Disclaimer: I do not own Touhou or Destiny, or any of the other sources I'll be drawing upon, all I own is me, myself, and I. Enjoy, O reader mine.
For as long as she could remember, Yukari Yakumo had been a watcher. A schemer. A hero and a villain both and even something that bordered between the two. She had seen it all and nearly done it all… and the "nearly" part was only because the things left to do were simply not worth doing. Yes, at this point in her long existence she next to nothing to look forward. And yet, as she watched the outside world once more she was reminded by a thought she had had what seemed like an eternity ago.
"Never underestimate humans."
At the time, that particular thought had been directed towards one of the earliest shrine maidens of Gensokyo. Yet, as time continued its march on and on that thought had popped up far to often for her own liking. As Yukari reflected more on this thought, she was brought back to when humanity had declared there intention to send a manned rocket to mars. How long ago that was.
"Of course, the lunarians hadn't been very happy about that prospect, especially since they had already been forced to create their own barrier to hide from the humans who had began to colonize the moon. That was a fun incident." The youki hummed to herself while fully knowing how no one else would agree to that last statement. Of course, that was nothing compared to what humanity found when they finally reached it. An existence that both humans and lunarians had discovered as it entered their system, one that the latter wished to avoid and the former wished to contact.
The Traveler.
Or at least, that was what the humans had called it. Of course, they had simply believed the traveler to be an alien, one who's technology was more "magic" than science. But Yukari had not been fooled. This was no alien. I was a god. One whose power and very existence threatened all she and the other sages had worked so hard to create. And so, for the first time since the creation of the Great Hakurei Barrier itself, the Youkai Sages gathered once more.
The discussion had been… intense, to say the least, and no less than twelve spell card battles had taken place before the proceedings would be finished. Of course, if she knew now what the outcome would have been, she wouldn't have bothered at all. Not that she entirely disagreed with doing nothing, that acting now would be a mistake they would all agree, but still! Of course, She had basically been ordered by everyone present to keep watch over this Traveler and whatever plans it had for humanity.
"*sigh*, so many sleepless days…"
But she had. Not for humanity's sake of course, but for Gensokyo. But as she continued her watch, the same thought appeared again, and again, and again. Though humanity's sudden technological leap was of course do to the traveler sharing what it knew with the humans (information that she was always present to receive as well), it was what they did with it that had surprised her and everyone else who was aware of the situation. Because they did not fight or bicker sabotage one another out of pointless greed and fear. No, they instead expanded and grew as one. They became more than just humanity. More than just human. They had achieved what even the lunarians had not, and when the civilization in question realized this it was already several years to late. For at the time, it was Humanity who possessed technology greater than the other, and the lunarians knew this well.
"And so had we." The Youkai thought with some slight resentment. Though no one ever had or ever would admit it, Humanity had possessed a power that only a slight few in Gensokyo could actually match, and even then their land would not survive any battle between the two. Fortunately, or more accurately unfortunately, Gensokyo would never know. Though humanity had discovered other forms of alien life, and even made preparation incase they might be hostile, there was simply no preparing for what came. An entity that had simply been un-originally named; The Darkness.
Though in all fairness, there was really no better way to describe this new god. And it was a god. One who's power equalled and arguably even surpassed that of the travelers. And it brought with it extinction. And so, once again the sages had been called together to discuss what they would do. And so, after a full day of discussion and fighting, they had come to a decision. It was both as predictable as it was surprising.
They would do nothing, and pray that this darkness either overlooked Gensokyo, or simply had no qualms with it. That was their decision. They would leave humanity to burn. Not that she couldn't see why, after all the protection of Gensokyo was their one and only concern, and there was no guarantee that they could even stop an invasion of both that magnitude and power. And so they wouldn't.
And thus, she continued her watch. And it was one of the most horrifying things she had ever been forced to gaze upon before. Oh, she had watched humanity at its absolute worst countless times, seen things that no human ever should, and DONE things no human ever could comprehend. But this was not humans killing humans, this was alien after alien utilizing methods and abilities even she found hard to comprehend at times. And it had been used - WAS still being used everywhere on anything that they could. Though Yukari was not exactly a human lover, nor their best friend (being a youkai and all) even she couldn't help but feel sympathy for them… and perhaps even some guilt, though those feelings would never see day or night.
But then, at last the war, if it could be called that, was over. The traveler, having sacrificed itself, had pushed back the darkness and defeated it. But for the poor humans who had survived, their misery had only begun. That being thought, the traveler had left humanity one parting gift, one last chance at salvation. Their so called ghosts of course. Though humanity had (predictable) used that power selfishly to begin with, they had quickly gotten their act together and even managed to stabilize what was left of their species. And once more that thought of hers entered her skull, because humanity not only stabilized, but began to repel the alien threats that had remained. It was a slow process, but they were doing it.
"Right now as a matter of fact."She thought with a small smile, one that was washed away as she watched the situation unfold. For the Great Ahamkara Hunt had begun. Of course, this was a detail that only she herself knew about. After all, if anyone knew that the great dragon god had been one such creature, or that the dragon had actually been an alien deity that had only helped with the creation of Gensokyo for Its own selfish desire's… well it would either cause a mass panic of both human and youkai residents, or a call to arms as most of Gensokyo would be off to save their patron deity (or deities?).
Of course, only she herself was aware of the dragon gods true identity, but even if the residents were unable to put two and two together, the knowledge that a race of wish-granting dragons not only existed, but was currently being hunted to extinction by what remained of humanity would be cause for another gathering of the sages… and considering that some of the sages worshiped the dragon god themselves, it was best to keep this information to herself. Like she had done countless times before.
Still, watching humanity butcher and kill what was effectively Gensokyo's over-deity (deities?) was what had caused that one thought to reaper again.
"Never underestimate humans."
For even now, even as they brush off the edge of extinction, they are still capable of miracles not even the gods could lay claim to. And the battle unfolding in front of her was simply more proof to the claim.
Though the battle had nearly just beggan, it had in reality been going on for hours, as the Ahamkara had began its whispers and promises long before the fireteam had arrived. The team, Yukari had noted quickly, which had began with six guardians, had dropped to four before they even saw the dragon. One lost to madness, and the other a clever trap that had cleaved both guardian and ghost in two. But credit should be given when due, even if it is never admitted, for the humans, whose existence sat on the border of reality and fantasy both, gave no ground to the dragon once it was found. It was fights like these that made Youkari more and more grateful for the spell card system that had been set in place all those years ago. True, spell card battles could be near cataclysmic in terms of damage, but they rarely if ever resulted in death of either participant(s) while also giving each side a chance, no matter how small, to clutch victory.
"But this?" Yukari thought with a slight downturn of her lips. "This is nothing more than a slaughter." And it was. Though the wish granter wielded reality like a tool, the humans, these guardians had the power to reject such alterations, and with that power they tore the dragon apart. There was no fairness to it, no chance the dragon could escape with its life as the guardians continued their onslaught with both gun and sword and magic and more. It was not to say that the wish wielder did not fight back, but it made no lasting impact as the humans "ghosts" brought them back time and time again.
And then it was over. One of the humans had ended the fight by shoving what they had termed a "Nova Bomb" down the dragon's throat. Childish as the name sounded, it was a powerful ability that all but eradicated the creatures insides. Of course the humans begin to celebrate their victory over the dragon, why wouldn't they? But try as she might, yukari couldn't find it in herself to share their enthusiasm. The reasons could have been countless, and so she pushed the thought away and continued to watch. She watched as they pilfered the body, ripping out both organs and bones. She watched as they created graves for the ones who had not made it, and she watched as they left with their spoils, off to either fight again or return home she knew not and cared not. And then, the youkai known as Yukari realized that their was nothing left to watch, and that her attention was better spent elsewhere than simply gazing upon a new corpse.
And so, with a sigh and feeling of… something, she stepped through her gap and-
Immediately froze.
"Why the hesitation? Our conversation will be far more understanding from within the same dimension, than outside it." A familiar voice whispered all around Yukari as she quickly ascertained her surrounds.
"If your worried about the humans, they left hours ago." The familiar voice whispered again as Yukari quickly settled her nerves and brought a familiar fan to her face while her trusty umbrella lay across her shoulder in an attempt to better hide herself from the clearly not dead dragon.
"Humans have never concerned me much" the youkai begin cautiously. Though she had never conversed with one of these entities outside the dragon god itself, she was aware of why they were being killed to begin with.
"Oh, we are aware creature of the gap, you who see all that lies from within the boundaries of creation." The voice whispered in what any other would assume to be flattery. But there was only one question on her mind now.
"My, to think a stranger would now so much about me." Yukari responded with a raised eyebrow, her question unsaid yet voiced all the same.
"But are we? You are the border between borders, that which refines and rewrites all that lies within. But us? Are we not that which lies without? Are we not the border that lies beyond the concept of border?" The oh so familiar voice of Yuyuko whispered back to her.
"I wouldn't know." Was all Yukari could respond with. This game of conversation was spiraling out faster than she could understand. Maybe if she had been ready to speak with the creature she could reclaim this fight but as of now the confusion of her sudden coming was still in effect while the dragon continued its word play.
"Oh? But are you not the mastermind? Are you not the protector and destroyer? Surely you must have some idea as to what's happening here?" Yuyuko- The dragon whispered again, as Yukari continued to glare at the desecrated corpse.
"I understand that the dead should not be speaking with the living." She answered back with a smirk. Hopefully the dragons response would give her more to work with, like just how much it really knew about her and her Gensokyo. And it knew something, that much could not be denied.
"And yet, here we are in this cave of mars, where the dead speak with fantasy as if all was peaceful in the paradise they call home.'' The dragon answered with a smugness that had yukari glaring again. This creature had not only seen her move, but had walked into it a way that confirmed her worst fears. It new about Gensokyo, and if this dragon did then it was possible all the Ahamkara did. Wonderful. And yet…
"If your trying to get me to save your life, your going on about it in a very annoying way." Yukari responded with a huff of annoyance.
"But I see no reason in such an action, after all it was never our ability to live that made us enemies of humanity. No, I began this journey of words for but one reason; I have a wish to make." If that didn't start the alarm bells, then nothing would.
"Oh? And what could I possibly do that you could not oh wish-granter?" The youkai responds with a fair amount of both caution and curiosity as she puts on a questioning front.
"Protect that which I can not". The dragon replied simply. But Yukari had no response, for something had caught her full attention, and whether it was planned or not mattered not for everything became clear in an instant as Yukari gazed down on the tiny form of an egg nearly three feet from her (which had not been there moments before), one that she had never seen before yet knew what hid inside.
"Im afraid… im a little too busy to be taking care of a child…" Youkari responded slowly as she tried to process what was now happening. Of course her statement was met with a chorus of laughter so befitting Yuyuko that she almost believed she was here. Almost.
"I never expected you to take care of them, only watch. No, I knew that if you took them you would simply hand them off to someone else, or perhaps even leave them in the wild." It was easy to tell That the Youkai resented that statement, though only because that's what she would end up doing when- IF she granted this wish, which looked like a big if at the moment.
"You know, I am aware of why your being hunted to extinction" she replied with no amount of subtlety, "How does this benefit my "paradise", as you put it?" She continued with a raised eyebrow. Of course the question was more rhetorical than anything. After all, though the wish welders were generally considered greedy and self interested, the ability to grant one's wish was a powerful ability, and if the last Ahamkara was both raised and cared for in Gensokyo, it could very well end up being its most powerful asset. Or its destroyer.
"I see you require but one more push before you finalise your decision" The dragon practically purred into her ear. But before she could retort, the dragon struck first once more.
"So then, O undecided mine, I will grant you any wish of your choosing, whenever and wherever you wish, with no strings attached". It purred out again. Though this time the youkai liked what it heard. A lot, in fact. Enough so that when she closed her fan and smiled down upon the dragon infront her, all present knew the outcome without needing a single whisper to confirm it.
"You'll keep your word I assume?" She asked as she gingerly walked up to the egg in question, umbrella still out and open like it was expected to rain any second.
"Oh but of course, seeing as I AM nothing but my word at this point." The dragon replied casually as she held out her hand, before cautiously picking up the surprisingly heavy egg in question.
"So then, what is it im calling you?" She asked the the dragon egg as it sat in her hand, giving off a warm but comfortable heat in response.
"They have chosen their name, and it will be Ladon". The Ahamkara stated as it continued to respond with the voice of her friend.
"They have, have they?" Yukari asked with a questioning look as she continued to gaze at the form of the egg. Of course, this question would also go unanswered as the youkai suddenly turned around and began walking back towards the gap she had initially stepped forward through to begin with.
"Well, I must say that it's been a pleasure and an experience doing business with you." The youkai called out as she neared the gap, ready to leave this place and situation behind for good.
"The same could be said about thee, O Youkai mine." And at this Yukari quickly turned around, for the voice had changed to one far deeper, and far more sinister. Not only that, but it had sounded like it was coming from the corpse itself. But as she waited for another response, for something to signal what she heard was real and not just her imagination, she was left with nothing but a silence more horrible than any tomb, and an egg that could very well doom her Gensokyo just as it could help it.
"I have the distinct feeling I was just played like a fiddle…" Yukari couldn't help but think as she entered her gap at last. "And I don't like it all… I wonder if that's what everyone else feels like when they interact with me?" The youkai questioned as she mulled over plan after plan in her head. After all, she could not raise a baby, much less a dragon. And while she COULD make Ran do it, she wanted the child to want to protect Gensokyo of it own volition… and a strange feeling told her that Ran would not install that feeling into the child. So then who could? Decisions, decisions…
And so begins the tale of an outsiders life into a world of endless fantasy and fighting. What will happen? How will the world of Gensokyo respond to this new entity? And most importantly, who do you want to see interact with our yet to be fully introduced main character, O readers mine? Of course, your thoughts and ideas are welcomed here. While ive played all the games, I can't say ive delved into the comics myself, and so most characters will be developed by a combination of their wiki, things ive observed, and what i've read others do. Of course if you wish to help create this story, then let me know. I'm sure we can work out a wish or two…