Chapter Text
The Moriya shrine rarely had visitors but Sanae knew she shouldn’t eavesdrop, the spot near the entrance just needed extra sweeping today, is all.
“All I’m saying is that the clock is ticking.” The visitor spoke like she was delivering a punchline but nobody was laughing.
Kanako replied in a pointedly even tone “Is that a threat?”
Sanae stole the briefest of glances through the entryway, the newcomer might have been European, or maybe that was just the blond hair, not that Sanae could throw stones. In any case, her voice still had a mirthful edge.
“An observation. I’ll get out of your hair for now, but remember, the position won’t be open forever.”
Sanae tensed, waiting for the stranger to pass by her hiding spot. Nothing happened for a moment and she realized that she never saw this person enter the shrine either. She was debating whether it was safe to move again when Kanako called from inside, “Come on in Sanae, I know you’re out there”
She walked into the building with her head down, ready to apologize.
“Save it,” there was warmth in the wind god’s voice, “you should be a part of this conversation”
Sanae looked around the room, Kanako was still siting near the center and Suwako waved cheerily at her from a corner, but her other hand was clenched in a fist. There was no sign of the blond woman.
“That was a representative for a…” Kanako searched for the word, “sanctuary for youkai.”
Sanae wanted to say ‘Youkai aren’t real’ but she reminded herself that she was talking to the two gods that raised her, so she settled on “Does a place like that really exist?”
“Many do, actually. Fear is almost as rare as faith in the modern age. Before the youkais’ power completely disappeared several distinct groups managed to carve out there own realms around isolated villages where conditions where more favorable.” Kanako explained.
“Most don’t have people going door-to-door like they’re selling shoddy knives, though” Suwako interjected.
“This particular realm, Gensokyo,” Kanako continued unabated, “is somewhat unique in that order is maintained both by youkai in the know, like that woman, and a handful of powerful humans.”
Sanae nodded along, though honestly it was a lot to take in, “Is that the ‘position’ she was talking about?”
Kanako shook her head as she stood up, “Apparently some of the more eusocial species are butting heads, best case scenario is the realm is more vulnerable to foreign invaders while they have their spat, worst case: full on civil war. We’re to shore up defenses and try to arbitrate the conflict.”
“Dumb muscle and playing babysitter to a bunch of man-eaters.” translated Suwako.
Sanae paled at the joke but kept her eyes on Kanako, “If they where really cannibals you wouldn’t have let that woman just walk away…or whatever she did!”
She sighed with a smile that either said ‘You know me too well’ or ‘You give me too much credit’. “’Cannibal’ isn’t the right word, but you’re right, by all accounts Gensokyo is remarkably safe for a youkai realm, that’s why I’m even considering this, however our congregation would still not be human and we can’t forget that.”
Now Sanae’s head was spinning. “Wait, would that even work? If it could why do the youkai even need humans? Why don’t they just like…sit in a circle and believe in each other?”
That earned a croak of laughter from Suwako, though Sanae thought it was a legitimate question.
Kanako put a hand on the girl’s shoulder to try and steady her. “Belief can only be generated by humans, but the believed in can cultivate it and pass it on themselves, however…”
“A human worshiped as a god by youkai, who knows what would happen to you!” Suwako laughed again, “but you definitely wouldn’t stay human for long!”
Kanako shot the cackling god a dirty look over her shoulder while Sanae found herself completely tongue tied. Who would she be if she wasn’t human? Would she still even be herself? But…
“I think we should go”
Suwako stopped laughing and Kanako couldn’t keep the surprised look off her face.
“This is the opportunity we’ve been looking for, and the last thing I want to do is hold you two back, and”, she took a breath, “I’ve always been more god than human anyway.”
Kanako squeezed her shoulder affectionately, “That’s very brave of you but there’s still a lot of things to consider. It’s not a decision to be made lightly”
Suddenly, Suwako slammed open the back door leading to the lake. “I disagree. It’s a terrible idea and we shouldn’t do it.” She walked out into the wilderness. “Decision made.”
By the time Sanae found Suwako, sitting on the far side of the lake skipping stones, the sun had almost started to set.
She wanted to apologize, but wasn’t sure for what.
“You where supposed to say you didn’t want to go, she would have listened to you.” Suwako said dejectedly as her descendant approached. “Though, I guess that’s what I get for pushing you like that. I forget how stubborn you can be sometimes.”
“I’m sorry, but I meant what I said. Also … when that woman said time was running out, she was taking about you wasn’t she?”
“So what if she was?” She tossed another stone. “My time will come when it comes, you shouldn’t be worried about it.”
“But I am worried! If you were to throw your life away for my sake I wouldn’t be able to live with myself!”
“Enough!” Suwako hurled a rock overhead and where it landed the lake boiled with unseen bodies. “Have I gotten so weak that I no longer get a say in where I die!”
Sanae took a step back, she could count on one hand the number of times she had seen the lake god this upset.
Suwako sighed and the water calmed. “I’m sorry Sanae, but this isn’t about you. The truth is this isn’t the first time I’ve seen the games this woman is playing.” She shifted on the ground so they were facing each other.
“A long, long time ago a bunch of hoity toity gods decided they were too good for human followers so they went around demanding a tithe from every local god they could find.
“Kanako refused of course, but these gods where tough and she ended up having to flee Suwa. She was able to live on the lamb for a while, until she caught wind that an old thorn in her side,”-Suwako flicked a thumb at herself-”had used her absence to take over her home.
“So she returned to Suwa, deposed the despot, tried to face the gods head on, and lost, hard.” She looked down, “things got really bad after that. When you try to go against the natural order of things people always get hurt, and it’s never the ones who deserve it. I refuse to be the reason Kanako walks into that kind of hell. Not again. If I did, well,” she looked at Sanae darkly with too-large eyes, “I just wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
“That’s quite enough.”
They both jumped at the noise. For someone who had to duck through doorways, Kanako had a knack for sneaking up on people.
“Sanae, be a dear and go see if you can’t dig up some of your old textbooks. If we play our cards right we may be able to win over the humans as well, but to do that you have some homework to do.”
Sanae made her exit with a confused look on her face, unsure of how much of that request was a joke.
Suwako looked up at the taller god, “What happened to your ‘things to consider’?”
“The biggest unknown was why you where so against the idea. Now that I know that scaring our child and throwing a fit was just your idea of protecting me I don’t see why we can’t move forward.”
“You do realize that this ‘youkai civil war’ is trumped up nonsense, right? She wants you around because she’s picking a fight with the amatsukami.”
“I’m not afraid of the heavenly gods.” Kanako sat next to her partner and faced the setting sun. “And this time I won’t be alone.”
Suwako groaned. “Fine, you win. I want to be clear that I still think this is a bad idea, but”-she raised a finger-”I think getting out of the house some will be good for Sanae, and”-she raised another finger-”I know better than to try and stop you when you have a plan. Even if that plan is what, uniting humans and youkai under the banner of AP chemistry?”
“Physics, actually. And that’s only step one, the plan is the same as always:” a reptilian hunger flashed behind her eyes, “Save the world.”
Suwako laughed genuinely and let herself flop onto her back, “And get rich doing it!”