Sadly the Koakuma short story is taking longer then expected so instead our second tale is one about alternate realities. This is not a serious story, and will most likely end of poking fun at many cliched things in touhou fanfiction as well as the idea of a "modern Gensokyo". Though it's all in good fun I'm only trying to tell a goofy story, I'm not trying to offend anyone here. Aslo parts of this are wriiten in first person this is something I don't normaly do and am expermenting with, hopefully it dosen't turn out too bad.
Yukari's story book
story two) alternate nightmare
chapter one) Where is Youmu?
Place:Hakugyokurou
time: a little before noon
Yuyuko Saigyouji took a sip from her tea as she watched her gardener and a blue haired celestial as they once again battled in another sparing match. As usual the match would start out normal, however Youmu had a tenacity to forget that these matches where only training and start fighting at full power. Since Tenshi liked to battle she would do the same and because of this their sparing matches usually ended in someone getting hurt. The fact neither of them didn't know when to quit didn't help either.
Hopefully now that Yuyuko had convinced them to use wooden swords their matches wouldn't end with injuries that required medical attention like last time.
Just then a loud sound filled the air interrupting the ghost from her thoughts. Yuyuko sighed when she saw Tenshi was holding a broken sword in her hand and Youmu was lying on the ground with a dazed look on her face.
After a few seconds the half-ghost re-gained her focus and slowly rose to her feet with the help of her wooden sword, though it was clearly visible that she was still dazed.
"Wait I'm not done yet. I can still... Why are there three of you?" Youmu inquired wobbling slightly.
"Sorry Youmu, this match is over." Yuyuko remarked oddly serious.
Youmu sighed in disappointment while Tenshi smiled raising what was left of her wooden sword into the air.
"What would I do if something were to happen to you?" Yuyuko told Youmu In a somewhat motherly tone.
"Don't worry about us, we'll be fine." Tenshi replied confidently.
"I was more concerned about my snacks." Yuyuko replied grinning.
Youmu sighed at her master's remark.
"You caught me off-guard this time; though don't expect me to let that happen again!" Youmu Declared.
"I seriously hope not, if this was a real sword that would have been a fatal blow." Tenshi remarked offhandedly.
"You can gauge her feelings by the size of the bump you've got there." Yuyuko commented.
"I can? But I can't see it, how big is it?" Youmu asked confused as she searched for the bump with her hand.
"She means I'm rough on you because I care." Tenshi chuckled.
"so there's no bump?" Youmu wondered aloud missing the point.
"The two of you must be thirsty after your match, do help yourselves to some tea, there's plenty left." Yuyuko commented.
"No thank you mistress Yuyuko. Though did you enjoy the tea, todays brew was extra special." Youmu returned warmly
Tenshi perked up at hearing this. Youmu's tea had to be good. And if she said it was special it had to be amazing.
"I'll have some of Youmu's tea!" Tenshi declared holding out a mug grinning in anticipation.
"So what kind of tea is this?" Tenshi inquired while Youmu was filling tenshi's mug.
"Uh." Youmu replied halting the flow of tea at half a mug before milling it over.
For some reason the answer was evading her so she shrugged and filled the rest of the mug.
"It's a surprise." She offered with a small smile.
Tenshi graciously accepted the mug from Youmu and exhaled a long breath slowly over the tea. After that with anticipation in her eyes she took a long sip, exhaling warm air. She quickly noticed something wasn't right. The taste wasn't amazing, it wasn't even great. Could this be right?
Tenshi gently placed her mug on the table and whipped her mouth with the back of her hand trying to get rid of the taste.
"Are you sure it's still fresh?" Tenshi remarked curtly.
"I believe so." Yuyuko replied sipping from her own mug.
Tenshi looked down at her tea puzzled.
"Did I remember to thank you for the peaches, because…" Youmu began.
"So that's it!" Tenshi declared standing suddenly pointing at her tea.
"Huh, what. Is something wrong?" Youmu said a tad flustered.
"yeah, you could say that. Peaches." Tenshi informed her with a frown.
Youmu stared uncertainly for a moment before gasping suddenly.
"I'm so sorry; please allow me to make you, uh… something else." Youmu told her hastily.
Tenshi however was looking at Yuyuko, who had a grin on her face. Tenshi smirked in realization and turned her attention back to Youmu.
"I'd like that" Tenshi replied with a smile.
"While you're at it do you think you can start on lunch, that sounds like a good idea right," Yuyuko added.
"Isn't it a bit early for that." Tenshi inquired.
"Anytime can be meal time." Yuyuko replied whimsically.
Yuyuko then watched as the two of them then walked into the netherworld shrine. She then returned to drinking her tea with a smile on her face.
"What delicious meal are you making this time?" Tenshi asked as she and Youmu walked through the netherworld shrine on their way to the kitchen.
"I haven't decided yet." Youmu admitted.
"Is there something in particular you want me to make?" She continued pondering it.
"Not relay, as long as it doesn't contain peaches. I'll eat anything you make." Tenshi assured her fantasizing about her cooking.
"Then how about I make..." Youmu said before she was interrupted by crashing into thin air.
It was like there was an invisible wall blocking her path. When Youmu crashed into this invisible barrier a blinding light filled the area temporary blinding the celestial who had been walking a bit behind Youmu.
The bright flash lasted only for about a second, however once I opened my eyes and re-gained my vision I noticed Youmu was not in front of me anymore, and where she stood just a few seconds ago was a giant circle. The outer part shined a brilliant gold while the inside alternated between white and blue in a pattern that could best be described as pie cut into many pieces with each piece alternating between the two colors. It was also slowly rotating clockwise.
"What is this, some kind of portal?" I thought as I stared at the strange object in front of me.
There was only one person I knew of that could use portals or gaps as she called them. And this looked nothing like one of her gaps. Good thing too, I relay did not want to deal with her right now anyways.
Bedsides I had more important things to worry about, like finding Youmu. I was hungry and she couldn't cook for me if she was missing. So clearly finding Youmu was my main objective.
"Youmu are you on the other side of this strange thing?" I called not relay sure what to call it.
There was no answer.
Was this thing a portal, and if it was did Youmu end up going through it. Should that be the case this thing could vanish at any moment I had to act quickly. I decided to go through it and hope nothing bad happened if I was right Youmu may need my help. Who knows where this thing could lead to. Without waiting another moment I bravely ran through the portal as fast as I could.
After Tenshi went through the portal it started to act differently. It begun to fluctuate and the colors starting rotating faster. After a little while a small girl with silver hair was shot out of the portal at a fast speed, this caused her to crash into the wall and then fall to the floor.
Once I had entered the portal I ended up in a pitch black void. There also seemed to be an invisible force pushing me however it kept changing from pushing me forward to pulling me back. It didn't take long to realize this would not get me anywhere so I did everything I could to force myself forward.
After a while I finally made it out of the void, however I was greeted by a metal wall which I was unable to stop myself from crashing into.
Fortunately for me this only dazed me for a moment and I soon climbed to my feet, looking around it was easy to tell I was no longer in the netherworld.
Maybe someone else would have taken the time to inspect the strange devices in this room, though I relay didn't care about that. I had a half-ghost gardener to find and she was not here.
I turned around and saw a portal that looked exactly like the one I went through. Before I could even consider going back some of the devices near the portal starting firing electricity and the portal vanished a few seconds later.
"Clearly someone doesn't want me going back." I commented to myself.
Now how do I get out of here, I thought while looking around. I then noticed a door with light coming from the other side at the end of a long hallway.
I quickly made my way to the door though to my surprise it didn't lead outside. It led to another room that was brightly lit. there was a window across from the door showing me I wasn't far from the exit to this strange place.
If Youmu was here I was going to find her. I opened the door and immediately took to the sky to find out where I was. After a quick glace I came to the conclusion I was on Youkai mountain though I had a feeling something was not right, though I decided I could worry about that later.
It had been about two hours since Youmu and Tenshi had entered the netherworld shrine and neither had exited yet. I also did not detect any smell of cooking food in the air.
I was wondering just what had happened. Should I go check on them or just wait outside enjoying the pleasant weather.
Just then I heard Youmu calling for me.
The half-ghost then ran out of the netherworld shrine stopped to catch her breath "Yuyuko-sama" she exclaimed.
"What seems to be the matter, out of ingredients?" I inquired.
"Worse we've been robed. A lot of your things are missing as well as some of mine and the place seams smaller and..." Youmu stated quickly.
"Calm down Youmu." Yuyuko told her gardener. "Now what's missing?" she asked.
"Well some of my newer cooking tools, your entertainment box as well as" Youmu started to say before she was interrupted.
"Youmu." I said interrupting her.
Just how hard had that celestial hit her, Youmu hadn't acted this strange since that time she came back from solving an incident thinking she was a hermit. Though that was kinda funny, this not so much. I was about to lead her to her room and insist she rest, it was then I noticed something shiny by Youmu's ears.
"What happened to your ears?" I asked her.
She gasped and checked her ears then sighed after a few seconds.
"Don't frighten me like that, there's nothing wrong with my ears," she replied.
"Then what that?" I asked pointing to the small metal and gem object by her ear in the shape of a butterfly.
"Oh my earrings. You gave them to me as a gift." Youmu replied.
I was right. Something about her was not right, however I decided to play along, I could get more information that way.
"Well good thing such a special gift wasn't stolen as well." I commented.
"Well it would be pretty hard to steel something attached to my ears." Youmu replied.
Then Youmu stopped to think for a bit before asking me what time it was.
"Early evening." I replied.
"I'm so sorry Yuyuko-sama my trip to the human city took longer them I thought it would. I'll get to work on your lunch right away." the half-ghost stammered with a quick bow.
"Wait." I instructed her causing Youmu to stop just before she dashed away.
"What now?" she inquired sounding a tad worried.
"Human city? when did the village expand?" I asked her.
"About a year or two ago." she answered simply.
I pretended to think for a bit though I already knew what I was going to say.
"Oh dear you must have hit your head harder then I realized. And now my poor sweet Youmu has been knocked senseless." I gasped.
"I'm not... I got hit in the head? That would explain why I woke up on the floor without any memory of how I got there." Youmu thought aloud.
"Indeed it does, now I want you to get some rest. Even if you don't sleep why don't you go to your room and just relax the rest of the day." I told her.
Youmu nodded in agreement then she had a confused look on her face.
"You're giving me the rest of the day off, don't you want me to cook first?" the half-ghost asked me.
"Don't worry Youmu I'll be fine. Just let me worry about that for now. Who knows? Maybe I'll catch the mystery thief" I told my gardener with a wink.
"If that's want you wish." Youmu responded with another bow. She then walked back into the netherworld shrine.
'Hmm... She looks like Youmu, acts kinda like her too,something is off about her, there's no mistaking that' I thought to myself. I then decided I was going to visit a friend of mine and took to the sky.
What happened to me? The last thing I remembered was walking to the kitchen with Tenshi and now I'm in even more pain then before. My head still hurts and my body is sore.
I slowly opened my eyes to figure out where I was however what I saw was clearly not the netherworld shrine. I was lying on a large futon. The ceiling and most of the wall were made of metal. Also patches of the ceiling were giving off light.
I wasn't sure where I was or even how I got there. Had I been attacked? And if so, by who. Tenshi was the only one with me and she wouldn't do something like this to me.
"Thank goodness you're OK. Yuyuko would have killed me if I would have accidentally killed her servant." A voice I didn't recognize commented.
"So you're the one who knocked me out." I remarked as a challenge to the unknown assailant as I leapt to my feet.
I reached behind me for one of my swords though they were not there.
Not wanting to give the other person the advantage I wasted no time and had my ghost half fire at her.
The blue-haired girl gasped and jumped back to avoid the shots.
"Wait, I don't want to hurt you." she said in a nervous tone.
"Then why did you capture me and bring me here?" I demanded pointing at her.
"I didn't you came here by your own will." she replied somewhat taken aback.
"Lies, now tell me where my swords are." I demanded forcefully.
"My closet." she answered rather intimidated.
"Why did you take them from me?" I inquired intent on getting the truth.
"Well you don't sleep with your swords, right?" she replied with a smile, holding a finger in the air as she made her point.
I'll give her that but she's not off the hook just yet.
"Who are you and why did you bring me here?" I demanded in a stern tone narrowing my eyes.
She was rather flustered at this, avoiding eye contact and fiddling with her fingers.
"I'm Nitori Kawashiro. As for why you're here I met you in the human city and invited you over to show you my newest invention." she stammered.
"That's not true I wasn't in the human city. I was at Hakugyokurou sparing with Tenshi!" I exclaimed.
"Then what." Nitori asked murmured, barely audible.
"Then I... well... I can't remember." I admitted.
"Well unfortunately my invention malfunctioned for some unknown reason and you passed out I'm not sure why that happened either." Nitori informed her with a shrug.
"And you expect me to believe that?" I inquired not letting up.
"It's true after you passed out my invention started to act strange. So I carried you out the front door in fear it might explode. I heard a loud bang though it didn't explode." Nitori added hesitantly.
"Your story still makes no sense." I told her with a sigh. "Though either way I should really return to Hakugyokurou. If you don't get in my way I'll just pretend none of this happened." I reasoned.
"Aren't you hurt? You should rest first. Youkai mountain can be very dangerous especially if you're hurt." Nitori pleaded, sounding concerned.
"Yuyuko is going to be expecting her lunch soon." I told her, showing no concern for her pleading.
"It's already seventeen hundred hours I'm sure she had lunch already." Nitori replied pointing to a device with numbers on it which were currently 17:09.
"Just curious, what is this invention of yours anyways?" I inquired.
"A transporting machine, it would make traveling way easier. With it you can travel anywhere in only a few seconds." the kappa explained.
"Can't Yukari already do that?" I remarked with a grin.
"Well that's the best part you don't need Yukari, my invention is way more reliable and trustworthy then that old hag ever was or will be." Nitori stated sounding somewhat rehearsed.
"That's not true Yukari is nice. I can't believe you think she isn't trustworthy!" I yelled upset at the way Nitori was taking about Yuyuko-sama's best friend.
"Well, how about I make you some dinner and let you rest for the night to make up for the damage caused by my malfunctioning machine?" Nitori offered staring at the ground nervously.
I thought about it for a bit before reluctantly accepting her gracious offer.
"OK" I replied.
"Good I'll go make something then." Nitori said before running out of the room.
'I was worried she was going to slash me to pieces, better not tell her that the reason why I brought her over to see my invention was to use her as a test subject' Nitori thought As she made her way to the kitchen.
The kappa then entered the kitchen and noticed the back door to her house was wide open.
"That's strange I don't remember this door being open." Nitori commented before closing the door.
After checking Youkai Mountain for a few hours I had decided to go home. I was hungry to the point that I was actually willing to settle for a peach.
I just hoped that Youmu was OK. though there wasn't anything I could do if I couldn't find her. I decided to check Hakugyokurou tomorrow.
Just as I was about to land in Bhavaagra I heard someone exclaim "I'm bored."
"What do you want me to do about it?" Someone else asked in an irradiated tone.
"Do something entertaining, oh I know dance, I order you to dance for me." the first voice commanded.
Someone beside me was bored in Bhavaagra? I decided to drop in on this person. Maybe it would be entertaining.
I landed on the ground and was about to say something when I noticed one of the two girls that had been talking looked exactly like me. The other one was Iku. How strange is that.
"Iku, who is this imposter?" the other me asked.
"Me an Imposter? you're the imposter. I'm gone for only a few hours and already someone is trying to take my place." I groaned derisively.
Iku looked at me and the girl next to her that looked like me, it was clear she could not tell us apart.
"Iku what brings you here? Is there a disaster coming?" I asked her.
"Not unless you count being assigned your personal babysitter." Iku sighed.
"See I told you she's the fake one I already knew that." the other me stated in a way that irritated me.
"Why don't we settle this the way they do in Gensokyo." I said as I made a keystone appear in front of me.
"I couldn't agree more." the other me replied.
I was about to enjoy a battle I would have most likely easily won however Iku got between the two of us and said "wait I have a better way to figure this out."
The other me and I sighed at the same time and I rolled my eyes.
Iku then pulled out a peach.
"This is one of the peaches heaven is famous for which of you wants it?" Iku asked holding out the peach.
The other me rolled her eyes. I stared at the peach for a few seconds then an idea came to me.
I hope this works I thought as I walked up to Iku and grabbed the peach. I then walked up the other me and slowly brought the fruit closer to my mouth opening my mouth a little as well.
"See I told you she was." the other me started to say however she was interrupted because I suddenly shoved the peach into her mouth.
"She wants it." I exclaimed as I walked away from the other me laughing.
The other me was speechless for a few seconds then she glared at me and spat out the peach.
"Well that was a waste, shame on you for wasting your favorite food like that." I commented to the other me.
"That was rude, unladylike and downright despicable!" Iku gasped.
"I agree make her leave." the other me added.
"I'm convinced you are the real Tenshi." Iku told me.
"Then what does that make me." the other me whined.
"An imposter, maybe you are some kind of a mimic." Iku considered looking her over.
"Why don't you go away you fake." I told the other me.
After thinking about it for a few seconds she decided to leave and flew off on a keystone.
"Iku." I said calling for her attention.
"Yes eldest daughter." Iku replied cheerfully.
"I am very hungry. I order you to bring me some food that contains no peaches." I commanded.
"Fair enough." Iku replied before floating away.
I then sat on one of my keystones and decided to think about my situation while I waited for my meal.
Youmu had gone missing, I ended up traveling through a portal from Hakugyokurou to youkai mountain. Though something didn't seem right and the other me in Bhavaagra only confirmed this, though I decided that I could worry about that after I had something to eat.
When I remembered how I tricked the other me I couldn't help but to laugh, that was funny. I could be very clever when I wanted to be.
End of chapter
Well that's probably a good place to stop even though it seams like we just started, next time we're explore more of this alternate Gensokyo, though since this is Yukari's story book there's no telling what the next chapter actually will be, until next time.