Disclaimer: Touhou Project in its entirety belongs to proper owner(s). I own nothing.
Enjoy.
The sun was high in the sky as the kasha and hell raven duo finally stepped foot on the surface, both having to stop and shield their eyes before they could plan their next move.
Although the Underground, and the Palace of the Earth Spirits specifically, did have adequate lighting to the point where one could read uninhibited, it was still noticeably dim compared to the unfiltered light of the aboveground world. As a youkai who rarely visited the surface Okuu found herself taken aback by the harsh light, and while Orin may go to the surface regularly, her eyes were much more sensitive and took time to readjust from the low-light of the tunnels.
"So," began Okuu, raising a wing to shield herself from the sun's rays. "This is the surface, huh?"
"Yep! What do you think of it?"
The hell raven took a look around. The exit to the tunnel they had chosen was located on a mountain face that opened directly into a small clearing surrounded by woodlands, and from the looks of things it appeared they were quite deep in the forest as well. Not a single trail, track, or other sign of habitation was present. This was to be expected of course; after all, who would want an entrance to Hell in their backyard?
As she continued inspecting her surroundings, a breeze picked up and ruffled Okuu's feathers in a delightfully pleasant manner. She could hear the wind rushing through the leaves and birds singing. Smells of a dozen different wildflowers met her nose. And although it was blinding, seeing how the sunlight illuminated Orin's fiery locks was a sight she would never forget.
"Beautiful…"
"Wonderful!"
Orin clapped her hands together and gave a little bounce. Being out in the open air of the surface rather than the claustrophobic tunnels of the Underground seemed to reinvigorate her, bringing back her usual cheer. However, that didn't mean she was totally carefree. They still had a mission to accomplish.
"I'm glad you like the surface! But as nice as it is here we shouldn't stick around for long. We have no idea where Miss Koishi could be and every second we aren't looking for her she could be getting further and further away."
"Or closer!"
"Well, that is possible, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Come on, I think the village is this way."
With her eyes finally adjusted, Orin leaped into the air and flew above the treetops. Okuu, having still been marveling at the beauty that surrounded her, gave an alarmed squawk and raced after her friend, wings flapping hard.
"W-Wait up!"
"What, don't like being the one tailing behind?"
Orin looked back and flashed a playful grin to the hell raven.
"Humph!"
Okuu gave another flap and finally caught up with the kasha, making sure to bat her friend with her wing while doing so.
Unlike the cramped tunnels of the Underground, here Okuu could spread her wings as wide as she could, leisurely gliding alongside Orin without fear of clipping a stalactite. Slowly she began to lose herself to the new sensations all around her. The rays of the sun warming her wings. The freshness of the open sky, rather than the stale, dry air below ground. The breeze that fought against her and forced her to keep at least a little focus to keep pace with Orin. It was all something new for her, and even though they had an important mission she couldn't help but let herself indulge a little.
Orin looked back at her friend and couldn't help but smile. Okuu always was a naturally upbeat person, so she was glad to see her so carefree and happy again. But of course, thinking like that naturally led to thinking of why she hadn't been so happy recently, which in turn reminded her of why they up here to begin with. So, with a sigh she turned her gaze down below, searching for any signs of civilization among the trees.
They flew for quite a while, enough for the sun to noticeably change location in the sky, Okuu swaying back and forth in the wind as Orin led the way while scanning the ground, before at long last she saw something of note.
"Okuu, look!"
Orin came to a sudden stop in midair. Okuu, having had her eyes closed for some time, opened them only to see the back of Orin's head rushing to meet her.
"Look out!"
"What's the- ahh!"
CRASH!
Okuu managed to upright herself to avoid knocking skulls together but couldn't stop herself from colliding straight into the other girl, sending them tumbling out of the air. Branches whipped at them from all sides as they tumbled through the trees, keeping them from regaining their balance all the while. Thankfully, however, they managed to catch themselves just before hitting the ground and set down with a gentle 'thump' a second later.
They lied there for a minute, both groaning from the new aches and pains they had, before the silence was broken.
"Geez Okuu, watch where you're going!"
Orin rose to her hand and knees, shaking her head to rid herself of debris. A particularly stubborn twig refused to budge from one of her braids, so she plucked it out and threw it at Okuu, still sprawled out off to the side. Imbedded in the ground beside her was her control rod, having slipped from her pack in the chaos.
"Hey," she retorted as she sat up. "You were the one who stopped for no reason."
"I did have a reason, in fact."
Slowly, bones still rattling from the many impacts they just received, she rose to her feet and brushed off her dress. Okuu raised her arms but made no move to get up herself, so with a huff she grabbed her friend and heaved her off the forest floor. Reaching down, the black-haired youkai wrenched her control rod from the earth and attached it to her right arm without thinking, a warm light coming to life inside.
"I saw someone," Orin continued. "Right over there on an old mountain trial. I think they were working on a wagon."
"Really? Let's go!"
Enthusiastic as always, Okuu had already moved past the fact they just crashed through the canopy and took off with a mighty flap of her wings, showering Orin in leaves and sticks in the process.
"Ack! Okuu wait, don't just run up right up to them!"
She chased after the other girl, already racing off in the direction of the trail.
"Ugh, stupid wagon."
Matsu scratched his brow as he inspected his wagon. He was in the middle of returning from making a routine delivery of lumber when what should happen but the wheels on his wagon lock up. And in the middle of the blasted forest no less.
He cursed his luck. The forest, home to who knows what sort of monsters and youkai. Some were only cause for mild concern, like the dimwitted fairies that flitted to and fro among the trees, while others were more annoying than anything like those tengu "reporters" with their cameras always in hand, constantly trying to get him to buy their newspapers.
Still though, he knew that there were truly dangerous creatures out there, hiding among the shadows, and even if the sun was high Matsu wanted nothing more than to return home as fast as he could.
A snort at the front of the wagon stole his attention.
"Oh, hush up boy. Just let me get my tools and I'll have this fixed in no time."
The ox merely snorted again and began sniffing the ground for anything edible hidden in the dirt. Matsu wasted no time getting his tools and starting work on the wheel. It wasn't particularly difficult to find the problem, but it was a tad tedious to fix. When a loud crash sounded from within the forest some minutes later it almost gave Matsu a heart attack, nearly making him drop his tools in the process. Nerves getting the better of him Matsu finished as quick as he could and ran back around the wagon, his ox clearly sharing his agitation as it tugged on its restraints.
"No need to worry boy, we're getting out of here."
What Matsu failed to notice was the large figure that emerged from the trees and was heading right for him.
He was just about to grab the reins when the entire wagon shifted, his end raising up as a weight landed on the back.
"What in the-"
The words died in his mouth as he stared, stunned and slack-jawed, at the sight before him. There, at the other end of his wagon, was a young woman wearing the strangest outfit he had ever seen (was that the night sky in her cape?), a bright smile on her face. The outfit was the least strange thing about her, however, as his eyes darted first to the massive black wings sprouting from her back, then to the seemingly glowing red-orange eye planted in the center of her chest, to finally the large metal rod attached to her arm that most certainly was glowing inside.
She was perched on the very back of his wagon, like an overgrown bird, and even from that position he could tell she was tall, very tall, easily more than a head over him in height. This alone made him feel small, but when coupled with her outstretched wings that filled most of his vision, and the unblinking, slit third eye staring right through him, he truly felt like a mouse cornered by a cat.
"Hi there!"
Matsu just gaped at her, an encroaching fear keeping him from moving, let alone responding. The girl, no, the youkai before him was unfazed by his silence.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Utsuho Reiuji, but my friends call me Okuu! But since we just met let's stick with Utsuho, okay?"
Silence.
"I'll take that as a yes! Anyways, I'm here for a reason. You see, my friend and I are looking for someone, someone very dear to us. But we haven't seen her in so long and we don't come here very often."
She held her arms wide, gesturing to the natural world around them.
"So, we're asking around if anyone knows where she is. She's, um, well… One second please."
She rested her chin between her thumb and pointer finger, brows knitted in concentration.
"She's, uh, small. And she has light green hair, cut short I think, and green eyes as well! Oh, and she also wears a big hat all the time. Hmm, what else is there…"
Before she could get any further a second figured emerged from the brush and dashed straight for them.
"Okuu!"
"Orin?"
The winged youkai swiveled toward the approaching voice. She wasn't paying very close attention, however, and swung wide with the metal rod on her right arm, nearly nailing the new arrival directly in the forehead. Thankfully they ducked just in time to avoid getting beaned.
"Hey, be careful!"
"Hehe, sorry…"
The youkai, Utsuho she had said, rubbed the back of her neck and looked away as the new girl gave Matsu an apologetic look.
At first glance she looked downright normal compared to the youkai sitting on his wagon, wearing only a simple dark green dress. The Matsu noticed the ears. All four of them. Then he saw the two tails raised up behind her. She gave a sheepish grin, and he saw fangs in that smile.
His blood ran cold.
Another youkai.
"Um, I'm really sorry if my friend here startled you, mister. It's just that we're search for a lost friend and she got a little ahead of herself just now. Heh…"
She finished with an awkward laugh, painfully aware of how forced it was, and awaited his response. When none came she gave him a quizzical look, Utsuho too tilting her head at him, and the second girl reached out to give him a nudge.
"Mister?"
"Gahh!"
The two girls jumped, quite literally, at the sudden outburst. Having been jarred from his state of shock Matsu grabbed the reigns and urged his now frantic ox onwards as fast as it could go. The wagon took off at incredible speed, leaving the two youkai in the dust. Matsu prayed to whatever gods that might be listening that they wouldn't follow him, and that he might make it home to his wife unscathed.
After that encounter, he would make sure to check his wagon wheels before he ever went anywhere ever again.
Meanwhile, Orin and Okuu watched as the terrified man sped away, rounding the hills until he was out of sight. Orin crossed her arms and shot a glare to Okuu, who at least had the sense to hang her head in shame.
"Now do you see why I said to wait?"
"Yes…"
"Good. Now come on," she said, taking Okuu by the hand. "I think the village is this way."
With that the two set off, on foot this time, in the opposite direction. After a moment Orin broke the silence.
"You know, as far as first interactions with humans go, that was pretty good!"
Okuu perked up.
"Really?"
"Absolutely! You should have been there the first time a human caught me stealing a corpse!"
Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will feature a familiar face, care to take a guess who? As always, feel free to leave a review, otherwise thank you for reading and stay turned for more!