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Chapter Text

You were the daughter of two desperate parents. Two poor, desperate parents who also had two other children. You all lived in a region that was plagued with giving tribute to a oni. Well, he was considered an oni, but according to the mumblings of the local shaman, he didn't really look like one. According to the gossiping housewives and village drunks, you heard that he had two parts. His upper half was like a man having traces of green scales scattered across his torso, and the lower half was scaled, like a lizard but wider and with a more powerful tail. He had the ability to conjure up large storms of sand, and almost swallow you whole with that sand, killing you. 

The tribute was to sacrifice some grain or wealth to the demon's lackeys who would come to collect at the first of every 3 months. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, however, the recent winter had been absolutely horrible leaving behind no chance for anyone to either take care of their crops or save some of their wealth for anyone other than traveling merchants who would trade their grain and food for wealth. This meant drastic measures. You weren't supposed to have gone, but the whole village was desperate and that included your parents. So with you sat at the shrine where the demon's lackeys collected the usual tribute from, decked in the village's prettiest kimono, with the one thing your family could give as a final send-off, a comb. This comb had apparently been given by a ronin to your great-great-grandmother as thanks for feeding him. It was made out of bone with a design of a cherry tree on it. It sat in your hair, with along with your mixed feelings to the whole situation.

You were quite aware that most of the villagers didn't care about whether you lived or died. You were chosen over another girl since her family had a cow and therefore more authority to say no. However, you were still given a pretty kimono since they hoped you would be enough to settle the debt.

Soon you saw them. A skinny man with an odd hairstyle, with a blue coat and a white lining. He had a yellowish-brown kimono inside with a black sash. He walked alongside a young girl who walked with a pink kimono, holding a tied-up bundle in her hand. The man frowned as he came close and in a shrill and squeaky voice spoke.

"Who are you? Where's the tribute?"

You shifted uncomfortably but sat straight. Well, if you died, at least you died with your dignity intact. 

"They...couldn't pay this time's tribute. So they sent me"

He scowled and eyed you from top to bottom. "We can't accept-"

"She's the tribute" chimes the young girl.

He snaps his head to her, raising an eyebrow. "But he expects-"

"Her village has sent her tribute, hence she is the tribute. We have to take her in as is" She says in a solemn voice. 

He cups his chin with his hand, looking down in thought for a few seconds. You shift uncomfortably. He sighs in the end, shaking his head.

"Okay then."

And off you went. Turns out they had a horse-driven cart, where you sat along with bags of gold, wheat, and even jewels. They didn't see the point in tying your hands and legs together, as you had thought they would.

"No point in you running, really. We know where you come from." Says the man, sneering at you. 

You didn't know whether to scream at him and attack or to break down crying from the obvious ridiculousness of your current situation. 

You sat and watched hills, towns, and cities go by. About 4 days later, you arrived at the banks of a wide river, with forests surrounding it. The girl hopped down from the carriage and came to untie your feet. Minutes later, you're led through the surrounding forest, to a clearing with a cave facing it. They set the tributes down in front of the cave, and you sit, hands in your lap. A second later, a bald man with a white, simple kimono comes with his arms folded, and swords at his hip. He stares at you with his brows furrowed and gives you an appraising look. Slowly you see him.

He's much taller than the bald man, with a maroon kimono. His feet are bare, openly showing clawed feet akin to a lizard's. One of his hands is replaced with a gold-curved piece of metal, bearing a sharp end at the tip. You feel dwarfed and akin to a mouse in front of a snake in front of those eyes. Those vibrant purple eyes, bear both appraisal and disdain for your mere presence. His face bore a long scar stretching across the tops of the bones of his cheeks. His other hand holds a Kiseru, the smoke leaving the pipe in an unorganized pattern as he raises it to his mouth to take a breath. Behind him, trails a long, and wide tail, not exactly like a snake, but different.

"What's this?" Comes his voice, low and casual.

"A tribute, sir. From the region after the low hills, before the waterfall."

He steps closer to you, and you have to crane your head to look up at him, he's most definitely an oni. 

"Why, are you the tribute?" He asks.

"My village suffered a bad winter, sir. We don't have grain nor gold to offer" You answer in a clear voice though Internally you're screaming with fear.

He kneels, and cups your jaw, his hand almost as big as your face, clawed and scaled. 

"What stops me from just killing you, and destroying your village anyway?"

You fought to keep your eyes on his, nails pushing into your palm to keep from trembling or trying to struggle out of his grasp. 

"I can be your personal assistant!" You yelped.

He raises an eyebrow. "I have a helper already." 
His tail sweeps to the other side revealing an elegant woman in a purple kimono, who almost looks like a geisha with her beauty. She gives you an inscrutable smile, her eyes blue like the darkening sky. 

Your mind races, and you blurt out another answer. "Y-your wife then!"

Everything suddenly stops and internally you screech at yourself. But another part of you debates what else could you have said and now there's someone in your head starting the funeral rites-

"Ku-ha-ha-ha-ha!" 

You blink baffled at him. What was he-oh? He was laughing. He was laughing at you?

He grins, and you finally see it. His mouth somehow stretches beyond the normal amount so that you see that he doesn't have the normal amount of teeth like any human does, but two wide jaws full of teeth, splitting the skin apart. His kiseru sits comfortably between his teeth. You mildly wonder if it hurts.

"Fine then". Wait what?

He leans closer, kiseru smoke blowing into your face. A dangerous gleam of amusement danced in his expression.

"I'll marry you."

Chapter Text

The very next day was your wedding. Both of you exchanged sake cups, dressed with finery. They had taken away the kimono you had arrived in, saying it was nothing but garbage, and gave you new, softer clothes with jewelry and put makeup on you as well. Some more girls came, dragging you to the river, ordering you to wash yourself. As soon as you were done, they wiped you dry before dressing you in the cave and putting jewelry and makeup on you. They left you soon after, giggling and wishing you luck with the ceremony. You felt.......odd. You caught a look at yourself from one of the shinier rocks in the cave and oh, that was you. That person or goddess in the reflection was you. You tilted your head this way and that, even standing up at one point, admiring your kimono and makeup. A small shocked smile bloomed on your lips as you twirled a little, feeling happy.

You had heard stories from your grandmother regarding goddesses and fairies and other divine beings who looked beautiful. With their gorgeous dresses and stunning makeup, they were perfect. It was easy for your younger self to dream of achieving such a state. It was also easy for you to lose hope as you grew up. You stared into your mirror, that smile on your face when you heard a chuckle from behind you. You yelped, turning your head.

It was that woman again. Staring at you with a smile on her face, her deep blue eyes creasing slightly as she gave you an amused look. 
"It's time for the ceremony"

You nodded your head, smile slipping off your face in an instant as you followed her. You followed her to the side of the river, in front of what was once a proper shrine. It now looked abandoned, save for one old priest sitting in the front. There were more people standing in the walkway between the entrance and the shrine itself. Ranging from the two men and the child from before to a dog, an old lady, some more women, and a few men as well. You kept your head facing down, feeling nervous about the whole situation. Mentally you wanted to die on the spot or start running for the hills, both of which weren't a great idea nor exactly an idea worth trying for given what was at stake. You wondered whether your mother and family would even slightly approve of your current decision. Would they?

You were led to sit by him, in the formal position side by side. Before you was a priest and a sake cup. Once you had been seated, the priest started the usual lines of marriage. You sneaked a peek at your to-be husband and found him sitting in finery. He was decked in full black, staring straight ahead at the priest. You stared at his face, now getting a proper look at it. He looked more or less like a human, barring the eyes, and the long scar slashed across his face. His hair had been slicked back, and he looked at the priest with a disdainful look, but something told you he was still alert. Then his eyes snapped to meet yours, and yours instantly shot to look back at the priest feeling ashamed for being caught. 

A while later both of you sipped from the cups and you flinched hearing the men and women behind you cheer. You watched your now husband get up and leave silently. Well, that was that then. Hours later you were sitting amongst the ladies who seemed friendly if anything. They were chatting amongst themselves, one was braiding the other's hair, and the old woman was cackling at the gossip. The young girl was painting, the only one missing was that blue-eyed lady, Robin, you had been told her name was.

Suddenly you looked down as a tray of food was placed in front of you. It had fish, soup, some vegetables, and rice in front of you. It all looked delicious and you hadn't eaten much before the whole ceremony. After eating, you sat in the cave, mildly confused as to what to do now. However, from the events of the day, you were bone-tired. So you curled up on the ground, falling asleep within minutes.

You woke up, to candlelight and the sound of scratching on paper. Rubbing your eyes, you sat up, confused. To your right you saw your now husband, writing something on paper, at a makeshift wooden desk with candlelight. He looked oddly very ridiculously humanlike, if not for the scales, his eyes, the size of him, or the claws he could have actually passed for a human. You inched closer to him, peering at the paper.

Without looking up he spoke, "What is it"

You flinched, the echo of his voice ringing all around you, and looked up at him "Nothing. Just looking"

"Why."

"Nothing else to do?"

"Hm." And with that, he continued his work, not really moving or giving you a reaction. You looked down again, peering at the characters and what you weren't completely sure about, perhaps numbers. There was a stack of such scrolls kept on one side and what seemed to be an inkpot on the other. You stayed like that, eyes following the tracing of the quill before his hand left the writing instrument, gripping your jaw tightly. "I don't think I have to say this, but I assume you're going to keep these numbers and words to yourself hmm?" He said in a low, dangerous voice as your hands scrabbled at his clawed one.

"Yes, yes I will. I can't even read what you're writing anyway" You gasped out, meeting his gaze

He raised an eyebrow. "You can't read?"

"Or write."

He left you again, eyes studying you as you winced, rubbing your jaw. "We won't be always staying here."

You paused, looking back at him "What?"

"Here, in this region. We won't be always staying here. We will be moving occasionally"

"Oh."

Did that mean he would take you along with him? How did they travel? Was there some magical way they traveled? He was oni after all, but you weren't entirely sure about the other's.
You got your answer soon, thanks to the palanquins in the clearing, men assembled to carry them. You were seated in one alone and watched as they carried not much, aside from some chests. Everything was packed, and the travel started. You all stopped each night, and and continued in the morning. You all had been traveling for 4 days, but on the 4th night, the bald man stood up and looked out in the distance. 

"We have visitors."

Suddenly everyone was on edge. Aside from the men who were carrying the palanquins, everyone got ready with their weapons, or just sat or stood in readiness. The portly man chanted, and from his hands came up an Inugami, the beast coming up with both parts floating to stand on the ground like a regular dog, which sniffled, but bared its teeth, in a certain direction. The only man who seemed at ease was your now husband. He simply let out a puff from his kiseru, hand holding the pipe.

Then, the action started. With a battle cry, a group of men charged out of the bushes from the direction and elsewhere as well. They looked like bandits. You hoped that the gods would take mercy on their souls. The Inugami squared its feet, opening its mouth as a ball of fire erupted, blowing two away. The bald man moved his arm in a slashing movement, where from his guards came long blades, attacking the man in front of him, causing the man to let out a pained shout and collapse. The old woman laughed, before.....digging? Was she digging? Creating a pit, the charging three men fell forward where a long tongue, started licking them, reducing them to the flesh. Your jaw dropped. Your husband's crew was all made up of yokai. Why was your fate like this you internally lamented.

The rest crowded around you and your husband, attacking in their own way. The blue-eyed woman watched, a mysterious smile on her face, and you realized she was watching you- wait why was she watching you? -and you yelped since you didn't realize a man with his weapon held high about to attack you, now frozen. Your husband sighed, releasing a cloud of smoke, his curved weapon had stabbed the man through his chest. The blood dripping off of the body, down the body of the curved item onto your clothes. 

Soon, the battle was over, and you were gently tugged to the riverside where the women helped remove your clothes since you seemed out of it. You were unable to forget the movement of blood, the man's choked whimper, and the prospect of the possibility of you being killed. As you walked, your eyes met your husband's own purple eyes watching yours.

You wondered if he found you a curiosity as you did him and his crew.

Chapter Text

Thanks to the attack, your husband and his crew were now firm to keep going with no stops. Causing you all to reach the new destination, at night. Paying off the carriers you walked into a house. Or what was a home but the inhabitants had....left. You walked around the house, curiosity sparking at the emptiness.

"Are you trying to be a Zashiki Warashi?" A smooth voice came, causing you to flinch, and now you are looking to your left.

Robin, stood, smiling mysteriously as usual. You shook your head, your hands now clasped together in front of you, one squeezing the other. "I- it's a big house. Has it been lived in before?"

She nods. "The previous family ran off due to some loan they owed. They left the house free, so it didn't seem like a bad deal."

You hum in response before she clears her throat, handing you some parchment and a pen. You look up at her, baffled. "I'm going to teach you how to read and write"

At least you could say that your husband was giving you opportunities to do something to give him a reason to kill you. It's not that you couldn't learn how to read or write, it's just that your parents weren't as wealthy to send you or your siblings off to learn somewhere. So learning how to do so now was nice. Given that you didn't really know what to do, at least you had something to work on, now. You smiled, having learned how to write your name in Kanji. Your fingers drifted over the ink as you traced the letters. 

You quickly understood that the agents switched in and out. From going on missions to staying and resting here, helping in the daily work. Your husband, regularly disappeared into a room, working on the accounts and whatnot, making you wonder exactly where did he store all the items. In fact, whenever the agents came back with whatever tributes, the tributes used to just disappear a few hours later. Leaving only the cart and horse. You asked once, to Robin. She answered in passing before moving on to deliver more documents to your husband. "Oh, Mr. 4 has control of it, but I or the Boss can access it too."

It took you a second to match the name with the face and you realised that the man who had the dog was the one who controlled it. So you went and visited him, and asked the same question. Turns out he was a sorcerer, which explained the Inugami. He was also knowledgeable on the different yokai the rest of the crew were. "While my Lassoo, like all Inugamis, has a true form, it's hidden, and kept ina small region I can control access to."

You tilted your head. "Like a domain?"

"Yes! Exactly!" He beamed. "The boss and Robin-san can access it whenever they want, but I'm the original owner of it. It's where the boss stores his tributes."

"Hmm. Can I ask a favor?"

"Sure, anything for the Boss' wife."

"Can you teach me how to use magic?"

He frowned. Usually magic users were at least somewhat related to, or could use a magical device to get their power. As far as he and you were aware, you didn't have a lineage or a magical object. So he came up with an idea. Use some fraction of his magic, along with some of Robin's books and knowledge to create sheets of paper. These papers would be 'charged up' with spiritual and magical energy. It could by theory be used by anyone, but it was meant to be used by you only, given that the rest were somewhere along the lines of magic users or yokai themselves. 

But in the end, whether you could use them, became an issue. Neither of you was sure if your husband would allow it, so he was on the urge of not allowing you to at all. That required a bit of asking and pleading, with the man being unsure if it was a good idea who finally agreed that if you got permission from the boss he wouldn't mind. So off you went. The real issue here was timing, honestly. He usually stayed in the room, usually eating in there, coming out occasionally, and coming to sleep when you were already quite fast asleep. Then woke up and left before you did. He was certainly a busy man. You hadn't really been given any rules beyond "Don't leave" so it didn't seem like an issue.

The next day, when you were positive that he was inside, you opened the sliding door. "Can I come in?"

A pause, then a grunt of acknowledgment. You came in and sat before him. Once again he was surrounded by writing, and numbers. There was an ink bottle sitting on the table itself, and his kiseru was held in his mouth. Upon your entrance, he looked up, then set down his brush, taking the kiseru out of his mouth, and exhaling a puff of smoke. "Well?"

"Well?"

"How's your studies going?"

You sat straighter, was he really keeping an eye on your progress? "It's fine, Robin-san says I'm learning quite fast."

"Hmph. So? Why're you here?" He said, fixing you with a look.

"I....ah, wanted to learn magic from Babe-san."

"Magic? Why, to escape?"

You flinched, then shook your head "What? No! It's just for something to do really."

He raised an eyebrow. "Something to do? What don't you have things to do otherwise?"

You shook your head. "The others usually do the chores, and er.....don't let me help. Other than the classes with Robin-San, I don't have anything else to do actually....."

He stared at you for a few moments and you fought the urge to shrink under that look, which you guessed was him studying whether you were lying or not.

"Hm. Fine"

"Really?" You perked up.

"Yes. But if I hear that you tried to use magic to get away from here....." He lifted his metal weapon, patting your cheek a few times. "Your poor little village won't be standing by the end of the day, understand?"

Your eyebrows shot up and you nodded frantically. "I-I promise I won't! I'll stay here only!"

He huffed, taking his weapon back onto its seat on his lap, taking his kiseru out, and waving you away dismissively. "Good. Now go."

You got up, leaving as quickly as you could.

Yay!

You were honestly having fun with your lessons. Reading and writing were fun, but the different kanjis were confusing at times. The kanji of eye and hand was sometimes intermixed in your eyes. But your magic lessons were fun, you could now generate some of the elements such as fire. While Babe did have missions, sometimes Mikita, (who wasn't specifically a magic user, but was the half yokai daughter of a human and a Kanashibari, thus could alternate her weight to her will) helped and watched over your training. While Babe was more patient and encouraging, Mikita was more arrogant and taunting. Both were helpful, just at different levels.

("Focus on what you want to conjure up. It's good to have an idea of it, along with these cards." He handed you some small cards of parchment which have the kanji to the elements or words to it. 

"What are these?"

"Think of them as a small way to help you learn and focus before you try it without a base." He stepped back, handing the card to you.

You breathed in deeply and imagined a Fire. Like the fires burning under a vessel, the fire burning at night in lanterns, you just imagined flames dancing. You traced the kanji on the paper, before dropping it on the ground, cupped your hands, then spread them out, closing your eyes.

"Look!"

You opened your eyes and saw the card now had a small sparking flame on it. Your eyebrows went up, and you beamed at him. "I did it!"

Lassoo had come out and was also moving around, barking happily. You giggled and moved your hands, and so did the direction of the sparks)

Tonight, you were supposed to accompany your husband to a gathering. It would be your first meeting with the other "rulers of the regions". 

You had been dressed in a kimono matching his, a yellow kimono with green leaves, and his wearing a green kimono with yellow flowers. You sat in the palanquin, hands folded, till you reached an inn. Getting out, you walked beside him and entered the inn. Looking around, it was like any old inn, but the innkeeper bowed, before leading you and your husband to a large room, and your husband paused, turning his head to you. "Don't say anything and be quiet. If they try to speak to you, don't answer." You nodded, eyes wide.

Entering, you saw two men were already sitting there. A man shorter than your husband who bore a simple katana, and a giant man who had his hands folded, eyes closed, with fuzzy hair and a hat on his head. Crocodile sat beside the shorter man and you sat behind him, hands folded in your lap. Sometime later nine more people came, and as each of them walked in, you realized they were all some or the other yokai of the sort. One of the two women had normal human eyes, but she had minor scales around her arms, like a snake. She wore a beautiful red kimono with white flowers and a haughty expression on her face, she sat on the other side of the giant man. The man sitting was dressed in white with sakura blossoms and bore a wooden eye mask. Which had holes so that he could see, and a big, grin on his face. He sat two seats to the other side of your husband, however you could feel his gaze on you. You didn't meet his eyes, feeling uncomfortable. The other giant man had an unnaturally pale complexion with sharp, jagged teeth and hair that stood on end. The last one to sit next to your husband had a blue complexion, with a huge flattish face. He must have been a fish or a sea-based yokai. You wondered which one?

The last two were a man and a woman, dressed in mainly white with blue borders on their kimonos. They were the local peacekeepers you realised. While the country did have it's gangs and their territories, they also had peacekeepers. A group that despised the gangs, and fought to have control over the country as a whole. 

The peacekeepers were a group created to handle the yokai, sometimes hiring or using the yokai in their own group. Rumours were that there were some divine beings also in the mix, who had a hand in or governed the group. It wasn't entirely off for you to say that you weren't at least slightly unhappy with how they just allowed the rulers of the regions to handle their own territories but oh well. You were married to one, weren't you?

The meeting was uneventful, till the man with the eye mask broke the usual chatter with a loud, "So! I think it's time that we talk about another matter...." and turned to face you. "About Crocodile's new wife! Congrats on the marriage! Shame I couldn't be there," and you flinched as you realized that the man was now behind you and speaking directly into your ear. How did he get there so fast? "Your husband didn't invite me, you see."

Your husband turned and you felt sand coming around you, holding the man's head and neck. "Don't touch her." He snapped and you saw a flash of the real violence that your husband was known for, flash in his eyes. 

The man in the peacekeeper's uniform clicked his tongue, and the woman in the same garb chided the man. "Doflamingo! Get away from her."

Chuckling, the man behind you dissolved into strings, reforming in his earlier seat. "Fu-fu-fu, what? I can't even wish my dear Wani? Can't even congratulate him on his marriage? Awful"

Crocodile pointed his hook (Robin had finally told you what it was called) at Doflamingo and sneered at him. "We aren't friends. I don't need your "Well wishes"

Needless to say as the meeting broke up, the people congratulated you two on your marriage in their own ways. The fish yokai murmured his congrats to you, and the woman eyed you once before stiffly muttering congrats. Even the ronin congratulated you. Grumbling, your husband started to leave and you half ran half walked, trying to match his pace.

Before you entered the palanquin, he huffed out a "Wait", pausing you looked at him. He looked...somewhere between tired and seething. 

"He didn't hurt you, did he."

"Ah, no. I'm fine, thank you."

Exhaling a cloud of smoke, he muttered out a barely heard "Good" and left to his own palanquin. You climbed in, and almost melted, out of pure exhaustion and nerves based on what had just happened.

"Well, for a first-time meeting" Said Robin as she and the others helped you out of your clothes "It could have gone worse."

"Really?"

"Yes. They've all got their own kind of personalities and moods. In fact, without the boss there, you might have died."

As you got ready for the night, the door slid open and you looked up, freezing. There stood your husband. "Ah, y-you're coming to bed early?" You yelped.

"Hmph, why? Not allowed?" He drawled.

"No! It's just, you don't usually so...."

"Well, today I am."

10 minutes later, you two were in bed, rolls laid up side by side. "You did well." Came his voice.

"Huh?" You perked your head, unable to believe that he actually said that. His back was to you, and you wondered if he always removed his hook around you when you two slept.

"You followed my orders and you didn't react. Good job"

"Oh.........thank you."

"Now go to sleep" Came the order and you just closed your eyes, feeling the warm sensation from a tiny ball of happiness in your chest.

In the morning you woke up with the sensation of someone having caressed your cheek, but no one was there

Chapter Text

As the days went on, you learned more and more about magic and reading and writing. Robin had even come in one day with some more scrolls under her arm proclaiming that you would now learn about numbers and how to add and subtract. Needless to say, you were learning a lot. The practice of your magic skills happened in the afternoons when possible and Robin's lessons happened in the mornings. 

Your acquired skills really came to light when you, Marianne, and Drophy went for a quick walk along the river. You wanted a break from the magic practice and the other two had just come back from a mission. The older woman was content in just following you two, as you and Marianne walked ahead. Marianne was content in just occasionally chiming into the conversation as you and Drophy chatted. Then she froze, tugging her hat lower on top of her head, putting her hand out in front of you. "There's someone up ahead."

A cackling came from up ahead, where there were some bushes next to the river. Out popped a kappa. "Surrender! We have you all cornered" it cried in a surprisingly loud voice.

"Definitely not! In fact, you should surrender! It's 3 to 1!" Huffed Drophy

"Kekekeke, oh really?" Sneered the Kappa. Suddenly, more Kappa arrived. Along with a much less green creature, which looked similar to a Kappa, but more hairier and more....pinkish. now, it was 9 to 3.

"Not a good idea to ask" Chimed Marianne, as you three were now clustered close, each facing a particular direction.

"Oh, it's fine. We can handle this." Snapped Drophy, already pulling her sleeves up. "Besides," She added, "Our lady should actually have a chance to practice what she's learned so far."

"Me?!" You squawked, eyes darting from the Kappa in front of you, to the next. "Are you sure?"

"No time like the present!"

"I'll help if needed."

You bit your lip, already sliding a hand in your purse to try and feel the count of how many were with you at that point in time. Five in total. Okay, okay you could probably do this. ("Have faith in yourself!" Came Mikita's loud voice)

"Remember" Came Marianne's voice. She was whispering "Kappa usually have a bowl on their head. Find a way to push the water out or trick them and you've won."

Water huh? Well, that gave you an idea. Taking the slip out, you traced the kanji for wind. As you dropped it, you spread your fingers out and pushed your hands in the kappa right in front of you. "Come!" You imagined the wind, as it blew across the water's surface, as it blew through the roofs of your village huts, as it tickled your face, as it pushed through the fields. You imagined it coming to pick up the Kappa. And it answered.

With a cry, the Kappa in front of you was lifted up and was sent crashing into the other two all into the river. Drophy had managed to dig a slightly deep gorge, creating unstable mud under the other three Kappas, making them fall as well. Marianne, to her credit, had already sneakily painted black symbols and marks on the two kappa but was unable to paint on the strange creature. It dodged, jumping over the pit in your direction. As it leapt towards you, you put your hands out in front of you, to defend yourself. You still had parchment cards in your hands, but knew it would take a while for activation. Bracing for the worst, you closed your eyes. Only for a surge of the soil, the earth to rise up and push the creature back into a tree, the reaction making the creature sort of feebly land into the gorge made by Drophy. 

You yelped, however, falling to your knees, wincing. The creature had scratched you with its sharp claws, causing you a shallow set of cuts from your wrist to your elbow on your left arm. Cradling it, you sat, mind and body now feeling oddly weak you sat, staring blankly as Marianne and Drophy ran to you. 

"This isn't good."

"She'll be fine. It was a Shibaten." Murmured Drophy, studying the cut. 

"I can walk, really" you muttered, shaking your head a bit.

"Of course you will. Neither of us can lift you to the house anyway." Says Marianne, her eyebrows furrowed. "How did you manage that anyway?"

"Manage what?"

"That surge of soil. You didn't have a parchment paper ready."

You looked down into your lap, thinking for a few moments. How did you manage that? Did you have some actual power? You opened your mouth to speak but paused, looking at Drophy who was tearing a sash she tied her hair with, to bind your wound with. "Not now. Now we need to heal you first. Everything else after."

Later on, you were laughing at Babe's dancing joy and at Lassoo jumping through the air, barking in glee. "You did it! This is great!"

Mikita lightly smacked him over the head. She had checked out the wound, before deeming it not shallow, and treated it with a salve before wrapping it up. "Oi! Stay focused here, we need to find out how she caused the soil to rise and protect her from the Shibaten!"

Babe rubbing his head, frowned at her. "How would I know? She would know better!" He defended himself, pointing at you.

You frowned, hand absentmindedly tracing the bandages over your arm. "I'm not sure, actually." You admitted. "I've tried to understand it. Maybe it was some power from the parchment itself? As in, I just wanted something to protect me, and the parchment with earth written on it was in my hands anyway"

Marianne, now sipping some tea nodded and chimed in. "Makes sense. It just reacted to her request. She's becoming more skilled as you said earlier."

Mikita shrugged and ate some of the dango on the plate before you. "Oh well. Just seems odd is all."

"Oh leave it would you?" Huffed Drophy. "She's fine, and we have a decent explanation. Stop worrying!"

As the group chattered and battered, none of them realized that you hadn't taken parchment paper of the earth with you in the first place. You had accidentally left it behind.

Chapter Text

You were on the move again. And this time, according to Robin, towards the sand dunes. You had heard of sand before. Had heard of enormous amounts of sand, large enough to seem like a little hill of its own. However, you'd never exactly seen any. You had descriptions from passing travelers who didn't mind telling tales to the children in the village, or the older people in the village telling stories before bedtime. Once, you listened with wide eyes and a free imagination. Now, you didn't have to imagine, you could hear or even experience for yourself from the people around you, or even show you items they had brought from said places. You even got to see them. 

In a way you supposed, you were thankful for getting married to your husband. You had gotten opportunities that you had never even dreamed of. You'd probably have lived a boring life back in your village, only half listening to the stories as you prepared meals and got married to someone, and eventually, died without ever even doing some of the things you had done since then.

But you did miss your home. Your 3 siblings, your parents, and the view of the nearby pond when it was too early to be awake. The sound of the animals, as people woke and started getting around to do their chores, was life. 

You looked outside the palanquin as another question entered your mind, and you didn't answer, feeling it sit in the center of your chest, watching the scenery change around you as you moved from the house to a new place– But would you want to go back?

What you did slightly miss, however, was the house. Agreed, it wasn't yours, but still. It was a house you had fond memories of. It was peaceful, and a house that you would have loved as a child, imagining many stories in it.

Suddenly, you heard rapping on the outside of the palanquin, jolting you from your thoughts. Peeking out from the window as you held the curtain away, you were met by Ranna's grin. "Ever been to a city?"

You blinked and shook your head. At this, she grinned even wider and said with pride. "Well, tomorrow you're gonna get a treat!"

That night, you sat with the rest of them, eating. Daz, Robin, and your husband were talking near the palanquins, and you were sitting with the others, eating. They were regaling you with things they had seen or heard in different cities, describing each as they talked. All of you had arrived to settle on top of a hill, overlooking the city. You couldn't stop looking at it, purely because of how bright it was. Some of the agents weren’t there, having been sent off on missions like usual or to go ahead to the town for some business. This left Gem and Zala with you, along with Wanda, Rana, and Devy. They were regaling you with different things they had seen on their travels around the land.

"And they travel around the place in boats!"

"They have little puppets dancing and jumping around, and they live with the citizens themselves, almost like they’re alive."

"Snow! So much you can barely see ahead of you in snowstorms, and there are BEARS. Who takes walks daily? I’ve met one of them myself!"


That night, as you walked back to your sleeping area, you were called by someone. Turning, it was your husband.

"Come. Walk with me," he said, turning and walking towards the path you came from.

You blinked for a few seconds before getting up and following him. You walked beside him, where he was staring down the hill at the still bustling, glimmering city below. You hurried on over and side-eyed him. His expression was dour, and his face was mildly illuminated by the lights below, his eyes focused on the city below the hill on which you both stood.

He seemed lost in thought, his face and the surface of the Kiseru itself being illuminated by the sheen, the bright lights of the famous town below. Taking a breath, he exhaled smoke, his purple, reptilian eyes flicking over to yours, and you understood how easy it was to be scared of him.

“I suppose you have… questions,” he asked, though it sounded less like a question and more like a commandment.

"Er... yes?" you spoke, cringing internally at the awkwardness. Gods, this was hard to navigate.

He didn’t respond to that, but you knew he was listening. So you continued.

“Why exactly are we here?” you asked, trying to make sure your voice wasn’t meek.

“We’re here to ensure some things are done. The client needs me to be physically present for the sealing of the deal, and after this, we’re headed to another place again.”

“Where?” At this point, you couldn’t stop yourself. The idea of being able to live and explore a new place was more than thrilling for you.

“Why do you want to know?” he spoke with a bite in his voice and at a lower tone. You yelped at the side-eye glare he gave you.

“Curiosity! Pure curiosity! Something to look forward to, really!” you said, waving your arms in a slightly more panicked state.

"Tomorrow, you will be entering a new and more public place. It will have people who will scrutinize you and try to see exactly what and why I have taken you as my wife," he said, now taking a breath of smoke from his pipe, looking as if nothing had happened.

"Oh," was all you could answer as thoughts and questions started filling your head, as well as new anxieties.

"I have only one thing to give you as advice," he had now turned his head to you. For a second, you froze, feeling the full weight of his stare, his full attention. "Don't let down your guard."

You were staring, slack-jawed, through the window as you saw the massive gates open, showing you the much duller yet still fascinating buildings behind them. It was the day, and according to what you heard, Gion wouldn't be open for another few hours. You saw a few people talking or hurrying about to and fro. A few passed out, lying near the steps of some of the houses or starting to wake up. You even saw children, their eyes trained on yours as your palanquin passed by the alleys. You wondered about them, where they came from, and why they were here. You made a mental note to ask Robin later. You spied on some of the women in the windows, some with tired eyes, some with suspicious ones, and some getting ready for later tonight.

You saw more eyes roll to focus on you, more curiosity now. Who were you? They seemed to say.

You were officially staying in one of the more well-off inns of the town. As soon as you were alone, your eyes traveled around the embroidery and the design on the doors of the room, along with the items in it. It had to have cost a pretty penny, and you wondered whether you could explore with someone. Maybe Wanda? She seemed strong enough to handle herself, surely you wouldn’t be in trouble if you were with her. Worst comes to worst, you would have to use your cards to defend yourself.

You rubbed your eyes, of course, you would have to wait till tomorrow. All your excitement would go to waste if you didn’t sleep soon. Just then, you heard a knock at the door before the door opened. It was Ranna. Ranna and you hadn’t interacted with each other as much due to her usually being assigned to gather information or for killing. She was paired with another man whom you hadn’t met yet either.

“Hello, Madam. Can we eat food together? Zala managed to get some desserts from the vendors below.”

A little time later, all the girls were laughing and telling stories with you as you all ate sweets together. Zala was telling a story of a person she had met while in the East, where there was a large ship that housed a restaurant. People used smaller boats or their ships to enter, and they only docked when they needed supplies. They moved all over the place and served delicious food. She had met a young man there who had golden hair, smoked almost as incessantly as your husband, and fought with his feet; she guessed he was possibly half yokai, but wasn’t entirely sure. 

Ranna, on the other hand, was complaining about some green-haired ronin running around and killing the untethered yokai who were causing chaos. Apparently, he had killed a friendly Jikininki that she knew. Ranna was a maiden whose Aunt had taught her frog magic. She was also adept with archery, and she managed to combine the two by using the frogs as servants to carry her via swimming when the target was at ease to release a shot through their eyes. She reminded you of one of your younger friends, chatty and always carrying gossip in her mind. She was more than welcoming to you, acting like you had always been there with them, this group, by teasing and poking fun at you. It was refreshing, to say the least.

“Madam, how come ya didn’t have anyone in yer village ta catch yer eye?” Another trait she and Drophy shared was their accent .

You shrugged, “They didn’t look all that appealing, I guess. Plus, most of them were thinking of moving to the big city to get drafted into the corps.”

“Eugh,” she grimaced. “What people see in them is beyond me.”

Zala smirked, biting into a piece of mochi. “Oh really? Didn’t you tell me you had the hots for a young marine boy?”

“Aw, don’t talk about that!” she whined, pounding her fists on Zala’s arm playfully. You and the others laughed, and you couldn’t help but feel at ease with them.

Hours later, you were dreaming. Dreaming of wandering in your village’s nearby forests, where you came upon a clearing. Walking into it, you saw a mirror in the center, with nothing else but the forest’s shrubbery in sight. You came close, curious as to why a mirror would be in a place such as this. You peered into it and saw nothing but your reflection staring back at you. You turned your head this way and that before spotting someone in the mirror standing behind you. He bore an Oni’s face, green and a head full of reddish-white hair flowing in all directions as if the wind was pulling on each of the strands. He wore animal skin with small black circles and markings on it and carried a large sack. His palm faced you, and you were struck with fear and shock upon seeing him. Your head snapped behind you, but you saw no one. When you looked back in the mirror, you didn’t see him, but your own face in an ugly expression with red eyes, an open, bloody mouth with large jagged teeth, and a long tongue that had eyes on it. The terror you felt upon seeing that made you wake up, and as your eyes opened, you sat up and screamed.

Standing in front of you was a Yūrei , its hands outstretched towards you, its malevolent feelings towards you so thick that it covered you like a blanket. You had the feeling that you could almost touch the horrible thoughts it had for you if you were to try; in a last-moment effort, you raised your hands to protect yourself and closed your eyes. Wind flowed from behind you in the direction of the spirit, and briefly, you heard someone slide open the door before calling your name. You felt some other force flowing from behind you, something divine, aiding you. Minutes later, you felt someone grasp your shoulder, only for you to start struggling, panic still gripping your heart, thrashing, fighting back, your eyes still closed.

“-Stop this now .” You stopped, hearing that familiar voice. Was that-

You peeked and froze, movements stilling, but your limbs still shook from the earlier excitement. Your husband kneeled in front of you, his hand gripping your shoulder, and his brow furrowed. “It’s gone. Someone had opened the window.”

You blinked slowly, head turning to look. There was no Yūrei now, just an open window and an empty night. You released your breath and almost slumped onto him, lungs feeling like they had never taken a breath ever since you were alive. He shifted backward now and took out his pipe, placing it in his mouth, and then took out a box of tobacco. He opened it and then added some for his pipe. He raised an eyebrow at you, then looked at the almost burnt-through incense behind you on the mantle. You sat up, on attention, and crawled over, holding the end of the still-burning tip and holding it up to the slight bit of the tobacco hanging out of his kiseru, lighting it and taking a breath. You placed the incense back in the holder and sat on your bed roll, staring emptily at the tatami.

“What happened” and you flinched, blinking at him. You were pretty sure your heart was pounding in your ears.

“I-huh?”

“Why did a Shiryō come for you?” he clarified, releasing a cloud of smoke.

"I was- a what?" you balked.

"That was a Shiryō. Now, tell me. Why did it come for you?" he urged.

“Oh, I was dreaming. It was scary, so I woke up and saw the Yu-uh, Shiryō. I raised my hands up, and then the wind came. I, I don’t know how though.” you mumbled, frowning, voice small and cracked.

He eyed your frame for a while before adding on. “What did you see in your dream?”

You looked up. “I was back home, in the forests around my village, and I came across a clearing. I saw a mirror in there that I had never seen before. When I looked into it, I saw this green Oni who wore animal skin with small black circles and markings all over its tan hide, and he carried a sack. When I looked over my shoulder, I didn’t see him, but I saw this horrifying version of myself back in the mirror in front of me, and I was so scared that I woke up. When I woke up, I saw the Shiryō.”

“Then what happened?”

“I raised my arms, and this wind blew, and then… You were there,” you said, running a hand through your hair. You looked into his face and paused. He looked bemused and surprised at the same time. What on Earth did that mean?

“I… did I do something wrong?”

He took a puff before answering, this time a bit more composed. “We’ll discuss this in the morning. Go back to sleep.”

You blinked, then shook your head. “I can’t sleep! What if I see something bad again? Or something else comes? What-”

“I’ll be here.”

Your jaw opened and shut. “Eh?”

He gave you an unimpressed look. “I’ll join you. My work is done for the night anyway. I was coming back to the room when I saw you screaming, and the wind was blowing all over the room, pushing back the Shiryō away.”

“O-oh.” You stared back for a second before lying down, turning your back to him. You stared at the open window instead, feeling awkward. You heard him getting up, emptying the used tobacco in the incense pot, before changing into his sleeping clothes, and you saw him close the window. You felt him join you not too long later and felt comforted by the warmth he exuded on your back, and you sighed, feeling comforted.

You woke up hours later and realized that you had at some point turned to face him in bed and stared for a few seconds at his peaceful expression. He looked quite handsome, actually. Scar or not. You closed your eyes again and woke up a while later to a much less warm but empty bed, and felt sad, almost at the lack of his presence,