It all started with a simple smile.
Yakumo Yukari, the Sage of Gensokyo, the border of Phantasm, and the Youkai of Boundaries rarely ever does anything else but observe, probably visit here and there and sleep (occasionally). It was always her policy not to get involved in something as demeaning and worthless things as human ministrations and trifling matters like children. Such things are beneath her and honestly, it's more trouble than it looks.
Two things are happening right now: The great mistress of boundaries is outside and a sniffling child is looking at her with wide eyes.
'Ahh, it can't be helped. Such troublesome things, these human children are.'
So like any other normal (she scoffs mentally) person, she responded with a sweet smile that would have fooled any other passerby. Unfortunately, the golden-haired, caramel-eyed boy is anything but any other.
"Y-You're like them, right? I'm the only one who can see you..."
With mild-interest, she raised her eyebrow while stepping forward. She noticed that the boy's shoulder stiffened and his doe-like eyes that were close to tears, flashed with something akin to fear. Even though Yukari knew that it was a natural response (especially towards someone like her), it was still not natural since she projected no threatening action. Plus, there's the fact that there is no way this helpless and lost boy would know that she's anywhere near something powerful, such as being an unknown number of years old youkai, considering she is outside the Hakurei Barrier.
'Hmm, how interesting.'
And there goes sticking to observation only.
"Ara? I don't know what you're talking about, little boy. Everyone can see me, as clear as day!" With a little playful twirl of her deep-purple dress and powder-pink parasol, she glanced and waved at the old lady passing by the sunset-colored park they were currently in.
"E-eh? Ah..."After looking towards the old lady's direction, the boy who was filled with fear earlier glanced back at the lady in purple and stuttered to think of something to say. The cheshire cat-like smile still plastered on Yukari made things worst for the embarrassed (and now, slightly panicking) kid.
'Oh? I didn't know humans can turn in that shade of red—'
"I-I'm sorry!" The boy managed to muster out after several stuttering tries as he began to bow deeply. "P-Please don't mind what I said!"
"Oh my, now that you went ahead and told me not to mind it, I do mind it after all."
"I-I..."
After he looked up to see the youkai's eerie golden eyes, the brunette was filled with an awful sense of dread overcoming him. With the familiar feeling engulfing him, he ran towards the opposite direction at full speed, not even minding the other remarkable creatures that he passed by which were all unseen under the naked eye. Yukari, still filled with amusement from the encounter a while ago, chuckled. This attracted the attention of other fantastical creatures surrounding the area from the commotion earlier. One by one, they approached the lady in purple with ill intent dancing within their eyes. She took a glance and with a twirl of her parasol, she faced them completely, eyes brimming with disdain and disgust. A glare so prim and proper yet so cold and bitter was directed at each of the youkai present and not one who stood in front of her dare move or make a single noise.
From an outsider's view, it was a show of complete power and dominance. From a person who knew her long enough, it was her way of expressing a childish tantrum.
"Hmpf." A huff that broke the dead silent park prompted the rest of the monsters to flee from the powerful lady. Continuing, she spoke the rest of her thoughts to no one in particular.
"Uncivilized, the lot of them. After refusing my generous offer for them to move to Gensokyo, they had the nerve and gall to even attempt to eat me." Finally deciding enough, she began to head back towards the outside world's abandoned Hakurei Shrine. She paused and knelt down to pick up a piece of abandoned paper with a name written messily over it. The boy from earlier must have dropped it in panic as when he was confronted by the blonde youkai.
'I wonder if I scared Chi-Natsu a bit too much?' The thought twisted Yukari's smile into a mischievous one, thinking of the strange boy who caught her attention.
This is how Yakumo Yukari and Natsume Takashi met one summer afternoon.
A/N: Yukari calls Natsume, Chi-Natsu, just for the sake of teasing him. Chi-Natsu roughly translates to Little Summer, Natsu in Natsume meaning Summer.
Hello! Umm, originally, I was going to do something with Reiko and Yukari but I kinda wanna save it for another time and just focus on motherly!Yukari and child!Natsume for the mean time. If Yukari seems a bit OOC, I apologize for that! I tried my best to give her some sort of whimsical, I do what I want, character yet someone who cares and observes and is really fricking dangerous if trifled with.