"What does a jewel heist have to do with being an assassin?" Sesshomaru questioned with suspicion. "Do you intend to replace the Meido Stone for another?"
"That's like asking why a king needs a crown," Hikozaemon II responded. He leaned back in his seat to eat the leftovers from Morihei's cooking at the Green Pheasant's dinner party mixed with Iwamura's fine selections. He then continued, "Obviously, it has to do with the House of Inu's relationships with other tribesmen. We're having particular trouble with the Yama oroshi. My Toga's blacksmith, Totosai, and the blacksmith's apprentice, Kaijinbo, were once being harassed by this particular clan. Though slain by your Tokijin, Kaijinbo did come to us at one point for assistance in his earlier years when he left Totosai. The Yama oroshi were stealing certain items from their foundries to forge something of concern to me. One of my men scouted the area upon request and discovered some kind of vault on their grounds."
"Vault?" Reijiro questioned, folding his arms and tilting his head slightly before straightening up.
"Is it possible that they're equipping a blacksmith of their own?" Jaken asked.
"I believe it is worse than that. Ambassador Norihisa and Investigator Teinosuke were sent to question them before the ambassador's treason. They were ambushed by some sort of fire demon. Even a cloak from a fire rat's fur wouldn't have been enough to block the flames. Their clothes were singed and skin suffering from minor burns. Due to the ambassador's actions against the Floating Citadel, I now have a suspicion of his accounts. He might have been consulting with this clan to further his goals in weakening our kingdom. This mission might contain the evidence needed to support this claim," Hikozaemon II informed. "Though I have a doubt it will also provide the reasoning."
The doctor knew the hell titan Norihisa sided with by name. Was he really siding with other demons to overturn us? Or... did he know the doctor? Maybe he knows who took her eyes. Knows that she's this hell traveler and played nice to get on her good side. She knows quite a number of demons - powerful ones at that. He would need their help to destroy us. If Kiyonobu was one of the demons going against us, we would barely stand a chance. I don't know about those kappa guards, but I could sense their might just from them standing before me. Either one of them at full power could level our stronghold. Should I...? Are you a suspect again...? Sesshomaru thought, thinking of his rival.
This was a second or third time his investigations led to her and her mysterious lifestyle. Now that he was thinking about it, this wasn't the first time his grandfather voiced tidbits of new information that was tying things together. Neither Sesshomaru nor Homugi knew about Ambassador Norihisa's prior history, so his treason would've been done without anyone suspecting him initially and nobody even knowing who the man was either. He was quite literally a nobody. If he was such an undercover charmer, however, he smooth-talked his way into some very powerful circles and quite easily.
"My unfriendly son is musing quite loudly there," Milady interrupted, sitting at her seat finally. "You're potentially sharing similar thoughts with us. Ambassador Norihisa had come to me to report the sudden death of Chief Investigator Mano of the Bake-danuki Clan just before I handed you the mission to investigate the deaths within the Mujina Woodlands. Homugi's account of Norihisa's death prior to the events of the invasion implies foul play and potentially rules him out for treason, but we couldn't find her report anywhere after what happened at the Floating Citadel. Her records were either tampered with or destroyed. Within the months of us investigating the case, no one in the investigation department could trace the girl's report. We agreed to take her off the investigation and force her to remain under constant surveillance for a while in case Norihisa came back to silence her, but she claimed independency from the House of Inu and left our lands a rogue. Teinosuke is unaware of this, but Hikozaemon II volunteered to oversee this new mission to essentially spy on the boy. Two things can be true: Norihisa could've influenced him to hide incriminating evidence of his movements or Teinosuke could be the one actually killing innocent demons and betrayed Norihisa for his own goals. Because Norihisa's circle is more far-reaching than Teinosuke's, the boy could have been with him strictly to use Norihisa for his own gain."
"Why would you send a suspect to Fort Sutabei then?" Reijiro questioned. "That's dangerous!"
Hikozaemon II smirked before saying, "There's no one at Fort Sutabei other than the general. Teinosuke can't go anywhere without the general or his guards at his heels. I couldn't picture a better surveillance team."
"Does this jewel heist have more to do with the investigation then?" Sanraku asked.
"In a way, yes," Milady replied, smiling mischievously. "Since you've accepted the mission, we're sending you to the Yama oroshi threshold to further investigate this vault of theirs. The Togisumasa reta ha Jewel is what you're after. Those fools harnessed all of their power within it. Take the jewel, you control that clan. Toga tried to avoid stealing such an item in favor of joining forces with them. Their brutality against our own, regardless of their status as enemies, is of interest. It's possible that they could be trying to overtake us or that they were simply uncomfortable around Norihisa and Teinosuke. Either way, the heist works in our favor. We'll give you a map of the area, but the inner workings all fall to you. Your main goal is to find a connection between the Yama oroshi and our suspects, if there is one, and to take that jewel to regain order from the clan."
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at his mother's eagerness but said nothing and walked away from them.
"My lord?" Jaken questioned.
"We have some planning to do. Men," Sesshomaru called, alerting Reijiro and Sanraku's attention. "Jaken. Let's go."
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"Wow... our first mission as real assassins! I think I'm gonna burst!" Sanraku cheered with excitement. "This is amazing! All those years training with Takamuku actually paid off big time!"
"Geez, don't be so pessimistic," Reijiro joked sarcastically, smirking at his brother.
"Oh, c'mon, Rei! Where's your sense of accomplishment, adventure, joy?" Sanraku listed, performing a smooth backflip. He may as well have been ten years younger with his sudden bursts of energy. "Did you see how cool the elder looked in his cloak? He looked like a shadow king! And Milady was beautiful! Oh, no offense."
"Keep your distance or your head will roll," Sesshomaru threatened, raising a glinting claw to emphasize the point.
"Yes, sir," Sanraku said as a form of apology, rubbing his head to reassure his lord.
"If you're such a vigorous soldier, you should have plenty of thoughts in your mind's inventory. Spare an idea on how to infiltrate the Yama oroshi's threshold. You were in the army a bit more, were you not? What do you know?"
"Hmm..." Sanraku started, folding his arms to think. "Well, we did a lot of grunt work for the House of Inu. Nothing stellar. Oh! But we did do a stealth mission to survey a rival clan's area. It wasn't the Yama oroshi, but it was one that our captain said was starting to cause problems. That must've been what the elder meant when he said he's seen us in combat."
"That was when we were sent to eradicate those flying rats," Reijiro corrected, lifting his muscular arms to undo his hair for a second.
He pulled out a comb to detangle his ends. Sesshomaru took this time to observe his new comrade. His hair was a snowy white underneath the black tresses and spotted, but he was a fairly rugged young man. Sanraku may have been the smaller of the two as in leaner in build, but he was equally as muscular and tanned. It was easy to tell that they went outside more. It was strange having to get a good look at his... team. Sesshomaru never had one of those for himself. His group of misfits was smaller, tighter and reliant on his strength and cunning in order to survive. They were his support team - a perfect size for such. This time, he was put in a new position that made him rely on his men beyond the battlefield. He couldn't lie to himself forever. He was just as excited as Sanraku about this new turn of events. The new leader of assassins from ancient legacy? A worthy title as ruler.
"Squirrels aren't rats," Sanraku argued.
"What's a rodent?" Reijiro asked as an argument. When Sanraku could only stutter in response, he said, "You made my point for me. Either way it goes, it's not information that can be used. What I do remember about the Yama oroshi is that they're metal heads with bodies attached to them. Humans have said they resemble porcupines because of their spikes. Said javelins for body parts have been reported to break through the House of Inu's special armor. Removing their needles is as painful as you think it is. Those things can hit vital nerves or arteries just right to kill. With that in mind, if we had to battle them, we're at risk for fatal puncture wounds. This vault and the missing items from the blacksmiths' foundries could be holding stronger armor or accessories to make their body spikes more lethal. That also means we would need weapons of refined quality to break their natural armor."
"What about Lord Sesshomaru's sword? Isn't it supposed to be indestructible or some shit?" Sanraku asked, waving a hand.
"Me lord's swords are quite impressive indeed, but might I suggest something?" Jaken offered, looking to Sesshomaru. His lord turned to him, waiting for him to speak. "Before these two soldiers joined us, we were looking for the Century Wasteland to help us locate the stolen Meido Stone. I did find the place. Is it possible that something of value can come from this place?"
The Gogyo Stone of the waters might be able to put out the fire demon with ease. This is a possible avenue... Sesshomaru thought.
"What if we sent a decoy or something?" Reijiro offered. "Lord Sesshomaru's mother was once an undercover spy from the sounds of it. We could scout for something or someone that would interest them."
"I say we gage the area first to see what we're dealing with. The vault might be an easy find. If it's not, we can at least use our elder's maps to look for other entry points," Sanraku suggested.
"If mother has been watching Homugi this entire time, we need to return to Heiwa. She might be the most important part of this plan. Her reports and her safety are at high-risk value," Sesshomaru said finally.
"Should we consult with Grandpa Kira or is this too personal?" Sanraku asked.
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Thread. Pull. Tug 'til taut. Thread. Pull. Tug 'til taut. Check the seam. Feels pretty good. Not much longer now. Thread. Pull. Flitter, flap. Madame Pheasant was assisting Meioshi in her hand-stitching tasks while Kirameku Ha and his comrades were helping around the property. Hasumi was so busy admiring all of the demons and humans working together to fix Meioshi's home for the festival that she wasn't even paying attention to what Meioshi was doing. It felt like her old home in Sozosora. Her father, Manzo, would be either speaking to the royal court or training the soldiers at the barracks while her mother, Yonamine, did more domestic tasks like making toys for her and the baby to come. Though Hasumi was sad that she didn't get to be a big sister like she planned, she did find a sister in Chiura from the grapple bear gang while her rival, Kyoko, found a little sister in Juba. She even had Liuxian's kids, Delan and Xinya, to add to her family. She liked living with the monks and the doctor. They spoiled her as much as they wanted but had no problems in disciplining her when needed. She picked up a bit of bad language and minor misconduct during her slave years to Azumamaro. While Meioshi and Liuxian do cuss, they were a proper family unit when it came to correcting her behavior and use of language. Hasumi found she didn't mind it. They explained their reasons for why cussing was inappropriate in certain environments. It was best to be respectful of them and the people within them than to ignore it all for the sake of sounding tough or acting out.
In truth, she was just happy that she had a real family again. Though she sometimes wished that they all could live together in the same home, Liuxian and the others weren't far from Meioshi's home at all. It was a few minutes' walking distance away, and she realized that Meioshi's home was actually housing a small village itself. She questioned often if Meioshi was really a princess in disguise, but the doctor was quite sure that she wasn't and usually denied such a title. From what Hasumi understood, Lord Aka's home was the halfway point between the kingdom grounds and Meioshi's lands. The youkai district, marketplace, and other such places of amenities started at that line and sort of curved out to the west where the farmlands were located. The kingdom farming grounds were obviously much larger, but that marked where the kingdom had been moved. Miss Yuko lived the furthest away, but she and Yamashi had their home built along the tip of the curve. Really, you could get to their home in less than half of an hour. Meioshi's herbal shrine was just outside of their home on the side. Hasumi and Homugi visited that place for different reasons, but they had a sense of peace when looking at it or plucking flowers around it. They meet Yuko there every now and then. Meioshi inherited the oldest parts of the village where the hell travelers lived with the other villagers and trained in the Forest of Lurking Beasts, so she claimed it all as a heritage site and Lord Aka acts as the land's guardian and messenger to the hell traveler family. The people living in Meioshi's lands were all people that she knew. Some used to live on the kingdom grounds but decided to move closer to Meioshi for safety like Miss Chiyumi and Miss Fuyū Joō. They were the mothers of Kijiro and Chiura, respectively. Madame Pheasant and her family all live next door to Meioshi's small farming area. Well... Hasumi could say it was small, but the truth was it was a decent size for just one person. All produce from there was separated into rations for traveling, patients, and personal use.
Either way, it was a lot of land, and it was being decorated beautifully with snowbell tree stands holding flags and oil lanterns along the ground to light the way. The younger men and women, probably the older men's children, were rolling and stitching the longest and largest rug that Hasumi had ever seen. The older women like Grandma Anju and probably the older men's wives were all working on stitching kimonos or pants. The older men were preparing armor and weapons. The children, of course, were mostly playing, but they visited the bestiary museum often to marvel at the statues. A parent chaperoned them every now and then. Hasumi was able to learn a lot of new things at Meioshi's museum. She thought she was an expert at catching demons and knowing how each one worked, but Meioshi's archives were something to behold! The little miko was excited for next year, though. She might be going to school with the grapple bear gang next spring! She might even train with Shishou and go to him for therapy. It was a big adjustment, but it sounded like it would be worth it.
When the little miko felt arms on her shoulders and an obi sash around her waist, she turned to her new "mother" and tilted her head out of curiosity. Meioshi smiled gently at her before lifting her up and bringing her to the small ikou that was built for her. Meioshi and Liuxian made the ikou as decorative and unique as possible. It had the traditional, simplistic structure of a stand, but there were little sunflower amulets and Shinto papers that hung at the ends. Hasumi wanted to be there when they built the next one. For a different design, of course. One that matched her new family, a yin-yang sign and perhaps a vine to represent her new parents, respectively. She wanted the three grandmas to help her make a special shrine for her family in the afterlife. She wanted to one day make a dress like her mother's, a coat like her father's, and a crown like her grandfather's, but only when she was ready. Meioshi said that the shrine and clothes would be perfect for the coming-of-age ceremony, so Hasumi looked to the stars at night with hope that she'd be ready on that day. For now, she would see what Meioshi was up to with those needles.
Seeing a gorgeous green and blue kimono showing an image resembling the sunlit canopy of trees, Hasumi gasped and blushed at the details of deep pink to lavender purple cosmos flowers along the bottom and the seigaiha textile pattern on the obi she was to wear. It reminded her of the vacation she went on! She slapped her cheeks with obvious excitement before taking notice to her collection of hairbows increasing. One of them had a small sunburst tiara on it! It was beautiful! She squealed with joy and ran over to her new formal kimono.
"Eh!" Hasumi cheered, stars in her eyes as she snapped from one side to the other to observe her new dress and bows. "You made all of these for me, doctor?"
Meioshi giggled before saying, "Of course, Lady Fukuyama! This is your first festival as a free princess and a new resident of Heiwa. You must look your best for the occasion. Madame did an excellent job in choosing that tiara. Make sure you thank her."
"Madame Pheasant, you're the bees' knees!" Hasumi said, kneeling in front of the brown bird. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Oh!" Madame replied, giggling and nuzzling the girl. "Your welcome, darling. What will you do with your hair? Your crown must sit just right."
"Hm? Oh! Meioshi's cutting it again. I want it shorter this time," Hasumi said, crossing her arms over her head. "Not having those mats all in it feels so good!"
"You know, Lady Meioshi had a short cut when she was about your age. Got sick of those sticky vines getting 'trapped in her tresses'," Madame said, joking about the words Meioshi used back then.
"Sure did," Meioshi said proudly. "Made adventuring much easier! Just to give you a little extra flair, I made your sashes the same way my grandmothers used to make them."
"You don't talk about your family much. How'd your grandmas make your clothes?" Hasumi asked, fully invested in this new bit of information.
"My grandmothers stitched and pleated my obi in the back to make wings like a dragonfly or butterfly. They didn't wrap it in the traditional way. Same with my obijime. They tied the rope cords around fish bones to make them structurally sound but still maintain a bit of flexibility. Whenever and wherever I ran around, I always looked like I was in flight. They took exception to my boots wearing out with all my running and riffraff!" Meioshi said, putting her hands on her hips.
"I can imagine," a familiar voice said with a small smile. It was Homugi. "Everyone's so busy for this festival. It must be a big deal."
"You've only just begun to see the chaos that comes out of this silly party," Meioshi remarked. "But your kimono is ready, too, my Homugi."
"I get to go? Really?" Homugi asked, jetting to Meioshi's face and holding her hands with eagerness.
"Of course, my darling!" Meioshi giggled. "You represent both me and the House of Inu."
"But I'm not with them anymore," Homugi replied, not understanding.
"All of the demons here no longer serve their respective clans," Meioshi explained. "You are not the first rogue to come here, and you won't be the last. It was important, to me, for the good-natured demons like yourself to be able to take pride in who they are and honor their journey to becoming citizens just as we, humans, do when we celebrate the birth of this village. You might not think you're important, but my forefather saw an inu just before he moved into the camp that became Heiwa. Where we are now, and where you're living, is that camp. You don't just represent yourself in this festival, you represent the hell traveler's beginning. This is your time to prove your worth as a guardian spirit, not just some demon I happen to know. You're not the latter, my Homugi."
"Oh, no pressure!" Homugi remarked, blushing profusely.
"Can I see her kimono, doctor? I know she'll look so cute! Does she have spots on hers?" Hasumi questioned, stars in her eyes again. "Oh! What about a hairbow? I can loan her one of mine! She'll be gorgeous in a bow!"
"I think Lady Homugi has a much bigger part to play in this festival," Madame Pheasant said, tilting her head and smiling brightly. "She has to rehearse a dance."
"D-D-Da-Da-Dance? What dance?" Homugi questioned, snatching her hands out of Meioshi's. "I didn't know about any dances!"
"All of the women perform a small dance during the march! Rehearsal starts tomorrow," Meioshi said, smiling brightly.
Homugi argued, "Don't you get cute with me! Why didn't you tell me about that sooner? I need time to prepare for that!"
"The dance is simple, my lovely," Meioshi said, waving a hand nonchalantly. "Your kimono is lightweight for the occasion. You'll be gorgeous!"
"Not the point!" Homugi shouted with a stomp. She turned to the audience to plead with them, "Tell her you need to mentally prepare for stuff like this!"
"Oh, my goodness! I forgot to check on Yuko. She's supposed to be in rehearsal with you, too," Meioshi commented. "Let's show you to your kimono, then we'll give her a visit. I think Yamashi is at the shipyard this afternoon."
"Sister! You're late," Chiyumi called.
"Ah, so much stitching to do and no time to do it!" Meioshi said in a rush. She gathered her sewing equipment then led everyone to Homugi's room. Pulling off a sheet that Homugi didn't even notice before, the blue merle beauty was rendered speechless. The fur trim at the sleeves, pastel pink of the kimono, and tatewaki textile pattern of the obi all came together to make an interesting scene. It looked like... a representation of the night she stayed with Meioshi for the first time. The small cloud details must have represented her when she rushed to clean up her mess, yet... the textile on the obi was orange like the scent of the steamed towel Meioshi used to wipe her tears. The start of her journey...
"Doctor, I can't - !" Homugi tried, feeling tears creeping out of her eyes.
Meioshi captured Homugi's small face into her hands and wiped the tears away with her thumbs. She smiled gently and whispered, "Yes, you can. You are ready."
"Mama Mei-Mei!" Kijiro called. "Guests!"
Meioshi gave Homugi a small hug, nodded at her, and then left the room to see the commotion. Well, her eyes were still absent, so the most she could do was hear the commotion. Probably a good thing since Zakaza had returned. She could smell that perfume from a mile away. Zakaza was one of very few women in the upper class who would wear it. It came from a rather dangerous plant but smelled heavenly. Horses were stomping on the ground as she approached them from the engawa. Before she greeted the emperor's messengers, Meioshi walked over to the kitchen and retrieved some treats for the horses. When she stepped down from the engawa, she clicked her tongue to gain the steeds' attention. The chariot horses excitedly trotted over to her to eat the treats. Cheeky beasts! The driver chuckled a bit before nodding with a blush. He found the gentle doctor to be quite the cutie.
That "O, so lovely" voice belonging to Zakaza reached her ears just after she cleared her throat. Meioshi knew her actions from memory. She politely bowed, sure to keep her eyes closed until she said something a bit more insulting, and then used the softest and most pleasant tone she could muster begrudgingly. Zakaza said, "Well, good morning, doctor! You're just as busy as the rest of the kingdom, aren't you? So many men here!"
"Ugh, you've no idea how much stitching and weaving had to be done this morn! I'm probably covered in dye! Good morning, Lady Zakaza," Meioshi greeted, bowing low. "These men are my grandfather's soldiers and their families as you may know. They wanted to help me prepare. The palace must be running amuck now with the date closing in on us. You have to be worn out!"
"Palace life is busier than you can imagine during this time," Zakaza said with a giggle. "It's our most grand event. I heard your clinic was booming with business as of late. Must be nice to be able to work so steadily."
"Puts bread on the table and wine in the cups," Meioshi joked, laughing a bit. "I take it the emperor has a message for me."
"You know his highness so well! As you know, tradition must be upheld to keep the village's morale. The emperor requests your attendance to the family luncheon as history has shown us. You are an important piece to the trifecta of protection this village has thrived on. We are here to escort you there," Zakaza said.
No insult? No sour words? Impossible! Meioshi rightfully grew suspicious and said, "Yes, of course. Thank you. I hope you don't mind waiting a few minutes for me to clean up and dress myself accordingly. I've one last detail to mend in my preparations and we'll be off without a hitch."
"Oh, but those colors look so becoming of you!" Zakaza complimented, tone changing to that icy one Meioshi was familiar with. There she is! Much better. Meioshi was starting to panic a bit. The maid then said, opening her eyes, "No one can best you at weaving such fine fabrics other than a jorōgumo! Surely you've learned some quality sewing techniques from the youkai of your village here."
Meioshi raised her brow at the insult and said shrewdly, "How else could I entangle his highness into the safety of my arms?"
Zakaza flinched at the comeback before she felt a familiar presence in the distance. This could work in her favor if she played the game right. Sesshomaru came in at perfect timing when it came to Zakaza's insults. How he managed to do this twice, Meioshi would never know. He was accompanied by quite the cavalry. Reijiro and Sanraku seemed to have returned. The Green Pheasant wasn't with them, though. He must have gone home first. The horses were a bit spooked from Ah-Un approaching them for a sniff, but the chariot driver calmed them down.
"Ah! The young man I met some time ago! Good morning, Lord Sesshomaru," Zakaza said with a polite smile and bow. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance twice."
Unimpressed by the maid's pleasantries, Sesshomaru ignored her and said, "Homugi."
"The maid there is named Zakaza, my lord," Meioshi corrected, turning slightly to his voice.
"We're looking for Lady Homugi, you silly woman!" Jaken demanded, stomping his foot. "Where is she? She's in danger."
"A moment, Lady Zakaza. This seems serious," Meioshi said, bowing and walking over to the sound of Jaken's fuming. It was easy to listen for. "What's going on?"
"Homugi made a report about Norihisa that's missing from the House of Inu's archives. We need her help to formulate a plan to investigate," Reijiro explained curtly.
"Ah, you mean the ambassador she said went missing some weeks before the House was attacked?" Meioshi asked to clarify the information.
"You know about that?" Reijiro asked, eyeing Meioshi with strong suspicion.
"She told me just before we were attacked at the Mujina Woodlands. We went back to investigate the area for information. The elders of the Anaguma clan said a wildfire had suddenly started and they were evacuated by your lord and Lord Jaken to safety," Meioshi said. She smiled softly before turning to Sesshomaru and saying, "Thank you... for repurposing the haven. Those villagers... really like that old place, don't they?"
Sesshomaru said nothing to her, but his features did soften. She knew about that, huh? After the argument with Homugi, she must have gone in that direction to help investigate since she was listed as a suspect. If the elders explained what happened during the fire, Meioshi and Homugi had to have arrived just after he confronted Rakuyama. So, Homugi left the Mujina Woodlands and raced home. Now, it all makes sense. His family dismissed Homugi from the case to protect her from Norihisa, who was working with Rakuyama, but Meioshi knows Rakuyama from personal experience. She would know how to defend Homugi from those kinds of demons. Homugi is safest with her, so she must've left to live with her because of that. His grandfather mentioned that he visited the rivaling clans at the estate, so he must've been investigating who was actually with Homugi. When he came here...! Was he still investigating? He might have been! Homugi was with Meioshi when she "died", so, when Hikozaemon II came to the funeral, he must have tried to see if Homugi was in danger. That sneaky old bastard! But, then... wait! He saw Meioshi's flag at the camp when Sesshomaru received that mission at the Akabeko Temple. Is he going to come here again? Her flags are everywhere right now.
"I'm glad," Meioshi said, interrupting Sesshomaru's thoughts. "I hauled some serious ass to build that place for my little ones. I thought I'd be a little sadder when the House Mother didn't want to take it, but... I'm glad she didn't. After so many years of praying and wishing to be freed, she's able to live out a life she can be proud of now. That old estate was just going to fade away. Unused and unwanted. You gave that estate to some very sweet youkai. I didn't tell them that I built it. It was nicer... hearing you be so adamant about protecting it... more than any show of gratitude they could've given me. Thank you... taisho."
His ears twitched at the name, but Jaken took note of his lord's reaction and was quiet. A new level of respect had been reached between his lord and the lady. Those rivaling clans really enjoyed living at the estate, huh? It was a shame that Meioshi couldn't see Sesshomaru's eyes. They glowed like the center of a wildflower. Her eyes... It was almost an insult for her to be hurt like this. Though impressed by her ability to move like she had eyes, Jaken continued to stare at her for a moment. Reijiro and Sanraku weren't sure of what to make of the exchange. It looked like they were old friends from the gentleness of their features, but standing shoulder to shoulder like that made it seem more like...
"Are you two rivals or something?" Sanraku asked. "Oni girl has that tanto strapped on. She's always stood kinda strong, though."
"That obvious, huh?" Meioshi said with a chuckle, making Sesshomaru close his eyes with a huff. "Well, if you want to question Homugi or plan out another investigation, I'd wait after today's luncheon. She's going to be rehearsing for the festival soon. She's representing the House of Inu. You all are a symbol of change to my family. It would be an honor for you to participate. You're more than welcome to it. We'll be having a feast tomorrow evening as well. Kirameku Ha-sensei is taking out his old armor to wear for the festival! You might like seeing him in his battle garb."
"Really? Grandpa Kira still has it?" Sanraku asked, earning Reijiro's surprised response as well.
"Sword and all," Meioshi said, nodding. "I think his sons will be coming, too! It'd be wonderful for you to meet them. You'd get to see how he was as a father and the second in command! Take a moment to think about it."
"... Did he protect women and children a lot back then?" Reijiro asked, looking down at the ground. "His Bushido code. Did he follow it back then, too?"
"Very much so," Meioshi replied. "If you're in doubt that he did, ask the men who look about his age. They can tell you best of all. I, however, must get cleaned up for this luncheon for the emperor. I'll be late."
"Ah, why don't you invite his lordship there?" Zakaza suggested, watching Meioshi clap her hands and walk back towards her. "The emperor could use the lesson in establishing a relationship with such a high-class gentleman, yes?"
Like the first time Sesshomaru came here as she was talking to that maid, Meioshi was covered in soot. Colorful soot, though. She must have been dyeing something. Well, more like a lot of things. Her estate was being decorated on all sides from the looks of things. She was obviously busy. Couldn't the emperor just wait? On the other hand, this gave him an opportunity to see how easy it was to take over Heiwa and claim it as territory. He... may leave Meioshi unharmed in the process. She proved to be useful.
"I highly doubt his lordship would want to - "
"Go wash up," Sesshomaru said, interrupting Meioshi's talk. He made everyone's mouths hit the ground.