Standing in an enormous, well-lit, rectangular room, she examines a spectacle of dark wood floors and support beams.
Beige paper walls that breathe before standing still drive the girl to spin when she hears creaking wood behind her.
Fresh walls appear with rice color, paper-like doors that slide shut, keeping the darkness at bay. A wide, bamboo mat with black borders separates their feet from polished, dark wood guiding them to the other end of a massive, front hall.
I've never seen a palace like this! …I've never seen any palace… What if this is tiny for a palace? I shouldn't act like he's -too- amazing...just in case.
Shuddering with controlled excitement and chewing the inside of her cheek, she cups her forearms from inside her sleeves. Following Tsukiyomi, she delights in dozens of tall, rectangular boxes with an amber touch; translucent material lined with wood fills the room by every support beam, and opposing sides of every vast tapestry.
Nature scenes with different species of animals living their best life under a transitioning moon sparkles, capturing enough detail to coax her into glancing twice at suspicious movement beyond her peripheral vision.
"Lord Tsukiyomi!"
A buff, swarthy man with fiery hair jumps after hurrying through a door at the far side of the room, "You've returned!"
Waving enthusiastically, he moves to close the door painted with mountains as the pair continue their approach. Distracted by an itchy eyebrow, she is startled by a tiny gust of wind rushing through her when he steps into a stop in front of them.
Scrambling closer to Tsukiyomi's back, she discreetly assesses the man in a gray, mid-thigh length, wrap-tie shirt with glistening mounds peeking through open fabric. Dewy, mocha skin ripples over every defined crevice of bulging muscle on display before sneaking under shimmering fabric with matching, wide-leg trousers-- striking an abrupt interest in the girl.
I'm not the darkest here?! I hope we get along– mom's the only one that understood…even Kyo and Shinta were closer to dad's color.
She watches broad hands cup black-belted hips, bringing her sight to an unsheathed sword with a brown, woven hilt secured by black silk when he takes a breath. Gently jostling wild, ombre black to red coils from his face with black nails, he pushes overgrown bangs between fuzzy, pointed ears on the top of his head.
…Are those…ears? That's…weir–why…do I wanna touch them?
Conflicted by urges she did not know she could have, she is drawn into captivating, smoke gray eyes with a blue ring that momentarily prevents her from comparing the mildly shorter, yet bulkier man to her pearlescent-skinned master.
So far, two for two. Why do the legends say yokai are gruesome? Is that the only way to keep us from looking for them…?
Crossing her arms in front of her chest at the eerie discovery, she soothes herself to stop reality from taking her down to the floor when his stormy gaze captures her in a whirlwind.
Ah! Please don't stare at me! …at least my face doesn't blush…I'm -not- used to men that look like this!
Cocking his head and raising an eyebrow, "And you brought a human?"
Pointed ears twitch and face her with inspecting eyes that ushers her to slink completely behind Tsukiyomi.
What gave me away so fast?!
Looking herself over, she loses the confidence to continue when she sees swollen, damaged feet covered in dried blood and dust nagging the cool, woven mat.
Apathetically dismissing the man's question, "Has Tanaka (Ta-na-ka) arrived?"
Tsukiyomi walks past the armed yokai that physically appears to be in the same age group as them. She diligently keeps close, minding her gaze.
Clearing his throat, "Yes, -master-," cyclone eyes threaten to steal her away when the exotic yokai staggers beside them.
"Lord Tanaka is in your study," the fiery haired man looks at the door with a nod as they approach it and Tsukiyomi stops. The pointy eared guy jumps to open it then steps aside and bows.
What's a study?...
"Sanemaru (sah-nay-ma-roo)," Tsukiyomi gathers Sanemaru's attention while crossing the threshold, "Have her cleaned and put away."
The gap widens between Tsukiyomi's back and his servants as they watch him exit down the long, adjoining hall in silence.
Tsukiyomi passes multiple side doors before reaching a sliding door painted with bamboo shoots filling the back wall. Opening on their own from what she can see, he enters the doors and they shut behind him.
Standing motionless beside the brawny, beguiling man after losing sight of the beautifully unique Tsukiyomi, she bows her head.
I had to've hit my head in the forest… I'm really dying of shock and dreaming about yummy, dangerous men. …Is he going to say anything or just keep staring!?
Chapped, berry lips curl against teeth with flaring nostrils before she sucks in a deep breath and closes her eyes for a lengthy exhale in hopes of preparing herself to act 'normal'.
"What purpose do you serve Lord Tsukiyomi?"
Confused eyes dart open from heat tickling her cheek. Finding him squatting with his face close to hers, she stumbles back, arms flailing, and successfully clings to a handful of pecs to keep from falling.
GAH! I didn't mean to grab–!
Hooking her wrist from where he squats with his left hand, Sanemaru taps his chin with the right and guides her nails from his chest without any exterior expression of pain. Blinking slowly at the oddly simple, wooden ceiling, her line of sight is brought to him when he pulls her to stand up straight and face him.
Wow… He was fast enough to keep me from going SPLAT.
"You -look- like an ordinary human... Are you special at -all-?"
By the time she opens her eyes from a blink, thinking up an answer, he's behind her holding every inch of her tattered appearance under a magnifying glass.
Facing him in a wink then opening her mouth to speak, he is gone again.
How's he doing that?!
"How'd you convince him to bring you here?"
Lifting her arm, "Did you bribe him?"
Taking a whiff, he drops her arm then covers his face with his hands, "Bleh!"
A nasally tone slips through pinched nostrils, "You reek..."
I think I– no I di– I'm not always like this!
Barraging her with inappropriate questions while dancing around her, "Are you homeless? Penniless? Parentless? Tongueless? Toothless," tugging at her rags and hair, he forces her into reflection on the spot.
His endless pestering and quick movements trap her into a downward spiral of anxiety until the sensation of his fingers on her lips warrant an instant smack across his stubbled cheek.
Uh-oh! Look what you made me do! You're too big for this, you giant man-child!
Fidgeting, shifting between feet to briefly relieve their suffering, "I'm sorry, Lord Sanemaru!"
Covering her mouth with a quiver, he shoots her a toothy grin while cupping his cheek.
Don't hurt me!
"I actually felt that," he chuckles, shaking his head.
Bowing and struggling to speak through dehydration, "I don't know why he brought me. He saved me and I," she straightens and rubs her left elbow. Distracted by a glowing, white moth trailing a line of blue light, "…I wanted to thank him…somehow..."
Searching for the right words, rubbing her eyes with rough fingers to keep it together, "And...yes, I'm homeless...now. So," she swallows hard before turning a whimpering cry into a cynical chuckle.
"I hope you can forgive me, for my smell," looking away, she hugs herself tight enough for dull fingertips to dig into her arms. Simultaneously subdued and alarmed in that moment, she learns physical pain confronts the gnawing emptiness gorging on what's left of her spirit and morose reality; despising the heavy prize of knowing pain over nothingness, mixed emotions manifest into salty liquid filling her eyelids.
I just want my family back... This shouldn't even be happening to me! What did I do to deserve this?!
She bites her knuckle, plugging a wincing cry when tears slip past her control.
Standing tall with his chin at her nose, "You don't gotta do all that if you don't want to talk about it," he pats the wrinkles from his clothes and awkwardly avoids looking at her.
Muttering, "Sorry for asking," she looks at him like there's a slug on his face.
A yokai doesn't want me to cry? Don't they feed off depression and loneliness…?
Drying eyes with her forearm to see him clearly, "I don't even care," he flicks his wrist, turning his back to her and looking down the hall.
"Lord Tsukiyomi knows what he's doing-- he's ancient," scooping the air like he's throwing a ball, he invites her to follow along. Entering the hall, he spins and grabs the door, leaning back into the front hall with his face in hers, "I've seen fossils younger than him."
Blinking slowly after an ungainly standstill, he visibly anticipates a giggle only to receive sniffles and tears joyriding carelessly down her scuffed, dirty cheeks.
Glancing back and forth between his entrancing stare and every bit of interior decorating around him while moseying her way around him through the wide opening, she clears the threshold and walks past him.
Standing with her back facing the wood and paper walls as she watches him glide the door shut after her, "I dunno what you're going through, but this rough spot's only temporary, y'know?"
Flashing a cheeky smile with perfect teeth when red, dripping eyes connect with the sea of storm clouds inside his eyes, the silky depths of his voice coaxes the shell around her spirit to slightly shift open, "As long as you're alive, there's always time to change things around."
Pointed ears shift down to the sides of his head with a grimace when she returns her interest to the glistening, wooden floor without a word or blink.
I wish you were right...but…death ain't so temporary...
Accepting the girl is too distraught to be cheered up by his antics, he turns on his heel and leads her down the long hall with matching floor lanterns. Brass oil lamps rest at the base of every paper lantern posted between distant, sliding doors.
At least it's not some dark, creepy cave filled with bones and half eaten people...so far…
She chokes back a shriek with a chesty cough when her sight falls on his butt, her mind falling out of her head.
What the f...?