Gensokyo is protected from the outside world, but not by accident. I had a hand in creating the Hakurei Boundary back one-hundred-fifty or so years ago. But before I detail how that began, let me explain how I came to take Ran as my shikigami.

It was about a century or so after I established the older and now defunct youkai boundary around Gensokyo, which would place this about four-hundred years before the present. I had been hearing rumors of a youkai that was so poweful, it could kill anything with impunity. Human and youkai alike feared this creature. Only one person had lived the encounter of this beast to tell about it; this survivor said it was in the shape of the kyuubi, or nine-tailed fox. The kyuubi that is a staple of Japanese mythology, a fox youkai of untamable power. It would not surprise me to learn that such a beast would live in Gensokyo. The only other thing I knew beforehand was that this was a yako, a field kitsune, one that would be dangerous to passerbys. I wasn't expecting to encounter this kitsune when I did. I was flying low on the ground on a full moon night. Fairies flew away at my presence, for I was well known enough to be considered a threat to anyone who dared to challenge me. It was then that I saw something that didn't run away, a solid mass of gold fur, standing triumphantly on a small hill. It fixed its eyes on me, never losing sight of my form. I stopped and looked back. I didn't know for sure if this was the kyuubi I had heard about, so I had to see for myself. I flew closer, and all of a sudden, it leaped at me. I narrowly dodged its tackle. It turned back around, but now this time, began to yelp, and every time it yelped, it fired danmaku projectiles. I retaliated by firing back. The fox was now on the evasive, but never lost its sight of me. It then took to the air, flying as I did, and fired even more danmaku. It was a long time ago, and as such, most of the details of the fight are now a blur, but I remember that the two of us had to have been fighting for at least an hour, if not longer. I eventually wounded the creature enough to keep it grounded. It was not unconscious, but it didn't move from its spot. I went up to it, even though I was quite wounded myself. I had been bleeding from numerous cuts all over my body, and I could barely stand. Nonetheless, I did not concede defeat. It did not move, but it still never lost sight of me. I then said to the beast, "You must be the youkai that everyone fears. No being has ever fought me with as much valor as you have. You may be strong, but I am still stronger." I had not intended to kill the fox, and for this reason, "I can make you even stronger. I can make you so that no one, not even me, would dare challenge you out of fear of the consequences. However, there is one condition; you must obey my every command. If you understand me and agree to this, nod your head." Fox youkai are smarter than they look, and can understand speech, even if they themselves can't speak beyond animal calls. And just as I predicted, the wounded fox nodded. I smiled, "Good. You will make a fine pet. Now," I extended my hand, cuts and all, "Take my hand." The fox reached out with its paw and touched me. I formed a gap and brought it to my mansion.

In time, I raised the creature. I learned it was a female, and started referring to her as a she. As I promised, I lent her my magical strength. To do that, I made a bond with her establishing her as my shikigami. The closest English translation for "Shikigami" would be something akin to a familiar. If she's not too far away, I can sense her presence, but at the same time, I can sever my bond with her if she disobeys me. Of course, if she was good again, I would then re-establish the connection, and she would receive my power again. In time, I got tired of referring to her as "The Fox Girl", so I remembered a little something about myself; I was not born with the name Yukari Yakumo. I gave myself the name Yukari after the color of my eyes, and because violet is the highest color in the visible spectrum of light. The second-highest color is indigo, and the Japanese word for Indigo is Ran, so I started addressing her as Ran. Within decades, she learned many danmaku techniques, and could eventually take a humanoid form, like the one most people see her as. I taught her speech and manners, and I have her carry out tasks when I am asleep.

I say all of this because I was not always present for the tale I am about to tell. Ran represented me at times. Another question I am frequently asked is, "why did you seal Gensokyo off from the rest of the world?" It's a fair question, yes, and one that, while answerable, takes a considerable length of time to explain. Since I have the time, I shall explain to you now.

About five centuries ago, Gensokyo was overrun with youkai. If you think it's bad now, it was worse then. No one was safe from the onslaught of creatures that dominated the countryside, not the youkai-hunting humans, not the lesser youkai, and even some of the greater youkai were in danger. Normally, it did not concern me, but whenever I was awake, it was quite troublesome just to leave the house. Fairies would constantly block my vision, trying to kill me, and in general, make a nuisance. I and everyone I knew was fed up with the constant attacks. I could only think of one way to stem the surge of youkai; generate a border between Gensoko and the rest of the earth. I had not attempted such an endeavor, but I felt it necessary to do that, so I did. Gensokyo became inaccessible to most humans, as well as most youkai. In time, the attacks came down, and whenever I left the house, it was much easier . . . for a while, that is.

This general peace lasted, but only for so long. About one-hundred fifty or so years ago, the frequency of youkai attacks increased again. Ran was furious about this, and she was the first to let me know. It would seem the youkai of the outside world were getting stronger, or more desperate. Regardless of the case, my boundary was not very effective anymore.

The boundary did work at first, so the best plan would have been to create a new one, but stronger. To do that would require more than my own strength. Ran and I decided to scout out the peoples of Gensokyo, to see which ones besides ourselves that had the power to create and maintain a boundary that could protect our island. I observed everyone from humans, to lesser youkai, greater youkai, and everything else of sentience for about a year. In all of my observing, I found exactly one candidate.

Many families of humans were practitioners of Shinto. Their "magic" was not magic, per se, but rather, they derived their power from the summoning and beseeching of divine spirits. Many clans in and around the human village practiced Shinto, but one clan in particular were veritable masters.

Some ways away from the village sat one of these Shinto shrines. It was old, and run down, but it was run by a young woman. She stood out, for by human standards, she was absolutely gorgeous. Her long black hair and brown eyes did make her resemble a stereotypical human from Japan, but it was her usage of one particular power that intrigued me more than anything else. She would be the one.

I told Ran that I would be the one to introduce the plan to her. One afternoon, I flew over to the shrine. With my umbrella in hand, I said to her, "Greetings!"

She looked up, and immediately noticed my eyes, "Youkai!" She took out purifying needles and threw them at me. I flew away to avoid the shots. She fired more needles. I evaded them too. Gritting her teeth, she then fired what looked like red cards. I was unharmed. This kept going on for some time; she would unleash a barrage at me, I would evade without retaliating.

She eventually gave up, her face full of frustration. She bored her eyesight through me, "Just . . . what are you?"

I answered, "I am Yukari, of the Yakumo clan. Do you know of the border that protects Gensokyo from the outside world?" She nodded. "I created that border."

She didn't say anything for a moment. She then proclaimed, "Liar! Youkai are filthy liars!"

I chuckled, "You doubt my claim?" Silence. "I am not like the fairies who fabricate tall tales to appear threatening to the humans, but that's not what I'm here for. You see, my border is weakening. I must create a new one, one that is stronger, more durable, but to do that, I need help. That is why I come to you. You are the strongest human in Gensokyo, indeed, one of the most powerful I've seen in my life. If we combine our talents, we could form an even stronger barrier. To do that, though, I need your trust."

She was still glaring at me, "If I do this, will there be less youkai coming in?"

I said, "Yes. It would be less trouble for you and other exterminators, and it would be less trouble for me. In fact, I will even make it so that you receive prestige for your cooperation. However, to do this, I not only need your trust, but you must follow every command of mine. Will you do this? Actually, that's a big question. Let's start smaller; tell me who you are."

She paused, then said, "Kiku. Of the Hakurei clan."

I then told her, "Very good. I'll ensure that the Hakurei are looked up to, if you do this." I then glanced aside, "Of course, I won't always be here to assist you. My shikigami, Ran, will assist you in the preparation for the creation of the new boundary. In short, if you see a woman sporting nine tails, don't try to seal her. First of all, you are no match for her. Second of all, that wouldn't be very nice. And thirdly, she too is a greater youkai, one who can be trusted."

Kiku said, "Very well, but if you or your shikigami try anything, I will bring every human I can find on you, got that?"

I smiled, "Certainly, although you need not worry yourself with that detail."

After that, I returned home and explained to Ran the details. Now we get to the part where I was asleep for a while. The following section is based off what Ran reported to me.

A day or so after my introduction, Ran found the Hakurei Shrine. Sure enough, Kiku was there, sipping tea. She looked up, and was surprised. A person with nine tails? She asked, "Are you the shikigami of the youkai woman?"

Ran politely replied, "Yes. I am Ran, of the Yakumo. You must be Kiku Hakurei."

"That I am. You must be here to discuss the new border."

Ran nodded. She explained, "When Yukari created the current border, she used her own magical strength to do so. However, despite her power, it is now fading. To create the new boundary that Yukari desires, we need four people: you, me, Yukari, and . . ." She whispered into Kiku's ear.

"WHATǃ?" Kiku shouted, "You cannot be serious!"

"But I am." Ran reassured, "It's the best chance Gensokyo has. If you really want to protect this land, its people, and its way of life, you too will treat this seriously."

She was bewildered, "I never thought being a miko meant making deals with youkai. What you're asking for . . . I don't know if I could even help."

Ran told her, "My master searched for a long time to find someone to assist us in this endeavor, and keep in mind, she is old and wise, more than me, even. When she selected you, she knew right then and there, that her assistant had been found."

Kiku sat down, "It's a lot to take in, but, I do appreciate your kindness . . . for a youkai. Aside from the youkai living in the human village, I don't think I've ever met a youkai that didn't immediately try to kill me. It's a relief to let my guard down for once."

Ran smiled, "And if we succeed, you'll be able to relax more often!"

Kiku was pleased. Ran would visit her periodically to explain the plan further, but one time, she went just to have small talk. She told Kiku, "Have you ever wondered why Gensokyo is the way it is?"

Kiku raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

Ran elaborated, "I mean, in the rest of the world, intelligent but non-human creatures like me are hard to come by. Not only that, magic is close to non-existent. And not only that, it's men who rule, not women. And yet, it is the exact opposite here. Have you ever wondered about that?"

Kiku shook her head, "I haven't. Granted, I haven't lived as long as you have, so maybe you had time to learn this?"

Ran smiled, "Yes, in a way. Yukari told me that she believed that thousands of years ago, humans could use magic everywhere, not just Gensokyo, but for whatever reason, women could wield magic more easily than men. This way, there would be a counterbalance between the sexes: men had greater physical strength, while women had greater magical strength. But then, magic died out in the outside world. Women became subordinated, save for the few who could still use magic, and Gensokyo, for whatever reason, reflects the exact opposite of the outside world, and it continues, to this day. Much of this, we don't have an answer to. We know it happens, but we can never figure out why. Why are female creatures better at magic? Why are youkai close to extinct outside of Gensokyo? Why does Gensokyo have flourishing magic, while the rest of Earth doesn't? And speaking of worlds, why is magic thriving on Luna, as well?"

Kiku paused. "That's . . . that's a lot to take it. Is all of that true?"

Ran said, "Most of that is conjecture. But I do know this; with the new Boundary, Gensokyo, its inhabitants, and its way of life will be safer."

I still remember Ran telling me that after the fact. I guess she never got to discuss philosophy with a human before, and took the opportunity to do so then. Nothing else of note happened, that was until one day before the procedure. I remember, for I awoke. We had one day before it began. Now was the time to unwind the only way I knew how; visit my love.

I teleported into the netherworld. I found my way into Yuyuko's mansion. Her servant at the time, Youki Konpaku, was sitting by her as she ate a meal. I slipped my shoes off as I came in, "I'm here!"

Yuyuko, through her eating, greeted, "Oh! Yukari! Come in!"

I asked her about how things were going, just to get started. When she finished, I turned to Youki, "Youki, there's something I need to discuss with Yuyuko in private. Would you go tend the garden for, say, half an hour or so?"

He bowed, "Of course, Yukari-sama. I will return shortly." He exited.

Because of my anxiety, I didn't immediately wrap my arms around her like I normally would. Instead, I fell on top of her lap. It wasn't the first time I did this, and she knew what it meant. "What's wrong?" She asked, while stroking my head gently.

I told her, "Yuyuko, I'm doing another project. One that will affect everyone in Gensokyo."

"Oh! How grand!"

I said, "Yes, but, I've never attempted something like this before." I explained the details to her. I then concluded, "And ever since I woke up, all I could think was, 'new boundary, new boundary, new boundary.' Do you think we can even succeed?"

The pleasant touch of her hand running through my hair made me think the answer was yes. Yuyuko, never missing a beat, answered, "You wouldn't be doing this if you didn't think you could pull it off."

She's right in one aspect. But I had to ask, "But do you think I'm being reckless?"

Before she could answer me I heard footsteps. I jolted up to see Youki, looking at us. To borrow a cliche from humans, I felt like my heart jumped out of my throat. He looked unfazed, and said, "I have finished my maintenance of the garden, Yuyuko-sama. Is there anything else?"

Yuyuko answered, "Yes. Check the shingles on the roof to make sure they are in place."

He bowed, "Very well. By the way, Yukari-sama, why are you resting like that?"

Oh no! Why does he have to be so nosy? Wait, he's only asking a question! I answered the way any youkai would have, "My head and back were sore, but Yuyuko knows this technique where if you lie like this," I laid my head back on her lap, "And you let her massage your hair like so," Yuyuko then ran her fingers through my hair, "It will relax your mind and body."

Youki watched, "I see. Will you do that for me sometime, Yuyuko-sama?"

Yuyuko smiled, "Of course! I don't mind!"

"Very good." He turned around and left.

We both looked at each other and grinned. That was probably the closest anyone came to finding out. This was before the incident of the endless Winter, but after she had come to love me a second time. She was truly wonderful then . . . more so than usual, I should say. Visiting her refreshed my memories of her, and memories of Yuyuko should keep me steady for tomorrow.

Tomorrow, a day that came sooner than I hoped. Ran and I proceeded to Kiku's shrine. It was a cloudy day that day, no precipitation, but the clouds were dark; little sunlight filtered in. Kiku was waiting for us, "Ran, and . . . what was your name again?"

"Yukari."

"Ah yes," Kiku remembered, "The color of your dress and eyes."

I saw how serious she was about this; it reassured me of my choice. I told her, "Ran has brought you up to speed with everything we have to do. Kiku, stand on top of the center of your shrine gate, and remain there."

"Right!" She flew up to the gate, standing in place, "I'm ready to anchor the new boundary once you're both ready."

I nodded. That was the signal for us to begin. Ran and I flew high up above the shrine, almost to where the clouds were. I said to Ran, "Once I've lent you all of my strength, begin the summoning, but only after; no sooner. I will teleport away once I'm finished."

"I am ready." She told me.

I then closed my eyes and concentrated. The bond between me and Ran is usually invisible, but when enough energy is being channeled, you can see what looks like lines going from violet to indigo connecting us. Right now, I could see our shikigami connection through my closed eyelids. I continued lending more and more of my strength, until I was weakening from the process. I then severed my connection with Ran, opened a portal, and teleported to the edge of the old border, which was not far from where Kiku and Ran were.

Ran began a summoning ritual. Through a combination of chants, hand gestures, and plain energy, she caused a creature to appear before her. This creature appeared to be a large serpent with the head of a dragon. It bellowed, "I am the god of this land. What do you want from me?"

Ran answered, "You will become the deity of the Hakurei Shrine! In return, you will lend your strength into the creation of a new boundary protecting Gensokyo!"

The dragon responded, "I will make it so, but only after you have passed the trial by fire!"

Right after it said that, the dragon unleashed a swarm of danmaku, the level of which has rarely been seen in Gensokyo. Kiku and I could only watch as Ran fought back, firing every bit of danmaku she had learned over the centuries. That battle must have lasted at least an hour; Ran and the dragon took a lot of damage before it finally stopped and declared, "You have passed the trial. I will grant your wish." The dragon flew down to where Kiku was, and Ran followed. The dragon told Kiku, "Make use of my divinity as you see fit."

Now was my turn. I eliminated the border of old, and replaced it with another border. Even though it was identical to the previous one, it was necessary for the dragon's divinity to work. Kiku then caused a barrier to reinforce my border all around Gensokyo, all while summoning the dragon's strength. The sky and the earth radiated with the magic of the dragon as she performed this. Then, after all of Gensokyo was surrounded with the dragon's power, the boundary turned invisible, as if it were never there. I teleported next to Kiku, who was now exhausted, yet somehow was still standing on the shrine gate. I told her, "It is done. Thank you, Kiku Hakurei."

Kiku, still winded from her spell, wheezed, "Can I come down now?"

I laughed and replied, "Yes, you may. You've earned it."

We celebrated our victory. Everything went as I hoped; a dragon was established as the deity of the Hakurei Shrine, who despite their talents, lacked a proper god for the longest time. Ran's power, my control over borders, Kiku's ability to summon divine power, and the dragon's divine power saw to the creation of what is now called the Great Hakurei Boundary.

Everyone knows that my clan and the Hakurei clan made the Boundary, but no one ever speaks of the Hakurei shrine's deity, for they don't need to. Shortly after the ritual, Kiku was instructed by the dragon to construct a statue of it in the human village. She and the humans obliged. The statue not only reminds everyone of the deity, it also acts as a predictor; its eyes change color to predict the weather. For sunny days, they glow white. For cloudy days, gray. Rainy days, blue. It is also able to predict great catastrophes, and it shows this when its eyes glow red.

After that, I was relieved, mainly because the Great Hakurei Boundary is making life easier in Gensokyo. I don't have to bear all of the responsibility of protecting this land, and now, I can concentrate on more important things, like snuggling with Yuyuko, and drinking wine, and drinking wine while snuggling with Yuyuko . . . not much else can be said on these subjects. I will end this by saying that recording my thoughts has been an enlightening and worthwhile experience for me.