Prologue: The Half-Breed's Case.
[Young girl, what is it that you are missing?]
July Twenty-third, Year 2009. That was the day I woke up in the place painted in endless white. I would later be informed that the building is called "Hospital." A zone to treat the sick and wounded, such as myself. The Mizushima Kyoto Hospital, to be specific. A plane crash, the doctor said, was the reason I was brought into this place. I was one of the few survivors. It had occurred on the seventeenth day of the month of June, meaning I had been in comma for exactly thirty-six days. At the time, it all had come to me as an immeasurable blow. Thirty-six whole days. The thought made me feel utterly distressed, and, for some reason, I had the feeling there was something I should have been doing.
"A miracle," was what they said when they realized I had opened my eyes. They informed me that my condition was so abhorrent, they thought I would never wake up. It was not because my injuries were lethal. In actuality, my injuries were so light, they should have healed in less than a week. They should not have been there when I woke up, thirty-six days later, and yet...
Two weeks have passed since the day I opened my eyes, and I still do not see the end of the white nightmare. My stay, or should I say overstay, in the hospital has lasted more than it should have. It is because of a special condition I have. The injuries I received from the plane crash are not healing. The doctor classified it as an 'enigma.' There is absolutely no reason for my body not to be able to heal itself. It is working perfectly; there are no germs, diseases, nothing that could cause something as dreadful as this. I must go through special procedures so that I do not die from blood loss. "It's as if you were half-alive," those people would say, their tone jokingly. A hint of worry and seriousness could be seen in their eyes, though. As if what they were saying was too big of a possibility to be shrugged off as a mere joke.
Such a mystery begs the question; how could someone such as me have lived until now without problems? There was no way someone whose wounds would not heal could lead a normal life. The doctor theorizes that it was caused by the plane crash. What exactly, he does not know, but that is the only logical explanation he seemed to find.
As soon as I woke up, I was asked about my home, address, parents, family. None of those things do I have any memory of. The only one memory I seem to have a hold of is my name. Konpaku Youmu. The doctor looked disappointed, but not surprised. "You're not the only one who suffers from Amnesia. In fact, all the survivors seem to have a certain degree of memory loss." With those words, the subject was dropped, and I was not asked about it again.
The days in the hospital were dull, almost lifeless. In the span of two weeks I had been conscious, I discovered many things about myself. I have a passion for gardening, I realized when reading a book about flowers. I have a special warm spot in my heart for Cherry Blossoms and the color pink, though the mere thought of it makes my heart ache. Whyever could that be, I wonder? I greatly enjoy the art of swordsmanship, and seem to have a huge amount of knowledge in the art of Kendo.
The sound of a door being opened snaps me out of my reverie, and I turn my attention to the source of the noise. "Hello, Miss Konpaku." A nurse says, entering the room. As of now, I know this person very well. Her name is Sayoko Uehara, a middle aged lady with thick, black hair tied back in a ponytail. She is the one who has been taking care of me all this time. Although her sexual innuendos and terrible sense of humor are very embarrassing, she is a nice woman.
"Miss Uehara." I bow my head as cordially as I can. Being bedridden doesn't allow me to perform a proper full bow, but this should suffice for the time being.
"Oh, come on, cutie pie, there's no need to be so formal." Miss Uehara covers a slight smirk with one hand. "Not after our relationship has gotten this far~" Her words almost come out as a song. "When are you going to start calling me Sayoko, dear?"
I blush, turning my head away. This is what I was talking about. It took me a week to realize that all of it is meant as a joke. I think. "Please, not again, Miss Uehara," I say stubbornly. That wouldn't be proper, and It is not my way to be impolite. I believe that is another facet of me I discovered in the two weeks I have been awake.
She sighs, but not in the tired, world weary way the doctor does. This one is a friendly sigh, accompanied by a warm smile. "Jeez, you're so uptight. You'll end up an old woman soon if you don't lighten up." She extends one hand, and happily rubs my head.
I used to complain about her doing that, but she is persistent, and my body is weak. It was only a matter of time until I got used to it. And it does not feel that bad either, after you get used to it. Not that I like it or anything.
She straightens up, as if she just remembered something important. "Well, enough playing around, young girl," she says with a berating tone, waving a finger. Even though she was the one who started poking fun at me. "It's time for your daily exercises."
Those words are enough to revitalize me. It may seem strange, but lying down on a bed all day is very tiring. I smile brightly, in spite of myself, and hurriedly rush to get out of bed. It does not go as smoothly as I wanted, because as soon as I put my feet on the floor, my legs give away, and I find myself falling down. I never hit the floor, though, because with a quick action, Miss Uehara catches me.
"Careful there, Youmu. Don't want to hurt yourself, would you?" She frowns.
She is right. I guess normally, one would not care for a small wound, but the condition I have does not allow me the benefit of healing. Any little wound could be permanent. I grit my teeth in frustration, mentally berating myself. Weakness is something unforgivable. I cannot allow such a thing from myself. If anything, I will not be defeated by my own body. I stand up straight, correcting my former moment of weakness. It will not happen again.
Miss Uehara holds my shoulder reassuringly, as if reading my thoughts. "Easy there, there's no need to force yourself." She throws me a warm look. "I'm sure that you'll be in perfect condition soon enough."
She is lying, obviously. Even if it is well intentioned, I cannot help but sulk. Will this body of mine ever heal, I wonder? Ever since I woke up, I have had the feeling that there is something missing. Something very important, a part of me. As if a limb had been cut off. The emptiness its absence left behind is almost unbearable. I asked the doctor about it, but he told me everything was in place, no organs missing, nothing out of place. He said that it must be my imagination. I always feel like I am about to remember just what it is, but never get around to it. As the days pass by, I have learned to suppress it, though. As if my body were getting slightly used to its absence, whatever it is.
"Come on, let's go for a walk!" She says brightly, probably reading the depressing mood that had suddenly befallen on me. "Here, I brought your strolling clothes." She smirks. "Want me to help you get dressed?"
"Uh... No, thank you, Miss Uehara." I take the clothes, and look at her, frowning. "Could you..."
She pats my shoulder. "Oh, no problem, I'll wait outside." And, just like she said, she walks towards the room's door, exiting the room. "Though I can't promise you I won't peek, fufufu," she manages to say before completely closing the door.
My eyes widen, and I quickly turn my reddened face in her direction. "Miss Uehara...!"
"Just kidding, dear!" She says from the other side of the door.
I know it is not too logical to act this reserved towards the Nurse that has been taking care of me ever since I woke up, and who has probably seen me naked many times, but, to me, dignity and propriety are very important elements, and I am not about to set them aside. I sigh, and start taking off my hospital garments. I watch myself in the mirror, examining my body thoroughly. Pale, very pale, skin, silver short hair, and a petite body. The doctors assumed I was probably a Middle School Student. I do not know if that is a correct assumption. Not that I could be going to school, in this condition. I put on my strolling clothes. They are thick, made specially to protect me from anything that could cause some kind of injury. A long coat, long boots, and a hat to protect my unnaturally pale skin from the sun. As soon as I am ready, I exit the room to meet Miss Uehara.
"You're ready? Let's go out then." She extends one hand, as if telling me to take it.
I obediently comply, even if the idea of having to walk while holding hands, just like a small child with her parent, does not appeal to me in the least. We soon walk through the endless white corridors that were so scary and alien the first time I walked in them, and go through the huge entrance doors. The bright sunlight blinds me as I step outside. Breathing in, I look at my surroundings. The Garden of the Hospital is by far my favorite place in this building that has become my prison, and my sour mood ends up completely disappearing. Unlike everything inside, I can almost, almost, say that I feel at home here. Strange thought, that one, since I definitely do not remember my home.
"It's so easy to cheer you up, Youmu." The nurse taking my hand smiles. "Shall we?"
"Yes, Miss Uehara." Embarrassed about barely being able to hide my excitement, I go along the Garden Path, side by side with the Nurse. To be honest, this is a surprisingly large Garden, considering it is part of a hospital. I am not complaining, though. The green areas are very well maintained, the sides of the road covered with flower beds and trees. A beautiful and graceful mix of natural greens, reds and purples. Not a single Cherry Blossom, though. I miss them, the Cherry Blossoms, and I wonder why. How could I miss something I do not remember ever seeing, I wonder?
Miss Uehara notices me staring at the flowers. "How cute, Youmu, you really like flowers. How girly." She mocks.
"Yes, I do," I proudly retort. Liking flowers is not something I should, nor ever will be, embarrassed about. "Those Camellias are blooming proudly. I am relieved the gardeners here take good care of the flowers."
She smiles, pouring out affection. "I see." She squeezes my hand. "I'm relieved too, then."
I smile back. She really is a nice Lady, in spite of everything else.
A loud, thunderous noise explodes from the sky, making me wince. "An airplane." I mumble. This land, Japan, is filled with tools completely alien to me. I know their names, and what they are used for. Cars, TVs, Bikes, Airplanes, among other things. Even though I know their names and what they are used for, I get the feeling that this is the first time I have ever seen them. This feeling may be caused by the memory loss, but, for some reason, that just does not feel right. How bizarre.
A strong wind suddenly blows my hat away. I try to keep it in place before it flies away, but to no avail. "Oh, no." My hat escapes from my grasp, and I, not wanting to lose it, hurriedly run towards it. I don't even manage to advance one meter, and soon, fatigue takes over my whole body, rendering me unable from giving another step. "No..." My brow furrows, and I fall on one knee. I am so weak.
A rush of wind passes just by my side. When I raise my gaze, I realize it is Sayoko, rushing towards my hat, her speed one that I could not manage in this state. "Don't worry, dear, I'll get it for you." She doesn't even look back. In less than ten seconds, she already has it in her hands, and is coming back to me.
"Here. Be more careful from now on, okay." Her eyes do not look serious, though, and her smile is more friendly than anything else.
Before I can say anything, I hear a boyish voice. "Wooooow, you almost lost it!" I look towards the source of the sound, only to see a very young boy running towards us. As soon as he looks at my face, his eyebrows are raised with surprise. "Gosh, lady! You look so pale! It's as if you were a ghost! How cool!" He trembles in excitement. "No, wait, how scary!" He exclaims, giggling, his arms extended to his sides.
"A ghost..." There is something disturbingly familiar with that term. A ghost. That is... What do I lack? What is the part of my body that is missing? Who am I? Where do I come from? I, I know this. I just... I—
Miss Uehara lets out an amused laugh. "She is not a ghost, honey. Look, I can touch her." She pinches my cheek, distracting me from my own thoughts.
"Miss Ueharaaaa—" I let out a pained groan.
The boy jumps up and down in place, as if unable to contain his excitement. "Oooh, is she a half-ghost, then? Cool!"
Half-ghost. Me? Wait, a half-ghost? What is it that I lack? My head? Arms? Legs? Myon— My eyes widen in realization, and I let out a surprised gasp. "Myon!" Of course, my ghost half.
The memories that had been suppressed rush to the front of my mind like a waterfall, overloading my brain. Yes, Myon. That was the empty feeling I was getting. I am a half-ghost. A Youkai. My home is Hakugyokuro, located in Gensokyo. And I am the servant of— "Lady Yuyuko!" I look around, distressed. What is happening? Where is this place? Of course all of this feels so alien to me, that is because this is the first time I have been in such a place, seen such items, and have had these experiences. But then how— How do I know of all these unknown items?
"Youmu? Hey, honey, what's wrong?" It is Lady Uehara. But I have no time for her. Where is Lady Yuyuko? I must find my Lady. The last time I saw her. When was it? I scan my brain for information. I rush away, moving my legs as fast as I can. I have to get out of this place. I have already lost too much time. Not even three steps, and I am already exhausted, panting and gasping for air. I cannot allow exhaustion to stop me, no. I am Youmu Konpaku, descendant of Youki Konpaku. How could I have forgotten? I—I should not be fatigued from only running. What is wrong with me? Why is Myon not with me?
"Calm down, Youmu." Miss Uehara holds my shoulder.
Everything blacks out as I force my body to move forward. I will not fall like this.
"Youmu, Youmu!" The voice is now more of a distant sound now, and the last thing I hear before everything disappears.
"Youmu, please, bring out the chocolate," says the beautiful ghost princess, sitting on the veranda of a Japanese style mansion. She is looking upwards, to the sky. It is not a strange sight, since she usually gets lost in her thoughts, watching the scenery. All those time she has a serene expression. Now, though, now her eyes are fixed, determined, her expression unreadable, but lacking their usual carelessness. The last time I saw her like this was during the endless winter incident.
I raise an eyebrow. "Chocolate? Lady Yuyuko, I thought we only used it for special occasions."
"Youmu." Her tone is serious, her glare strong.
The word is enough for me to unquestioningly obey. I immediately offer a full bow. "Y-Yes, my Lady." I rush into the mansion, setting the kitchen as my destination.
"Good girl," she says wearily.
I open the secret compartment in which we hide the chocolate—have to keep such a rare item away from thieving witches, after all—and take it to Lady Yuyuko as fast as I can. Which is very. In an instant, I am back to her side, chocolate in hand. Not my best record, but good enough. "My Lady." I bow.
My words snap her out of her reverie. She paints a mocking smile on her face, and pouts. "Jeez, what took you so long, You—mu—?"
I keep my head low. "I am sorry, my Lady."
What is going on in her head? I am never able to tell. What is it that she is seeing in the distance? She picks the chocolate, and turns her gaze back to the sky. I just stand by her side, waiting for the next order.
"Hey, hey, Youmu. When you are outside, it is important to find humans you are friends with." She says, trying to sound as enigmatic as possible. She is having fun with this, is she not? What is that, some manner of metaphor? A saying? I do not know.
"My Lady?"
"Fufufu, Youmu, you are my best minion." She lets out what she must think of as an evil laughter, but sounds more like a girlish giggle. What?
"Please, do not call me a minion, Lady Yuyuko, I am your servant." I try to correct her. It is all futile, though; she never does listens to me when she is like that. I have learned not to let it bother me.
"Youmu~ Something amazing is about to happen, look." She points her index finger towards the sky, utterly ignoring my request.
I raise my gaze with curiosity, and, as soon as I look up, a terrible screeching noise breaks the air, as if the fabric of reality itself had been shattered. I cover my ears, flinching. I recover quickly, though, and look up, only to see the most disturbingly frightening thing I have ever laid my eyes upon.
The sky has shattered. Just like glass, a huge crack going from one end to the other.
"What is she thinking, doing all this by herself? That idiot." I do not understand what she is talking. I do not ask about it, though. It is through experience that I know that asking her never brings forth answers. Or at the very least, useful answers.
I instinctively move closer to her. "L-Lady Yuyuko! What is going on?"
"Fufufu." Oh, Lady Yuyuko, do not play with me like that in such a dire moment. "Youmu, look at me."
I obey.
"I trust you will protect me." She cups my face in her hands.
I nod, determined, red in the face, and with quivering hands. I push all of my doubts away. Be courageous, like a warrior. "Of course, my Lady." I hold the hilt of my sword. "I would give my life to protect you."
"Good girl," she says, and with those words, another reality breaking, screeching sound breaks the air.
I wince, if only a little bit, but do not allow myself to feel fear. "Lady Yuyuko!"
As the cracks appear in the sky, everything fades away, or is it my imagination? No, it truly is.
I worriedly look at my Lady's eyes, and she offers me a heart wrenching smile. The last image I see before everything just fades away. Including her.
I open my eyes, and raise my body with a start, trying to grasp for someone that is not there. A dream? No, a memory. The boundary, what happened to it? It—it broke down. So that means this is... "The outside world." I look around. The same hospital room. I must have passed out. My eyes widen. If it is like that, then, what happened to my Lady? I cannot sit like this; I must find her as soon as possible. No, wait, she said to find humans I know. The Hakurei Shrine Maiden is the first one that comes to my mind, so finding her will be my first objective. I move my body out of the bed, and fall down, planting my rear on the floor, a sharp, blunt pain assaulting me. "W-What?" I try to stand, and realize I cannot. My legs do not answer my commands. Why? Why are my legs not responding?
I desperately grasp the bed for support, trying to prop me up, but it is all for naught, and the simple act of trying to stand exhausts me. Why is it like this? What will become of me, now that I cannot even walk by myself? I let go of the bed, too fatigued to keep trying, and look wearily at the roof. The lights are blindingly white. Just like the walls. And the bed, and the floor I am sitting on. This must be... a white hell.
July Twenty-third, Year 2009. The day I woke up, and the beginning of my worst nightmare.