Work Text:
At the Youkai Mountain, around the river and waterfall where all of the Kappas wander about tinkering with all of their small inventions. Deep within the mountain itself lies a workshop created by one single Kappa with the name of Nitori Kawashiro, the self-titled Super Youkai Warhead, is working on one of the many inventions she has as she is not able to focus just on one. Shifting back and forth within each hour or two excited about finishing either one of them while she doesn't pay attention to her surroundings but her own work with a wrench in hand and another tool in the other. She may have a circle of friends but she rather work alone in her haven of working on her projects that none of the other Kappas could ever dream of working on. Such simple inventions as wheels, grabbers extenders and all that she sees as something she could easily improve on which she has. She was the best of the best at least she wanted to feel like that and felt like she always has the need to get better after every passing invention as if her greatest work wasn't so great. As she was in thought while she worked on a small invention she did not notice behind her a certain special guest will make her arrival.
A thin line appears behind her, it extends as two bows are formed at the ends of both sides as it opens up, a slight mature giggle was heard as a woman wearing a Taoist dress, a cap, long blonde hair and purple eyes appears out of it.
“Kawashiro Nitori, I have a request to ask of you.”
The woman asked but her words seemed to have passed through the kappa’s head, as she was so in tune with her work. The woman spoke once more.
“Kawashiro Nitori, I have a request to ask of you...” Her voice slightly more stern as if this is an important matter to her.
Yet, The Kappa continued working on her invention that she seemed to ignore the woman as if it was the wind passing by. If this was any other person they would be seething mad at her but this woman was much more than any normal being. She calmly walks up to the Kappa as she pulls out her fan and slightly tapped one of the Kappa's shoulders with it.
The Kappa spoke in response. “Can't you see I'm busy? Why don't you go play with the others and their inventions?”
Yet she was lightly tapped on again as she came to one realization that no other Kappa come into her personal workshop. She slowly turned her head to look behind her and with wide eyes she saw who it was. Instinctively her body hops backward as she loses balance and falling back, laying on her work which gets broken into pieces. Of course, knowing who it was... After all, every Youkai should know who she was. It was...
” Y-Yukari Yakumo, w-why are you here?” The Kappa said nervously while the Youkai known as Yukari give her a soft smile which she hid with her fan.
“I've heard you know of certain things, some things that only the outside world would know of~” Nitori's eyes looked to her side in the acknowledgment that if she said something wrong it could get her in trouble with this Youkai.
“U-uh, What.. me? Knowing about o-outside world objects? Pffft! N-no, no! I have no idea what a radio is... Like, what is a r-radio? Something to t-transmit sound from one place to all kinds of different places? That's silly!” She said as she made a hand gesture that sways left and right close to her face. Yukari sways her hand that was holding onto the fan down, instantly getting past the Kappa's words.
“Shush, I already know all about it. I have eyes everywhere. Of course, you would know that. Isn't that right, Zenki, Goki?” She spoke out two names and out of the dark corners of the workshop, two crows fly out and lands onto each of Yukari's Shoulders.
“Cawk! Cawk!” The bird sounded out as their master listens to them as if knowing what they had said.
“Ah, I see~~”
Nitori looked confused as this woman listened to some birds. “W-what? What are those birds saying?”
The Youkai let out a snicker as the birds flied off. “They are not normal birds, in fact, they are shikigami.”
“Shikigami?!” The Kappa said in a surprised tone.
“That's right, now then. I don't want to waste too much time with idle conversation. I have a request to ask of you.”
Nitori blinked. What could this powerful Youkai have needed her for? “Y-Yes?”
Yukari opened up a gap and placed her fan inside of it, pulling out a small rectangular object. “I’ve been having problems communicating to my computer with my phone as if it won't connect to her end. Seeing how much of an expert you are, I suspect you have an idea of how to overcome this problem.”
“Uh, yeah. I'm sure I can do something to fix this problem. But, could I ask you a question?”
“Hmm? You may.”
“Why do you need to use your cell phone to communicate with your computer while calling it a her?”
It was a strange thing for such a powerful woman to say. But said woman looked at her with silence that ended after a few seconds as she started to laugh softly.
“How foolish of me? Of course, you won't understand. Let me clear it up for you. I want my tool Ran's phone to be able to receive my calls. Lately, something has been going wrong and I'm quite unsure what.”
Nitori had to think for only a moment, but she was able to figure that one of the shikigamis that Yukari is known to have goes by the name of Ran who was a kitsune. Did she just call her shikigami a tool? Wasn't there that article made by Aya where she interviewed Yukari about beating her shikigami? No... Shouldn't pry into something like that with this powerful but wise Youkai.
“Right...” The Kappa prods her bottom lip with her wretch gently. “If I would have to guess. There may be some sort of signal interference. How are you using your cell phones to function?”
“Oh? If I have to say all the details to such a simple creature. Time to time radio towers falls into Gensokyo. To make it short. I use those to help my phones get connected with each other.” Yukari stares at Nitori whose eyes widens. Radio towers do fall into Gensokyo. Grabbing one was luck but knowing more does come into this world is amazing news unless... The one she's using to work on a few projects may have been... No, wait... She couldn't kno-
“You know how wavelengths work, correct?”
“W-well, I'm not the best to know of such things just-” Nitori looked to her side as she looked a bit nervous.
“Then you know that even one could be troublesome.”
“Y-you see...”
“Kappa, you have a radio tower, do you not?”
Nitori was even more nervous as Yukari stared her down with those eyes that could indicate so many different emotions it was so hard to tell what this Youkai felt. “I-I...” It was no use... of course, Yukari would know with those bird shikigamis.
“...Yes, b-but Miss. Yakumo. L-Let me tell you w-what I could do about it. As I fear since the wavelength is using almost the same as yours. I-I could happen to change it so it doesn't interfere with your signal.”
“I appreciate your honesty. But, could you now?” The Youkai spoke with a bit of a serious tone.
“I-I could! Just need to adjust it and make it weaker and you will be all set!” The Kappa was playing around with the tools in her hands as if a bit of anxiety was overcoming her as the gap Youkai continues to stare down at her until there was a simple calm tone from her.
“I see. If you are able to do just that then I fail to see why you cannot keep your radio tower if you can use it so it doesn't cause trouble for me. After all, If Ran needs a command from me then she should not have to worry about not being able to contact me and act on her own like a feral beast. Of course, she still tends to forget that she is my tool, my computer as you can say. Well, no. I know you don't understand that aspect. Though, you prove to me you are quite a special Kappa....”
Nitori felt a small blush and was feeling a bit anxious about herself on how this powerful and wise Youkai complimented her. She wasn't the best, no... There would always be someone at the top. Even if she felt like it at times, deep down she wasn't that fond of saying those things. It was to put on a show but her true self knew full well that she had to keep doing her big projects and continue to improve. As if everything she had done so far wasn't good enough. Of course, Yukari continued to speak.
“...Still, you Kappa are simple creatures chasing disgusting objects that lie inside people's posteriors and eat what is known as their shirikodama which you believe are manifestation of souls.” Yukari smirks at her comment as she turns around to face an open gap that had just been created “Alas, I shall be going. I need to visit dear Reimu.”
“I'll eat your shirikodama...” Nitori muttered under her breath
“What was that, water creature~?” She spoke without turning her head around.
“N-nothing! “ She said with a yelp. “T-thank you for coming M-Miss. Y-Yukari and allowing me to help fix your problem without t-taking something that I'm using!”
A chuckle came out of the gap Youkai. “As long as you fix this problem, then we shall have no trouble.” Yukari was halfway into the gap where only her lower body cannot be seen but she stopped. “Hmm....~”
Nitori eyes widen slightly as she fidgets with her tools. “Y-yes?”
Yukari looked to another part of the workshop and noticed there was a curtain in a section of it as if trying to hide something. Yet, this curtain doesn't seem like a normal curtain as whatever was behind it, the curtain may have prevented those birds from bypassing it. “Oh my~. Kappa, what are you hiding behind that?”
Nitori eyes looked to Yukari as she got out of the gap and walked towards the curtain. “Aawa! Oh, that, j-just a project I'm working on. You don't need to concern y-yourself with it!”
“You say that, but...~” She placed one of her hands close to the curtain “...Why does a project need quite the strange tool that may harm someone with what I deemed as a strong electrical shock? Silly girl thinking you could stop everyone with such a simple thing.”
“Huh... w-wait! Wait, d-don't!” She could only take a step as the Youkai opens a gap to one end of the curtain where it was magically pushed opened, allowing the Youkai to witness what was behind it. A kind of mechanical work what many of the inhabitants of this world would call a doll by it looks. A tall humanoid body with two long black twin tails, lifeless eyes that stare at her, it wasn't covered by anything thus showing a bare body with markings upon it. It had a figure of a fully matured woman, including a large bust, the right arm was only halfway done with parts sticking out while it was missing half of the left leg and finally some wiring was connected to it that would help the indication that it was still in a work in progress. As many could call it a doll, Yukari knew what it was.
“You are making an android?” Her voice wasn't just serious, it had a sense of strictness to it.
Nitori felt a feeling of fear in her body, this project wasn't just a project. This is her primary work, something that could reassure her that she could do at least one impressive work in her lifetime, no doubt she had spent days, weeks, months, perhaps even years upon working on this. If Yukari was to... All of it would be gone to waste. If she tries to play it off... It may not bring in the best results.
“Yes...” She said with her head hung down as she drops her tools. As she could feel Yukari's purple eyes gaze at her. “Project A.I.tori. Her name will be of course Aitori. But, I-I call the Project A.I.tori as it's a gateway to an advancement of Artificial Intelligence...” She let out a small nervous giggle. “...I know the difference of N and A is quite silly. B-But, that was a small silly coincidence.”
After taking a long glance at the Android, Yukari turns her body to face the Kappa as one of her hands that were holding onto her fan point to it. “Tell me, why shouldn't I destroy this thing of science you heavily praise?”
That feeling that Nitori felt increased as that gaze looked like what a proper creature of whom is in charge of this world would have. A gaze that no other Youkai can ever dare to challenge. “... I put a lot of work into her.. Miss. Yakumo. P-please, don't destroy her. I beg of you...” Nitori felt herself tearing up, pleading the Youkai to not destroy her prized work that one day she dreams of completing, to show that all of her hard work was worth it. Yet, even if she tears up and plead... The Youkai's look does not change nor does the tone of her voice.
“You did not answer my question. Why shouldn't I destroy this thing? Fine, I shall give you more detail on what I mean...” With her free hand, she points at the Kappa
“Say that you completed this thing. It works and you are proud of yourself. Now, what if something you have not planned happened to it. It functions irregularly and starts causing harm to this world. With all it's weapons and how it's being made from my glance. I can freely assume this thing is meant for offensive purposes. Why shall I allow such a thing to function and be made if it could potentially be trouble for the residents of this world? After all, machines are machines. They have no feelings, they have no soul. Like dolls, but unlike dolls, you will not always have complete control over them. Say that Alice girl for example. She makes dolls, but yet the only time they move is on her command. They attack, only under her command and some dolls can command other dolls all within her command as they are mindless toys for a silly girl that dreams of one day making an independent doll. But, this thing can move without your command, speak without your command and make choices without your command. Just like Ran like the computer that she is. But, unlike Ran. This thing has no emotions that it could feel and therefore will show no remorse upon killing another creature. There is no reassurance that this thing may betray you, this world or it's allies and end up going on a rampage...”
Nitori hands clench into fists as she had to listen to this Youkai lecture her and highly underestimated how much time and passion she had put into Project A.I.tori's creation. Yet, she heard the Youkai continue the last part.
“..Now, I shall ask you again. What reason is there for me to not destroy this thing? If you don't give me an answer within the count of ten. I will take it upon myself and make sure there is not a single trace of this thing being created upon.”
Nitori felt her tears running down her cheeks as she heard the Youkai starting her countdown. What is she suppose to do... If she does something, it could potentially put her in a bad place but if she doesn't do anything, all of her work will be gone. She could feel herself wanting to cry, wanting to just sit down and give up. But, her head slightly gazes up and look towards the unfinished android. Could she just really give in to this kind of fate? Just not allowing herself to fight back for the hard work she had done.... Even if it was THE Yukari Yakumo.... She felt her legs shake as she heard Yukari say nine. Her head looking fully up as tears continue to flow down yet she had a look of determination on her face as she looks right back at the purple gaze as the owner was preparing her attack and just about to say ten.
“Stop calling her a thing! S-She's not just a thing! Aitori is one of my most prized works I have done and I just cannot let you destroy her as if I did nothing! I will reassure you Yukari that SHE will not harm this world! I promise you that as I had thought up of everything... She will be able to not just attack but will be able to defend those who would need it. I cannot say she will have emotions... Although, she will listen to my commands not by force but by her own reasoning! Please, give her a chance and if the event that she does something that may deem wrong to this world. Then, I will hold all accounts and that you may punish me... J-Just don't get rid of her without a chance. I put so much time... so many hardships and effort into her, surely even someone as powerful as you can understand that.”
The Youkai stopped as she continues to gaze down upon the Kappa. Slowly her hand with the fan lowers down. “If that is how you feel. I suppose I can give you one chance Kawashiro Nitori. But... Only one chance.” She walked up to the Kappa and stood in front of her. “You feel it, don't you? That fear of losing something you worked so hard for and it just vanishes in an instant? I want you to always be reminded of the fact that I could do so at any given time, understood?”
The Kappa nodded her head slowly. “Nothing will happen as long I can make sure of it. But, I want to do it the right way... the way I had planned from the start.”
The Youkai’s gaze strangely calmed itself as Yukari smirked. “What you felt is best, I suppose. What is important is that you do not forget that simple fact. I'll be watching you no matter if you think I am or not. You’ve already learned that and I’ll simply reinforce it.” Now, she had a friendly look on her face. “...I am late of visiting Reimu. How careless of me to get caught up with such silly affairs. Ciao~”
Yukari dropped down into a gap that she made below her and there she was gone. Nitori simply looked to her creation that was still in progress as she rubs one of own her eyes gently. She wasn't the type to really care about faith nor gods, after all... why need those when you have science on your side which disproves such things? Though, one of the things she can truly believe in was fear. An emotion that dwells in all creatures, yet the reasoning for it is different. Although, Yukari was able to hit her where it hurts, at least... One of the things that she feared is now being confronted with this encounter. To Yukari, for her to do this with other Youkai is to make sure she has the upper ground upon them. To keep them from going out of bounds as if it was to come to that. This is a lesson that Nitori will have to keep in mind when she continues her work.