Family Game Night Chapter 13 Interim: Pupai/Dominoes
Sesshoumaru landed in the immense courtyard in his true form. While the floating castle seemed empty, he could sense the presence of many demons throughout the large complex. Between one breath and the next, he transitioned from a towering dog demon form to his more elegant humanoid one. His armor and swords in place, his silken attire immaculate, not a single strand of his long, silvery hair out of place.
He gracefully walked the length of the court yard towards the large doors that guarded the entry to the inner courts. Unhurriedly, he strode, to all appearances at ease with his awaiting destination. His face a vision of perfect neutrality. While this was his mother's home, it was no less a deadly zone than the battlefields of the earth below. The outcomes might take longer to be evident, but it could not be said it was a safe or peaceful place. Under ordinary circumstances, Sesshoumaru would avoid this domain. He was acknowledged as the strongest demon on earth in regards to physical prowess, tactics, and strategy. However, his mother, Inukimi, was the champion of the perils and pitfalls of the political arena. He needed to secure her approval, or at least avoid her displeasure, if his overall plan were to succeed. Nothing in his demeanor could show how important this meeting was to him.
As Sesshoumaru passed through the doors, he was greeted by his mother's chamberlain. "The Lady is in her favorite garden. Shall I escort you?"
The demon lord responded, "No need, This Sesshoumaru knows the way." With that, he headed further into the complex. When he arrived at the garden, lush with flowers even this early in the season, he paused to admire the tableau before him. His mother, beautiful as always, elegantly clad in layered garments, her silver hair hanging down her back in two tails, was seated upon a low chair surrounded by a bevy of demon ladies-in-waiting. She was listening to one of her attendants, likely telling her of his unannounced arrival. As he resumed strolling forward, she turned to face him.
"Sesshoumaru, my dear son, to what do I owe this unexpected visit? I don't see the frog or the human child this time. Did you forget your snack and pet?"
"Mother," he said in an absolute monotone, neither reacting or acknowledging her quip about Jaken and Rin. "With the completion of my earlier task, I have decided to grant your request. Did you not state you wanted this Sesshoumaru to visit more often? Here I am, to visit."
With these words he seated himself on a nearby cushion and focused on his mother's reaction. There was a brief pause as she waited for him to elaborate and he waited for her to react instead. While not quite a staring match, it was obvious that each was waiting for the other to make a move. Not unlike a game of Shoji. Of course, it was his mother who had taught him that game. With that stray thought, his lips quirked up a small amount, not a smirk, though not quite a smile. Inukimi took in this break in his impassive mien and allowed a small smile to not only grace her lips, but it reached her eyes as well. It had been a long time since she had seen her son allow himself to display even this much emotion.
"It is wonderful that you decided to come and visit me. I have sent for tea. You can tell me all about what has come to pass while we refresh ourselves." With that, Inukimi dismissed a majority of her attendants, sent the ones she allowed to stay to gather away from where she sat. Tea was brought and served. Once it had been properly tasted, Sesshoumaru began bringing his mother up to date on the fate of Naraku and of the Shikon Jewel. He gave a broad overview of the battle and its aftermath, touching only on his own role in it in detail. He was not yet ready to share his actual intent. He did mention leaving Rin in Edo village.
"Since then, I have been patrolling the Western lands, seeing to the responsibilities of governing. It is less tumultuous at this time, without the manipulations of the jewel or the meddling of the spider hanyo. I have used this time to renew my ties with my vassals and," with a nod towards Inukimi, "with my family."
"I see," responded Inukimi," picking up the fine porcelain cup and taking a delicate sip of tea. "Your tale is quite impressive. One that should be preserved. Perhaps you will relate it to the court scribes as a lesson to future generations?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, but permitted himself to tilt his head in a small nod. "Excellent," she continued. "Now, why don't you tell me the parts you've carefully left out? The parts that deal with your half-brother and his little pack? What? Did you think this one was too ancient and senile to detect the holes in your report? Credit me with more intelligence than this, Sesshoumaru."
"This one did not wish to cause you any discomfort, Mother. I am not unaware that certain topics can cause pain. I sought only to spare you that." Sesshoumaru proceeded to explain the epic battle in more detail, leaving out none of the players or the events of that had led to the current situation, except for Family Game Night and the future it promised. That topic would have to be carefully introduced. Occasionally, Inukimi would ask for a point in clarification, but otherwise allowed his tale to run its course. Afterward, Sesshoumaru made inquiries as to the current temperament in the Youkai Court, especially in regards to human/youkai relations.
Inukimi was unable to completely contain her surprise. The machinations of politics had always been a subject that her son had shied away from, yet here he was absorbed in her area of expertise. He even asked interested and intelligent questions on matters that before had only elicited bored stares. Something wasn't quite right. She was sure this was her son, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands and not another in disguise. However, his behavior had undergone a distinct change. Curiosity was her besetting sin, much like his. She would discover what had bestirred his interest in the tides of politics.
"And that's where the opinions stand at this time. Why the sudden interest, my son? These are not conversations that ordinarily concern you?"
"Perhaps I am growing up, Mother," Sesshoumaru smirked, enjoying the rare opportunity to keep his mother guessing.
"Perhaps," she allowed. "We have been sitting here for quite some time. I'm sure you would like to stretch your legs. Your quarters are available, should you wish to stay. A meal will be served after sundown, if you should hunger."
"I believe I shall avail myself of your hospitality, both the meal and the stay. Perhaps after eating you would enjoy playing a game? Shogi? Or some other of your choosing?"
At these questions, Inukimi's eyebrows flew to her hairline, but her usually cold eyes warmed. "You take after your father in such odd ways. Or do you remember him asking this way, in the times when you were much younger?"
"I remember, Mother. Not well, but I do remember the two of you moving pieces on a board. And later, when he was away at war, you would teach me how to play. We can speak of this over a game later." With that, Sesshoumaru rose, sketched a perfunctory bow, and departed the garden to seek the chambers reserved for him.
Again, they sat across from another, a low table between them. On the table was not the expected Shogi board. Rather a collection of tiles made from bone. On each tile one face had a number of dots or pips inscribed on each end. The face on the flip side had decorative carving that looked like a lotus flower. At the sight of these tiles, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened, while a rush of nostalgia poured over him.
Inukimi spoke, as she started to turn all the tiles so the lotus was on the top. "Do you remember these? I taught you to play with "Pupai" tiles, long before I started teaching you 'Go' or 'Shogi'."
"I had not until just now. Seeing them again brings back the memories." Sesshoumaru closed his eyes briefly, images flooding his mind from when he was a young pup. "I do not know how I could have forgotten." His eyes flew open again. "You will need to remind this one of the rules."
With a small smile dancing on her lips, Inukimi recited the rules. Together, they examined their pulled tiles and began to play. The game was not complicated, which allowed Sesshoumaru to ponder the best way to steer the conversation the way he wished it.
"Do you happen to have the rules for this game written down, Mother? This one would appreciate having them, to cement them in memory," he said, as he lay a 6-pip tile end adjacent to another one.
Demurely, Inukimi murmured, "there are several games that may be played with the same set of tiles, Sesshoumaru. I will see how many I recall and have a scribe create a document for you. Though this one is puzzled as to what you might do with such a thing."
"Several games? With the same pieces? Fascinating. And you have remembered them all? There must be other games you have knowledge of that I have forgotten or never learned?" The demon lord chose his words as carefully as he chose his tiles. "As to the reason, these are excellent tools to help train tactics in ways that are easy to absorb. I have recently acquired a young kitsune who is associating with my ward. Teaching them such games is an efficient use of time and effort. They will both be stronger for it and can keep each other amused. Something my vassals and servants appreciate, as do I."
"A young kitsune? The same one that had attached himself to one of the half-breed's mikos? The silly one in the oddly indecent garments?" The demoness placed her final tile, winning the hand as she posed these questions.
Sesshoumaru found himself bristling at the blatant insults about Kagome. His mother was known for her cleverness, not for her tact. With some difficulty he kept his voice neutral, while taking a new set of tiles and readying himself for another round of both verbal fencing and game play with the tile set. "Mother, the miko you refer to is the Shikon Miko, guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Without her, the jewel and Naraku would not have been defeated. If for nothing else, she deserves respect. In addition, her reiki powers are without equal. As near as I have been able to research, they are as great or greater than Midoriko of legend. Yes, the kit is her adopted son. It was at her suggestion that we began teaching the young ones games of strategy and tactics. She is also an accomplished player of Go and Shogi." He then laid his last tile on the table, while delivering his own final comment. "She even knows your signature Shogi move."
Her eyes widened for the briefest of moments, then narrowed, "one might suppose others to have discovered this Shogi maneuver. While it is unusual, it is likely not unique to this one."
"Hnn," Sesshoumaru grunted. He locked eyes with Inukimi, attempting to read any nuance from her expressions. "Kagome informed this one that she had learned it from her grandsire. He, in turn, was taught it from a friend of her granddame's 'with the most beautiful silver hair' that Kagome had ever seen."
"Do not be ludicrous, pup," snapped Inukimi. "This one has most certainly not played Shogi nor any other strategy game, much less taught strategy, to some decrepit human male!"
"This one is aware you would not do so," Sesshoumaru paused before uttering the word that had been on the tip of his tongue the entire evening. "Indeed, you have not done so …. yet."
His mother froze, still staring into Sesshoumaru's eyes, gold boring into gold, breath held, motionless. Neither of them pretended that they were playing with the pupai any longer. Then she suddenly inhaled, as if remembering that air existed. "What do you mean by 'yet'?"
"Ah, Mother, I had assumed you knew. You do keep track of the unusual, the mythical, the powerful, and the divine. Were you not aware that the miko hails from far in the future?"
"No, I was not. Explain yourself."
Sesshoumaru pursed his lips slightly, then gave an abbreviated explanation of Kagome's origins.
"From this, you believe that in the future this one interacts with the Shikon Miko's granddame and grandsire? Perhaps with the miko herself? Perhaps your perception is warped from too much time spent in their company. Tell me, my son, why should I care about this human and her family, now or in the future? Their lives are short and brutal. Their strength is miniscule, their greed is vast. What gain is there to have dealings with any human?"
"What is there to gain? Survival to start with. The ability not only to live, but to thrive. The alternative is extinction. Mother, in the future there are no youkai. We are reduced to figments in stories. The Shikon Miko has shared this information with me. And, inasmuch as I was reluctant to believe it, it was verified by my half-brother. Not even a whisp of yokai could he detect during the time the well permitted him travel. The humans had multiplied thousandfold, while we dwindled to nothing."
Tired of the game of words, Sesshoumaru drew the game catalog out from his sleeve and placed it on the table on top of the bone tiles. "Also, Kagome brought this," he gestured to the sheaf of papers. "Look at the signet, read the words, and then tell me to what purpose we should have dealings with the humans. Kagome stated that she did not wish to live in such an empty world. My goal is to keep it full. Full of youkai, full of magic. Full of our lives. Goodnight, Mother." With that, Sesshoumaru stood up from the table and left the hall. He headed for his chambers. This was it. His plans likely lived or died by revealing all to his mother. He had likely been a fool. He had even walked away from the only copy he had of the papers from the future. Should his mother refrain from dousing them in her poison acid, he would find scribes to copy the document.
In his chamber, he laid down upon the bed. He imagined a pair of blue eyes peering at him from beneath a crown of wavy midnight hair. "Ahh, miko. I have gambled all on a single move of the board. What if I am wrong? How will this Sesshoumaru then keep his promise to you, Kagome? I thought my vision was clear, but I am not so sure. No! I am not wrong. I will not allow it. The future is obscured right now, but the path will be clear again. Though you are so very far away, I am getting closer."
With these troubled thoughts, Sesshoumaru fell asleep.
A/N Tiles with pips which eventually evolve into Dominoes trace their history to bone tiles in China called Pupai. The earliest mention of pupai is the 13th century C.E.
Yes, Sesshoumaru is a bit OOC at the moment, at least in his own head. I'll try to bring him back to his overconfident self-next time.
