Rainstorms (open)

[Augen]

Somewhere in a far, distant land...

It was a darky, stormy night in the land of Midgard, long ago seperated from Earth by a great magical gate. The island of Grindor rest upon a small island, far from the reaches of any mortal man. A colony of aquatic mammals came to the shore, and rapidly their numbers increased. Hundred of these beasts appeared, their eyes agaze upon the gaping mouth of the cave in which a magical gate was held. After they had all arrived, they stood in unison and shed their skins, revealing what appeared to be human bodies.

"Here we are," said a man to his daughter. "... This gate will lead us to another world. A world where we need not worry about being killed off for no reason other than our blessed lineage."
"But why, father," the girl asked. "Why must we leave. Is this not our home?"
"This world no longer accepts us, Vandater. The humans of this land are selfish and cruel... Maybe we can find a world where we do not have to deal with such mistreatment. At least, that's what your mother would have wanted."
"Yes... You're right father."

All at once, the people of the sea marched into the cave, turning to face the world that they were about to leave behind. A blinding light filled the cave... And they were gone.

Shortly afterwards, in Gensokyo...

Large "rainclouds" suddenly appeared over various lakes throughout Gensokyo. At first they just seemed like normal rainclouds, which was nothing to raise a brow at. That was however, before the "rain" came within eyeshot. Instead of water, apparently human-sized furry mammals were falling from the sky, fishlike in anatomy with dog-like faces. They plummeted down like mortars, and not a single one missed their intended target: the water. For about half a minute these things just slammed into the lakes, and then once they had all hit it was as though they were never there... That was until people started to walk out of the lakes. Not many, though. Only a few for every hundred beasts.

One such example was at the misty lake, outside of Scarlet Devil Mansion. Several human-looking beings stepped out from the water, examining the land around them. "So... This is our new home," said one of them, a young girl named Vandater. "... Where's all the snow?! Is it possible for land like this to exist without snow?!"
"We're in another world," said her father, who was also quite shocked. "It will take quite some time for things to make sense here..."

[recon5]

From the top of a tree some distance away, Hoshigaru observed the newcomers. The old witch Yukari had a habit of abducting new 'citizens' into Gensokyo but the unusual way these had arrived as well as their sheer number made him suspect that the Lady of Gensokyo wasn't responsible this time. He was familiar with both aquatic Youkai and shapeshifters but he'd never seen this particular type either in Gensokyo or in the part of Japan that surrounded it before the Border went up. Perhaps they were from some other part of the outside world.

In any case, Hoshigaru felt that it was his duty to welcome these strangers. He hopped out of his tree and walked towards them, balancing his axe across his shoulders in what he hoped was a nonthreatening position. Just to be safe, though, he used his powers on as much of the surrounding area as he could reach. Anyone in his area of influence would lose all desire to attack him if they were considering it previously, regardless of how strong their mental defenses were.

[Augen]

One of the sealmen looked over at the approaching axeman. They stood still, but alert, before they realized that the axeman was a non-hostile. In unison they put their oars on their backs, and the eldest of the men walked forth.

"Ach, ya... Ye must be one of thy land's natives, be I wrong? Tis all pleasure to make thy acquaintance. Mine title be Havleder. We pray our migration doth not provide distraught," he said, holding out his hand. "... You wouldst not be elven, would ye," he asked, pausing to examine the axeman's ears.

[recon5]

Hoshigaru smiled at the old man's questions. His face and his words confirmed the Youkai's suspicions that the people were not from anywhere in Japan. He didn't object at all when the old man looked his ears over, understanding the man's fascination as points were quite rare, even among Youkai. There was one mistake he had to correct, though.

"Elven? Is that some type of human? No, my good elder, I am not Elven. I am a Youkai, but I believe the term 'demon' would be more familiar to your part of the world regardless of how wrong it is for my kind." He looked into the distance at that, as if thinking of something. "Perhaps not completely wrong, though, considering how some of us are."

Bringing his attention back to the old man, he lowered his axe and rested its head on the ground before continuing. "Your arrival certainly will not trouble us, but I must warn you of savage beasts and warriors hungry for battle. You and your people are likely to encounter hostile beings soon enough and although battle is a game for all of us the youngsters have little control over the lethality of their powers. As well, there are those who still consume living flesh without distinguishing friend from fodder."

He paused to smile inwardly at the sophistication in his words. He hadn't had the chance to use such high speech for a while but it had come naturally as his listener looked like one deserving of respect.

[Augen]

"Ah, thou art also of demonfolk... I assume the equivalence wouldst make us youkai akin, ist that correct," the elder asked, quite glad to see that their bloodlines were not completely alien to this world. "Thy have no reason to feel shame t'wards our blood. It is humanfolk who connotate us demonfolk as unrighteous. Aye, so ist their nature. Someday, hopefully, they will see themselves and ourselves as brothers of the universe," he said, facing the sky.
"We are, indeed, very thankful of thy acceptance torwards our clan, as well as the warnings thou hast told of this world's tribulations. I must inquire though... There art humanfolk of this world, art there not? How doth they treat our kind?" Several of the sealmen cringed at the mention of humans, memories not so pleasant awoken within them.

[recon5]

Hoshigaru pondered the newest question for a few moments. There were indeed many humans- even women, children and elders- who hunted Youkai for profit or out of a sense of duty but far more simply wanted nothing to do with the other races. Some were even friendly with Youkai. Still, it was hard for even an old hand like Hoshigaru to tell if a given human was dangerous unless he or she was carrying weapons. Talented human mages needed no trinkets or toys to kill Youkai by the dozen.

He took a few more seconds to order his words, then he took a deep breath and answered. "All I can advise is caution. Many of the humans here will simply flee if they see something that looks dangerous. If they are armed or carrying amulets, be cautious but do not fear them unless they attack first. Those who do strike first are usually weak and inexperienced but do not kill them for their friends and families will seek your blood."

"However, there are some who are extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all cost. First there is Reimu, priestess of Hakurei, who dresses in red and white. She is known to attack Youkai without any clear reason and she is one of the most formidable fighters in this land. Another is Marisa, the witch in black and white, whose vast power makes up for the simplicity of her spells."

"Then there are the Immortals, Kaguya of the Moon and Mokou of the Bamboo Forest. The first you are not likely to see but the second you can tell from her white hair and her mannish clothing. Both cannot die and are exceedingly powerful, and the latter defends the village of humans with all her strength. The last is not human but she is a staunch defender of their kind. She is Keine, whom you can tell from her blue garments. If you harm any of the humans from the village she will be sure to kill you, likely with Mokou at hand."

Then Hoshigaru remembered the most important bit of advice he had to give. "I must say at this point that you have chosen a bad spot to make your home. This lake is the demesne of Vampires, bloodsuckers of great age and magical strength. While they remain in their mansion for most of the day their chief servant is almost certain to attack your people if she sees them, and her might is considerable. You may also encounter their door guard or their librarian and both are not to be underestimated although they do have their weaknesses. Above all, beware of the night and of a red moon for that is when the mistresses of the mansion emerge and you are unlikely to withstand their powers."

He paused at that, taking a few more moments to think of a proper conclusion, then he continued. "The most important thing to do is to refrain from entering the human village. It is easy to make out especially if you can fly so steer clear of it if possible. Outside the village, however, most humans are harmless and some are even friendly, with the exception of the few I mentioned."

"Oh, and one more thing: Beware the blue fairy with wings of ice and the girl shrouded in darkness. Both are weak but the first can trap your people in icy prisons on a whim and the second tends to greet strangers by taking a bite out of them. Deal with each as soon as you see her, before she does something hasty."

[Augen]

The sealmen looked back at the vast lake behind them before looking at eachother and muttering questions and doubts to eachother. The elder rose his hand and they were silent, their attention once again directed at the youkai. "Thy world doth indeed sound quite perilous... Aye, 'tis something we shall forever have to live along... We art thankful for thy kindliness torwards us, and thankful for thy warnings as well..."
"However, I regret to say that we shalt not linger for long. As this lake be the property of vampires, we must inform the rest of the clan. Farewell, kind sir," the elder said, before in unison he and the other sealmen pulled their sealskins over their bodies and returned to sea. All except the young girl, who turned to the others and said, "You all go ahead... I'll keep watch."
After all the others returned to the lake, the girl sat upon the ground, her oar ready in her hand. "... So, the creatures of this world are pretty powerful, eh?"

[recon5]

Hoshigaru grinned at that. "Some of them are," like me, he thought, "but most of them are easy to deal with. The exceptional ones, including the ones I mentioned, aren't too dangerous unless you offend them."

Suddenly, he sensed something. Looking up and to the back he spotted a dark sphere moving lazily across the sky. It was Rumia, Youkai of darkness, and her presence worried him because she might try to eat one of the newcomers. He decided to take his own advice and... remove her before she could cause trouble.

Without a word, her turned his back on the girl he had been speaking with, crouched and launched himself towards the black orb with all the strength in his legs. Without the power of flight he was unable to steer himself, but at the speed he was going he would be able to catch Rumia before she got out of his path.

As he passed the round shadow he swiped his hand into it and caught cloth. He yanked Rumia out before she could react, tossed her in front of his face and with the back of his axe he punted her in the stomach as hard as he could. He began to fall after that, and as he descended he looked up to see his victim soar limply through the air towards the Forest of Magic. It would take more than the blow or the landing to kill her but by the time she got back to the lake the newcomers would probably have managed to get to a safer place.

His landing made a large crater and kicked up a lot of dirt but he wasn't harmed and after the air had cleared a little he began to walk back to where he'd been before Rumia appeared.

[Augen]

Vandater watched and stood in shock, unsure as to whether it was because of the power this man wielded or if it was because she just watched a middle-aged man beat the shit out of a little girl. Suddenly, she became quite cautious. She looked back and forth between the man and every other direction, unsure what to do about the situation. Unsure now whether or not she was safe. "Um... That was one of them... Right?"

[recon5]

Hoshigaru could see the girl's distress and he understood it perfectly. Still, precautions were precautions. He let out a sigh before answering. "That was... one of the more problematic ones. If most of us didn't heal faster than humans we'd bear her bite marks all over the place. She blinds even herself with that shadow of hers and when she runs into something soft and warm her first reaction is usually to bite off as much of it as she can fit in her mouth. Yes, she does that before saying hello. Must be some instinct or something."

He paused, wondering if that would change the girl's mind about his actions, but then he decided that it didn't matter too much. "I just wanted to make sure that nobody got eaten on arrival. The more intelligent of the local Youkai value new faces as they're a change from the norm but quite a few of the youth are just looking to fill their bellies. This one wasn't exactly young but she is still immature enough to be driven more by her stomach than her brain."

"When you've settled down here you might decide to give her and her ilk a chance and that's fine with me. I just don't want any of the less- disciplined to make a bad first impression."

[Augen]

Vandater seemed to understand what was going on. The younglings of her world weren't always on the docile side either. "Thanks, sir... And good idea. I'll advise Havleder of this after our migration... Which reminds me... Do you know where we can find any other large bodies of water," she asked, before a bunch of other sealmen walked out of the water... Though only about half of the amount that had landed in it.

"Vandater," one of them spoke, a concerned tone in his voice. "It would be wise of us to find another home before nightfall. Apparently this place becomes even more dangerous when the sunlight does not reach it. It would be best that we migrate immediately."

[recon5]

Hoshigaru grinned widely enough to show all his teeth. "Be at ease. I have made myself your host and guide for this time and all the deities forbid that I should allow you to rush. I will defend your camp and your people at least for tonight and perhaps you will get a taste of the power wielded in this land without having to risk your own bodies. Besides, while the mistresses of this lake are powerful they are also wise and they will listen to reason. If you were to travel tonight you would run into creatures that are somewhat less understanding."

To the girl he said, "There are a number of large bodies of water in Gensokyo and while most of them are occupied the owners are usually fairies or monsters, neither of which are major threats. However, I believe that it would be better for your people if you move in with native water- dwellers as they will help you get used to the lifestyle. How familiar are your people with the kappa?"

[Augen]

At the mention of the mistresses being reasonable, many of the newcomers let out a sigh of relief. "Phew... That's a relief," said one of the taller ones. "About half of our people insisted on staying here... Namely the ones that are still in there," he said, gesturing to the lake.

"... Kappa?" Vandater pondered for a moment, and all of the others of her race confusedly tilted their heads in unison. "... Never heard of them... Why? Are they like us," she asked, noting the mention of native water-dwellers.

[recon5]

Hoshigaru furrowed his brow at the tall Youkai's words. "I said that you could stay for the night, not that you could feel at home. The mistresses will listen to reason and they only come out after dark. The one that emerges in the day is the chief servant and she is not so reasonable. If she were with the Vampires there would be nothing to fear but by herself she might not look favorably on your presence."

He had to think a bit longer before answering the girl. While the kappa had been friendly the last time he saw them the arrival of the goddesses on Youkai Mountain might have changed their attitude, especially after the Hakurei shrine maiden and her witch friend had stormed the place. Still, it was worth a shot.

"The kappa are an interesting people. They can control water as naturally as they breathe and are the finest swimmers in Gensokyo, although your kind may prove to be better from the look of your beast- forms. They are also masters of machinery and have produced wonders of wood and metal that can match the strongest of magic. While they are a secretive folk most of the time they do not hesitate to help the needy, with humans receiving special attention. I cannot guarantee that they will be perfectly fine with your joining them but they are likely to be helpful even if they feel offended."

[Augen]

After a pause, a group of the sealmen gathered into a tight circle and started mumbling. After several minutes, the elder walked out of the circle and turned to face Hoshigaru. "Aye... We shall reside at hither lake fort tonight. Tomorrow cometh, we shall set out to seek yon kappa... I cannot guarantee that all of my people in hither lake doth follow, however. Many of them art tired of running from place to place, and doth sooner fight than repeat migration... If I could change their ways, than I would," he said, sighing at the insecurity he felt for those still in the lake. "I shall, however, attempt to convert as many as I may. Perhaps the knowledge of yon kappafolk will allow them a second decision."