#pipe foxglove ~ tsukasa

[gensokyogarden]

"Tsukasa do the new theme song."

"As you command. Come on Kuwabara"

"Meg-a-go-go-go! She's up and flying as she flies her wings around the mount(ain)! She's thwacking Aya like she's never coming back! Adventure's waiting to say hey!"

"Go Megumu!"

"Go!"

"Go Megumu!"

"Go!"

"Go Megumu go!"

[gensokyogarden]

These six

Would be a deadly alliance

[gensokyogarden]

"My name is Kuwabara. I am one of the lower ranking crow tengu. I am 370 years old. My home is in an upscale peak of the youkai mountain, though there's now a strange fox spirit living in it. I'm currently a bachelor. I work for Iizunamaru-sama. Every day I work late and don't get home until 8 PM. I don't smoke. I only occasionally drink but it's gotten worse since my orders have become more asinine. I was always in bed by 11 PM to get a full 8 hours of sleep but I can no longer rest with their inane pestering. Recently the pipe-fox Tsukasa ordered me to devour the sun. It did not work out. Today my orders are to..."

"To record the Kaenbyouburg."

"To record the Kaenbyouburg."

"Huh did you say ..."

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPERATE A FILM CAMERA"

[gensokyogarden]

"Hmmmm. A brand new Moriya invention? Of course we'll need information about it. Ah ... but Aya is still gone. Tsukasa fetch for me that weird depressed other bird and assign her this task. I enjoy watching her suffer."

"Yes, my lord, it will be done."

[gensokyogarden]

"I should get a delivery woman too."

[gensokyogarden]

"Tsukasa here to remind you that people believe things because they want to believe them."

[gensokyogarden]

♪I'm your biggest fan ~ I'll follow you until you love me Papa ~ Papa ~ Paparazzi Promise I'll be kind But I won't stop until that boy is mine♪

♪Baby you'll be famous ~ chase you down until you love me Papa ~ Papa ~ Paparazzi♪

This is also your reminder that Tsukasa took over Ran Aya's newspaper after she left.

[gensokyogarden]

Okay, in that case I shall first put on my nerd glasses and briefly explain patronage for the uninitiated.

Patronage is a political structure that has existed in a few societies throughout history, primarily republics. The Roman Republic is probably the most well known example but it also existed in Tammany Hall era America. The basics are that those with power (generally the upper class and/or established political figures) provide aid to those lower than them. Examples: a wealthy patron hosting banquets for the disenfranchised or a politician with sway helping someone starting in politics to get the county seat. Those who receive patronage become the patron's clients (patron is a funny word because it can refer to the one giving patronage or the one receiving it but I'm using client for the one who receives to make it more understandable). In turn the client's patrons repay their patronage in some way, often in the form of votes. In this way clients directly correlate to political power, so those patrons with the most capability to provide patronage have the most power.

Ask for the application in regards to Megumu? I'll start by stating that I think Megs rejects meritocracy outright. Her goals are to leave as much power within Gensokyo in the hands of the tengu but also, in particular, her own hands. Those who become powerful enough on their own through their merit is just another threat to her power, hence why she betrayed Chimata as soon as Chimi didn't need her. Ability doesn't get you any advancement. If anything, the opposite. She doesn't want useless underlings, your merit is what allows you to work for her in the first place and you should be honored it got you that far.

Instead Megumu values loyalty first and foremost. Her way of seeking loyalty is through a system of patronage. If you're a tengu and you need information on the next news scoop, training, wealth, connections, or a higher rank then Megumu is happy to give it to you, but you must repay her kindness in some way and service to her is the most common. The majority of Megumu's underlings are her patrons and in the back of their mind each is aware that she can strip everything she gave away at any time.

Loyalty is a must but it is not enough to satisfy her. To be her client you have to provide her with something. You may not always have what she wants but she'll shape you to give it to her. Does a wolf tengu want a promotion but thinks they have nothing to give her? Don't worry, she's always wanted the commander of the south outpost under her thumb. You want another Daitengu to notice you? She'd love someone to report on their business.

Megumu does genuinely want the best for all tengu but she is a creature driven by greed and ambition. Regardless of how many clients she gains she would never challenge Lord Tenma but the other daitengu? ... Well she just happens to think they'd function best with herself as the tengu's shogun and Tenma as their emperor.

As for those associated with her? In Tsukasa's case she is a client but a bit more than that. Megumu sees a lot of herself in Tsukasa's ability to manipulate and use others. For that reason I think she favors Tsukasa almost like an apprentice or a pseudo-niece. Given pipefox are also typically wizard familiars and Megumu partially takes her name from a god of them I also personally see Tsukasa as her familiar but I think you could argue Touhou 19 disagrees with that.

In Momoyo case, she's definitely not Megmeg's client in fact Momoyo exists entirely outside of the Tengu's structure ... and that's kind of nice. Megumu legitimately sees her as a friend and an equal in strength. That's a relationship that she can't have with most tengu as she needs to be above it all to act as their patron. Plus she's aware that if she became their friends ... it might hurt to have to use them as tools. So having Momoyo? It's just really nice to have a friend.

[gensokyogarden]

"Get Hanafudaed nerd."

She's throwing the cards down without understanding how it works.

[gensokyogarden]

"Well, since the facility was going unused after you left Iizunamaru-sama placed me in charge. Couldn't let it go to waste, maybe if you actually bothered to check in this wouldn't be such a surprise. Here check out one of our stunning Kuda-news articles."

Breaking news: Iizunamaru Megumu is the best tengu to ever live. You should all go and give her offerings to recognize her greatness.

[gensokyogarden]

"She's distracted. NOW"

"Boss, ever since you promoted Momiji-san to crow tengu, we no longer have a legion of wolves to do our bidding."

[gensokyogarden]

♪I'll chew you up and ~ I'll spit you out Cause that's what young love ~ is all about♪

"Yes Iizunamaru-sama, you are quite young."

[gensokyogarden]

❣ Tsukasa

Dating pros and cons

[Thousand yard stare]

Pros:

-She could be worse

-Doesn't smell bad

-Probably won't manipulate you as much as everyone else

Cons:

-Unconnected Marketeers

-Unfinished Dream of All Living Ghosts

-She lied, you are 100% going to get manipulated

[gensokyogarden]

"Alright Kuwabara, today your job is go down into the cave to retrieve our dragon gems."

"Ma'am I work in an office."

"Anyways, here is your anti cave monster spray and a wrapped up stack of meat for a distraction."

"My - WHAT!?"

[gensokyogarden]

"The boss may be coping with the loss of Shameimaru in unhealthy ways."

"Oh well. I got the plastic bird wings for the doggy, just like she wanted."

[gensokyogarden]

"Excuse me?"