Touhou: Lost in Fantasy
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Mark Frey.
I got bored as I was reading Touhou fics as many are either way too short, abandoned, or one to two shots. So I decided to throw in my hat. I already have my Touhou Puppet Dance Performance fic, Puppet Dance: Black Waltz but I have decided to do a regular Touhou fic. Please enjoy.
Chapter 1: Stolen from Reality, Lost in Fantasy.
-Lost in Fantasy-
It was another loud uneventful day in the life of a young man who was barely hanging on. He had black boots, black cargo pants with a sextet of belts that crisscrossed, a white button up shirt, he wore fingerless gloves but his right wrist also sported a leather band with tribal designs, and a pair of frameless sunglasses. His light brown hair was mussed around and unruly even before he ran his hand through it.
"Another day, another failed attempt at getting a job." He muttered to himself as he walked into his apartment. It was rather bare as at some point he had sold most of his possessions. The only thing of value he had was gift had gotten when he was thirteen, a personal recreation of an espada ropera, the sword of the Spanish Conquistadors. The young man unsheathed the weapon as he inspected the blade. "Why do I keep this thing around?"
"That is the question isn't?" A voice said as the young man lifted the sword as if to use it and saw something that freaked him out. It was a young woman with half her body inside what appeared to be a hole in reality with luxurious long blond hair with red ribbon in it and golden piercing eyes. She wore a white dress under a purple drape with symbols on it, and pinkish mob cap with a red ribbon. She held a fan over her mouth giving her an air of mischief. "Hello, Mark Frey." The young man, now revealed to be named Mark soon regained some form of composure as he pointed the sword at the woman's throat.
"Who…what…who and what are you?" Mark asked shakily as he tried to hold his ground. He may have a sword but he never actually wielded the deadly weapon. He was feeling the true weight of it for the first time.
"My name is Yakumo Yukari, Youkai of Boundaries." The woman, now revealed to be Yukari, while fanning herself as Mark dropped his sword. "I have come to save you from your less than exciting life." Mark bent over and grabbed his sword and sheathed it. "You can come with me to Gensokyo and create a new life. One that fits your imagination."
"So how likely am I to die?" Mark asked. He was imaginative but he was also a dark person so he knew what questions to ask. "I am not making a deal Rumplestitskin unless I am informed."
"That's a bit insulting." Yukari muttered at the comparison. "Anyway your danger levels are comparable to how reckless you are and how trained you are...which by the way your grip on your sword was shaky you're barely a novice." Mark scoffed as he stared down at the sword.
"Not like swordsmanship is required nowadays. Besides no one teaches how to wield an espada ropera." Mark said. "And my small apartment isn't exactly big enough to wield it. Sure it can be used as thrusting weapon but it's meant to be wielded as a mixed weapon."
"Very true...you also seemed to be afraid of its weight." Yukari said. "the weight of Life and Death." Mark just shivered slightly hearing that. "I see. Still...you have this chance to escape your misery." Mark stared at his sword with a slight bit of resolution.
"If I agree...what are the terms?" Mark asked softly.
"I may ask you to do favors for me, so you could say I'm hiring you to be a human agent. However I will allow you to have plausible deniability in a few certain things I may do." Yukari said. "However you will not be able to rely on me for help and no I am not giving you powers."
"That's...fair I guess. I assume you'll be giving me a stipend." Mark said.
"Indeed. You will even be living in a house that I technically own in the Human Village." Yukari explained as Mark thought about it as he stared at his sword before his eyes darted to a vintage wooden lockbox on a table. Mark pulled out the old key to the box and pulled out an ancient looking journal.
"I'll do it." Mark said. "I'll take your job offer." Yukari smirked as she slipped into her gap and opened another. Mark packed up a few things in a satchel backpack including the journal and its lock box as he held his sword and walked into the gap as he was unnerved by all of the eyes that were on him. As he walked he began to think of how he may have agreed to die. "Well...might as well have some fun."
When Mark came out on the gap he was at a crossroad with a book at his feet. "Gensokyo 101 huh?" Mark asked with a slight chuckle as he picked up the book. "And I assume that gathering of buildings in front of me is the Human Village." Mark began to walk forward to the Human Village reading the book before coming to the gate and was stopped by a pair of gate guards.
"What business do you have here?" They asked suspiciously.
"I'm a human from the Outside." Mark said repeating what was inside the book. "I was assured there was a place here I can live." The guards looked at him for a moment before they grudgingly let him in seeing the book.
"Another one, huh? Very well go in." One of the guards said. Mark nodded as he walked on and continued to read. "Kinda convenient that my mother forced me to learn Japanese." Mark then noticed a sign that was in English near a decent looking house. Mark walked in and saw it was decently furnished in a western style and that Yukari was sitting on the couch. "Kinda crazy to have a traditional Japanese house with a western interior but thanks."
"Glad you like it. I hope you enjoy the black leather furniture, since I know black is your favorite color." Yukari said with a smirk.
"It fits." Mark said. "So...based on the fact there's a book on this place, I'm guessing that I am not the first person to come here from the outside."
"Correct. though none of them are alive. Many humans have a bad habit of thinking they can romance one of the women I mention in that book...and get killed by other Youkai or some other accident. I'm not saying you shouldn't try but be smart about it." Yukari explained.
"I doubt I'll try. I'm not all that attractive and I am not entirely mentally stable." Mark replied. "Any way I assume the fact that you are actually here you already have a job for me." Yukari nodded handing Mark a pouch full of coins. Mark set his bag of stuff down as he attached his sword to his belt
"There's a shrine outside of town called the Hakurei Shrine. I want you to go and donate those coins there. It will be quite helpful for you to get on the good side of the Hakurei Miko." Yukari said. "Also tonight there...may be a party so you can at least say high to the major players in Gensokyo." Mark sighed but nodded. "Who knows you may fall in love. By the way...what's with the wooden lockbox and old journal?"
"It's a family heirloom." Mark said. "It's the journal of a special ancestor of mine. I am the last remaining member of my bloodline so it up to me to watch over it."
"Who what happened to your family?" Yukari asked interested.
"I don't know. My earliest memory is the day I received my sword in the mail." Mark said. "I have no memory from before that day. Anyway best for me to get heading to that shrine." Mark started to leave before he turned back. "What makes you think they'll let me stay?"
"You have a giant donation for Reimu." Yukari giggled before sinking into a gap. Mark sighed as he began to head to the Hakurei Shrine. He was thankful that Yukari had included a map in the book. As Mark walked the path he noticed people flying above him causing Mark to flip through the book and found that it wasn't uncommon for major players in Gensokyo to fly. Mark shrugged it off as he continued to walk before he began to feel a little cold.
"The hell?" Mark asked before seeing a group of five young looking girls. The first was young girl who appeared to be ten or eleven wearing a blue dress with a white triangle pattern at the bottom and a blue bow in her blue hair and eyes. Floating behind her were six icicles in the form of wings. Next to her was a girl with green hair in a side ponytail and wearing a blue dress with a white shirt underneath and had yellow wings. To their left was a young blond girl in a black skirt, black vest with a white blouse underneath and a red ribbon under the collar and a red ribbon in her hair that matched her eyes and looked like an ofuda.
To the left of the bluenette was a girl with green hair with antennae wearing blue shorts, a white blouse and a black cape with a red lining. The final girl was at the back of the group and had pink hair, grey eyes that matched Mark's, a brown dress with multiple pink bird like ornaments with a matching hat as well as pink bird wings with purple highlights. Mark thought that all five of them were pretty cute.
"Such an odd looking human." The girl with the side ponytail said. "Who might you be?"
"It's normally polite to introduce yourselves first but I can forgive you for it." Mark said taking his sunglasses off revealing his grey, almost soulless eyes. "My name is Mark Frey, a human from the Outside."
"Another one?" The bluenette asked.
"I guess. Though I hold no hopes for attempting to get a girlfriend. I'm not exactly the most attractive person in existence. Now may I have your names?" Mark asked.
"I'm Cirno, The Strongest!" The blue haired girl said boastfully.
"I'm Daiyousei, it is a pleasure to meet you Mark-san." The green haired girl with the side ponytail.
"My name is Rumia!" The red eyed blond said happily.
"My name is Wriggle Nightbug." The boyishly dressed greenette said.
"Mystia Lorelei." The pinkette said with a bit of a bow. "So where are you heading?"
"Hakurei shrine to drop off a donation." Mark said slowly shifting his weight to get ready to run. He had read in the book that Wriggle, Mystia, and Rumia ate humans.
"We are actually heading that way. Perhaps you'd like some company." Daiyousei said. Mark thought for a moment but nodded. While the book said these five were weak it still helped to travel with anyone. As the six of them neared the shrine Mark sighed at the large amount of steps Mark would have to walk. Soon as the six of them arrived at the Hakurei Shrine the five girls left Mark as he approached the donation box and dropped in the bag. Mark soon saw a young woman with dark brown to blach hair and wore a modified miko outfit with a long red skirt, red top with detatched white sleeves, red neckerchief and a large red bow with white frills.
"Thank you for your donation." The girl said with a smile.
"I assume you're the Hakurei miko. My name is Mark Frey, an Outsider. Mark said. "I found a book that's been helping learn things about Gensokyo." Mark said respectfully.
"Hakurei Reimu." Reimu said with a bow. "Hey since you left such a large donation, how about staying for tonight's party?"
"Sure might as well." Mark said with a smile as he spied the group of girls he came with. Mark headed in their direction. "Hey girls. I just got invited to the party. Mind if I hang with you?"
"Wait you actually want to hang out with us?" Daiyousei asked surprised. "I mean of course you can I'm just a little surprised."
"Well we walked here together so I at least know you five." Mark said sitting with them.
"Well this'll be interesting. Most Outsiders avoid us because they here about what me, Mysti, and Rumia tend to do when we don't find food normally." Wriggle said. "You see we tend to eat humans when we don't find enough food or they invade our territory."
"Really? So right now I'm safe?" Mark asked. "Because it'd be a shame to be killed by such cute young ladies."
"Don't try that flirty stuff unless you mean it." Mystia warned. "I don't like idle flattery. It's a horrible lie."
"I'm serious. You five are cute. Besides I have no doubt you are all older than me." Mark assured. "I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it. I find it disgusting when people compliment people with no respect for them." The girls smiled at him upon hearing that as they watched the other major players of Gensokyo arrive. Mark noticed a few that interested him because of either Yukari's notes or by their illustrations in the book. As we watched he soon noticed a silver haired woman in a blue maid uniform with a white apron with silver hair that reached her shoulders with braids on either side of her face tied off by green bows. Mark's grey eyes locked onto her deep blue ones.
"I feel like know that woman. Hey Mystia, who is that?" Mark asked referring to the maid.
"Oh that's Izayoi Sakuya, Chief Maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I'd stay away from her if I were you. She can slow and stop time and she throws knives." Mystia explained. "She can have a bit of a short temper but she prefers to be elegant."
"I see." Mark said as the maid followed a young looking girl in a white dress with a matching mob cap both with red bows on the cap and the back of the girl's waist. She also had a pair of bat wings. "Well things look like they'll be interesting."
-Lost in Fantasy-
Well this will do it for the beginning chapter for this fic. I will be updating this alongside my Touhou Puppet Dance Performance fic Puppet Dance: Black Waltz so please go ahead and check that out as well. So please continue any support you wish to give. Also this is not a harem fic. I do have multiple ideas for who the girl Mark ends up with. When Mark's character is developed more I'll list them off and have you all vote.
