Gensoukyou:Yuuka Kazami

Background
''”The human mind fears what it does not understand. These fears give rise to the existence of Youkai. They are the dangers that lurk in the darkness, that brief glimpse of motion in the corner of one’s eye, or even the unknowable vastness of nature itself...”''

The Story of Sunflower
 A great, long time ago, a time more than days, months and years, more than decades, and more than centuries in the past, when the world hung from the sky by four great ropes, before there were any people, the land as it was belonged to the great spirits of the world - those of the animals, and those of the plants, and the higher beings who lived on rainbows and looked down at the world below.

When the first people arrived in this land, they were mindful of the domains of these spirits, and paid them much respect. In return, the spirits let the people live amongst them, sharing their land, and their hunting grounds. Those who spoke with the spirits learned of strong medicine and powerful magic, which they brought back to the people in all directions.

Sunflower was among the bravest of the spirits, never afraid to look into the sun, even when it was directly overhead. From all this time looking into the sun, the spirit learned of many things that others could not, for few could look into the sun this way without burning their eyes. But Sunflower did not often share its medicine with people, for it had a rough manner and many found its stare to be intimidating.

But so long as the people remained respectful of the spirits, and the spirits remained benevolent; hunting was easy, and nature was comfortable. When people wronged the spirits, however, or did not take care to observe their ways, retribution was always swift. Even when the spirits were angry, however, Sunflower did not seem to share their displeasure. But where the other spirits concerned themselves with the events of the day, Sunflower would simply laugh and say “It does not matter what will happen! The same sun will rise tomorrow.”

But the spirits saw something, growing in the hearts of the people, and they became concerned. So all the big old spirits got together and decided that the people should be given something to fear, so that they would keep their respect and not lead careless lives. But the spirits, being kinder than people, did not want to do such a thing, so they sent Young Hawk to go and look for any who would. When Sunflower, who was always brave, heard of this, they responded immediately “I will do it. But only on two conditions.”

“The first is that only I will go, and my children will stay and watch the sun in my place,” - and this is why sunflowers are still good sources of food, dyes, and medicine to the people. They do not take sides and can be used by anyone, even the spirits, as long as some of them are left to watch the sun the following day.

“The second is that if I go, I want all of you to give me something for my journey.”

The spirits all agreed, and so Sunflower went to each of them in turn, asking for a bit of their power, only a handful, so that they could be safe in their travels. None of the spirits saw anything wrong with this, and so they all agreed, except for Rabbit, who argued “You have already taken power from so many strong spirits, and I am small and weak. There is no need for you to take power from me as well.” Sunflower agreed, and taking all of the gifts from the other spirits, went high into the mountains to prepare, which would take many, many years.

When Sunflower came down from the mountain, they brought with them great tribes of evil spirits, anisgina, which ran wild and attacked all the people of all the nations. As they were made from the powers of many other spirits, and carried powerful medicine of their own, the spirits were unpredictable, and threatened to overrun the entire world, from one ocean to another. But Rabbit had not given his power to Sunflower, and so he could avoid these spirits, and went to bite down many of the sunflower plants. Sunflower heard about this and rushed back home to chase Rabbit away, and without leadership, the anisgina scattered in all directions, and were no longer a threat to the world.

The Youkai of Flowers
 Despite the rampage of its followers having come to an end, all the people in that part of the world had begun telling tales of the many terrifying creatures that had terrorised the land. These tales became myth, and myth became legend. Ultimately, legend became the basis for fear, and this fear began to change the nature of the old spirit.

Having watched for many generations, the lives of people, from its home in the mountains, the spirit had noted every transgression and case of disrespect against nature - the exact thing that the spirits together had sought to prevent. Although these cases were somewhat few and far between, they irked the spirit ever more. So, for a long time, the spirit watched, and drew in ever more of the fear that had come to be directed at it.

Eventually, with almost nothing of its original nature remaining, the old spirit left home, walked to the edge of the cliff, and raised their hand, drawing in the power of the sun, that they had watched for so many centuries, and focusing it into their palm, distilling it to its purest essence, before throwing it down at the world below. The light struck as a pillar of searing heat, shining brighter than the sun itself, and in the blink of an eye, and entire village was scoured from the earth.

This time, the spirit did not rely on an army of followers, but struck out directly, slashing across the sky with its strange new power and carving scars into the face of the world. A few of the other old spirits set out to confront the person that had once been Sunflower, but none of them could so much as get close, so they called for Winalagalis, a powerful warrior spirit, who travelled the world making war on all lands. He spent one day in the company of each of the other spirits, asking them about the one he was to face in battle. With all the knowledge he gained, he chose the time and place, at the end of a long winter, and upon a vast open plain. To prepare, he carved a spear from the trunk of a red cedar tree, and imbued it with potent supernatural powers. Thus ready, he set out for the battlefield he had chosen.

The spirit of the Sunflower, showing the same courage as always, did not shy away from the confrontation, and made their presence known in a terrifying display of raw magical power. But Winalagalis had prepared for this, and threw his spear from far away, knowing that it would not be possible to approach. Much to his surprise, however, his opponent caught the spear in mid flight, and broke it in half despite the power imbued within it. Holding one half of the broken weapon up, the newly born Youkai poured her own power into it, and watched as a large flower bloomed from around the spear’s tip. Winalagalis, realising that his would-be opponent had changed into something quite different, quickly retreated, and the Youkai of Flowers left the battlefield without a further thought, her original mission already long forgotten.

A World of Dreams
 Having abandoned the original purpose of keeping humans in line, the Youkai of Flowers tore a path of destruction across the continent, purposefully seeking out the powerful, the proud, and the arrogant, seemingly delighting in their destruction. Many of the humans’ most skilled warriors purposefully sought her out, but few managed to stand against her for even a moment, with most being vaporised almost instantly by the immense power she had developed.

The old spirits of the land watched on, horrified at what they had, indirectly, unleashed upon the world. For a time they considered opposing the Youkai, but although they remained powerful, she had become something akin to nature incarnate, and even together, they would have little chance of defeating her in a direct confrontation. So instead they petitioned the greatest order in existence - the Celestial Bureaucracy, for aid. To this empire of gods, Youkai were nothing particularly new, but even they were surprised by how powerful this one had grown in such a short time, and acknowledged that a battle would be exceedingly costly at best. Instead, they set into motion a course of events which, was hoped, would make facing the Youkai directly unnecessary.

Playing on the Youkai’s penchant for battle, they slowly lured her across the globe, placing one powerful opponent after another in her path, while instructing their servants in distant lands to prepare for her arrival. This plan at first seemed to be working - much like water running downhill, the Youkai rushed to meet every challenge that the Celestial Bureaucracy set out.

However, the one thing they did not account for was the effect this would have on the Youkai herself. With some part of her still being a spirit of nature, she was far more in tune with the natural order, and so developed far more quickly than most Youkai would be expected to. Long before reaching the destination intended for her, she had already formed a fairly powerful sense of self, giving herself the name “Yuuka” shortly after arriving in Japan.

With the promise of yet another strong opponent, the Celestial Bureaucracy drew the Youkai to the shores of a crystal clear lake, high in the mountains. It was here that they had assembled a force to confront, and hopefully seal her away - more than a thousand warrior monks, dozens of Oni and Shinigami, all led by one of the generals of heaven’s army - Xin Xing, awaited her. A force this size should have been more than a match for almost any Youkai, but even so, they weren’t taking any chances. As soon as the Youkai of Flowers arrived, General Xin raised a powerful barrier, effectively sealing off the lake and its immediate surroundings from the rest of the world. As none there harboured any fear of Youkai, this should have drastically reduced her power.

It did not.

Yuuka hesitated only for the briefest moment, unaccustomed to the sensation of existing purely on her own merits, but she recovered far more quickly than any normal Youkai, and acted with staggering ferocity. In a single outpouring of magical energy that nearly shattered the barrier, half of heaven’s forces lay dead, and in the minutes that followed, the Youkai of Flowers methodically slaughtered her way through the rest, until only a handful remained. It was at this point that one of the greater gods intervened directly - Leizu, also known as the Perfect King of Universal Transformation, descended from the sky and unleashed a lightning bolt of immense power.

Yuuka responded in kind, raising the strange parasol she had carried for several centuries now, and concentrating the very essence of sunlight into its tip. For a brief moment, she matched the power of a god thousands of times her age and experience, but she was still just a Youkai, a few thousand years old, standing against a god that predated the very world she had been born on.

Leizu’s attack was powerful enough to shatter the barrier between reality and the dream world, and it was into this strange space that he forcefully cast Yuuka, before trapping her there. In the aftermath of the battle, the blood of the many dead flowed into the once-clear waters of the lake, permanently colouring them a deep crimson. Despite the great cost, one of the most violent and destructive Youkai of recent eras had been sealed, and so Leizu and Xin Xing collected their remaining forces and departed.

Sleeping Terror
 For more than ten thousand years, Yuuka remained sealed in the dream world. At first, she raged against her imprisonment, devastating vast swathes of the dream world, but this counts for little in such a seemingly infinite space, and so, over time, she calmed somewhat, and after making a home for herself, fell into a deep sleep that lasted for several centuries.

She would awake briefly, now far calmer, and converse with some of the other denizens of the dream world, often still trying to goad them into confrontations. At the same time, she seemed to gain further insight into the nature of Youkai during her long periods of slumber, although whether this was the beginnings of some manner of enlightenment, or merely more of an act to appear aloof, only she would know.

However, be it rest or meditation, it would be interrupted rather suddenly when two humans from Gensoukyou managed to break into her mansion in the dream world. She confronted them, although having just woken up, she was still somewhat disoriented, and the resulting battle ended up being somewhat inconclusive, although a good deal of her home was destroyed.

She would face them again shortly thereafter, but somewhat uncharacteristically for her, she did not fight at full power, although neither of the humans knew that at the time. In truth, she did not mind being defeated by them, and was more interested in a potential escape from her “prison” in the dream world.

The world she emerged into was not quite the one she remembered - having seemingly changed a lot. For Yuuka, however, the greatest thing about this “Gensoukyou” was the chance to see the sun again. Although, as she soon discovered, it too was a sealed world, ruled over by an incredibly ancient and powerful Youkai - one Yukari Yakumo. Although their first meeting resulted in a brief conflict, Yuuka seemingly took a liking to Yukari, finding her sense of humour quite agreeable. Eventually, a rather strange friendship developed between the two.

Yuuka also took full advantage of the many powerful individuals who called Gensoukyou home, frequently seeking out interesting or challenging fights. While weaker individuals who troubled her would receive no mercy, she tended to go somewhat more easy on anyone who could give her a suitable challenge, often leaving them alive, if not quite unharmed, and playfully urging them to try again. During this time, she even helped resolve an incident, although this was mainly an excuse for her to invade Makai.

Although she maintained her home in the dream world, she ended up spending ever more time in Gensoukyou, even growing an entire field of sunflowers, and indeed that is where she can usually be found.

Personality
For the most part she is calm and relaxed, untroubled by the minor, bustling affairs of the rest of the world. Indeed, despite her reputation, one is more likely to find her relaxing in the shade of a tree, or enjoying a stroll amidst the flowers, than to be ruthlessly destroying some unfortunate individual who crossed paths with her. More than anything, she lives a rather natural life, sparing little, if any, concern for the needs or desires of others.

When interacting with others, she always displays a thin veneer of politeness, but in truth cares rather little for them. With the exception of the few who have in some way earned her respect, she barely pays attention to most people. When she does, it’s usually to mock or belittle them in some way, all the while smiling pleasantly, as if merely making small talk, even when threatening to bring about suffering and death. Between her seemingly friendly exterior, and almost complete lack of compassion, she’s not an easy person to approach, and seems to enjoy being left alone as a result. Those that can manage to engage her in conversation, will find her somewhat sharp witted and insightful, almost wise in fact, but in a rather straightforward way.

Her sense of humour is notably mean-spirited, and she will often make insulting or disparaging comments, merely to try and provoke a reaction from others - reactions which either only serve to amuse, or in some cases, to be swiftly and mercilessly punished. She rarely acts first, however, preferring to punish hubris more than anything else. Weaker individuals she often ignores outright, seeing no point in bothering with them. Those more powerful, however, she will go to great lengths to persuade them into a confrontation. At the same time, she holds a measure of respect for those who can maintain their composure.

Being a flower Youkai, she understandably loves nature, and takes a dim view of anyone attempting to exploit it. Anyone who she discovers doing so, she will attack on sight, and take great pleasure in killing them in the most painful way possible. On a deeper level, she seems keenly aware of and respectful towards the natural order, and harshly disdains any attempts to meddle with it. She considers herself something of a manifestation of nature, and as such takes it upon herself to preserve it - both in terms of guarding the natural world, and in terms of maintaining that subtle order.

She seems to take great pleasure in fighting, and never shies away from a confrontation, even if she rarely initiates fights. Even when fighting powerful opponents, be they human or Youkai, she never displays even the slightest bit of fear or hesitation. Few Youkai delight in violence to the same degree, and it is that knowing, joyful savagery that makes her so terrifying. To her, combat is nothing more than a game, every action an expression of her nature as a Youkai. It is a game she plays gleefully, and plays very well.

Regardless of what she is doing, she always seems unhurried. Whether cheerfully killing someone who crossed her, or merely enjoying a quiet day amidst the flowers, she proceeds about her business at her own, languid pace, laughing off any suggestion that she should do otherwise. She lives freely and naturally, bound only by her own whims... and her own nature.

In all respects, she is a very Youkai-like Youkai.

Power/Combat
Yuuka has a rather simple approach to combat: She destroys her opponent; She enjoys it.

Having lived for a very long time, she is either close to, or at, the peak of Youkai abilities, having both immense physical strength and tremendous magical power. Although at first glance she doesn’t look particularly intimidating, her strength is on par with that of the Oni, and her raw magical power dwarfs that of all but the most powerful magicians. She makes little distinction between the two, as well, preferring to fight simply and directly at all times. This approach may lead to her favouring physical attacks, but that is only due to their simplicity and directness. She is equally comfortable with magic, if the situation calls for it.

Furthermore, she has centuries, if not millennia, of experience, both in combat and in magic. This alone would be enough to make her a terrifyingly powerful combatant, but this pales in comparison to her unique approach to the act - there are few, even amongst Youkai, who take such pleasure in combat, fighting not to win, but simply to fight, to the limits of their capability, as an expression of who and what they are.

Her manner of fighting is graceful and carefree, dancing on the border between elegance and ruthlessness, the seeming ease with which she performs her attacks belying the devastating power behind them. Beneath the light, elegant motions, and the gentle fluttering of petals in the wind, lies the monstrous power of one of Gensoukyou’s oldest and most powerful Youkai. In physical combat, she moves with seemingly effortless precision and grace. When using danmaku, she forms her attacks to resemble scattering flower petals, often arranged into specific patters, to make it appear as if enormous flowers of light are blooming across the sky.

Her natural power is the manipulation of flowers. Aside from making flowers bloom, or make already withered flowers bloom again, this extends as far as having a degree of control over the plants themselves - for example, she can shift the faces of sunflowers towards the sun, or make an already open flower close once more. This is not in any way an ability that lends itself to combat applications. That fact does not seem to get in her way.

Weapons and Artefacts

 * The Eiensakuhana, or “Eternally Blooming Flower” - her parasol, which is actually a large, unique flower that lives off a supply of magical energy provided by Yuuka herself. Acting as a parasol, it can protect from sunlight and rain, and can even block smaller danmaku, although it will be damaged by more powerful attacks. Aside from that, it’s sturdy enough to double as a melee weapon, and is also very good at focusing magic, making it quite versatile in combat. Being a flower, it will also regrow if by chance it becomes damaged.

Spellcards

 * Flower Sign [Phantasmal Spring Flowers]: The only defensive spellcard she has. Bright pink danmaku explode in the shape of flowers, swirling through the air around her, with the goal of deterring anyone who would otherwise approach.


 * Flower Sign [Reflowering of Gensoukyou]: Her most commonly seen spellcard. Waves of vivid yellow danmaku, each formed like a fallen flower petal, spread outwards and shoot towards the opponent. Seen from the front, it appears as a massive sunflower opening its petals.


 * Spirit Sign [Master Spark]: Probably the most well known of her spellcards. Simply put, it is an immense magical laser, focused and fired towards the opponent, capable of blasting aside incoming danmaku and penetrating almost any defence. She usually uses her parasol as a focus for the beam, firing it from the tip.


 * Spirit Sign [Dual Spark]: A unique variation of the Master Spark, that relies on her special ability to create a clone of herself. Splitting in two, she has each clone fire a master spark at the same time. The power is somewhat reduced, but the versatility and wider coverage more than makes up for it.


 * Phantasm [The Beauty of Nature]: Her most powerful spellcard. It is somewhat similar to “Reflowering of Gensoukyou”, but instead creates several “blooms” of varying colours, making it appear as if flowers are filling the sky.

Major

 * Elly: The other resident of Mugenkan, who has served Yuuka faithfully for many years, and can usually be found guarding the manor in the elder Youkai’s absence. Despite her dedication and loyalty, Yuuka does not really rely on her that much, keeping her around mainly to have someone to talk to on quiet days. Although in general Yuuka may seem dismissive of her presence, in truth she values Elly’s company and considers her something of a friend.


 * Yukari Yakumo: The Youkai of Boundaries is one of the very few people to have ever earned Yuuka’s genuine respect. That does not mean Yuuka is above teasing her, but with Yukari it is more playful than mean. Having known each other for a long time, they have a comfortable, familiar friendship, each perfectly at ease in the other’s company. There are even rumours that their relationship goes beyond mere friendship, but this is something neither of them have confirmed or denied.

Minor

 * Kurumi: Yuuka seems willing to tolerate the young vampire’s presence. Although they don’t interact all that often, and can’t really be considered much more than acquaintances, they get along fairly well, all the same. Yuuka lets Kurumi stay in Mugenkan during the daytime, and in return she often helps in driving away would-be intruders.


 * Lily White: Although it may not seem like it, Yuuka does have some small degree of respect for the herald of spring, mostly due to her role in the natural order. Of course, the little fairy’s childlike manner and sensitive nature also make her rather fun to tease, but Yuuka wouldn’t actually hurt her without good reason.


 * Marisa Kirisame: As one of the few, if not the only human to be able to use the “Master Spark” spell, Marisa is something of a curiosity to Yuuka. That’s not to say the flower Youkai cares at all for the young magician - she mainly sees her as an interesting opponent.

Trivia

 * Her reputation as a dangerous sadist is somewhat exaggerated. It is true that she is somewhat mean and likes to make others miserable, but actually torturing them for any length of time would imply caring far more than she does. She mostly only torments others for idle fun, and doesn’t really bother holding grudges.


 * Although she is said to attack anyone who disturbs her, she really only attacks if people bother her directly, or do something to harm or otherwise exploit nature. If someone is merely enjoying the flowers, she will usually leave them alone.


 * It is in fact possible to befriend her, but very difficult. If someone can put up with her teasing and taunting, and still maintain a cheerful demeanour, she might be inclined to strike up a conversation with them, of course, even with her friends, she’ll probably continue teasing them.