PROLOGUE

The year was 2002. It had been 50 years since the death of Reimu Hakurei. After the incident that ended her life, and the return of the Oni, it seemed like finally, a lasting peace was coming to the nation of Gensokyo, having shed its isolationist policies. Life went on. Technology flourished: TV, internet and other modern conveniences. As it opened to the world, the secretive, landlocked country in the north-eastern tip of Japan was open for all to see. Kaguya Houraisan was born in 1985 as part of what was dubbed "New Gensokyo". Daughter to a native Gensokyo woman and a Japanese businessman and philanthropist: Rina Yagokoro and Kentaro Houraisan. Her parents had spent their lives in Gensokyo building infrastructure and providing services in the fledgling nation throughout the turbulent years after its struggle for independence against Japan in 1946, and the post-independence hardships. By most accounts, the Yagokoro Foundation, headed by Rina herself, contributed the most amount. Billions of yen in fact, to help build the nation. The task of setting up infrastructure after the bloody war of was daunting. But the spirit of the common folk shone through. People were happy to work whatever odd jobs were needed to restore the country, including helping restore the devastated capital which had suffered major damage during the latter half of the independence war.

As the daughter of two highly influential and highly rich parents, Kaguya had always lived a comfortable, carefree life. However, in 1995, tragedy struck when both her parents had met a tragic end in a plane crash between Japan and Gensokyo. For the next 10 years she would live with her grandmother, Eirin Yagokoro, a former Doctor and Chairwoman of the Yagokoro Foundation living in Eientei, a huge Japanese style mansion and compound owned and built by the Yagokoro family hundreds of years ago. Indeed, the laid back country lifestyle of Gensokyo was perfect for someone who neither wanted to work, go to school, or learn a skill. Kaguya chalked this up to the trauma of her parent's death on her, though secretly the life of a NEET was just the way she liked it. Still, she did her duty as legal guardian and grandmother to the young Kaguya. She loved her like she did her own daughter and for the next 7 years, life went on as normal until one fateful afternoon.

Gensokyo was one of the safest places you could be in but it happened sometimes. The beast youkai population had learned to integrate into the human population slowly. Unlike the Tengu or Kappa whose sound engineering and technical knowledge helped to bring Gensokyo where it was today, the common youkai had a rather tough time adjusting to their new lives. After all, they were all expected to be civilized now. The times when youkai hunted and ate human flesh, and man crafted weapons to fight back, those days were long gone. Relegated to nothing more than myth in this day and age.

Perhaps the people whom Kaguya had run into that day were those kinds of men. Disenchanted with the way things were now. They were tall, muscular and armed. Her grandmother Eirin had always warned her of the quiet by-ways off the main road, but they were the fastest route to and from Ningen no Sato. Was it just rotten luck that she happened to run into bad company?

"Hey girl..." one of the youkai sneered. "What's in the bag?" He was of course, referring to the rucksack that she was carrying. All that was in it was change, enough to buy a few things from the market and some snacks for herself.

"Are you listening?" The taller of the three thugs stepped forward, brandishing a knife. Kaguya seemed dazed, her attention somewhere off in the distance.

"Here, just take it." Kaguya finally said, dropping her pack. She could probably run for it, though she was right in the middle of the bamboo forest. Eientei was about 2 kilometers in the other direction. She knew her feet wouldn't be able to get her very far.

"That's more like it." The leader of the posse opened up the bag and pulled out the single 100 Mon note inside of it. "What, that's it?" He looked furious.

"It's all I've got, I swear."

"Oh yeah?" The leader said, walking up to Kaguya. "Well maybe if we took you instead, we could get something bigger than this. What do you think, boys?" The group burst into a disgusting, animistic laughter, their spittle flying as they approached Kaguya.

"Damn, this chick is pretty tall..." One of them remarked, noticing how she was almost neck and neck with their leader.

"Doesn't matter, she's just a girl!" He grasped Kaguya's arm roughly. In the mind of this thug he'd take her, get a nice ransom and possibly skip town. He smiled through his crooked teeth as he imagined leaving the country.

"I'm not going anywhere." Kaguya lowered her head. She could feel the familiar tingle in her fingers as a wave of energy pulsed through her.

The thug could feel a weight on his arm, as if some invisible force was also grabbing hold of him. The weight was crushing. It was almost unreal.

"What the..." his surprise turned to pain as the invisible forced locked onto his wrist. He could've sworn he could feel the bone crunch. Next thing he knew he was one the ground, howling in pain.

The next few seconds were a blur. They were armed with knives and nunchaku but... what happened? Broken teeth were scattered onto the ground. The men who seemed so intimidating before were now beaten to a bloody pulp. If a town watchman had not happened upon the incident Kaguya was certain she would have killed them.

"It's getting more violent." Kaguya mumbled to herself as she was escorted to the nearest police station. "Maybe I went too far."

Indeed, Kaguya had known about this power for some time now. A phantom fist. She could see it but nobody else could.

When she had arrived at the police station the officer in charge had got her personal details and sent for someone to check these against files in the local citizen registry.

"We're going to have to keep you here for the night until we can get your parents..."

"They're dead."

"Well, your legal guardian. Don't worry, place is empty." The officer lead her down to a small room. All the cells were indeed empty. "You just beat up four guys half to death... I don't know what to say."

"It wasn't me I... I was possessed... by an evil spirit." Those were probably the wrong words, but they were the only ones she could say in her defense. What had she gotten herself into? But on one hand she almost got kidnapped but still... it's not like the thugs would ever admit attempting to kidnap a 17 year old.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. I'll be back later after I finish filing your paperwork. Maybe try and come up with a better excuse." The officer slammed the cell door shut.

"But it's the truth..." Kaguya said in a barely audible tone. Of course, no one would believe her. She sighed as she sat down onto the worn mattress of the cramped, dingy cell. What a way to a Friday. And with those events, so began the bizarre adventure of the NEET named Kaguya Houraisan, 17 years old. The girl possessed by an evil spirit.