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Just how long has it been since you first visited Makai? Even you don’t remember. Time is weird within Gensokyo and its connected dimensions, anyways. Does it even matter? You decide it truly isn’t worth worrying about the specifics of the timeframe, for the important part is what occurred.
You had recently fallen into a strange new world while on a trip to Japan. It was supposed to be a nice visit to an old shrine, but you were lost beyond belief. No civilization, or cell service, for miles.
While it wasn’t the wisest decision, wandering around aimlessly in the wilderness was a choice you were glad you made. The mountains were beautiful, and you could see a cave in one of them. If nothing else, it could serve as a shelter from the elements if you hadn’t found civilization by the time it rained.
As you climbed the mountain and made your way into the cave, you were more than a little exhausted. It’s only fair, since you aren’t an Olympian or a professional mountain climber. You took a moment to rest inside the cavern, regaining your breath.
Curiosity soon got the better of you, however, and you wandered deeper in. For over half an hour, you walked through the cavern. It seemed almost non-euclidean, like it was longer than it was supposed to be. Sure, it was a mountain cave, so it could certainly go deep, but how was it extending this far horizontally?
Once more, tiredness from exertion gripped your lungs and muscles. Your curiosity carried you for just a little longer, though, as a dull, purple light illuminated the other end of this unnaturally long tunnel. You had to see what that was all about.
Soon enough, you made your way to the light, finding an almost alien landscape. Both ground and sky reflected the purple color you had seen earlier, with an eerie fog hanging over everything. In its own way, the landscape was beautiful, but it was simultaneously ominous.
However, as your curiosity had been satiated, your accumulated tiredness hit you. A combination of the unusual exercise you had just done, and the fact that you had not slept well the previous night. Against your better judgment, you placed yourself on the oddly comfortable ground, closed your eyes, and drifted off.
After an oddly blissful rest, you slowly returned to consciousness, and opened your eyes. You had needed that nap quite a bit, you decided.
However, as your mind regained lucidity, you were greeted by an unusual sight. Watching you was something most unusual, five massive eyes interconnected by an electric lightshow. In a startled panic, you scrambled backwards, fearful that this being could be a supernatural monster in search of prey.
The gazes of all five eyes locked onto you, seemingly scrutinizing your every last detail. Just why was the beast eying you so closely? Could it not have done that while you were asleep? And then…
“There are better places than the ground to take a nap, you know.” The unbelievable had just happened. This ophanim-esque creature had spoken to you in a language you could understand, with a bit of snark in its voice. This voice was also distinctly feminine.
“I… Uh… What?” Through your stunned stammering, you managed to ask a basic question.
The creature stared at you once more, making you wonder if you had said something offensive.
“Could you be more specific? “What” isn’t a very precise question on its own.” In actuality, the being was confused.
“Well, I… Suppose I’m not sure where to start.” It was an honest statement. Waking up in the wilderness, walking through a non-euclidian cave into an endless purple landscape, and waking up to a set of electrically-tethered eyes? Where were you supposed to start?
“Given how entirely clueless you seem, and based on that device in your pocket, I take it you’re a recently spirited-away Outsider.” She spoke matter-of-factly, as though it were normal that you were “spirited away” and that she could see what was hidden in your pockets.
“That’s probably accurate. There aren’t purple plains anywhere in the world I come from!” While making some assumptions, you felt like you had gotten a decent grasp of your situation. Plenty of stories tell of ordinary people falling into mystical worlds.
“Indeed. If my assumptions are correct, you were transported to Gensokyo randomly, and found the entrance to Makai by wandering into a cavern by the way. Ah, right, Gensokyo’s a world of magic and legends, and Makai’s the place we’re in right now.” It was an incredibly summarized explanation that left as many questions as it answered.
Your conversation partner noticed how overwhelmed you were by everything, so she took a step back. “Sorry, that’s probably a lot to process. The name’s YuugenMagan. Shorten it however you see fit.”
“I’ll just call you Yuugen. Or Magan. I’m really not sure.” After being indecisive, you introduced yourself to YuugenMagan.
“Nice to meet you, I guess.” A moment of silence passes, as neither of you are really sure what to say next.
“So, uh…” You struggle for a conversation topic. “I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’re not human, given, uh…” You gesture vaguely at YuugenMagan in general.
“Yes, I am a demon. “Makai, world of demons” and all that.” Her eyes wandered for a bit, and she seemed struck by a realization. “Ah, yes, this form is likely discomforting to you.”
It was initially, you couldn’t deny that. “I’ve gotten used to it,” you say, trying not to be racially insensitive. Given everything that had happened so far, the cultural idea of demons being creatures of pure evil seemed inaccurate.
“Regardless, taking a more familiar form is probably courtesy, or whatever.” Without further ado, YuugenMagan’s body began shifting in front of you. The electricity tethering the eyes together began to take a human-like shape, resembling an outline of a person in a laser lightshow. As the spastic energy settled into a defined form, a legitimate human body began to manifest in its place. Bones cracked into existence, with muscle and skin forming around them. You had to avert your gaze from this process for fear you’d see something you shouldn’t. As the process came to an end, YuugenMagan gently glided to the ground, landing on her feet with a barely-audible rustle.
Looking at the woman before you, it was impossible to deny that she was quite beautiful. It was almost a night-and-day difference, with the only thing remaining the same being her massive, hovering eyes. Her hair was a gorgeous blond, her non-separate eyes a vivacious red. Covering her body was a yellow kimono with purple highlights. Oddly enough, its sleeves were detached, revealing her shoulders.
“This should do,” she said.
That was putting it lightly. Of course, you wouldn’t mention that out of the blue for fear of seeming weird to the magical eyeball demon. “Works for me.”
The girl stretched, her joints popping and cracking as she moved her body for what you could only assume was the first time in a while. You guessed that she spent most of her time in her less humanoid form. “Well, unless you’re desperate for more time in a demon’s company, perhaps you should work on finding a place to stay.”
Her company wasn’t as bad as she sarcastically suggested it was, but otherwise, YuugenMagan had a point. You had been dropped into the wilderness from a country you already didn’t live in.
“As far as easy choices go, you have two,” the girl continued. “There’s the human village within Gensokyo, which is exactly what it sounds like. A rural town with primarily humans, and the occasional disguised youkai. You might even find other Outsiders there.”
“And my other option?”
“Makai City, not too far from here. You might find it vaguely similar to cities of your world, though it's primarily inhabited by demons, of course. Plenty to do there.”
You pondered both options thoroughly. On one hand, proximity to other humans might be nice, but on the other hand, the city sounded much harder to get bored of. After careful thought, you made your choice. “I think I’ll stay in the city.” You paused for a moment. “Do you have a map or something?”
“I’ll lead you there,” she replied. “As I said less than a minute ago, it’s not too far from here.”
“That’s oddly kind for someone you’ve just met,” you said. Given her snarky disposition, you hadn’t expected her to offer.
YuugenMagan simply shrugged. “I can let you wander randomly if you’d like. After all, you seem to have an inordinate fondness for that.”
“Fair enough. I’ll follow you.”
And thus, you followed YuugenMagan to the city. It wasn’t a terribly long walk, but even then, you found yourself jealous of your guide’s casual levitation. Flight must be incredibly convenient.
“I take it this is Makai City?” It was an intentionally pointless question.
“Indeed. What was your first clue?” YuugenMagan asked sarcastically, though without changing her tone.
You shrugged, since you definitely didn’t need to properly answer that question. The city before you was certainly an impressive sight, familiar and alien all at the same time. While it was similar in structure to a modern city, things were illuminated by magic, the buildings made of colorful stone, and the inhabitants could often fly.
YuugenMagan pointed to a particular building. “Go there to get your residence and such figured out. I’ll be leaving you now.”
“Got stuff to do, I presume?” It was understandable. She likely had more important things to deal with than accompanying a random human during the registration process.
“Not really. Just not fond of large groups of people,” she replied. Evidently, YuugenMagan was an introvert, which explained her remote location. Without really saying goodbye, she began to leave.
“I’ll be sure to visit!” You called out, making sure she heard you despite the distance.
You saw her shrug.
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A notable amount of time has passed since then. You’re now accustomed to your life in Makai City. With help from some demons you had befriended, you had started a small restaurant that served food from your world, which had proven popular.
Of course, as you had promised, you visited YuugenMagan every so often. You two often exchanged stories, her deadpan wit proving quite enjoyable.
As your shift comes to an end, you decide that today will be another visit to YuugenMagan. Waving goodbye to your friends and coworkers, you begin the trek to the purple-hued wilderness, which you had learned was called the Ruins of Vina. What used to stand there is a mystery.
You arrive in the Ruins before too long, taking a seat on the ground to rest. A few minutes later, you feel a tap on your shoulder, causing you to instinctually jump a bit.
“There are better places to sit than on the ground, you know.” YuugenMagan had snuck up on you, calling back to the first time you met her.
As you turn around, you see she’s in her human-like form. This was a recent change, as until your last few visits, she would always be in her electrical form.
“Ah, hey Magan,” you greet her.
She sits on the ground across from you, defying her statement about the ground not being a good seat with a meaningless hypocrisy. “Greetings. I take it your shift ended recently, unless you’re skipping work to see me. Which wouldn’t be the smartest idea.”
You chuckle at her joke. “No no, I’m a responsible business owner.”
“Of course.”
“Today was a pretty long day though. Plenty of people are on vacation right now, so I get to see way more customers, for better or for worse. Such is the way of working in a restaurant.”
“Any particularly interesting day-lengtheners?” YuugenMagan leans forward, ready to hear a story.
“Oh yeah, one in particular.” You prepare to recount your experience. “So, it’s early in the morning, and we’ve just opened. Not a second later, and this massive collection of families enters the restaurant.”
“That already sounds bothersome, but I doubt that is the end of the story.”
“Spot-on. So, they’re here, and I swear, 80 percent of them order some massive meals. Like, the only ones who didn’t were some of the children.”
YuugenMagan shrugged. “I cannot understand how some people eat so much. Then again, I really don’t need to, so maybe I’m the one missing out.”
That was an odd bit of trivia you didn’t know previously. “You’ll have to try some if you can later.”
“Perhaps, perhaps.”
“Anyways, we deal with all the insanity of preparing over 15 separate full-course meals. Afterwards, we’re able to take a moment to breathe, foolishly assuming that’s the worst of it.”
YuugenMagan tilts her head curiously. “How could it get worse from there?”
“Payment,” you respond. “Every single individual family decides to pay separately. And not only that, they’ve only got high-value coins. So not only do we have to take multiple different payments, we need to give out ludicrous amounts of change.”
Amused by the story, YuugenMagan gives you a slight smile. It’s a rare sight, which makes it special. “They should realize that banks and restaurants are separate services.”
“Yeah, you’d really think so!” You shrug. “But now it’s over, so it’s fine.”
“I imagine the end of that debacle to be quite relieving.”
You nod. That was the understatement of the century.
The two of you continued chatting for quite a bit, causing you to lose track of time. It’s easy to lose track of time in your visits with YuugenMagan, though you make sure to leave when you feel it’s right. After all, you don’t want to be overbearing to the introverted demon.
As the conversation dies down, you assume that time has come. Thus, you decide to dismiss yourself. “It’s been fun, but you probably want some alone time, so I’ll get going.” You stand up, and begin walking off.
You’re stopped by YuugenMagan’s hand on your shoulder. “You do not have to go. You’re… Not really draining to spend time with.”
As you turn to face her, she takes her hand off of you. She doesn’t seem to be looking you in the eye, her expression hard to make out.
“Ah, alright then.” You stand in place, not really sure how to continue the conversation yourself.
A possibly bad conversation topic pops into your mind, and in the absence of other options, you use it. “Oh yeah, I noticed you’ve been in your human form when I show up lately.”
YuugenMagan stops staring off into the distance. “I can magically see anywhere in the universe that I decide to focus on. So, when I see you exiting the city, I figured that I might as well enter this form ahead of time.”
Something about that strikes you as noteworthy. “Wait, if you need to focus for that to work… Are you actively awaiting my arrival?” This was intended to be a joke, akin to YuugenMagan’s usual style of humor.
“Maybe…” She looks away, though you’re able to notice that her face is slightly flushed.
It’s adorable, you have to admit.
After a moment of silence, YuugenMagan breathes in, and lets out a deep sigh. Once more, she looks you in the eye, her blush more noticeable now. “I’ve realized that… I love you. You’re enjoyable to be around, for any amount of time. You enjoy and even match my sarcasm. And you keep coming back, just for me.”
That’s certainly a revelation. The first person you spoke with since entering an unfamiliar world, and a great friend, just confessed to you. You ponder it briefly, and decide that you feel much the same way. How could you not?
Thus, you decide to say so. “I-”
But you’re cut off. “I doubt you feel the same way, though. You’d probably prefer someone more humanlike. Someone who isn’t most comfortable as a sentient mass of eyeballs and electricity.”
The way she refers to herself almost sounds self-deprecating. Is she worried that you don’t love her based on her less humanoid form?
“I don’t care,” you say.
She seems confused, and somewhat worried.
Thus you elaborate. “I don’t care if you’re a human, or a demon, or five giant eyes. Whatever form you choose to take, I love you. Not your body, but you.”
As if to challenge your statement, YuugenMagan’s body dissolves into magical electricity, with only her eyes remaining physical. “Are… You truly sure?”
Carried by forces you don’t understand, you walk closer to her. “I’m sure. I love you, YuugenMagan.”
YuugenMagan’s constituent energy begins to wrap around you. The feeling is strange, but pleasantly so. It’s almost like a warm hug around your entire body. Her eyes all lock their gaze on you, with one hovering directly in front of your face. You stare into her wondrous eye, and she stares right back at you. It’s an intimate moment that might as well be a passionate kiss.
After a moment of blissful silence, YuugenMagan speaks again. “All I see is you. And that’s all I want to see right now.”
“I understand completely,” you reply. You let yourself sink into true love’s embrace.
To an outside observer, this sight would be horrifying. A human being devoured by a hideous monster. But you don’t care. You can look past the outside, and love who someone truly is. Or maybe, you can love the nonstandard outside as part of who your beloved is in her entirety. To you, YuugenMagan is truly beautiful.
After all…
Beauty is found in the eye of the beholder.