You know how in literature classes, you're required to read "classics" from the past? A lot of these "classics" aren't really that good, or maybe, they were, but their messages have become outdated. But some of them actually still hold up, and are worth reading. This is what I aimed for when I wrote Eternal Blossom; a novelette that shows that even in an ancient time and place, true love transcends gender and race. Granted, no one could print that in a textbook until Touhou fell into the public domain, but that was my goal.
This story had to be from Yukari's perspective. As I've said, she is the true star of Touhou Monogatari. I started out writing stories in first-person, so writing this was like going down familiar territory.
It starts off with her saying the document is printed in English, so no one not versed in the language could know. She then admits that she's only romantically to people of the same sex. A lot of yaoi/yuri fanfics are very idealized, in that sexual orientation means nothing. In an ideal world, that would be the case, however, that's not quite true. Fortunately for Yukari, she's in Gensokyo, and she has power; if anyone found out and tried to blackmail her . . . they wouldn't get far. But the point is, would she ever find someone who was like her in that regard? Statistically speaking, most people, and I'm guessing youkai too, are not gay nor bisexual. Yukari does find someone eventually, but not for the earlier portion of her life.
When writing EB, I had to consult the web on Japanese culture during the Heian era, since I speculated that was when Yuyuko was mortal. A lot of it was information I learned way back in middle school, but it helped out. One, Yukari looks quite different back then as she does in the present. Also, it was actually true that Japanese noblemen could learn Chinese to communicate with China, but not women. The fact that Yukari, a woman (albeit one with a lot more free time and lifespan) knows fluent Chinese is intriguing, to say the least. Also, Yukari originated grazing, long before spell card duels existed.
Yuyuko was not identical, either. She was human, not a saintly ghost yet. She, like all the other humans, feared youkai. Also, although she still wears the same clothes, her eyes and her weren't pink. (A Touhou fanvid depicted her with black eyes and hair, hence my description.) Yukari disarms Yuyuko by pointing out that her haiku poems are stereotypical. When I was writing this, I was studying poetry, and I noticed that a lot of poems are not how people picture poems. Most of the good ones were not about love, longing for love, the beauty of the world, or anything like that. Also note that when they first meet, they address each other as "Yakumo-san" and "Saigyouji-san." People in Gensokyo actually used to follow honorific rules.
Over time, the two meet whenever they can. Yuyuko reveals she's to be married off, and that she can, in her words, "invite mortals to their death." She has only used this on lesser youkai that can't be reasoned with, but Yukari now has a new vision of Yuyuko.
But then, loves strikes. From my own personal experiences, you know you're in love when the first person you think about when you wake up is the object of your affection, and who should Yukari be thinking about other than that pretty noblewoman by the tree? She looked forward to meeting her more, even showing her trademark ability; forming gaps.
Then Yuyuko reveals about the tree that they visited under. It's the (now dreaded) Saigyou Ayakashi. She mentions it has killed people, including her own father. Yukari is understandably shocked. It was also during this conversation that they drop the formalities and address each other by first name only. Isn't that sweet?
Yukari now wants to be affectionate toward Yuyuko, but again, she's still unsure if another woman would love her back. Then we learn that Yuyuko ran away from her family because she skipped the arranged marriage. Why? because she likes Yukari more! Even to the point of abandoning her family! She doesn't say "I love you" since that's too cliched, but she did say, "I love everything about you, Yukari!"
The two of them are in tears, and Yukari finally embraces Yuyuko. (by the way, if this is ever turned into a manga, this scene here should be a two page spread.) They knew it was dangerous to stay at the tree because of its influence, so Yukari gaps into her house with Yuyuko.
Yukari's mansion is just how it is in the present, minus the technology. This was before Yukari met Ran and Chen, and instead had numerous fairies maintain the house. Yukari tells Yuyuko she's welcome to stay there, then kisses her on the forehead. (lip lock would again be too cliched, but a peck on the forehead? Priceless!) However, Yukari sleeps right afterwards. I think the Saigyou Ayakashi manipulated her into dozing off so it could kill Yuyuko; it's too contrived otherwise. Also, the hairclip mentioned in A Touhou Fanfic About Nothing was first introduced, and that its message roughly reads "Eternal Blossom." Yukari is Yuyuko's eternal cherry blossom, isn't that sweet! However, Yuyuko is gone, and Yukari has a hunch.
She gaps to the tree, only to find it dead. Not just mostly dead, all dead. Not only that, Yuyuko's dead body was there, too. There's a Touhou doujin out there that shows that Yukari was the first one to discover Yuyuko's human body, but in the doujin, she holds the body and cries dramatically. However, this is Yukari we're talking about, and this is Gensokyo; even if someone "dies", it doesn't mean they no longer exist. On edge, Yukari races to Higan, home of the Yama. She runs into Komachi (which I think is my only appearance of her yet in my fics) and races off to Higan. She encounters some Yama, including what fans would recognize as Shikieiki. She learns that Yuyuko's judgment was passed; that she would reside in the Netherworld as a spirit, and anytime she doesn't leave the netherworld, she can't die. However, she will forget her mortal life.
Yukari races to the netherworld. She finds her, except her hair is now pink. She is at ease, but remembers nothing about Yukari. Yukari cries, trying desperately to remind her, but it's useless. Yuyuko tries to comfort her, despite her lack of remembering. It's perhaps best this way, since Yuyuko couldn't remember her rebellious streak, and her having to kill herself to destroy the tree, which now resides in the netherworld. (did she expand the boundary of the netherworld to encompass the tree? This was nearly a millennium before the spell card duels.)
However, because of her amnesia, Yuyuko forgot her feelings toward Yukari. Fortunately, since the two of them are so close, she did eventually fall in love with her again, but it took decades for that to happen a second time. If you ever meet Yukari, don't ask her about the time she loved Yuyuko, but was not reciprocated, it's . . . it's a delicate subject for her.
Oh, also, I will admit, since I am only romantically attracted to (human) women, it's easier for me to picture someone desiring a woman as opposed to a man. However, there is a franchise out there that has a yaoi pairing I love. (No, it's not Naruto. It's not FMA. And it's not Kingdom Hearts either. Look deeper!)
As I admitted in the AN, I was mostly influenced by Recalled Lunar Romance by Usually Dead. Personally, I consider that superior to my own EB, but UD made a mistake; he added the yuri cliche of (in his story) Eirin and Kaguya interlocking fingers, while I avoided that! Ha! However, while I enjoyed writing this story, I have no plans to do another romance, hetero or not. EB's sequel won't be as emotional, either, but it will feature Yukari and Yuyuko being affectionate. (Sorry, still won't be any lip lock . . . or sex. GAWD! You don't need those things to tell a good love story! Haven't you heard the lyrics to "As Time Goes By"?) However, the followup will be the last of these shorts done in first-person perspective for the time being.
