I had an idea for a fanfiction~.
Now, I know how badly my last two are/were, but I feel that this one can't possibly be wors- Oh hi Hina~!
I dunno, it started as me really loving (going far too deep in detail of) fight scenes, and then it meshed together!
Ah screw it all! Let us just see if this baby makes for a good write/read!
~A Successful Businessman.
Disclaimer: ZUN belongs to his wife, and Touhou belongs to ZUN.
Hic~. Hey, you! Yes you! I like you! ...No I'm not drunk. Of course I'm not sober, I'm an oni! Ha ha... you're pretty funny. I know I saw something in those eyes. ...Of course I'm not going to fight you, you don't look that strong anyway! ...Ok, don't look down, it's alright, you're funny, and I like you! Here! Bartender, a sake for my friend here! Come on, drink it in, drink it all in buddy! ...Oy, don't cough it up, you're wasting good sake! Not a heavy drinker? Then why didn't you say so! ...Then why didn't you say that louder! Yeesh, in a bar sitting next to an oni yet he can't hold his own liquor... Gah, sorry, I didn't mean that, well ok, I honestly do but, GAH! You know what'll cheer you up! ...Besides more sake, I know you'll just cough half of it back up. Let me tell you a tale! ...No, not a tale of love you dummy! I swear, you are a funny one... This is an oni you're talking to! This is a tale of sake and fighting!
Imagine this; a large, barren wasteland, dotted with dead trees and covered in a light haze. Ash hovered in the air like snow, but not from a battle long past, no. This area was once the Hell of blazing fires, the old Hell as it is known today. It used to be much more active, but the Yamas imparted their own 'New Hell' recently, leaving this section of Gensokyo to rot... if there was any real living matter to rot there anyway. This tale takes place long before the creation of the Hakurei Border... well, long for humans and youkai born . To those of the revolutionary age of youkai it would be but a stroll down memory lane, to those of the great age of youkai, the old ones, it would be like yesterday... assuming any of them still live to this date. Now, I know what you're thinking, isn't this same bar in the once barren wasteland? A lot can change over the course of years... but this may have been the catalyst, the spark that reignited old hell.
My name is Yuugi Hoshiguma. I am one of the four Devas of Youkai mountain. I have fought many a worthy opponent, and many more unworthy ones. I had grown tired of fighting the same, weak opponents, so I had gone on a journey to meet some new ones. While I did meet a few, there was only that, a few, and I never stayed near them long enough to really know them. I was going to continue on, out of old Edo, but never quite made it to the sea. Something pulled me back home in the middle of my journey.
"Come on Yuugi, you gotta see this, you just gotta!" That something was Suika Ibuki. Make a watermelon joke, and I'll take back that comment about you being funny! This short friend of mine was, and still does, look like a child, and acts like one, though only when sober. Unfortunantly for me, she was... as sober as she could be. You see, as I always say, oni have three alcoholic states. One is normal, or as you call it, flat out hammered. The second is 'sober,' which generally means that the oni in question is feeling the effects of lack of alcohol. The third, thankfully, is a short lived state, which I like to call, give me sake now. Effects vary between oni, some may just feel lethargic, while others may go into a frenzy until they get their hands on some sake. Henceforth, it is a short lived state. But yes, Suika was feeling the effects of such a lack of alcohol, and I was paying the price.
"This better not be you asking me for money again, because all of mine was used on travel expenses." I sigh, taking out an ornate sake dish from my pack, and pouring a little 'travel' sake into it from a flask. "I'm almost out of sake myself, so don't ask."
"No, that's not it, oni's honor! ...But if you've got some to spar-" I sigh.
"You know, if you partied just a little less, then maybe you wouldn't always be so penniless. I swear, it seems every time you come into any sum of money, you blow it on sake and partying, much more than any ONI should!"
"Gah, you'd think being a deva of the mountain would get you some free sake once in awhile..."
"Suika. One: I'm also a deva, so you won't get any from me. Two: We're devas, not gods, we don't get offerings. Three: There's no such thing as free sake." As I brought my palm to my face, I saw a strange gleam in the eyes of my friend.
"I'd like to differ with you on the last point." She said, with her eyes still glittering, and a hint of drool down her face. She started jumping around, trying to grab at the dish, but I quickly moved my right hand to avoid her wild grabs, keeping the sake out of her arms length. She made up for the height difference by jumping around, but that made her movements easy to read, and easy to dodge.
"Suika, stop already, it's been a long trip!"
"I should know, I had to drag you back here didn't I!"
"Where is 'here' anyway! I thought you were taking me back to the mountain, not to some stupid wasteland!" Suika just laughed.
"Just wait, you'll see!"
"No, I'm not being another part of your strange schemes! I'm not going with you, I'm not going home to the mountain, I'm going on a journey to meet worthy opponents!" I turned around, and started to walk away, but Suika just grabbed the back of my pack, and started dragging my heels through the grey dirt.
"Just shut up and come on~!" She said, elongating the last word in a sort of whine, still dragging me along. I sighed, allowing her to drag me, sipping sake as a cloud of ash and soot followed us. It isn't worth it trying to stop Suika once her mind was set to something. This drunk, irresponsible, crazy party animal of a little girl; and I'm going by oni standards here, just so you see just what I'm saying, is still my elder, and is in reality much wiser than she really shows. Once she has her mind set on something, trying to dissuade her was a wasted effort, you should just hope she knows what she's doing, and have a way out when things get serious.
"Ugh, Suika, really, just tell me where you're taking me." I said, the sound of surrender deep in my voice.
"Here!" She pushed my back straight up, and spun me around. The sight I saw caused me to drop my sake dish, and on instinct I quickly kicked it up to head level before Suika could grab it, my friend jumping at my legs to grab it. I caught the dish in my left hand, and took a large gulp. I saw a large building, a round stone coliseum, near 100 meters across. Youkai were flooding in at the gate. Many carried large weapons on large hardy bodies, others just walked with the cloaks on their slim backs, though many would have concealed weapons. These youkai talked to the two people guarding the gates, a red oni and a purple oni, who let them in after touching their hands to their heads.
"Where are we..." I stuttered out. 'Why is there such a large coliseum, especially in such a barren wasteland?' I thought. I received no answer. Suika waved to the two oni, and the two oni responded with smiles.
"Morning Suika, our break's not for a few more hours, and you look dirt poor, so I doubt you're here to take us out drinking." Said the red one with a smirk.
"So I presume that you want to participate." Said the purple one, also with a smile.
"Not me boys," Suika smiled lazily, "my friend here, Yuugi Hoshiguma!" She grabbed me by the arm, and threw me at the two oni. The purple one caught me, and the red one placed his palm to my forehead.
"Yes... this one will be fine." Said the red one, patting me on the back, and he urged me into the large dark corridor into the arena. "Keep moving, gotta get all the participants through."
"Oi, what's going on!" I called out, as the red one kept pushing me into the corridor.
"So, Suika, should we send for Blue to come and take you to the viewer's stand?" The purple one said to my friend as I was slowly getting pushed out of earshot by a crowd of other participants.
"No thanks Purp~, I know my own way, the spectator's entrance is on the opposite side of the arena right?" Suika started walking away with her arms behind her head.
"Yeah, but..." The purple oni leaned in close, and I urged myself to hear the last comment. "One of your friends is here, the eccentric one."
"The sadistic eccentric one, or the eccentric one that speaks in riddles?" The purple oni just sighed, yelling for an oni called 'Blue.'
"The riddles." The red one said, walking back and putting his hand on another competitor's head.
Yukari just sat down in the large section of the stands that had been designated for MVYs. She had one hand on her head, the other holding a fan which she used to help stave the stifling heat. She sat there with a bored look in her eyes, while the person sitting next to her just talked.
"You always have quite the, how would you put it, ingenious ideas Yukari. Having this large arena constructed would certainly draw the attention of many youkai, drawing them into this part of your 'haven.' But you have many more ideas, many more ploys, many more events held to pull youkai here, to this already heavily populated land. So then why are you here? Looking for a disciple obviously, this event would weed out many candidates, and after your late master's passing you feel the urge to teach someone yourself, but-"
"You know, Ms. Komeiji, I would be so much more impressed with your reading of my plans if you weren't reading my heart." Yukari retorted with a dull look in her eyes.
"Please Yukari, call me Satori, we are friends correct?" A quick passing thought told the heart reader otherwise. "Well, acquaintance would be the better word, you are right, but call me that anyway. As much as the people here want to believe I am royalty, I am to be but a leader, not a queen."
"Fine then, Satori, what is my heart telling you right now about my plans."
"You can look, but you can't tell~." The satori said, mimicking Yukari's tone with playful seductive charm. "Fine then, it is not as if I really have any benefit from telling anyone. So, why the sudden visit with this 'acquaintance?' If you wanted to watch, why look me up, and not just enter through the entrance like everybo- oh, it's you Yukari, why not watch from a floating gap?" A quick smile partially hidden behind Yukari's fan told Satori the answer. "Boredom, yes, can't forget that. But why me? And actually tell me this time." Satori turned her head over to Yukari, and closed all three of her eyes, shaking her head in disdain. She took a feather from the ground, recently given off by one of her many pets, and poked at the snot bubble given off by the sleeping Yukari.
"Wha-" Yukari jumped up, "did the fights begin yet?"
"You know, just because I can read your heart and you don't have to speak, doesn't mean you can just fall asleep like that." Yukari just yawns, stretching her arms.
"Why do I even keep in contact with you if you always ruin all the fun~?"
"Because you seem to be unable have a real heartfelt talk with someone else, so you think my powers are close enough."
"Come now Satori, we both know I don't think that~."
"But I do." Yukari just sighs.
"I wish I had invited Yuyuko or Sui-"
"Mornin' Yukari." Said Suika hanging off the edge of the balcony. Yukari instantly snapped her head around to see the amber haired oni.
"At times I wonder if I'm really the best at surprise entrances~. I didn't notice you without the smell of alcohol on your breath." Yukari smiled, "I assume you came here for sake, and not to keep me company?"
"Now Yukari, you know oni don't lie!" Suika stared into Yukari's eyes, smiling. "So stop asking questions like that~."
"I also know that you can't really hold a decent conversation without your sake." A gap opened up and a cup fell down into Suika's hands. Soon, sake poured out from the gap, and by the time the cup was filled and the gap was closed, Suika was already asking for more. Yukari just sighed. "Why exactly are you here Suika?"
"To watch the fights of course~!"
"Why not participate~? And not be begging me for sake~?"
"Because this way is much more fun! Sides, I got a friend in the fights, I wanna see if she finally gets to fight some worthy opponents! So pour more sake! This lady right here needs some sake!" Suika pointed towards Satori, gripping her arms. As the satori protested, flailing around, and Yukari poured more sake from a gap with a grin, Suika laughed, and began to think to herself, letting the alcohol do its work.
He he he... while this arena surely does attract youkai, if Yuugi wasn't here it wouldn't be nearly as spectacular. While I can control density, she can control supernatural phenomena, and because of that, I'll get to see some good fights! She'll naturally attract some strong fighters, an maybe I'll get to see more than just a couple of weak youkai duking it out!
"Well, well, Yukari," Satori said, pushing away the cup of sake, "it seems your friend's doings are benefiting your plan."
"Oh really~?" The tired youkai just fanned herself some more. "How?"
"It also seems your friend would like to follow the 'look, but don't tell' type of thing."
"Come on Suika, tell me~. Where's that oni honesty~?"
"Knowing you," the small oni just took another drink from her cup, "you'd use h- whatever I had for your own benefit."
"So~?"
"...Good point, I'll tell you after the fights."
"But I'm bored~!" Suika just smiled.
"That's the point." Satori quoted the oni's thoughts, sneaking a quick smile.
Bwah? What? Oh, I was drifting off? Sorry, I was just thinking about what Suika was doing, or where she was going... now where was I... oh yes, bartender, another sake~!
As I walked out of the tunnel, light flooded into my eyes, and I was greeted with the second astounding sight of the day. I had walked into a large, sandy arena, with many figures standing around, some with large satchels like my own, some with nothing but the cloaks on their backs. But the arena filled with fighters was not the astounding sight, it was the coliseum stands that were really the sight.
Youkai of all kinds were in the stands, regal youkai, lesser youkai, youkai in tattered clothes, youkai painted in dried blood, age old youkai, youkai newly born, Tsukumogami, yousei, humans turned youkai, beast youkai, and of course, oni. All these seemingly different youkai, from different walks of life, from different backgrounds, all blurring together seamlessly, all getting along, drinking alcohol, all for the same common purpose. To watch a large fight, to cause a ruckus, to yell and get loud, to just have fun. It brought a tear streaming down my face. I finally knew where I was at that moment. "I'm home." I said with a wide grin, drinking the last of the sake in my dish before refilling it from a flask in my pack. I looked around, glancing at other competitors, and I wondered just what they were thinking.
Bwah-haha! Now's my chance to prove my strength! A gargantuan, muscular man, wearing only cloth pants and a red beaded necklace; with beads larger than most people's heads, just laughed to himself, looking around at his competition. I'll show these fools my power! Oy, is that... Yuugi? Bwah-haha, I guess I'm going to get that rematch sooner than I thought! This time, he had let a large guffaw out, so loud that he startled many surrounding youkai.
I'm scared, trembling even! A tall feminine figure wearing a tattered brown cloak with a green knapsack slung over her back stood there, shaking. No, it's not fear, I'm excited! Her fists at her side tightened, and she seemed to push back surrounding youkai with just the pressure she exerted. Here is the perfect opportunity to test my skills!
Idiots... A figure, completely shrouded by a deep blue-violet cloak, sighed to herself. And I'm suppose to be one of the youngest youkai here? All of this youkai's features were hidden by her large cloak and tall hat, even her real size was hidden, there being alot of empty space between her cloak and her body. All these youkai, just gawking at the countless masses of fodder. This youkai did not even need to do anything to ward off surrounding youkai, her sword, the only striking feature people could see on her, said more than enough. On her back was a large, seemingly unrealistic Zanbato; a horse slaying sword, wrapped in dirtied cloth, near twice her height in length with a spear like handle. I really just want to win this and go back home...
With all these youkai around, even though nothing was said, we all knew what was going to happen next. A tournament of sorts would happen soon, but with the vast numbers we had, there had to be preliminaries. They st-Oh, thanks bartender! Hold on bud, I'll be just a moment here.