There's a few ways to reach Youkai Mountain. Most people can only use one.
First is flying, which no one does. The tengu do not share their sky with anyone, not without good reason. While you think finding a celestial to take you to the moon and commit murder, possibly some arson on the side, is a perfectly good reason, you doubt they'll see things your way.
There's laundry list of transportation powers too. Any type of teleportation, one of Yukari's gaps, you've even heard about some youkai that can make doors between places, though you're not sure on the details. The tengu don't like people invading their territory that way either, but have a much harder time making their displeasure known. That doesn't help you of course, you don't have any abilities like that.
That leaves walking, which you've been doing for a good few hours. You've long left the bamboo forest behind, and having taken a detour or two avoiding the human village you're well on the way to the mountain.
You've never been this forest. It's not completely unfamiliar, one forest in Gensokyo is close enough to the next, but it's new to you. Might be new to most humans, given the roughness of the path. And the prevalence of youkai.
They're all around you, most not hiding themselves well if they're bothering at all. You can hear fairies laughing, sometimes far, sometimes near. Foxes and tanuki poke their heads out when they think you're not looking, sizing you up for a prank or meal. A large black dog has been following you just out of sight, possibly some foreign youkai. You think seeing it means you're fated to die soon.
Ha. If only.
None of them have had the guts to attack you yet. Maybe they think you're a trap of some kind. No way they know about your power, you don't leave the bamboo forest enough to have a reputation, and the rabbits like to keep what they know to themselves. You're confident that if you keep walking, you'll be left alone.
So it's an absolute shock when the ground drops out under you and you're deep down a hole.
You must've hit your head, with your ears ringing while your vision swims. Both fade quickly, but you're stuck in an awkward tangle of limbs out of sheer dumbfoundedness. You gather enough of your wits to at least look up.
Above, a trio of heads pop over the sides of the hole, peering down at you. They have irritatingly large grins plastered on impossibly cute and amused faces. Your eyes narrow.
Fairies.
They appear to be chatting with each other, and when they look back down you
move. Their eyes bulge and they bolt as a gout of flames sears up the hole, with yourself flying up close behind. You spin in the air once you're out with hands at the ready, keen to dole out well earned punishment. Alas, there's not a mischievous wing in sight.
You snort little jet of fire and land. Fairies. Pranks are one thing, but pit traps? They're either an ambitious bunch or still wound up over the latest Incident. Happens everytime.
You dust off your trousers, stick your hands behind your head and keep walking. You don't have time to chase after every youkai or fairy that causes you trouble, even if you felt like it. At least that little display should keep them away now.
- - -
The path up the mountain is steep yet wide. It's a simple packed earth tracked, yet smooth with no weeds sprouting up. Well maintained, but if the lack of tracks are anything to go by, not well used. The forest rose up on both sides in it's great green glory, looking wild and graceful while somehow never encroaching on the path.
You weren't an artistic type, not even a thousand years ago as a noble's daughter. You knew if a wall-scroll or kimono was pretty, but the whys never concerned you, nor did it hold your attention. It all just looked nice. You'd grown a lot since then, and with all you've learn now...
This place was downright picturesque. It'd be perfect if it weren't for the two youkai arguing in the middle of it.
"You're the most boring person on the whole mountain, you know that? There's mountain hags that have better stories than you." spoke a dark haired girl. She was wearing a white button shirt similar to your own, but with a short black skirt and excessively tall geta. She looked vaguely familiar, in some annoying way...
Her companion was definitely someone you hadn't met before. She had a pair of wolf ears sprouting from her snow white hair, matching her equally white shirt. She to sported a pair of geta, poking from a long black skirt with a large flame pattern. "If someone gets close enough to cause interesting stories, I've failed as a guard."
"Then tell me about those that tried to come here! Someone climbing the mountain? That'd make a great article!"
They don't seem to notice you, and you'd rather not get drawn into a brewing squabble. You kept walking, content to let them bicker.
White-hair drew a sword as you near, but her eyes remain half focused on Black, the other half nowhere in particular. "No one got near. No one would without an invitation from Lord Tenma. And-" she says, still not looking at you "- even if they did, I would dispose of them myself."
Black's eyes took on a dismissive tilt. "Aren't you a bloodthirsty dog." The tilt seemed to bring you into view, with her whole body taking on a new, quizzical tilt. Avoiding eye contact, you maneuvered to get around white and continue up.
White thrust her blade out before you, blocking your path. She also kept argueing. "Better than remaining a bird brain. How your's is so rotten while engaged in such a noble pursuit as writing is beyond me."
You tuned out their words and inspected the sword. Decent make by your reckoning, such as it was. The cutting edge faced you, allowing you to appreciate the keenness of the blade. It looked sharp enough to not feel it cut.
You ducked a bit to get under it, but the wolf tengu just brought in down with you.
You began wondering just how hot a fire you'd need to to melt the blade, but then White cuts in, finally acknowledging you "Human, leave before I cut you down. I'm in no mood for blood shed this day."
You look White in the eyes, then shift over to Black. She was eyeing you more critically now, and you can see a spark of recognition as a sly grin works across her face.
"Hold on a minute, Momiji." she says, giving a name to her… something. Conversation partner? "A lone human trying to journey up Youkai Mountain? And to approach a pair of tengu so openly?
That sounds like a scoop worthy of my paper!"
And
that triggers a few memories at last. Aya, tengu paparazzi, fastest dispenser of gossip in Gensokyo, and the last person you need butting into your business.
"That's not my concern, crow."
'Geez, what a pain', you think. You know tengu, even with the changes they've made over the years. This guard won't back down, and while you're sure you can beat her, it will cause trouble later. Plus there's Aya. Given her interest in you and the friction with Momiji, you can bet on her at least sitting out the fight, but you're still stuck with her afterwards. You might be able to scare her off with enough threats, like last time, but she'll be bolder on her home turf.
Your hands find their way into your pockets. "Just let me pass, I'm not going to cause trouble.", You say.
"Oh?" Says Aya, grin growing wider. "I don't think anyone accused you of that."
"And it's irrelevant." Momiji cuts in, pressing her sword closer to your neck, "You have no reason to be here, and are not welcome. Leave."
You don't look down. Swords don't intimidate you. They haven't for a very long time.
[] Talk your way past. Just because it's never worked before doesn't mean it won't now.
[] Push past them. You'll never out run a tengu, but enough fireballs could make you more trouble then it's worth.
[] You have a mountain to climb and no daylight to waste. Fight the guard and get this over with.
-[] Fight Aya too. Nip the paparazzi in the bud, it'll make things easier.
-[] Ignore Aya. She can't make you talk if you don't want to.
[] Write-in