Japan was a place scattered with shrines and other similar places of worship. From famous big name shrines that attracted the likes of foreign tourists and devout worshippers alike to small humble establishments catering to communal villages and influential families. Shrines were places that housed the figures of Japanese folklore and mythology known as Kami, prevalent figures in Shinto religion.

While close to over a thousand could be found near the famed city of Tokyo, it was an insignificant amount compared to the estimated hundred thousand thought to be dotted around the nation. With an even larger, fluctuating number no one knew for sure existed or not. From derelict ones forgotten to time to privately built and maintained shrines unseen to the prying eye. These holy places were scattered over Japan like a farmer thoroughly seeding his land for the next harvest. No matter where you went, it was almost impossible to not see a hint of these wondrous places that came in all shapes and sizes with the only thing stringing them together being their architecture and facilities, complete with a main hall, worship room etc.

Despite the practice of worship still being carried out to this very day, not many outside Japan who visited the country or moved in with the intent of making it their home knew of or cared, with some seeing them as scenic places to enjoy or maybe even use as the subject in an inspirational piece of art. Not that there was anything wrong with that of course.

The real danger came when people ignorant of the do's and don'ts around such places strolled in without a care in the world. The chance of another incident cropping up that would inevitably sour the locals' outlook on tourists would no doubt skyrocket. Yet another case of culture shock gone wrong.

People like Zoey for instance, the young foreign lady wandering down the cracked walkway in the middle of a certain shrine somewhere in the rural areas of the country where very few people like herself frequented unless they had a reason to. For Zoey's case, she was a freak for anything with a lick of Japanese culture to it. From folklore, religion, cultural practices and of course; anime. Zoey was a natural savant when it came to such things. Recalling topics with razor sharp memory and focus, she could go from talking about her favorite voice actors to discussing the intricacies of a literature piece without missing a beat.

Which would make one wonder how someone as versed and experienced in Japanese tradition and culture could get herself in trouble. If she could speak fluent Japanese and understand what she shouldn't do in a place of respect, then the chances of a misunderstanding should've been close to zero.

Zoey, for as knowledgeable and savvy as she was, could be prone to accidental slips of the tongue that landed her in hot soup with people within hearing distance on more than one occasion. From slight reprimands to full blown arguments, Zoey had unwittingly put herself through such situations many times. And it wasn't as if she felt bad for it. Sure, some remarks were crude, but everyone was entitled to an opinion of their own right? That was how Zoey saw things plain and simple. Up till now, every confrontation had ended with her either apologizing and clearing the air or walking away in a huff.

But today would be arguably the first and last time Zoey would ever make such a mistake again as she slips into the main prayer hall of the shrine. Unique amongst the others for being hidden away up in the forested areas far outside of major population hubs like cities and towns. Following a trail of online thrill seekers and mythology freaks,  Zoey's efforts had paid off with the discovery of an abandoned shrine so old no one even knew what Kami were held in the main halls, not like Zoey could tell either as she examines the derelict building, carefully placing each foot down on the rotted boards and termite ravaged tatami with her eyes looking for anything she could recognize, finding traces of the people who came before her here and there; haphazardly tossed plastic bags, displaced debris that left obvious patches of dust and dirt where they had been moved from. As rude and careless as their actions were, their work was what led her here in the first place.

But for a place this old, Zoey was surprised to find the structure still standing despite the ravages of time evident in the overgrown foliage peeking through the gaps in the wood alongside collapsed struts and decorative arches. It was like the building itself had bonded with nature, becoming one with the world as a permanent fixture not to disturbed.

And with the bright afternoon sun peering in through the skylight above with a mossy glass fixture adding greens and browns to the strong orange, a marvelous sight indeed.

Turning her attention back towards the massive podium in the center of the room however, Zoey could barely make out the likes of a statue drowned in moss and gnarled branches,  a very weird statue that depicted something Zoey was beginning to harbor steamy thoughts about as her wide eyes wandered over the ruined image of a curvaceous woman. Whoever has sculpted the giantess had clearly spent enough time with the source material to replicate her likeness so perfectly.

Either that, or this was some perverse creation of a sculptor who had too much time and freedom of resources on his hands. Who in their right mind would place a nude statue in a holy place such as this?!

"At least give her some clothes damn it…"

But what caught Zoey's eyes wasn't the nameless woman's gorgeous assets or blessed curves. As much as she loved a banging woman, the self professed scholar had more interesting things to think about, like the strangely familiar visage of the statue, complete with a long flowing mane of golden hair that hadn't chipped or broken off despite how thin and life-like the metal had been shaped to portray actual hair. In fact, besides the overgrown vegetation, the glimmering gold statue hadn't suffered a scratch at all. Sitting serenely with her legs folded under her with a peaceful look on her visage.

"Her face…kinda reminds me of that bullet dodging game everyone's been going on about…Yukari was it? She certainly is a looker…to be this close to a deity everyday…I wonder what that's like?"

Muttering wistfully under her breath about what the people of the past must've felt while devoting themselves to a beautiful Kami while reaching out to brush her hands against the cool, sleek surface of the statues legs, Zoey's fingers twitch as what felt like a static shock shoots through her hand all the way up to her spine, retracting her hand sharply in a jolt.

That was the mood in the room seemed to take on a strangely heavy atmosphere, like a second, more intimidating presence had entered. But Zoey could feel no hostility coming from whatever this being was, while she wasn't sure if it was just her mind playing tricks on her, the sudden gust of wind along with the divine light emanating from the statue certainly wasn't fake at all; feeling the whip of the gust against her skin and the sting of the searing glow in her eyes as something begins to emerge from the bosom of the immaculate giant.

It was a human…or at least, she certainly looked human enough. Stark naked just like the statue, the woman pulling herself free from the statue did so with dignity, with a serene smile plastered over an immaculate face framed with gorgeous hair the color of pure gold, followed up by a heaving chest that bobbed and jiggled with her momentum, unafraid to bare them proudly with soft pink nipples resting atop the firm melons. Giggling mischievously in a sweet voice that instantly had the awestruck woman ensnared in it, looking up into brilliant amber eyes that seemed to look right through her and into her very soul.

"Greetings human…for a foreigner in foreign lands…you certainly are a well educated one aren't you?"

Stunned by the sight of the emerging woman, Zoey had barely registered the remark before shaking her head in disbelief, slapping her hands against her cheeks in an effort to snap herself back to reality, wondering what hallucinogenic agent the motel cooks had slipped in the takeaway bun she had eaten before exploring the shrine.

"You amuse me Zoey…is that how you say your name? Come, look up, it does a girl no good to cower now does it?"

By the time the terrified explorer had come to her senses once more, the nameless woman had already pulled herself halfway free of the statue, hanging down with a magnificent arch to her back with her alluring eyes still locked on to Zoey, a warm loving smile on her face.

"Y-You're real? I'm not t-tripping , am I? I was just here to take a look around m-miss? I swear I wasn't going to steal anything!"

"Relax dear, I know you harbor no ill will…as misunderstood as you are, I can see you are no evildoer."

Chuckling nonchalantly in a manner befitting her divinity as her shapely hips slip free before long, curvy legs follow suit with a hairless void between them, Zoey takes a step back as the being she could only assume to be one of the fabled Kami in Japanese folklore tumbles weightlessly through the air, somersaulting with her slender arms splayed out in winglike fashion before landing in the floor without even a creak with the glowing light behind her fading away altogether along with the statue's splendor; left as a cracked, featureless husk that looked like it had the life drained out of it by the original being the statue had been modeled after.

"Finally…after all these years of sleep…it certainly does the body wonders to stretch every so often doesn't it?"

After a moment of silence with her question going unanswered, Zoey decides to take the first step forward, engaging with divinity itself as she swallows her fear and hesitation.

"I'm sorry miss but…how are you even able to understand me? Let alone…speak English? Sorry for being assumptive but, aren't you supposed to be…a Japanese deity or something?"

"Hmhmm~ The perks of being a…fantastical being you could say. Remember the little jolt I gave you when you came close enough to my prison? That was enough for me to know all there was to know about you Zoey dear. Everything from the language you speak to the knowledge you hold in mind is known to me…it does feel strange though, speaking in this language I have no relation to."

“変だったら、日本語で話そうか？” (If it’s too weird, we could speak in Japanese?)

“As much as I appreciate the gesture dear, I assure you it’s fine, language is no barrier for one of my caliber!”

A single word from the beautiful woman's monologue  caught Zoey's attention however. Prison; that word meant something bad. It meant she was no Kami, not a being the previous inhabitants here worshiped.

She was something they had sealed away to be forgotten…and now Zoey had unwittingly freed her. Sliding her feet back towards the entrance hesitantly. Despite the negative connotations those thoughts were giving her, something about the way the woman presented herself told her she meant no harm; calmly twirling a lock of blonde in her fingers while looking despondently into the distance with her other hand held over her bosom.

Maybe she wasn't that bad? A major misunderstanding of sorts that led to her imprisonment.

"R-Right…say umm…you're not actually a deity aren't you?"

"Oh? How astute you are…yes, I'm far from anything divine…though I suppose that falls onto the beholder's judgment? Humans certainly can be very…quick to judge…wipe the fear from your eyes Zoey, I mean you no harm. After all, you're the very reason I'm standing here right now~"

Purring in that sweet voice of hers, the lady walks over with a pep in her step and a hypnotic sway to her hips, quickly closing the gap without so much as a creak, leaving no imprint in the dust where her dainty feet stepped upon. Within a few seconds, she was already face to face with Zoey, enveloping her in her radiant beauty and standing just a few inches taller than the flabbergasted woman.

"Wouldn't you like to know who I am? I heard your claims earlier…and I must say I'm slightly honored by your rather bold claim…if I really was the 'divine being' you thought I was…would you really want to experience first hand what it feels like? To be close to the being a devout worshiper prays to for their entire life?"

As tempting as it was, Zoey was beginning to feel a bit disturbed by the brashness of the entity before her, with her naked bosom close enough to brush against hers and a sweet, otherworldly scent filling her nostrils, add to that her amazing voice and Zoey's horny side was beginning to peer through the cracks, wanting nothing more than to shower the nude goddess before her with all her love and devotion. But now wasn't the time to reveal in her romantic imagination.

"S-So uhh…if you're not a deity…then what-ahem-who…are you?"

Squeezing her shoulders gently, the golden lady leans in closer, breathing down her neck before pulling back, chuckling to herself before fluffing her lustrous mane with a boisterous flick of the hand in a show of confidence.

"I am Yukari…Yukari Yakumo…a yokai of yore, at your service!"

"Yukari…Yakumo? But…aren't you….isn't that supposed to be a video game character?!"

"Why so surprised? You're lucky enough to bear witness to the supernatural and meet one as refined as myself for your first encounter! At this point do you really still need to question what's going on?"

"I…suppose not…but all this…I…I just came out here to explore…"

"Incredible things happen when we least expect them to Zoey…which makes me think you coming here…was no simple coincidence at all…"

"W-What do you mean by…Yukari?"

Moving away and leaving her grip over Zoey's shoulders, Yukari walks back toward the ruined representation of herself that had reverted back to its true form of a simple sealing stone, cracked and decayed after the human behind her had graced it with her touch. Gazing at her with sharp eyes to the sides. She had no idea what the prerequisites had been, but maybe this human was worth some…looking into.

"Umm…so…what're you going to do now going forward? Going back home?"

Snapping out of her thoughts and turning just as fast towards Zoey, the wistful yokai lady nods to the affirmative, staring at her with a knowing look.

"Say…as a reward for freeing me from that terrible sleep…would you mind a quick visit back to my home?"

"Y-You mean…Gensokyo?"

"Uh huh uhh~ I can't go around revealing the very location of my home now can I? Whether it really is within the realm of outside of it…I like to leave people guessing! So? What say you to this extravagant, once in a lifetime offer?"

"W-Well…I guess I could tag along…I mean I don't have much else planned till my stay in Japan is up so…why not?"

"Excellent! I knew you'd be willing to come with me!"

Clapping her hands with a jovial smile, Yukari skips over to Zoey, clasping hands with her before bowing politely. Catching her off guard with her beautiful looks, loving how her eyes seemed to struggle with a point she could look at without catching a glimpse of her face or naked body.

"A-Aren’t you going to get d-dressed first?"

"Hmmm~ I could simply recreate my clothes but…I've a better idea in mind~"

That was when Zoey took note of the strange prickly sensation creeping along her arms, as if something was worming around beneath her skin, looking sideways only to cock her head in disbelief at the strange sight before her; of Yukari's slim arms melding into hers, sinking into her flesh and squirming around, deflating her large arms until they fit snugly around Yukari's own as a form fitting pair of silky smooth gloves.

But despite the inanimate material her body had been converted into to form the clothes, Zoey could still feel every touch, and it felt really good despite her growing panic once she realized she wasn't seeing things. Struggling as she watches her flabby shoulders begin to crumple and warp, losing their peachy pink hue as flesh, and bone are converted into cotton and silk. Doing away with her jacket as the warm fabric unwinds before disintegrating into particles of light wherever the transformation spreads.

“Shhh, don’t fight it Zoey, just let it happen~”

“Let it happen?! You’re-mnf!-turning me into…your clothes! Stop it!”

But Yukari had no intention of stopping, not when both of Zoey’s arms were already wrapped snugly around Yukari’s, moving on to her torso now as her feeble resistance ceases with the last remaining bits of strength in her arms leaving entirely, powerless to do anything with her body firmly glued in place by her former limbs, reduced into the billowing sleeves of an incomplete dress. She should’ve felt furious for being lied to, being used.

‘So why does this…feel so goddamn good?!’

“I assure you Zoey dear, this will only be temporary…you know my role yes? Maintaining the balance between the Outside World where you humans exist and Gensokyo? If you are to visit it, I must have you assume this temporary form…trust me, alright?”

Grunting with little periodical gasps of excitement as pulses of pleasure ping through her body,  Zoey averts her gaze from now exposed body as her hefty breasts jiggle for a moment before exploding into a voluminous dress and an outer tabard of purple cloth decorated with black and red stripes, draping down in a disturbing reminder of what was happening to her; with an empty void  where flesh, muscle, organs and bone should've been below the lifeless cloth her body was becoming. Staring into Yukari’s soothing eyes as the yokai lifts her up easily by the head,  already having lost most of her weight and height with the conversion of her arms and torso, leaving her legs hanging lifelessly before they twist and warp, melting into each other like the tail of a mermaid before it too, loses all texture of a human body, flowering outward into the lower half of the fluffy white dress to complete the first half of the transformation as a pair of dainty heels fall to the floor with a clatter, allowing for Yukari to move one step forward, phasing through the fabric and into the clothes Zoey’s body had become, fitting her snugly and forcing a moan out of the former human at the filling sensation running through her with every rub, every touch sending an orgasmic assault of bliss to her brain as her disembodied head gasps for air, rolling her eyes into the back of her head as she feels her converted body expend its mass to form tight fitting panties and a snug bra for her wearer, feeling every inch of Yukari’s tender breasts and supple hips, enjoying the warm dampness of her snatch and the weight of her heart shaped ass pulling her down as if they were an extension of herself. No longer concerned about the loss of her original body as Yukari stares down at her head, rubbing her gently like she was some sort of cat.

Despite her inability to move herself, the clothes Zoey had become were still her. With the boundaries of her existence as a human being altered just enough to hang between the zone of a living creature and lifeless cloth, Zoey’s mind was wracked by the pleasure of it all; a human experiencing the bliss of being simple clothes, happy that her owner; Yukari, enjoyed her warm, comforting embrace. Happy to lend to her elegance. Despite losing her humanity, Zoey would remain herself, albeit a little more empty headed than before. But it wasn’t as if she would hate it for the duration of her time as a simple set of clothes, far from it.

Gap Manipulation, Yukari’s forte and one that could be used to terrifying effect.

While Yukari had indeed lied to her savior somewhat, it was, in her eyes, a necessary evil. After all, she couldn’t simply force her to come along with her back to Gensokyo, and even then, the place was strictly off limits to outsiders who didn’t belong there. If Zoey were to cross over as she was, the consequences would be dire. And killing her was the last thing Yukari wanted. If lying was evil, then Yukari would gladly be a villain if it meant the opportunity to study this interesting human with not a single hair on her head being harmed in the process.

Once she was done with her findings, she’d send Zoey back to where they had first met without any memory of the encounter. But for now, there was one last matter to tend to as the powerful yokai snapped herself out of her thoughts, looking back at the elated face of the human head in her hands, with drool beginning to leak onto her fingers as she held onto her. She knew Zoey could barely understand a word anymore, but a gentle farewell would be the next best thing she could offer the human next to the ecstasy of having her serve as her favorite outfit.

“Doesn’t it feel good? Having me inside you? Just a little more my dear, and very soon, you’ll be back to normal before you know it~”

“Hehe~ More~ Complete me…make me yours!”

A far cry from the intellectual woman arguing with her a moment ago, but this was only temporary. Once Yukari had her fill with studying her, then she would be right back to being her normal, inquisitive self once more.

And so Yukari begins the final step, bringing Zoey’s head close for a kiss before a comical poof fills the air, surrounding them with a concealing puff of smoke before clearing to reveal a frilly mob cap held in her arms where Zoey’s vapid face once was, bringing it up to place atop her head, tying up the loose straps that had once been the human’s head of auburn hair until the cap fit perfectly, feeling a radiant warmth exuding from the material, as if it was happy to do its job.

“There we go~ Does this please you Zoey? To grace the body of a yokai such as myself? My, your intense fire for the feminine form is most definitely intriguing…I really must see what it is i’ve been missing all these years locked away…but first, we have things to tend to first don’t we? Let us be off~”

Although she would receive no answer, the slight flutter of the fabric as an unseen vibration ran through the dress was enough to alert Yukari to Zoey’s excitement in embracing her temporary role as her clothing. While it wasn’t intentional, Yukari was sure to tune her pleasure centers high enough to ensure the experience was as enjoyable as possible for the human.

Walking off toward the exit of the shrine with shrill clacking of heels against wood accompanying each step, the fading silhouette of the yokai in her newly acquired dress vanishes from view, silencing the footfalls in an instant as Yukari  crosses the bounds between the human world and the other as the sun begins to set over the dense treetops above, shrouding the abandoned and empty shrine in silence once more…

THE END