Previously:

Later that evening, as she was lying in bed with her husband, Katsumi said, "… Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?" he said with his eyes closed.

"Well, I've learned my lesson, but…" she said, drawing a circle on his chest with her finger.

Sesshoumaru looked at her.

"I might need reminding once in a while… maybe," Katsumi said a little coyly, blushing.

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru said, smirking slightly as he caressed her cheek. "I think that can be arranged."

The Faerie Olympics

[[Lughnasadh?]] Katsumi asked. She was talking a break during training in the Faerie World with her cousins, Fearghal and Tadhg, and they had started going on about an upcoming faerie holiday.

[[That's right. It's a festival marking the beginning of the harvest season,]] Tadhg said.

[[It was started by High King Lugh, in honor of his foster mother, Tailtiu. We have a feast of the first fruits to be harvested, light massive bonfires, and play funeral games in her honor. We used to go to the mortal world to celebrate in Tailtin, which was named after Tailtiu after Lugh made her tomb there,]] Fearghal said.

[[It's great! The games include: long jump, high jump, running, hurling, spear throwing, boxing, sword-fighting, archery, wrestling, swimming, chariot and horse racing. They also include competitions in strategy, singing, dancing, magic, and storytelling, along with crafts competitions for goldsmiths, jewelers, weavers, and armourers,]] Tadhg said.

[[Oh, so it's kind of like the faerie version of the Olympic Games?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Yes, only we wear clothes, and women are welcome, too,]] Fearghal said.

[[In the future, the Olympic Games have been revived as a competition between different countries, and they also require clothing and welcome women to compete,]] Katsumi said.

[[No kidding? I'll be looking forward to that,]] Tadhg said.

[[Yes, it's fun to watch humans strive to surpass their limits with their fragile bodies. That takes guts,]] Fearghal said.

[[But it still can't compare to our celebration. You should bring your husband when you come. He might enjoy it,]] Tadhg said.

[[When I come? I haven't decided that yet. I've only just heard about it,]] Katsumi said, smiling wryly.

[[What are you saying? Didn't we tell you we signed you up for the chess tournament?]] Fearghal said.

[[No, you did not,]] Katsumi said.

[[Oh, well, now you know,]] Tadhg said.

Katsumi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, annoyed.

[[You really need to quit volunteering me for things without consulting me first,]] she said. [[I guess you'll just have to explain your mistake to the people in charge, because I'm not—]]

[[You can't drop out!]] Tadhg said.

[[We need you to put that obnoxious Diarmaid in his place!]] Fearghal said.

[[He thinks he's so smart. It's completely unbearable,]] Tadhg said.

[[Teach him a little humility for us,]] Fearghal said. [[Besides, it's too late for you to drop out. Lunghnasadh starts in four days. Unless you've been seriously maimed or killed, dropping out before you can compete will cost you five cows and a pig.]]

[[Five cows and a pig?]] Katsumi said, sweat-dropping.

[[That's right. Didn't you say meat was more expensive and harder to come by in Japan? And Grandpa won't bail you out because he wants to see you play, too,]] Tadhg said, smirking.

[[You two...]] Katsumi growled with a vein throbbing on her head. They totally set her up. [[Gah! All right, fine! Damn you...]]

[[Yes! We knew we could count on you!]] her cousins said, grinning at her.

—∞—

"And so, I'll be going back to the Faerie World again in four days. They said I should expect the games to last about three days," Katsumi finished explaining to Sesshoumaru once she had returned to Japan, using her scrying mirror.

"What is this 'chess'?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"It's a strategy game. It's like Shogi, only once a piece is captured, it's taken out of play, and it can't be used again," Katsumi said.

"Sounds like a much easier game to me," Jaken huffed.

"Then why don't you come, too, Jaken? And see for yourself," Katsumi said, smiling with a vein throbbing on her head.

"Go all the way to another dimension just to watch you play one foolish game? What a waste of time," Jaken said dismissively.

"It's not just one game. The person my cousins want me to beat is the reigning champion, so I'll have to defeat a number of other opponents before I can get to him," Katsumi said.

"Hmph. So you'll probably be shot down in the first round," Jaken said.

"My cousins wouldn't have entered me if they didn't think I had a shot at winning," Katsumi said, frowning in annoyance.

"I see. Then I'll come, too," Sesshoumaru said.

"Eh?" Katsumi and Jaken said, surprised.

"I want to see my wife's victory in person," Sesshoumaru said.

"Right, I'll do my best!" Katsumi said with a grin, clenching her fist, determined to win.

—∞—

Four days later, Fearghal and Tadhg came to fetch Katsumi, Sesshoumaru, and Jaken and brought them directly to the site where the games were being held in the Faerie World. It was a barren wasteland that had been covered with tents and temporary buildings for the event. Fields for the various outdoor sports had been set up as well with stands for the spectators. It was very colorful and noisy with the sounds of lots of people having a good time. Fearghal and Tadhg paid the fees at the entrance, and they stepped into the grounds for the Tailteann Games, which were occupied by crowds and crowds of faeries of varying species. There were mostly aes sídhe, the type of faeries Katsumi was related to and was most familiar with seeing in the flesh, but there were also small clusters of the more diminutive leprechauns (who were mostly wearing red rather than green), green-haired merrows, headless dullahans (carrying their heads under their arms), and other beings and creatures that Katsumi couldn't quite place by sight alone. Some of these other beings were wearing the latest human fashions and were clearly from other parts of the world based on the way they dressed.

[[Is this an international festival?]] Katsumi asked her cousins.

[[No, but lately it's been gaining popularity outside our territory, and we won't turn away anyone who comes to us in friendship,]] Tadhg said.

[[Come on, Granda's this way. He'll want to see you,]] Fearghal said as he and Tadhg led them through the crowds. Their group attracted a few stares, but no one bothered them until a tall faerie with a large belly moved to stand in their way. He had a chubby face and black piggy-like eyes with wavy light brown hair and a matching beard.

[[Well, look who it is,]] the man said, looking Katsumi up and down. [[So you're the High King's youngest grandchild.]] He turned his attention to her cousins. [[I can't believe you two are so desperate that you'd enter someone who's part dog into a competition for a game of intelligence.]]

Veins throbbed on Katsumi and Jaken's heads. That was an insult to everyone present who had inu youkai blood in them. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes dangerously at the fat faerie, but he didn't seem to notice.

[[Watch it, Diarmaid!]] Fearghal and Tadhg warned him angrily.

[[Should someone who's part pig be making such a comment?]] Katsumi asked with brilliant shit-eating grin.

[[Who said I was part pig?]] Diarmaid said, looking at her as if she were an idiot.

[[My apologies, I was going by your appearance,]] Katsumi said brightly without letting her smile falter.

[[Pfft!]] Tadhg said while he and Fearghal shook with laughter.

[[Haha! It's true. You look like a wild boar,]] Fearghal snickered.

[[A fat one!]] Tadhg added, slapping his thigh as he continued to laugh.

[[It's not that funny!]] Diarmaid snapped angrily with multiple veins throbbing on his head. [[That's it! I'm going to crush you, little girl! You'd better hope you lose before you get to me, because I'll humiliate you so badly you'll never be able to show your face here again!]]

[[Right back at you,]] Katsumi said, determined to win.

[[Hmph. We'll see how long you can keep your head up after I'm through with you!]] Diarmaid said, stomping off.

"You'd better not bring shame to Sesshoumaru-sama by losing!" Jaken told Katsumi.

[[Relax, little green one. Have a beer!]] Tadhg said, as he turned to a beverage vendor they were standing next to. [[How about you?]] he asked Sesshoumaru.

"Beer is an alcoholic drink made from yeast-fermented malt flavored with hops," Katsumi explained.

"Sounds disgusting," Jaken said, turning his nose up.

[[It's one of the oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic drinks in the world, and third most popular after water and tea,]] Katsumi said.

[[Of course, if you think you can't handle it, that's a different matter altogether,]] Tadhg added slyly to Jaken.

"Hmph! Of course I can handle it!" Jaken said. "Give it here, and I'll show you!"

"Get him a child's size," Katsumi said.

"Don't insult me!" Jaken snapped at her.

"I'm thinking of your body mass. You don't want to overdo it," Katsumi said.

"Child size?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yes, it seems that at this time in Europe, children were given 'small beer' to drink," Katsumi said. "It's comparatively weak to the stuff they serve to the adults, and it's basically a sort of barley soup that's actually quite nourishing."

[[Well, the water in most human settlements can't be trusted unless it's boiled, after all,]] Tadhg said.

[[So boil the water, like I've repeatedly said,]] Katsumi said. [[Alcohol is bad for children.]]

[[Maybe human children, but faerie children are made of sterner stuff,]] Fearghal said.

"Well, I won't be treated like a child! Give me your best," Jaken told Tadhg.

[[That's the spirit! Lager or ale?]] Tadhg asked.

"Uh..." Jaken said, sweat-dropping.

"I prefer the ale myself," Katsumi said. Despite her many attempts to protest that she was underaged where she came from, she had not been able to escape being forced to drink out of politeness.

"Then I'll take the lager," Jaken said.

"What is the difference?" Sesshoumaru asked Katsumi.

"Ales tend to be darker, have a higher alcohol content, and stronger, fruitier, more robust flavor with stronger bitter tones from the hops," Katsumi explained.

[[We also have mead and wine if you'd prefer something sweeter,]] Tadhg said, [[But we'll have to go to another vendor.]]

[[There's also brandy and whiskey,]] Tadhg added.

[[I think I'll just have some barely tea or clarea of water,]] Katsumi said. [[I want a clear head.]]

[[There's rose soda, lavendar drink, and milk, too,]] Fearghal said. [[But, again, we'll have to go to another vendor.]]

"What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" Katsumi asked.

"Is there no other tea?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Not as we're used to it, I'm afraid," Katsumi said. "I don't think tea will be introduced to Europe for another century."

"I'll try the ale, then," Sesshoumaru said.

[[Right. Three ales, one lager, and a barley tea, my good man!]] Tadhg said, to the man behind the counter, ordering for everyone.

They were handed three very large mugs of beer and a normal cup of barely tea. Jaken's drink was almost as tall as he was, and it was sloshing around as he moved, threatening to spill on him. In fact, some of it did spill on him.

"See? The child size would've been better," Katsumi said as he struggled to walk with it.

They moved on and passed food vendors selling soda breads and fruit cakes, curds and whey, cheese, porridge, vegetable stews, fresh berries, apples, seaweed salads and side dishes, black pudding, white pudding, smoked salmon, boiled bacon and cabbage, shellfish, and venison.

"Why is there so much dairy?" Jaken asked as they passed three vendors who sold nothing but milk products.

"Westerners are less likely to be lactose intolerant, and they have lots of cows here," Katsumi said. "In Japan, for alternative sources of protein, soy can be used, but here they do that with cheese. It's a product of tradition and accessibility."

[[Ah, there's my girl!]] a familiar voice exclaimed.

Katsumi turned just as Gean Cánach pulled her into a bear hug.

[[That's my cute granddaughter!]] the ancient faerie said affectionately.

[[Hi, grandpa… Um, I can't really breathe...]] Katsumi said, smiling wryly as she sweat-dropped.

[[I have to open the Games in a moment, but then we have time to watch the hurling match together before you have to begin the chess tournament,]] Gean said with a broad smile, releasing her.

[[There's only one hurling match?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Some of the sports narrow down the number of competing teams before the Games to save time,]] Gean said. [[You take care of them and lead them to my box in the stands after the opening ceremony,]] he told his grandsons.

[[Right, Granda!]] Fearghal and Tadhg said obediently.

[[See you in a bit,]] Gean said as he unfurled his wings and flew toward the tall mound at the center of all the attractions.

[[This way,]] Fearghal said, taking the lead again. [[The Games start after the High King says a few words and the ceremonial bonfire is lit.]]

Their group made their way to the base of the mound and watched with the rest of the gathered crowd as Gean Cánach, standing in front of the wood for the massive bonfire, sent up a faerie shot like a flare to make sure he had everyone's attention.

[[We gather here today for the Óneach Tailten in memory of the honorable Tailtiu, as established by High King Lugh. May toady's competitors find glory and fame, win with honor, and lose without shame. My seven blessings on you!]] Gean Cánach said strongly. He walked over to an attendant who was waiting with a bow and a flaming arrow. Gean took the weapon and fired the flaming arrow into the bonfire, setting alight. It flared up into a magnificent blaze, and everyone roared with cheers. [[Let the Games begin!]]

Katsumi, Sesshoumaru, and Jaken were taken to Gean's box in the stands by Fearghal and Tadhg and were reunited with some familiar faces. Ardghal, Cairbre, Bláthnat, Fintan, Aoife, and Clíodhna were there as well. Clíodhna, who was now sporting some clunky silver cuff bracelets, gave Katsumi and Sesshoumaru a venomous glare, but the others looked pleased to see them and greeted them warmly.

[[Don't mind Lady Clíodhna,]] Fintan said. [[She's just in a bad mood because she's being made to wear those magic cuffs that seal her ability to enthrall for a hundred years as punishment.]]

[[It's none of their business!]] Clíodhna huffed, giving him a death glare.

[[Well, seeing as you're being punished for trying to steal Lady Katsumi's husband, I'd say it is,]] Aoife said.

There were a number of other important faeries there, too, and Ardghal introduced Katsumi and Sesshoumaru to them. They were all polite and seemed elegant and sophisticated, until the hurling match started. As soon as Gean joined them, a voice echoed across the stadium with the announcement that the game would be begin. The two opposing teams entered the field carrying sticks, and play ensued. Right away there were roars from the crowd as the ball was passed by one of the teams into a netted goal, and their box was no exception. Ardghal, Gean, and Aoife cheered loudly, while Cairbre, Bláthnat, and Fintan groaned loudly.

"What is going on?" Jaken asked, frowning in disapproval of the lack of decorum.

"I get that a goal was just scored, but..." Katsumi said.

[[Oh, you don't know the rules of hurling?]] Fearghal said. [[It's simple. The objective of the game is for players to use an ash wood stick to hit a small ball called a sliotar between the opponents' goalposts either over the crossbar for one point, or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for three points. The sliotar can be caught in the hand and carried for not more than four steps, struck in the air, or struck on the ground with the stick. It can be kicked or slapped with an open hand (the hand pass) for short-rang passing. A player who wants to carry the ball for more than four steps has to bounce or balance the sliotar on the end of the stick, and the ball can only be handled twice while in the player's possession. Provided that a player has at least one foot on the ground, a player may make a shoulder-to-shoulder charge on an opponent who is in possession of the ball or is playing the ball when both players are moving in the direction of the ball to play it.]]

There was a roar of outrage, and many of the spectators were on their feet, shouting, including Aoife.

[[What are you, blind!?]] the graceful lady shouted furiously at the referee, shaking her fist.

[[Heh. That chest of gold you bet me is as good as mine,]] Fintan told her with a grin.

[[Not if that no-good referee pulls his head out of his ass!]] Aoife snapped.

[[What just happened?]] Katsumi asked.

[[It's an aggressive foul to pull down an opponent,]] Tadhg said, watching on the edge of his seat.

Several more fouls were committed before the referee finally did something after a player was blatantly punched directly in the face.

[[Finally!]] Aoife said when the referee waved a card and a penalty was given.

Soon even Katsumi and Jaken were shouting and cheering along with the others as they got more into the game. It was a rough match, but eventually the winners managed to pull through without committing more than three fouls themselves. The stadium was filled with cheers from the winning side and cries of dismay from the losers. Fintan was incredibly depressed by the outcome, holding his head in his hands.

"What's with him?" Jaken asked. "Did he lose that much gold?"

[[No, he just lost his favorite cow,]] Aoife said, smirking victoriously. [[She's pure white and makes cream so sweet that the taster will weep with joy.]]

'Oh, right. Faeries have a weakness for cream,' Katsumi thought.

[[It's your turn now,]] Fearghal said, putting his arm around his little cousin.

[[Ready to win?]] Tadhg asked with a grin, placing a hand on her head.

[[Just me put in front of whoever I have to beat,]] Katsumi said, determined to make that pig-like faerie eat his words.

[[Good girl!]] her cousins cheered, and they brought her, Sesshoumaru, and Jaken to the massive tent where the chess tournament was taking place. There seemed to be hundreds of people competing. Fearghal and Tadhg helped her get started, and then they rejoined Sesshoumaru and Jaken.

[[Well, it's going to take a while, so why don't we go check out some of the other events?]] Tadhg suggested to Sesshoumaru.

[[Yeah, the final match is set for one o'clock, so we have time to catch at least two or three other events,]] Fearghal said.

"You're not going to stay and watch Katsumi?" Sesshoumaru asked.

[[You aren't allowed to make a sound if you stay to watch, so it isn't a very popular event for spectators,]] Fearghal said.

"I can imagine, since you faeries seem to enjoy being loud," Jaken said.

[[You were quite loud yourself at the last event,]] Tadhg reminded him. [[Don't worry, Katsumi's fine with it,]] he told Sesshoumaru. [[There's no point watching her against these small fry opponents in the early rounds.]]

Sesshoumaru glanced at Katsumi, where she was seated at a small table with her first opponent. Her opponent suddenly stood up and flipped the board over, looking extremely frustrated. One of the faeries supervising the chess games came over and moved her on to her next opponent.

[[See?]] Fearghal said. [[She's going to burn through them like straw.]]

So Sesshoumaru went with Katsumi's cousins, and they saw the archery and chariot racing. They witnessed some impressive feats at each event. Sesshoumaru also noticed there was a large amount of gambling going on. Fearghal and Tadhg themselves won a large amount of gold betting on the outcome of the chariot races.

[[Let's buy Katsumi something nice when she wins,]] Fearghal said to his brother as they were counting their gold.

[[She'll probably want a souvenir for Rin,]] Tadhg said.

[[She's never had suckets before, has she?]] Fearghal said. [[Ah, but Katsumi said before that she didn't want to give her anything that could rot her teeth.]]

[[That leaves out any candy, huh,]] Tadhg said. [[She can get dolls, spinning tops, and balls in Japan…]]

[[How about a box of ribbons?]] Tadhg said. [[Or lace? Girls like lace. It's becoming very fashionable.]]

[[That's true. They had some nice examples of cutwork lace on display at one of the craft tents,]] Fearghal said. [[A lace handkerchief should be good. It's pretty and useful.]]

'Why do these two know so much about women's fashion?' Jaken wondered.

The four of them went to the tent with lace and browsed the selection they had for sale.

"So this is 'lace'..." Jaken said, taking a close look at a one of the tablecloths that was on display. "It's got a bunch of holes in it."

[[It's part of the design,]] Tadhg said. [[Let's get Rin something that will be easy to care for…]]

"..." Sesshoumaru was looking at the two handkerchiefs he was holding. One had a simple butterfly pattern that he thought would suit Rin and the other had a floral pattern that wasn't too ostentatious that seemed like something Katsumi would like.

[[Oh, you have good taste,]] Fearghal said, noticing what he was holding. [[Katsumi would probably like that floral one.]]

[[We'll take these two,]] Tadhg told the lacemaker, paying her.

"It seems premature to be buying her something before she's won," Jaken said. "What are you going to do if she loses?"

[[Hey, little imp, do you want Katsumi to lose?]] Fearghal asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at Jaken as he stooped to his level.

"Of course not! If she brings shame to Sesshoumaru-sama, I won't forgive her!" Jaken said, shaking his staff.

[[We'll find out one way or the other in a few minutes,]] Tadhg said. [[It's time for the final match.]]

They returned to the tent where the chess tournament was being held and found that all of the other tables had been cleared away so that Katsumi and Diarmaid sat facing each other over the game they had already begun while a large crowd of people watched, forming a circle around them. Unfortunately, no one wanted to move aside when Fearghal and Tadhg tried to push their way to the front, so Sesshoumaru released a sharp wave of killing intent that parted the other spectators like the Red Sea.

[[You're a handy fellow to have around,]] Ferghal said as they walked to the front to watch Katsumi.

Katsumi and Diarmaid were calmly moving pieces across the board. Sesshoumaru didn't know the rules, but it seemed by the number of pieces Diarmaid continued to confiscate from her that she was in trouble. Even so, her expression gave nothing away, while Diarmaid seemed to be silently gloating, smirking every time he took a piece.

'That damn brat! She's disgracing Sesshoumaru-sama!' Jaken thought angrily.

Then Katsumi placed a black piece shaped like a horse's head near a tall white piece and said, [[Checkmate.]]

Diarmaid laughed as if she had said something impossible then looked at the board again. His eyes widened in shock. Because of the placement of her surviving pieces, there was no legal move he could make to escape check. She had let him think he was winning and then stopped him one move short from putting her own king in check. Diarmaid had turned pale, and he was sweating nervously.

[[You… when did you…?]] Diarmaid said, looking at Katsumi, horrified when she smirked confidently at him.

[[The winner,]] the arbiter said, gesturing to Katsumi.

The audience exploded in cheers and applause, now that they were allowed to make noise.

[[Noooo!]] Diarmaid cried in denial, holding his head.

[[How does it feel to lose to someone who's part dog?]] Katsumi asked coolly while her opponent freaked out. She stood up and politely offered her hand to the distraught faerie.

Diarmaid smacked her hand away and ran from the tent.

[[What a sore loser,]] Fearghal said, shaking his head before rushing forward with his brother to hug Katsumi. [[You did it!]]

[[The look on his face was excellent!]] Tadhg said.

Katsumi smiled and laughed as they hoisted her into the air. They carried her around in a circle and then set her down in front of Sesshoumaru.

"Well done," Sesshoumaru said. His sharp nose had detected tears as Diarmaid had fled.

Katsumi beamed up at him, smiling proudly.

[[We have something for you,]] Fearghal said, presenting Katsumi with the handkerchiefs. [[The butterfly one is for Rin.]]

[[Oh, thank you! She'll love it,]] Katsumi said.

[[And the one we got for you?]] Tadhg

[[Yes, it's beautiful!]] Kastumi said, admiring it.

[[Good, because your husband picked them out,]] Fearghal and Tadhg said with matching grins.

Katsumi looked at Sesshoumaru and gave him a sparkling smile as she said, "Thank you!"

[[Hmm. You seemed happier when you learned he was involved…]] Tadhg said as he and Fearghal stared at their younger cousin.

[[I don't mean anything by it…]] Katsumi said.

[[We know!]] Fearghal said as he and Tadhg each poked her in one of her cheeks.

[[Must be nice to be so in love!]] Tadhg teased.

[[Cut it out!]] Katsumi said, blushing as she brushed their hands away. [[Well, I've won. So now what?]]

[[Now you have to wait until the award ceremony tonight, when Granda will give out the awards for today's winners,]] Tadhg said.

[[Ceremony? I don't have to do anything special, do I?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Nope. You just show up and walk onto the stage when your name and event are called while carrying our clan's banner of arms,]] Fearghal said.

[[Our what?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Don't worry. I've got it right here,]] Fearghal said, patting the pouch tied to his belt. [[I'll give it to you when it's time.]]

[[And what do you suggest we do in the meantime?]] Jaken asked. [[The night is far off.]]

[[What else? Relax and enjoy yourselves!]] Tadhg said.

[[There's still plenty of events to watch,]] Fearghal said.

They headed out of the chess tent and went around from one event to the other. The singers were so gifted that they could control the emotions of their audience with their songs. Even Sesshoumaru was moved, though he managed to avoid showing any tears, unlike most of the audience, who bawled their eyes out over a tragic ballad. The displays of elemental magic were powerful and awe-inspiring. The dancing on display was even more skillful than Ardghal and Aoife had been, and the dances even had flight incorporated into them, making them more thrilling. They met up with Gean and went with him to see the sword-fighting, which was amazing, and the boxing, which was brutal. Equally brutal was the impact that these two events had on the High King's wallet.

Gean leaned against a post to support himself, surrounded by a heavy sense of doom.

[[Please tell me you didn't bet any land…]] Fearghal said.

[[Or either one of our hands in marriage,]] Tadhg added.

[[No, but… I've lost so much gold that I'll have to sell my best cows…]] Gean said with great regret.

'What is the deal with these people and their cows?' Jaken wondered, sweat-dropping. "I thought you were the High King. Or is your kingdom's treasury so small that it all hinges on a few cows?"

[[That money belongs to the people,]] Gean said drearily. [[The national treasury is separate from my personal account. I'm not allowed to use the people's money on personal matters. I may be High King, but I was originally only a small land owner… And I'm still paying off the armor I had made for Katsumi…]]

[[In the future, please don't give me gifts you can't afford. My love for you isn't based on how much money you spend on me,]] Katsumi said, sweat-dropping.

[[Katsumi! Ahh, you're such a good girl~! My son raised you right!]] Gean cried happily, trapping her in another bear hug.

"Hmph. Pathetic," Jaken said.

Katsumi's cousins were suddenly squatting down in front of the imp, glaring menacingly at him. Tadhg had his head in a crushing grip, and Fearghal had the tip of his dagger pressed to his green throat.

[[What was that, toad?]] Fearghal said darkly, daring him to say it again.

[[Were you insulting our High King or our grandfather? Either one is cause for offense… Are you challenging us to a duel?]] Tadhg asked with a terrifying grin.

'I-I'm going to be killed…!!' Jaken thought, gulping. He looked at Sesshoumaru for help, but the daiyoukai was watching his grandfather-in-law hug the life out of his wife.

[[Grandpa… can't… breathe…]] Katsumi gasped, turning a little blue in the face.

[[Ah, sorry, sorry!]] Gean said, releasing her, still smiling. [[I don't know my own strength sometimes.]]

Katsumi nodded while she took deep breaths. She noticed her cousins were threatening Jaken.

[[What are you doing?]] she asked them, sweat-dropping.

[[He called Granda pathetic,]] Fearghal said.

"Oh, really?" Katsumi said, crossing her arms as she gave Jaken a hard look. [[And so, what's with the knife?]] she asked her cousin. [[You look like two bullies picking on the weak.]]

'The weak!?' Jaken thought incredulously, insulted.

[[What, so we should just let him go?]] Tadhg said.

[[I think you've done enough,]] Gean said, gesturing for his grandsons to stand up. [[Katsumi's right. You shouldn't pick on people who are no match for you, even if they are annoying.]]

'No match!? Annoying!?' Jaken thought, furious. Multiple veins throbbed on his head. He had been saved, but the way it happened really pissed him off.

[[So, what's up next?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Glacadh a ʼbhò gets my vote,]] Tadhg said.

[[Glacadh a ʼbhò?]] Katsumi asked.

[[It's a cattle rustling game,]] Gean said. [[There are three teams. Each side starts with a set number of cows, and the one who gets all the cows, or ends up with the most cows when the time limit of thirty minutes is up, wins.]]

[[The only real rules are that you can't kill anyone or cut off any limbs during the game,]] Fearghal said.

[[Anything can happen. And it usually does,]] Tadhg said, looking excited.

The arena for the cattle rustling game was a large territory that was set up with three farms that each had five fake cows with wheels for legs. In between the farms were obstacles like rocky areas, bridges, water, trees, and small houses. Each team was wearing a different color to make them easy to tell apart. Instead of stadium seating, the spectators watched from above at a height that allowed them to see the whole territory at once. Which meant that they had to fly in order to watch.

Katsumi held onto Sesshoumaru and Jaken held onto his fluff while he hovered in the sky with Gean, Fearghal, Tadhg, and the other faeries who were watching the event.

A horn was blown to signal the start of the event. At first, the red teams and blue teams sent out scouts to see what the other teams were doing while the yellow team stayed to form a protective barrier around their cows. The red and blue teams went after each other, but they seemed evenly matched, because they kept stealing cows from each other at the same rate so that they always had more or less the same number of cows. Then the fighting got ugly. They were beating the crap out of each other. There was no other way to describe it.

Katsumi winced a little from the brutality.

Things escalated even further when one player from the red team fired a faerie shot, missed his target, and hit one of the blue team's wooden cows, blowing its head off. Everyone seemed to freeze for a moment as they realized what had happened, but then their battle erupted into chaos when the blue team 'killed' one of the red team's cows in retaliation. Suddenly the cows were being blown apart left and right.

Some of the spectators groaned.

[[Don't those idiots realize that they can't win with 'dead' cows? At this rate, the yellow team will win without lifting a finger!]] Fearghal said.

As if they had heard him, the red and blue teams suddenly stopped fighting and came together to talk. Katsumi noticed that a few of the blue team members were milling around the red team's farm while the rest of them were speaking. After a few minutes, they parted ways and both teams headed straight for the yellow team's farm. As all of their cows were dead, they really had no choice. The yellow team was slaughtered. They were overwhelmed within minutes, and beaten unconscious so that their cows could be taken away at the other teams' leisure. It seemed they had agreed to split the cows evenly, killing the fifth cow to prevent a feud. The red and blue teams took their shares of the cows back to their respective farms. For a few minutes, it seemed they intended to leave it at that and share a tie, but then the members of the blue team who had been milling around earlier suddenly placed their hands on the ground, and a glowing circle of magic runes suddenly appeared under the red team's cows, and they were teleported to the blue team's farm. Before the red team could retaliate, the horn sounded again, signaling the end of the game. The red team could be heard yelling and cursing at the blue team for their treachery.

[[Haha! I thought they were up to something!]] Tadhg said, entertained by the blue team's trick.

[[This is why I never bet on this event,]] Gean said. He looked at the rest of his group. [[Well, it's time for us to head over for the award ceremony.]]

They all went to the area where a stage had been erected for the ceremony. Katsumi was given the banner of arms for her faerie clan: two stylized white stags with gold horns framing a blue triskelion on a green field.

She waited for her name to be called then carried the banner up onto the stage with her. She kneeled before her grandfather as everyone before her had done, and Gean bestowed her with a gold medal, placing it around her neck. Its design had a triskelion in the center with what was presumably the name and the date in Gaelic engraved around the edges. She was directed to stand off to the side and wait while the silver medal was given to Diarmaid and the bronze was given to another faerie woman. When all three of them were standing up there, the crowd cheered and applauded, and then Katsumi was allowed to exit the stage and rejoin the others.

[[I imagine you three would like to go back to Japan now,]] Fearghal said.

"You imagine correctly," Jaken said.

[[We'll take you as soon as you've have a chance to cay goodbye to Granda," Tadhg said.

So they waited for the award ceremony to end and then met up with Gean again. Gean gave his granddaughter another bear hug and patted Sesshoumaru on the shoulder as he bid them farewell. Then, as promised, Fearghal and Tadhg took Katsumi, Sesshoumaru, and Jaken back to Japan. The cousins hugged each other goodbye, then Fearghal and Tadhg returned to the Faerie World without delay.

"How was it?" Sesshoumaru's mother asked, coming to meet them when she smelled their return.

"It was fun," Katsumi said, smiling at her.

"They gave you that medal for winning?" Sesshoumaru's mother asked.

"Yes, I took first place," Katsumi said brightly.

"And what souvenir did you bring me?" Sesshoumaru's mother asked.

Katsumi froze. She had completely forgotten to get anything for her mother-in-law or her own mother. Nothing had been promised, but she usually did bring them back presents under similar circumstances, so it seemed it had been expected that this time would be no different.

"Please tell me what it is you'd like, and I'll get it for you on my next visit," Katsumi said, bowing to her mother-in-law, hoping she would let it slide.

"I see. It was so fun that you forgot my gift. Perhaps I should have gone, too?" Sesshoumaru's mother said.

Jaken, who was shaking with laughter over Katsumi's blunder, said, "Oh, no, my lady! You wouldn't want to go that noisy, crowded place full of strange smells and uncouth people."

A small vein throbbed on Katsumi's head at the way he was putting it down, despite having mostly enjoyed himself.

"I think I want to go even more now," Sesshoumaru's mother said, to Jaken's dismay, hiding a smile behind her sleeve. "Did you have fun, Sesshoumaru?"

"..." Sesshoumaru stared at her.

"I see. We'll all have to go together next time," his mother said, looking satisfied.