Eight Clouds Over Gensokyo
Chapter 1: An Undeniably Conspicuous Meeting Over Brunch and Tea
"I just can't seem to do this," I sigh banging my head into the desk, the assignment I was working on sent fluttering to the floor. Clearly I wasn't going to get any work accomplished tonight for my dissertation, the paper that was going to pave my way as a scholar by discussing and analysing wartime tactics. Unfortunately I had yet to figure out what it was I was going to analyse and had spent the last half hour doing an elaborate stop-go animation of a stick figure setting fire to himself. While entertaining not very productive.
Absolutely frustrated with myself I decided to turn to the internet for a much needed break, I quickly popped open a browser on the computer and started to open the several unopened emails I had received while trying to work, mostly spam and the odd personal email here and there. One in particular caught my eyes as the sender's name appeared distorted it kinda looked like the messed up sprite of missing no from the pokemon games … I'm such a nerd for even making that comparison.
Dismissing the errant thoughts I opened the email to find a very plain and simple message.
"Meet me at Grand Central Station at midnight, do not be late.
And that was it, no explanation, no names, just a cryptic message from anonymous sender demanding me to be there. Now I may be a bit cynical but this email was definitely absurd. That being said I couldn't stop myself from being curious, I mean it's not like curiosity ever killed the cat or anything.
No it just kidnapped him and locked him in the basement for a month. Cynical mode go, I sighed as I banged my head into the desk once more in order to free myself of my rather morbid thoughts.
The only thing left after I thoroughly beat all the other thoughts out was whether or not it was a good idea to obey the email or not. Okay let me rephrase that, it was not a good idea but if it was interesting enough who cared about what might happen. However this being said I had no desire to get myself into trouble just because of I followed the instructions of a random email. In the end I just ignored it and went back to surfing the internet. After an hour I got bored and decided to play through imperishable night to relieve some of my stress on the extra run. I always manage to get pretty far but I ended up dying several times on her possessed by a phoenix spellcard. I groaned in frustration and my head hit my desk for the umpteenth time today.
I glanced at the corner of my computer to confirm the time. It was already eleven. The email once again came back to my mind. For some reason I felt compelled to see why this person had contacted me. If I was going to make it I had to leave now, Getting up I grabbed my coat along with the keys to my bike chain. A college student I may be, a rich one I am not which probably why my meals were pretty much ramen for breakfast lunch and dinner. Putting aside my rather miserable diet aside I had places to be and some random person to meet.
I left the house, stopping to unlock my bike before pedaling down the street in the direction of Grand Central Station. I realized along the way that this could be some sort of joke and that I had probably just wasted an hour of my life and what little dignity I had left.
Dignity, you never had any to begin with or sanity for that matter. Nope can't argue with that, I mean no sane person would ever take a random email as seriously as I was, but here I am almost there and still not stopping.
I reached the entrance and walked in, stopping to lock my bike in the front of the station, before making my way to the interior of the place. It dawned on me that the email never gave a specific location for where to meet and it only gave me the general place. I ended up standing in line at the ticket booth out of pure reflex due to my weekly trips to see my parents. As the line slowly dwindled till there was only one person in front of me I began to panic. As if to answer my stress my phone vibrated in my coat pocket. I flipped it out to read the new message.
"Take the 12:15 train"
The person in front of me finished purchasing their ticket and started walking away, walking up to the ticket booth I bought the ticket that my text had told me to. Now it had never occurred to me to buy a return ticket which made me ponder why, for some reason it felt like this decision was final, the point of no return if you will.
Would you really care about any thing you left behind here, no most people would give the politically correct answer and say their parents and friends. However I didn't feel particularly weighed downed by any of these things, I didn't mind leaving it all behind. That thought in itself kinda made me feel like an asshole, I guess I've sunk pretty low.
Slightly dejected I strolled to boarding area of the trains and idled around waiting for the train to make it's appearance. In the in between time my mind crossed many things, who was this mysterious person who had contacted with me, what was their agenda, had I remembered to lock the door of my dorm on the way out. All of these however paled in comparison to the idea that was forefront in my mind, what awaited me at the end of this train.
As soon as thought had risen the train doors hissed opened, beckoning me inside with bright glow of lights inside the shuttle.
"Well it's now or never," I steeled myself and entered the train, I'll let it whisk me away to wherever it pleases. The train doors slowly closed cutting off any thoughts of escape that may have crossed my my mind as the train slowly gained momentum. I grabbed the handle above my head as all the seats were taken, I felt the train tremble underneath me.
The next few seconds were complete and utter chaos, the train shaking violently, the screams coming from the other passengers, the feeling of weightlessness, for a brief second I thought saw something that looked like an eye staring at me. Then darkness.
"Sigh if I had know he'd be out this long I would've brought a book to read, or even that tengu's paper."
I woke up groggily to the sound of an unfamiliar voice, my mind still in disarray from the events that had only happened a moment ago. I quickly sat up and took notice of the girl in front of me. I was quite baffled by what I saw, a girl dressed in a long gown, nine tails flowing out from behind her, the cap that adorned her short golden hair seem to be concealing two ears underneath. I must admit I was quite taken with her you don't often find such a beautiful girl before you. She looked very familiar but my still cloudy mind couldn't process who she reminded me of.
"Ah I see you're finally up," the now identified voice spoke again, "It's nice to meet you have a seat please." she gestured towards one of the chairs at the table she was sitting at. I nodded and took a seat at the table, a dish of fried tofu and tea lay before me.
"My name is Ran Yakumo," she extended her hand towards me proffering a handshake. At that moment it clicked, the person she reminded me of was all too clear. The only thought in my mind was the fact that there was someone in front of me who claimed to be from the Touhou games, either she was a cosplayer or she was telling the truth and latter didn't seem very likely. However it would be rude to say these things and I still didn't know what was going on so I should play the part for now.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Kuroe," I replied taking her hand in mine, "So I take it you're the person whom I've been in contact with."
"Correct, I guess my assumptions of you were correct," she smiled nodding her head up and down apparently pleased with herself, "If you'd allow me to get to get the point I've brought you here to help me, to put it simply."
"I see but what could you possibly want from me," I questioned stopping to take a sip of my tea, "No wait even before that, where am I. The last thing I remember was losing consciousness on that train."
"It'll be easier if you let me start from the beginning." she coughed clearing her voice readying what was sure to be a lengthy monologue. "You are currently in a land known as Gensokyo which I'm sure you are aware of by now, right?"
I nodded my head in response to her question but was still not convinced that I had apparently been apart cross-dimensional travel into the Touhouverse.
"Right so as I was saying, I've brought you to Gensokyo because I'm in dire need of your help," her tone became serious as she continued. "I've been watching you for awhile now and I used a gap yukari had forgot to close on that rail line to transport you here."
I snickered at that, Yukari's spellcard used that train from grand central station. It was enough to make me laugh at how ridiculous this whole situation was, the fact that she did with a straight face was very impressive. I couldn't help but feel what was happening was true.
"So for now I'll trust you," I unintentionally spoke out my thoughts aloud which earned a questioning glance from kitsune across from me.
"I'm flattered though I don't what you find so funny. As I was saying I used Yukari's gap to transport you here, the reason I did so is because Gensokyo's about to become a battleground if we don't find a way to stop it." she paused to take a bite of the tofu in front of her, "You see, lately the various factions that are in Gensokyo Moriya shrine, the Scarlet Devil mansion, Eientei, Makai and that's just to name a few though I'm sure you are aware of most of the big players; are in a state of, unrest if you will."
"You make it sound pretty bad, what do you mean by unrest exactly?" I asked trying to feel out the situation.
"Just that," she responded, "You see for awhile Gensokyo has been peaceful, for the most part, due to Yukari's mock war on the moon. However since then there's been a growing amount of tension between the various parties and it won't be much longer before a war breaks out among us."
"I see," I responded carefully mulling over what she told me, "two questions, one how could I possibly help you. Second why isn't Yukari dealing with this."
Ran's face instantly darkened and became very pissed, which pretty much answered my second question.
"A certain someone is still sleeping and refuses to deal with these issues," she dropped her scowl before she continued, "In response to your second question are you not currently attending school for the studying of wars and history?"
"I am but I fail to see how that will help you prevent a war that I know nothing about." I countered kind of irked by the overestimation of my skill. While it's true what she said my point still stood that I had no way or means of preventing this war.
"I see so you believe you won't be of any help is that it, I'm disappointed." she paused for a second, "Then let's make a deal, one month, I want you to stay here for one month and attempt to help me. If you can't I'll simply let you return home and that will be that. What do you say?"
Strictly thinking it wasn't a bad offer at all, I mean I've always wanted to know and meet some of the touhou characters in person and this was my only chance. Plus there was always a chance that I might actually be of use to Ran in stopping the upcoming war.
"Say I accept your offer, where would I even start in trying to stop this. I mean, there's not a whole lot I can do is there?" I questioned.
"You may be right, initially you won't be able to help much. So for now you need to go meet and get to know the people of Gensokyo. You should be able to ascertain their intentions and plans through that" she stated.
I was about to argue with her about the meaninglessness of such a task but stopped to analyse what she said. I mean certainly if I got to know the inhabitants here better than I would know how to fix whatever problems that were causing troubles or stop their plots that would lead to war. On the other hand there was the possibility that they would all just ignore me and refuse to talk with me.
"Wouldn't they just ignore me?" I parroted my thoughts.
"Don't worry I'm sure you'll have no problem managing to get in their good graces," Ran smiled mischievously.
"When you put it like that, I take back what i said earlier I don't trust you at all." I deadpanned only causing the the fox in front of me to giggle.
"they don't call me the scheming nine-tailed fox for nothing," she stated pulling out Yukari's fan and covering her face with it.
"That's not a compliment you know." I mumbled.
"What did you say?" she asked with a fake menacing smile.
"Nothing forget it, anyways I agree with your plan from now." I paused taking in my decision and accepting it so I would have no room to regret it later, "Where do I start?"
"For now I'll drop you off at the miko's place, have fun." she smiled as I felt a similar feeling like that which happened on the train before falling into nothingness.
Ran sighed as she dropped her smile for a worried face as she picked up the plates that were on the table.
"I hope he does well, he doesn't realize what he's getting himself into," she sighed almost regretting bringing him here but she knew it was necessary to achieve her goals. He wasn't the only person who could do the job however he had certain skill that he wasn't entirely aware of that would be of great use to her plans.
"But really what a ridiculous ability that boy has, I fear for all the people in Gensokyo he comes across." she shook her head and proceeded to clean the dishes.
"So all the pieces are now on the field, I guess all that's left is to wait for the first move." the voice spoke moving the queen on the chessboard up a few spaces.
"Don't get ahead of yourself now, I doubt everything will go as you've planned this time. That boy is beyond even your expectations." the second voice replied moving her knight into a blocking position.
"We'll see about that." the first voice moved her bishop, "Checkmate."
A/N: Thank you for reading the first chapter of this story, R&R to post comments and critiques or whatever else it is you have to say. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter.