Wingless Courier

Gladly, things calmed down and isn’t awkward or tense. Having another confession from the moth might’ve been too much. It leaves her relieved it didn’t come to that.

“It is that special!” she gave in a frustrated burst of a squeak. Which seemed a lot more casual of a response then how she’s been treating this entire conversation.

“Something to keep your legs warm but will last? I certainly have a few ideas of what could help. I don’t know if I can make the best, but for you, I’ll try my hardest. Can you… wait here for a second?”

Nozomu wasn’t exactly convinced that whatever conversation she could offer really meant anything, but she definitely identified with the problem of not having many people to talk to. If the courier was on the road then she could imagine being incredibly grateful for anyone who took her in, so perhaps that’s all it was.

“Mm, sure. I’ll wait here. Really it’s less about keeping warm and more about just having a material that won’t go threadbare between my thighs. I’ll show you what I mean when you get back.”

Sitting across the table from her? Her face still looks annoyed. What should she do, what should she do?! She doesn’t know what to do, but she’s trying something anyways.

Getting up and sitting right next to the Tengu. The moth is flustered and with every word she utters, it ends with a small squeak she can’t help. Kaikoga’s tensing up.

“Please… Nozumu. You don’t know how much this means to me. Even in work, I was shunned and feared. I’ve never talked this much with someone, or gotten this close. I don’t know how much you value this… from what I’ve seen of other’s, they seem to visit each other all the time and talk all night, so this is probably just another day. But you’re talking to me, and that means… my entire life up until this point.”

Getting that all out, as quickly as she tried. It exhausted her, and she spread out her arms across the table as the moth rested her head on it with a ‘clunk’ of her shell. Wings starting to drape over herself to hide.

Ah, right! She asked a question! Kaikoga, come on! Answer her!

“I do only simple outfits. Mostly alterations but, the most taxing project I’ve done is the outfit I’m wearing now. I’m sorry for talking about that first. Did you want me to make you something?”

“Nn?” The surprised grunt came from the courier at suddenly having Kaikoga come around the table. It was unexpected at the least, given how the moth’s first reaction had been to hide in a corner. The words were more surprising still, and Nozomu listened with a quiet pensiveness as they came out between squeaks and mumbles. 

Her guest slumping over the table was some cause for alarm, but when Kaikoga resumed Nozomu’s tension released again. It was only once the moth reached her question at the end that the messenger released a nervous chuckle. At least her dour attitude seemed to have been pushed down once more.

“Heh, it’s really not normal for me either, no. I don’t get... visitors very often. People in the village are scared of me. I knew that for a long time, but when I was growing up it was just because I was deformed. More recently I’ve learned more about myself, and honestly I think I’m a bit scared of myself too.”

She blinked then perked up once she realized that she had gone a little too deep into her own thoughts. “Oh, but you shouldn’t concern yourself with that! Honestly I don’t see why people would be scared of talking to you. Sure you don’t look very conventional for a human or tengu, but as a youkai you seem to have a cute personality. Plus you have useful skills. Is it really that special getting to speak with me of all people?”

It’s still so uncomfortable. The air is palpable enough to make breathing seem thick. Kaikoga needs to do something to make the things less tense and distant. 

“Nozumu… this is fine. Being a traveler, the months long trips on the road - It gets really lonely. But when I’m in cities, I’m not welcomed either. So I don’t really get to talk to anyone outside of trading and… It’s still lonely. So this right now, talking to me and letting me stay, it’s more then enough. This is the first time someone held a conversation with me on their own. I don’t really know how to respond. You’re kind, thoughtful, and pretty.”

The courier had a hard time believing that the trader’s words were anything but consolation. Certainly she could hear that Kaikoga was being sincere, but the Tengu still felt like beating herself up a little over it. Nothing good would come of that though, she knew so she eventually came around to sitting down across from Kaikoga with a sigh of resignation.

Why does she keep offering to print and make flyers? It doesn’t sound at all like she’s begging for business. Is she really that broken up about this?

“Nozumu, I don’t need anything like that. I appreciate the offer but you can stop trying to make things up for me. All this; bringing me here and the tea, it more then makes up for it.”

“Yeah but you can’t even drink the tea! I mean... everyone could use something when they’re being hosted, right? I just don’t know what to do to help you out, and after I knocked you down and spooked you with all the talk about being eaten and kept asking about personal things...”

Nozomu was a little put out, to be sure, but all of that frustration was directed back in on herself more than her guest. Despite Kaikoga’s insistence, Nozomu felt like she really needed to be doing something to help her guest. It was only proper.

“Ah sailu-dot Ki’r bec-toorul, eena Ul sailu-dot Ki’r phasis-ansel!”

The marine watched as Nozomu hopped up from her seat to get a better look at his armor. He felt a sense of pride that he managed to get such a response. Though when she said most of the technical language was lost her he slightly shrugged his shoulders. “Well that’s alright, and I’m sorry about diving into the technical details like that, I studied to be an engineer before I became a soldier. Some old habits from those days just die hard I guess To restate my prior statements in a better context, while wearing this I can stay somewhere like underwater for nearly an hour before having to come up for air.  Furthermore I could walk through a raging forest fire or into a burning building and not get harmed by the heat from the flames around me for the same amount of time. Because of the special gel layer and temperature control system, I’ll be nice and comfortable even during the coldest winters or the hottest summers.” He said with a professional tone of voice, hoping that explanation without all the Jargon would help her fully understand what the suit allowed him to do. Though he still left out the details of the motion tracker and the VISR system. 

“Trust me Nozomu this armor isn’t as light as you might think it is. Sure the normal versions of this suit weigh about 15 to 20 kilos or about as much as Samurai armor and the normal armored backpack weight is about 6 Kilos when it’s empty. But this suit and backpack combo aren’t normal ones, its about 40 Kilos for suit and this armored Backpack is 15 Kilos when its empty, and that’s due to the Tungsten present in both. So before I even carry any weapons or anything else, I’m already carrying around the weight average man. With a full battle load out? Well depending on the circumstances… That’s anywhere from 50 to 80 additional kilograms of weapons, ammo, food, first aid and other supplies. Though normally I’m carrying 55 Kilos of additional gear for a normal patrol day. So totals to around 110 kilos… or the weight of a large man.” He said before he took a moment to show her how easy he could move around. 

“However despite all that extra weight, I can still walk, run, hell even sprint with a decent amount of speed carrying a full load, I’m just that strong. The suit allows a very good range of motion without compromising protection too much but there’s still certain motions I simply can not do at all while wearing this thing.” He said casually with a small shrug of his shoulders. Though he did catch her looking at the sigil on one of his shoulder plates. He thought about it for a moment, then decided to come out and tell her who’s sigil it was etetched on that part of his armor. 

“I can see you’re wondering about the seal on my shoulder. Well Nozomu… it’s my boss’s sigil. Which I guess you’re wondering who my boss is… Nozomu, what do you know about the Sage Youkai, Yukari Yakumo?…” He said to her with some hesitation in his voice. The ODST felt nervous, because he wasn’t sure how Nozomu would react to the reveal of who his boss is. He was honestly very worried that she wouldn’t take it very well. He knew that his boss didn’t have the best of reputations amongst the tengu. 

The courier nodded along dutifully with the explanation this time, grateful for the additional clarity provided by Lucas dumbing it down a bit for her. He was obviously passionate about it, which made it interesting to listen to even if it wasn’t something that she had much knowledge of. Once he got to discussing weights, Nozomu put some thought into exactly how that translated to things she was more familiar with.

“Ah, I guess all of that’s pretty heavy for a human? I mean if it’s like carrying another one of your own then I suppose it must be!” She didn’t have much point of reference, being the type to constantly move around boxes of a few dozen kilgrams or more as part of her job. Youkai strength was certainly a thing that changed the perspective.

His description of the sigil did flatten her smile into a more serious expression accompanied with a light furrow in her brow. The name was somewhat familiar, if only due to being passed around in hushed tones by various elders who had been in the war hundreds of years prior.

Ah, business! When it comes to her business personality, it’s a topic she can stay on beat with more then her recluse private stature. Already perking up and speaking in a more concise voice. Doing so eagerly, since she wanted to leave that awkwardness behind.

“If I were to stay long enough, flyers would do wonders for my business. But the opposite and more likely spectrum, I won’t stay long enough. Not long enough to warrant advertising, at least. Not for the effort, nor the publicity hit of leaving with flyers still around. I’d not want to waste your time since you’re already being kind enough to host for me.”

“It really wouldn’t be much trouble! We’d just need a basic design and whatever you want to say. Honored Yamanushi even has templates that we could work with to make it, and you could take extras with you for the next place you go!”

Nozomu was definitely more into the idea the more that she thought about it, but really it was just wanting to offer something to this guest who she had inconvenienced and offended multiple times. She was grateful that Kaikoga seemed so accommodating to the courier’s flubs.

“I’ll take your word for it. Though I will say the armor might look a little strange to ya but I’ll tell ya, it can take a beating and keep on going. Though to answer your last question before I go, I spend a good deal of time in any given week running patrols for my boss, report to her anything that seems out of place and respond accordingly if she deems that actions needs to be taken.” The marine said to Nozomu with a cheery smile before he went over to the package and then the table with the disassembled helmet. It only took him a few seconds shy of two minutes to remove the visor that was inside the package and put the helmet back together, his hands moving in very swift, very practiced motion. 

Once the helmet was put back together the Staff Sergeant picked it up off the workbench and disappeared into a hallway. Footsteps echoing slightly in the somewhat silent house. Then there was a perhaps unnerving silence that took hold for a little over five minutes before being broken by the faint sound of a door somewhere in the back of the house opening. Footfalls much heavier than the ones he made when he left the living room would betray the fact that armored suit he wore was heavy. It was then that the marine reappeared from the hall way. He had a rifle with him, but he showed excellent trigger discipline.

The armor he wore looked like it was worn nearly everyday. It made him look a little bit larger than he already was. However there would have been something that would have likely caught Nozomu’s eye right away. It was painted, nay etched into the armor below the recess in the shoulder plate that held the ODST lettering. A sigil, one that belonged to one of the most feared people in Gensokyo, the sage youkai Yukari Yakumo. For her sigil to be on his armor, it could only mean one thing. He worked for her either as a shikigami or some other kind of servant, which would have given all his prior vague statements about his boss and his job a perhaps concerning new light. Especially given how heavily armed and armored he was.

“Well Nozomu, This is my combat suit. Vacuum rated, has an internal air supply of about 45 minutes if conditions render breathing outside air dangerous or if there’s no outside air available. Can withstand and protect the wearer from prolong exposure to radiant temperatures as high 1400 degrees Celsius and contact temperatures of 900 degrees Celsius. Gel layer and the thermal system can help hide the thermal profile of the suit and keep the User’s body temperature at comfortable level, almost no matter what the external temperature is.”

“Helmet visor can be mirrored or transparent and can switch between the two with a thought by the wearer. Though this thing is heavier than what any other suit of this design would be because of the experimental tungsten bi-layer in each and every composite hard armor plate and part of the suit, including the helmet. So this thing totals out at around 40 Kilos and that’s without the empty weight of this 15 kilo armored backpack. It may be heavy but the extra protection is well worth it. Especially when dealing with rule-breakers.” He finished up his small bit of explaining most of the details of his armored suit, thought he purposely left out the details about the motion tracker and the VISR system because he didn’t want to bore her with all the technical jargon that came with explaining how those systems worked. Though the way he said the final sentence, if there had been any doubts in Nozomu’s mind about what he was he did working for her. 

Nozomu remained seated politely whenever her host took up the helmet to begin working. It seemed only appropriate to let him do so in peace, though she did stretch her neck and lean to see what she could see while looking around him at the bench. And in no time at all he was off, only to return minutes later with an admittedly impressive armor set. She had seen Yamanushi in full regalia once or twice, but the difference in the armors was startling. In particular she wasn’t used to the look of so many bulky panels rather than layered strips of metal, but that must be the difference between them. She hopped up to get a better look, folding her hands behind her back politely.

“Most of the technical language is lost on me, I’m afraid. Most tengu don’t really study much into those things like the kappa do... It’s very imposing, though. I could see how it would be useful even as a deterrent for anyone misbehaving.”

The seal was another thing entirely. While Nozomu could get an impression of the general purpose of it from the sounds it made against the wind, the true nature wasn’t exactly known to her. She felt like she had seen it in some of the older tengu books, though, from around the time of the war. Maybe it was some sort of kappa trademark, then? She felt like he would have addressed it if it was important.

Shying enough already, and asked that question. It’s a topic, that’s for sure. One she didn’t like talking about.

“Ah- well… I don’t have a proboscis. That’s a more… butterfly thing. I do have a mouth, or else I wouldn’t be able to speak to you. But, I don’t use it for eating.”

Kaikoga lives her life knowing she’s putting herself on a timer. The hunger pains are already gone from her mind, and the fatigue has yet to set in. But if her occupancy doesn’t kill her, the starvation will.

“Can we talk about…” her head turned many different places, only seeing more papers, but it’s too far for her to read any of them, “something else?”

The sound of discomfort crackled through the air without question. It seemed that Nozomu wasn’t too keen on what might be considered too sensitive, as she had touched on subjects of her guest’s death by predator or otherwise twice now. The courier’s smile drifted into a small frown, but she seemed to grasp the situation well enough from Kaikoga’s tone.

“Right, sorry... I didn’t mean to offend. I guess if there’s anything else you might like that would help you relax, maybe a blanket or something that smells nice?” She was really trying to be a good host here, but it really was difficult to parse how that was supposed to look when her guest not only wasn’t asking for anything but couldn’t partake in standard things. For now, though, she’d take a seat at the low table while the water heated up.

‘It would be awkward to try to talk across the room if that’s where she’ll sit.’

The moth walked gently to try not to disturb any of the papers while walking towards the table. She can empathize with the mess, since her cart is the same way. There’s a method within it, and she doesn’t want to disturb any of it.

“He sounds like a great man,” Kaikoga commented simply.

‘Should I lie? Should I not give a reason at all?’

“And I’ll have nothing to drink. I’m don’t mean to be rude, I appreciate it! But I can’t drink. Please do get yourself something to drink. I don’t want you not to just on my behalf.”

While saying that, and sitting down at the table, the trader looked around the room, hoping to find something to talk about. What Nozomu is interested in, or hobbys. The papers at least speak volumes about news to her. 

Currently, she’s in that strange limbo of a recently made acquaintance where talking is awkward, and stumbled around in. The moth’s shyness in her private side of life only makes it worse, and so does the existence of her for-business personality.

“Oh... all right then.”

Nozomu would shrug lightly and move to the next room to put the kettle on before returning again to the main room. She slipped her geta off of her stocking feet at this point and set them aside, then proceeded to sit politely at the table. She locked her gaze with the guest with a pleasant smile. It was nice to play the host, exciting even!

“I guess it didn’t occur to me that you don’t really have much of a mouth, huh? Or one at all really. Maybe I was expecting you to grow one of those... mouth tubes... oh, a probiscus! I guess that’s none of my business, though. If it’s a private thing then I don’t mind giving you some space to eat or drink. There are plenty of empty dojo rooms that you can relax in!”

Whether the courier’s thoughts or words were rude she didn’t even consider. Really she was just happy to have a visitor, however strange, and she always felt more at ease in this house than out on the streets.

“Aye, that there is true. Though a fair number of them can be pleasant company if you’re not rude and disrespectful around them. Aye, there is no getting around it and things do have to get done, especially since I work as an enforcer. Might not sound much different than the shrine maiden’s job but believe me when I say it, her’s is a lot less hazardous than mine. So I do have to thank you for that delivery because now I can perform my important duties at full efficiency.” He said to her in a casual polite voice. He noticed the fidgeting Nozomu was doing and briefly wondered what the cause of it was. Though upon hearing that her landlord was very much into armor and weapons, and would like trade stories with him if he ever visited the Tengu village. Or wonder how well his helmet would stand up to a oni’s club, the marine couldn’t help but chuckle a bit.

“I see, though I would say, if you landlord did decide to test that he’d have to cover the cost of repairing it. And this kind of kit isn’t cheap!” He said with another chuckle, after a minute the chuckling subsided and the marine looked at Nozomu. “Hey Nozomu, how about this, I show you what my combat suit and gear looks like and you can tell me whether or not if it’d be something your landlord would take an interest in. Though obviously I’d still need to put my helmet back together to complete the look, but that won’t take terribly long.” He said to her before taking a sip of tea. 

Nozomu could only giggle softly at the mental image of Yamanushi coming down from the mountain to see some human villager with all his clamor and thunder and swinging that oni club. He’d probably be drunk too, for good measure.

“Don’t worry. I doubt he’d take a swing at you without warning. He’s a very honorable man, even when he’s had a little too much to drink. I can’t say I’d be any good at assessing the qualities of your armor like he would be, though. Combat was never my thing, and really I’ve only recently started to carry a sword. Still if you want to show it off then it would simply be rude of me to deny you.”

She could imagine what was in store from the image on the wall, at least. However there was a difference in imagining and seeing it for herself.

Lucas made good note to remember the name of the courier. Nozomu Tsubasa, the Staff Sergeant thought that was a pretty nice name. He smiled at her before speaking again. “Nozomu Tsubasa huh? Well again I must thank for safely delivering my package and joining me for some tea.” Lucas said in that same friendly manner he had been speaking with for most of the time. When she said about reporters harassing him with too many questions he smiled a little bit awkwardly.

“Yeah, you could say that. Though at least now they don’t bother me as much as they used to. Though I believe that’s do in part of the Efforts of my boss. Which I’ll say, she can be a very scary woman when she wants to be. Though thank you for telling me that, that puts me at ease a bit.” Lucas said to Nozomu with a somewhat nervous smile appearing on his face the moment he mentioned his boss. He honestly didn’t know how Nozomu would react if she asked him who his boss was and he replied. He just silently hoped that should she ask, she doesn’t become nervous or guarded around him. After all, not many people would be completely at ease in the presence of the gap youkai’s servants. 

Nozomu nodded along idly as the man described his situation some more. Perhaps a human would miss the nuance in the air surrounding the man as he spoke of his employer, but to the sharp ears of a tengu it was clear as day that he didn’t want her to ask about it. She was polite enough to not press the issue in that case, regardless of how stereotypically nosy most tengu were.

“Ah, yeah I suppose there are a lot of scary people in Gensokyo, especially for a human. Still if it’s your job then there’s really no getting around it. Things have to get done somehow, right? My job’s the same way, being a courier and all. There’s really no need to thank me so excessively for just delivering a package.”

She might be fidgeting a little as she talks, though not out of nervousness so much as she’s just antsy about imposing on someone’s home like this. Being invited into someone’s home is a mostly rare experience for her.

“I… I don’t have any reason to distrust you. I hope you don’t mind me relying on you then. If you’ll protect me, then I’ll go where you go!”

The concept of looking appealing to eat to other, very humanoid, people has left a very vulnerable and new fear within the moth’s mind. The amount of eyes on her might not be anything more then what she’s use to, but it certainly feels like millions, and piercing.

She feels like she has no other choice but to get closer to the courier within the crowd. Her mind made up that Nozomu is her only ally within the crowd. 

“If it’s alright with you, Nozomu… Can we go there now?”

The moth spoke with some strain in her voice. A symptom of rising stress wearing on her.

Oh dear, so her words really had unsettled her guest this much. Nozomu couldn’t help but feel a little guilty at stirring that sort of discomfort in someone else, but better that Kaikoga be aware of the potential dangers than to continue forward ignorant of her situation. Well at least the courier could provide some reassurance in the form of protection.

“Sure, let’s go there now.”

The walk wouldn’t be far, after all. One might think the presses would be closer to the newspaper offices, but in reality they were more across town, closer to the other industrial areas. It was there that the courier went ahead and led her guest in relative silence. She imagined the trader would feel more at peace if she seemed attentive to their surroundings, even if she could hear any threats far better than she could see them. 

Either way they arrived without issue to a large two-story home with a rare fence surrounding its plot. Even from the outside one could see that most of the lower windows were covered in black paper, while the upper story remained open. Nozomu walked to the door and opened it to usher Kaikoga inside, releasing the heavy smell of fresh paper and ink in the meantime. In the center of the lower story would be the enormous printing press surrounded by mountains of supplies for its use.

Nozomu’s explanation was comforting, but the moth was still unwary. She didn’t have the feeling they would do something from this, and what she just heard doesn’t change that… but she certainly stayed a step or two further back and is uncomfortably holding onto her arm. Her antennas now skittering at any sudden noises among the crowd. Becoming extremely conscious.

“N-No… Advertising on a newspaper would be for something more established… I’m only a traveling trader. Aaaand, I could hardly impose on letting me stay. I thank you but, I don’t know if I should stay.”

She’s certainly second guessing her safety. Thinking about selling some items, and then packing up and leaving. But it’s already been a long day. How she imagines to stay up long enough to do both is beyond reality.

The twitches and fretting by the moth wouldn’t go unnoticed by the courier. Even with her gaze pointed away, the tengu could pick up on the infinitesimal noises that such motions created. She slowed her stride and panned her gaze across the crowd alongside Kaikoga. There was no more than the ordinary attention that a new visitor would receive from the various passerby.

“Please, there’s no need for you to worry. Even if someone were looking at you suspiciously, which they’re not, they wouldn’t do anything in public. Tengu pride ourselves in keeping up appearances.” The last sentence held a bit of personal bitterness for the girl, but she moved past it quickly. “Anyway, like I said if you’re around me then they’re even less likely to do anything. Trust me, I’d protect you.”

The marine looked up at the Courier when she spoke about his combat Helmet. “Well technically, no I didn’t make the Helmet myself and neither did the Kappa. It was issued to me, along with the rest of my armored suit and gear, before… events transpired that left me here…” He let the sentence hang for a brief moment as he was unsure as to say more, ultimately he decided to keep speaking. Though seeing that the tea was done brewing, the marine set up a platter that had around 3 dozen fresh off the pan rice crackers. After carefully balancing everything, he walked out of the kitchen and entered the living room carrying the platter of rice cracks with one hand and on the other he held the tea kettle with three fingers while holding two tea cups pinched together with his thumb and forefinger. He set the platter, kettle and tea cups on the table before he went to his knees on a cushion opposite of the courier. He poured her cup of tea then his own, regarding her with a small smile. 

”The Kappa are a curious lot, I’ll say, and while they’re good at what they do with technology… I only trust three of them with the study and duplication of that tech… and armaments I have. If only because those three had lived outside the barrier until about 21 years ago. They’ve got a better understanding of modern tech than a good majority of people here… but more importantly…” His smile faded and more serious expression came over his face “They know exactly how dangerous it could be if handled carelessly… or how damaging it’d be if any of it fell into the wrong hands.” The marine said to the Courier with a voice that spoke of a nearly life long experience with such things.

 Though after a moment the serious expression he had faded, as did the haunted look in his and then his smile and upbeat gaze returned. “Oh my, where are my manners? I’ve forgotten to ask you for your name.” He said to her with a small bit of embarrassment in his voice. 

Nozomu nodded in quiet acceptance of the drink and listened to the man talk, curious gaze following along with his words. It wasn’t all that different than listening to some of the gray-plumed elders talk about the old wars. Still, this one seemed very young to be talking about those sorts of things, even if she was admittedly bad at judging the age of humans. His question jarred her from her musing. 

“No offense taken, sir! It’s Nozomu Tsubasa! I guess it goes without saying that I’m a mountain courier. Can’t say I’m too familiar with your kappa friends, though, or many specific kappa in general. They tend to not talk to the crows much except for business.” That, and too often the kappa were rightfully dismissive of tengu, just as many tengu were elitist over the kappa.

“Yeah, it is. It’s grown on me by now, calling myself moth by name.”

The moth started to follow the Tengu when they turned. Nodding her head to their description of the village t i the o say she’s following along. Able to keep up because of the winged courier’s consideration.

She continued her habit of nodding to communicate she’s listening. Except abruptly stops in the middle of a nod and her shoulders raised when said she might be seen as tasty. Their head swiveling slowly to look back up at the Tengu.

“Nozumu… Do you think I look good to eat?”

Nozomu ‘heard’ the moth’s hesitation before the creature ever spoke. The faint chill in the air was evidence enough that whatever she had said might have startled her guest. The question was still surprising, though. The courier hadn’t imagined her words being taken to mean that, even if it seemed obvious in hindsight!

“Ack, o-of course not! That would be pretty rude, wouldn’t it? Bringing along a guest and then thinking about eating them? A tengu wouldn’t lie like that! It’s just, you know, there are some of them who brag about recently eating humans, and I can imagine some of them getting funny ideas about someone who looks like a human-sized bug. I’ll stick to things that are reasonably bite-sized.”

Whether that was adequate explanation to quell Kaikoga’s fears remained to be seen, but the courier seemed satisfied enough to shift her pack and turn her attention forward. Perhaps she wanted to shift the subject away from suggesting that Kaikoga was in any danger in town.