Part Two

Dinner was done. Yuyuko and Yukari took Chen out to the back patio, while Ran and I stayed behind to clear the table. She gathered up the dishes and followed me to the kitchen. I turned and faced her in the doorway.

“Please don’t say you’re going to clean up as well,” I said.

“I won’t say it,” she said.

She didn’t put the dishes down; just stood there, waiting for me to move. I put a palm to my forehead, where I felt a headache begin.

“You’re a difficult guest,” I said.

“And you’re an excellent hostess,” she said. “I see us becoming staunch allies, so long as I don’t upset you to the point of bearing a blade. I’m not offering to clean for the sake politeness. There’s something you want to ask me.”

I lowered my hand, looking up at the dish-wielding youkai woman, and I learned something of her then. She was tall, strong, and doubtless wielded great magical power, but there was something else.

She is cunning. Her wits are as sharp as my swords, sly and subtle, like....

Well, what else was there?

Like a fox.

---

Ran and I cleaned up. I drew a sink of hot water and started scrubbing dishes. She packed up leftovers, then moved over to dry the dishes I had just washed.

“Will you ask?” she said with no prompt, while wiping down the frying pan.

I looked back over my shoulder, out the kitchen and into the dining room. It was still empty, which meant Yuyuko and Yukari were still outside with Chen.

“I am curious about something,” I said, “but it might not be what you expect.”

“It is. I’d wager a tail on it.”

I glanced at her behind. All nine tails were present; she hadn’t lost any bets yet.

“What is Yukari to Gensokyo?” I said.

“That much you must have already guessed,” said Ran. “Yukari is to Gensokyo what Yuyuko is to Hakugyokuro: the realm’s ruler in power, if not always in deeds.”

“When you first arrived, you asked if our Saigyou Ayakashi was similar to Gensokyo’s Boundary.”

“I did. I now see the two are similar, but not identical. Both are living talismans of their mistress’s power, but also of their limitations.”

“Yuyuko has no limitations,” I said. “Not here.”

“Why does the largest tree in the netherworld never blossom? It symbolizes something.”

I opened my mouth, but realized I had no retort.

“My mistress has her own limitations, even back in Gensokyo,” said Ran. “She can’t exit the Boundary.”

“That can’t be,” I said. “She is outside the Boundary. She came here, with you and your shikigami in tow.”

Ran shook her head. “This place isn’t outside of Gensokyo, not in the way that matters. Hakugyokuro doesn’t lead anywhere new. You can only go here from there, and there from here.”

“The ghosts travel beyond,” I said. “The postmortem stay only for a while. They move on, past the Sanzu River at Hakugyokuro’s edge.”

“Human souls aren’t bound by the same rules that Yukari is. She can’t leave either the mortal or immortal worlds, except to visit the other for a while. I’ve seen her try, and it’s caused her much frustration.”

I looked back down into the dishwater, leaning my weight against the sink.

“Don’t Yukari’s gaps let her travel anywhere?” I said.

“They fail at the Boundary. Her gaps operate by opening nothing where there is something. It’s like knocking a hole in a wall, then using the edges of the hole to pull yourself through. It only works where there is a wall to begin with, and a floor to hold you up on the other side. The Boundary is the end of metaphorical walls and floors, like an expansive bottomless pit. Even my mistress can’t tear a hole of nothing in nothingness itself.”

“But still, she’s able to instantly travel to any location within Gensokyo,” I said. “She would be privy to everything happening anywhere in the country.”

“She’s not omniscient,” said Ran. “She can know anything within Gensokyo, only if she knows to pay attention to it. That brings us to the question you actually wanted to ask.”

“I suppose it does,” I said. “What about the disaster Yukari mentioned over dinner? The mist that covered the sky? She spoke of that incident as if she learned of it after the fact. Even if she can pay attention to only one thing at a time, I can’t believe a mist thick enough to block the sun would escape her notice.”

“Quite right.”

“Giving the Suppression Staff to the vampires was better than doing nothing, but why didn’t Yukari intervene while the crisis was happening?”

Ran put the last dried dish in the cabinet. She folded the drying cloth and set it on the countertop.

“Simply put,” she said, “Yukari slept through it.”

I blinked. “She what?”

“She slept,” said Ran. “One evening she went to bed, and the sky was clear. When later she awoke, the sky was clear again.”

I ran my memory back to last year, remembering for how long the ghosts had fretted.

“The sky mist lasted for a week,” I said.

“It did.”

“So Yukari slept for seven straight days?”

“Nine.” Ran counted on her fingers. “No, ten actually. Please believe, that was not for a lack of effort on my part. I became so frustrated that at one point, I threw her out a window.”

“You... did?” I said. “How far of a drop was that? Is her bedroom on the ground floor?”

Ran shook her head. “Our home is carved out of the rocky cliff on the side of a mountain, just below the lowest snows that top the peaks in summertime.”

“You’re joking.”

“I wish. She took quite a while to hit the valley floor. There’s a small wooded grove in the hills directly below our home. I later found her there, snoring in a patch of pine needles. Her nightgown was torn, but she was otherwise unhurt. She looked like she had laid down sleep there, if not for the hole of broken branches above her. It must have made quite a racket when she fell through the trees’ canopy.”

“I could never do such a thing to my mistress.”

“I’m not proud of it,” said Ran. “Besides, throwing Yuyuko out a window would make even less sense. She would float away on a breeze. But now you have the answer to your question. Are you satisfied?”

“Not at all,” I said. “Many innocent humans, and youkai too, could have died because your mistress took the mother of all naps.”

“You’re correct, though I hate to admit it. I’m bound to Yukari by Rite, but my oath does not state that I must approve of everything she does.”

---

The “back” patio isn’t actually on the rear of the house. The enormous roots of the Saigyou Ayakashi couch in the house on two sides, leaving just enough room out back for my garden. The patio is not far from the front door, on a perpendicular side of the house. A wide wooden deck stands up two feet, upon which is one table surrounded by chairs intended for outdoor dining. Three more reclined chairs sit around the deck in no order. All the deck’s furniture is made from bamboo and wicker.

The patio enjoys the view of the stream: a thin blue channel of water that flows from under one of the Ayakashi’s roots, then curves away in a hairpin shape. The stream then falls off a slope some yards away from the house, making a miniature waterfall. Sitting from the patio, one see can part of the pool at the slope’s base, and how it leads to delta that spreads into the distance.

This is a good place to sit while thinking or relaxing. Ran sat on the deck’s edge, her large legs easily reaching the ground. Yuyuko sat back on one of the reclined chairs. Chen was testing her luck, climbing one of the Ayakashi’s roots that stood three times her height.

I stepped out onto the deck, and Ran turned to see me. An expression of awe passed over her face.

“Look at you,” she said. “So this is what Yukari meant.”

I tilted my head at her. Then I noticed she wasn’t looking at my physical self. Her eyes were on my ghost.

As I came into the evening light, what looked like another Youmu appeared beside me. She is my height, but stands above me because her feet hover off the ground. Her face shows what I feel, scowling when I’m angry and smiling when I’m amused. Her mouth is normally closed, and she never speaks. She wears a dusty white version of my dress and vest. The clothes are transparent, as is the body beneath them. I suffer no lack of modesty when people see my ghost, for the spiritual body shows shape, but no detail.

My ghost half does not carry a spiritual equivalent to my swords. Only my physical body carries these important keepsakes.

I curtsied to Ran, both my body and ghost at once, like twin sisters giving a greeting.

“This must be your first time seeing a half-ghost,” I said.

“It is,” said Ran. “I was wrong to think I had seen all strange things.”

A sharp snap of broken wood cracked through the air. Chen had put too much of her weight on a weak foothold, and the Ayakashi’s root bark gave way under her. She fell a dozen feet to the ground.

Ran stood. “Chen!”

She stalked over to the root. Chen was unhurt, having hit the ground with the grace of a cat and the hardiness of a human child. Ran grabbed her by the vest and hoisted her up, getting her face within good scolding distance.

“Be careful, please,” Ran sad. “No more climbing on the trees.”

“Aw,” said Chen. “It’s not high enough to hurt me. I’ll be fine.”

“It’s not your safety that worries me, but acting irresponsible in front of our hostess. Come back to the deck and behave, or I’ll tell Yukari that you’ve been misbehaving.”

Chen’s face lit up. “Yeah! Tell her! Some day I want to fall as far as her and not get hu—”

Ran placed a finger on Chen’s mouth, shushing her mid word.

“Silence, little one,” said Ran.

“Speaking of which,” I looked over to my mistress, who lounged on her chair. “Where is Yukari-sama?”

“She went down to look at the pool.” Yuyuko stretched, letting out a pleased groan, Nngghmph. “Ran! Bring Chen over here. I have something fun for her to do.”

Ran brought her shikigami back to the patio, dropped her on the wooden deck planks. Chen hopped to her feet, patterns of dirt all over her skirt and vest. She didn’t brush herself off, so Ran did it for her.

“Look closely now, Chen.” Yuyuko held out a hand, as if holding up an invisible bowl. Faint magical power gathered in her palm. Blue and pink shades of light swirled together and bundled into a nugget, the size of a large insect cocoon. Its surface rippled and shifted, as if something inside tried to break free. The cocoon split from the top. A bug-eyed creature poked its head out. It dragged itself free, but seemed made of the same energy as its container. It kicked the shell away and spread a pair of beautiful wings, covered with patterns as if drawn by an Eastern mural artist.

The result was a magically constructed wire-frame of a butterfly, sitting in Yuyuko’s hand. Its antennae twitched and its wings fluttered to keep balance as Yuyuko’s arm moved below it.

She brought the butterfly close to her mouth. She blew on it gently, and her breath seemed to energize it. The bug took flight, scattering pink and blue sparks from its wings. It flew to Chen. She grinned as its light colored her face. It flew just above her, and she reflexively reached up to snatch it. Her hands clapped together over her head, but caught only empty air. The butterfly dipped behind her, staying out of reach.

Chen hopped off the deck and went after it, jumping, reaching, swiping. The butterfly darted every which way, always staying just out of grasp. It didn’t lead Chen too far away, and it stayed low enough to keep her attention.

Ran sat back down on the edge of the deck. “Thank you, Lady Saigyouji.”

“No bother.” Yuyuko rolled her head to the side, looking to me. “Youmu, would you go check on Yukari? She’s been gone for a while.”

“As you wish, Yuyuko-sama,” I said.

I didn’t want to enforce curfew on the queen of the mortal realm, but it was my mistress’s order. I hopped off the patio and headed for a small bridge that spanned the stream. My ghost half came along, perhaps only the slightest reluctance showing in its posture.

---

If it were possible for sapphire to flow as liquid, that is how the pool below the waterfall would appear. Except where the falling stream splashes down, the surface is still and smooth. No ripples bounce off the pool’s edges or collide with each other.

I’ve spent time alone here, listening to the soothing patter of the waterfall, occasionally taking a sip from a slab mug filled with tea. I’ve soaked my bare feet, cold water between my toes, which feels divine after a hard day’s gardening. Those are some contented moments.

Looking down on the pool from above, I saw Yukari. She sat in my usual spot, her feet bare and hanging into the water. Her shoes sat in the soft grass beside her, their laces untied. A stone staircase led from where I stood down to the waterside. The steps are uneven and rounded, so I took care as I descended.

I approached Yukari from behind. Before speaking, I couldn’t help admiring her hair. It cascaded down her back as if it were a second waterfall of this place, but this one of gold.

“Yukari-sama,” I said, stepping up behind her. “Yuyuko-sama asks after you.”

I heard a frightening sound that froze my feet to the ground.

Yukari sniffled. It wasn’t a gentle inhale to smell the night air, nor even the crude sound of clearing one’s nose after dinner. She was crying.

“Oh Youmu,” she said, her back turned to me. Her voice was thick and wet. “You shouldn’t see me like this.”

I hope that I can accurately claim to be a brave person. I can protect Yuyuko from any threat. I’ve stood eye-to-eye with the strongest of youkai. I can dismantle beasts many times my size with a few slashes. The things my blade can’t cut are next to none.

But here, at the poolside which was meant as a place of peace and serenity, a woman wept. Nothing scared me worse than tears shed by those who are mightier than me. I have no idea what comfort to give, or how to give it, or if it’s even appropriate to try. I’m a warrior, not a counselor.

“It was rude of me to run off,” said Yukari, “but I needed a moment to myself. It’s too hard to see her like this, under the shadow of this deadwood.”

She looked aside, up at the Saigyou Ayakashi towering above us. I saw one side of her face. Her cheek was wet and bright red. She made even crying a beautiful thing, as though any who saw were honor bound to weep along with her.

“Look at it,” she said. “It’s so big. It’s meant as a monument to life and beauty. Instead it stands for emptiness and death.” She looked back at me, turning her body part way. “Look at you, Youmu. Healthy in both body and spirit.”

“Th- thank you,” I said. “Is something wrong, Yukari-sama?”

Her smile faded. She turned back to the pool. “Please come sit with me, Youmu. I’m embarrassed, but now that you’re here, I could use some company.”

I took a deep breath in through my mouth, let it out my nose. I stepped up to her side, but stayed standing. Sitting on the ground is a clunky endeavor while wearing my swords, and Yukari occupied my usual spot. I was on eye level with Yukari only so long as she sat on the rock.

“Well?” she said. “Do you have any words of sympathy?”

“No,” I said, “but I’ll listen.”

She looked at me, and she let out a soft chuckle. It was the laugh of a woman who sees a sliver of goodness in her sorrow.

“You can’t help it,” she said. “You are what you are. As for what troubles me, just look up.”

I did, giving the tree a glance. “The Ayakashi has been this way for a long time. No harm has come of it.”

Yukari stood, brushing off the back of her dress. “I’ve known Yuyuko much longer than you’ve lived, my dear Youmu. She’s now only a dark reduction of her past self. Long ago, she was a grand spirit who filled all of Hakugyokuro with light and merriment. The Ayakashi bloomed year round. It could be seen from anywhere in the netherworld as a queen of cherry blossoms, bursting with bright petals of pink and red and white, instead of the skeletal mockery you see now.”

“I never knew Hakugyokuro was any different than today,” I said. “This is the netherworld. It’s supposed to be timeless.”

“It’s not unchanging.” Yukari dried her face, wiping a gloved hand over her cheeks. “Spiritual matters may stand outside the mortal realm’s flow of time, but they aren’t static. All things are always moving closer either to good or to evil.”

I nodded, not necessarily agreeing. Just acknowledging.

“I know why the Ayakashi is like this,” she said. “It’s a story from Yuyuko’s ancient history. It breaks my heart to remember.”

“Ancient?” I said. “How long ago exactly?”

“Back to the beginning. I knew Yuyuko premortem.”

My heart skipped one beat. Yuyuko never spoke to me about her pre-death life. It might be none of my business, but couldn’t help feeling curious.

Yuyuko has ruled over the netherworld for many times longer than I have lived. Her mortal life must have been so far back in history that it couldn’t matter to our worries today – but here stood a woman who could credibly claim to have lived that long ago. She could have known Yuyuko before death.

Yukari must have seen a change on my face, either on my body or on my ghost.

“I can relate the story,” she said, “if you’ll take a walk with me this evening.”

“Better for us to return to the house,” I said, “so Yuyuko-sama can be present. It wouldn’t be proper to talk behind her back, or risk sharing details that she’s uncomfortable to have spoken.”

The faintest hint of a smile tugged at Yukari’s mouth.

“The respect you show for your mistress is admirable, but misplaced in this case. I doubt Yuyuko consciously remembers any of her mortal life. Even if she did, she must be ignorant of our discussion, at least for now.”

“Why? I won’t keep secrets from her.”

“I ask that we have the talk first,” she said. “After you hear me out, if you still insist we should relate all of it to Yuyuko, we’ll go back to the house and tell her everything.”

“I mean no offense, Yukari-sama, but I have no reason even to humor you.”

“You do, though you don’t realize it yet.” She pointed to my ghost half. “Because of this, you may be the only person who can save Yuyuko. You alone can keep her from fading into a hungry ghost over the coming centuries, and prevent Hakugyokuro from becoming a necropolis. I won’t try to coax you further. If you decide to listen, come with me now for a stroll.”

Yukari turned her back to me and walked along the edge of the pool. She left her shoes behind, proceeding barefoot on the grassy bank.

I stood still. I glanced back over my shoulder, up the sapphire waterfall. The rise of the land kept me from seeing Yuyuko, Ran and Chen back at the house.

I looked forward again, and watched Yukari walking away. Even with her back turned, and with no further beckoning spoken, I could feel her summons.

My hands pulled into fists. What harm could there be in enjoying an evening’s walk-and-talk with my mistress’s oldest friend? One of my feet stepped in front of the other, and I followed her.