a perfect chance to prove my research, or my stupidity.
Wait, since when going into Gensokyo was a stupid thing to do?
Well, I think it was since many starving youkai was wandering there for human flesh, silly me.
Before I could decide what to do with the talisman, I remembered that earlier this afternoon I've already read the incantation aloud.
Damn! I shouldn't do that earlier in the afternoon.
I hope the effect only last an hour before sleep or something, because if it last until my next sleep,
I'm doomed.
After I resigned to whatever my fate would do to me tonight, I hit the hay as I was too sleepy to stay awake either, and staying awake wouldn't help too much as I would bound to get asleep sooner or later.
Whatever happens, I hope it didn't turns out like last night.
And if I really do get transported to Gensokyo tonight?
I hope I met someone that isn't some starving youkai.
My consciousness slowly drifted apart, like water flows freely in the river. And like the flow of water itself, I drift to sleep.
"?Hngh"
Before I knew it, I woke up in a seemingly same forest I was in night before, only that I was located near a lake this time. It's the same sensation that gives away my current location. The same grasses and dirt couldn't possibly be another forest.
I'm doomed.
This time, I proceeded with lot more caution and tread lightly to make sure not even a stray rabbit could hear my footstep.
After two minutes of walking along the shore between the forest and the lake, I saw a glimpse of shadow that moves deep in the forest. I quickly hide myself behind a tree, and peeked carefully at the spot where I saw the shadow before.
The shadow walks pretty slows, and occasionally, it looks below to the ground, like it was looking for something. From the shadow, I could tell that it was a human, or at least looks like one. Slowly, I take another step forward to get a closer and better look at the shadow.
After some steps toward a bush, I finally get to see the shadow with a better view. From the looks of the flowing long hair, it was a girl. Also, when the moonlight shines on her, I got a whole lot better view. She has a long blonde hair, wears a black witch hat and a, from the looks of it, traditional western witch outfit with a faint pink shirt under it.
Blonde hair, witch outfits?
Finally, someone's that isn't out for my flesh.
Should I ask for refuge?
Or?
Should I simply sit and observe her?
I decide to simply observe and follow her without letting her know with my presence, to my somehow addled judgement. As she began to moves again, deeper into the forest, I silently follow her slowly and carefully without making any noises.
*CRACK*
As I move forward to follow her, I fail to notice yet again that there was a branch lying in the ground, and when the impact was heard around the forest, she instantly looks back. As it was reflexes or something, she is also looking directly at the bush where I hid. It was pretty impressive for her to track the source of the sound quickly.
"Who's there?!"
Again, I've just heard another real sound of Touhou characters. It sounds very commanding, yet was alluring to the extent I was tempted to stand up and introduce myself to her, complete with my relationship status and living address. And she sounds cute.
What a damn cliche.
What to do now? Should I greet her, acting like one of those confused outsider that is, once in a while, stumbled here?
Or should I run across the lake, since she might mistaken me for a hostile youkai wanting to pick a fight?
I can hear her footstep loudly thanks the grasses she's stomping at my direction. I know that one misstep would probably earn me a Master Spark straight to the face, but the prize of making the right choice could be even bigger than finding a pot of gold.
After another round of heavy debate in my thoughts, I've managed to pick one of the choices I've been presented for this situation. I took a deep breath, and waits for the right time to do exactly what I've planned in my mind.
I hope it will work out well.
Otherwise?
This would be the end for me,
at the hand of the ordinary magician.
Chapter 3 Ends.