A Talk Between Kings (I) [CLOSED]
It was nearing midnight, and Elaine was sitting still. Heat clung to her body and she was sweating by the bucket, yet the Sefirot continued keeping still, sitting in her cross-legged position and concentrating.
Even so, she didn't miss the sounds of someone approaching from behind, but the Sefirot made no movement until the new arrival spoke.
"May I join you?"
"By all means, go ahead."
There was no splashing noises at all as the Shogun slipped smoothly into the hot spring, leaned back against the stones, and sighed in relief. Enjoying that rare moment of peace.
"So...I heard you've been writing letters to your guildmaster."
The Sefirot winced.
"I have."
A short pause.
"What did he say? Is Scribel willing to send reinforcements over to aid us?"
"I fear to say that as of this moment, the entirety of Scribel's aid sits a few metres away from you."
"...So I see. It's as I expected, then."
Elaine shifted a bit closer, up until she was sitting right next to the Shogun, who was looking into the water.
"So, what's your plans, Kirin?"
"...Honestly? I don't know, Elaine. Scribel refuses to send more aid, and we don't have the manpower to mount any counterattacks. We can only strengthen our borders and wait for them to come, and staying on the defensive will not win us this fight."
The Sefirot nodded thoughtfully.
"Why not a ceasefire, then? Both this mountain and the Oni are from your world, aren't they? Some of them possess intelligence, so if you put together a reasonable treaty---"
"It won't work. Or rather, it'll work, but not on the Oni. They're the exceptions."
"Oho? Do explain."
"Oni are...special. Their thinking, reasoning, way of life...all of it, different. This isn't the first time the city's tangled with Oni. Five generations back, the then-Shogun proposed a ceasefire with the Oni, inviting them to come live in the city as part of the treaty. Up until then we've only ever clashed, so this new method gained a lot of traction."
"From that expression, I'm guessing it didn't quite go well."
Kirin scowled, a vengeful fire in her eyes.
"Of course it didn't. The Oni went back on the treaty within hours of it's establishment, rampaging during the banquet we held on that very night. The entirety of Yato burned to the ground---why do you think the buildings of Yato look newer compared to those in Fuyu? We were much stronger then---both Suzaku and Genbu were around, and the Fuyu Guards were better trained and more numerous. We were hopeful, optimistic, and fucking naive!"
Elaine leaned back to avoid the eruption of water when the Shogun slammed one hand into it. A good portion of the hot spring went everywhere---over the rims, into her own face, soaking her well-braided hair.
"So many innocent civilians died that night! We weren't expecting something so direct, and we paid for it! Never again!"
Elaine spoke into the angry silence that was caused by Kirin stopping to take a deep breath.
"Yet the city survived, didn't it."
"You wouldn't be saying that if you had been there that night; we quickly lost Yato and retreated to Fuyu, regrouping amongst what fighters that were left after the initial onslaught. But almost everyone had their reasons why they needed to return to the mountain city, and so we fought our way back up there. Every square metre of the mountain we reclaimed was paid with the blood of beastmen. And when we finally reached the top, those fuckers---They torched the city before our very eyes! That's why I'll never ever ever trust an oni! They'll pay for what they've done and more!"
Then the Sefirot was hugging her, patting her on the back. Not mentioning the tears.
"...And you know, before we slew their leader, I asked her why they'd done so. I had to know, in a morbid way, what they found so unacceptable about it that they had to rampage. But that bitch had the gall to laugh, bleeding from dozens of injuries, and tell me that they did it because they were bored. Because they
felt like it. Not because they were offended in any way, but just
because."
"......"
"That's why...don't ever deal with oni. They'll laugh with you, then stab you in the back. Not for profit, not for purpose---just because they want to. They don't follow any rule or logic, other than their own ways...The reason they agreed to the peace treaty, as we later found out, was because they thought it was an interesting thing. And it turned out that slaying innocents was even more interesting for them."
"I see."
Elaine waited five minutes before leaning back to stare at her bathhouse companion in the eyes.
"Feeling better after that rant, Kirin?"
"...I'm sorry you had to see this side of me."
"No worries. I'm the one that stuck her nose where it doesn't belong. But it's not impossible to garner Scribel's support, actually. There are ways."
"What do you mean?"
"Let me walk you back to your quarters first. Then I'll tell you more about it. But as you said, if the Oni tend to do what they find interesting, then perhaps..."
Elaine stared in the direction of Scribel City, and smiled knowingly.
*****
That night, someone other than a certain Sefirot was looking at Scribel City in the distance.
"Mother!"
A smile broke out across her face as she caught the speaker in a hug.
"There you are. Where have you been running off to lately?"
"A friend! In the plains!"
"Ara! What kind of friend is she?"
"Uhm, uhm...she's a
tsukumogami!"
A little explanation. Because Elaine had introduced herself as Tree, Hii had taken it literally, leading to the misconception that she was an actual tree. Then add in the lie about only coming out after dusk, and bam. A spirit of the trees.
The grown woman nodded, putting the thought out of her mind as she picked up the little girl and turned back to look at the city in the distance.
"See that city, Hii? I heard that there's a lot of fun to be had there."
"Ooh! Can I go, Mother?"
"Of course you can. Remember to bring all your friends too. Just don't be late for dinner, got it?"
"Un!"
Watching the girl run off in merriment, the woman with two black horns on her forehead smiled and followed, but not before turning to take one last knowing glance at Scribel City.
