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Chapter 13: The Sea and a Hard Place

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Kujou Sara was sure that her superiors didn't understand what was going to happen.

For years now she had been asking for reinforcements following some worrisome rumors regarding the military buildup in Watatsumi. None of those reports had made it to smart people as her pleas were left unanswered.

This situation, this need for war, it wasn't... feasible. She didn't blame the Shogun, but as it became evident that things were going to turn up wrong, she didn't expect for the real culprits to be targeted but her own reputation.

Yet, she was a loyal blade to the Shogunate and she still accepted the duty of leading the forces in her encampment to push back on the troops stationed by Watatsumi in Tatarasuna.

Their presence there, right where the faulty Mikoshi Furnace had deprived the Shogunate of a solid foothold in the island, meant that centuries of status quo had been violated.

But...

As her troops, clearly superior by numbers alone, stormed the fortifications erected by Watatsumi, a rain of explosions came down upon them.

Cannons, but using explosives instead of elemental energy. The damage was terrifying as she saw the results. The barrage was brutal, and she had to rely on some brave men carrying shields to take the blasts instead of their allies.

Medics were ordered to detach from their squads and start evacuating their wounded. She could see men without limbs, the blood and their seizing bodies as realization finally kicked in within their minds.

Even that trick didn't last long as wood could do so much against blasts, same for iron. The pained growls of her brave troops, folks Sara had the pleasure to train with and know of their stories, made her heart ache.

This wasn't what she had wanted out of this assignment. She knew they were in a muted war, but for this to go hot again and... in such a circumstance?

Sara remained unyielding in her loyalty to the shogun, but this first battle and many others to come would start to chip away at the loyalty she had for those between her and the Electro Archon. For their greed and sloth had rendered their hopes of victory unachievable.

When the few bladed warriors stood out from the bunkers and fought against her remnant of desperate warriors, it was clear who won this battle.

With her being the sole Vision holder, and with Electro having a rather poor capacity to handle rock-like fortifications, she knew better than to press into such a disaster.

As the First Battle of Tatarasuna ended in a catastrophic defeat, with most of her men either dead or critically wounded, Sara prepared two letters. One to send right away detailing her post's needs and what happened to demand such investment, and one to deliver upon the worst response was to come.

The Tengu glanced at the blade she had always shied away from thinking of having, never once considering it a possibility. But with shame sullying her reputation, the circumstance of finding glory in death wasn't as unlikely as she once thought.

She expected the anger, the insults, and more men to throw at the grinder. Maybe she could ask ships but... Watatsumi may as well seen to that.

A rude awakening this one was, but Sara wasn't sure it was just about her own view of warring.

No, she may, or may not, have understood why many were so opposed to her own retainers, and why she may have to think some more on her commitments if further foolishness was to be enforced.

She was a loyal blade... but she refused to be broken for the sake of idiocy.

Private Gorou was unsure on how to feel after the recent victory.

Their position in Tatarasuna had held just fine, like the High Priestess had said. He was glad to know this was the case, to be praised by his comrades for his dutifulness, but he couldn't help but stare at the corpses staining the blue waters red.

Gorou didn't like to kill, this much he could say. While some had worried about criticism as a possible opposition to the war effort, Lady Kokomi had assured that war wasn't to be glorified.

"War is ugly. It's the next step of a vicious bickering, the moment where violence replaces harsh words, and where what is lost is the lives of those that are, for good or bad, serving either of the sides involved. I will not deny you all some doubts and upset, you may find glory and you may find horrors in what is to come."

And when the war came to be, Gorou found both. He fought valiantly, his bow and arrows stricking ruthlessly against those trying to overwhelm his squad. The bombing had his body tense up at times, and the sight of mutilation in the sea dreaded him fully.

Still, none of his friends died and... a lot of Shogunate soldiers did.

"It was a massacre," Their captain admitted bitterly. "Truly a display of savagery."

Gorou had always held back from thinking too strongly of their enemies. He always thought the shogunate was just another side of the same medal for the Theocracy in Watatsumi but...

Why did they press on with such a serious disadvantage?

The answers to that were many but none stood out truly as a fact.

"The Shogun definitely sent criminals in the first wave so she could empty her prisons for more dissidents."

That thought disgusted him, but he did see some thuggish fellows among the attackers. It was... possible.

"The Clans involved in the war economy are pushing for this and are overruling common sense."

He could see that being a thing, but not the full reason.

"They were too honor-bound to give up."

And that change... angered him. Honor is a good thing to have within right rules.

One can't call that charge anything worthy of honor. What honor was there to die a stupid death? What honor was there for those people to not use their minds beyond their vicious savagery?

The more Gorou thought about it, the more his head hurt. The war was, as mentioned many times, a ugly thing, but he had to admit to one thing.

As he stood before his captain, the man's eyes seizing up with pride and delight, he felt a hint more happy as a medal was placed upon his vest.

He had been promoted after a battle due to his coordination and nerves of steel during combat.

Lieutenant Gorou. He couldn't help but smile, and he couldn't stop his tail from wagging out of excitement.

The darkness of his displeasure still lingered, but he basked in the shelter granted to him by the notion that...

It wasn't their duties to worry for those bastards - they declared war on them and they were taking the brunt of it. This? This was their glorious stand against the Shogunate's crimes!

AN

Of victories and losses, with Sara's dedication faltering and Gorou's rise to prominence into the rank of 'Good Boi'.