Normal POV
Before they could go, Miyako pulled a strange jacket, it was a cream color and had wide sleeves, made of thick cotton.
"This should keep you wrong while we explore." Miyako laughed as Pip sat on her head. She standup out of the room and put her getas on. Blossom removed her socks and put her slippers back on and Miyako stand right by her side.
"The Palace of the Heavens, that's what some of the people call it. It's also called the Spirit Palace, Our Lord likes us- I mean the spirits and magical beings here. So...I hope you won't be too surprise."Miyako explained as they walked down the hall and down the stairs, "And please do well to hide it as well, Some of the spirits here are quite sensitive and that could cause trouble if you anger them."
They continued to walk down the hallway.
"He had it built about 20 years ago. It took a year and over a thousand men, but the men were more than grateful. Our Lord had spent five years trying overthrowing the corrupted upperclassmen...the Daimyo Suburau and even the shogun Ikeato. The battles were intense." Blossom passed the large Samurai armors who stood there still holding their spears. Miayko opened a sliding door.
"Really?" She asked, impressed.
"Yes, Daimyos are like your nobles and the Shogun is almost like...a King. This land was horrible, even the spirits were restless and violent because of the Blood shed. Our Emperor Lord is quite a legend. People say that he begged the goddess Amaterasu to aid him in these battles and she aided him, but I don't know. That's just what people say." She pushed a sliding door to reveal a large wooden room that had a long low table on both sides and one at the top, "This is the banquet room. When he has a party, this is where he sits and entertains as well. On the other side, is the private dining room. It's where you shall dine tonight but only if you want. We could eat in your room tonight...if you want to avoid Lady Hime."
"Not like that, I'm talking about the...impressive things. When I get back home, I want to tell Kasey all about it." Blossom smiled.
"Oh...but these are important...such as the bathroom. Oh...there is a bathroom upstairs but also one downstairs as well. My Lord was very clever. Did you know, back in the time of the Shogun, people went to the bathroom anywhere...and even worse...some people would use their...ah...stuff as fertilizer...because I didn't know until Hirono-chan told me. When my Lord came into power, he banned that because it was so...gross. He saw that our land has lots of rivers, so each bathroom would have makeshift river going through it and washes it away down river. Diseases disappeared almost overnight."
"That is clever...speaking of which..how do I use it anyways?" Blossom whispered blushing. Miyako whispered back in her ear and Blossom face palm herself on the forehead, "Oh...that makes sense, it is just like at home."
"Yes...of course. At night, you must use a chamber pot. It's not always safe...of course we do have these little guys here." Miyako laughed as a lantern giggled and floated down, "You will have one that follows you everywhere in the palace."
"Is it really that dangerous at night?" Blossom asked, worried.
"Not all the time, I mean some do wander in here...if there's lots of guests here, Yokai normally stay away...but some are attracted to that too. As long as the charms are ok, then you'll be too."
"Like what?"
"Oh...I don't want to scare you...besides, hardly anyone's been killed by them." Miyako walked on, Blossom stopped and looked down a dark hallway, with one lone door.
"What's down there?" She asked.
"Hmmmm...I don't really know, but it's forbidden. No one but My Lord is allowed in there...and Him. It's probably his private private quarters."
"Oh..."Blossom was curious but she just shrugged her shoulders and continued to follow Miayko, who showed her the mask room, the library, the music room and the Kitchen.
"Huh...Hiro-chan wasn't in the Music room and Chi-chan isn't in the kitchen. I wanted to introduce to them, but I guess later. I saved one of the best for last." Miyako happily laughed and scurried ahead, "Now...hmmmm...oh...I know...our lovely gardens. You've already seen the enchanted roses...So-"
"How do you know that?" Blossom asked.
Miayko froze...but then she quickly turned around with a strained smile, "Well they're at the entrance, who doesn't see them? Well, thanks to our Earth Fairy, they stay in bloom all year around. You must meet Kao-chan, she's so strong and powerful too, plus she has the loveliest pair of wings. She doesn't like strangers, it took her forever to open it...I believe her family came from Asheia...I think...like you right? What is Asheia like?"
Blossom sighed looking up at the wooden ceiling, "Well I can't speak for all of Asheia, but in my little village of Brimstone, life is dark, dirty and hard. I'm sure that's here too, people struggling to survive, but I can't complain. I think I have a pretty good life, I've never really thought about it. I was always so busy, from sun up to sun down, I was running since Mama died; but I have a Papa who loves me and my little sister, she bugs me half to death and I think I spoil her but I love her all the same. I even have this cute Cow name Bessie. Our forest trees would stretch out as high as the sky and Papa would come in from work, smelling like the sweet pine, and it would fill the house." Blossom snapped out of her thoughts as they arrived outside.
She looked around in awe, the gardens were wide and spacious, there were white stones on the ground. There were some trees were barren with hardly any leaves while others had the bright glow of autumn. There was a small building to the side that draw her in. It had weird stone foxes on both sides with blue clothes and a bell around ithe necks. Underneath the building was an offering of dangos on a plate and incense that burned in a golden dish.
Miyako sighed in delight and explained, "This is the Kitsune Shrine. It looks like they cleaned it."
"Kitsune?"
"Fox Spirits, it was here before this castle was built. The villages would come up and pray to the shrine and offered food for Good fortune or protection, sometimes even wealth...sometimes even love."
"Fox spirits huh?"
"Yes...this is a Good Fox Spirit shrine. Fox Spirits are very strong and great protectors, the bad spirits normally stay away from this palace or at least the shrine."
"So there are bad ones?"
"Of course...they cause misfortune, natural disasters and play mean nasty tricks on people...but this is a good fox spirit, so you don't have to worry about it. They saw if you see one, it means good fortune is coming your way."
"I think I did see one, it was yellow with two tails and was just so cute."
Miayko giggled with a blush, "You think its cute? Well then, good fortune will definitely come your way."
"That would be wonderful, especially if it's love." Blossom nodded and pulled out a pendant, "This is another reason why I want to go home. A boy gave it to me, he said he was coming back for it...and to see me. He even gave me a note, saying that he couldn't see me when he wanted to."
"Oh how romantic and expensive. He must really like you. What's his name?"
"Brick...he's my soulmate."
"How do you know?"
"Well, Mama told me...she said that when you see a twinkle in their eyes and they're looking into yours, it's a sign of true love."
Miayko had to think for a minute, "That sounds like one of our legends ya know...where was your Okaa-san from?"
Blossom scratched her head as she was in deep thought, "Ya know, I don't think Mama ever told me."
"I just hope 'he' doesn't show up to mess up the shrine." Miyako seemed very distracted.
"Who?"
"Oh Just one of the Emperor Lord's nephews. He's so mean and awful. I swear he could be a bad Kitsune. Last time he came here, he put snakes in my futon. He ate the offerings to m-The Shrine and worse of all, he put me in a cage and threw me in the male side of the bath house. He comes me Furface," Miayko blushed brightly, "I don't like him one bit!"
"Whoa...ya know, I think if a boy is bothering you like that, that might mean he likes you."
Miyako gasped and gagged.
"What's all this noise? Who's there!" A deep raspy voice shouted, "Damn Badgers! Messing with my garden!"
"Oh...its Kaoru-chan, I would introduce you but she's a little cranky in the mornings. So we better leave...I can show you more later." Miayko pushed her along until they stopped by another building. This one was larger and seem to be a section part of the house, "Ah...one of the best parts, the royal Bathhouse. Our Lord was very intelligent with this. This mountain has a hot springs on both sides of this mountain. This is the Ladies and the Men are in the other side. It's locked from the outside and has a charm...because of-"
"Oh...where do these steps go to?" Blossom saw these long stone steps and went down them, holding onto the wooden rails.
"Wait, Bloss-chan, you mustn't." Miyako went down after her, trying to hurry but she slipped and held the rail for balance until she could get her footing back
Blossom made it to the bottom and walked across a red wooden bridge, she giggled as she followed the river, gasping in delight she held her hands together at the sight. The large river seem to wrap around the mountain. It was clear as the blue sky that was over her, it was far more beautiful up close.
"This is wonderful Miyako come see." Blossom ran down some other steps and down to the riverbank.
"Wait, please Bloss-chan, don't get too close to the river." Miyako pleaded as she was at the bottom of the first flight of stairs and just made it across the bridge. She gasped in horror as she saw a dark figure swimming towards Blossom, who was touching the water, "KAORU-CHAN HELP!" She screamed as she ran across the bridge, she narrowly slipped on the wooden bridge.
"Miyako calm down...its just water." Blossom said, she looked back at the river and took a sip of water with a cupped hand.
"KAORU-CHAN! BUTTERCUP! HELP!" Miayko was so close, "HIRONO-CHAN!"
"Ok, Miyako, I'm coming-" Blossom was about to stand back up, when something grabbed her arm and pulled it into the water, "Wha?" She tried to pull her arm back out and saw a green webbed hand grasping her tightly and a pair of yellow eyes glaring at her from under neath the water. Blossom practically turned pale, but she struggled harder and even hit it with her other hand.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Myako cried, she held her hands up, blue colored fire balls came out and she threw them at the creature, there was a light sizzled but it didn't let her go and it started to pull her down into the water. Miyako grabbed Blossom around the waist and started to pull back.
She was pulling her back and Blossom was kicking the hand, a creature poked its head out of the water.
"So Pretty...nice scent...nice female scent."
Blossom screamed louder as she saw a monster coming out of the water. It was a slimy green color, it looked like a long turtle with a beak like a bird and a bald spot on top of its head with a pool of water still in its head. It licked its beak and had a strange look in its eyes.
"Must have...must have..."Its raspy voice repeated. She started kicking it in the face and Miyako shot fire at its hand. It howled in pain and went back into the water.
Miyako and Blossom were breathless as they crawled away from the edge as fast as they could.
"What was that?" Blossom cried as they made it to the stairs.
"That was a kappa...normally, they're harmless...tricksters and stuff...but that one must really like you."
"Like me?"
"Yeah, they have a bad drowning people and..to...*blush* force themselves on women."
It slowly came to Blossom's face the pure horror, "Well, lets get-" She placed her hand on her chest, "Oh no, my pendant." She gasped as she saw it just inches away from the riverbank.
"I'll get it-"Miayko was interrupted as the Kappa burst out of the water, the pendant was around its arm.
"Pretty...pretty...lady..."
Blossom and Miyako screamed louder as the Kappa came dashing at them that's when a row of vines came bursting out of the ground, blocking its path. Miyako cried out in joy until it sliced through the vines, grabbed her and threw her to the side, going for Blossom.
Blossom screamed trying to run up the stairs but it pulled her again. She struggled as it grabbed her wrist and was on top of her. She grabbed a nearby rock and smacked it in the face. She kicked it off of her and ran to Miyako, who was dizzy, and tried to pull her up the steps when the Kappa gave a horrible snarl and lunged at them...