[b]Collab with [@Frater Jeremiah][/b][hr]
The ride back on the APCs were slower than flying, that's for sure.

Reisen's rear was already feeling sore from all the jostling and bumping, but at least she won't be punished when she gets home. It wasn't long before they left the icy terrain and found themselves unable to pass through the dangerously high cliffs and narrow passage through the mountains. Signalling for them to stop, Reisen exited the vehicle, catching sight of a rabbit staring down upon them, before jolting away.

Shrugging, she turned to the others. [color=a187be]"From here, we would have to proceed on foot. These uh... vehicles, will not be able to fit in these small passages. We can't fly around here either, to stop anyone from spotting us and therefore our base's location."[/color]

Grant nodded and followed her out of the vehicle, motioning for his riflemen to follow. They piled out in a quick and orderly fashion, while Captain Reed's Zone Troopers lumbered out of their larger personnel carrier. The captain himself was adorned in a suit of powered armor, face hidden behind the large hatch that topped the suit's torso. The right hand of the suit was missing, instead brandishing a small ion cannon. Within a minute or so they had all disembarked, quietly following the small rabbit through the rocky terrain.

"Keep a cool head gentlemen, I don't want any incidents, and you don't want to be stuck out in the snow in your skivies for a week." Grant barked at his men, the sergeant's tone harsh but lacking in malice. He and his men shouldered their weapons as they continued through the cliffs, making progress much quicker than Reed's heaviliy armored retinue. 

The APCs would remain, drivers and gunners left to defend the vehicles with their lives if needed. Though, Reed doubted there was anything nearby that could pose a threat to the carriers, let alone stand up to a pair of heavy machine guns. 

"So, how've you and yours adjusted to life out here, Miss Inaba? Can't imagine it's been an easy transition." Grant asked, doing his best to keep the mood light as the party continued to hike through the mountains.

[color=a187be]"It was uh..."[/color]

Reisen thought back of their first week here. Earth rabbits lounging around, earth rabbits singing, earth rabbits dancing around. Really, the only thing that changed was the outside of Eientei itself, which she herself had to go out and monitor, in case those conflicts came too close. No one had even come close to entering the grove, save for a few bewildered animals of course. At least they didn't spend their time moping around once they knew they weren't in Gensokyo anymore.

[color=a187be]"...H-hard, I guess? The earth rabbits weren't too concerned as long as they weren't starving or being attacked."[/color]

As they walked through the narrow passage, she noticed more and more rabbits were popping up to stare at them. At first there were no more than two or three, now there are whole groups pushing each other on top of small perches. It wasn't long before one of them, now in humanoid form, came wobbling over to Reisen, looking as if she might cry.

"R-reisen, did you get captured?"

[color=a187be]"Ah no, these are.."[/color] Reisen started before the rabbit started wailing again.

"Are you being forced to _______ their ______, or _______ then _______!?"

[color=a187be]"No! Who told you that!?"[/color] Placating the distressed rabbit, she finally corrected the misunderstanding, before sending them off again, looking slightly better. She had this bad feeling this wouldn't be the end of it.

The difficult passage through the mountain eventually widened, opening up to bamboo grove. An extremely large one, with seemingly no end in sight. There were more earth rabbits here, both in humanoid form, and rabbit form. By now, if they haven't figured it out by that first encounter, it would be obvious Reisen wasn't one of them. The earth rabbits were smaller and shorter, looking like human children, as well as having soft droopy ears, while Reisen herself stood taller than any of them, bearing herself differently, with longer more rigid and upright ears.

A few soldiers laughed at the exchange, others waved and said hello to the small rabbit-folk, while most simply remained quiet or whispered among themselves. Grant stayed a few steps from Reisen as they moved, doing his best to keep the mood light. All the while, Reed and his Zone Troopers brought up the rear, the joints of their armor whirring softly with each and every motion they took.

"Must say Miss Inaba, this is like something out of a fairytale. Little spirits, or animal folk, or whatever y'all might be, hidden and tucked away from sight in the deep wood. Drawing in a hero or soldiers or nights, just hope it doesn't end up like something out of the Brothers Grimm." The sergeant chuckled to himself as he made small talk.

 He and his men had shouldered their weapons, doing there best to convey a sense of calm around the figity little rabbits. Reed and his men however were not able to do so, their massive weapons being lugged in the hands of their power armor. So, they kept to themselves, forming a single file line through the rocky terrain, finally spreading out around their captain as they entered the bamboo grove.
 
[color=a187be]"Ahaha... I have no idea who that is, but they're generally harmless."[/color] At least, when they're not overly curious about things. Already some of them were skipping along them, eying the large machines trudging along.

It wasn't long before they were back to their usual self, once the word spread around of their arrival. Some bounded playfully around the mechanized units, flying around them curiously, with some of the more daring ones sitting on their large shoulders. 

[color=a187be]"We're called youkais, these children here are specifically Earth Rabbits. They're generally rabbits that had a long life and gathered enough power to gain humanoid forms, though they can still use their normal form."[/color]

Waving to a bunch of rabbits dancing about, she finally brought them to a large Japanese styled mansion, taking off her shoes as she got inside.

[color=a187be]"I'm back!"[/color]

With a glance back, she motioned for them to follow her inside the house.

The Zone Troopers did their best to ignore the little ones as they danced, ran, and flew about. They let them hang about them and rest on the shoulders of their armor, but not without great warning to the small rabbits.  Reed in particular was forced to chastise one of them for touching the ion cannon attached to his right arm.

"Well, that's a relief, a lot of the times fey and spirits and haunts are just out to get you." The sergeant sounded rather relieved, patting one of the children's heads as they passed. 

"the Brothers Grimm were a couple of historians and writers who went around Europe, collecting all the folklore and fairy tales, translating them, and publishing them into a volume. They were German, and a lot of German fairytales are rather grim. Lots of murder, maulings, and monsters. But it was all to teach children lessons. Not to be too trusting, not to be stingy, to be brave, those sorts of things. My favorite was about a man who had to steal the Devil's golden chest hairs."

Grant went on for a few minutes about the story, and others head read as a child, as he and the rest of the soldiers made their way into the large mansion. 

Eyes twitching as she watched those soldiers crowd into with their dirty shoes, Reisen nevertheless kept quiet, mentally making a note to have someone clean those trails later. Even worse was the zone troopers squeezing in through the doors. Perhaps she should have said something? But it was too late now, and it would certainly seem rude to them if she was to tell them now.

But, instead of a cramped house interior, the hallways seemed large and infinite, spanning wide distances with doors and more hallways leading elsewhere. Just as well considering she didn't want to be in a tight space with these mechs around. Her feet left the ground as she started floating, leading them confidently down halls and sliding paper doors that seemed to stretch out to infinity. 

Finally, she opened a door to a large luxurious looking tatami room, revealing a woman with long braided silver hair, tied up nicely at the end with a ribbon.  Her clothes had an odd asymetrical blue and red pattern on it, with constellations seemingly sewed onto it. If there was any indication that she took offense to the soldiers tracking dirt all over the floor, her face betrayed none of it. 

[color=a187be]"Master,"[/color] Reisen started, sitting outside the door. [color=a187be]"These are representatives from uh..."[/color]

She looked towards them, realizing she did not get their organization's name, having forgotten to ask about it in her elation.

Reed stepped forward, his armor lumbering past the small rabbit. "I am Captain Reed of the Global Defense Initiative.  My commanding officer, General Cunningham, sends his regards and has sent me to negotiate terms of trade with you and your people."

The other soldiers stood silently and at attention as the captain spoke, Grant included. 

"We are willing to offer you and your people protection and information, in exchange for medicine, and the establishment of a GDI base in this area."

A rabbit came in through a small side door, placing down a pot of tea and two clay cups. Eirin did not answer him immediately, but took her time to pour out a measured amount of tea in both cups, and placed one at the other end of the table, obviously meant for him. Another rabbit discreetly entered and placed a cushion at the low table.

[color=fff79a]"Will you not leave your suit and sit down to speak to me?"[/color] She took up her cup, enjoying the smell of the tea for a moment before taking a sip. [color=fff79a]"Or perhaps you feel threathened in our humble abode?"[/color]

The canopy to the large suit hissed as it rose, with Reed climbing out shortly after. The captain was dressed in simple blue coveralls, his name and rank stitched into the fabric. He took his seat across from the woman, and sipped the tea slowly before speaking.

"Do forgive me, at times it becomes like a second skin. What's more something like that becomes a symbol, wearing it makes things easier with diplomats, bean counters, and desk jockeys who think they have a say in how we operate." The captain smiled at the woman, before sipping his tea again.

"May I ask your name, Ma'am?"

She gave a small approving look as he exited the suit. 

[color=fff79a]"My name is Eirin Yagokoro, acting leader of Eientei."[/color] She paused for a moment, looking over the soldiers peering in from the door and the one sitting in front of her. [color=fff79a]"That means House of Eternity, which I'm sure you know the name's origin. Princess Kaguya is our actual leader, but I handle mostly everything in her stead. Tell me, Captain Reed, what have you seen of the rabbits outside? What do you think of them?"[/color]

The captain merely shrugged at the question. "I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with Asian culture and myth, never spent time in Japan. Though they're lucky that they live on such a barren tock, Tiberium wouldn't touch the place. China wasn't so lucky."

He took another drink of tea, sighing contentedly before continuing. "As for the rabbits, they seem friendly enough. Seem like children almost, curious, playful, and rather imaginative given one of their outbursts. This place reminds me of the future from that old book, with the time machine. All the people above ground living simply and happily, but they're all like children, can't do much of anything for themselves. So theyre preyed upon by others below, ones who knew how to build, how to work the land."

Eirin picked up the teapot and refilled the captain's cup and her own. [color=fff79a]"That is accurate in some ways. We are not a group of hardened warriors. The only one who can really fight is Reisen alone."[/color] She gestured towards the rabbit still sitting outside patiently with the rest of the soldiers.

[color=fff79a]"Our main source of protection is how hidden we are inside this bamboo grove, and should you build bases here, it would allow us to be discovered easily. With only Reisen to protect us... "[/color] She let those words hang in the air as she sipped at her tea. [color=fff79a]"Protection and information for our medicine is certainly worthwhile, but not if you should strip us of our grove and our only line of defense."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Perhaps smaller outposts scattered around this area?"[/color]

"That would be agreeable, though I must ask, do you and your people have access to... well we call them Nodes, large megastructures capable of great energy and production output. If so, we would like to study it." He gladly accepted the tea, sipping before continuing.

"As for the outposts, I'm sure we can find suitable locations out among the mountains, another line of defense for you and your people. Given that secrecy is important to you, I doubt air-lifting supplies will be viable, we'll most likely need to establish proper trade routes to transport medicine and equipment. How does this all sound to you, acceptable?"

She paused for a moment once he mentioned the Nodes. They called the large hollow tree something else, but that should be this Node the captain was speaking of.

[color=fff79a]"Ah, as for that, I'm afraid I would have to refuse you. The Princess made it very clear no one that aren't assigned to tend it should get close to it. I'm quite sure that you would know what it is capable of, and our reasons for keeping it guarded. Please understand that I cannot go against the Princess, and that she is unlikely to trust anyone outside our group easily."[/color]

Placing her empty cup on the table, Eirin gave a thoughtful look at the suggestion. [color=fff79a]"That would be acceptable, with the addendum that I be sent some of your equipments. At the very least, we can defend ourself against any dangerous animals with those. I will send out some of our scouts to help you find a suitable route through the mountains, as well as guide you around the area."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Now, if that arrangement is acceptable,"[/color] she continued, as a rabbit entered through the side door, placing down a piece of paper as well as a quill and an inkwell. [color=fff79a]"Shall we discuss the finer points of our agreement?"[/color]

The captain nodded, quickly finishing the last of his tea as the rabbit brought in the paper and ink. "I suppose that's fair, we'll leave the Node in your hands, and we will supply your people with some simple armaments to defend themselves, and the training to use them properly of course. We don't want anyone hurting themselves. Your scouts, your people, and your home are in good hands, Ma'am. The general is a hard old dog, but a tough one, need to be to live through Tib Wars II, III, and IV."

Reed picked up the paper, and dipped the quill into the inkwell, a soft smile on his face. "Lets hope we can work this out to be in both of our best interests."