The Dragon Kings Daughter (Book 3)

Chapter 7- Hairpin

"Kaiyō!? Kaiyō!?" Mikages voice echoed around my fuzzy brain.
"Five more minutes." I groaned before rolling over. I wanted to get up but my brain wasn't letting me.
"Lady Kaiyō! Please you need to get up." Onikiri whined.
"Okay. Okay. I'm up." I sighed before sitting up and every stared to run back to me.

We were so close. Kuromaro was right there and we slipped back to the present.
"How many days left?"
"Four." Mikage answered. I nodded soaking in all of the information.
"Mizuki. Send me back."
"What! You can't be serious. You body just came back to the present day. You have no energy to make that trip again." He protested. "At least rest for a few hours. However, Nanami needs to rest for a few days. She will be going back in two days." I nodded again before getting up and leaving the room, only to be attacked by mother and father.

"I missed you so much little jellyfish!" father said while squeezing be to death.
"Da, Dad!? What are you doing here?"
"I heard you where saving that foxes life and decided to come support you. He still owes me his life."
"Dad!"
"What?" My father started to act all innocent.
"I missed you mother."
"Missed you to sweetie." My mother cooed before hugging me tightly.

"Look at what the waves washed up." Kurama said from the doorway.
"You here to?"
"Nanami needs my support." Kurama shrugged.
"How many people are here?"
"Um...Your parents, Me, Mikage, Mizuki, The spirits, Lady Himemiko and her boyfriend."
"Really?" He nodded.

"That reminds me." Kotesu said. He flew away then came back with a small dark pink
box. "Master Tomoe wanted to give this to you before he fell ill. His last words to me was to give this to you." Kotesu handed me the small box.
It was long but thin and felt smooth, like leather.
"You make it sound like he's dead." I said sadly, but I was trying to lighten the mood.
I slowly opened the box to see a hairpin with a cherry blossom of two pinks being the main feature. Two yellow petals hid behind the flower and there was two strands of three purple beads.

"It's..." My eyes started to get misty from tears.
"Kaiyo?" Kurama knelt down next to me and rested his hand on my shoulder.
"I'm fine. I just...didn't expect this."
"If you would like I could do your hair for you." Himemiko offered and I nodded.

As Himemiko did my hair, I noticed Kotaro looking quite uncomfortable surrounded by us.
"You told Kotaro?" I asked her and felt her stiffen for a bit.
"It was necessary. He understands but I can't get him to stop being fearful of us."
"Give him some time. You basically just turned his whole world upside down by telling him that yokai exist and they live in his home town. Not ably that but he's dating one."
"Do you think he hates me?"
"Himemiko." I cooded just as she finished doing my hair and turned around to face her. "If he really loves you he won't care what you are."
"Truly?"
"Truly."

"Kaiyo?"
"Yes Mizuki?"
"Are you ready?" I nodded and stood up, walking to my room.
"Good luck!" Everyone called out before I went into my room with Mizuki. He lit the burner as I laid down.
"I will send Nanami back as soon as she's rested."
"I know. Thanks Mizuki."

I swirled into darkness before hitting the ground with a thump. Around me was the pond I was just at, only, covered in miasma.
"The kappa was correct." Now how was I supposed to find Kuromaro. I instinctively reached up to my hairpin to check that it was there and felt relief when I felt it. I can't lose it.

-Past Tomoes POV-

"Tomoe!" Akura-Ou called to me as I entered our base. "Where have you been?"
"I could ask you the same thing. Didn't you want to mess with the humans war?"