“I’m all right now.” Shiro said, after g herself out for a while. Wiping at her nose, she looked very embarrassed. “Seriously, Aki, you just fet about this, all right?” she insisted. “I’m not myself, I’m normally … ugh, I don’t know.”

  “I won’t fet it.” I said, surprising her. As she looked at me, I bent down and kissed her forehead softly. “After all, it’s not every day I get to see such a genuine side of you.”

  Shaeu was snickering nastily now, adding to her embarrassment and fusion, while Hyath was merely standing there, impassive, and Daiyu was still o, surrounded by Yokai as we were.

  “Oh well, I apologise.” I said to the surrounding crowd. “I’m sure you uand she was just overe by emotion. Now, onto the details.” I looked at Bintara as she floated there. “If it’s going to take time and be a difficult process, is the Parade going to remain in Kyoto? Or are you going to e with us?”

  Bintara frowned. “I ot the Hyakki Yagyō to this pce. It has been long since we roamed, and many grow restless, and Kyoto is being exhausted. I shall apany you for the moment, until my task is dohe healing plete.”

  “Best treat her with respect, or the old sea-cow will rampage. She may be a healer, but she’s been alive a long time, the old e.” The kitsune, Nebisuki, ughed.

  “Old e?” the atmosphere ged, the ke rippling uhe force of her aether, as Bintara raised her upper body, dark eyes gring at the fox. “That is rich, ing from a whelp who has only retly grown her fourth tail. If you wish, I show you the gulf between us.”

  S. She’s pretty damn powerful… the pressure ing off her was intense. “Of course we’ll treat Lady Bintara with the utmost resped courtesy. Not only is she an huest and emissary from the Night Parade, but as I’ve said, I couldn’t be mrateful for your help healing Shiro. If you have any needs or requests, we’d be happy to aodate you.”

  “I require water.” She said, turning away from Nebisuki, who was grinning, her tails shing happily. “I am no sea-cow…” she exhaled, and a nce of water shot out, dreng the kitsune, who shuddered, being bombarded with icy cold water, her loose kimono soaked and dragging down, exposing her skiails and ears drooping, fur and hair sodden. Red and Blue were guffawing happily at the humiliation the fox suffered, while Urakaze merely crossed her arms, frowning, unimpressed by the dispy.

  “… however, I am a Yokai of water, and without it, I ot fully utilise my powers.” She finished, as Nebisuki sneezed, her tails shuddering.

  “So cruel. It sems that your temper hasn’t mellowed with ye…” Nebisuki sneezed again, blowing her nose nosily as she began t the water from her with a shimmer of yellow energies, steam rising from her fur and clothes.

  Water Yokai? Well, sidering that Selensha is an expert healer, and water element as well, I see the corretion. “Don’t worry, my Territory tains some coastal areas and the sea. There are a lot of creatures there, but within the barrier it’s perfectly safe.” I assured her.

  “Perhaps I feast well then.” Bintara decred, seemingly ied, dark eyes gleaming.

  “Oh, we’ll be sure to provide you with food and alcohol, if you wish it.” I assured her, and Shaeu chimed in.

  “Indeed. Our Territory is now-now produg delightful honey wines and mead, as well as fruit wines, ciders and stroronger spirits. With Hyath’s talents, and the aid of Asha, a Dryad, we have rich-rich orchards and bountiful fields.” She puffed out her chest proudly.

  “Oy!” Red decred, ied. “Didn’t you say that I’d be getting booze? To show there is no hard feelings for the death of my dumbass bro? I haven’t fotten!”

  “Of course.” I assured him. “In fact, we should sort that out now, as well as prepare some for Nurarihyon and his noble wife.” I smiled politely at Seirei. “I’m sure he would wish to try some.”

  “Har. Now you are talking!” Red grunted happily. “My gourd is near empty.” He flicked the rge cy vessel, and ihe sloshing sound from within was faint. “I could use a refill.”

  “Leave it tooo me!” Hyath decred proudly. “I shall make sure ooonly the fi alcohol is brought out!”

  “Now that matters seem-seem settled…” Shaeu gnced up to the cage where Yamato-san was held, befng at me, a little worried. I shook my head, indig there was nothing we could or should do. I’m not bargaining for his return, there’s such a thing as pushing your luck too far. “Mother, I shall take-take the Kamaitachi you are so graciously providing me, as is befitting my station as your-your daughter, and the Seventy-First. However, I would ask-ask that you allow me to retain the Kamaitachi who were their substitutes. Despite their presence being an act of treachery, they-they themselves have not-not failed me, and have even fought and died for me. I t them as my loyal kin.” Shaeu tinued after my dismissal.

  Urakaze pursed her lips, but nodded. “That is not a problem-issue. If they have not betrayed-harmed you, then I praise them for their bours and I will see them pensated-rewarded. But I shall o sult-speak with them. I io root out those who would harm-hurt my daughter, as well as collude with fn powers.”

  “In that case…” Shaeu looked at me, a touch of pleading in her eyes. “… mother, would you care-care to see our Territory? I reassure you that I am well-well cared for and protected, as well as make-make the Kamaitachi avaible to you. I too would like to uh those who have worked against me-me.”

  “I don’t see a problem.” Well, there clearly are issues, but I think we should be able to suppress Urakaze were she to try something treacherous. And I don’t think she will. She seems to have affe for Shaeu. “Though I’m sure you’ll uand some areas are delicate and under stru, so are best avoided.”

  “Well, I’m not ied in sightseeing. I just want booze!” Red decred.

  “All right then. You fine now?” I asked Shiro, still in my arms, who had been tidying herself up and reposing herself as we talked.

  “Yes.” We parted, a touch ret on Shiro’s face. “I’m fihis princess is made of steruff, really. Well…” she smiled at the still-floating Bintara. “… I apologise for my weakness. No matter the pain, bring it on!”

  “Haste is foolish. Suust be done delicately. Yours are no simple wounds, to be healed in a moment, and your circumstances are plicated by that parasite…”

  Shiro’s eye fshed red, as Tan objected to her words, but she remained quiest, likely knowing provoking the healer was a bad idea. “I uand. If it takes time, it takes time. I’m not greedy.” Shiro said. “Though I admit, I would like to be beautiful again soon…” I caught her barely whispered words, and the earhoughts held within them…

  ********

  “Do you take part in matters such as these often?” Daiyu was asking me, as we reached the borders of Haru-san’s erritory. We were being followed by Red and Blue, Urakaze and the Kamaitachi, as well as Bintara and the kitsune Nebisuki, who after drying herself out had mao inveigle herself into this procession. I had invited Seirei, but she had refused, returning to her husband withierritory.

  “More often than I’d like, and definitely more often than I’d ever have believed only a few short months ago.” I replied ruefully, watg as Shaeu was talking to her mother and the Kamaitachi excitedly, while Hyath was being bothered by the kitsune. “I’ve still got to meet Shaeu’s father aher two brothers. e to think of it, she’s not mentiohe third one much…”

  “a is a realm that has many Spiritual Beings, but… the path of Cultivation seldom lends itself to amicable tact between us. Many would see them as treasures to harvest, fools to plunder, or even to be eamed. In the distant past, Kunlun supposedly tamed so many Spiritual Beings that Taming was sidered one of the Six Great Noble Pursuits of Cultivation.” She looked at Shaeu and Hyath. “Perhaps you could be sidered to have mastered that already.”

  “Hardly.” I scoffed. “If anything, they’ve tamed me. Besides, I don’t see Hyath and Shaeu as Spiritual Beings. The more you i with them, you’ll see that they are pretty much just like us. So, taming, huh? What are the other arts?” I asked, curious. Beside me, Shiro an obviously transting for her.

  “Yeah, I’d like to know as well. If they are the Six Great Noble Pursuits, they must be pretty powerful.” She smiled, her love of all things game-like kig in.

  “Well, ign Taming, there is Divination, the art of predig the immediate and distant future, be it great or small events. Formations, which is rgely a lost art.” She sighed bitterly. “To activate a Formation Pte, or worse, to call upon a Formation through one’s own Qi and teiques, is rgely beyond us now. The Incorruptible Jade had several a Ptes, I used to admire them so, dreaming of being able to activate them…” she looked pale, troubled. “Now they are either destroyed, or those traitors have them…”

  “I uand you’re in pain.” Shiro said reassuringly. “But put that aside for now. What was that saying I remember from a novel… oh, yes. You’re a fox borrowing a tiger’s authority. Aki is definitely a bit like a big cat at the moment. More a lion though.” She snorted. “Lazing around, gathering women. But in Japanese, we’d say you are b a big ship. Aki will look after you.”

  “I pray to the Heavens that is true.” Daiyu said, still not trusting in me fully, despite her oath. I guess that proves how decisive she is, or how desperate. She’s certainly oo it to a course of a once she has decided though, it seems. Pirl. It must be hard being in a fn try, not being sure but believing your parents, your extended family, are all dead… “Well, I shall tinue.” She gathered her strength, thinking on Cultivation, which seemed to soothe her a little, her desire to master the arts strong. “Refining is the art of creating pills and elixirs that do many miraculous things. This art is also said to include cooking with special herbs and teiques, though I fess to not having much talent in that area.” She sighed. “Refining is the art that remains the most viable, in this modern, Qi-starved era, along with Smithing, the art of creating ons and tools that use and enhance Qi. Then there is Talismans.”

  “I think I know that one.” I remembered the Kijo and the kitsune, with their annoying talismans and curses. I mentiohem, and Daiyu nodded.

  “Yes, though those are Talismans that tain far more Qi than a muster. Talismans are a disposable, able resource, and in the past, every Cultivator would have numerous for emergencies. Now, few treasured items remain, and crafting new ones is borious, and the effects weak.”

  “Oh how your kind has fallen.” Nebisuki chuckled, speaking perfect Mandarin ese. At my look of surprise, she grinned, amused. “What? I have travelled extensively outside Japan. Many kitsune do. I have fought with, against and wrestled in bed…” her smile was scivious, embarrassing both Daiyu and Shiro. “… against many. Yes, the days of the strong have passed. Yet it seems it is rising again.” she sasting the air, tails shing. “This Territory is rather pathetic. I hope you weren’t merely boasting. I hate men who don’t follow though.”

  “Shut up, yooou annoying fox!” Hyath decred, having been annoyed by her during our stroll towards Tsukuyomi-jinja shrihis is nooot master’s Territory, it is…”

  “I speak for myself.” A voice said, and I saw Haru-san had ventured out, apanied by Kudou-san and the others, as well as Prince Shōtoku and Ulfuric. “I am Suzuki Haru. I am a vassal to Akio-san, and this is the Territory I have been grao protect. It’s rude to pare it to Akio-san’s. Well, huests, wele.” She bowed iing, her Goverraiiquette perfect.

  “I see.” Bintara spoke up, her dark eyes looking at Haru-san curiously. “You are like me. You were human, once, but now a Yokai. Ahat ges your very nature is unusual.”

  “A? You mean I was murdered.” She said, her smile barely wavering. “But yes, I’m an Onryo noarently. Not that it matters. After all, I go home when I wa cake with my friends, work a job, have a career… but here, I’m simply Akio-san’s vassal. So, what brings you here?”

  Before we could answer, Red swaggered up to Ulfuric, followed by Blue, who was looking down at the ground. “Well, aren’t you a big one?” he grinned. “Tough too, I wager.”

  “You shouldn’t wager, Red. You already owe me a rge sum of treasures. Urakaze too. After all, didn’t they walk away from Lady Seirei unharmed?” the kitsune ughed, but Red ignored her with an annoyed grunt.

  Ulfuric merely held his position, golden armleaming, resting on the shaft of his heavy, spiked mace. He looked Red up and down, before he answered. “I am Ulfuriander of the forces of Prince Shaetanao, currently serving as the ander of the forces of his daughter. I have strength befitting the role, I assure you. The blood of noble, lost Samandrastrae runs through my veins, strong and cold as stone.”

  “Iing.” Red showed a mouthful of sharp teeth as he grinned. “Don’t you think so, Blue? Uh, Blue?” The Blue Oni was looking down at the floor still, occasionally gng up at Ulfurid she seemed far more reserved than usual.

  “What do ya want?” she snapped, before lookiween Ulfurid Red, then bowing her head again. “Leave me out of ya arguing, Red. Stop thinking with ya muscles all the time. We’ve only just met, ya know!”

  “Uh, Blue, why are you so mad?” he said, puzzled, and this gave me time to interjed start s out the chaos.

  “Haru-san, this here is Lady Bintara.” I tio show her great respect. “She is an huest from the Night Parade, who is here to heal Shiro.”

  “I see. I am pleased to meet you.” Haru-san took charge. “If you have any needs in terms of aodatio me know and I’ll see it done.”

  “And this is Urakaze, Shaeu’s mother. The Kamaitachi with us are Shaeu’s new guards. So we o get them settled, but Urakaze would like to make sure her daughter is being looked after properly.”

  “That’s very uandable.” Haru-san bowed to Urakaze, who looked a bit bemused, and was gring at the Prince. “My mother died when I was young, but my daddy… err, father, he does worry about me. Luckily, I’m w under a good employer, and he has no reasoo worry.” Her lips quirked, and I could tell she wished to make a joke about being already dead or something simir, but due to the circumstances she didn’t. “Your Kamaitachi will be an asset, I’m sure. They look strong.”

  As several of them did chime in proudly that they were some of the stro of the Itachi, I tinued. “We promised Red and Blue here ample alcohol as part of a peace . you send a runner bay Territory to have some brought over?”

  “And what of me?” the kitsune asked, smiling, and I shrugged.

  “What of you? You just decided to tag along, I’ve no actual business with you.”

  As Shaeu and Shiro ughed, the fox put on an affroeasing look. “Such a shame. You don’t know what you are missing out on. But I fess to being satisfied seeing the es of your nds. Well, I know where to find you, if I o.” Her smile was equal parts seductive, mog and malicious.

  “That’s fine, I was going to talk about what I want from the Night Parade and how we should unicate, to head off the threat from our mutual enemy. But…” I warned her. “… if you end up trying to cause trouble here, for your amusement or any other reason, I think you’ll regret it.”

  “Such a domineering man.” The kitsune licked her lips seductively once more. “While us foxes do enjoy mischief, I would not care to face you all at once. I would hardly wish to end up like the Matriarch. But what if I have… offers… to make?”

  “We have no-no need of your sedus, fox.” Shaeu snorted.

  “How rude. No, I meant business, trades. After all, I am still one of the most powerful of the Night Parade, an equal to your mother here.”

  “Well, if you have any real hen e here and someone should notid fetch us, but be warned…” as we hashed out the details, weaselkin arrived carrying heavy barrels of mead and other spirits, which was more than enough to stop the bragging and p of Red, at least for the moment…

  ********

  “This is good stuff!” Red belched, haviied half a barrel down his throat by now. Drunkenly, he had offered to wrestle Ulfuric, who as he was sober, had quickly subdued Red, who had drowned his sorrows with more honeyed wine. “Blue, why don’t you give him a try? Is that why you aren’t drinking?”

  “Shut up, will ya?” Blue said, not for the first time. “I’m not fighting, not now.” she frowhinking. “This is serious, ya get it? Lord Nurarihyohem go, even though the toy was broken. Ya ’t be the oo stuff this up.”

  “Since when did you get so sensible, Blue?” Nebisuki ughed, also enjoying some spirits, her tails shing happily. Even the presence of a kami, ohey should be very wary of, could not dampen the festivities that had sprung up on the borders of Haru-san’s territory. Urakaze was talking to Shaeu and Hyath, drink in hand, while Shiro was with Bintara and Haru-san. Kudou-san and the others from Kyoto were also taking this rare opportunity to socialise with such potent spiritual beings, though it amused me to see how nervous Yasaka-san was getting. Sorry, but you’re integral to my pns, you’ll have to get used to this…

  “Do you want a drink?” I asked Daiyu. “It’s pretty good.”

  She looked as if she was going to refuse, before she nodded, a little curious. I poured her out some golden liquid, and I could feel her Qi sense spreading out, enveloping it. She raised one eyebrow a little in an expression of surprise. “This tains energy that be refined into Qi.” She said, surprised. “It is weak, but defihere.” She took a sip, shocked again by the rich, smooth fvour.

  “Good, yes?” I grinned, and she aking another small swig, and with my Eye I could see she was also drawing the lingeriher out of the drink, ging it slightly to a form her body was more used to and could better process.

  “It is not inferior to our cooking in a, using the arts of Refining.” She admitted. “Though I do miss the tastes of home…” she whispered.

  “This is definitely wele booze!” Red snorted drunkenly, the bruises he had suffering wrestling Ulfuric fading already. “Damn, I really want more now.”

  Oh do you? I held in a smile. Shaeu and Hinata had pnned for this sort of occasion. “Well, obviously our supplies aren’t unlimited. It’s quite the effort to raise such suct fruits and ferment them, adding in precious honey, ingredients from the Seelie Court…”

  “Ugh…” Red groaned, lig his lips. “But booze is life, isn’t that right, Blue?”

  “Don’t talk to me right now!” she said, hunched down, occasionally gng over at the taciturn badgerkin who had defeated Red earlier.

  “In that case… we could… no, maybe not.” I said, pretending to be troubled.

  “You could what?” Red took the bait.

  “Well, I suppose I could sell a few barrels now and then. It’d disappoint those I’ve already promised it to, but then, I do want to be on good terms with the Night Parade, especially sihey seem to have suffered a disappoi retly…”

  “Sell? For what?” Red leaned in, and I could see the kitsune smirking behind him.

  “Well, all sorts of things. But Etherites are certainly acceptable. Any old artefacts that you find as well, or special metal ores like bluesteel. I saw some of those being exged during the wagers, so I know the Night Parade has them, right?”

  “Hard luck for you, Red. I told you, they would walk out alive.” Nebisuki taunted him happily. “I think you lost most of your tris and baubles.”

  “Yes, but…” he grumbled. Rummaging around in his loincloth, he grinned. “Ah, still have this!” he pulled out a rather impressive blue Etherite. “I found this one many years ago. It’s a lucky charm. Nearly fot I had it. So, will this do?”

  Blue Etherites are very useful to Ixitt, or for emergencies. Of course I want it… Even so, Hinata had been coag me in not showing too much eagerness duriiations. I hadly heeded that advice with Bintara, but Shiro’s health wasn’t something tain for. This however… “I see. Well, it’s a shame it isn’t an Indigo one, but…”

  As I was making a show of sidering, Nebisuki produot one, but three blue Etherites, as well as a number of green and yellow ones, plus some ores I didn’t reise, and some pretty gems, casting them to the ground in front of me. “Oh, why take his pathetic savings, when I am rich with my ret winnings?” She winked. “You did help me to triumph, after all.”

  “Back off, bitch!” Red groused. “I asked first, got it?”

  “That’s not how erce works. You think with your muscles, don’t you, Red? She who pays the most gets the prize.”

  “Why, you…” as he surged up, meaty fists ched, Blue grabbed his arm, holding him back.

  “No fighting, ya moron! Not… we have to look good here, not be drunken fools, ya get it?” she was talking to him urgently, while the kitsune tio taunt him. Well, in that case, these are mihere was no way I assing up such a bounty, and I quickly gathered them up.

  Urakaze sighed. “They are always so noisy-loud. The Seelie Court has many annoyances-inveniences, but at least it is not so… chaotic-savage. You should perhaps be happy-joyful you were raised there, Shaeu.”

  “Oh I am. Though my upbringing was hardly-hardly fwless.” Shaeu agreed. “I do however rather enjoy the … sheer energy… of the Hyakki Yagyō. Though I do cede it is quite-quite likely to grow tiresome in time.”

  Smiling at the chaos, and the potential profit, I turo prince Shōtoku, and Tsukiko-san, who had sat beside him, her veil ba, unfortable about being around such Yokai. “Well, looks like everything is ing together. We have the healer we need, and Haru-san has this Territory well in hand. Noait. Days, you say?” I asked again, and Tsukiko-san nodded.

  “I am not able to say precisely which day disaster will strike, but Tsukuyomi revealed to me my time is perilously short.”

  Watg Red, Blue and Nebisuki squabble, while Urakaze and Bintara watched on disdainfully, Shaeu, Hyath and those from Kyoto ughing and joking, I ched my fist. “Well, we’ll make every sed t. I’ll leave no stourned in my preparations. And you’ll fight until the end tht?”

  “I shall.” Tsukiko-san nodded. “I do… I do want to live. Seeing an impossible se like this… it makes me wonder, just what have I missed out on, what will I tio miss?”

  “Well, doesn’t that just mean you have a lot to look forward to?” I said, and Prince Shōtoku chuckled at that, nodding approvingly. “In any case, whether you were in danger or not, Tsukiko-san, I’d have to fight. After all, I was the one who pressured the Govero set up the Ministry, to protect Japan. So I’ll not let dahreaten it. So don’t feel guilty, or if you must, fight anyway. Because I’ll do the same.”

  At her nod, I took a sip of my own drink. Yes, it’s more than just Tsukiko-san, as important as she is. Japan is mio proteot alone, never alone. But if these red ants that io take Tsukiko-san down are ing, well, I’ll have to give them a warm, Japanese wele, show them the… appropriate… hospitality for a troublesome, evil guest…

  ShipTeaser