~ Somewhere near Takayama…
Sesshomaru woke up before dawn as usual. It was one of his favorite times of the day. The soft light of the setting moon shone off the polished light grey stone walls and floor as it spilled in from the large windows overlooking snowcapped mountains. He rolled over, careful not to wake Kagome in the process, and wrapped his arms around her petite body. There was a crisp chill in the air, so Sesshomaru pulled the plush white comforter up around them tightly. As he snuggled against her to share his body heat, his golden eyes regarded her tenderly. Raven locks fell haphazardly around her face and shoulders. He gently brushed her hair away to reveal her blissfully slumbering face. He loved waking up early so he could watch his sleeping mate before the rush of the day stole her from his side. He caressed her cheek with his knuckles then brushed the back of his index finger over her soft lips. Three hundred years together, and he was still madly in love with his precious miko. Not a day went by that he was not thankful she had returned to him.
Kagome shifted in her sleep, drawing her body closer to his. Sesshomaru let out a sound that was a mixture of a groan and a chuckle when an aroma hit him. The scent that subtly wafted from between their bodies was as familiar to him as hers. 'She is going to hate this,' he thought with a wry grin. It had been a while since the time-traveling miko had an adventure, and Kagome was excitedly looking forward to journeying to the other world. Sesshomaru really didn't want to be the one to tell her she would not be going. He hated disappointing her. Kagome shifted again, this time burying her face into Sesshomaru's chest and laying a soft kiss against it.
"Good morning, my love," Sesshomaru whispered, burying his face in her hair and breathing in her scent deeply. Kagome smiled against his chest.
"Mmm, good morning," she said sleepily. "What time is it?" Sesshomaru looked over to the silver analog clock sitting on Kagome's bamboo nightstand.
"It's a quarter to five. You do not have to be awake yet. Go back to sleep, mate." Kagome stretched her arms above her head, nearly punching Sesshomaru in the jaw. He moved unconsciously.
"No, there's too much to do before we go through the portal. Although, we do have some time to spare…." Kagome said seductively, walking her fingers over his abdomen. Sesshomaru chuckled in a deep rich tone, making her fingers bounce as his muscles moved.
"You are insatiable even after all these years," he said huskily with a smile running his hands over her back slowly.
Kagome giggled, "can you blame me?" She gestured to his naked form, making him smirk. "I can never get enough." Sesshomaru laughed heartily while she kissed his chin. "I'll get a condom. It would be a disaster if we got pregnant now," she said with a soft giggle, disentangling herself from Sesshomaru before he could speak. She ran to the bathroom, slid the frosted glass door open, and paused, hugging the bamboo door frame while hitching her leg up the wall in a seductive pose. "Be right back, lover boy," she said, lowering her voice to make it sound sexy. She giggled at herself, her cerulean eyes dancing. Sesshomaru chuckled as he shook his head, 'Gods, I love that crazy woman.'
Kagome returned a few minutes later with the gold wrapper and a wide smile. Sesshomaru had contemplated waiting until after their morning lovemaking to give her the news, but he was too excited to keep it to himself. He accepted the condom and put it on his nightstand. Kagome gave him a puzzled look as he sat up and grabbed her hands. "Kagome, my love, do you remember what we were trying to achieve before Ookuninushi's visit?" Kagome thought for a second, then her face lit up, and she bounced excitedly.
"I'm pregnant?" Sesshomaru nodded before being tackled by his ecstatic mate. "Oh, Sesshomaru! I'm so happy! Are you happy?"
"I am thrilled, but-" Kagome pulled back from hugging Sesshomaru slightly.
"No, Sesshomaru…" Kagome groaned in frustration as the entirety of the situation hit her. Laying her hands on her stomach, she spoke to it in a gentle reprimanding tone. "You, little one, have seriously poor timing. We will have to work on that…." Turning to her mate, she asked, "are you sure I can't go, Sesshomaru?"
"I am sorry, my love. This summit will be tense enough without adding my pregnant mate to the mix. We need this to go as smoothly as possible. It is too important to our future." Sesshomaru kept his tone gentle as he ran his claws through Kagome's hair soothingly.
"Damn it. Why do you have to be right?" Kagome sighed defeatedly, laying her forehead on Sesshomaru's shoulder. As much as she hated it, she had already learned the hard way to pick her battles carefully when it came to her daiyokai husband and his instincts—putting herself in a tense position while pregnant was not a situation she wished to repeat. The Southern Lord, Lord Eiji, often reminded their eldest son that his conception was prematurely announced when Sesshomaru punched the overly friendly kitsune during a formal meeting. Kagome was just glad that it had been Lord Eiji. The kitsune was quick to forgive, but the other lords would have used the situation as an opportunity for war. "Fine, I'll stay behind. But you must promise me you will behave yourself and not drive everyone nuts worrying about me," Kagome declared firmly, crossing her arms over her chest while attempting to restrain her pout. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at her in mock irritation seeing her lips pucker slightly despite her efforts.
"I can only promise to do my best, but you know I will worry because I will not be here to protect you myself." Sesshomaru lifted Kagome's eyes to meet his with two fingers under her chin, then nuzzled her cheek. The gesture broke through her irritation, making her reluctantly smile before she gave in with a sigh.
"You are a wonderful mate and father. Let me show you just how much I appreciate you." Kagome launched herself at Sesshomaru, again knocking them both back onto the bed. Sesshomaru did not hesitate to capture her lips in a passionate kiss that left her breathless as he rolled her underneath him.
A series of heavy knocks sounded at the main door in the sitting area of their master bedroom. Sesshomaru groaned against Kagome's mouth. "This better be important, or someone is going to die," he barked towards the door. Kagome swatted his arm playfully for threatening whoever was interrupting them.
"Hey, bastard, get up! We got work to do before we go. Come on, you lazy dog!" Inuyasha bellowed through the door.
"My Lord, I am so sorry. I tried to stop him," an out-of-breath servant called through the door.
"He's not going away, is he?" Kagome grumbled. Another series of knocks and squabbling voices was her answer. Sesshomaru put his forehead on her shoulder, closing his eyes.
"Can I kill him?" He asked through a growl. Kagome laughed halfheartedly. "Please?"
"No."
"Fine," he huffed. Kagome laughed again as Sesshomaru got up reluctantly, giving her a full view of his naked backside. He dressed quickly then leaned over her again to kiss her cheek. "I'll have breakfast sent up for you in an hour. Get some sleep." He kissed her lips and then her stomach before leaving the room. Inuyasha would pay for his interruption.
~ Izumo, late afternoon…
"Stop fighting!" Nanami yelled, walking quicker to get between Tomoe and Mizuki for the tenth time since morning. She had given up trying to understand why they were at each other's throats today more than usual. The group was slowly making their way to Izumo-taisha along with a crowd of worshipers and tourists. Having spent the day exploring Izumo, the bus had dropped them off just down the street from the entrance to the shrine. As they passed the soba noodle shop on the corner from the bus stop, her stomach growled, but she ignored it. She was too tired from waking up early after a night of restless sleep, and she was growing increasingly nervous about meeting the woman who possessed the reflection of her soul. Nanami had barely touched her breakfast despite Tomoe's scolding, and while her body was protesting for food, the thought also made her nauseous. She replayed Ookuninushi's words in her head over and over while her imagination tried to create an image of how the woman might look. The image her mind supplied made her even more anxious. She envisioned a beautiful kitsune with flowing silky white hair with curves like the tanuki geishas. Then her mind decided to torture her even more by imagining Tomoe gushing over the woman like the girls who admired him at school. Nanami shook her head to dislodge the images even as Tomoe and Mizuki continued to throw snide remarks towards each other. The last thing she needed was Mizuki and Tomoe acting like...well, Mizuki and Tomoe.
"Nanami-chan, he started it. He says my idea is stupid," Mizuki whined with a sullen pout. "I just think since you have to take on more familiars, it would be best if one of us is your head familiar and the other keeps the temporaries in line." Mizuki's voice took on a haughty tone as he continued, "since I'm your most loyal and reliable familiar, I should be your head familiar, and Tomoe can stay with the other yokai." There was a snideness to Mizuki's words that Nanami did not miss. She closed her eyes with a sigh knowing Tomoe would not ignore the jab.
Tomoe snorted loudly, crossing his arms as he glowered at Mizuki. "Don't be ridiculous, snake! The last time you were in charge of taking care of Nanami in Izumo, you lost her, and she got trapped in the Netherworld with him!" Tomoe bellowed, pointing at his brother. Akura-ou, who was disguised as Kirihito, looked back over his shoulder with a smirk. Nanami still felt it was a little strange that Ako asked Akura-ou to use her dead son's image when he was in the human world, but she had explained that she thought of Akura-ou as Kirihito's twin brother since she loved the oni as her own.
"Good times, huh, Nanami?" Akura-ou winked at the annoyed girl making her blush while she growled in frustration. Tomoe and Mizuki began to fight again despite her still being in the middle. The group was halfway down the narrow street that led to the shrine.
"That is enough, both of you. We are about to enter the spirit realm of Izumo, and I expect you all to be on your best behavior. Do I make myself clear?" Mikage scowled at all three familiars one at a time until he got three reluctant nods. No matter how much Nanami appreciated Mikage's help when dealing with her familiars, it stung that Mizuki and Tomoe obeyed Mikage so readily. She was supposed to be a kami, too, even if it was Mikage's mark that made it so. But she never felt like Mizuki, and Tomoe never treated her like one. No matter how many times they claimed otherwise, she felt like they only saw her as a helpless human girl. At least Mizuki treated her like the eighteen-year-old woman she was. Tomoe tended to talk to her like she was a child, unable to do anything for herself.
As they reached the end of the road, where it veered off to the right into a walking path that led to the main shrine, Mikage steered them to the left. A narrower walking path zigzagged between the wall of the shrine and the public restrooms. Following the path around a bend, Nanami spotted a granite torii gate sitting in front of three red torii gates. The small shrine Miyako Inarisha sat nestled away from most of the visitors. "We need to enter through one of the side entrances since it is tourist season, and we are arriving before the official start of the summit. Follow me and stay close. These entrances connect to other pathways, and it is easy to get lost," Mikage said, waiting until Nanami was beside him before leading her through the gates. It felt like walking through a paper-thin sauna. For a moment, they walked through air that was thick and heavy before it thinned once more, then they were in the spirit realm. Mikage continued past the shrine to a dark opening between twined trees. They stepped into the entrance, and Nanami sucked in a breath when she saw the illuminated gravel path beneath their feet. The bright, soft blue light emanating from the stones reminded Nanami of the bioluminescent plankton she had just learned about in science class. She giggled as she moved the gravel under her feet. It was beautiful and magical. Nanami looked up quickly to make sure she didn't lose sight of Mikage. She realized then the path was a tunnel with rough-cut stone walls and a curved ceiling like they were underground. The air was chilly, but there was a pleasant breeze that smelled like saltwater. It made sense, they were close to the Sea of Japan, and if the tunnels connected to other Izumo shrines, then it was safe to assume some of the tunnels connected to Bentenjima. Nanami hung back just enough, hoping to prevent Mikage from hearing her as she followed him through the tunnels. Her indignant curiosity was eating her up inside, and she couldn't resist asking, "why do you both listen to Mikage and not me?" Her words were whispered as she spared Tomoe and Mizuki a glance even as she followed Mikage and Akura-ou left, then right, then left twice more. She had to quicken her pace as evidence of others using the tunnels left several other tunnels illuminated, making it challenging to follow Mikage by the path of light alone. Tomoe and Mizuki exchanged an unreadable look before looking ahead at Nanami. Their faces were visible in the blue light. She glanced back again to see Mizuki looking confused while Tomoe wore an expression of disdain.
Tomoe shook his head as she quickly turned to catch sight of Akura-ou disappearing around a right turn. "Don't be silly, Nanami, of course; we listen to Mikage. He is a god worthy of respect and-" Tomoe started but a melodic voice calling his name caught his attention. Nanami turned to see who it was and almost walked past the left turn Mikage had taken, but Akura-ou grabbed her by the arm, gently pulling her down the right tunnel.
"Master Tomoe!" "Oh, what a lovely surprise! We've missed you!" Tanuko and Sakurako blushed and beamed at Tomoe as he turned to greet them coming up the path. Nanami hung her head as she followed Akura-ou through a stone doorway that exited the tunnels, leading out of a crack between two boulders into a graveled area. 'So Mikage is a god worthy of respect, and I'm not…,' she thought bitterly. She could hear the tanuki women giggling behind her, which only made her feel even more insecure. Nanami started to wonder if the fortune-teller rabbit who gave her the answer to what Tomoe thought of her in the form of a rose had just scammed her for the leaf umbrella. Even if he did think she was a flower, it was not a beautiful, bloomed rose but a bud. What good was a rose anyways? Its only use was to look pretty for a moment in time before wilting and being thrown away. Roses were fragile and forgettable things.
"Hey Nanami, why the long face?" Kurama asked, surprising Nanami from her thoughts. Lost in her insecure musings, she had failed to notice where they were walking after leaving the maze-like tunnels. She found herself outside a small wood-paneled entry gate and guardhouse where all the yokai invited to the summit were gathered, awaiting the gods they would be temporarily contracted. Several rabbit familiars sat at bundai checking in kami and yokai on long scrolls of parchment. Nanami paled. She had been dreading this moment all day.
"Uh, oh hi Kurama. Did you get picked to represent the Third Soujoubo?" Nanami blushed when she noticed the stern-looking Jiro standing just behind Kurama.
Kurama opened his mouth to answer when Jiro cut him off. "The Third Soujoubo felt it would be beneficial for Kurama to gain the experience of attending the summit with me present to mentor him." Jiro's cheeks were tinged pink despite his stern expression.
"Right, and the fact I have more experience interacting with other yokai and kami has nothing to do with it?" Kurama crossed his arms and rolled his grey eyes before they fell on Nanami again; he smirked slyly. "So, Nanami, since we've been assigned to Mikage shrine, does that mean I finally get to kiss you?" His tone was low and held a hint of seduction. Nanami's jaw went slack even as her body tensed. She was used to Kurama's flirtations, but this time it caught her off guard. Since Osaka, she thought his romantic attention had shifted to Ami, meaning she would no longer have to deal with these awkward moments. While Kurama enjoyed her crimson blush, Jiro growled at the younger tengu. Tomoe and Mizuki did not miss the interaction either. Tomoe glared daggers at Kurama's back, completely ignoring Sakurako's story about losing her favorite hand fan. The tanuki did not even notice she had lost his attention. Mizuki narrowed his eyes at Kurama, his fists clenched and shaking at his sides.
"You're not going to put your lips anywhere near my mistress, you filthy crow," Mizuki snarled through gritted teeth. Kurama couldn't help but snicker. It was too easy to get all the males around Nanami worked up into a state even if it had not been his intention. The truth was he still had a crush on Nanami even if Ami had caught his attention. While he was falling for the redhead, he knew deep down that Ami was too attached to the human world. He would not allow himself to fall in love with her, so he kept his mind from taking his feelings seriously by flirting with other girls, including Nanami. Kurama was about to tease Mizuki when a voice called out, getting everyone's attention.
"Nanami!" Himemiko called happily, walking out of a crowd of yokai with Aotake. Nanami was relieved for the distraction rushing to her friend's side.
"Hi, Himemiko! I'm so glad you're here," Nanami said, giving her friend a bright smile.
"I am glad you are here as well. This is a most peculiar event. I have never heard of yokai and kami meeting like this before," Himemiko said softly while Aotake nodded his agreement next to her. Nanami bit her tongue to keep her thoughts about the daiyokai to herself. It was not like she was incapable of keeping a secret, but she felt awkward knowing important information her friends didn't.
Mikage looked around at the yokai present and mentally ticked off each name in his head before speaking. "Alright, it looks like we are all here. We decided to split everyone up between Nanami and me. Ladies, you and Aotake will be contracted to me, and the tengu and Lady Himemiko will be with Nanami. Now, if anyone is not comfortable, please let us know," Mikage said, sounding like a tour guide while glancing at the yokai present for any sign of discomfort.
Jiro tensed, his cheeks burning a darker red. He cleared his throat uncomfortably before speaking, "perhaps it would be best if Kurama and I were with you, Lord Mikage." Kurama told him earlier how a familiar contract was sealed, and now the thought of kissing Nanami was making his heart feel like it would beat right out of his chest. Of course, he wanted to kiss her. But he understood Nanami didn't return his feelings, and his ascetic lifestyle meant he shouldn't derive pleasure from her. If she didn't want him, he would not force himself on her in any shape or form. Kurama sighed, having an idea of where Jiro's mind was, he would not protest his brother's chivalry.
"I understand, but I must warn you not to resist the contract or act out in a way in which I may have to subdue you. Akura-ou takes a lot of energy to control when needed, and I cannot risk my control over him slipping here. For his sake and mine. That is why I initially put you with Nanami since you are more familiar with her." Everyone turned to look at the oni leaning against a pole beside the guardhouse. He had removed Tomoe's leaf at some point after leaving the tunnels and was now standing in all his oni glory. The rabbit inside was leaning away from Akura-ou with a barely concealed expression of pure terror. Akura-ou paid him no attention.
"What?" Akura-ou's eyebrows furrowed in indignation as he crossed his arms. "I'm behaving myself." Out of spite, he could not resist adding, "for now." Mikage shot the oni a narrow-eyed warning look. Akura-ou ignored it, putting his hands behind his head and closing his eyes with a shit-eating grin playing over his black lips.
"I have an idea," Kurama said, giving Nanami a wink and making Tomoe's eyes roll towards the sky. "How about Jiro seals the contract with Lord Mikage, and I'll kis- I mean seal the contract with Nanami." Kurama smiled seductively at Nanami as she let out a huff of annoyance.
Tomoe moved to stand just behind Kurama. He pulled his fan from his kimono sleeve and flicked it open, shielding his mouth as he leaned towards Kurama's ear with a wily smirk.
"My, my, you are very eager to kiss my lady and mistress," he said in a low voice, his tone mischievous and sharp. Then he lowered his voice even further. "I wonder how Ami would feel if she knew?" Tomoe delighted in the way Kurama's teasing expression faltered, and a tinge of blush spread across the tengu's cheeks.
"Shut up, fox," Kurama sneered back, swallowing down the giddy feelings that bubbled in his chest at the mention of Ami's name. Jiro raised a brow in confusion, wondering what Tomoe was saying to Kurama to make him look so flustered.
Mikage thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I think that would work. Representatives of Mizutama, does that arrangement work for you?" Tanuko and Sakurako both nodded their agreement quickly. Mikage was about to speak again when a rabbit familiar sitting at a bundai coughed to get his attention before standing to bow.
"Lord Mikage, it seems you have found all the yokai assigned to you and Lady Nanami. If you would, please come check-in and sign these forms. Once you seal the temporary familiar contract with the yokai, we can escort you to your suite." The rabbit sat down again and held out a brush to Mikage, who took it as he bent to sign the forms.
Sakurako and Tanuko looked at Nanami expectantly, but she didn't move, her face flushing a deep red. Taking pity on the human girl, Tanuko smiled softly at Nanami, asking with a giggle, "shall we seal the contract then, Lady Nanami?"
Nanami blanched, her eyes widening as Tanuko cupped her face in her soft hands and began moving in to kiss her. Nanami squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to watch. Her mind chose that moment to remind her Tomoe had kissed the very lips that were about to touch hers. On more than one occasion, he had mentioned that Tanuko was one of his favorite geishas, which meant he had probably spent many nights in her bed. Nanami's heart dropped into her stomach, and she had to fight the urge to push Tanuko away. She knew Tanuko was more beautiful than her in every way, but she didn't want to know just how soft her lips were. Her mind was great at torturing her with just her imagination. She didn't need concrete evidence to go with it. Mikage finished signing the last form and looked over to Nanami just a second before Tanuko's lips met hers.
"Wait!" Mikage quickly called, making Tanuko pause as Nanami relaxed slightly. "The temporary familiar contract is made with a kiss to the forehead. It's so rarely used I completely forgot about it until I was signing the scroll. The mouth seals only the official familiar contract. My apologies." Mikage let out a tiny huff of air, relieved to have prevented Tanuko from being bound by the total weight of the familiar contract. His cheeks were tinted pink at his embarrassing mistake, but he hid them behind his palm leaf. Tanuko was still holding Nanami's cheeks in her hands as she thought for a moment, then shrugged. Turning Nanami's head slightly, Tanuko kissed the apple of her cheek. Mikage chuckled, "the god needs to be the one doing the kissing, my dear."
"Of course, but she is such a cute little human, I could not resist." Tanuko giggled, then kneeled to allow Nanami to kiss her forehead. Nanami had to take a deep breath to calm her emotions after Tanuko's kiss and comment. Tanuko was usually respectful towards Nanami and treated her like a kami, but something was different about the tanuki, and Nanami could not figure it out. Hesitantly Nanami leaned forward and kissed Tanuko's forehead softly. Tanuko watched in amazement as her skin glowed with golden light for a moment.
"How do you feel?" Sakurako asked anxiously.
"I feel no different than before," Tanuko said, smiling. Himemiko tapped Nanami's arm and presented herself. Nanami smiled then kissed her friend's forehead, surprised to find it warm. Himemiko also watched the golden glow shine over her hand curiously.
"Fascinating," Himemiko said under her breath. Kurama winked at Tomoe with a grin before making his way over to Nanami to get his kiss. Jiro looked away as Kurama leaned over Nanami, so she had to rise on her tiptoes while holding onto his right hand for support. Her right hand brushed his bangs aside as she kissed his forehead gently. Kurama's mischievous grin turned into a warm smile as his cheeks flushed and his heart raced. Nanami smiled bashfully as she pulled away, lowering herself back down. Tomoe grit his teeth as Nanami and Kurama stared at each other a second longer than he felt comfortable with. Kurama didn't even bother to admire the contract glowing over his skin. The kiss had been sweeter than Tomoe preferred as well. It took everything in him not to pull Nanami away from the tengu and reseal his contract just for good measure. Akura-ou broke up the moment by knocking into Kurama's shoulder as he walked over to Nanami to offer her a piece of gum. Kurama narrowed his eyes at the oni's back but chose not to comment on the rude gesture. Over Nanami's head, Akura-ou winked at his brother as Nanami pulled a stick of gum from the packet he held out to her. Tomoe smiled discreetly while Mikage worked his way through the other yokai, not hesitating to kiss them quickly, even catching Jiro off guard as he stared at Nanami, making him jump and blush.
Once all the yokai were contracted, the rabbit guards allowed the group to enter Izumo. The group was escorted to a large suite usually reserved for foreign guests. It resembled a single-story traditional-style house. The rabbit escorted the group into the genkan, where they removed their shoes, and Nanami quickly jumped onto the main floor, sliding into the house sandals and promptly looking in the living room area. Her breath caught as she looked from the living room through the shoji doors that opened onto the walkway, where the bedrooms each faced a lavish garden with a waterfall pouring into a large koi pond. Behind her, the rabbit explained, "the banquet will begin in an hour. Lord Mikage, Lord Ookuninushi has requested that you inform your group about the situation behind the emergency summit. He wishes all guests to be aware of the situation before the banquet." The rabbit bowed before leaving quickly as Mikage paled, laughing uncomfortably, 'Oh, of course, he did.' Before he could think about explaining the situation, he was rammed by a force that sent him splaying to the tatami floor.
"MIKAGE! HAVE YOU HEARD?!" Otohiko wailed, laying on top of his long-time boyfriend.
"Heard what?" Mikage groaned. Otohiko let out a howling cry, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief.
"They made me create temporary familiar contracts with random yokai because Ookuninushi wants yokai present when he introduces the daiyokai from the other world. I had to kiss a female! And now they are following me everywhere. I had to word bind them to my suite to make them leave me alone! I've become a glorified babysitter!" Mikage let his head drop to the ground, 'well, that's one way to break the news,' he thought wryly. Everyone except Nanami burst into various levels of anxious questions. Mikage pushed the still wailing Otohiko off and stood up to face the assault of questions.
"Please, calm down. There is no need to worry. Let's get settled into our rooms, then meet back in the living room in thirty minutes. I will explain everything," Mikage soothed, putting his hands up. Everyone made their way into the living room before splitting up to choose rooms.
"Oh, by the way, here, girly." Otohiko shoved a pink paper bag at Nanami as he passed her. "It's the best I could do on such short notice. It's vintage," he said with a bored tone. Nanami looked into the bag and cringed. Something told her Otohiko picked out the kimono after finding out he would be responsible for a group of yokai because the fabric she saw was avocado green with large mustard yellow polka dots and smelled like a dusty attic. She also had a sneaking suspicion Otohiko blamed her for his current predicament. There were enough small rooms for each person to have their own including the familiars. Nanami chose a room next to Tomoe's that faced the waterfall. Mizuki wanted the room on the other side of Nanami, but Kurama beat him to it with a devilish grin. While Nanami was in her room trying to put on the kimono Otohiko had brought, Tanuko and Sakurako knocked to offer their help. It took no time to put it on with their help. The kimono was huge, and the more Nanami saw of it, the more she realized it was vintage, probably from the seventies, and the kind of vintage that should stay in storage. The obi was a Pepto-Bismol pink with various tints of avocado green zigzag lines randomly overlaying each other. The vertigo-inducing patterns had Nanami feeling nauseous, which the smell didn't help.
Walking into the living room, Nanami wanted to disappear into the floor. The kimono was so oversized it was practically swallowing her up despite Tanuko's best efforts to fit the fabric to Nanami's petite frame. "Nanami, that's an interesting look," Akura-ou snickered, sitting next to Tomoe on the floor. "You look like you're being eaten by moldy leftovers."
Tanuko and Sakurako tried to stifle their giggles while hiding their mouths behind their sleeves. Mizuki put his hand over his mouth in horror but stayed quiet. At the same time, Tomoe bit his lip to keep from laughing. He didn't want to make her feel worse than she already did. He mentally noted to find a way to get back at Otohiko for his pettiness. Kurama and Jiro exchanged a look feeling awful for Nanami, but there was nothing they could do. Mikage sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Nanami was mortified. The other females in the suite wore beautiful kimonos that highlighted their beauty. Nanami was torn between yelling at Otohiko for childishly blaming her for something she didn't do and crying. Even Mamoru guiltily refused to sit on her shoulder, perching on Mizuki's due to the smell.
"Is it that bad?" Nanami asked Tomoe timidly as she sat near him on the mats. He had the urge to scoot away from her as the dusty smell attacked his nose, but he stayed where he was, allowing her to be close to him.
"It's hideous, but it can't be helped. No one is going to care what you look like tonight anyways." His words were as impassive as his expression. Nanami glared at him, remembering how he had complimented Tanuko's and Sakurako's kimonos less than an hour before. She blinked back tears as she thought about what the hanyo woman would think of her wearing such a hideous kimono. 'Maybe I can get away with wearing a skirt and a blouse to the banquet. Anything is better than this,' she thought as Mikage asked everyone to take a seat.
"I know you all have questions, but please wait until I've explained everything before you ask them. Now, a long time ago-," Mikage's words were interrupted by the arrival of two female rabbit familiars carrying a large white box between them. Everyone turned their attention to them as they bowed.
"Excuse our intrusion. We have come to see Lady Nanami," one of the rabbits said in a soft voice. Nanami's eyebrow rose as she stood to approach them. They held the box out to her. "Lady Nanami, we present to you a gift from Lord Shippo of the West."
"Oh...uh, that's very nice of him. Thank you," Nanami said, feeling flustered as she lifted the lid.
"Who is Lord Shippo? Nanami, do you know him?" Tomoe asked, coming up behind her and taking the lid from her. Nanami pushed aside the white tissue paper to see pink fabric neatly laid in the box.
Shaking her head, she said, "N-no, but I can't turn such a nice gesture away, can I?" Tomoe narrowed his eyes as he glared at the box.
"Lady Nanami, may we assist you in dressing?" the rabbits asked together as Nanami reached to take the box from them. Nanami nodded with a smile, and the rabbits bowed before walking with the box out onto the walkway.
Tomoe opened his mouth to protest when Nanami cut him off with a soft smile. "It's fine. Listen to what Mikage needs to tell you. I heard it all last night."
Tomoe hesitated then sighed, "Very well. Call me if you need anything. Hopefully, whatever it is, is nicer than what Otohiko brought you." Otohiko shot Tomoe a glare, but he couldn't hide his flush. His plan just backfired on him, and he felt guilty for making Nanami wear the ugly kimono. Tomoe took his seat next to Akura-ou once more as Mikage continued from where he left off.
Fifteen minutes later, Mikage finished explaining everything as simply as possible before letting the group ask questions. Kurama was the first to speak. "Wait, wait, wait...so you're saying there is another world that is identical to ours...and there are yokai on that world that are more powerful than any of the yokai on ours and that the gods sealed this world off because these yokai refused to stop mating with humans and creating this soul whatever... and now they want to remove the seal and then what?" Kurama felt himself stubbornly digging into his beliefs. It went against everything he knew to be true.
"Soulbond, but yes." Everyone stared at the kami with wide eyes and dumbfounded expressions. "It is really not that hard to understand. We need to remove the seal to save both worlds, but I believe our sister world has valuable lessons to teach us. We have much to teach them as well."
"Yes, like humans and yokai should never mix. What were these daiyokai thinking? How did they not die off mating humans? Yokai and humans cannot bear offspring, so it must not have been the majority that took human mates," Tanuko said with a horrified expression. Himemiko sank into herself as Aotake felt a surge of protectiveness for his princess. No one save for Nanami knew the catfish yokai was carrying a half-human child.
"That is what we believed, but we were wrong. They call the half-human yokai, hanyos." Mikage wasn't expecting the looks of revulsion that spread across their faces.
"Oh, they must be terribly disfigured or hideous. Their parents are so selfish to bring creatures into the world that are probably hated and bullied. They should be ashamed of themselves," Sakurako retorted with Tanuko nodding beside her.
"My thoughts exactly," Otohiko said, shaking his head in disgust. "They are two completely different species. There's no way their offspring could be born normal. It's just awful. And to think Ookuninushi is going to allow this to continue. What if yokai and humans start mating on our world? It will be a nightmare." Tomoe cringed. An image of Nanami holding a bundled infant while smiling at him lovingly flashed through his mind. Part of him longed for the image to become real, while the other resisted the idea vehemently. 'No, it's wrong. That's why the gods forbid it. It's a curse and terrible thing to do to a child.'
Mikage let out a long sigh. Nothing he said seemed to be easing their objections. Just then, the door to Nanami's room opened and the two rabbits left after giving their parting bows. Nanami took a deep breath and walked into the living room, trying to hide her wide smile by biting her bottom lip.
"What do you think?" Nanami said bashfully, clasping her hands in front of her. Mikage felt tears prick his eyes as he took in the beautiful gown Nanami had been given, and her eyes sparkled with happiness. The dress was a soft peach pink with a modest billowing skirt that accentuated Nanami's slender waist before rising into a straight neckline with a subtle square indentation in the middle. A sheer peach-pink fabric rose seamlessly from the neckline to cover her chest and ended in narrow capped sleeves.
"You look stunning, Nanami," Mikage said proudly. Nanami smiled so brightly it made Tomoe's heart skip a beat and his mouth feel dry.
"Oh, and look!" Nanami said, twirling around to show off the back. The skirt was split open in the back with an inlay of layers of white ruffled tulle patterned with butterflies, sunflowers, roses, and irises cascading down to the floor. The sheer fabric at Nanami's chest split open at the neck and exposed part of her back before the opaque material started. Tomoe blushed, following the exposed skin like an arrow down her back. Turning back around, Nanami said, "The rabbits told me Lord Shippo designed this dress especially for me, and he knows your avatar is the butterfly." She twirled happily, and Tomoe's stomach twisted uncomfortably.
"Did they tell you who this Shippo dude is?" Tomoe said, trying to sound calm even as he felt a surge of jealousy and uneasiness. In all the outfits he'd dressed her in, she'd never reacted this way before.
"Yeah, they said he is Lord Sesshomaru's son-in-law. And Lord Sesshomaru is the daiyokai lord that Ookuninushi invited for the summit. They said Lord Shippo is here too, so I can thank him for the dress in person." Tomoe scowled at the dress as if it personally offended him. He was grateful Nanami would not have to wear the seventies nightmare, but the dress seemed to come with a hidden meaning that he was not sure he liked. The fact Shippo had a mate did little to diminish Tomoe's worries either. Though rare, it was not unheard of or taboo for yokai to take multiple mates.
Mizuki walked up to Nanami, eyeing the dress carefully as he walked around her in a circle. Occasionally he reached out and touched the skirt of the dress, testing the material. He could tell it was expensive. "Why is this Lord Shippo sending you a dress if he's from the other world and has never met you?" Mizuki asked, finally speaking after being uncharacteristically quiet. His teal green eyes were sharp and thoughtful as he looked at her. Nanami sucked in a breath. She had not figured out how and when to tell Mizuki and Tomoe about the offer. Before she could even begin to rattle off an explanation, Mizuki put the pieces together, albeit in the wrong order. "They've offered you something, haven't they?" Nanami tensed, and another thought hit Mizuki, making him instantly panic. "Oh, gods! No, Nanami-chan, please tell me you were not offered a soulbond with this daiyokai!" He yelled, going pale, his eye as wide as saucers. Nanami smiled sheepishly, playing with her fingers, while Tomoe's heart wrenched painfully and his mouth fell open.
"Yes, but not with Lord Shippo," Nanami explained softly, trying to find the right words. Tomoe growled under his breath, cursing Ookuninushi and anyone else he could think of to blame at that moment. "Listen, Ookuninushi found the person who has the same soul as me on their world. If I accept the offer and create the bond, then I will live, and Ookuninushi will make me a real kami." Akura-ou snorted loudly, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"What a load of crap. That stupid god is lying. A yokai can't have a human soul, foolish woman." he scoffed. He sat confidently in his words for all of two seconds; then, his eyes widen in realization. The truth hit him hard, a cold panic sweeping through his body which he channeled into anger. "You would tie your life, your soul to a half-breed. Are you insane? What the hell are you thinking? You don't even know what those creatures are like! You don't know what any of those yokai are like! How could you be so thoughtless?" Akura-ou clenched his fists as his ire grew, "I want you to live just as much as everyone else, but you have no idea what you're getting yourself into, as usual. Don't be stupid, Nanami. We will find another way to save you. You don't need to tie yourself to these freaks." Nanami glared at the oni crossing her arms in defiance as he growled at her. Tomoe gave his brother a warning look making Akura-ou take a deep breath through his nose, but he refused to relax fully.
"If you'd let me finish, I'd explain that I haven't decided yet," Nanami snapped, meeting the oni's glare with her own. "You're right Akura-ou, I don't know anything about this woman, and yes, it is a woman before any of you jump to any more insane conclusions. I'm not even sure about the idea of living for thousands of years. It's a little weird to think about." Nanami paused for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she continued in a calmer tone, "I have until the end of the summit to decide. She is here too, and I plan to get to know her a little before I do. I know all of you don't want me to die, so can you give this a chance? Can you trust me to make the right choice?" Nanami's eyes pleaded with Akura-ou, Mizuki, and Tomoe. The three exchanged a look before looking to Mikage, who smiled reassuringly. The rest of the group waited in tense anticipation for their answers.
"Of course, Nanami-chan," Mizuki said, giving her a small smile. "You are my mistress. I'll support any decision you make."
"I will support your choice as well," Tomoe agreed softly, his ears lowering to his head as the tip of his tail flicked. He was still unsure about the situation, and his heart was in his throat, but he would respect her wishes for the time being.
"Yeah, sure, whatever you decide," Akura-ou crossed his arms over his chest and averted his eyes to the ground. He may have been Mikage's familiar, but his desire to protect was focused on Nanami. She had been through enough hell because of him, and he'd be damned if he let someone hurt her now.
~ Elsewhere in Izumo...
"If you put eyeliner on, I'm outta here," Inuyasha warned, watching Shippo finish getting ready. Inuyasha absently played with his silver dog fang pendant hanging from the silver chain around his neck before tucking it into his black dress shirt and picking a long white hair from his jacket. He felt sharp in his all-black suit, but his white hair was a constant nuisance when trying to keep it pristine. Shippo snickered, watching him preen for the millionth time since they had left the Western Palace and entered the Izumo of the other world.
"Where are you going to go if I do?" Shippo grinned while he pulled on his brushed satin mint suit jacket over his crisp white button-down shirt with the top three buttons undone. Shippo then smoothed the bottom of the jacket before adjusting the top of the matching pants that ended just above his ankles. A black racing strip ran up the side of each leg. "Nah, eyeliner would be too much for this suit, but maybe a touch of shadow." Shippo snickered as Inuyasha wrinkled his nose, earning a hearty chuckle from the kitsune.
"Are you done yet? Gods, you take longer than a wench to get ready," Inuyasha grumbled, then jumped away from where he was sitting just in time to avoid the flying floor cushion that came sailing through the open bedroom door.
"Inuyasha, for the last time, women are not wenches. This is why you're still single," An irritated female voice snapped from the other room. Shippo laughed as Inuyasha mumbled curses under his breath.
"She has a point," Shippo said, adjusting his silver leaf cufflinks. Inuyasha snorted indignantly.
"Are you ready?" Sesshomaru asked, appearing in the doorway wearing a classic evening tuxedo. His long silver hair hung loosely around his shoulders, brushing against the back of his calves. "We leave in five minutes with or without you, kit."
"Yes, Dad," Shippo smirked while he pulled his waist-length red hair into a tight ponytail. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, then returned to the main room. "Six kits and a wife, yet he still calls me kit," Shippo whispered to Inuyasha; then, raising his voice, he asked, "When my daughters start having kits, will you finally stop calling me kit?"
A female giggled from the other room before Sesshomaru answered, "No."