Gensokyo is a beautiful place. Most people don't realize this, but it truly is. From the marvelous and majestic youkai mountain to the eerie elegance of Hakugyokuro; from the unchanging Eientei to the mystical Forest of Magic; from the extravagant Scarlet Devil Mansion to the quaint Hakurei Shrine… There are so many places with so many different sights to be seen. When running about our daily lives, we sometimes forget to look around, and this beauty goes unnoticed. That's why, as a photographer and a journalist, I want nothing more than to expose this beauty and put it in a form that all can see!
Sometimes it's easier said than done. I can't count the number of dangers around here, and more than once I've been sent home in shambles. But that doesn't change the way that I view things. Even if people don't agree with my methods, and even if I get beaten up while trying to get a story, it doesn't matter at all. Because I'm still doing what I love.
There are certain moments, too, when everything just comes together. Those peaceful moments, just like this. Sipping sake with the shrine maiden and the black witch, the little Oni pouring out glass after glass as we all relax in the hot springs. It's a calm, gentle feeling, and even in the middle of winter I can feel a sense of warmth coming from deep within me, beating and outlasting the heat from both the alcohol and the water.
It's moments like these, with Marisa and Reimu playfully arguing, that remind me why I'm a photographer. Moments like these that remind me why I keep going, even when things look grim. Moments that leave me at peace and remind me that Gensokyo really is a beautiful place.
Without warning I stand up, and before they have a chance to escape, there's a flash of light.
"Ah! Aya! What are you doing?" It's Reimu's voice first, and she quickly lunges for the camera. I laugh and leap backwards. Even though I know that she could beat me if she tried, I still keep the camera tight in my hands, grinning in response to her scowl. Of course, some might view this act as indecent, but…
For me, it's beautiful. These calm, peaceful moments of playing with friends… They are my beauty. And of course I want to share that with the world!
…Well that was short and pointless. X.x