Welcome to Gaia! ::

Yukari smiled. "Correct Ran. Why believe in something that has only been recorded on scrolls or paper? This place require cold hard proof instead of just words on a scroll. Such as people living on the moon, the Oni, a Nue, even Vampires no longer matter if proof is only on paper. They did it to themselves when they drove out both the deadly and helpless of Youkai those years ago." but as they walked a bit more, the question Ran asked made Yukari give a playful wink.
"You will see soon enough. I just want to take pictures of you in this world." she said, taking another picture quickly.

Their walk led them to a less noisy area on a hill side. Though there were some buildings, they were mostly homes or just roads. The third lesson began here as Yukari pointed towards the city below. It wasn't a grand view but it was still high enough to see other buildings.
"Now Ran, a Human who has lost faith, has no emotion and exempt no sign of caring to one another...do you know what that color is? You might not of seen the 'theme' of this world yet but it's very Grey." The grass that grew on the hillside was not truly green but it stood out clear as day compared to the city with it's signs and buildings.
"You may see a whole mess of colors on those signs and buildings...but they only mask the theme of the washed out lives they lived. The Human Village in Gensokyo has more color and energy than this city. Yes there are many things to do in the city, but it is a distraction from their everyday lives. They still return to the normal like nothing happen. Something as simple as sharing a drink with a person they never met before will be all forgotten the day after." Yukari turned to Ran and finally said it.
"Welcome to 'Reality'. Where Dreams and Faith die. The land which has no life." with such a cold tone and stern look, it was quite clear this 'Trip' was truly to teach Ran what goes on outside the Border. To better add onto her knowledge an possibly pass on to Chen when she grows older.

At that point, Yukari honestly showed a bit of sympathy in her eyes. More so to the humans, though she started to guide Ran up the road.
"There were many chances the humans had to regain faith...and they easily snuffed them out. Those who still have faith exempt very low magical properties in them." and Yukari suddenly halted at a small flight of stairs. Yukari started to climb them while offering a hand to Ran.

"I wish to show you an example of such a human that still believes in Youkai." as she said this, the top of the stairs led to one shrine gate above them and slightly behind it, two faded but cared for statues of foxes looked inward of the path they would take beneath it as if greeting them. The shrine at the end was a small one with a simple box offering...and surprisingly the little girl from before with the chestnut brown hair was sweeping the pathway ahead of them. A fox was resting on one of the steps, sleeping like normal. Yukari then lightly pulled Ran over to one of the statues.
"Come come! I want to take a picture of you next to the statue!" she smiled so bright like a school mate forcing a friend to do something memorable. This picture would bring the count down to one.

Yukari waved it off.
"Sure. Of course you can." she gladly said. Yukari waited for the hat to come off as she took the picture just fine. One picture left. Though this caught the attention of the young girl easily. She didn't know what to say about Ran's ears, but she looked to the fox sleeping on the steps with not a care in the world.
"One picture left. We should make this one count." just then, she looked over to the girl. A sly look appeared ever so slowly on Yukari as the girl hurried to sweep the steps faster. The fox rose his head to look towards Ran before resting his head once more.
"Can you sense it too? That girl can see your lovely ears. Why not talk to her? We are at an Inari Shrine after all." Did she plan this from the start on top of the lessons? It couldn't be just some random coincidence...could it? That smirk could clearly show her cunning plans.

The girl nervously looked up again, wondering what to do. She looked over to her fox friend and started to speak to him. Perhaps Ran could hear that too.
"Do my eyes deceive me Kobi? I swore I saw a Kitsune. I do hope it is a servant of Inari." Judging from her school attire, she didn't have time to change into her Miko outfit for this branch at all. Though the idea hit her again. "Oh no, I gave you the last piece of fried toufu I brought over. There has to be some kind of offering I could give her Kobi."

Yukari took a moment to watch Ran and that girl talk. She inspected the camera number and waited for her chance...

The girl was still really nervous as she tried to speak up and bow to Ran.
"I'm sorry for looking at you! I didn't mean to blow your cover or anything." she bowed a couple times over before standing up again. Hearing about the shrine made her light up...like a familiar cat.
"Oh yes. Every day I come help my mother at this shrine after school, but I didn't have time to change into my garb. I feel so ashamed to look like this in the presence of a messenger of Inari-" Then it hit her as she almost felt even worse.
"I don't have any offerings either for you." she looked back at the fox on the steps then to Ran.
"Please don't get angry but...How many tails do you have?" as if she was asking for Ran's age, pleading for a good omen to appear before her. The event in general was making Yukari chuckle from a distance.

Even seeing the tails made the girl glimmer with joy and amazement. Just seeing the tails started to fill the girl's life with that much joy. When Ran asked her, The girl returned to earth to reply.
"Well when I was little, my mother said she found me abandoned at the foot of the shrine one day. Since then, bad luck and unfortunate events followed. My mother told me much about Inari and her foxes. I always believe that one day I could truly meet such a creature. They are considered a good omen after all, and I now believe my mother will get better after all." With such hope only after seeing Ran in person, it was quite clear that the girl before them truly believed in such legends. Her smile ever so bright. The aura around her was nothing but joy just from having this visual proof that they exist still.
That is until she realized something as she rushed over to her bag to pull out a pair of fox statues. Visually the same yet they had one key difference. The small chip on their ear were swapped.
"I would feel at ease if I gave you anything for being here, So take these! I made them myself and was planning to offer them when I reached Fushimi for a trip...but I do not have to wait. Not while a true Kitsune is standing before me!" She sounded ever so joyful over just a meeting. As grim as the world was outside, those who exempt the signs of faith and much belief had hope.

Yukari leaned against a sturdy rock as she watched the two. Her eyes drifted to the fox behind them...easily noticing what the fox was from the start. Then she finally brought up the final part. Yukari walked over to the two and announced something. "Why don't you two get together so I can take a picture?" she waved her camera around as the girl easily accepted the offer. That last picture in the camera, only pictures with Ran...was it clear now?

"Gensokyo..." the girl repeated. She had no idea of what the place is yet felt as if it was real as well. the idea of a picture was perfect in her eyes, already pairing next to Ran as Yukari took the final picture in the camera. She turned the dial until it finally showed 'end' on the counter.
"Today has been an interesting one so far hasn't it? So here." Yukari tossed the camera over at the girl who caught it with ease. She looked up at Ran in wonder what the woman was doing exactly.
"On that camera resides all the pictures of my Shinigami experiencing the Outside world. You can choose to develop them or keep the camera. However, only those who believe in such legends would even be able to see the pictures. So don't go showing it to everyone." Yukari gave a lighthearted smile. She did hate humans, but an exception is made for those who are innocent or show they never meant harm. Like a majority of Gensokyo's inhabitants. The girl kept the camera close as she gave her answer quickly. "I rather keep the camera. The idea of having pictures of the Kitsune is very generous...but that would be greedy of me. I know in my heart that meeting you has given me more hope in the future. I can feel my bad luck already washing away."
Yukari walked past them and clasped her hands together, praying in front of the box. Dropping a thousand yen in the process.
"It was nice meeting you little one, and I pray for your mother to get well. We have to get going though." The day was not even half over and there was more to do. While the girl's back was turned...The fox rose his head up and looked towards Ran, hoping she could see his second tail. As if thanking Ran for coming by and making this girl happy.

Halfway down the stairs, Yukari took a stretch. Brushing off what happened a few minutes ago. "So now that the lessons are over, let's recap on what you learned. The humans in 'Reality' are all but dead say for a few exceptions. Those exceptions that believe and have faith are far from the murderous humans who have no faith at all. Some creatures are still revered to this day, despite vanishing years ago." she listed off with her finger.

"Correct! Now that class is over with, why don't we enjoy ourselves a bit more?" Yukari offered, walking back down towards the city with Ran by her side. As they passed some people, Yukari halted in her tracks. Though she kept the smiling and happy face on, she immediately grabbed someone's collar from behind. The energy was familiar.
"Nahumar? Mind telling me why you are here?" agitation came from her voice from this encounter. Nahumar didn't struggle so much but rather he wanted to find her.
"Yukari, Chen sent me here because she was protecting the gap you left open. She said that during her cat nap, she might of let some people through." Yukari heard his words and felt a sensation of shock. "But that's impossible! I never leave any of my gaps behind!" this could cause an alarm. The gate to Reality is open and if more found out about this before she could close the gap then chaos could ensue.
"I do not know how you did it, but it's still open. I am currently helping Chen out as much as I can from our end." Nahumar faded from there just as Yukari turned to Ran with a fury of a tiger in them.
"I want you to find out if anyone made it into Reality and properly escort them out! Vacation will have to wait!" Yukari left in a hurry to the alley they entered from to find a way to close this gap unlike the other times.