Nine Tails of the Yokai: Tail 2

Chapter 1

Ch 1

"Are you trying to kill me Kat? Seriously. I don't need to wear a kimono every day." Cassidy shouted into the seemingly empty room.

A second voice filled Cassidy's mind with a husky laugh, "Yes you do. It is traditional..." A white Obi, "Kat"sumi around her waist said as it tightened a little more around her waist.

"I'm not that traditional." Cassidy gave up fighting against it and let Kat finish dressing her instead of fighting.

"You should be. You're not the first to become the Lady of the Yokai. Your predecessors all adhered to the traditions brought before them." Kat said as it tied into a tight bow in the back.

Cassidy sighed turned as the door to her room slid open. The traditional sliding panel doors were something she had to get used to in the past month. "Does no one know how to knock?" She asked as her godmother Yuri, a female Tangu, entered the room with a breakfast tray of bacon, eggs, and rice.

"Not while I'm acting as your attendant, my dear. Now eat up, your shogun wish to have a word with you to go over the ceremony tonight. It is for both you and Aiden after all." Yuri said. Her black wings tucked behind her back and her black hair was swept back into a reverse ponytail and still fell past her shoulder blades. Her dark blue eyes were companionate and cautious at the same time.

"You reminded me last night, Yuri. How can I forget when all I hear is how much the ayakashi are looking forward to it? That it's been one thousand years since the last Crowning." Cassidy said rolling her eyes. She accepted the tray that Yuri set on the bedside table that was otherwise filled with books she'd been studying while stuck in bed.

"It's not every day we have something to celebrate, my dear. Now eat up before it gets cold. I will bring you some of the tea from Lady Eva. To..." Yuri said.

"To heal the body, because it's not used to holding such an extreme amount of power. I though she cleared me from bed rest yesterday."

"Indeed, my dear. But, you need to keep up your strength. You will be training with Haru in the fire element this afternoon as well. Until you are able to wield all of the elements without taxing your body you will need to use the medicine. You always hated having anyone fret over you, even when you had a high fever."

"Okay, I get the point. Now leave or my food really will get cold." Cassidy shifted her nine tails impatiently as she started in on her breakfast.

Kat expanded as Cassidy ate her meal at a comfortable pace. "I'll be introducing myself to your fate-bound mates when you meet up with them. Consider me to be your chaperone until you all have accepted the new relationship."

Cassidy set her fork down, "This is going to be great. Hi this is my talking Obi. He's going to keep your hands off me until I consent. I don't need a chastity belt to keep those men in check. Haru is the only one I need help with. He's trying to get into my pants the second we're alone."

Cassidy laid back on the futon, that had taken a lot of getting used to. The room itself was in a traditional Japanese style with low tables and a futon that could be tucked away in the daytime. The tatami mats made the texture of the floor easy to walk on even with wet feet. The walls were mostly solid with a traditional panel texture added for detail. The wall with the sliding door was made with traditional panels. The coloration of the room was fairly plain with earth tones of beige and brown. A folding panel sat in the corner of the room with a depiction of a nine tailed kitsune surrounded by falling cherry blossoms.

Cassidy stood up and left, "I hope you're ready for them Kat. Those six can be very demanding, and protective."

"I've dealt with their types before. I've been watching them." Kat said with a husky laugh.

"How exactly can you see them?" Cassidy asked, "Actually, I'm not sure I want to know. You're a talking Obi that can transform into anything of equal volume. I seriously shouldn't be trying to understand how ayakashi manage anything."

Kat laughed again, "You're learning, good. There is hope still." Cassidy left her quarters for the meeting room.

                 

Part 2 (will add more detail before the next section...a rough draft.)

   Cassidy stepped into the room as the five shogun and one shogun in training sat chatting, only to stop talking the moment they noticed her presence. Haru pulled her into the seat next to him before anyone could protest.

He yelped as the Obi snapped at him, "Princess, watch the tails today if you want me to go easy on you." The Obi snapped at his hand as it moved again towards her tails.

"Haru, I don't think that was a tail." Masato suggested with a wide grin.

"If it's not a tail, then..." Haru said before having his hand snapped away as the Obi shifted away from Cassidy's waist. It transformed into a sword with it's blade at Haru's neck.

The room grew quiet and no one noticed as Cassidy's kimonos slipped down showing off more than she planned. "Dammit Kat. Haru's just being himself."

"So the Obi's an ayakashi. At least it gave us a good view." Sora said kicking up the wind to shift Cassidy's kimonos a little more.

Cassidy jumped a little and pulled them closed. Cassidy was cut off by the Obi transforming back to a long piece of cloth. It took a bow and turned to inspect the people in the room. Haru pulled Cassidy closer trying to sneak a hand under her kimono. Cassidy batted his hand away with her tail this time.

"I am Katsumi. Anyone but the lady will address me as Kat-sama. Now i'll let you get back to the matter at hand before you attack my mistress again." The Obi wrapped itself around her waist again and Cassidy nearly jumped.

"I'll never get used to that." Cassidy said under her breath.

"Lets make this quick. Tonight Cassidy will be crowned the Yokai Princess, and our Lady of the Yokai. Aiden will also be appointed the Shogun of the Ryu Clan. The matter we must discuss is how to handle the fate bond that formed between each of us." Lyal said with authority.

"I think it would be best to let Cassidy make the decision."

"But our clans will start to court her with gifts if word gets out."

"It has never happened before. Ayakashi don't share well."

"Can Cassidy accept the responsibility that comes with the fate bond?"

"Why now? Humans can bear as many children as their body will allow."

Cassidy couldn't hear a word any of the Shogun were saying as they spoke at the same time. "Shut up. Can someone just tell me what this is all about in the first place? What is a fate bond?"

Masato cleared his throat and looked to Lyal. He and Lyal exchanged a quick glance before Masato explained. "An ayakashi is fated to be bound to one mate for their natural lives. It is rare for multiple bonds to come into play, but it has been spoken of in regards to the Lady of the Yokai."

"So, I'm fated to be the only partner for each man in this room?" Cassidy asked.

"Yes. That would be the simple explanation. If you accept your partner you're expected to give them a child." Aiden added.

"Wait...so if I accept this I get a harem? Like in anime or manga?" Cassidy perked up a little.

"Yes. If you want this we will find a way to make it work quietly. Our clans will try and court you so you chose just one of us." Sora explained His black wings shifting a little uncomfortable.

"Well, Then how do we determine who gets my...nightly attention?" Cassidy asked.

The shogun looked to each other unsure for a moment. "You summon whomever you wish to keep you company. If you seek company on a given night." Aiden suggested with a smirk. His own blue iridescent wings shined a little more than he intended.

"I think I can handle that..." Cassidy replied with a wide smile.