Dragging her feet on her way to school Ashi heaved a sigh. With everything that come with being a goddess and her last year of high school, the teen was barely getting any time to herself. Looking down she stopped seeing Tomoe walk over a little boy with the tiniest black wings sticking out of his back.
"Oi Birdie, you alive?" Groaning the kid rolled over blinking up at her. "You are a tengu right?" Jumping to his feet the boy huffed balling his fists.
"I'm Botanmaru! And I'm looking for a very respected person from Kurama mountain. He's the chief's son and we need him right now." Watching the little wings puff out Ashi laughed reaching forward to run her fingers through the downy feathers.
"What a little cutie." Seeing the sun reflect off of the large black feather in her hair, Ashi always had the feather stuck somewhere, Botanmaru grabbed for it nearly yanking her down to his level when it stayed put. "OW fuck that hurt bird brain." Grabbing the back of the tengu's robes Tomoe lifted him up.
"Release her now." Gulping the boy let go.
"That feather belongs to Shinjiro. He's who I need." Blinking she pulled her hair to look at the plumage.
"Um okay hold on a second." Pulling her phone from her pocket the goddess dialed in a number before pressing it to her ear. "Kurama will you meet me at your apartment please? It's kind of important." Frowning down at his phone the crow demon scowled.
"Okay I haven't left yet. You still have a key so let yourself in." Snapping the phone shut the elder tengu finished buttoning his shirt folding his wings against his back. Looking down at the winged child the teen smiled.
"While we walk there why don't you tell me more about what's going on okay." Nodding the boy took her hand letting the goddess lead him along. Looking over her shoulder at the kitsune she ushered with her other hand.
"Shinjiro-Sama!" Shooting up from his spot on the couch Kurama gapped at the tiny crow demon who was hugging the back of Ashi's pants leg.
"You're so small how old are you?" Walking from around the human Botanmaru stuttered.
"Sev-seven years old." Taking in his idol for the first time the kid teared up.
"You should go back to the mountain."
"I can't Shinjiro-Sama! Your father is ill and the clan is in trouble." Sighing the redhead leaned down.
"Listen I've been gone nearly 18 years. I'm a dropout."
"Shinjiro-Sama is not a dropout! You're my idol!" Slumping in defeat the elder tengu sighed again.
"We have to take him back to the mountain. Hatchlings are supposed to stay there; the lower world is poisonous to them." Lifting Botanmaru's sleeve he showed them a red rush that was unnatural.
"Are those whip marks? Oh hell no! I'm going with you!" Lowering his ears the kitsune grumbled. Leave it to his goddess to get involved in crow affairs.
Making sure she had everything the teen rewet the towel that rested on Botanmaru's forehead. She'd packed an extra sticky note pad just in case and after an extra-long goodbye between Kurama and Ami the four, being her, Kurama, Tomoe, and Botanmaru, set out in the night wagon reaching the base of the mountain after making the kid swallow a peach pill. Hopping out of the carriage she looked around. "Wow this is beautiful." Raising an eyebrow Kurama grinned.
"You do realize you live in the mountains too right." Waving him off the goddess inhaled deeply.
"I know but this is different. There's no human's for miles, only me." Watching the adults interact Botanmaru shook his head, he'd never understand grownups. Pointing to a little path into the forest the little crow interrupted them.
"The path to the tengu temple is here. You must stay on it or be lost." Falling into step between the redhead and Tomoe Ashi felt a sudden urge hit her. Biting her lip she wiggled a little. She really had to pee. A sudden fog enveloped them separating the tengu from the human and demon. "Well hell. That's not good." Peeking back at the fox she frowned. "Can you smell them at all?" Nose twitching he scowled.
"It's miasma. Because the head of the clan is sick the mountain isn't being maintained like it should. Like how my power keeps the shrine livable." Shrugging she grabbed his hand making sure to stay on the path.
"Since you're the one keeping it up, could you work on a heater next? It's November. I, being a weak human, do tend to get colder at night." Bumping his shoulder with hers she snickered. "Especially when someone keeps peeking in my room at night." Cheeks flushing with color Tomoe looked away.
"I'll have to keep a tighter leash on Mizuki then." Humming in response the deity laughed. A sudden high note rang through the trees clearing the miasma in its wake. Following quickly the two stumbled upon Kurama and Botanmaru. Running a hand through his messed hair the elder crow snorted.
"Have fun being alone?" Rolling her teal eyes the teen poked his side taking joy in the fact that he squirmed.
"We stayed on the path you know and we still walked right into a trap. And I need to pee, now." Whooping her with his tail the fox sighed.
"Pick a bush." Huffing she crossed her arms and followed after Kurama's figure.
Staring up at the grand white double doors in front of them the goddess looked back at the redheaded tengu. "You ran away from here? Are you batty?" Ruffling her hair the grey eyed demon moved to open the door only for them to creak open on their own. Peeking out the most angelic looking tengu smiled softly. With long white hair cascading around him the white tengu did look like an angel.
"Welcome home, Shinjiro." Rushing forward Kurama bowed at the waist muttering a soft.
"Sorry." Cuddling a crying Botanmaru the older tengu, Suiro, reached forward patting the redhead gently.
"Stand up. Let me have a look at you." Righting himself Kurama's eyes watered before Suiro glomped him. Rubbing his cheek against his forehead in a nuzzle of greeting. Watching the heart felt reunion Ashi nudged Tomoe with her elbow.
"How come you're not affectionate like that? Foxes are supposed to be cuddly yet the crows are having a love fest over there. Hell Mizuki like hugs more than you and he's cold blooded." Flicking an ear in disinterest, he let his tail snake up and cover her head blocking her view. Yelping she sputtered because, believe it or not, tail fur did not taste good and her mouth had been open. Spitting the last of the silvery white fur out she let the fluffy appendage drape over her shoulders. "Well I give up." Raising an eyebrow at the weird statement Tomoe scoffed.
"What's that mean?" Eyeing him then looking back over to the love birds she shrugged nearly making the tail fall from her shoulders only for it to right itself.
"Well I just mean all the demons and gods I've met so far have been gorgeous. Even Yu was adorable. So it's no wonder I'm always going to be single. Hanging around you guys just makes me look uglier. And seeing him only makes it worse." Stepping forward and letting Tomoe's tail slide form around her she bowed lightly.
"Hello I'm Ashi Yami and this is Tomoe. Sorry to show up uninvited." Blinking Suiro quickly turned away so his hair blocked his view.
"You all must be tired after climbing the mountain. Come inside." Following the retreating figure the goddess frowned. Was she dirty or smelly or something? She'd hate to have to be a bitch but there was no reason to completely ignore her.
Wiggling in her seat Ashi puffed her cheeks out trying and failing to take her mind off the fact that she had to piss. Very, very badly. Looking up she growled in discomfort. "Excuse me for asking, Suiro but-"
"My Lady wishes to use your toilet." Smiling the white tengu leaned back from nuzzling Kurama's hair again.
"Oh excuse my rudeness Familiar-sama. I'll show you where it is." Ducking his head to hide his face the elder tengu bit his lip. "But your lady may not use it." That was all she needed to hear, surging to her feet she stomped out of the house leaving behind three gawking males. Muttering to herself she planned on finding a nice flowering bush and peeing on it. Serves him right, she had been nice and polite but denying her the potty when it was all she asked was downright mean. There was no way around it now, Suiro really did hate her and she hadn't done a damn thing to him. Trying to catch her breath she stumbled against a dead tree. The air was thinner up here she should have remembered not to get worked up over something that didn't really matter. Seeing her eye sight swim she tried to think of anything. Tengu lived here right so they could breathe no problem. Quickly scribbling on a sticky note she stuck it inside her jacket taking a deep breath when her lung and chest loosened so she could gulp in air. With that crisis out of the way she wondered on to the bathroom.
Trudging out of the building she huffed. Tengu had wings. She had forgotten that when she made her talisman only to sit on them when she tried to pee. She was a failure of a being right now, embarrassed and pissed off. Feeling a cool breeze gust across the snowy white feathers of her temporary wings she shivered. It was cold up here and she'd only brought a light jacket. Wrapping her arms around herself she sighed watching her breath float away. Stretching just for good measures she nearly screamed when the muscles on her back shifted and the milky appendages arched unfurling and reflecting the little sunlight that broke through the clouds covering the mountain summit. "That is so weird. Maybe Kurama can show me some tricks with these things." Seeing a group of smaller tengu huddled around something she wondered over peeking over their heads. "Why are you guys burying a baby pig in front of a tree?" Screaming they all jumped turning towards her.
"How dare you be here hum- Wait why are your wings white?" Waving them off she crouched.
"I don't really know. Now what's with the pig?" Sniffling the tiniest one rubbed his eyes.
"I found it earlier and was gonna raise it but Jiro-sama killed it." Frowning she patted his head awkwardly. "We were hoping that if we buried it beside the 1000 year Sakura tree it would bloom. It has flowers all year round but it's dying." Tapping her chin in thought she snapped her fingers before pulling out her handy dandy sticky notes.
"I might be able to help with that." Sticking her tongue out in concentration she carefully wrote 'cleanse' on the yellow tab pushing it to the tree. It took a second but the bark brightened and new buds sprouted from the branches. Placing her hands on her hips to admire her work she yelped when the 3 little crows jumped away pointing at her.
"Your front has ups and downs! You're a girl!" Looking down out of sheer stupidity to make sure it was true she scratched her head.
"Yea so?" The tiny demon ignored her though.
"We've committed a sin! We spoke to a female. When presented with a beautiful women men may be swayed to fall prey to their darker desires. I'm not really sure what they are but they can't be good." Raising her hands to shush them she laughed.
"Boys, boys! You're way too young to be swayed. It's perfectly fine to talk to girls. Besides I'm not pretty anyway. Suiro is beautiful." Nodded the tallest crossed his arms.
"You're right." Eye twitching she grit her teeth. Helping the kids dig a hole big enough for the boar she wiped her forehead. "Thanks, sister!" Waving the three ran back towards the building farthest away. Waving lazily she rubbed Hikari's fur covered head as he yawned crawling form inside her jacket.
"Well that took a while." Stretching again she took time to enjoy the breeze since she had worked up a sweat digging in the dry dirt under the budding Sakura tree. Moving her wings around she got the feeling she was being watched, ruffling her feathers she tucked them back in. Turning she locked eyes with an adult tengu with short black hair and scars covering his cheeks. Feeling awkward because he was just staring at her Ashi gave a croaked smile. "Hello." Her voice seemed to break whatever spell he was under; shaking his head the crow narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you here? Women aren't allowed here it's forbidden." Watching him stomp forward she gawked. Was every adult male here an asshole? Rolling her eyes she turned around planning on going back to Suiro's house.
"I'm going. I always thought Kurama was a dick, not anymore." Being jerked back by her wrist she hissed staring up into scorching gray eyes.
"Hold it! Do you have something to do with the Holy aura radiating form the tree?" Growling she yelped when he twisted her arm.
"That hurts dammit!" Tightening his grip the demon smiled.
"Tell me who sent you or I'll break your arm." Hand flashing forward she smashed the palm of her free hand into his nose getting a satisfying crunch. Crying out the male stumbled back, taking the opportunity the goddess marched away with a snarling kit perched on her shoulder. Distantly she heard someone call for Jiro-Sama but she was beyond mad that that bastard had tried to man handle her. Slamming the door open Ashi trudged inside nearly walking right into Tomoe who had planned on going to look for her.
"What took so long?" Walking right past him she plopped down on her abandoned pillow.
"The normal shit I usually get into without you around." Folding his arms in his kimono he took his seat beside her, laying his tail in her lap to calm her down.
"Ah that explains why you're so riled up now. Why do you have wings?" Running a gently hand through his silky fur she hummed a second before answering drawing the eyes of the crow demons across the room.
"There isn't enough oxygen in the air up here for me to breathe right so I had to use a talisman. Since I'm not really doing anything it should last until we leave." Wincing when her wrist throbbed the land god frowned down at it. A black bruise was already forming around it. Catching her hand in his Tomoe bared a fang sniffing the darkening area.
"Who did this?" Rubbing his ear she waved off his concern.
"Some bird named Jiro I think. Don't worry about it; I broke his nose in return."
"You met Jiro?" Glancing at the white haired tengu she scowled seeing he wasn't looking at her.
"That's what I just said."
"And you weren't seriously hurt?" Waving her hands in annoyance Ashi smacked her palm on the table making the white tengu jump.
"Look Suiro if you have a problem with me being here say so and I'll camp outside. But don't keep being rude, I've been well behaved since I got here and you won't even look me in the face." Pushing to her feet she started back outside.
"W-Wait! Forgive me for being a terrible host, but in all the years I've lived I don't know how to treat a girl." Locking eyes for the first time since they'd been introduced she laughed realizing his face was bright red in embarrassment. Before she could stop it a snort bubbled up her throat and she didn't stop until the wild fox had to pull her back over to her cushion. Wiping her eyes Ashi chuckled.
"Is that all? I thought you hated me." Reaching across the table she patted his dainty hand, really Suiro was more feminine than she was. At the contact the tengu grew redder if that was possible. "You don't have to treat me any different than Foxy or Kurama. I'm more like one of the guys anyway." Sitting up straighter she ruffled her feathers, it was an odd feeling. She could feel every one of them and each one was screaming for something. But she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was. "I think we need to get to the matter that brought us here if that's okay."
Tossing another blanket onto the futon lying on the floor Ashi sighed. It was nearly Winter and here she was sleeping in a rundown shack with only two very light covers. She may have a charm right now but once she changed back her body would be frost bit for sure. Fluffing her pillow the god thought about what had happened over the last hour. Kurama had stormed out of the house and after a heart to heart with Tomoe, had come back, dragged her to the room she was staying in and mumbled a request for help. She of course had already decided to assist in any way possible. This was his father that was ill. Straightening when the door snicked open she rolled her eyes seeing Tomoe was still towel drying his hair from his bath. Freezing when he lifted his foot to step in the fox scowled.
"What are you doing in here? This is my room." Pointing to the mess of blankets a few feet from her own the goddess huffed.
"Because you said I was your mistress earlier when I left you with Suiro and Kurama the white bird brain decided we should room together; besides there aren't many rooms to choose from here. And at least this one blocks the cold a little." Pushing his way past the kitsune the redheaded tengu spread a map of the temple out on the floor.
"When you two decided to stop acting like an old married couple feel free to shut up and join me." Narrowing both sets of uniquely colored orbs their owners growled taking opposite seats on both sides of the crow demon. Nodding when they had simmered down the gray eyed male tapped the map with his nails. "Jiro has wards all around the temple so the only way to get in is the front gate." Pulling a tiny vile from his breast pocket he held it out for them to see. "We'll have to split up. Two will have to distract Jiro while the other looks for Oto-sama." A flurry of tiny feet was heard before Botanmaru slid around the shoji screen door and barreled into Ashi's chest.
"I wanna go too. Please!" Patting his head she shifted the tiny crow demon beside her running a soothing hand between his wings. The action calmed him just as it did Kurama. Many nights when it was cram time Kurama invited her over to help him study and to rub his wings. The gently touches always put the snarky tengu in a better mood and the tension melted off his body. Eyeing the hand rubbing the little crow's back Kurama frowned.
"No. It'll be too dangerous for you." Sobbing Botanmaru shoved his face into the goddess's chest making her gasp from the sudden jolt. She had barely held in her cry when he'd smashed into her front before. Clenching his fangs Tomoe snagged the back of the baby demon's robe pulling him away with great force.
"If you hurt her again, you will never learn to fly." Shivering he nodded wrapping his arms around his knees when the fox dropped him to the floor. Rubbing her breast bone the deity flinched. She was going to be bruised tomorrow and sore as hell. Lovely.
"Foxy it's okay. He just doesn't know his own strength yet." Patting the black hat on Botanmaru's head she winked. "Careful, even though I'm a tengu right now, I can still break easy." Shivering as a gust of wind rocked the shack she ran a hand through her hair. "Tomoe, you and Kurama distract Jiro tomorrow and me and Botanmaru will look for the chief." The kitsune hissed fur standing on end.
"That is out of the question!" Not one to back down the teal eyed girl raised an eyebrow.
"So you'd rather I get close to one of the meanest demons on this mountain then? Where would I be safer Foxy? Right in front of Jiro, who hates me, or across the temple far away?" Blinking his tail thrashed making the floor boards whine in protest.
"Fine!" A blast of youki had her midnight tresses floating in the air. "But if you so much as get a scratch on you… May the kami help whoever did it." Catching his flailing tail she smoothed her hand into the silver-white fur.
"I'll be fine. You worry too much. Know listen I've a plan…"
Gritting his teeth and digging his claws into the mats beneath him Tomoe felt his inner beast lung at the carefully constructed cage he kept it in. He loathed the idea that Ashi was going to be right in the middle of everything tomorrow and out of his sight. Making the damnable crow goblin a temporary land-god was a stupid, horrible idea. Flicking his ear when a chattering sound became too much to ignore he flattened his ears. What was that noise?
"T-Tomoe?" Eyes flashing towards the soft whisper he jolted realizing his goddess was standing at the edge of the screen he'd put up to separate them, hugging her covers around herself the teen was still freezing. The blue tint to her lips and uncontrollable shudders proved that. "I-I'm s-o-o co-old." Stumbling over she flopped down beside him huddling into a ball, even little Hikari was shivering just inside her shirt. "C-can I p-please sl-sleep here?" Scooting to the edge of his futon the kitsune raised his already warm blanket letting her crawl under it. "Thanks." Worming her way into the pillow she'd brought with her she sighed as a new warmth heated her bones. Which it was a new warmth really the minute her head had hit the pillow half a dozen balls of fox fire sprung to life in the room heating the air until she stopped shivering and color returned to her lips. Sighing gently in her now peaceful sleep the goddess rolled over using his shoulder as a pillow. Freezing in place the demon gazed down at her trailing a claw through her hair. She trusted him enough to sleep next to a youkai. Inhaling a purr started in his chest that wouldn't stop. Leaning in his nose trailed over the skin of her neck taking in the pure scent only Ashi seemed to give off. Snuggling down beside her the fox didn't care if this was improper. His inner beast was quiet for once and he was a little tired. Taking a fox nap couldn't hurt right?
Yay! I'm alive. So super excited for Kamisama kiss season 2!
Read and Review like always!