"Banzai!"

"Ack!"

Sesshomaru was much more comfortable in his own clothes again this morning, but he had a full schedule lined up for the day. He would have to return to the Mujina Woodlands to continue his investigation, but, since Jaken actually ate and slept well at Meioshi's estate, he was considering returning to it for the night instead of the inu manor in the village. He liked the village infinitely less after learning from the doctor that the children were forced to work there for unknown reasons. He would be damned if he ever looked at the people there the same way again, least of all Norihisa for bringing anyone here. Regardless, Ohta and his three little leeches came bursting in to apparently check on Jaken's pulse. It was definitely working now seeing as though he managed to stick to the ceiling like a gecko. Looking up at his servant, Sesshomaru watched as Jaken shivered and then looked down at his attackers.

"What are you doing, boy?" Jaken demanded, landing on the floor to tower over Ohta. "I was sleeping!"

"It's breakfast time, green mister!" Kijiro answered, lifting the small eating table in his arms. "Mama Mei-Mei made taiyaki and okayu this morning. You get to pick which filling you want! We got red bean paste, nut spread, and even cream. I want the bean paste!"

"I'll bet you do, greedy," Ohta teased, pinching the little one's cheeks and earning a small laugh. "Bring Lord Sesshomaru his table."

"Okay," Kijiro replied cheerfully. He ran over to the western lord and kneeled before him to place the table down.

"When did you learn of my name?" Sesshomaru asked Kijiro, making the boy look up at him.

"Mama Mei-Mei told me. Oh! She also told me to tell you, 'They asked if you were scared of them this morning. That's why I told them about you.'" Kijiro relayed, not understanding the message himself but seeing Sesshomaru relax. So, she was right. He did need to hear that.

"Oh, I have a message to!" Juba said, raising her hand for a turn. Ohta chuckled at her before shaking his head and placing pillows down for the two to sit and eat. The little one then said, "Mama also said, 'They like you. Be kind to them.'"

"Such strange messages. What do they mean?" Jaken asked, turning to his lord. The look in his eyes made him realize that those messages were directed at him.

"It means stop being nosy and pick your filling," Ohta said, smiling at Jaken. "The butchers brought us meat cutlets, too. You can exchange the taiyaki for eggs and meat instead, but I'm eating yours if you don't. Those things are absolutely scrumptious."

"Keep away from my food, you greedy thing!" Jaken argued, pointing at Ohta in a threatening manner.

"Whatcha gonna do? Stick me on a wall?" Ohta argued, narrowing his eyes and smiling mischievously.

"Don't tempt me!" Jaken argued, making Sesshomaru sigh. The doctor should've left him a message.

"But you'll be late for Mama's checky-up, big brother," Chiura remarked, holding her bear in her arms. "And you won't get to go shopping with us. You promised to help me make a baby bear and kitty."

Ohta turned to Chiura and said, "I'd never let greeny stop me from making animals with you, baby bear. We have to find some bows for them, too."

"Do you think they'll have a dark pink one? I need four," Chiura said, holding up her small hand to at first show three fingers before the other lazier finger decided to pop up. "And some yellow patches."

"You must be making something very special," Ohta said, folding his arms and placing them on his knees. "Think you might need a different fabric for this one?"

Chiura shook her head and smiled brightly, "Nope! Just the bows and patches."

"Then, I'll make sure we get it," Ohta said, nodding one good time before rising to stand. "The bath house is open to you if you just want to wash up this morning. We're going to go cricket catching for a little while before we eat. Juba got you, guys, fresh water to drink. We weren't sure if you drank our kind of tea or not, and it's entirely too early for wine. Spoons and chopsticks are on the way with your food. I'm eatin' the extra taiyaki, though!"

"You brat!" Jaken shouted, stomping at him as the grapple bears all ran behind Ohta to engage in their morning play.

Once breakfast was over, Meioshi walked down to her clinic with a few of the children in tow. They were mainly the older ones reaching to maturity. Upon arrival, she saw quite a few appointment requests at her door. One of the kids walked up to the message box and started organizing the papers alphabetically the way she taught them. She watched him do this while one of the girls ran inside excitedly to light the paper lanterns inside. Another girl went to sweep the engawa while another young boy went to wipe down tables. One after another a child went to help in some way. Meioshi watched them all do this with a warm smile as she walked to her office space and started retrieving choice documents for new clients, but, as she was doing her typical actions, her smile diminished and Sesshomaru's words echoed in her mind.

"...No, I would not want any child to have to work for that kind of money, but your reprieve from this life is what created a routine that they recognize and know..."

I... I didn't start all of this or do any of this for nothing! I... I vowed to set them free. I... Meioshi thought, clutching her documents in her hands now. Dammit! Don't doubt yourself now, Meioshi!

"Mama Mei-Mei, the big green lantern is missing. Did we put it in storage last time?" a girl asked from the front room.

Shaking her head softly to rid her mind of more lingering thoughts, she took a deep breath, allowed her emotions to come out, and let a few tears escape. She concentrated on her breath and acknowledged her worries and fears. No matter how many enemies she fought or how fearless she was in battle, the fight for these children and others who suffer a blighted existence would always be her greatest struggle. Sesshomaru was right. In teaching them how to do different things and allowing them to be part of her routine, she created a life that was close to normal for the kids. They all expressed not liking to work with patrons at least once, but it was tolerable as long as she came to get them and fought for their safety each year. What she hated the most was the possibility of any of the kids living a less fulfilling life or returning to this one of their own accord because they were so used to everything up until now. She supposed that's why she didn't even notice the older children looking for her.

"Mama?" one of the girls called, seeing Meioshi cry for the first time in her life. She walked over to the doctor quietly and held the taller woman in her arms. When Meioshi felt a hand wipe away her tear, she seemed to come back to reality and turned to the teen girl in response. The teen asked, "What's wrong?"

"I..." Meioshi started, suddenly feeling another set of arms wrapping around her. A teen boy came in. It wasn't long before the others surrounded her with a shocked, supportive, or worried expression on their faces, but they all reacted in the same way. They wiped a tear or held her in some way. She looked down at each teen and smiled for them through her tears. She then said, "I'm so proud of you, my little ones. I'm so sorry I couldn't do more for you. That I couldn't save you all from this life the way I wanted to. That I let these people take you away to do their bidding. You've all grown to be as helpful and watchful of the others as I've tried to be for you. You're all so talented and you love learning. You even know what kind of family you'd want to raise or want to protect. You have ideas for what kind of career or job you'd like to work to earn a steady keep. You know the lifestyle you'd be happy to live out into old age. All of these... are wonderful things. I don't want you to go back to this, but... have I made this so routine for you... so normal for you... that you'd come back to this life on your own?"

"Yes, we would," a teen boy answered, watching the color from Meioshi's start to drain and her eyes widen. Before she could collapse, he then continued, "But not the okiyas. We'd come back to the clinic, the estate, and school if it meant we'd be with you. I've already tried to steal your boat since the house mother wouldn't let me buy it outright."

The other teens chuckled at this before a girl said, "We endured all of this because you promised to protect us. You have, even when you were thrown out or locked out. But... there's a clinic in the villages we want to go to already. You built them up, remember? You even let us make the lanterns!"

"And a school!" another teen boy cheered.

"And an estate," a teen girl said. "As long as you promise to visit us like you said, it'll be the same. It's just a different place. A better place."

With that, Meioshi dropped the paperwork in her hands and held each child in a group hug to allow herself to cry. She may have built a routine in their lives, but it was a routine that they'd carry on when they were long gone from here. For that, she couldn't help but feel elation that her efforts were not in vain...

"So, about that male enhancement program I saw on your board? What do you do for that?"

Or, so she thought...

"Ah, well, I essentially run a full physical examination to study your body, take measurements where needed, and draw diagrams of your body so that I can determine exactly what and how much of a nutrient you could be missing as this may be hindering your sexual performance both physically and mentally," the doctor replied professionally. "In order for me to do this, however, I will need to touch your genitals and body. This is quite a delicate process as the wrong nutrient can have side effects to another part of your body or even your mind. Too much of something could cause painful swelling and too less could cause your skin to turn color."

"Really?" the man asked with interest.

Her children did excellently in leaving notices for the clients that requested to see her. Each teen visited an okiya or guest inn, delivered the message, and went about their day to do some shopping or return to the estate to play or do something else of interest. Their checkups were all done. That left Meioshi with these... interesting clients. You could tell what was more important to a person by the services she offered. For this particular gentleman, it was her male enhancement program. She started this particular service about three or so years ago. A recently engaged couple came to her for her sex education seminar as she was training Yuko for it as well. That was the year Yuko had told her that she wanted to invest in a specialty for medicine. Sex education was the specialty of interest, which shocked Meioshi because Yuko was so shy about sex before meeting her husband, but her reasons were pure as most adults don't teach children about such a thing at earlier stages in life as it is considered taboo and sex was only meant for the purpose of continuing a genetic line. She didn't support that line of thinking and hoped others would do the same. Meioshi didn't argue with her on that and simply agreed to teach her as much as she could about it. As time went by, she found more young people were like her.

The young man in question wanted to ensure that his wife would be gratified in their physical relationship, so he pulled Meioshi to the side to ask about her studies privately. He admitted to seeing her texts on male anatomy and things that potentially could be harmful to the reproductive organs like a lack of nutrients or particular type of labor or even the condition of drinking water. Of course, her favorite clients teased the young man a little before the husband surprised everyone and gave the young man his testimony on the matter. From there, she informed the young man about nutrients, positions and smaller actions that could equally be pleasurable, and offered to counsel him further if need be. It was a program meant to educate others... so how did it devolve to this foolishness?

"So, what happens if... well, you know... if...?" the man started, moving his hand in a circular motion to imply something.

Meioshi blinked a couple of times before she understood what he meant. She jumped a bit before laughing and gaining the man's attention then replied, "Oh, it's a normal response. Actually, seeing your arousal helps me understand what could work better for you. You might not need supplements or a change in diet at all. You may just prefer being teased during intercourse."

"Do you... do anything for that? Because while I'm all for enjoying the sights of nature and the actions therein, you are gorgeous," the client complimented with a low whistle and appreciative chuckle. "Especially with those eyes."

"Oh?" Meioshi responded, laughing more comfortably. That explained his initial reaction to her being the doctor of the clinic. "Thank you. I have a drink that cools your body down fast enough to where your erection goes away within a few minutes. It's very effective and many have said that it's quite relaxing. Works well for those random visits from the in-laws while a husband is otherwise occupied."

"Can you make it bigger?"

"... Pardon?" Meioshi asked incredulously, eyes widening and an odd smile growing. When the man pointed down to confirm her suspicion of the implied question, she had to fight every nerve and vibration from making her laugh out loud.

This is my life now... Meioshi thought. All those years studying about diseases, running experiments, performing surgeries, developing tonics amounting to this. I can cure headaches, sniffles, bad legs, and all. Does he want to know about any of that? No, no! He wants to know if I have something that'll make his dick bigger. What is my career anymore?

"Ah, you mean add more length. That process is a bit more aggressive and can be painful. The safest, most effective method for enhancement would be the nutrient adjustment. Though rare, I've had two clients mention that their penises did seem longer and fuller when aroused. I believe only one of them mentioned his organ feeling heavier. His lover seemed happy about the change," Meioshi replied. "They have a daughter now, apparently. I'd say the program helped their case tremendously."

"Re-rea-rea-really?" the man asked with an excitable chuckle, putting a finger to his chin. "Meh, what the hell? Let's do that!"

"C'mon, Lord Sesshomaru! This way!" Juba cheered.

Yet again, Sesshomaru and Jaken were dragged away to some other place with the grapple bears. With Ohta being their leader, you couldn't tell any of them no. Otherwise, he'd have an attack formation ready for the little ones to hold them down in some way. Leeches! All of them! They were going shopping in a marketplace right in between the village and the estate. It was perfectly positioned, honestly, and all of the children seemed to be running through here for something. Much like the estate, the market inspired a sense of playfulness and whimsy. Young girls were able to get brushes or combs of fair to impressive quality, and young boys were able to buy toys or wooden weapons to play with. The tents were just as colorful as the paper lanterns of the okiyas. Oranges, blues, and pinks were joined together to create a joyful atmosphere. Some girls had parasols with flowers or vines on them as decoration, others had beading or tassels on theirs. Everyone wore some version of a casual kimono or yukata, though.

Jaken looked up at his lord when the little girl called them and took note Sesshomaru's robotic obedience. It was actually quite amazing how the grapple bears were able to persuade him to go where they wanted, but that could also have something to do with him not being able to easily escape them. They were relentless! Juba had just bought a doll from a store and had it in her arm. Her yukata had a weeping willow tree on it and it was a nice white color. The sleeves were long and flowy like a furisode, but he learned that Juba just loves flowing sleeves. Kijiro and Ohta went to get a toy sword for the little one. Afterwards, they were going to get a net so he could catch other small creatures for his collection. Chiura and Ohta hadn't gone shopping for themselves just yet, but they were quite patient. Chiura was waiting for the demons to catch up to them and smiled gently at them. That's how she got Sesshomaru and Jaken to stay with them. It was her superpower.

Once the two finally got close enough, the girls frolicked over to a bun stand. Their eyes grew large at the sight of the day's variety. Meioshi's favorite buns were on sale this time, so they pitched in and bought a few for her. Right as they were going to the next store, a samura walked up to them and stopped them from proceeding on.

"Excuse us, sir," they said together.

When they went to move aside, he blocked them from going. Another man crept up with his arms folded to stop them. The girls backed away, holding each other's hands out of fear, until one of them said, "Why aren't you all at work at your precious okiyas?"

"We don't work during this time," Juba answered politely. "Mama's - "

"Your house mother is giving you to us," the man said, locking eyes with Juba. "You're being trained for wifehood very soon. That means you'll have no time for toys."

Juba didn't waste any time once the man said that. She toughened up, shoved her doll in Chiura's hands, and pushed her while saying, "Go, Chiura! Find mama!"

Chiura did as told and ran with her demon speed towards Sesshomaru before running past him and Jaken. Other samurai had come out to ambush the children. The man that approached Juba grabbed her by the wrist to lift her up, but she bravely reached into her sleeve to pull out a small knife and cut across his eye. He yelped before he felt a stab in his wrist. When he dropped Juba, Sesshomaru just about took his head off when he punched him away and slashed at his partner to nearly sever his arm. He and some of the other male children fought back. He was truly surprised when he saw the acidic amount of hatred coming from Ohta. Without hesitation, he defended Kijiro and some of the other children along with Sesshomaru. For reasons the western lord couldn't explain, he was proud of everyone's response towards the danger. Ohta and Juba surprised him the most. Who taught them how to fight like that?

"Wretched little brats!" the leader hissed, holding his jaw in place. "Men! Leave 'em and let's go! We're going to the danna! This is an outrage!"

Author's Footnotes: I should probably put what these dishes are for clarity because I know some of ya'll just went straight to Google to see what Kijiro was talking about. XD Ahem! Taiyaki are fish waffles. They have different fillings you can use, but red bean paste is the most popular choice. Kijiro loves red bean paste if you couldn't tell. XD Okayu is rice porridge and is very simple in its recipe: rice, water, salt, done. This dish can be made with stock, onions, and other seasonings if you prefer a different flavor.

In feudal Japan, sex actually was viewed as just a means to only continue a genetic line among higher-classed citizens. A poor citizen had more of a choice in who they engaged in sexual activities with because they weren't pressured into upholding a public image. The lack of sexual gratification made it more common practice for husbands to have mistresses along with wives. Women were not allowed this same freedom. Obviously, that's not the only reason why a high-classed citizen would have a mistress, but that was one reason or excuse that was considered normal during that time. It's really interesting information. I do intend to revisit this portion of history in future chapters as this is a recurring theme, but I will have references to this in a bibliography section as well.