GxG 16
[Japan]
(Kunou POV)
"Wake up." A firm voice said while tearing my blankets away.
"Wha- I'm up! I'm up!" I said as I shot out of bed, blearily looking around. Finally finding my clock, I saw it was still early.
"G'morning Mama. It's still too early for lessons, what's the big idea?" I was having the nicest dream too, Queen Kunou and her royal hunks, one for every day of the week.
"Your lessons are cancelled today." Mama stated. That sounds like good news, but something was off in her voice.
"Really! I haven't had a day off in forever!" This was great! I needed to go shopping soon anyway.
"Whatever you are thinking about, don't." She ruthlessly shot down.
"What! Why?" I pouted. Honestly woman, getting my hopes up just to dash them away. Based on Mama's smirk it was on purpose too.
"You won't have time for lessons today because you need to bathe and then put on your diplomatic-causal outfit to meet some guests at the airport." There was something she wasn't telling me yet.
"Eh? That's so annoying to put on though! Who is so important that we can't just send a servant like usual?" Any of my diplomatic outfits are a pain. So many layers. At least it's not a ceremonial outfit. Those take a dozen servants and multiple hours.
"Two main reasons. The first is that while this person isn't part of a large faction, we have traded favors before and have cultivated a good relationship that is in our best interest to maintain." Mama began.
"Ok, that makes sense. Politics sucks but if it's just at the level of 'be nice' I can handle it. What's the second reason?" I don't like the way Mama is smirking.
It's that smirk she gets when something is really funny, but only to her.
"The second is that I thought you would like to be the one to greet him instead of sending a servant." Her smirk deepened and my instincts started firing.
"Him? You know there are no 'hims' for me Mama." Not for a lack of trying, but every yokai my age is either a meathead or weird. At least the meatheads have those nice muscles, but the moment they open their mouths is just so ew.
Mama's smirk was nearing malicious levels now, the hairs on my tails were starting to raise.
"Oh? But I distinctly remember a little kit sulking for weeks when he went back home." She said in a faux-innocent voice that would have been sickly-sweet on anyone other than my own mother.
"Wait? Sulking for weeks?" A cherished but half forgotten memory tugged in my mind. Mama could see me making the connection too, so she continued while smirking.
"That's right. As the daughter of the queen of yokai you have the duty to meet and guide Nathan Meyer for the duration of his stay in Japan."
"What? Really? That was forever ago, I nearly forgot about him! I just remember being upset we couldn't talk after he left because 'something something American treaties'. It really stood out because that was the first time I was upset about being a princess." I said while more and more memories were being dragged to the surface of my mind.
"Yeah, there was some tensions at the time and we couldn't be seen making moves on foreign talent. Only the devils can do that, apparently." She complained at the end.
"If we haven't talked to him in over a decade, why is he coming here again?" Really annoying she just sprung this on me, but it would be nice to catch up with a childhood friend.
"We haven't talked to him. That doesn't mean that he didn't get an invitation to Kyoto when he started to sell his services to his local moonlit community." Mama said with a sly smile, like she won a game only she was playing.
"If he's so important, why are you not going? I remember you gave him a lot of senjutsu stuff when he left, I even added in some of my own textbooks. Something about his physique, right?" I added, thinking about the boy who kicked that kappa. Served him right, chasing me down like that.
"I would love to honestly, he was such a sweet kid. Much nicer to deal with than those old clan fogies who always want something from me. Unfortunately, Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi both sent me some vague messages about 'a spirit of their domains'. I'm 'not supposed to track them down, but if I meet them, be on my best behavior'. Whatever that means, I have to deal with it."
Mama did not sound happy. The gods were... unruly at the best of times and as the chief priestess of the head of the pantheon, Mama had to deal with the bulk of it.
"I'm supposed to be the Divine Connection, the bridge between mortal and divine. Not some Divine Intern. They didn't even say what they wanted, just ramblings about being nice and respectful. It is odd they sent such similar messages at the same time though." She tilted her head and noted.
"Yeesh, that sounds like a pain. I'm glad I don't have to deal with that." The gods were so childish sometimes. Thankfully they mostly stay up in Takamagahara.
"You know you will be taking my mantle from me eventually, right?" Mama said, knowing how much that annoyed me.
"Lalalala I can't hear you. Not happening. I don't need that kind of stress. You do such an amazing job Mama, who needs silly little Kunou to do something so important." I said while batting my eyelashes. It works when the boys won't leave me alone.
"Flattery will not save you. Stop wasting time and go get ready." She said while shooing me off like we weren't in my room to begin with.
"Kay~, have a good day Mama. Good luck on your spirit not-hunt." I called back as I left my room.
"Shush, don't remind me." She grumbled.
[LINE BREAK]
Standing in the airport, I checked that I had the right gate for what felt like the hundredth time.
Letting my mind wander, I thought about how this meeting might go.
Nathan was a really cute kid, and he was super fun to play with while he was in Kyoto. Even back then, I could kind of tell when people wanted to use me, even if I was too young to actually understand the deeper politics that drove those actions.
Nathan did not trip any of those instincts, so he was super fun to be around. I wonder if he's still as nice as back then.
I remember he is only a little younger than me, so he should be 18 by now. Maybe he's single? I can't make any decisions without meeting him, but he used to be cute and Mama said my dad was a human.
Hell, even before meeting him he has a better chance than all those stinky clan heirs that only want me for the prestige of being Yasaka's daughter, or because they hope I'll eventually fill out like my mother.
It's not my fault I'm not built like a fertility goddess yet, that takes time! It's not even like I'm flat or anything, and my maids say I'm 'deliciously sporty'.
Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice the plane I was waiting for had started to disembark until the wave of people started to pour out the gate.
Double checking that my sign that said 'Nathan M.' was right-side up, I began to scan the crowd.
I sensed them before I saw them. It wasn't anything massive but a man my age felt a little weird to my senses. He saw the sign in my hands before walking over, holding the hand of a little girl of about 4 years old.
That must be Nathan, so I guess that is his sister? Oh well, that's fine.
She seems cute as a button.
Nathan on the other hand.
Kunou likes what she sees.
Most of the yokai are meatheads, so I know muscles. Muscles that he clearly has.
Nothing bulky like some of the Oni, but he fills out that shirt nicely.
Mentally drooling a little, I was distracted again until he was close enough to talk.
"You're our pickup?" Handsome face, nice voice.
Is it finally springtime for Kunou?
"Yes, I'm not sure if you remember, but I'm Kunou. We played together when we were young." That's right Kunou, lead the conversation normally. He doesn't need to know I have our wedding already planned out.
"How could I forget? I would never dream of forgetting a certain someone showing me how well she can follow along with a magical girl transformation." He joked with a grin, not knowing I just picked out our honeymoon.
"Gah! Forget that at once! It never happened!" I blushed up a storm. I need a topic change, it's too embarrassing. "So who is this little cutie? You brought your sister with you?" I asked while looking at the little girl. She had been staring at me during our entire exchange.
She had some sort of magical effect on her, but I could only tell it was some sort of transformation. Or illusion. Maybe.
"Ha! No, this isn't my sister. This is my daughter Hana." He beamed before turning to her. "Say 'hi' Hana."
"Hello pretty lady!"
You could almost hear the sounds of hearts and dreams shattering like glass.
[LINE BREAK]
(Nathan POV)
Kunou looks like someone shot her dog.
"Oh. That's so nice. You didn't bring your wife?" She stilted out, like she was forcing the words.
"Oh, I haven't seen her mother since she was born." Do spirits even have parents? Can you get child support from the concept of magic?
Bill the earth for birthing her perhaps?
Kunou visibly perked up when I said that, light returning to her eyes. Weird.
"That's too bad, anyone would be lucky to have you two." I am glad she gets it.
"That's right. Hana is my world, my precious Little Flower." I said while rustling her hair.
Hana just tried to bat my hand away.
"Mou, Daddy is going to mess up my hair!"
With Kunou's mood improved, we made small talk until we reached our ride. There was no booster seat for Hana, so I just held her.
"So what brings you to Japan?" Kunou asked, leaning towards me. It was odd to ride in a limo where the seats face each other.
"I want to further my study of senjutsu, specifically soul related techniques. I also want to see if I can find information on various spiritual species." No reason to tell everyone exactly what Hana is, even if they will probably guess.
"Soul techniques? That's rather high level." Kunou simply said, not agreeing to anything. Fair.
While in Japan I'm going to let Hana turn off her illusion while we are around other supernatural beings. While it is useful in letting her interact with normal people, it's important to let her know I love her the way she is.
I don't need my Little Flower developing a complex over being forced to use an illusion all the time. This will be the first time she can really explore her supernatural parts in public.
Speaking of illusions, once we got into the limo Kunou dropped the illusion hiding her kitsune features, and Hana hasn't stopped looking between her tails and her ears.
"Daddy! She's even prettier! Why don't we have tails?" Hana asked, flabbergasted by what she was seeing. Thinking back on it, I don't think she has even seen Jophiel's wings or anything.
This is her first time seeing anything inhuman. At least she's not racist.
"I have tails because I'm better, duh." Kunou said exaggeratedly, making an effort to preen and show off her tails as much as she could while sitting.
"Nuh uh! Daddy is prettier than you, and Hana is prettier than Daddy. That makes me..." She looked around like she would find the word she was looking for printed somewhere in the cab. "A lot better than you!" Hana finished proudly.
"Hana dear, the word for daddy is 'handsome', not pretty." I deadpanned.
"Yes yes, daddy is handersome." Did my own daughter just wave me off while mispronouncing a word. I didn't realize she is 4 going on 15.
Meanwhile Kunou was still playing along, letting out a shocked gasp.
"You're right! Hana is much cuter than me, I can't compare." I'm glad they are getting along so far, but something in that sentence felt weird.
It's probably nothing.
"Speaking of Hana being pretty, I almost forgot to do something important!" Hana just looked at me, question obvious in her gaze.
I just reached over and used a bit of senjutsu to make her amulet float into my hand.
A quick pulse and the illusion is turned off, revealing her natural look.
Beautiful long rainbow hair, gold and silver eyes that shone like the finest of jewelry, skin that nearly glowed with fae-like quality.
Her floral markings have become a bit more pronounced as Hana began to use her powers actively, and have expanded as she has grown. Thankfully they still look more 'ethereal and tasteful' than anything else.
Yup, my daughter is the cutest one around. Any cuter and she might cause a cuteness singularity.
Kunou looked shocked.
"Wow, I knew she was under an illusion, but how could you hide her? She's so cute!" Kunou nearly squealed. Was that hunger in her eyes? Why was she looking at me like that?
"Daddy says normal people are dumb so I have to look normal to not make them feel bad." Hana explained as if this was basic knowledge anyone should know.
"Ha! Isn't that true. I hide my tails for the same reason." Kunou giggled and told Hana.
"Really! I'm not the only one?" Hana looked a little too hopeful asking that. Maybe wearing an illusion all the time was worse than I thought for her.
"Yup, almost everyone has to hide their cool parts or people would get jealous." Kunou said in a playful but conspiratorial tone, obviously picking up a little bit of Hana's insecurity about the illusion.
That was when we heard a knock on the divider and it slid open, revealing the driver.
"We are pulling into your estate Lady Kunou, would you like me to drop you and our guests off at the front?" The driver asked.
"Yes please. Thank you for driving us." Kunou replied, a bit of her heiress training kicking in when talking to the servant.
"Taking us home right away. Do I have to fear for my safety?" I joked while wiggling my eyebrows.
Kunou lit up in a nuclear blush and tried to stutter denials, but Hana started waving her arms around.
"No! Don't hurt Daddy!" She cried out.
I started laughing while Kunou blushed even harder.