Chasing Legends (Augen, Schala)

[recon5]

((OOC: NPC profile is HERE. READ BEFORE REPLYING. A better image is here if you're not used to standard Touhou art.))

The sun was beginning to set by the time Carlos, Kitria and Vandater approached the human village. As it was their first visit none of them knew where it was or how to get to it. Carlos had managed to find the way from the air but his repeated flights had slowed them down a lot since neither of his Youkai friends could follow him into the air. Fortunately for them, though, they hadn't run into anything dangerous on the way and now they weren't far from the safety of the village.

Suddenly, several beams of light lanced down from the sky towards a spot behind the group and there was a loud roar followed by a crash. Carlos looked back and spotted a monster lying across the path some distance away with smoke rising from its carcass. At that moment he noticed the smell of burnt meat and he knew the creature was dead. His crystal ball immediately moved between him and where the beams had come from, ready to return fire if necessary, and he cautiously turned to look.

A tall woman descended from the air and made a neat touchdown a few paces ahead of the three friends. She had bluish-silver hair that was almost as long as she was tall and she wore a long blue dress matched with a strange hat. Her arms held a collection of books and her expression was kindly but stern as she addressed them.

"You really should be more careful at this time of the day. Why are the three of you even outside the village? It isn't safe."

[Schala]

Kitria could not hide her surprise as the look on her face made it obvious.
She had to think of something, fast!
"I...well, I...erm...that is...we...we are...you see...traveling."
That was it!
"My...mother...sent me to gather stuff--that is, herbs, from a small forest nearby. I--well, me and my...brother and sister? We were just returning home, you see."

[Augen]

Vandater shhhh'd Kitria and tried to speak to the enigma that had just landed. "Sorry about her... She's scared of bright lights. But it is as she said, we were looking for herbs in the forest. Please, our mother is quite ill. We wish to get to her as soon as possible." She stepped back, her forehead sweating a bit.

It was obvious that she was more than a little nervous. Her woman's intuition was screaming out, and inside Vandater was doing all she could to hold it down. Something wasn't right.

[recon5]

The woman looked at them and smiled gently before answering with a voice that bore hints of both chiding and amusement. "If you're really rushing home to your mother then you'd best take a different path as you won't find her in the village. I know all the children but you three are new to me."

Carlos finally spoke. "We don't come out very often as our mother is in constant need of care. She isn't in good health. Now, if you'll excuse us, we need to pass."

He walked past the woman and gestured for his friends to follow but she stepped between them and slowly walked around Vandater and Kitria before turning to him. "If these two are indeed your siblings then your mother must have been quite promiscuous. They certainly could not have come from the same father as you and indeed, each looks like she is from a different father."

She rose from the ground, flew over the group and set herself between them and the village. "No need to keep anything from me. I won't harm you but I can only let you pass if I know you won't cause trouble."

[Schala]

The strange woman somehow knew Kitria was a youkai, if she was interpereting it right.
Nevertheless, she wasn't going to say that.
"I'm sorry," she said. "We are all siblings, I assure you. My brother just looks more our father than my sister and I do."
She hoped this would work. All she wanted to do was get into the village.

[Augen]

"We never told her the truth," Vandater said to the blue lady, hinting at Kitria. "... And it's one we would still like to keep from her. I know our mother wasn't like most. And I know nobody is innocent... But please, we must get through."

She paused for a moment and rubbed her eyes. Thinking on the spot was making her tired. Which wasn't a good thing. She was trying really hard not to yawn. "... Please... We mean you no harm... We mean the people you protect no harm..."

[recon5]

"Indeed," replied the woman, "your tone of voice tells me so. However..."

Her voice took on sinister undertones as her expression hardened. "I sense that you are still trying to deceive me for you are clearly grasping at straws. Be honest, for as long as you hide anything I cannot be sure that it is safe for me to let you in. Choose your words carefully for I am almost at the height of my power."

A wave of green rippled through the woman's hair and clothes and her eyes briefly flashed red as a gust of wind burst from where she was standing. Carlos turned to his friends and gave them a worried look, feeling that it would be wise to tell the truth but unwilling to do so alone.

[Schala]

Kitria decided to puck up her courage and tell the truth.
"Okay...I'm a youkai. A platypus youkai, to be exact. Me and my friends just came here to find out if any myths were real. I just want an adventure, you know? I only decieved you because I was afraid that you didn't trust youkai..."
Well, she had done it. The really scary part was the anticipation of the strange woman's reaction.

[Augen]

Vandater sighed. "And my people... Fell from rainclouds about a month ago," she said, showing her claws. "But... I left my oar and skin elsewhere. I didn't want to be recognized, but I can tell you will not let us pass otherwise... Please, just don't reveal our identities to the humans... I don't want to be... attacked."

[recon5]

Relief flooded through Carlos as he heard the others speak but a shred of doubt remained. While the woman had been insistent on them giving her the truth, they were unable to tell if she was being honest about not wanting to hurt them. Still, he had nothing to lose by finishing off their story. "We were just going to ask around. Honest..."

The woman raised a hand to stop him and she closed her eyes. A soft red glow filtered through her eyelashes for a few moments, then she opened her eyes and smiled broadly. "Yes. I can see that you speak the truth, at least about your intentions. You may pass but please, allow me to follow and assist you during your stay here to make up for the delay. I am Keine, guardian of this village, and all of Gensokyo's history is mine to know and to change."

She walked a few steps ahead of them and looked back. "Come now, we must be inside by nightfall. I know someone who might be able to help."

[Schala]

Kitria gratefully followed the woman. She was so relieved to not have been attacked.
"I'm Kitria," she said. "I seek adventure. This is interesting...I never knew these people were kept in the village..."
She began to think about the poor potential explorers who might never step outside the confines of home.
And truth be told, she was quite thirsty.
"Do we have a little water?" she asked.

[Augen]

"Well, if you'd like I could make it rain," Vandater said, looking torwards Kitria. "... However, I don't know if that's really a good idea. If I screw up I might make too much rain, which in the past didn't turn out so well. And one time I conjured up this hailstor-- I should stop talking now," she finished, now walking along in silence.

[recon5]

Keine smiled at Vandater's words. "I'm sure you did but we can't have any of that here, can we? Let's stop by a well so we can get you a drink, then I'll make you some dinner before we proceed. You've certainly come a long way."

She led them into the village and made a beeline for the nearest well. It was shared property as most wells in Gensokyo still were in this day and age. Fences seldom went all the way round and only the richest (or the most powerful) could afford a walled compound. However, the average villager's territory stretched all the way to the boundary of the village- a much better arrangement as far as Keine was concerned.

After placing her books clear of any splashes, Keine rolled up her sleeves and drew a bucketful of the clear water, which she then offered to her new friends. "I'm afraid you'll have to use your hands as someone seems to have taken the scoop."

Carlos looked at his friends, intending to drink last so that he wouldn't contaminate the water before they'd taken their shares.

[Schala]

Kitria noticed that the scoop was gone.
"Thank you, Keine-sama. Please excuse me, I will find us a scoop."
She went into a nearby store and payed for one. Fortunately, it didn't cost that much.
"Here," she said when she came back outside. She held it out so one of her friends could drink first.

[Augen]

"Thank you so much, Kitria. You are very kind," Vandater said, recieving the scoop and taking a small drink before handing it off to Carlos.

((Yes, I know... Extremely short.))