Chapter 4: Aya
"How didja get caught!?" Marisa gave an outburst as she heard Aya relay the bad news to the team back at the clinic.
Suika crossed her arms together in a neutral stance while Reisen frowned, cupping her chin and beginning to think of all the possible repercussions.
"Ahaha… Well, I stayed a bit longer than I should've and one thing came after another and before I knew it, I was attacked and exposed." Aya scratched her head sheepishly while chuckling nervously at the same time. "But there was a new group I saw and I got a lot of good information!"
She raised her camera and notebook and shook it in an attempt to divert some of Marisa's anger off of her.
"Yeah? Lemme see!"
Marisa yanked the camera out of Aya's hands, almost dropping the electronic.
"H-hey! Be careful! That's my only one you know!"
Marisa ignored her as she began looking through the pictures. Suika and Reisen crowded next to her in order to have their own view as well.
"Guess you weren't lyin'." Marisa commented to which Aya placed her hands on her hips, giving her an indignant look.
"I told you plenty of times already! I'm an honest reporter! I never lie!"
The witch simply ignored her.
"So, who're these guys? Do ya' know?" Suika asked curiously while watching Marisa rapidly switch through the various pictures of the exorcists and fallen angels. "I don't remember ever seein' them around town before."
Aya's expression shifted into a serious one. "From what I know, it's a combination of exorcists following a group of fallen angels willingly. I've got all the names that seemed important so far in my notebook, and the leader is the woman with the long black hair. It's either Kalawarner or Raynare, but I'm not too sure."
"Did you manage to get what they were here for?" Reisen further questioned the crow tengu as well. "They can't have come for no reason after all."
"I think so," Aya answered earnestly. "They said something about bringing Sacred Gears to someone named Azazel. He sounds like someone really important because they called him the Governor General of the Grigori. With a title like that, it has to be something big."
"A Sacred Gear?" Reisen repeated the new term. "What could that be? And who could this Azazel be?"
Aya shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't get much more than that. I think they're after somebody here in town, but it doesn't really involve us."
Suika 'hmm'ed' to herself inquisitively although nobody heard it.
"Wow. Ya' took pictures while they were attackin' you?" Marisa queried as the entire group excluding Aya observed a photo of Dohnaseek throwing his blue light spear towards the camera. "Personally, I woulda' just Master Sparked him. Ya' got a lotta guts. Then again, I think ya' did the same thing a long time ago. Everybody was pretty ticked at ya' for doin' that. Not surprised this guy is too."
"They weren't very strong in the first place. Even some of the weak youkai could dodge their spears easily." Aya replied, smiling as she recalled some of the past. "I remember that too. It was pretty tough, not being able to shoot because I didn't want any of my danmaku to get in the way of my photos. You're all strong, unlike these fallen angel."
"You tengu. Acting humble to anyone stronger than you, but tough on anybody weaker than you." Suika criticized jokingly. "No middle ground for you guys?"
Aya wryly smiled at the oni. "We've been like that for years. You of all people know that already."
Suika laughed boisterously. "Oh yeah! Guess I do! I just forgot since it's been so long since us oni ruled over you guys!"
Aya remained silent after that, waiting for Marisa to finish viewing the numerous shots that she had taken. Eventually, Marisa handed the camera back to her, much to Aya's satisfaction.
"So whadda we do now?" Marisa asked, as the most of the team, including herself looked completely unsure how to answer the question. "Bird brain's caught and I don't have to be the smartest person ta' know that they'll probably start searchin' around for her. Doesn't take a genius either to know that they might connect her ta' the youkai faction or find us through her. If somethin' like that happens, then everything we worked for will just go to waste and our cover will be blown."
The lobby became dead silent as nobody quite knew what to say or do. How would they react to this situation? The tense atmosphere was almost unnatural in nature given the rowdy nature of some occupants of the room.
Finally, Reisen decided to break it, able to think of a solution.
"I think…" Reisen spoke up, "that we should have Aya-san fly back to Kyoto and ask for advice from Alice-san or Patchouli-san. She is the fastest out of all of us after all and they might be able to think of an answer for our problems."
Suika nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that doesn't sound too half-bad. Now that I know those fallen angel are here, I can just spread my mist around the entire town anyway so we won't need a second person. It wouldn't be that hard, since I did it around the entire Gensokyo once. Don't think those fallen angel can do all that much with Aya if she isn't even here. Plus, it'd let Alice and Patchouli know what's been goin' on here recently too. Gotta keep 'em in the loop, even if they're just staying back in Kyoto to help Yasaka. "
Aya frowned and shook her head in disagreement. "Wait. But I want to stay here. I need to be here to that I can record everything that's going on in my notebook. If I miss anything important, then I won't be able to get everything down."
Suika waved it off dismissively and fixated her with an unusually stern look. "I'll just tell ya' everything that happens here, alright? So you should get going."
Marisa and Reisen both looked at the two strangely as Aya returned Suika's firm look with one of her own.
What was going on between the two of them?
Eventually, the tengu acquiesced to the oni and was unable to hold the stare any longer. She walked towards the door and placed her hand on the doorknob, stopping just before twisting it.
"Fine. You have to tell me everything, OK?" Aya asked seriously. "I don't want to miss a single thing that happens here."
"Yeah, yeah. I promise. Now get goin'." Suika responded and Aya exited the clinic slowly and shut the door quietly.
Immediately afterwards, the sound of a large gust of wind banged against the door and caused it to rattle noisily before eventually halting. Suika grinned to herself, knowing that Aya had just taken off at top speed.
"So what was that all about?" Marisa asked, looking at Suika suspiciously. "There something yer not tellin' us Suika?"
Suika remained silent for a while, debating mentally whether or not she would answer the question before shrugging and turning to the other two.
"That's between me and Aya. I don't wanna say anything since she doesn't know that I know."
Marisa looked absolutely perplexed. "Know what?"
Suika planted herself in one of the lobby seats and looked up at her two younger companions.
"Why Aya's here in the Outside World in the first place. It's not just for her newspaper you know."
Looks of shock were clearly defined on both of their faces.
"W-what? You do? Y-You know why she's here?" Reisen stammered just a bit. "Could you give us any hints, maybe?"
Suika hmm'ed to herself for a moment before shrugging again and deciding on her answer. "Eh. Why not? I'll give you one or two hints."
"Ahh. Thank you," Reisen thanked while bowing politely.
"She's not just here for biggest scoop is she?" The blonde witch asked the horned girl to which the latter shook her head. "Guess that was too simple."
"Well, you're not wrong. But you're not right either."
"Huh? What do ya' mean?" Marisa questioned again.
"Here's your first clue. I dunno if ya' noticed, but Aya hasn't actually published her newspaper even after the war finished. It's been months and I haven't seen a single newspaper around Gensokyo." Suika answered as she began to uncork her purple sake gourd.
"Really? I never noticed…" Reisen spoke to herself.
"Me neither. No wonder I haven't seen any issues lately." Marisa stated as well.
Suika took a sip out of her sake gourd, burping before continuing. "That leads me to my second clue! Everybody from Gensokyo, and me too, are all ultimately here because of two people. Yukari, or Reimu."
"Wait so…" Marisa started, "Aya and Patchouli are both here before of those two?"
"I don't believe I've ever seen Patchouli-san talk with Reimu-san enough to know her though. Yukari-san seems more likely." The violet haired girl speculated. "But Aya-san is here because of Reimu-san or Yukari-san?"
Marisa waved her hand flippantly. "No way. I haven't seen Aya do anything for anyone except fer herself."
"Well, there's always the exception," The horned girl responded which only served to befuddle her other two companions even further. "It is for her newspaper, I'll tell ya' that. But."
An eyebrow was raised from the moon rabbit. "But?"
"It's not just for herself this time." Suika answered solemnly. "It's for Reimu."
Silence once again, reigned dominant in the room as the information sunk into their minds and their eyes widened near the size of dinner plates.
"W-wha…?" Marisa muttered to herself although the other two occupants heard it regardless due to the quietness. "Fer… Reimu?"
"Why?" Reisen asked softly. "What does Reimu-san have to do with Aya-san?"
"Well anyway, an oni always live by their promises so I can't say anything more. That's all ya' get." Suika concluded. "I'm gonna take a nap. See ya'."
The pair watched Suika walk up the stairs in a somewhat steady manner until she was out of sight.
"I suppose now we have another person who likely has the dark sappy story you were looking for, Marisa-san." Reisen commented somewhat sarcastically as Marisa tilted her witch hat downwards, covering her eyes as she looked downwards in slight shame.
"Just never expected it ta' be Aya of all people. Maybe I should apologize ta' her later. I was a bit harsh." Marisa wryly responded before turning towards the exit of the clinic. "I'm gonna head out for a bit. I'll be back later."
"Ahh," Reisen acknowledged. "Be careful out there then, Marisa-san."
She waved her hand to show that she heard and exited the clinic, closing the door loudly.
Reisen sighed in exhaustion.
"Just knowing that Aya-san has her reason for being here, makes me wonder why Suika-san is here as well."
xXx
Rias didn't quite know what to make of what her familiar had told her. At first, she was suspicious upon hearing about how the fallen angels had managed to slip into her and Sona's territory of Kuoh. Her familiar had spotted them while in the middle of handing out fliers, along with a large contingent of rogue exorcists. That had eventually progressed to finding their base at the abandoned church. However, she couldn't do anything about the fallen angels until they either made the first move or they overstayed their welcome so the familiar had been ordered to keep an eye on them. The most interesting find was the teenager that also appeared to be spying on the fallen angels. From what her familiar had described, they had black wings that didn't look all that different from a fallen angel's own set. Rias had even believed that it was another fallen angel that was spying on the group for whatever reason.
Then came the 'fight' if it could even be called that. Whoever this person was, they were a threat. The two fallen angels with the light spears had spent the entire battle failing to hit their target properly. All the while she took pictures and wrote into her notebook, exerting the bare minimum amount of effort to dodge their attacks. It simply ended in a runaway for the pacifist reporter who flew away and completely leaving the fallen angels pursuing her behind. Thus, she had called her friend and rival Sona to the Old School Building, the Occult Research Club's headquarters, to help evaluate these new circumstances.
Each of their respective peerages were all busy with something. For Rias', they were all currently on their contracts while Sona's was hard at work with matters involving the Student Council.
Sona had listened to her patiently, not making a single comment until she finally finished.
"I believe that whoever your familiar saw was not a fallen angel." Sona finally gave her thoughts on the supposed mysterious person. "Someone with only one set of wings could not have the skill to so easily dominate the fallen angels. This leaves only one other race that I know of that would have black wings similar to those of the Grigori."
Rias' eyes raised in interest. "And what would that be?"
Sona's glasses flashed as she pushed them up. "A youkai. A Crow Tengu."
"From the youkai faction?" Rias questioned to no one in particular. "But they've almost never been out of Kyoto."
"Almost, Rias. That doesn't mean never." Sona crossed her arms, rebutting Rias' statement. "It would make sense that this crow tengu would be fast enough to evade all their attacks without trying. Crow Tengu, to my knowledge, have always been known to be some of the fastest youkai."
"But to be fast enough to not even completely focus on them. She must be the about the level of a mid or even a high level devil." Rias tried to estimate the strength of the newcomer, based on what her familiar had seen. "What would someone like that be doing in Kuoh though?"
"You said that she had a camera and a notebook with a pencil. Could she have been scouting?" Sona asked, raising a finger to her chin as she put her mind into use.
"Why? And for what though?" Rias questioned. "If she was caught like that, she probably could have easily killed them so she could get rid of any witnesses."
"It's too difficult to tell at this point. Unfortunately, one observation of her from your familiar isn't enough to clarify everything about this person. She is on our territory, but has done nothing besides watching thus far. She hasn't even fought back and because of the ceasefire between the three factions, we aren't allowed to take any action until she has either done something to us or has overstayed in Kuoh. We have no knowledge of if she lives here either, so it would be too difficult to judge whether or not she has treaded on our territory intentionally or not."
"So all we can do is guess." Rias muttered. "We should have our peerage take up the search for her. Who knows what she's doing here in the first place."
"We also need to worry about the fallen angels as well. I'm sure they have their own agenda and we should delegate someone to keep an eye on them." Sona reminded the crimson haired teenager.
"I agree. We need to be careful on how we'll get through this. This could be the spark for another Great War and the youkai faction could be involved somehow if the crow tengu is any indication." Rias nodded.
"We'll just have to observe how this progresses and take the necessary precaution. Is that everything Rias? I'll have to let my peerage know right away."
Rias nodded to her friend seriously, signaling an end to the meeting. Sona bowed respectfully and left the clubhouse, leaving Rias alone in the room who sighed in minor annoyance. Already, this was beginning to become a complicated situation with politics forcing them to take caution on their actions instead of acting the way she wanted. Sona was so much more skilled at matters like these. She sincerely hoped that the worst repercussions possible wouldn't come to be because of these new appearances.
xXx
Kyoto was a very big city, Aya noted. The sight from the shrine overlooking the city featured a great view. She'd been here multiple times now, having to relay information between the Reconnaissance Team in Kuoh to the youkai faction and Alice. Patchouli had completely dedicated herself to researching on how to remove Yasaka's magical leylines. Just like back in her library, she was a shut-in who worked for hours on end. Alice sometimes visited them in the clinic when she had time off from working with Patchouli and Yasaka, but that was rare. More often than not, Aya made the flight instead.
When she arrived this time however, a kitsune youkai had informed her that their illustrious leader along with the two magicians were still busy in the dubbed "Research Room," and wouldn't be out for some time. When Aya asked how much longer it would take, all she got was a vague "I am uncertain." Thus, she was stuck waiting for the meantime until there was a break or they were finished for the day. Seeing nothing better to do, she decided to sit herself on top of the roof of the shrine where she could see everything and the wind felt best. Her concealed wings thrummed against her back, almost pleading to be let out to feel the gentle breeze against its feathers and after a while, she decided to release them. It wasn't very often she got to and hiding them was uncomfortable anyway.
A swish of air was sent as her crow wings exposed themselves from their prison and they instinctively flapped to loosen some of its muscles. Black feathers fluttered to the ground
"Wow…" Aya heard a young voice from below. She turned downwards to the stone ground where she heard the sound of the childish voice.
To her surprise, it seemed to have come from a very young girl who'd be no taller some of the human children of Gensokyo. Her long, golden blonde hair was tied into a ponytail and her golden fox ears sprouting from her head exposed her as a kitsune. Her outfit was the traditional shrine maiden garb with tall geta that seemed clumsy to walk in. Her sleeves featured a giant red star-shaped pentagram along with five smaller ones surrounding it. Safe to say, it was much different than what Aya saw frequently from Reimi or Sanae.
"Oh…" The tiny kitsune girl said softly as she hid behind the wooden pillar to conceal herself.
"Hey… don't be like that." Aya grinned at her, trying not to scare her off. "You liked my wings?"
The child peeked out from the pillar slowly and nodded her head to show her answer.
"Well then…" Aya trailed off as she jumped off the roof and landed onto the spotless stone road with a thud.
The young kitsune flinched ever so slightly and hid behind the wooden pillar again as Aya landed and slowly walked towards the hiding spot.
"What's your name kid?" The crow tengu asked as she reached it, kneeling down to a lower level to show that she meant no harm.
The girl slowly peeked out from behind the wooden cover again.
"K-Kunou…" She answered quietly as Aya grinned and brought out her notebook and pencil to write it down.
As she finished, she exchanged her items for the camera she kept on her most of the time.
"Ok Kunou-chan. May I please have your picture?" Aya enquired politely as she raise her camera.
Kunou looked hesitant initially before deciding to nod her head. "O-Ok."
"Great!"
With Kunou's agreement, Aya's set herself into position. Her camera flashed once before moving to another angle and snapping two more shots of her. One more shot from Kunou's level and Aya decided that that was enough as she didn't want to scare her away.
"So… who are you?" Kunou questioned cautiously.
The raven haired tengu grinned at her kindly. "Me? I'm Aya Shameimaru!"
"Aya-san. Pleased to meet you." Kunou bowed respectfully. "I've never seen a crow tengu from Gensokyo before. Your wings look so fun to touch."
"Really?" Aya scratched her sheepishly. "That's the first time anybody's ever told me that."
"I never see crow tengu in Kyoto. When they come, they always hide their wings." Kunou informed her as she began poking at Aya's wing.
"So this is your first time seeing a Crow Tengu's wings?" Aya asked curiously, ignoring the slightly ticklish feeling of Kunou's fingers touching her wing.
Kunou nodded a bit shyly as she began to back off, her interest satiated for the meantime.
"Since you got to take a look at them, how about I ask you a question now?" Aya requested as Kunou nodded, giving her consent. "You've seen Alice and Patchouli around right? What are they like to you?"
"Alice-san and Patchouli-san? Umm…" Kunou put a finger to her chin as she tried to remember who they were before recognition dawned upon her.
"Oh! I remember! They're the two people that are always working with Mother!"
"Mother…?" Aya muttered to herself before the answer made her realize something as well.
"Wait wait wait! Kunou-chan is Yasaka's daughter!?" Aya questioned loudly as Kunou backed away slightly from the sudden increase in tone, but gave another nod to answer."
"U-Uh-huh."
"Oh… Hehehe…" Aya chuckled nervously. "Glad I didn't do anything too stupid."
She clapped her hands once and decided to veer the topic back on course.
"So! What are those two like Kunou-chan?" Aya asked again, smiling at the girl as she took out her notebook and pencil again and began writing quickly on what she learned.
"Well…" Kunou began nervously. "Patchouli-san is very polite, but she's cold. I never see her smile or talk very much."
"Uh-huh…" Aya said as she started jotting down Kunou's words.
"Oh! But Alice-san is really kind! She showed me a puppet performance with her dolls one day after Patchouli-san and Alice-san were done with Mother! All by herself!" The young kitsune began getting excited as she recalled the event, her face brightening up as she did so. "I didn't know you could control so many dolls like that! It was amazing!"
"Hahaha," Aya giggled in a light manner. "There's plenty of amazing people like that in Gensokyo, you know."
"Really? Is Gensokyo that much fun?" Kunou asked curiously, her eyes shining with naiveté. "What is it like?"
"It's a lot of fun and we solve things by fighting each other," Aya began answering in an almost nostalgic manner. "Everyone can fly and we always have parties to celebrate certain events. In fact, I know someone who looks your age, Kunou-chan. Everybody celebrated her birthday a couple of years ago and I'm sure she'd like you a lot."
"Will I ever meet her if we move to Gensokyo? What's she and everybody else like?"
"Well…."Aya began, unsure of whether to begin. "Let's sit down first. I'll just tell you how the party went then since everyone goes there. So let's see…"
"Hey Hey Reimi! Here! Try a sip!"
A sake dish was practically forced on the table in front of the young girl by Suika as the young shrine maiden looked at the beverage curiously.
"What's that? Water?"
She picked up the dish while looking at the clear liquid, trying to observe it for any clear differences to what she was more used to.
"Not really! Don't worry so much about it! You'll like it, I promise!" Marisa interjected energetically, peer pressuring the child into joining their shenanigans.
Reimi still looked unsure, her eyes drifting from Marisa, Suika, and the sake dish in front of her, liquid bouncing back and forth in an almost hypnotic pendulum.
"Umm… Ok I guess…"
She raised the dish off the table and to her lips while Suika and Marisa grinned innocently.
"Hey! What do you think you two are doing!? Reimu shouted from behind, snatching the sake dish right out of her daughter's hands before it could enter her mouth.
"Wha-? Mommy?" Reimi exclaimed as her irate mother fumed from behind, glaring at the human witch and oni who were smiling sheepishly at her.
"Reimu! Don't be such a stiff! Let Reimi have a sip! It won't hurt her!" Marisa tried to persuade which only served her to anger her further.
"She's five!"
"Oh? Is there a problem here?" Yukari asked as she walked in on the beginnings of the argument, a kind smile on her face as she looked on at the commotion.
"Yukari! Great! Help me persuade these drunks not to give Reimi alcohol!" Reimu turned to her long-time companion and mentor, only to realize that asking her personally for help wasn't the best idea.
"But I could simply remove the boundaries and remove the sake from her body. It wouldn't be an issue." Yukari responded, even having the gall to giggle.
"Ahahahaha!" Suika laughed boisterously. "Don't worry about your Mom one bit Reimi. Just down it all in one go! Even Auntie Yukari gave her approval!"
"Agggggh!" Reimu shouted in frustration. "You!"
She pointed at her husband forcefully who looked back at her in shock.
"Help me instead! This is our daughter!" Reimu yelled as she turned back to Marisa who was not tilting the cup up to Reimi's lips as the latter looked unsure on the final decision.
"R-right. Hold on a sec Reimu!"
"Honestly, I truly wonder who is the one in charge of the marriage." Ran stated off-handedly while Aya snapped photos of the verbal struggle.
The other guests, uninvited or otherwise, looked on with mostly amusement at the party antics of the Hakurei Shrine Maiden and her husband trying to stop the others from pushing Reimi into drinking. To their further dismay, others joined Marisa and Suika to have Reimi drink. Eventually though, Reimu succeeded in her task and put Reimi to bed while the party continued and she began drinking herself into a stupor in order to ease her stress while her husband remained sober to keep an eye on her.
He somewhat regretted his decision to not join her as in the middle of a discussion, Reimu suddenly rose from her seat and marched over to her husband.
"Hey! You!" She spoke up loudly, gaining everyone's attention momentarily.
He began to sweat nervously, slightly unsure as to what she would do in her drunken state as he looked at her flushed face.
"Reimu? What's the matter?" He asked, hoping with every fiber of his being that she wouldn't say something she would regret.
"We're gonna make Reimi a sister! I want to do it tonight!" She declared proudly and had he had anything in his mouth, he would have spat it out.
"W-What!? What are you talking about!?"
"You and I haven't done it recently! So after everyone is asleep, we're gonna do it!" She reiterated as her husband's mouth began sputtering in response while his face turned beet red with utter embarrassment.
"Uhh… w-what… t-that is… umm…"
"Just say yes dammit you!"
"U-umm… y-yes?" He barely managed to squeak before he shook his head fiercely in refusal. "Wait, what am I even thinking!? No no no no no! This is all wrong! I know that you haven't drank enough to get like this and I even made sure of it! So why are you acting like this!?"
"I-It's just…Y-You've been ignoring me at night recently…" Reimu slowly said, her true feelings brought to the surface, her inhibitions removed from her inebriation. "I keep hinting, but you're so dense! So the only way I'll get you to do it is if I say it out loud!"
"O-oh…" The sole man of the party turned away in shame. "B-but then did you have to say this in front of everyone? This is just so embarrassing... Damn it. If I knew you were going to do this, I would have just gotten drunk along with you."
To his very minor comfort at the least, most of the laughter he expected were simply smiles or stifled snickers from the numerous guests who had watched the entire scene.
"Come on… Reimu. Let's just get you to bed." He got up and began urging her towards their bedroom. "You'll feel terrible in the morning and I'll brew some tea for you OK? Then MAYBE we could do it."
"Mmm." She acknowledged quietly as he led her through the slide door, both disappearing behind it.
"Fufufu." Yukari chuckled as she flapped open her fan, her smile hidden behind it. "I don't think he noticed me spiking her drink to make it exponentially stronger. What a shame."
"Reimu is always so entertaining whenever she's drunk. Her husband even more so, though it's a shame we didn't get to see that." Remilia commented, grinning at events nonetheless.
"No worries! If Reimu is any indication, I'm sure Reimi would make an even funnier drunk! I'll get her in a few more years so!" Suika boisterously added, laughing all the while as she poured another cup of sake to Yukari.
"Oh? That's actually not a bad idea, coming from you." The Scarlet Devil complimented before turning to her maid. "Sakuya! Remind me later to twist Reimi's fate to become drunk at a future party!"
The Perfect and Elegant Maid bowed respectfully to her master.
"Yes, Ojou-sama."
"W-What!? You guys have v-vampires? Ghosts? Goddesses? What exactly kind of place is Gensokyo?" Kunou asked as she really wondered what kind of insanity dwelled in a world like that.
Aya chuckled at her question and pat the young kitsune on the head.
"I told you. A lot of people amazing people are in Gensokyo. We all do different things too and everyone is unique no matter who they are or where they're from. Besides, you have all kinds of youkai here too."
Kunou looked up to the crow tengu with curious eyes. "But I see them all the time. What about you? What do you do, Aya-san?"
"Me? Well..." Aya hesitated for a moment before smiling at her. "I'm an honest reporter of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper. I write stories of what happens around in Gensokyo and hand out newspaper to everyone!"
Despite the energetic words given, Kunou frowned at the smile.
"Aya-san…? Is something wrong?" She questioned. "You looked so sad when you said all that…"
The reporter's eyes widened momentarily at her sad smile being caught despite trying to hide it.
"Well…" She paused momentarily. "I haven't… I mean, it's a complicated thing, Kunou-chan. That's not for kids to talk about."
"Oh…" Kunou turned away sadly. "Okay then…"
Aya's expression turned into guilt however at Kunou's sudden mood change.
"Ahh, hey… Sorry. I just don't think it's something you want to hear about. It's a lon-."
Before she could further speak though, the sound of a door sliding open came from behind and both of their attention turned to the new person.
"Aya? I heard from one of the kitsune guards that you were looking for me." Alice said as she looked at the sight of Yasaka's daughter and Gensokyo's Crow Tengu sitting together on the steps.
"Ahh. That's right! Just in time Alice!" Aya jovially replied as she shot up from her seat. "Yeah. We got a smallllll situation back in Kuoh that needs to be handled."
She gestured with her hand, thumb and index finger close together on the word 'small.'
Alice's eyebrows raised in minor interest before turning to Kunou.
"Kunou-san, one of your attendees is looking for you. You need to go back inside." Alice sternly said to which the addressed person bowed politely and began to head inside.
"Good-bye Aya-san. Let's talk again!"
She turned back towards Aya and waved before entering and Alice slid the door shut before looking at Aya.
"So, what's the situation like that's required you come back four days earlier than I expected? I doubt it's such a 'small' situation if that's the case."
Aya scratched her head sheepishly, not in the least bit helping the situation as Alice began to start narrowing her eyes at her in seriousness.
"Eh…. H-Hear me out first okay? It wasn't on purpose, I promise!"
Alice held onto her glare for a moment before releasing a tired sigh at what she predicted was going to be Aya's failure.
"Fine. Let's go inside and have a seat first and we'll hear what you have to say. I can already tell that what you have to say will only bring further grief. I'm already tired from today and while it's nice to work with Patchouli, her stamina is disturbingly good when it comes to anything regarding research. Not something you'd think with her health problems." Alice spoke as she entered the shrine with Aya following her inside.
xXx
"I see. I suppose it was inevitable that you were discovered sooner or later given your's and Marisa's nature." Alice sighed in disbelief at Aya's story before taking a sip of the tea to help her think.
The both of them were now seated in a small meeting room set aside for Team Gensokyo in the case they all assembled for whatever reason they needed. It was sparse, but nobody particularly cared as it served its purpose and it was never used in the first place as the team was always split anyway
"I guess I got a little too overconfident." Aya stuck out her tongue in a bashful manner before she realized she wanted to ask something. "Oh. Marisa asked me this a few days ago, but I think everybody wants to know how the research with Yasaka is going on removing the magical leylines from her. So how's that going?"
Alice's lips steadied themselves into a firm line. "Slow. The leylines have been within her for hundreds of gyears. At least for over a thousand now. They're much more ingrained within her than we thought and we're still trying to find a way to remove it. Even if we could, all that latent magical energy would have to go somewhere. At least Patchouli enjoys the challenge, even if she doesn't necessarily show it."
"What about the land? There's plenty of land to place the energy in." Aya suggested, but Alice promptly shook her head.
"We thought about that already and that wouldn't be for the best. Kyoto would become a land with rich magical energy which would attract all the other factions to it. Not only would we have to defend it while we siphon the leylines from Yasaka, but we'd lose our time to continue scouting out the others."
Aya shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."
The Magician turned to the crow tengu with a more somber face. "Speaking of Marisa, I haven't been able to check on her but… How is she? Is she alright?"
The winged girl looked slightly baffled for a moment at the rather sudden topic change but answered anyway.
"She's fine. Nothing I didn't notice anyway. If anything, she looks a bit more determined than when we first came."
Alice smiled, her lips turning upwards as her face practically brightened at her words. "That's… very good to hear. I was scared for her state when we first entered the Outside World, but if she has improved emotionally, then I'm happy for her."
Aya chuckled before deciding to shift the conversation again. "But, more importantly, what are we gonna do now that I've been caught?"
That was now the new question of the day for Alice, barring the one on how to remove the leylines.
Alice placed a hand under her chin, her thumb and index finger cupping as she began to think hard over what she had heard from Aya and how to solve the dilemma. Aya was seen and the fight could have attracted attention. Not combatants directly, but most likely observers to see what was going on. It was good that Aya didn't reveal much of her attacks and the only thing that was seen about her was her speed and her ability to fly. The latter was a common aspect of the factions anyway and the youkai weren't an exception anyway. The biggest problem was that Aya was a clear youkai. A youkai seen outside of Kyoto would most likely be associated as a move from the Youkai Faction of Kyoto and that would definitely bring eyes upon them.
If it was only a one-time occurrence however, then the factions would most likely ignore it. In that case, Aya wouldn't be able to be seen again or a connection would be made.
A solution dawned upon Alice and the circumstances in which the problem could be mended became clear to her.
"Aya. You'll have to stay here in Kyoto for the duration of our time in the Outside World unless an emergency occurs." Alice answered and the addressed tengu spoke up in shock.
"What? Why?"
"It's obvious to anyone that you're a youkai, a crow tengu. The most you could get away with was being mistaken as a fallen angel with your wings, but that would be hard to believe now that you fought against a pair. If you stayed in Kuoh, the other groups will begin searching for you which will lead them back to the Youkai Faction. If that happened, our whole plan would fall apart." Alice reasoned though Aya still looked unhappy. "Also, Suika's way of spying, her mist is practically impossible to find. After all, nobody knew she was causing an incident until Yukari finally told Reimu that Suika was the instigator."
"But I…" Aya began, causing Alice to raise an eyebrow in interest for her objection. "I… want to stay close to the group if I can."
"Why?" Alice queried. "I don't understand."
"So..." Aya was unable to finish, choosing to lay her tengu notebook and pencil on the table instead.
"You don't plan on publishing a newspaper here of all places, do you?" Alice asked suspiciously, looking at the notebook with disdain. "You won't be able to in the first place."
"No…" Aya objected. "It's for when we get back to Gensokyo. It's for Reimu."
Alice was taken aback.
"For Reimu? What do you mean?"
"Marisa isn't the only one who felt guilty when Reimu fell into that coma. Everybody was affected by it in some way. I just… didn't show it as much as everyone else did." Aya started explaining, staring at the notebook solemnly as Alice looked at her in silence. "She's one of the first human friends I've ever had and I'm as old as Yukari. I still remember when she was just some random youkai who came up with the idea of Gensokyo. Nobody thought that would it work, but Yukari did and someone helped her."
Alice was tempted to answer on how her attitude and actions easily made that forgettable, but she successfully suppressed it.
"Reimu treats everyone equally with a few exceptions. Even youkai like us are just naturally drawn to her. As a Hakurei Shrine Maiden, she's the absolute worst in her duties, never exterminating us and solving incidents without any permanent harm." Aya continued. "But, it's why so many of us like her and Reimi by extension. In a way, she's the best of Gensokyo, accepting everybody no matter who or what they are. And for us Tengu, we respect that. Gensokyo is our paradise and Reimu is the embodiment of the acceptance of both youkai and human."
"And how does your journalism come into play here?" Alice asked curiously.
"When we come back and Reimu wakes back up, I'm going to show Reimu everything I've written for the newest edition. It'll be everything from how much Gensokyo's residents care for her to what happened after the Invasion." Aya determinately answered, picking up her notebook off the table. "It's what she deserves to know and we youkai never really showed her our thanks for being accepting, except her own family. That's why the other Tengu asked me to come and I took Yukari's offer to join the team. I was the closest to her out of all of the other Tengu after all."
Alice remained silent for a while as the information sank in. To her, it seemed like a pretty simple reason for joining the team.
"I suppose it's only fair if I told you why I'm here as well." Alice decided to bring up her reason, temporarily shocking Aya. "You can even write this down if you like. I don't mind."
Aya smiled happily as she opened up her notebook, ready to pen down notes on why Alice Margatroid, the Puppeteer was here in the Outside World.
This was one newspaper article that she was going to force Reimu to read. One way or another.
