Time Trip: Culture Shock

Jonathan flew in a wide spiral, looking around for any sign of a dog demon or traveler who might know of a dog demon. The drivers of the seven carts he picked up had no idea where Edo was or where 'the great dog demons' lived. He had found out they lived in 'the western lands' and they were 'a strong and proud family.' A large castle seemed to spill out of a huge cave opening, filling a small valley to his left. It looked like something a demon would have built, or perhaps an overly paranoid human. Perhaps someone there would know about 'Inu-taiyouriki' and his son. The out of place Lord switched to his human form right before landing, appearing to drop from the sky.

"Hello? Does anyone...? Hey, watch where you are poking that spear!" Jonathan jumped when he felt a sharp stab in his leg. A brown dog stood on its hind legs, roughly eye level with Jonathan, a spear held in his overgrown paws. "Well I must be in the right place."

"State your name and purpose." It growled out.

"Jonathan Higarashi or perhaps it is Higarashi Jonathan. I haven't been on this side of the Ural Mountains in a long time! I'm looking for a young Dog demon, a prince of sorts I believe. Perhaps I should have brought my daughter along after all, I can't recall his name." Jonathan paused as he tried to remember whether or not the family name is given first in Japanese tradition.

"What business could you have with the young prince if you can't even remember his name, human?"

"Well I'm here on behalf of my daughter. If I could speak with the master of the house we could work this out. Lord… Oh my, come to think of it she didn't tell me his name! Just that he is a great dog demon who rules over the western lands. What an excellent mess I've gotten myself into." Jonathan knew he had herd the word 'ningen' before, but couldn't place its meaning. He decided to take it as an insult based of the tone of voice.

"This way." The annoyed dog growled. "Lord Nishi just may make your death quick if you continue to be amusing."

"Well that certainly isn't a good way to treat a guest." Jonathan muttered as he followed the guard through an elaborate garden. A woman was sitting on a bench up ahead. "Ah, are you the young prince's mother… goodness I feel out of place not knowing his name!" The lady looked up, but said nothing.

"Don't speak." The guard growled.

"I dislike being treated like a common criminal. I know I came unannounced, and some formality is to be expected, but I didn't expect this sort of reception. I am a Lord of considerable power, though I am quite far from home. I am here because my daughter has an interest in a particular young dog demon that supposedly lives here. If only I wasn't bird brain with names, but that is far beside the point. I landed in a clear area at the edge of the castle grounds, much more polite then dropping in on top of a building I'm sure. Now, if I could at least receive the respect that is customary of one sentient creature to another I would be most appreciative."

"Shut up and move."

"I most certainly will not if you are going to continue speaking to me in that tone."

"You want to see him about my son?" The lady asked politely.

"Yes, Fair Lady, I believe I do. I've never seen the boy, but my daughter has spoken to me about him at length. He has silver white hair down to about here," Jonathan gestured, "and is a dog demon of considerable strength. He has what I can only describe as a quirky personality, unique in most ways but not undesirable. A bit quieter then he should be perhaps, but I dislike judging people based on another person's description. It is quite the dangerous habit to get into, and very unfair, even if it is my own daughter supplying the information."

"Well we are nearly there. I think my dear son is in with his father at the moment, so you may speak with both of them" The trio walked up to the screen door and knocked softly. Lord Nishi let them in and they sat down at a low table piled high with paperwork. The guard, satisfied that Lord Nishi could behead the weak looking man easily, left. The Lady spoke again. "This man was looking for you my Lord; his daughter has taken a liking to our son."

"Not that she'd admit it, mind you. I am her father and I am not blind, deaf, or dumb, so I've noticed more then she would like me to. I'm afraid I match her shyness with my scatterbrained tendencies, and I haven't been on this side of the Ural Mountains in an age, so excuse any protocol errors I may make. My name is Jonathan." As he spoke, Jonathan looked through one of his pockets for a ring with the family seal on it, the signet ring that proved he was indeed lord of his lands. When he looked up, the dog demon seated across from him had a glint in his eye that made Jonathan seriously consider running for the nearest exit.

"You live on the other side of the Ural Mountains?" Lord Nishi asked in a calm, curious tone. Inside, he was ready to jump off the walls in glee. A western man, here, in his home, offering a daughter to his son! To have such a connection to a distant land would be invaluable. "You must be quite tired from your journey."

"I slept on the wing, and it only takes me a day and night of steady travel to get here."

"From across the Ural Mountains? We must be speaking of two different places."

"Oh, no, no. I do come from the great continent of Europe, and rule over the westernmost portion of the once great Roman Empire; may our fallen fathers rest in peace till our memories fade." Jonathan spoke the prayer quickly, touching the gilded olive branch that hung on a thin chain around his neck, next to his cross. "I travel very quickly though, much faster then any four legged creature could hope to."

"A statement of fact could be mistaken for an insult in that context, Joan-e-thin." Lord Nishi stumbled over the name badly. "I've never herd of any 'Roman' anything."

"You wouldn't have, you look much too young to have been alive for it, and since the barbarians have burnt, smashed, or buried most of the records I'm afraid not many people care to remember the great glory that was once Rome. I only know because I can remember my Avus' stories, as I am sure I am much younger then you."

"I don't think you look much younger then me, and forty-one isn't…"

"I'm a mere twenty-four by the demon calendar, and meant no disrespect. I was merely attempting to acquaint you with some of my own background. My daughter would register on your calendar as one, but I see her as a blooming young woman of sixteen springs."

"She is sixteen… years old?" The Lady exclaimed.

"My blood line lives and ages as a human until they spread their wings and accept their lineage. Avus Ducis used to say life as human builds strength; I say it builds something infinitely more valuable: humility."

"This Ducis is who exactly?"

"Ducis is the family name, and Avus has the same meaning as jii-chan. He is my grandfather, the man who carved the borders of my lands out of the chaos of a fallen empire. He lived in Rome as a child and spoke with the great heads of state that did business at the height of the empire. He used what he learned to instruct both my Pater and I in the proper way to run the country. My lands thrive using strong lines of trade and building may allies. Our main export is wine, a drink much like sake that is certainly not going out of style anytime soon. I also have some spiders spin fine cloth for me, a luxury unheard of back home. The traders in other lands pay hand over fist for it. We prosper, and I run around the continent as a translator."

"You said you were a great lord of rich lands a moment ago. Now you are a translator?"

"I do as my friends ask. Trade lines work best when I can get other countries set up as well."

"What do you mean? I haven't had the best success with trade lines with all the wars that have sprung up in the past few centuries."

"I trade heavily with a Dragon clan to the north. If I can get them to trade with the wild gulls and sea sprites, and the gulls and sea sprites in the Atlantic Ocean to trade with the deer and forest pixies in North America, then I can get succulent corn or beautiful pelts from halfway around the world for half the price of a few bottles of wine. That's not to mention the lovely scaled armor the sea sprites grow, or the skilled forges located in the Dragon's castle. We all win by trading what we have a lot of for what we have little of."

"You are a great leader." The lady bowed.

"There is no need to exaggerate, fair lady." Jonathan blushed deeply, studying the tatami mats. "What is your name by the way?"

"This is my first wife, Lady Shinju."

"Uh, first, well, why would you call her your first wife?"

"Because she is the first I married, and the mother of my son and heir."

"But why would you call her first? She isn't dead and… oh dear… you. Do you actually have more then one wife, at the same time?" Jonathan asked, appalled by the very idea. He had herd of such practices but put it off as myth. No self respecting nobleman would have a harem, would he?

"Well of course I do."

"And you are alright with this?" Jonathan asked Lady Shinju.

"I… how can I answer that?"

"What do you take turns with them or something? Do you wake up and think 'its number three today' or what?" Jonathan, Italian to the bone, was gesturing wildly. His animated face looked disgusted and shocked. "I have one wife and she is wonderful. I can't imagine sharing my life and bed with any other woman, ever. Mei is all I need."

"I heard that men only had one wife in the western world. I supposed that it was a system imposed upon them by the women. It never occurred to me that you would actually enjoy such a system."

"I thought harems were a myth invented for the sake of drunken jokes and lewd comments about infidelity." Jonathan rubbed the bridge of his nose, willing away his headache. He spoke slowly, as if in great pain. "Please tell me your son doesn't have a harem started."

"No, your daughter would be his first wife."

"Not if he doesn't want my entire army over here to break every bone in his body twice." Jonathan mumbled in Latin.

"I didn't quite catch that, something about 'mirtus' or some such thing."

"It was a prayer for strength and hope." Jonathan sighed. 'Or close enough to it.'

"Well then, 'break all bones in my family' as well." Nishi repeated, or tried too. With the letter 'l' replaced with 'r' and the vowels slurred badly it was a comical attempt. Jonathan nearly lost it.

"I wouldn't try repeating half a sentence in a language I don't understand, and I don't suggest my friends do it either. It can have strange results when heavy accents are involved."

"What did I say?" Asked the genuinely curious Nishi.

"I doubt you want to know."

"I do."

"You don't"

"I already said…"

"With your wife in the room?"

"Is it obscene?"

"Not at all."

"Then yes."

"You asked me to break all the bones in your family."

"Oh dear." Lady Shinju gasped.

"What language was that?"

"Latin."

"Ratin?"

"L-Latin." Jonathan stressed the first consonant. "You don't commonly use that sound in your language, so I understand if it is hard for you to say. Being a dog, and therefore prone to growling, makes the mistake more understandable." Jonathan sipped his tea as if it held all the answers. "I remember why I moved back to Italy now. Caesar save us, we've beaten around the bush enough. Shall we get down to business?" Jonathan stuck out his hand. "We'll take this from the top. I am Jonathan Higarashi, Lord of the Phoenix. I am pleased to be here as a guest in your home." Lord Nishi looked at the offered hand a moment before suddenly remembering that he was expected to stand and 'shake hands.'

"It is an honor to have you in my home." Nishi said slowly and Jonathan gave him a firm handshake.

"I would like to speak with your son now, if you don't mind."

"Why?"

"Well that happens to be why I'm here. I'd like to know who is courting my daughter, and perhaps catch his name again."

"Sesshoumaru was going off to continue his training. I'll show you to the dojo." Lord Nishi told Lady Shinju to go back to her apartments and garden before leading Jonathan down the grand main corridor of the den. They came out into the yard near a light tan building with a thin crimson border. As they were passing, Inuyasha came out arm in arm with his mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like Nishi assumed too much. I just heard that Inutashio is the proper name for Inuyasha's father. I have absolutely no clue about that. I've heard Myouga (Miouga?) the Flea say "Inu Tai Youriki" but that's more of a 'what' then a 'who' if you ask me. I've only seen up to 96 (Only!?!) and I've never read a magna (due to lack of funds) so I honestly don't know if his proper name is ever used. Anybody able to clue me in?