Chapter 2
"Nani?" Enki pouted furiously as the Emperor of En chuckled at him. he had quite the deep purple bruise on his left cheek.
"If I didn't know any better, Enki." Shoryuu snickered behind his hand, as graceful as he was ale to be. "I would say you tried to nibble more than you could chew with a woman." When Enki just blushed, Shoryuu laughed his head off openly, and slapped the mahogany table with mirth. He watched as his golden haired Kirin pouted sulkily and stroked his own cheek, as if doing so would make it vanish.
"Just because you like a lot of female company…"
"What was that? Enki?"
"Nothing." Enki grumbled, and began wrapping his blue turban around his hair, letting two golden bangs hang by his face.
"So…how was our success with Taiki? Any word?"
"No…" he sighed, and looked to his Emperor. "No news. But I did encounter…something odd."
"Ne?" Shoryuu, dressed in his imperial black, blue and golden royal robes, with white linen hanging out the sleeves and around his ankles, sat back in his extravagant chair, and looked out the window to the garden pond. If it wasn't for the fact that 500 years of past conversations went like this, Enki would have thought the Emperor wasn't listening. In fact, this was his way of saying I am listening thoroughly, but will not let you see my expression until I have decided upon my final opinion.
"Hai. I saw a girl-"
"Heh heh. I knew it!"
"Nani?! That isn't what I meant!"
"Sure…I suppose even a 500 year old Kirin gets 'lonely' every now and then…" he smirked at him, loving making his Kirin blush like a fumbling little school boy. Not a mighty Kirin, a holy creature ordained by the heavens and the one who made him the emperor in the first place. His good friend and advisor.
"Ek! No! I met this girl that was like, 16!"
"Oh, high school girl?"
"Hai!"
"Nice sense of taste, Enki." Enki's face flushed bright red, and Shoryuu half expected steam to erupt from his ears at any second.
"Your majesty." Oh, he's pissed at me. But Shoryuu smirked regardless. "She smelt like blood. Like a Youma. A powerful Youma. She had blood red eyes, and deathly white hair." From the serious expression on the seemingly young Enki, Shoryuu stopped joking around. For a Youma to have his Kirin jittery, and to look human…
"Did you engage in combat?"
"Well, I tried. But she just…kinda fell over and started sobbing."
"Like an average human teenager?"
"Hai. And she…looked so helpless. From the power I sensed, she could have seriously injured me. When she lashed out at me, thus my deep purple bruise, it was a slap. Not a summoning technique or binding spell. Or even a punch." Shoryuu, despite himself, snickered at this.
"She bitch slapped you?"
"Your majesty. I would prefer you not to take this so lightly." Enki's left eye twitched at his Emperor, who put his hands up in apology. "I got the feeling…she didn't even know how hard she hit me. I seriously felt like my jaw had been unhinged, and the attack was spontaneous, so there was hardly any intended force behind it."
"Calling the bitch slap an attack makes it seem so much more manly, doesn't it?" Enki scowled, but refused to reply to that.
"I didn't know what to do. She wouldn't submit to me." Shoryuu smirked, and Enki was so tempted to hit him over the head for that. But he resisted. "And when she broke down…I opened a Shoku, and sent her back to this world. She is a Youma, I am certain of it. She isn't human in the slightest. Other than appearance. But I look human, but am far from one."
"Hai…true. And if you are sure she was not human, I believe you."
"When we arrived here…something happened." Enki got to his feet and looked very troubled. "I had to engage a flock of Kouchou Youma. As soon as we entered this word, they swarmed on us. And…they only targeted me. The girl fell from my arms and into the ocean. As soon as I dropped her, the Kouchou withdrew and didn't seem to even care I was there. It was like…"
"Like she had summoned them?"
"Hai…it seemed so. But if she did, why didn't she call them to rescue her from the ocean? If it wasn't impossible for me to see her, I would have retrieved her but…"
"You were unable. I understand."
"I just thought I would report what had happened on my latest excursion to Wa." Enki frowned, and looked out the window also. When he looked back, the Emperor was looking right at him, his opinion made.
"I am also concerned, Enki. If this Youma was too powerful for you to tame, then this is a cause for due concern. However, if this is just a girl with the ability to control a few Youma, like many people in this world, then I am not concerned. Although…you just made her a Kaikyaku, if she is innocent."
"If she can control Youma, she belongs in this world anyway." Shoryuu sighed, and returned to looking out the window. "I couldn't even tell you which kingdom she washed up in…"
"I will send word to all the other countries to keep a look out for a girl with white hair, red eyes and pale skin, who cannot speak the language of this world."
"Hai, Your highness." Enki closed his eyes and turned to leave.
"Where are you going Enki?"
"I was summoned to converse with the Taiho of Kei."
"Ah, Keiki. Give him my regards, and as him to inform the Empress of Kei she has yet to reply to my last letter of correspondence."
"Ne? What about?" He then raised a fist at him and scowled with a sweat drop at him. "If you're hassling her or courting her, Keiki will learn of it and-"
"Do what? Give you the cold shoulder?" Shoryuu smirked, determined to have the last laugh. Even at Enki's expense. "If I were to have romantic intentions towards the Empress of Kei, is that such a problem? Shouldn't her Kirin be pleased that her relations with such a prosperous country like En had improved? Is it forbidden for the royalty of one kingdom to become involved with that of another?" he then sat forward, placed his elbows on his knees and perched his chin on his hands. The amused smirk on his face, made Enki feel quite pale, and ill. "Or…is it because our Taiho of Kei, has yet to reveal his inner feelings towards his Empress?" Enki fell over, literally, only to jump up and point at Shoryuu's smirking dog expression.
"You shouldn't say such things!"
"But they're true."
"You have no way of knowing that! And you shouldn't say such things to me either…"
"Why? Because you agree?"
"Nani?!?! No!
"Then there is no problem telling fact and opinion to my most trusted advisor, Enki, is there?" Enki sighed, not about to win this one. The wise Kirin decided to escape with his pride while he could.
"I must meet with Keiki."
"Tell him women like flowers, compliments and smiles." Enki grit his teeth, as a vein throbbed angrily on his forehead. He took a deep breath, turned on his heel, and refused to snap at Shoryuu. As deep down, though he would never admit it…he did agree.
"Farwell, Emperor."
"Oh, Enki?"
"Hai?" He looked over his shoulder at the Emperor.
"Didn't you ask why I was corresponding with the Empress of Kei?" When Enki didn't make a move to leave, he took that as a yes. "I assume you know of the death of the Emperor of Shun, ne?"
"Hai." Enki returned to his spot on the window bench, and ran his arms on the window ledge leisurely. He knew the letter wouldn't be to inform each other of the death, but about the death.
"Then, did you know that the Emperor, took his own life, due to the death of his son?"
"Hai. His son wasn't granted immortality like he was, as after the Empress left him for another man and renounced her right to be a Sannin, she died 70 years later. The Prince was so distraught, he found the old man who was her lover, and killed him in his sleep. The heavens were angry, and sent him an illness. After the Prince died, the Emperor, after 40 years on the throne, took his own life in grief. Was that three days ago?"
"Hai." Shoryuu sighed into his hands, and closed his eyes in deep thought. "The Taiho of Shun, Shunki, returned to the Nyosen at Mount Hou after two days mourning, this morning. Since news of the death, her Empress and I have decided to assist the kingdom of Shun with financial and political aid to keep the country from collapsing, until Shunki can select a new Emperor. That may not be for a number of years…so as you can understand. There are a lot of 'bugs' to work out before we propose it to the government of Shun." He then opened his sharp brown eyes on his sombre Kirin. Brown seemed to have drawn the same conclusions as the deep blue ones of his Kirin. That basically meant, he approved. "And when we should next rendezvous for out mad, passionate love affair behind the garden bushes." At this, Enki comically blinked at him madly, until Shoryuu laughed his head off, and Enki pouted with embracement.
"Well! I am more than late in meeting Keiki, I bid you farewell!" And Enki left like that, leaving the Emperor of En to smile, but frown on the inside.
For a Kirin to have an Emperor take his own life like that…he couldn't image what Enki would feel like if tomorrow, he woke up to the cold corpse of his Emperor.
The Emperor decided to pray to Tentei that night, to pray for Shunki's emotional wounds to heal quickly.
ooOoo
"Don't do that Sojobo! Saijobo, that means you to!" Yasha stirred, making pre-waking mumbling noises, as a pair of tongues laped at her cheeks.
"Momma…"
"She smells nice. She's really pretty."
"That's very nice Saijobo, dear. But you really shouldn't do that! If she wakes and finds you licking her face like that, she will not be pleased! Do you wish to be beaten?! Stop it now!" She felt a large lick, like a dog, against her cheek, and she giggled. All the voices around her were warm, happy voices. "She's awake!! Get back here, now!"
"AH!, Move!"
"Saijobo-chan! Over here, quick!" Yasha sat up, and rubbed her eyes. The first thing she noticed, was that her skin was warm and…dry and…naked?!?! She yelped, and drew her legs up to her chest. She hugged her knees, and frantically looked from left to right, for any sort of explanation. Her long ghostly white hair seemed longer than before, in wild tendrils, not smooth locks, and she flinched. She could taste blood in her mouth for some reason…and she couldn't find any cuts in her mouth with her tongue either…so where did it come from? And she wasn't hungry. Hmm, odd, ne?
It was then that Yasha noticed just where she was.
It looked like she was still in the forest, but it was dry here. It was very dark, but rays of morning light poured in through openings above in the tall tree canopy, down into this dwelling. Her blood crimson eyes saw three large gatherings of leaves and branches, bound round into the largest nests she had ever seen. Then she looked to her own feet, and gasped.
Where were her ivory pale feet?
She let her eyes travel up the length of her legs, up each arm, and even looked down at her front briefly.
In the place of her almost sickly pale porcelain skin, was a smooth honey tan. Darker than that of normal people, never mind an albino. She then checked her hair, and frowned. She had hoped her natural pigment might have changed too…ah well. It was still ghostly white, but oddly enough, in long wild tendrils, and a lot thicker than usual. For now, she put it down to spending the night on the forest floor.
Even though she was naked, hugging her knees to her chest, she didn't actually feel in any sort of danger, actually. She felt warm, safe.
Yasha looked around again, and then felt uneasy.
There was a pair of gleaming purple eyes staring at her intently from the shadows of the trees. She gasped, and became very tense. The being those eyes belonged to must have noticed her reaction, because they ran forward.
Well, Yasha had never screamed so loudly.
Bounding out of the shadows, came the largest weasel she had ever seen.
It was the size of a small stallion, had thick black fur covering all it's slender, stream line body. Except for it's paws and chest, where it was white. It had a long body, and gracefully elongated neck, common to all weasel. As was the long thin tail. It had a short snout, with a black button nose, and weasel face.
Gleaming, dark purple eyes blinked at her, and it ungracefully skidded to a stop right in front of her. It looked like it was about to tip over, but it got its balance. Yasha screamed even LOUDER, jumped to her feet, and tried to bolt for safety, when it got up on it's hind legs, and threw it's arms around her.
"Gomennasai Youma-Dono!" Yasha blanched.
Not only did it speak, but it spoke with the voice of a small girl. "Forgive me, Youma-Dono! I didn't mean to insult you with my presence, but you just smell so good! And are so warm, and pretty, and, and, and, and forgive me! Youma-Dono!" Yasha started to hyperventilate when it stood at its full height on its hind legs, and her feet didn't touch the floor.
"Saijobo! Put her Ladyship down, now!" an older female voice snapped through the shadows. Dear God, let that be its mother!
"Okaasan!" It wined, and Yasha gulped. She suddenly felt like a rag doll in the hands of a naughty child…
"Saijobo! Okaasan said to let her ladyship down, now!" Yasha squeaked with fear, as a carbon copy of the first monster weasel stepped out of the shadows, but was the size of a small dog, and had brown fur where the first had black. But the eyes were the same, terrifying and dark purple.
"Imoutosan!" It pouted, and slowly lowered her to her feet.
"Now let go Saijobo." The motherly voice barked.
"Hai, Okaasan." It brought its strong fury arms back, and Yasha trembled there. "Are you cold Youma-Dono?" It made the moves to hold her again, so she bolted towards a tree, hid behind it, and watched them, terrified and confused.
Since when did weasels come in such a colour, at such a large size, with the ability to actually talk?!?!? "Youma-Dono?"
"W Where are my c clothes?!?" Yasha squeaked, trembling more than ever. Especially when the weasel known as Saijobo lowered to all fours and started walking towards her.
"They were all torn and dirty. So we got rid of them for you. Besides, you don't need clothes in your true form, Youma-Dono. Why don't you transform back now, Youma-Dono? I'd be honoured to see your true form!"
"T true form?"
"Answer me this, Youma. How did you get to Wa?"
"Submit to my power, Youma. Combine yin and yang! Resist no longer!"
"Who…what are you?"
Why…do I keep hearing that word? Youma. This creature says it too. It calls me Youma-Dono. What does it mean?
"Don't be deluded, child!" The mother voice, as she called it, spoke out from the shadows once more, scolding her child. At least she was sure it was a she now. "To be in the presence of such a mighty Youma in her true form is an honour the likes of us mere Itachi will never experience. Don't delude yourself to think otherwise."
"Hai…" the large creature bowed her head sadly and let her long slender ears droop by each side of her narrow head.
"I…Oh!" Yasha caught herself, and hid further behind the tree. "W What is a Youma…?"
"We are, of course! Youma-Dono!" Saijobo chuckled, and scampered towards her. She cowered behind the tree, and 'Saijobo' stopped. "My name is Saijobo, an Itachi Youma. You are a Youma too, a powerful one."
"Powerful…?" She peered her head round the tree to look at her.
Now that she really looked at her, other than her size, she wasn't really that scary. She liked black, and wore it all the time at home. So wasn't it just like having black fur? And purple is the same colour as pretty flowers. Purple didn't scare her. And elephants are big, but not scary. And her voice was like that of a young girl. How could she have ever found such a creature frightening? Especially with her clumsy movements and childish ambiance.
"Hai! Very powerful! The most powerful Youma I've ever smelt! And we came from the Ranka of the Yaboko tree in the yellow sea! We migrated here after my little sister was born, Sojobo."
"You left your home?"
"All Youman leave their birth grounds some day. If we didn't, there would be too many of us in one place, and we would become over populated, Youma-Dono." Saijobo giggled, and trotted up to the other side of the tree. She stood on her Hind feet again, and held the tree with her forepaws, mirroring the way Yasha held onto the tree bark with her hands. Her big, gleaming purple eyes shone down at her, and she thought she saw her smile…with fangs. "Is something wrong, Youma-Dono? Have you migrated and lost your pack?"
"…I am lost." She then gulped. "How do you know I'm a Youma?"
"Easy! I can smell you! Youma-Dono." Saijobo giggled, and curved her neck around the tree, to smile down at her. "I can smell you are a Youma. I'm quite a skilled Itachi, really!"
"Humph." Sojobo turned her head away, and Yasha giggled as Saijobo pouted back at her sister.
"Imoutosan! Don't doubt your older sister like that…"
"Erm…" Yasha gulped, and peered round the tree, up at her dark furred acquaintance. "So…we are all Youman."
"Hai, Youma-Dono."
"Then, I truly am lost." I've never heard or even studied a place that has such creatures…but then again…
"Oni-chan!"
"Go back to where you came from!"
"Look at her hair! Her eyes! She must be a demon!"
"We are all Youman, Youma-Dono!"
"I can smell you are a Youma. I'm wuite a skilled Itachi, really!"
"Answer me this, Youma. How did you get to Wa?"
"Submit to my power, Youma. Combine yin and yang! Resist no longer!"
"Who…what are you?"
…but then again…I never did feel like I belonged in Japan…and everyone keeps telling me I'm a monster…
Yasha looked up at the tall Weasel Youma, known as one of the Itachi species, and nodded.
Yes, she must be one of them.
Why else would she have been treated so badly up until now, if she was not like everyone else?
"I am Youman. My name is Yasha Tengu…was…"
"Youma-Dono. That isn't a very Youma name."
"Then…what is?"
"Nani?!?! You want me to name you?!?!"
"Hai. I…would." I don't know what are and are not Youma names…
"…Hmm…" Saijobo thought. "I know! Tsaijoka! Tsaijoka Youma-Dono! Do you like it…?" She seemed so bashful, but Yasha…no…Tsaijoka smiled for the first time in her life, with feeling behind it.
"I am Tsaijoka. A Youma. Home." even saying it, felt so good, it brought tears to her crimson eyes. "I am truly home!" She ran at Saijobo, who embraced her, and sobbed happily. "I'm home…" She then blushed. "Could I get some clothes?"
"Clothes…right."
"And where are we?"
"You really are lost, aren't you Youma-Dono?!" Saijobo nodded, and fell to all fours. "Were are your pack? Your parents?"
"I…don't know. I never…had parents. You could say I've been lost all my life."
"What?!?! Then it's decided! Okaasan!" Saijobo called out to the shadows. "The great Yadōkai must have destined me to accompany fair Youma-Dono back to her family! I will escort the great Youma-Dono back to the Yellow sea to her Yaboko tree where her Ranka ripened, to track down her pack! Don't try to stop me Okaasan! It is my destiny!" Before she knew it, Yasha-I mean Tsaijoka found herself swept up onto the soft furry back of her new companion Saijobo, still naked you understand, and brought into the middle of the nest clearing.
"I wouldn't dream of stopping you, child." The mother voice said tenderly from the shadows. "We Itachi are honoured enough to have one of our own serve such a mighty Youma as yourself, Tsaijoka-Dono. Even if it is you Saijobo…"
"Okaasan?!?!"
"Take care my child, protect the Youma-Dono with your life, and try to mature on the way." The mother voice chuckled, and the younger Itachi called Sojobo returned to the shadows with its mother.
"Hai! I will! Tsaijoka, Youma-Dono." Tsaijoka looked down at her with bewilderment. "I pledge my eternal loyalty and allegiance to you, and will obey only you. My life is yours, and your life is more valuable to me than my own."
"S…Saijobo!"
"Call me Sai, Youma-Dono."
"Then…" she had to think for a moment. "Tsai. Call me Tsai."
"Hai." She then prepared herself. "Hold on my Lady."
"N, nani?" Saijobo bolted forward with such a speed, her supple dark fur body whipped and curved round all the trees like living lighting. Tsaijoka had to hold on with all her might to Saijobo's fur, as to not fall off.
But for all the time they travelled, Tsaijoka smiled.
This was the first time she could say someone cared for her. The first time she had a friend. The first time she felt…happy.