Author's Note: Hello there.
Welcome to my story. My name is Cutie-sama. I hope you enjoy the story.
On the cover you'll see two characters. The one with brown hair, a red and white outfit, and a red bow in her hair is Reimu, the human Shrine Maiden. And the one in the purple and white dress, blonde long hair, and a white hat is Yukari, the Youkai.
Dedicated to Ashe/Yin.
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The sun was gently setting itself beyond the mountains in the far off distance.
Reimu was alone again in the Hakurei Shrine, sweeping the grounds of little rocks, dust, and whatever else could have gotten placed within the Shrine.
The Lone Shrine Maiden is the single worshiper of the unknown god Hakurei. No one but Reimu is aware of this being in all of Gensokyo, a place within the modern world hidden from plain view. Such a place contains all manner of strange things. There are very few humans compared to the Fairies and Youkai that inhabit the city.
Reimu's single shrine is generally under scrutiny as a 'false god', and occasionally is attacked by Youkai. But, by Reimu's strength she is able to ward them off and make repairs to the shrine should it ever fall. It's fallen before, but she always returns to do her duty.
Tonight was like every other. Reimu tending to the shrine as the light from the city gently began to fade. The Hakurei shrine is on the outskirts of the city to avoid the volume and busy lifestyles most people live, as well as the dangers Youkai can bring.
Like traditional shrines, the area was put in a large opening between the trees. It was a large temple with decorative lamps, and an entrance Torii. A Torii is a red arch-way that signals the transition from the mundane to the sacred. As well, the area has a beautiful wooden finish on the floor complimented by specifically-designed carpets and wooden rugs with symbols to cover the floor. Off-set to the left within the large temple is a room which Reimu uses for her bedroom. It houses a queen-size bed, various tools Reimu uses to perform her duties like cleaning supplies and ritualistic items, and spare outfits.
However, as well-kept as the location is, it's a ghost-town. Or ghost-shrine. Rarely does anyone ever come, and most visitors come out of curiosity of rumors. Reimu treats them all as honored guests and followers of Hakurei, but most just leave after exploring what they can.
Today was like every other. After cleaning, Reimu returns to her room in the dark, alit only by a single candle. She was on her knees, sitting on top of her feet while placing the candle on an end-table next to her bed. She stared into the flame with a defeated look.
"Hakurei, today again no one came to pay respects to you. I am sorry." Reimu gently stated.
She put her hands together in prayer.
"In Hakurei's name, I say this prayer. Please forgive me, your lone Shrine Maiden, for failing to have the world acknowledge you, Hakurei. Please bring me peace and prosperity in my life." She stated, bowing her head then looking back up at the flame.
A gentle breath escaped her as she sighed.
Internally, Reimu felt shame. She feels like a failure for not being able to spread the word about Hakurei better. Her failures each and every day have led Reimu to feel bits of depression through her day, but she distracts herself with duties, telling herself that Hakurei will aid her if she's patient enough.
It doesn't stop her from feeling a gaping loneliness in her life, however. A feeling that wishes she could get rid of. Companionship, to have a friend. To have anyone by her side.
Before deciding to go to bed, Reimu gets up, heading to the various other rooms outside of the main praying location of the shrine. The location acts as a house with a public space for visitation, but since no one but her spends time in the shrine, it essentially acts as Reimu's entire house.
She began to brew herself a cup of tea, a soothing beverage to ease her mind of these ill-fated thoughts. With a steaming cup in her hands, she goes to the porch of the shrine and sits, gently blowing on the steaming liquid and gazing out.
In her view, Reimu saw the glowing lights of the city. The Hakurei shrine is higher than the ground-level of the city, so she can look out over the city. She sees all of the lights and people walking, the fairies fluttering about, and the occasional Youkai. Youkai can look identical to a human so spotting one out of a crowd is usually very difficult.
The sight was beautiful, especially with the sun now set and the shrine's lamps turning on in a magical flame. They burned silently, giving gentle firefly-like light to the area, adding to the green glow of the lightning bugs scattered around the yard.
Reimu gently sipped her liquid, relaxing as best she can.
After a while, her drink was empty and she exhaled once more. After washing and returning her cup to the sink, she returned to her bedroom. Climbing into the bed, she proper the covered up to her head. Like every night, she prays the next day brings about better fortune.
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While Reimu may be within her shrine, alone and with nothing but sadness, there lives a Youkai far in the mountains with plenty of happiness. Youkai are a mysterious race of generally humanoid creatures with great abilities, but the strength of Youkai's varies greatly from being to being.
A one-of-a-kind Youkai is one Yukari Yakumo. A genius-intellect Youkai that betrays her own intelligence and power by staying inside and sleeping all day. Though, she is one of the most powerful due to her ability to manipulate 'boundaries' of any kind. While the extent is not fully understood, the most common form is 'gaps' in space and time. With such, she creates chasms between areas like portals. The gap she enters is a form of sub-space, a black abyss covered in strange red eyes that Yukari is rumored to see from. But, mostly she uses a gap to enter one place and re-appear another quickly.
Like the story, to buy candy.
Yukari slept in to about 5 PM and it turned to about 9 pm by now. Yukari stretched and sat up, placing her Doujinshi on an end table beside her. With a smug smile on her face, she peered out of her window, creating a gap and peeking her head inside. On the other side, she appeared in a store, out of sight from anyone. With half of her body peering through this gap, she began stealing handfuls of candy-bars, chips, and whatever else.
She froze as a man suddenly called out.
"Hey! Thief! Youkai!" The balding middle-aged human in a suit yelled.
Yukari gasped for a moment, then looked at him with a smug face. Pulling her candy through, she waved and stuck her tongue out, then pulled back through the gap, closing it. Now back at home, she has a pile of food to keep herself busy. Quite a haul for the girl.
Yukari may not have the most exciting life in between times she is messing with everyone, but her downtime is a relaxation time.
Everyone else generally sees Yukari as a troublemaker, but not one to be messed with. Her level of connections and manipulation is incredibly well-known, and her own strength is feared by any who have fought against her. Youkai are generally stronger than humans, but Yukari is a Youkai beyond most. Reimu and Yukari have fought once before, and Reimu somehow ended up victorious.
Such a memory crossed Yukari's mind as she ate a candy-bar in the colors of Reimu's outfit, the red and white.
"Hmm, that Shrine Maiden." Yukari whispered to herself. She grabbed her favorite stuffed animal and sit it up, beginning to talk to it as if it was a person. "What a lonely girl she is, fighting to protect just a single empty shrine while Gensokyo is getting more and more infested with crazed Youkai~" Her voice was fluttery, like a mocking tone of smug. She stared at her stuffed animal with a condescending smile.
"Perhaps I should visit her tomorrow. You know, I often spy on her through my gaps. She just sweeps, cleans, cooks for herself, manages the shrine...and nothing else. She doesn't leave. Just a big fat loner." A small giggle escaped Yukari's lips.
"She could use a visit. Something to cheer her up. If I'm to have someone to properly duel me and keep me entertained, I need her in good spirits. And what better way than to be her friend? I get what I want, she gets a friend...it's perfect!" Yukari was known for being manipulative, after-all.
"She barely gets outside, too. It's no fun if she's just going to be too depressed to fight me eventually. I need to at-least see if spending some time with her gets her up and about. Chasing down rogue Youkai's alone is no way to live. Especially not if..." She paused.
"Oh-ho, I almost complimented her. Can't do that, she's my enemy!" Yukari merrily stated, skipping around slightly, then turning back to her stuffed animal.
"Tomorrow, she gets a visitor. We'll see just how prepared I can get my enemy for a good fight." Yukari said, getting closer, and closer, and closer to the stuffed animal before grabbing him and gently cradling its soft head.
Then, she hugged it.
"Hope she's okay with that~" Yukari said, going about her time.
The Lone Shrine Maiden that seeks a friend is going to get a peculiar visit from a strange but powerful Youkai. How their story will pan out is purely up to fate, but for the follower of Hakurei who prays for a better future...
Things may take a brighter turn for her empty life.
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I'm hoping to have some good fun with this story. I've wanted to get back into writing for a while.