"People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them."
Eirin weighed her options as the meeting broke up. She had no faith in the tengu. To be honest she didn't really have much faith in herself. She fully expected the tengu to look after their own interests first, just as she was doing now.
First she had to define what that meant though. What were her goals, and how could she accomplish them?
First was to keep the princess safe. Kaguya was immortal, but Eirin knew several ways to make an immortal's life unbearable. She'd designed most of them in fact. It was folly to hand out the Hourai elixer without a backup plan to stop an angry immortal human. So letting them capture the princess was unacceptable.
Secondly was her own life. She liked living.
Third was Reisen, Tewi and the other rabbits of Eientei. Reisen of course deserved a number all to herself, but the moon rabbit had changed. She was unlikely to abandon her comrades again.
Tewi of course could look after herself. And would.
Last came the rest of Gensoukyo. She had a fondness for the place after all.
Unfortunately matters weren't as simple as saving one or the another. Hiding would protect Kaguya, herself and the rabbits at the expense of Gensoukyo. But the Lunarians would surely return later, and without the rest of Gensoukyo to aid Eientei, they'd be doomed.
Fortunately she had a guess as to her opponent's plans. He'd be doing the exact same thing she was doing, but he wouldn't be putting the pieces together and figuring out how to attack the whole. Lord Tenma would just guess at her weak point and target it.
The only difficulty was guessing how he'd get it wrong. There's only one right answer, but there are an infinite number of wrong ones.
Eirin had always worried about her ability to be cold blooded. It was not a positive trait morally. But it was incredibly useful. And right now it allowed her to guess her opponent's plans, and to triage things appropriately.
Even if that cut might mean her own death.
She stood up and walked to where Reisen was working on organizing the earth rabbits into patrols. They'd started listening to her when they realized their skins were on the line. The fact that Tewi had been the soul of obedience had probably scared them into following orders as well. Princess Kaguya was of course watching the whole affair, trying to keep her spirits up.
"Udongein, could you spare a moment?" Eirin asked.
"Ah yes master! What do you need?" Reisen replied.
Eirin smiled at her student. "I want you to take over the distribution of the army. In full. You'll be in charge of the Princess' defense."
"What!" Everyone in the room was staring at her now.
Kaguya stood, "What are you doing, Eirin?"
Eirin steeled herself for the fight ahead. "I trust Reisen to lead the rabbits in war. She can hold back the Lunarian's moon rabbit armies easily, and if they bring in more people she can organize a fighting retreat with Tewi's help."
Kaguya shook her head. "I know I can trust Reisen." Reisen perked up immediately at that. "But I can't trust you Eirin. You'll do a lot of stupid stuff just to keep me out of a fight." Kaguya's expression softened and Eirin felt some of her willpower weakening as the princess moved close to her. "I'm truly immortal Eirin. And I'm skilled in combat now. Mokou's seen to that. I don't need to be hidden away."
Eirin sighed. "I understand princess. It's just I don't want to see you hurt." Then she smiled. "But I'm afraid I have a good reason for this." She turned to Reisen. "Udongein, if you were Lord Tenshou how would you use your power to plan your assault on Eientei?"
Reisen thought for a moment. "I'd either ask how to position people to keep Eientei from disturbing the battle, knowing I could finish them off later, or I'd ask for a plan to eliminate you master." She thought another moment. "He wouldn't know that Princess Kaguya and I are both as dangerous as we now are, and he wouldn't know about Tewi at all."
Eirin nodded. "So you see, if we want to avoid his plans we have to make it so both his most likely options are flawed. Either he ignores Eientei and gives you a chance to attack him, or he tries to contain Eientei and allows me to take him by surprise."
Kaguya gazed deeply at Eirin's face, then embraced her tightly. Eirin's gut twisted as she felt Kaguya's tears start falling. "Eirin you idiot."
Eirin folded the princess in her own arms. "Kaguya... I don't want to leave you all here. But this is the best plan... Please believe in me. I'll make it back, I promise."
Kaguya's grip just tightened. "I hate it when you lie to me."
Eirin closed her eyes. "I promise I'll do everything I can. I'll use every trick I know. If that's not enough... then staying here won't change anything."
Eirin felt Reisen embrace her from behind, and her heart twisted again. "Master. Be safe."
"You two take care of yourselves," Eirin said. "I want to have a home... a family to return to."
He had born many names over the years. Lord Tenma, the Tengu God, the Great Tengu. Currently Great Tengu was the most popular, though the other tengu elders knew he was more a living legend then a pure youkai at this point.
He had led his people to safety when the human world turned against them, and he had kept them strong and safe in their mountain abode. They'd weathered the various storms of history largely untouched, continuing their millenia long way of life. Some things had changed. The old gossip mills being replaced by newspapers, and the faces of those around him. But the tengu were strong. Like the crows of the outside world they survived.
Thus he had already been thinking about how to turn the most recent situation to his people's advantage before the former guardians of the land came to him. He knew what his answer must be.
Still it couldn't hurt to hear their case. He was not such a fool as to ignore information when it made itself available.
There was a clap outside the shoji door, and his personal guard Momiji called in, "Great Tengu, forgive the intrusion but Aya Shameimaru is here with emissaries. Ran Yakumo, Chen Yakumo, Renko Usami and Maribel Hearn."
The Great Tengu was mildly surprised at that. He'd figured Ran would have used Maribel as a front. Perhaps Aya had cautioned them? Or perhaps there were other factors in play.
"I have been expecting them. Please bring them in."
Momiji opened the door and led the five supplicants into the room, then moved to his side to stand guard. A formality, but one earned by the wolf tengu.
Aya sat in front of the group, but slightly to the side, indicating she was here simply because she thought her lord should hear the other supplicant's words. To the Great Tengu's surprise both the humans sat alongside Ran, with her Shikigami behind the shoulders of both Ran and the woman that, if the pictures were to be believed, was Maribel. They each bowed before sitting. Not as deeply as perhaps they should, but he didn't really care, and making a fuss about protocol wouldn't benefit him right now. No, given the serious looks and smoldering rage in Maribel's eyes, pleasant conversation would be best.
"Thank you for bringing me these illustrious guests, Aya." The Great Tengu put on his best smile. "I apologize for not speaking to you personally when you started your tours of Gensoukyo, Maribel, Renko. I thought I would have more time to learn about you." He paused and allowed a concerned frown to show. "However, it seems events have conspired to force me to reconsider that." He looked out the window over the new lands that had been revealed. "I assume you came to speak to me about the barrier's collapse?"
Ran spoke first. "No. We came because Gensoukyo is about to be invaded."
Straight to the point. They were concerned then. "I see. It's the Lunarians I suppose?"
Maribel opened her mouth, frowned and kept her silence. Still the Great Tengu noticed. Apparently she was taking this war personally. Then again perhaps she had a reason to. Her friend, Renko spoke instead. "Yes. A faction of them apparently."
"I've heard rumors," the Great Tengu said, leaving silent that the 'rumors' had come from Aya herself. "Still why do you think the Tengu would be involved in this war?"
"They're willing to kill an entire planet full of humans because they annoyed them. What do you think they'll do to someone they find dangerous?" Maribel snapped.
The Great Tengu nodded at the point. "Hm... True. Still groups are more likely to strike out at the weak then the strong. Momiji, your opinion?"
Momiji maintained her watch over the room while stating, "They're almost certainly right. The Lunarians have never known defeat. And they know we can mitigate any gains they make. If they wish to humble the youkai they must defeat us."
He nodded. Nothing he hadn't already thought of, but it was good to have it confirmed by another who he trusted. "Then it seems that we will be part of the war whether we choose to fight or not." Now came the hard part. "I thank you for your warning."
"Then you'll gather your army and join with us?" Chen asked happily.
He sighed. He didn't want to dash that hope but he had to. "No. The armies of the tengu will gather, but we will not march."
"Why not!" Maribel yelled. "You said yourself they'd be coming for you. Why do you think sitting in one place is going to help you win?"
The Great Tengu's smiled thinly. "Do you know what the tengu nation's biggest weakness is?" he asked.
"You're arrogant?" suggested Renko. Somehow she managed to take all the bite out of the insult though. In fact the Great Tengu almost thought he saw Momiji's lips twitch.
"Hm, no. Our confidence can trip up individual tengu. But as a group? Well..." He turned to Aya. "Who's my successor Aya?"
Aya blinked and stared at him. "You don't have a successor."
"Exactly." He sighed and turned to Ran. "The tengu don't base inheritance off bloodline, they base it off worthiness. Far superior to the human model," He chuckled wryly. "However, some unique circumstances has led to my current problem. Aya, which living Tengu has seen the greatest number of battles?"
Aya looked confused. "Momiji has seen 17 battles. Amuro has seen 13. Only Momiji has fought in a war past the creation of the barrier, and then only as a partial combatant."
The Great Tengu smiled. "Now now Aya. I know you've fought in 21 battles. Admittedly you claimed to be reporting, but I know your desire to meddle is greater then your reporter integrity." The four visitors all looked at Aya with varying levels of surprise at that. "In addition I know both you and that Hatate girl defeated an Oni in danmaku. An impressive feat, even if it was a game."
"Still you two both lack the political capitol needed to rule." Which was the nice way of saying Aya was almost considered an outsider despite her elder status, and Hatate was barely into full adulthood. "And I find that those who have the connections to rule have equally well connected enemies who have equally dull resumes."
"That's the long and short of it. No living tengu other then myself has had the opportunity to show the skills required for leadership." He looked out the window again. "Especially not in a time of exploration and growth like this era will come to be. I could make a good guess as to who would be suitable, but the other tengu wouldn't just follow them."
He turned grimly to Ran. "In short if the Lunarians kill me there will no longer be an army of tengu. Just several squabbling clans who will most likely retreat to their homes to protect their own families."
"Are you saying you don't trust your people to not abandon their posts in the middle of a war?" Maribel asked.
"Not if 'their post' needs to be constantly coordinated with headquarters," the Great Tengu said sternly. "This isn't a human war, with two armies meeting on the field of battle. This will be a series of skirmishes. Youkai and Lunarians hunting each other through Gensoukyo, each hoping to find someone weaker then themselves. If the armies know that there's someone guarding their families while they hunt then everything will be fine. But without a leader..." He shrugged.
"I don't get it," Chen said. "How does sitting around doing nothing help?"
The Great Tengu turned to the Shikigami. "Because with my armies concentrated they can't eliminate me easily. I can lure them into traps as they try."
Ran looked like she'd swallowed something bitter. "That might work against a normal foe, though I pity those of us stuck outside while you slowly trap Lunarians. But we have good information that the leader of the enemy army has the ability to know how to disperse his forces perfectly. 'To know where people need to be to maximize success.' A trap won't work against him unless you cause them to think irrationally."
The Great Tengu turned around to conceal his reaction. THAT he had not heard. His mind spun rapidly as he considered what that meant for his plans.
He did not like the answer he received.
Without turning he replied. "That news makes the trap my only option. Out leading the troops I would be too far from reinforcements. Here I can avoid being ambushed by a great number of troops."
There was a shuffling behind him, then Renko's voice. "That doesn't seem quite right. Wouldn't you do better with more variables in play? Sitting here away from the chaos of war makes you an easy mark."
"And there's not much stopping the Lunarians from just wiping out everyone else and getting to you later after a rest," snapped Maribel.
The truth of the words stung the Great Tengu. But his path remained the same. Or at least similar. He managed to hide his emotions and turned back to his guests. "I'm afraid my path is set. We will form our armies here, and attempt to lure as many Lunarians in as possible. I'm sorry if that harms your personal plans."
"You id~," Maribel's outburst was cut off by Ran putting a hand on her shoulder. The fox looked at him with narrowed eyes, then nodded.
"We're sorry for wasting your time then."
The Great Tengu bowed. "You did not waste it. I apologize we couldn't come to a closer agreement."
The five rose to leave, but he raised his hand. "I will say this though. Any Tengu who wishes to fight in the rest of Gensoukyo has my permission to do so. If you want to battle at your friends' side Aya you have full leave, as does any one who joins you."
"Thank you Great Tengu," Aya said before exiting with the others.
He sighed and sat down again as the door shut behind the crew. He sat in silence for some time, occasionally looking out the window, wondering if his calculations were correct.
After a few minutes he noticed Momiji was silently watching him.
"You do not approve," he said.
"No. I do not understand the choice," Momiji replied.
The Great Tengu liked Momiji. She was admittedly a little young, but she was the most faithful and skilled wolf tengu on the mountain. The reason for that annoyed him admittedly.
Wolf tengu, unlike their crow tengu cousins, didn't do well in small spaces. There were always less wolf tengu then crow tengu. This had been fine in the days of yore when the tengu lived all along the islands of Japan. But as their territory shrunk to the lands of Gensoukyo it had become a serious problem. Their numbers were tiny. Perhaps 28 families.
The wolf tengu of course had instituted a series of arranged marriages to make sure their species survived. Bloodlines were traced and the pairings were designed to keep them healthy. There were hiccups here and there but it worked out well. For most people.
The problem was that there were always more girls then boys. One of those quirks of nature. Boys just had a slightly higher fatality rate during childhood. Which meant there were always four or five women who were never going to have a suitable partner of similar age.
As time passed those fighters tended to either set off as lone wolves, or turn completely to their duties. Those that stayed with the rest of the tengu had become something of an elite fighting force, willing to give their lives to protect their fellow pack mates. In many cases perhaps overeager to do so.
Momiji was one of those women. The eldest now in fact, which was why she was guarding the Great Tengu personally. He approved greatly of the woman. She was as fanatically loyal as her predecessors, but considered death to be a sign of a failed strategy. And she was willing both to state her opinion and admit that she might be wrong. These were all excellent qualities in his mind.
Which is why he gave in to that stare and admitted what he could not to the outsiders. Not even to loyal tengu like Aya.
"There is more to the matter. If I die without a clear successor, invasion or no, then the tengu will scatter to the winds." He pointed at the sky of the outside world, no longer behind a barrier. "Most of my political power comes from the fact that there was nowhere else to go. I imagine several young tengu, and perhaps a few older ones, are starting to realize they can pack up and take their family out into the world to a place where they don't have to listen to the Great Tengu's boring speeches and annoying edicts."
He moved to where his writing table was. "In fact we'll lose some families anyway, just because we tengu are curious. And that is a good and just thing. But if I die, and there's a leadership gap... well then everyone will think of leaving. After all why fight the Lunarians to defend those other youkai? The ones that pester us almost as much as the humans?"
"I see," Momiji said slowly.
He nodded to his guard then picked out a brush and a piece of paper. It was time for a final decision.
The words came to him easily.
The leaves turn once again
Bare branches fall to the floor
New life arises
He nodded. Poor, but sincere.
"Call in Aya, I have a proclamation to make."
Aya shook her head as they left. "I'm sorry. Something must be up that I don't know about. I've been running around the rest of Gensoukyo too much. I'll see if I can find people to help but..." Her shrug indicated what she thought of her chances.
"Not your fault, Aya," Ran replied. Her bitter expression hadn't vanished however. "Still that's a serious blow to our plans. We'll have to try to spread their forces thin and confuse them now."
Renko sighed. "Didn't we just say that wasn't going to work?"
"As Flandre pointed out, knowing how to split your forces doesn't matter if you don't have enough forces to split," Ran said. "We have to try to make them overextend."
"Isn't there anyone else?" Maribel asked. She seemed to be slipping back towards her depression. Not too surprising considering how anger and determination were probably the only things keeping her up Aya thought.
Chen shook her head. "Not any armies."
"But there are a few more people we can ask for help," Ran said. "And we'll want to confer with our known allies as well. I think we should split up now though. I should go with Maribel to see Chireiden and the Netherworld. Chen and Renko should check in with the SDM and see about some of the stronger youkai out there."
Chen's tailed lashed a bit. "Aw... I was hoping to try to make that rabbit into my shikigami."
Ran rolled her eyes, "She's better off at Eientei. Rabbits need groups. And you should get to know someone a little better before making them a shikigami, Chen."
Renko frowned. "Why that split?"
"Because you'll need a guide, and I need to stick close to Maribel so she doesn't break the laws of reality again," Ran said with a mild glare.
Maribel brightened a little at that. "Well it turned out for the best, right?"
Renko pushed her friend's nose. "That doesn't mean you should ever try something like it again. You could have died!"
Maribel winced at her friend's vehemence. "Sorry Renko. I promise to be more careful," Maribel replied.
"We'll meet at the temple of Myouren," Ran said.
"Why not the Hakurei shrine?" Maribel asked.
Ran smoothed her tails, "Because I want to see if they're willing to fight," she sighed. "And because I want the Lunarians to forget that the Hakurei shrine exists."
"We can only hope," said Renko.
Author's Notes:
My views on the wolf tengu are based purely on wild guesses.
My guesses as to Aya however have a better foundation I feel. Aya seems to be out and about in Gensoukyo by herself a lot, something that seems odd for a tengu as old as she is. You'd think she'd be back at home with the other tengu more at her age. Perhaps starting a family.