Day 33

[from StarLight]

"On that note," said the strange winged woman, "how long exactly was I sealed away for? What year is this?"

It took Sanae's brain a moment or two to process what she was seeing, and another moment to process what she had just heard. "...2015." she said finally.

"That would make it... 372 years since I was sealed away." said the woman. "From your incredulous reaction to my appearance, and to your transformation, am I to assume that youkai and their associated abilities are no longer a noteworthy part of human society?"

After another moment of blankly staring at the flying figure before her, Sanae eventually managed to ask, "I'm sorry, can we just start again from the beginning? Who are you?"

"Ah, of course," said the strange woman, "introductions are in order. Not just for myself, it would appear, but for my race as a whole." Descending to the floor, the woman sank to one knee in a deep, reverent bow, her wings folding neatly behind her back, her demeanour suddenly completely changed from her initial irritation. "My name is Kousen, forger of the White Star Emblem. I am a youkai, an immensely powerful being from a world parallel to your own. In taking my Emblem into your possession, you have taken myself and my powers into your possession. You have also taken onto your shoulders a tremendous burden: that of protecting the Kingdom of Mitsuzawa from the evils that plague this world!" After a moment's silence, Kousen suddenly looked up at Sanae. "The Kingdom of Mitsuzawa still stands, does it not?"

"Uhh... no." said Sanae hesitantly. "It's a city, not a kingdom."

"I see... well in that case, it is your duty to protect the city of Mitsuzawa from the evils that plague this world!" corrected Kousen.

"Wait, why?" asked Sanae. "What evil? There's still loads you're not explaining!"

With a sweep of her leathery white wings Kousen took to the air once more. "Fortunately," said Kousen, "I had plentiful time during my imprisonment to plan such an explanation, in the event that we youkai had been completely forgotten, as appears to be the case. Listen well, for I shall not repeat it, mostly because it's quite long and the readers won't want to sit through it twice." Kousen cleared her throat and began.

"First of all, the world you know is not one; rather, it is split into three. There is this realm, home to humanity. Then there are the Unseen Realms, Above and Below. We youkai reside in the Realm Above."

"What about the Realm Below?" asked Sanae. "Who lives there?"

"I'll get to that in a minute," replied Kousen, clearly annoyed that her grand explanation had been interrupted so early on. "Anyway, we youkai possess many abilities beyond those of mere humans: we can fly, we are ageless and immortal, and we can will things into being by reciting simple incantations. This last ability is the essence of what you would call "magic", and is as mundane to us as walking is to you.

"For the most part, youkai do not interfere with this realm. There are two reasons for this, the main one being that, in general, youkai see themselves as superior to humans. They do not wish to associate with seemingly lesser beings, and so they are content to simply watch humanity's progress, as though it were some elaborate play without end."

"Or a giant reality TV show!" chimed in Sanae. "Oh, right: if that's the main reason, what's the second reason?"

"Again, I'm getting to that!" snapped Kousen. "Stop interrupting! I've waited 372 years to recite this, I'd appreciate some quiet while I do so!"

"Sorry," said Sanae sheepishly, "I'll shut up now."

"Thank you," said Kousen. "Now then, where was I... ah, yes. The second reason youkai do not visit this realm. You see, our magic is only able to function because the Realm Above is permeated by a force known as chi. The human realm contains no such chi, and so in order for us to be able to use our abilities here, we must first forge an Emblem, an artefact made of pure concentrated chi. You just happen to be holding such an artefact in your very hands." Sanae looked down in wonder at the wand she was holding. "Yes. Four hundred of your years ago," continued Kousen, "I crafted that artefact, the White Star Emblem, so that I may cross over into the realm of humans.

"That brings me on neatly to the Realm Below, and its inhabitants. They are, to be blunt, monsters. Creatures of darkness, destruction and hatred. Sometimes, these monsters make their way into the realm of humans, and if left unchecked they could wipe your race from the face of the planet. And so I descended into this realm, so that I might fight these monsters wherever they appeared. As it happens, monsters from the Realm Below are drawn to chi like moths to a candle flame, and thus whenever a monster made its way into this realm it would travel here to Mitsuzawa, away from any other populated areas, and I would swiftly destroy it."

Sanae couldn't help feeling that the monsters' attraction to chi was quite convenient plot-wise. If monsters would be drawn to Mitsuzawa just from her being here in possession of the Emblem, then there'd be a steady, never-ending stream of monsters for her to fight, allowing the plot to progress accordingly. She did not voice this aloud, fearing reprisals if she interrupted Kousen again, and allowed the youkai to continue.

"However, 372 years ago, I was defeated," said Kousen. "My powers were drained, and I was close to death. With the last of my strength, I was forced to seal myself away inside my own Emblem, in the hopes that one day, a human such as yourself would find the Emblem and carry on my legacy."

"I'm sorry, I know I'm interrupting again," said Sanae, "but can't you carry on your own legacy? I mean, I know I'm the main character, but I didn't think I'd be fighting monsters in this show! Besides, you're all better now, right?"

"I am alive, yes, and free of the Emblem's seal." said Kousen. "But you see, there is one last, vitally important thing that must be explained."

"Good thing, too," remarked Sanae, "the readers are starting to get bored of all this exposition."

"I spent 372 years preparing and rehearsing this speech," declared Kousen, "I'm not deviating from it. Now then, the last thing you must know... when a human capable of harnessing chi comes into contact with a youkai's Emblem, as you came into contact with mine, that Emblem becomes that human's for all eternity, and they and they alone may harness its chi. This is an ancient contract made between humans and youkai. The power you feel coursing through your veins is chi flowing from the White Star Emblem, chi only you may control.

"In addition to gaining the power of chi," concluded Kousen, "the youkai who originally crafted the Emblem is forever bonded to that human, as what you might call a "familiar"." Kousen once more bowed respectfully before Sanae, lowering her head until it almost touched the floor. "Congratulations, Insert-Name-Here. You have come into possession of the ultimate power. The clothes you now wear, and the hairstyle you so crassly mocked, are a mark of that power. Using the chi contained within the White Star Emblem, and with my assistance, it is your destiny to protect this realm from the forces of darkness, and bring light to the world!" 

Straightening up, Kousen saw the slightly overwhelmed look on Sanae's face and added, "I said Insert-Name-Here,  didn't I? I practiced it that way so many times, and... oh, heavens above, I never even asked your name at all, did I? How terribly rude of me!" She bowed once more. "What is your name, O mistress?"

Still overwhelmed, it took Sanae a moment to respond. "H-Hikari. Sanae Hikari."

"Miss Hikari, I am eternally at your service," said Kousen, still bowing. "I pray that you will prove worthy of my servitude, and of carrying on the name of White Star."

"I hope so too," said Sanae. "Just one more thing: how do I change back into my normal clothes? I can't really walk around like this, can I?"

"Oh, of course," said Kousen, straightening up. "Concealing your identity as White Star is vitally important."

"How is it important?" asked Sanae. "I'm fighting monsters from another dimension, they won't know who I am."

"This scene has gone on for three pages already," said Kousen, "I'll explain later. But trust me, it's important. As for getting back to normal, simply release the White Star Emblem and the chi will cease to flow through you."

"Like taking the battery out of a cellphone!" remarked Sanae, a comparison that was made utterly pointless by the confused response it elicited from Kousen:

"The what out of a what?"