Chapter 38
Yoko turned out to be an awesome hostess. The house was even larger on the inside than the miko had previously imagined and she marveled at its amazing structure. Despite the fact that the house overlooked the water, there were fountains and tiny man-made rivers everywhere. Almost every room sported some kind of water-works, each completely different and unique in design.
When Kagome questioned this, the simple reply was that water was comforting for demons that were aquatic-based. Of course this made sense, but a thought occurred to her; the youkai she was acquainted with had shown their obvious forms or had somehow informed her of what type they were. Yoko had not, nor was it obvious what she actually was. The little priestess had never seen her true form and had thus never inquired as to what kind she was. Deciding it wasn't really important, she let go of the thoughts for a few days, simply enjoying the company of the older woman.
Their misadventures had started out in the household where Yoko taught her the basics of keeping a youkai household and what duties were expected of her. Having done quite a bit of this in Sesshomaru's house during the party and subsequent housing of other youkai lords, Kagome already knew a lot of it, but refreshers were always good.
Moving their jovial and raucous lessons to the library, Yoko then began to teach the miko youkai history and how certain traditions came to be. Youkai history and current day workings were steeped in traditions. Not much had changed from the distant past to the present. Yoko laid out whole volumes of scrolls, all elegantly decorated and some with illustrations of the amazing demons who comprised their history and legends.
Again, the small human was struck by an intense feeling of sadness and loss for such a rich and obviously powerful culture. Surely not everything was lost in the 500 years from now until her own time? Sadly, she could not deny the truth. Unless the youkai in her time took careful and painstaking care to keep themselves and their culture out of the public ningen eye, then she feared there was nothing left of this precious culture's history.
Returning her thoughts to their lessons she regarded the older youkai woman's profile while she read a passage from an old youkai proverb, something to do with inner strength. Kagome had not previously noticed due to distraction the last time the oceanic demoness had visited, but the reason for the shimmery quality of her skin was that it was comprised of tiny, elegant and delicate scales all of iridescent quality, though tinted aqua green strongest at her jaw line, above her eyes, and in other areas of her person where there was a crease or indentation. Once again, the thought sprang into her mind that she didn't know exactly what kind of demon Yoko was.
Glancing up, Yoko gifted her with one of her mischievous smiles.
"If you keep staring at me that way, I'll have to inform Sesshy-poo that he has competition," a dark blush of mortification spread across the miko's cheeks and the demoness laughed loud and long. Closing the book she'd been reading aloud, she turned to her friend, tucking one foot against her on the chair and draping an arm across it in an easy and comfortable manner.
"But really, Kagome-chan, what's up? You've been staring at me with that curious expression for almost 10 minutes now," she said with a chuckle further embarrassing her.
"Well," Kagome hesitated, "it's really silly, but I realized that in the time I've known you, I never was told or heard what kind of demon you actually were. I mean, I knew you were an ocean or water-related youkai, but I can't place from your aura what kind you actually are. You're one of the few I have yet to have had encountered in my travels." Yoko smiled.
"In all honesty it's probably because my kind generally sticks to large bodies of salt water… in other words the ocean." She chuckled at the 'well duh' look that crossed her friend's face. "Would you like to see my true form? I just realized that I've had yet to take you down to the water front and show you the spectacular beach we have here." Cerulean eyes sparkled and danced in anticipation.
"Yoko-chan, I would love that!" Giggling, the turquoise haired lady grabbed her by the arm and they raced down the hall headed to their prospective lodgings to grab bathing supplies before heading out of the castle to enjoy a day in the sun.
Armed with blankets, picnic supplies and bathing kimonos, the excited duo practically skipped their way to the edge of the cliffs and descended down the steep though safely carved trail leading to the white sandy beaches below. Kagome gasped and smiled broadly at the beautiful sights below her and her demon partner smiled up at the miko's obvious enjoyment.
"My husband picked this spot for our house before he even met me and took me as his mate he said it was the one place where he felt most at peace." Kagome nodded, understanding the sentiment.
After a few minutes of descending the women finally made it to the soft sand and the miko giggled, kicking off her sandals to enjoy the feeling of the white material between her toes. Picking a spot near the water, they set up their little picnic spot and proceeded to disrobe. Yoko assured her that her property was completely private and her sentries would keep away any prying eyes.
Wading into the water, a sigh escaping her lips as the water lapped at her muscled thighs, the color of the water already blending with the shimmer of her skin the demoness turned to her friend.
"So, would you like to see what I truly am?" she asked with a grin and Kagome nodded, a flutter in her stomach despite her trust in her friend. She knew nothing would happen to her, but demons in their true forms were always intimidating.
Yoko turned and sprinted full tilt into the water, waves suddenly churning around her as her power began to build. The miko could feel waves of her youki rolling off the water, but it was non-threatening and she kept her powers carefully in check so as not to disturb or threaten the more primal nature of the creature she was releasing. Water shot upward suddenly in massive jets that reached more than four stories above the priestess standing a short distance away on the sand, the disturbed water lapping gently at her feet.
Without notice, the water ceased churning and spouting and there was no sign of her friend. Straining her eyes to catch any kind of movement she scanned the water carefully, her eyes darting back and forth, alarm beginning to build in her mind. Off to her right, a bulge began to form beneath the water, as if something very large was moving very fast, pushing the water above it like a tunneling creature would do to the landscape.
The disturbance was moving parallel to the shore and she watched it with rapt interest. Without warning the water exploded and a creature with iridescent scales shot into the air. She was huge! Her form fully extended as she was now was almost as long as her house. As Kagome watched her soar through the air, expecting her to crash back down, she realized what she was looking at.
Yoko was a flying fish! Heaving her fins downward, the enormous aquatic demon did not descend back into the water. Instead she soared upward, her scales reflecting the sunlight in a dazzling array of color, the webbed fin of her back was folded close to her spine - Kagome assumed for less drag on the air - her tail swinging from side to side much the way a dragons would in flight.
Yoko's form was astounding! It was nothing like Kagome had ever seen, she was a flying fish… literally, but there were a lot of differences too. Her tail was longer and much more flexible, bending and flipping as her wings beat the air, spraying sparkling droplets all around. The wings themselves were not wings either; they were most definitely huge fins, translucent, the bones showing vein-like through the shimmery skin. Her body was a deep aqua blue that bordered on royal blue but with a green tinge to it, but her fins were that same iridescent blue green that her scales were in her human form.
The creature's whole body shimmered like millions of ocean colored diamonds, but the most interesting part was her face. It was elongated, almost like the face of a mammal; elegant lines in green hues ran across the length of her face to curl under black, emphatic eyes. Her mouth was more like the muzzle of a reptile, complete with long sharp fangs that poked generously from the top of her mouth as well as smaller ones from the bottom. Petite shimmering fins sprouted from the middle of her body and waved in the wind as she swam the air.
Turning in an arching manner that faced her back to the girl on the beach, the beautiful aquatic creature banked toward the shore, slowing her wing beats and arching her back, landing her lower section into the water gracefully. Long shimmering fins pushed forward, slowing her momentum more, causing the demoness to glide to a stop mere feet from the priestess. The eastern lady was sitting in the shallows almost the way a seal would, her body arched, looking down at her friend, her lower body partially submerged in the surf.
A whirlwind of water rose up causing the miko to cover her face with her hands as water sprayed her, the fine mist creating a rainbow that she missed while her eyes were squinted against the flying ocean water. Moments later, Yoko once again stood before her in her more familiar form, a small smile playing at her lips.
"Well," she inquired of the still shocked miko, "what do you think?" Her head tilted to the side, aqua hair spilling over one shoulder.
"Yoko-chan, it's beautiful! I never knew ocean demons like you existed!" The older woman chuckled.
"Because of how crucial water is to us, we tend not to stray from the ocean for too long. Many of us have decided that life on land just isn't as comfortable as the freedom of the open waters." She waded to where the now calm waves lapped at the sand and sat down facing the surf and Kagome sat beside her. "But because part of our kingdom is solely land creatures, my late husband built the fortress on the cliffside instead of in the sea." The priestess nodded in understanding.
"So, obviously your true form would have its limitations right? I mean, it doesn't look like it would be terribly graceful on land," the miko inquired, curiosity lighting her eyes.
"It's not as cumbersome as you would think. It's a little like a dragon with no back legs. I tend to waddle a little or slither slightly on my belly, but the large front fins are capable of putting out quite a bit of forward momentum and make maneuvering fairly easy. Plus most of the time I'm in flight," she commented, staring at the distant horizon. "The one major problem is my scales dry out quickly. I need water more in that form than I do in this one. If I'm without water for too long then I begin to lose energy quickly and it becomes very dangerous." Her eyes turned to her lounging friend.
"I'll bet you're deadly in the water though," Kagome commented with a grin and was rewarded with a wicked one in response.
"I'm unbeatable in my natural habitat. My body is so streamline, all I have to do is tuck my fins and maneuver with my tail; my fangs do all the fighting." She grinned again, her distinctive demon fangs glittering in the sun. Turning back to her friend she regarded her carefully. "And you felt no fear at seeing me in that state?" The little miko shook her head and grinned, her ebon hair cascading about her bare shoulders in thick waves.
"After facing down Sesshomaru's dog form and living, I don't think there's a single thing out there that could scare me that much!" Yoko giggled at that before lying back in the sand.
"You, my friend, are definitely unique among humans then." Her eyes slid shut and the little miko stared out over the ocean, contemplating taking a nap herself.
Later that night found the females sitting by a cozy fire on the beach, they had napped for a good portion of the day, just soaking up the rays of the sun and relaxing, having the odd chat every now and then. When the sun began to set behind them, tinting the sky in pinks and oranges, they broke out their picnic basket and ravenously ate everything they had brought, the sun having drawn out their hunger, laughing at one another at how 'ladylike' they were acting. Replacing their discarded garments, they built the small fire in lieu of heading back in the house and watched the stars come out and twinkle.
As she stared up at the darkening sky the little miko felt a pang of loneliness clutch at her heart. Not that she was want for company, she was more than happy and entertained here with her dear friend, but a certain someone was very apparently missing. Curling her legs under her and tucked into the warmth of her kimono she rested her chin on her knee, wrapping her arms around her legs and hugging them close.
"Yoko?"
"Hm?" the other woman lay flat on her back in the sand tracing patterns in the stars with her eyes.
"I know… pairings with ningen and youkai are … different… but could you tell me a little more about the mating process…?" she asked hesitantly, a twinge of fear and apprehension lilting her voice. Her companion considered the question carefully.
"Well, I don't know much about ningen pairings. Frankly I never had a reason to know, so I apologize for not knowing the difference, but youkai mating is very simple really. Sure there is a lot of tradition that surrounds it and makes it seem much more complicated, but I'm guessing your question has nothing to do with the trappings around mating," the priestess nodded.
"I know I told you that youkai mating involves a… transfer of blood. Well this is not as crucial a part of the process as it may sound." Kagome glanced at the demoness curiously. Yoko raised herself on her elbows and glanced over at the girl. "When youkai mate, there is of course the ceremony, which can be as simple or elaborate as you wish it to be, though as the Lady of the West, it will be expected to be lavish and as elaborate as possible," the priestess cringed, "but the part of the whole thing that's most important is the mating night." Kagome's cheeks tinged pink.
"The whole blood thing, though important really only takes a moment. It can happen anywhere on the body you wish, a typical youkai way is to sink one fang into the other's shoulder at the same time and lap the wound gently. This is probably not going to work for you since you don't have fangs," the miko couldn't help giggling slightly at that, "another way is to make a small cut in a finger or on the palm and press the wounds together or place the cut in one another's mouths. As long as opened flesh touches the others in a moment of intimacy, when both parties are aware and willing then it doesn't matter the method," Kagome listened intently.
"The basic reason behind it is it's a sharing of power and life. Depending on the type of bond, some youkai will pick up traits of one another and some won't. Whether this is tied to the transfer of blood or just to mating and becoming close, no one can say for sure. Many demons speak of marking their mates. This is a less practiced and more old-fashioned way of doing things. I'm not sure if Sesshomaru will want to mark you or not, but I'm sure he would discuss it with you before then.
"He may wish to if there are no residual changes to you from the mating process. Other than that, it's a simple session of making love. Youkai are a little more passionate than humans are, that I know for sure, so the mating process might be a little rougher than what you may have heard from friends or acquaintances. This is especially true of dog demons, though again, I'm sure Sesshomaru will treat you as gently as he is capable," Yoko sighed.
"It's not precisely the mating process that has me slightly worried about you two, although I'm ridiculously happy to see him actually in love for once in his miserable life and I'm overjoyed for you… but the nagging suspicion in my mind is that his youki will want to change you slightly in the process of taking you as his mate. With your miko powers, I have no idea what will happen. That's like trying to mix oil and water," she said, running distracted fingers through her bangs, sweeping them out of her eyes, but creating a tousled mess on the top of her head where the hair had pulled loose of her long ponytail. The little miko shrugged.
"What will come, will come. I know Izayoi survived the mating process without much trouble and managed to give birth to InuYasha, so I know it's possible. But I somewhat share your worries." Her eyes were locked on the stars.
"There's no recorded pairing of a miko and a demon of Sesshomaru's power and stature. My fear is that even if the mating were to succeed, you may never be able to bear children." Kagome held her breath, the thought hadn't occurred to her. "I mean, it would be creating a war within your womb," Yoko stared at the dark horizon that only demons eyes would be able to make out.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring such a dark subject up…" Yoko started to apologize but stopped at a shake from the ebon haired girl across the fire.
"No, these are things to consider… and they're very important," the fire lit the younger girl up in orange highlights, dark shapes dancing across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, casting shadows on her jaw from her hair.
"Whatever happens," the aquatic lady said barely above a whisper, "I will be here with you through it all." Kagome turned to regard the woman staring at her fiercely over the flames, her eyes set in a determination that lent the miko who felt so small her strength.
"Oh!" she burst out suddenly startling the little woman, "I forgot! We have cake tonight!" Yoko said excitedly leaping to her feet and gathering their belongings. Kagome grinned at the older demoness and rose to her feet, helping her gather their things.
Yoko loaded up the basket then told the girl to climb on her back and hold on. Gingerly doing so, she anchored her arms around the woman's neck just in time as she leapt into the air, easily soaring from perch to perch on the rock cliff, scaling it in a few moments. Once at the top she let her breathless companion down with a giggle and they headed off to the softly glowing house arm in arm.
"No, no, Kagome-chan, the line goes like this," taking the brush gently from the dark haired woman, the ocean lady corrected her incorrect stroke with a delicate curving line and the little miko huffed.
"Honestly, I don't see why you guys don't just have a simpler language," the turquoise haired woman burst out laughing.
"Oh, humor us and our silly traditions, now again," she said her eyes twinkling as Kagome huffed, the frustrated sound blowing her bangs out of her eyes and attempted to write the complicated character.
Yoko had been teaching Kagome the intricacies of the ancient youkai language that the little miko had seen Sesshomaru use more than once, but she'd never realized how difficult it was to learn. Yoko for her part was very impressed; though she didn't show it the small woman was picking up on the language faster than most demons did while growing up. However she happened to know that her dear friend learned best when she was being baited so she willingly obliged.
Sighing slightly to herself, she watched the miko as she carefully drew the character on the sheet, taking more time than was necessary to draw the character perfectly. Tomorrow Sesshomaru would be here to take the miko home. Though Yoko had enjoyed their week together immensely she knew the castle would be much quieter and lonelier than it was with her here.
Wandering the hallways alone always depressed her slightly, remembering better times when her husband was there around any corner, waiting to tackle her playfully and make her smile. It was difficult sometimes not to curse the Kami's for her fate. Some say it's better to have found someone, if only for a short while. Part of her agreed and another part staunchly disagreed. The pang of loneliness sometimes seemed overwhelming when even after this much time had passed and she still found herself reaching to her husband's side of the bed in her sleep, waking when her hand failed to find his warmth. Though the memories sustained her, she couldn't help but wonder if they sometimes brought her more pain than comfort.
Shaking her head with a small mental push, she knew this was not true. She cherished every moment she had with the man she had loved. Though he was taken from her abruptly and much too soon, she was glad for every memory she had.
Gleefully Kagome held up the paper for inspection just like a pup would at their first lessons. Yoko couldn't help grinning.
"Much better! Now, on to the next!" The miko's face fell and the ocean demoness laughed.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, finding the two women sitting quietly in the gardens, having already eaten. They mostly sat in silence, enjoying the morning air, one thought on their minds: Sesshomaru would be there soon. Yoko for her part would miss her friend greatly, but was full of gratitude none-the-less that the miko had come to stay with her for a while.
Kagome would miss her friend terribly, but not nearly as much as she had missed her demon lord. Though she had enjoyed her time, every waking moment he was second in her thoughts, following her like a spirit. She missed his masculine smell, the way his eyes would light up when their eyes would meet, his small smiles reserved only for her, the feel of his warm, muscular body when he would hold her close, devoid of his armor.
Yoko and Kagome chatted lightly until they felt a familiar and powerful presence approaching the castle quickly. Barely having time to rise to their feet before the bright ball of light appeared before them and dissolved into the form of Sesshomaru they smiled at each other. Kagome hugged her friend tightly.
"Thank you, Yoko-chan, I had the most wonderful time!" the miko said a little teary eyed.
"No, thank you, Kagome-chan, your presence brightened my home significantly and I eagerly await your next visit." She pulled back, her own eyes misting over. With a grin Kagome turned and leapt into her waiting demon's arms, hugging him tightly. With a nod over her shoulder to the aquatic lady, he scooped her up bridal style and they disappeared in his ball of light.
Sighing to herself she turned and headed back into her home, mentally checking off a list Sesshomaru had left with her regarding the Seisenmin* and the preparations for upcoming war.
Alighting on the balcony to his private rooms he pushed aside the curtains and stepped within, letting Kagome's feet drop reluctantly to the floor, her arms still wrapped firmly about his shoulders. Leaning down he kissed her gently, drinking in her intoxicating scent as well as the feel of her soft lips against his. Kami he had missed her. There wasn't a moment in the time she was gone that the infuriating woman wasn't foremost in his thoughts.
Pulling away to breathe, her soft breath warming his face she held him close, their noses nearly touching, he watched her as she stared at his mouth, obviously enraptured. Finally those emotive cerulean orbs rose to meet his and his breath caught in his throat.
"Sesshomaru," she whispered. His ears perked up, eager for the sound of her voice, "I think… I mean I know… I'm ready…" she said, her confidence building and his heart clenched a little, anticipation rising within him.
"You are ready…?" he inquired barely above a whisper, she nodded.
"I'm ready to be your mate," she whispered, her hand sliding through his hair to trail down his jaw, her little fingertips leaving fire in their wake, his skin aching for her touch.
With a strangled groan he crushed her mouth against his, fingers tangling in her ebon tresses, needing to feel her as much as she needed him.
"How long will it be before…" she asked when they separated, panting slightly, not quite sure what her question was, uncertain as to if it was called a ceremony or something else.
"The ceremony will take place here in the castle of the West and will be a closed celebration. I want no intrusions or dangerous visitors to ruin our moments of joining," he said, determination clear in his voice and she nodded. "Close friends and family only, we can have a larger more lavish celebration after," he said, catching her lips again, cutting off her mumbled reply.
Far be it from him to ruin the moment by telling her he hated big parties anyways. Then there was the fact that it would delay them from the part of the ceremony he was most looking forward to. A light growl reverberated in his throat at the thought.
Removing his armor with one hand, the other holding her in place he tossed it carelessly to the side, reveling in the feel of her lithe body pressed against his. Nothing, absolutely nothing was going to ruin their perfect moment together. This, my love, I promise.
*Seisenmin – the holy group bent on eradicating the demons.