![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
FIC: Daiki, Part 22a (of 22)
Title: Daiki, Part 22a (of 22)
Rating: R overall, but mostly PG-13
Pairing: Leon/D
Word count: ~9,455
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Matsuri Akino and Yumiko Kawahara. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: This can be considered a continuation of my earlier series of stories (Revenge, The Day After, Spirits, Blodeuedd), but it can stand on its own as my version of what happens after Book 10.
Thanks to: Spare from the Petshop discussion group on Yahoo, who planted the plot bunny in my head about the Dolls shopkeeper being Leon and D's child! ^_^
Summary: A crossover between Petshop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino and Dolls by Yumiko Kawahara. Ti Lung attempts to tutor Honlon, and the day of the weddings finally arrives.
Author's note: Sohki from Genju no Seiza makes a guest appearance in this chapter and the next. This was written before Tokyopop published that series, so I spelled his name "Souki," as that was the commonly used romanization in the fan community at the time. Sorry for any confusion.
Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15a, Part 15b, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19a, Part 19b, Part 20a, Part 20b, Part 21
***
Ti Lung had not seen much of the modern world, as he had spent most of the past century or so sleeping, but he adapted with remarkable speed and ease, even learning how to use a computer--in contrast to D, who tended to regard most forms of human technology with disdain. Ti Lung had no such reservations, and often used the computer at the Plant Dolls shop to help Daiki with the store accounts, or to research the new world in which he had awoken.
To his surprise, the exiled dragon found that there were advantages as well as disadvantages to living in the human world. He hated the pollution, of course, and claimed that he could not "feel" the earth through the layers of concrete and metal that had been built over it. D muttered darkly that it was just as well, for surely the earth must be crying out in pain over the way that humans had wounded and poisoned it.
However, Ti Lung did like amusement parks and movies and popcorn. "A most wonderful invention," he enthused during his first trip to a movie theater, staring enthralled at the screen as he ate his way through a jumbo bucket of buttered popcorn; it wasn't quite clear whether he was referring to the popcorn or the movie. After the movie was over, he delicately licked the grease from his fingers, in an almost catlike manner, and said, "I can't wait to show such things to Lady Honlon! I must work harder as her tutor, so that she can learn to take human form and venture outside the petshop."
And--much to D's dismay--Ti Lung was enraptured with the bacon cheeseburgers that were Leon's and Kanan's favorite treat. "The saltiness and crispiness of the bacon perfectly complements the texture and flavor of the juicy beef patty," the dragon rhapsodized. "Not to mention the rich flavor of the melted cheddar cheese, tempered with a hint of sweetness from the ketchup, which contrasts with the sour tang of the pickles. Never before have I tasted such a dish!"
"Don't forget the french fries," Leon said cheerfully, popping one into his mouth before taking a big bite of his own burger. For once, he was actually eating the greasy junk food openly in the petshop because Ti Lung had brought a sack of burgers and fries as a gift for Kanan--and for her chaperone and foster father, Leon--and it would have been unforgivably rude of D to reject or denigrate a gift from his noble guest. Leon didn't really understand how the kami system of social ranking worked, but dragons were apparently pretty high up on the list, being one of the "four Sacred Beasts," and D always treated Ti Lung with great respect, as if he were a prince, or at least an aristocrat of some sort.
"Yes, the french fries are most excellent as well," Ti Lung agreed.
"Good grub," Kanan said happily in a muffled voice.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Shukou scolded.
D stared at Leon with a look of helpless fury on his face, obviously torn between wanting to voice his displeasure and not wanting to offend his guest. "This is all your fault, Leon!" he finally hissed, in a quiet but accusing voice.
Leon grinned, amused by his lover's frustration, but he knew that he'd pay for it later if he didn't appease D soon. He finished his burger, carefully wiped his hands clean on a napkin, then clapped his hand on Ti Lung's shoulder. "Ti Lung, my friend," he said in a casual, conversational tone, "have you ever had a milkshake?"
"No, I do not believe that Master Daiki has ever mentioned such a thing to me," the dragon replied, then asked eagerly, "Does it go well with cheeseburgers?"
"As a matter of fact, burgers and fries and milkshakes are a traditional human meal," Leon told him.
"Milkshakes?" D asked, his eyes lighting up the way they always did at the mention of something sweet.
"The burger joint also makes really great milkshakes," Leon said coaxingly. "Made with real ice cream; my favorite is the chocolate, but the vanilla and strawberry are good, too."
"With whipped cream?" D asked hopefully.
"And a cherry on top," Leon assured him.
"Then we must go get some milkshakes right now!" Ti Lung exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "We'll bring some back for Lady Honlon and Count D, of course."
Three milkshakes--one of each flavor--turned out to be enough to sweeten D's temper, and Ti Lung turned out to be quite perceptive, because after that, he was always careful to bring a milkshake for the Count whenever he stopped by the petshop with burgers for Leon and Kanan.
Despite his newfound enthusiasm for burgers and milkshakes, Ti Lung did more than eat junk food when he visited the petshop, and he kept his promise to tutor Honlon in the ways of dragon magic.
"First of all," Ti Lung lectured, "you must learn control. Since there are three of you in one body, it is very important for you to learn to cooperate and work in concert, rather than work against each other, as you normally do."
"I'll try my best, Ti Lung," Junrei said earnestly, but she looked a little doubtful about the ability of her two sisters to cooperate with each other.
"I can control myself if Kanan can," Shukou said in a slightly superior tone of voice.
Kanan scowled, and Junrei whispered, "Please, Kanan, you want to learn how to be human, don't you?"
"Oh, all right," Kanan sighed irritably. "We'll cooperate. Where do we start?"
Ti Lung gazed at the younger dragon and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I am a Dragon of Earth, but I believe that your elements are probably Air and Fire--a reflection of your mercurial nature." Kanan frowned suspiciously, as if trying to determine whether the other dragon was insulting her or not. "Therefore," Ti Lung continued, "you will find the magics of Air and Fire the most easy to cast."
"Please, not Fire," Leon groaned. "She might burn the entire shop down!"
"I would not!" Kanan protested, glaring at Leon.
"Let us start with air, then," Ti Lung said with an amused smile. He reached into the pocket of his silk robe and pulled out a scrap of paper. Holding it out on his palm, he instructed, "Move this paper through the air with your mind." When Junrei looked puzzled, he added, "Imagine a breeze picking the paper up off my hand and blowing it across the room."
"And how does this help us learn to take human form?" Kanan demanded suspiciously.
"Shapeshifting and illusion magics are very complicated," Ti Lung explained calmly. "You have a great deal of raw power, Lady Honlon--much more than I do, I suspect--but from what Master Daiki and Count D have told me, you can access it only when you are under extreme emotional duress, and even then, you have very little control over it. Therefore, you must begin by practicing small and simple spells that will teach you the skill and discipline necessary to master the art of shapeshifting."
"That sounds logical," Shukou admitted. "Very well, we will do as you say."
"For now," Kanan added pointedly.
"Then please attempt to move the paper," Ti Lung said pleasantly.
"Just by thinking at it?" Kanan asked skeptically.
"Exactly so," Ti Lung replied. "Just picture the image in your mind, and concentrate on it intently."
Kanan frowned, a crease furrowing her brow as she stared at the piece of paper resting on Ti Lung's palm, almost glaring at it. The paper quivered slightly, then rose a few inches into the air.
"We did it!" Junrei squealed excitedly, and the paper fluttered back down onto Ti Lung's hand.
"Dammit, Junrei, you made me drop it!" Kanan complained.
"Oh, sorry," Junrei apologized sheepishly. "Let's try again and concentrate really hard, all three of us."
Honlon frowned in concentration again, and a little breeze appeared out of nowhere, playfully ruffling Leon's hair and then blowing the scrap of paper off of Ti Lung's palm. However, it came to an abrupt halt in midair, then suddenly blew off in the opposite direction.
"What're you doing?!" Kanan demanded.
"Doing what Ti Lung said, and moving the paper across the room," Shukou replied calmly.
"I was already doing that!" Kanan shouted, and the paper began moving back in the original direction.
"This way!" Shukou insisted, and the paper shot forward in the opposite direction.
"No, that way!"
"I said, this way!"
"And I said, THAT way!"
"Please stop!" Junrei wailed, but the paper continued being yanked back and forth between the two sisters until it finally ripped into shreds and the pieces fluttered to the floor.
"I think you have your work cut out for you, buddy," Leon told Ti Lung, with an almost sympathetic smile on his face.
"This may take longer than I thought," the dragon sighed, but despite his words, he didn't really look disappointed.
***
Ti Lung also proved to be an able assistant at the Plant Dolls shop. His affinity for the element of earth made him especially good at helping with the seedlings; he was instinctively able to mix the right amounts of soil and fertilizer and water without needing to measure them. Once the dolls detached from their plant hosts, however, Ti Lung left their care up to Daiki. He was fond of the dolls and admired their beauty, but he had little interest in the chores related to the upbringing of the baby Plant Dolls: feeding, bathing, and changing diapers--especially the latter.
However, he was adept at handling the customers, who were quickly charmed by the handsome new "assistant" from China, and he was able to watch the shop when Daiki was busy running errands for the wedding preparations. The magic that allowed him to take human form also enabled him to change his ruby-colored eyes to a more human brown, so as not to draw undue attention to himself, but occasionally a glint of red would flicker in them when he was excited or upset.
"I appreciate your help, Ti Lung," Daiki told the dragon a few days before the weddings were to take place. "If you were not here, I would have had to close the shop, so thank you very much for your assistance."
"It is my pleasure, Master Daiki," Ti Lung replied, smiling warmly as he watered a hanging basket filled with flowers. The Earth Dragon missed having greenery around him, so Daiki had bought a number of potted and hanging plants to fill the shop, which seemed to comfort Ti Lung, and they flourished under his care.
"After all, I am grateful to you, too," the dragon continued, gently stroking the petals of the flowers, which quivered appreciatively at his touch. "You gave me a new life and introduced me to the lady whom I hope will become my future bride. By the way, I know that you were planning to close the shop on the day of your wedding, but I would be happy to mind the store that day, if you like."
"Actually," Daiki said with a grin, "I was hoping that you would attend the wedding and stand by me as one of my groomsmen."
"Really?" the dragon asked, a look of delighted surprise lighting up his face. "I would be honored, Master Daiki!"
"The honor is mine, Ti Lung," Daiki replied politely. "Surely our weddings will be blessed by having two noble dragons in attendance."
"That's right, Lady Honlon will be there, too," Ti Lung said, looking even happier.
"Yes," Daiki agreed. "And she'll probably be depressed about Uncle Chris and Tet-chan getting married, so I think it will be good if she had a friend on hand to comfort her."
"You may count on me, Master Daiki!" Ti Lung declared. "I shall most definitely be on hand to offer comfort to Lady Honlon!"
***
The petshop was a whirlwind of activity on the morning of the triple weddings. Several of the pets were busy decorating the lobby with streamers and flowers, and several more were running around in excitement, getting in their way. Tet-chan had prepared most of the wedding feast ahead of time, but he was in the kitchen right now tending to the few dishes that needed to prepared at the last minute, the ones that would be ruined if they were served cold or reheated. His assistant Pon-chan was no help at the moment, because she was busy primping and putting on her bridesmaid dress.
D was also busy primping. Leon had no idea why someone with such short hair had to spend so much time brushing it, but he knew better than to voice such a thought out loud; he had no desire to spend his wedding night sleeping alone on the couch.
When D finally deemed his hair sufficiently brushed, he summoned some of the cat-girls to work on his nails, and Leon decided to make himself scarce. "You had better start getting ready, too, Leon!" D called after him.
"Yes, dear," Leon said meekly as he left the room. "I'm just waiting for Daiki and Raphael to come over with the rented suits."
Conveniently, Daiki, Raphael, and Ti Lung arrived a few minutes later with the outfits that Jill had picked out. Leon wasn't really the tux type, so Jill had picked out a blue-gray suit that was a few shades darker than his eyes, along with a black shirt, white vest, and...
"A scarf?" Leon asked in a puzzled voice, holding up a white piece of cloth that seemed too wide to be a necktie.
"It's an ascot, Dad," Daiki laughed. "Aunt Jill thought it would make you look distinguished."
"An ascot?" Leon repeated, staring at it suspiciously. "Isn't that the kind of thing that aristocrats wear in those BBC period dramas? Trust Jill to pick out such a frou-frou kinda necktie!"
"I've got one, too, Leon, if that makes you feel any better," Raphael said with a smile. His suit was similar to Leon's, except that it was black.
"I don't even know how to tie this thing," Leon grumbled.
"I'll help you with it," Daiki offered cheerfully.
So Leon got dressed, and Daiki helped him with the ascot, although Leon wasn't sure where he had learned to tie one; maybe Jill had taught him. And when Leon caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, he had to admit to himself that he did look pretty sharp, after all.
Raphael looked pretty sharp, too, and with his long black hair pulled back in a neat tail, he could easily have passed for a nobleman in one of those British TV shows. As for Daiki, he was wearing a new cheongsam made of deep blue silk embroidered with gold flowers, along with matching blue silk trousers, and blue-and-gold slippers.
Ti Lung was wearing his usual bronze silk robes, but those were certainly elegant enough for a formal event, and besides, he wasn't one of the bridegrooms, anyway. "Master Daiki suggested that I come along to keep Lady Honlon company," he explained. "And of course I am honored to be present at such a happy and blessed event."
"Thank you for coming," Leon said sincerely. Even though he had been a little suspicious of Honlon's new suitor at first, he had since warmed to Ti Lung, who seemed to be taking things slowly and treating Honlon kindly. And to be honest, he was glad that there would be another dragon around to keep Honlon under control in case she got upset and threw a tantrum or something.
"Hello!" a cheerful voice called out.
"Chris!" Leon exclaimed, and he hurried out to greet his brother, followed by Daiki, Raphael, and Ti Lung.
"Looking good, big brother," Chris laughed as he hugged Leon.
"You too, kiddo," Leon said, returning the embrace. It was true; Chris was wearing a formal tux, and he looked very handsome and distinguished. In fact, Leon had to brush a few tears from his eyes at the sight of his little brother looking so grown-up. He glanced down to see the Plant Doll, Beauty, smiling up at them, and he added, "And you look very pretty, too, little one," reaching down to gently ruffle her hair with one hand. Beauty giggled and twirled around happily, showing off her lacy pink bridesmaid's dress.
"Sofu D and the Count were kind enough to give me a ride to L.A.," Chris said, and the eldest and youngest Ds stepped out of the shadows and nodded at Leon politely. Sofu was clad in his usual long cloak, while the young D was wearing a white cheongsam embroidered with dozens of colorful butterflies.
"A ride?" Leon asked suspiciously, wondering if there was a flying boat hovering in the air over the city.
"Via charter jet, Detective," the young Count replied, sounding amused. "You do realize that the 'flying boat' you once rode on is the true form of the petshop, don't you? It would be most inconvenient to uproot my shop every time I want to leave the city, so we usually rely on more mundane means when we travel."
Leon wondered if he was being insulted and whether he ought to take offense or not. But then he decided that picking a fight with the in-laws right before the wedding probably wasn't a good idea, so all he said was, "I see."
"Great-Grandfather, Cousin, I am so glad that you could attend the weddings," Daiki said warmly, bowing to his relatives.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," the young D said lightly, although Sofu frowned a bit sourly.
"Grandfather, Brother!" D exclaimed, hurrying into the room. He had finally finished his primping, and was clad in a robe of scarlet silk decorated with a gold phoenix, its outspread wings trailing golden sparks and tongues of flame. His hair was immaculate, as were his nails, which had been painted a bright red to match his outfit, and he was wearing Leon's "anniversary" gift, the dragon-shaped gold and ruby pendant, around his neck.
"Wow, D, you look gorgeous!" Leon said, wrapping an arm around D's waist to pull him closer for a kiss.
"Not before the wedding, my dear Detective," D said coyly, turning his head slightly so that the kiss landed on his cheek instead of his lips.
"It's a bit like locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen, don't you think?" Leon grumbled good-naturedly.
"Ahem," Sofu said, clearing his throat grumpily. "If you two don't mind..."
"Oh, I apologize, Grandfather," D said. "Were you able to find the ritual necessary for Chris's and Tet-chan's marriage ceremony?"
"In a manner of speaking," Sofu replied, still frowning. "I asked a..." He paused, and a hint of distaste colored his voice as he continued, "...friend...of yours to aid me with the ritual."
"A friend?" D asked in a puzzled voice, and then they heard a clattering sound outside the shop that sounded like hoofbeats. The double doors swung open, and an exotic vision glided into the room: a beautiful young man clad in robes even more ornate than D's, with long, flowing sleeves and skirts. He wore an elaborate headdress that looked like a crown of flowers fashioned from gold and jewels, with two very long, flame-colored feathers sprouting from the top of the crown like a pair of horns or antennae; Leon wondered if they might be phoenix feathers. His hair reached nearly to his waist, and had been divided into two long tails that hung on either side of his face, held in place by heavy gold ornaments.
Leon could have guessed that the stranger was not human just from his androgynous beauty, which like the Ds', seemed too perfect to be human--but the fact that his hair was a vivid shade of sapphire-blue made it pretty obvious. Well, a lot of young humans dyed their hair colors that weren't normally found in nature, but Leon was pretty sure that the stranger's blue hair hadn't come out of a bottle.
Two things happened simultaneously: most of the pets bowed to the blue-haired man and began backing away nervously, and D squealed, "Souki-sama!"
"Count D!" the stranger--Souki?--said cheerfully, and D ran forward to clasp hands with him, which would have made Leon jealous, except that the pair were giggling like teenage girls at a slumber party, acting more like best girlfriends than lovers.
"It's been such a long time, Souki-sama!" D said.
"Much too long," Souki agreed, then pouted. "I'm a little hurt that you didn't invite me to your wedding, Count."
"I would have, if I had known where to send the invitation," D protested. "You can be hard to find, Souki-sama."
"Ah, you're right," Souki said, smiling sheepishly. "I do travel quite a bit, and I don't normally leave a forwarding address."
"L-Lord Souki?" Ti Lung stammered incredulously, his face turning pale.
Souki's head swiveled in Ti Lung's direction. "Ah, I see that you have acquired a second dragon for your shop, Count."
"Not precisely," D replied. "He belongs to Daiki."
"This is Ti Lung, Souki-sama," Daiki said politely. "He is the guardian of my shop. He made a contract with my predecessor, Master Hua, many years ago."
"I am honored to meet you, Lord Souki," Ti Lung said, bowing very low. Leon was a bit disturbed by his response, wondering what sort of creature could possibly intimidate a dragon. Even D was unable to control Honlon when she lost her temper, and Ti Lung was supposed to be even more powerful than she was.
"Likewise," Souki replied to Ti Lung, nodding politely at the dragon before turning his attention to Daiki. "Daiki-chan, my, how you've grown!" he exclaimed, reaching up to pinch Daiki's cheeks like an indulgent aunt or grandmother.
Souki's eyes turned towards Leon, but they seemed strangely blank and unfocused. "What an interesting mental image," Souki murmured, an amused little smirk quirking up the corners of his mouth.
"Huh?!" Leon exclaimed, wondering if this Souki could read minds.
"What's up with this guy, anyway?" Kanan muttered, giving Souki a puzzled and suspicious look.
Ti Lung grabbed Kanan's arm and pulled her aside, whispering urgently, "Please, my Lady, it is imperative that you treat Lord Souki with utmost respect and do nothing to offend him. It is very...unwise...to incur his wrath."
That was the wrong approach to take with Kanan; telling her not to do something was likely to have the opposite effect, as Leon knew from experience. Sure enough, Kanan's eyes flashed with stubborn defiance, and her lower lip jutted out mulishly.
Souki giggled and smiled sweetly, looking as delicate and harmless as a butterfly--but Leon knew that looks could be deceiving. "The other Celestial Guardians like to spread malicious gossip about me, but you can't believe everything you hear about me, young man." He batted his eyelashes and smiled angelically. "Do I really look like such a monster?"
"Of course not, Lord Souki!" Ti Lung hastily demurred, bowing again. "In the future, I shall not pay heed to such baseless rumors."
"Hmm," Kanan said, still gazing at the blue-haired man suspiciously. Leon had his own suspicions. He'd gotten the impression that Ti Lung was at least a couple centuries old, and if Souki thought of the dragon as a "young man," then just how old was Souki?
"Souki-sama has always been kind to me," Pon-chan piped up, smiling up at him without any fear, and Souki smiled back and laid a gentle hand on her golden curls.
"You look very lovely today, Pon-chan."
"Why, thank you, Souki-sama!" Pon-chan said, beaming, and twirled around, much like Beauty had, the lacy skirts of her pink dress swirling around her. "Don't you think I look pretty, Leon?"
"Cute as a button," Leon said, bending down to kiss the top of her head as she giggled, but he kept a close eye on Souki. "I don't mean to be rude, but could you introduce me to your friend, D? Everyone seems to know him but me."
"Oh, excuse me, Leon," D said. "This is Souki-sama; he was a frequent visitor to my shop in Tokyo, but he has stopped by the shop here in Los Angeles only a handful of times. You must have been at work during his previous visits, and Honlon was secluded in the Crystal Chamber, so she has not met him either."
"But Daiki has?" Leon asked, and D nodded, which made Leon feel better. D would never have willingly exposed their child to any danger.
"But I have not seen Daiki since he was this high," Souki said, holding his hand at about waist level. "I am pleased to see him again, and to finally be able to make the acquaintance of Count D's chosen mate." He smiled at Leon pleasantly. "Will you come closer, Detective, and let me get a good look at you?"
"Of course," Leon replied politely; despite D's complaints about his uncouth manners, he had learned a little tact over the years. "It's nice to meet you, too, Souki...er...sama." And he bent his head down slightly to make it easier for Souki's hands to reach up to touch his face, because he had realized by now that Souki could not see with his eyes.
"Oho!" Souki laughed delightedly. "You are a very perceptive man, Detective Orcot."
"Of course," Daiki said, smiling proudly. "He is L.A.'s finest detective--possibly the finest in the world. How many human beings could have tracked down a kami who did not wish to be found?"
Leon grinned smugly, and D groaned, "Please, do not further inflate his already oversized ego!"
"A fine detective, then," Souki chuckled as his fingers examined Leon's features. "And a very handsome one, too, I see." He released Leon, and his blind eyes glanced first in Chris's, and then in Raphael's direction. Maybe it was some sort of kami-sense, Leon mused, although he had heard that even normal humans sometimes developed heightened senses of hearing and smell to compensate for the loss of their eyesight.
"Souki-sama, this is my mate, Raphael Van Horne," Daiki said.
"I'm very honored to meet you, sir," Raphael said a little nervously as he bowed deeply, then allowed Souki to touch his face.
"A very handsome young man," Souki giggled, giving Daiki an approving smile. "No wonder you are so smitten with him." Daiki and Raphael smiled at each other, blushing slightly. "And how well-suited you are to each other, darkness and light." Leon thought for a moment that he was talking about the physical contrast between them, except that of course Souki could not see that Daiki was blond and Raphael was dark-haired. Then Souki added, "The light in your heart eases the darkness in his. But you do know, I hope, that you should never let your beloved paint your portrait?"
Raphael gasped, his eyes widening, but Daiki just smiled and replied calmly, "Yes, I know, and so does Raphael, Souki-sama."
"It is well, then," Souki said serenely, and turned towards Chris, who smiled and bowed his head, regarding the strange kami(?) with awe, but no fear. But then, he had always felt comfortable among all the exotic and dangerous creatures who inhabited the petshop. Souki touched Chris's face and regarded him with a look of mild surprise. "How very interesting. A grown man with a heart as pure as a child's..."
Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by an angry roar as Tet-chan walked into the room and caught sight of Souki gently stroking Chris's face with his long, elegant fingers. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Tet-chan snarled, lunging forward. "Get your hands off him!"
In the blink of an eye, Souki moved about ten feet across the room, so quickly that Leon wasn't sure if he had jumped or teleported. A second later, Ti Lung and Ten-chan lunged at Tet-chan and wrestled him to the ground.
"Are you mad?!" Ti Lung cried, his eyes glowing red with fear and anger. "That is Lord Souki, the Sapphire Unicorn, whom even the Dragon King Naga fears!"
"Unicorn?" Leon echoed, staring at Souki more closely; so he wasn't a kami, after all. Leon found that if he squinted a little, Souki's human form seemed to shift to that of a horse-like creature with sleek, dappled fur of pale blue; flowing mane, tail, and fetlocks of a darker sapphire hue; and a long ivory horn growing out of its forehead--in short, a unicorn.
Meanwhile, Ti Lung was shouting, "He could grind you to dust beneath his hooves before you could so much as lay a single claw on him!"
"And that's if he's feeling merciful," Ten-chan added grimly. "And meaning no disrespect to Lord Souki, he doesn't have much of a reputation for mercy."
Souki giggled in a high-pitched, childlike voice, looking more harmless than ever. "What is it that the rumors say about me, Ti Lung?"
The dragon broke out in a sweat and stammered, "Th-the rumors--which are all baseless and malicious, I am sure--say that...well, that Lord Souki has a twisted nature of whimsical cruelty." He quickly added, "Not that I believe such nonsense, my Lord!"
"Oh, but you do," Souki said sweetly, and Ti Lung began to sweat even more profusely as Ten-chan glanced nervously at D. "However, you are brave enough to try to protect your friend from me, so that is a point in your favor."
"He is not really my friend," Ti Lung said, glaring at Tet-chan. "However, Master Daiki and Lady Honlon seem fond of him, so it is my duty to prevent him from unwittingly attempting to commit suicide, if at all possible."
"Who's fond of Tet-chan?" Kanan muttered sarcastically.
D bowed to Souki and said, "Tet-chan has been unforgivably rude to you, Souki-sama, but I ask that you overlook his behavior this once. I promise that I shall chide him most sternly."
Daiki bowed as well and said, "It is just that he is very jealous and protective of his mate, Souki-sama. Would you please forgive him, for my sake and Papa's?" His voice was solemn, but his golden eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. "It would be inauspicious to begin a wedding ceremony with bloodshed, and Uncle Chris would be very sad if you ground Tet-chan to dust beneath your hooves."
"Daiki!" Chris exclaimed, beginning to look alarmed.
Souki laughed, and it sounded more sincere this time. "Ah, very well, since you ask so nicely," he said, patting Daiki on the cheek.
Ti Lung and Ten-chan cautiously released Tet-chan and allowed him to get back to his feet, but were obviously watching to see if they needed to restrain him again. Leon hit the Tou-Tet on the head with his fist, none too gently. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but he sensed that disaster had just been narrowly averted.
"He's blind, you dumb shit!" Leon barked. "He wasn't trying to feel Chris up; he just wanted to know what he looked like!"
D sighed heavily. "And please forgive my mate's bluntness, Souki-sama."
"Not at all," Souki said cheerfully. "I find it most refreshing."
"Pity," Sofu muttered under his breath, and D gave him a dirty look.
Tet-chan rubbed his head, glaring at Leon, and said sullenly, "I know that he's blind! I just...forgot." The anger on his face faded, to be replaced by a sheepish smile. "I just lost it when I saw some pretty guy with his hands on Chris."
"Tet-chan, you really must control your jealousy!" Chris scolded. "Don't you know that I would never be unfaithful to you? You said you wanted to be part of my life; that includes meeting my friends and coworkers. Are you going to attack everyone who's friendly to me?"
"Just the ones who put their grubby paws on you," Tet-chan muttered.
"Tet-chan!" Chris snapped. "I mean it! I won't have you trying to kill people just because I shake hands with them, or God forbid, give them a friendly hug! If we're going to be married, you have to trust me."
"I do," Tet-chan said in a more serious voice. "I know that you'd never betray me, Chris. I don't know if I can stop feeling jealous when other people are friendly with you, but I'll try not to attack them."
"Tet-chan!"
"All right, all right," Tet-chan grumbled, throwing up his arms in defeat. "I promise not to attack people just because I'm jealous! But I do reserve the right to protect you if I think you're in danger."
Chris smiled and gave Tet-chan a peck on the lips. "I can't argue with that, as long as I'm truly in danger and you're not just using it as an excuse."
"Why exactly is everyone so afraid of Souki?" Leon whispered to Ten-chan.
"Kirin in general are very powerful," Ten-chan replied quietly. "But Lord Souki is said to be the eldest and most senior of all the Kirin. You know how Honlon is always going on about how dragons are Sacred Beasts? Well, Lord Souki is the most powerful of all the Sacred Beasts and Celestial Guardians. As you can tell from Ti Lung's reaction, the others all fear him, and believe me, it takes a lot to scare a dragon. And by the way, Leon, there's really no point in whispering." He glanced at Souki, smiling ironically. "The reason that Lord Souki is blind is because he possesses a deeper kind of sight: the ability to read the minds and hearts of people. And by people, I don't mean just humans; he can see into anyone's heart--even that of a kami or another Sacred Beast, like a dragon. Or a humble kitsune. In which case, he would see that I have nothing but respect for him. Lord Souki is Count D's friend, and as Pon-chan said, he has always treated us kindly."
"What a silver tongue you have, Ten-chan," Souki said, looking amused. "And uncommonly good sense for a kitsune. Would you like to see a demonstration of my powers, Detective?" Before Leon could answer, the Kirin smiled at Tet-chan and said, "Hmm. He is not pure of heart like his mate, but rather, vicious, bad-tempered, and given to acting without thinking."
Leon couldn't help but smile a bit as Tet-chan glared at the Kirin, but managed to hold his tongue. "Yep; sounds pretty accurate to me."
"However," Souki continued, "those few whom he loves, he loves wholeheartedly, and he would lay down his life without hesitation in their defense." Tet-chan squirmed under the Kirin's unseeing gaze, looking a little embarrassed. "And those few would be...his mate, of course, and young Daiki, and the Count..." He paused, raising his eyebrows in surprise, and he laughed. "And also Pon-chan, and Lady Honlon, and Detective Orcot."
"Me?!" Leon asked incredulously.
"Me?!" Honlon echoed, looking as if she were about to faint from shock. Leon wasn't sure which sister was speaking, but he had no doubt that all three of them were equally stunned.
"Lord Souki is never wrong about such things," Ti Lung assured them, while Tet-chan's face turned beet-red with mortification.
"Aw, you're such a softie, Tet-chan," Pon-chan teased, kissing him on the cheek.
"Oh, shut up, you stupid raccoon," Tet-chan snarled, turning even redder.
"It's your own fault, you stupid sheep," Pon-chan retorted cheerfully. "If you hadn't tried to attack Souki-sama, he wouldn't have revealed your secrets. Besides, you shouldn't be picking fights on your wedding day." She frowned. "Your nice clothes are all mussed up now."
Leon noticed for the first time that Tet-chan was dressed in what must be his wedding finery: a pair of orange silk trousers, an ankle-length vest made of crimson silk embroidered with gold along the edges, a gold chain strung with ivory claws resting against his bare chest, and heavy gold bangles encircling his wrists, ankles, and upper arms. Leon had to admit that he looked quite impressive, like a barbarian prince. He would have looked even more impressive if his silk clothing hadn't gotten creased and wrinkled when Ti Lung and Ten-chan wrestled him to the ground.
"Oh yeah," Tet-chan said in consternation, brushing his hands against his vest, trying to smooth out the wrinkles without much success.
"Allow me," Souki said with a careless flick of his wrist. A little breeze swirled around Tet-chan, and when it died down, the wrinkles were gone.
"Um...thanks," Tet-chan said awkwardly, looking startled. "And I'm sorry about that ...uh...little misunderstanding."
"You are even more thickheaded than the detective," Sofu told him irritably. "Souki-sama came here specifically to assist me with your marriage ritual, and then you go and attack him!"
"I said I was sorry!" Tet-chan growled. "Wait a minute...what do you mean, assist you with the marriage ritual?"
"It has been several hundred years since the last time that the ritual was performed," Sofu informed him. "I have never witnessed it personally, and I had only a general idea of what the actual ceremony entails. Obviously, you would not want me to make any errors in performing a ritual that alters the length of your lifespan, but I was having difficulty finding more detailed information about the ritual..."
"And I happened to hear that the eldest Count D was researching the ritual for performing a marriage between a mortal and a magical being," Souki said, picking up the story. "My curiosity was piqued, so I sought him out." He smiled at D. "At first I thought that you were formalizing your union with the Detective, but then Sofu explained to me that the Detective's younger brother wished to wed a Tou-Tet. I found that most intriguing--it's very rare that a Tou-Tet regards a human as anything other than a meal. And of course I wanted to attend your wedding and Daiki's. So I offered to help your grandfather with the ritual."
"Souki is the oldest and wisest of all the Kirin," Sofu said in a tone of rather grudging respect. Leon found that interesting. The Ds were devoted to protecting animals, especially magical ones, but Sofu obviously didn't like Souki.
"Oh, Sofu, you make me sound like such a geezer!" Souki laughed, pretending to pout, and Sofu scowled at him. Leon suspected that it was the Kirin's impish sense of humor that offended the dignified Sofu D--although someone who had once taken the form of a strawberry-gobbling little babbit didn't exactly have the right to criticize others for their lack of dignity, at least in Leon's opinion.
"He knows how the ritual is performed, and he has even witnessed it a few times," Sofu continued sourly. "And the mere presence of a Kirin offering his blessing dramatically increases the chances that the ritual will be successful. However, he would be well within his rights to refuse his help after the way you treated him, Tet-chan."
Leon knew how much Tet-chan hated apologizing--that was one thing they both had in common--but he swallowed his pride and bowed very low, saying in a suprisingly humble voice, "I beg you to forgive my rude behavior, Souki-sama." Chris looked startled for a moment, then smiled at him tenderly.
"I forgive you, Tet-chan," Souki said lightly. "Besides, the Count would be upset with me if I killed you on your wedding day." He rubbed his hands together briskly. "All right, let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
"Yes, we should finish before Aunt Jill and the others get here," Daiki agreed.
The lobby had already been prepared by the pets, the furniture pushed to the sides of the room to create a makeshift aisle with a long red carpet running down the middle, and the entire room had been festooned with pink and white streamers, and bouquets of pink and white and red roses. Leon privately thought that it was a bit feminine for an all-male wedding, but that was what D and Jill had decided on, and he wasn't about to argue with either of them. And besides, Pon-chan and Beauty looked adorable in their pink dresses, and obviously proud to be bridesmaids.
Sofu whispered a few instructions to D, Chris, and Tet-chan, and a small brazier filled with hot coals was set up at the end of the aisle. Hanging on the wall behind the brazier were a few scrolls painted in elegant calligraphy with the Chinese words for "love," "happiness," and "long life". They looked a little odd alongside the ribbons and streamers, but Leon thought it was probably a good symbol for the weddings: a union of human and kami, or human and Tou-Tet.
Souki and Sofu stationed themselves in front of the brazier, while D and his brother stood off to one side, assuming the role of Tet-chan's kin, while Leon, Daiki, and Raphael stood on the opposite side as Chris's groomsmen. Ti Lung and the pets took seats on either side of the aisle and waited expectantly. Tet-chan, Chris, Pon-chan, and Beauty waited at the opposite end of the aisle, the latter two holding little straw baskets.
Sofu laid sticks of incense on the coals, and soon a fragrant scent filled the air; it was similar to, but not quite the same as the incense that D normally burned in the shop. He then began chanting in Chinese and casting handfuls of herbs into the brazier, some sweet-smelling and some bitter.
"What are those?" Leon whispered to his son.
"Rosemary, for fidelity," Daiki whispered back. "Saffron, to invoke love, I think. Mandrake root, possibly to help bind the magical spouse into his new mortal form. Henbane..."
"What about eye of newt and toe of frog?" Leon asked with a grin.
"Behave yourself, Father," Daiki scolded softly, but with a little twinkle in his eyes.
Leon grinned and subsided, and when he noticed a little frog-girl sitting among the pets, he felt a bit guilty about his joking comment. Fortunately, she hadn't overheard him. He watched the ritual quietly from then on, but the bittersweet scent of incense and herbs was beginning to make him feel a little dizzy, and he wondered if there might be something narcotic among Sofu's herbs.
When Sofu was finally done with the herbs and the chanting, D nodded at Pon-chan, and she skipped down the aisle, strewing rose petals on the red carpet. Beauty followed after her at a more sedate pace.
When they reached the end of the aisle, Pon-chan went to stand beside the Ds, and Beauty went over to Daiki's side without any prompting. Daiki took her hand, and she smiled up at him, but then looked eagerly down the aisle, obviously waiting for Chris.
Chris and Tet-chan walked down the aisle together, side-by-side but not touching, and came to a halt in front of the brazier. "Tet-chan," Sofu said in a solemn voice, "will you pledge yourself in marriage to this mortal man, to bind yourself to him not just in heart and soul, but in body and blood?"
"I will," Tet-chan replied without hesitation.
"Do you swear not just to share in his life, but also his death?" Sofu continued. "Will you give up a portion of your magic to him, and share in his mortality?"
"I do, and I will," Tet-chan said in a steady, unwavering voice.
Sofu turned to Chris and said, "Christopher Orcot, will you pledge yourself in marriage to this Tou-Tet, to bind yourself to him not just in heart and soul, but in body and blood?"
"I will," Chris said, smiling at Tet-chan.
"Do you swear to be united with him in both life and death? Will you accept the gift of his magic, and in exchange share with him your mortality?"
"I do, and I will," Chris replied quietly, his expression turning more serious now, but he did not take his eyes off Tet-chan's face.
"From this day forward," Sofu said, addressing them both, "you will be neither entirely mortal nor entirely magical. There is no turning back, no way to break the ritual once it is completed. Are you prepared to accept this gift and this sacrifice, to love one another and share in both joy and sorrow for the rest of your lives?"
"We are," Tet-chan and Chris replied in unison.
Sofu reached into a pocket hidden in the lining of his cloak, and pulled out a small silver knife with an ornate gold handle. He gave it to Souki, who told Chris and Tet-chan, "Hold out your left hands." They obeyed, and Souki carefully cut a shallow wound across their wrists, and handed the knife back to Sofu. Then he reached into one of his voluminous sleeves and pulled out a cord made of braided silk that was as pure and white as newly-fallen snow.
Souki pressed Tet-chan's and Chris's bleeding wrists against each other, using the white cord to bind them together. The blood still flowing from their wounds seeped into the cord, slowly dying it red.
"Let mortal and magical blood flow together and become one," Souki intoned in a voice filled with authority, that seemed to ring out and reach every corner of the petshop. It was like the voice of a god, and for a moment Leon was filled with the urge to fall to his knees in worship. Then Daiki placed a hand on his shoulder, providing an anchor that kept him from being swept away in the Kirin's aura, and his wobbly knees steadied as Souki's voice died down into silence. And then he forgot about Souki as a glowing cloud of golden light enveloped Chris and Tet-chan.
Tet-chan threw back his head and cried out, as if in pain, and Chris gasped, although in his case, it sounded more like surprise than pain. Leon watched anxiously as...something...seemed to flow out of Tet-chan, a sort of shimmer of light running through the bloodstained cord until it flowed into Chris. The cord shimmered again as a similar mysterious "something" flowed out of Chris into Tet-chan. Quite frankly, Leon found it more than a little creepy, even though he had become somewhat accustomed to magic during the years he had spent living at the petshop. He might have been tempted to interrupt the ritual, except that he had the feeling that trying to interfere with such powerful magic could cause a backlash that might hurt, maybe even kill Chris and Tet-chan. And it was powerful; even a normal (well, more-or-less) human being like himself could feel the magic in the air, crawling along his skin like static electricity, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up on end.
Tet-chan's horns slowly began to shrink, dwindling into tiny nubs, then vanishing completely into his long red hair. The talons on his fingers and toes likewise shrank until they looked like normal nails. His fingernails still looked rather long and sharp, but they looked human--not unlike D's, actually, minus the red nail polish. His golden eyes darkened into a shade of yellowish-hazel, and his cat-slit pupils seemed to contract towards the center of his eyes until they became normal, circular-shaped pupils. Tet-chan's hands slowly reached up to touch the top of his head, feeling the absence of his horns, and he gasped, his mouth opening wide enough to see that his fangs had mostly vanished as well, although his canine teeth were a bit longer and sharper than most humans. That, along with the yellowish tint to his eyes, still gave him a slightly feral look, a ghostly shadow of his animal nature, but he would be able to pass for human easily enough, particularly when, as D often said, most humans saw only what they expected to see, and refused to believe in things that they thought were impossible, even when the evidence was standing right in front of them.
The differences in Chris were more subtle. At first glance he appeared to be unchanged, but when Leon looked more closely, he could see little specks of gold in Chris's blue eyes that had not been there before. And Chris opened his mouth, tentatively running his tongue across canine teeth that were a little longer and sharper than before, although not as sharp as Tet-chan's.
The gold light faded away, leaving behind a sort-of-human Tet-chan and a not-quite-human Chris. "The ritual appears to have been successful," Souki said with satisfaction. "You are now bound together by the red cord of destiny." He took the knife back from Sofu, cut the cord precisely in the middle, and knotted one half around Tet-chan's wrist and the other around Chris's like bracelets. "Let these serve as symbols and reminders of the fact that you two are now one."
Daiki whispered to Leon, "There is a Japanese legend that says that two people who are linked by a red thread are destined to be lovers."
Leon nodded, understanding the symbolism of the cord now. Although while the whole "thread of destiny" thing sounded romantic, he privately thought that wearing a blood-soaked cord for a bracelet was kind of gross. He had to admit, though, that the bracelets were not the usual rusty, brownish-red color of dried blood, but a bright crimson, and if he had not witnessed the ritual, he never would have guessed that they had not been red to begin with.
"Congratulations; you are now married," Souki said cheerfully. "You may kiss the bride...or I guess I should say, the groom."
"Tet-chan," Chris asked uncertainly, "are you all right?"
"I feel a little strange," Tet-chan admitted. "Not quite like going blind, but I've lost some of my sense of vision, hearing, and smell. They're still there, but not quite as sharp as they were before." He ran his hand through his hair. "And it feels really weird not to have horns anymore." Chris began to look even more anxious, and Tet-chan smiled at him reassuringly. "But I don't regret it, Chris. I may have lost a few things, but I've gained something, too. Part of you is with me now. I can feel your mortal blood flowing through my veins. I feel a connection with you, like I would be able to find you no matter where in the world you were."
"That is true," Souki confirmed. "It is one of the side-effects of the ritual. You will always be able to sense the presence of your mate, even when he is out of your sight."
Chris smiled. "Then that will make it easy for me to keep tabs on you, Tet, and make sure that you don't get into too much mischief."
"I can see that this bonding thing has a few drawbacks," Tet-chan grumbled, but it was obvious that he didn't really mean it. "What about you, Chris? How do you feel?"
"I feel strange also," Chris replied. "It's hard to put into words, but I feel as if I am...more than I was before." He ran his tongue across his teeth again. "And I seem to have developed little fangs. I'll have to be careful not to bite my lip when I eat."
"Your eyes have changed, too," Pon-chan piped up. "There are little gold flecks in them, but they look really pretty."
"You have probably gained some of the heightened senses that Tet-chan lost, along with those pretty eyes," Sofu said, smiling a bit wryly. "You will discover the full extent of your new abilities in time."
"So...you're okay with this?" Chris asked Tet-chan. "You don't regret it?"
"It's a little too late for regrets now," Souki reminded them.
"No," Tet-chan said firmly. "As long as I'm married to you, that's all I need to be happy. I love you, Chris."
"I love you, too," Chris said, and he embraced Tet-chan and kissed him, and the pets all cheered--well, all except one. Beauty also remained silent, but she beamed at the pair and showed her approval by clapping.
"About time!" Ten-chan declared, but for once, Tet-chan ignored him.
When Chris and Tet-chan finally separated, Pon-chan came over to Chris, smiling through the tears in her eyes. "I'm happy for you, Chris, I really am," she told him, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, Ponta," Chris replied gently, kissing her cheek. "That really means a lot to me."
In the audience, Honlon was weeping. "Well, I'm not happy for him!" Kanan said stubbornly, tears running down her cheeks.
"I want to be," Junrei whimpered. "I really do. But...it hurts so much!"
Shukou remained silent.
"I'm sorry, my Lady," Ti Lung said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He sounded sincere, and he didn't seem to be just uttering comforting words while secretly being pleased that a rival for Honlon's affections had been removed. That made Leon feel better, because he realized that Ti Lung truly did care for her, and maybe someday he would let the Earth Dragon marry her, after all--many years from now, of course, after she was an adult. And assuming that Honlon wanted to marry him, which wasn't necessarily a given. But for now, he would continue to be a stern and protective foster father, and he wouldn't let on to Ti Lung that he approved of him. He had to keep his potential son-in-law on his toes, after all.
"I can't take away your pain," Ti Lung said. "But I can offer you a shoulder to cry on when you need it."
"Thank you," Junrei whispered, and she did lay her head on his shoulder while she wept. Ti Lung wrapped a comforting arm around her, but didn't try to hold her too closely, or put his hands anywhere he shouldn't, Leon noted approvingly.
"I feel bad," Chris said, smiling at his childhood playmate sadly. "I do love her...but not that way. I feel terrible that I'm the cause of her pain."
"It's not your fault, kid," Leon tried to reassure him.
Souki nodded in agreement. "One cannot force love, although many humans--and even a few Sacred Beasts--have tried. It always turns out ill in the end."
"Continue being her friend, Uncle Chris," Daiki told him. "And someday, I believe that she will be able to accept it with joy again. But in the meantime, perhaps it is just as well that the two of you are going back to San Francisco. Time and distance will help ease the pain." He glanced at Honlon and Ti Lung. "And perhaps in time, her heart will turn to Ti Lung. I believe that he has the patience to wait for her to discover love again."
"And in the meantime, she has us," Raphael said firmly. "We'll be here to comfort her, and we won't leave her all alone in that Crystal Chamber. Poor kid, living alone for all those years...no wonder she fell in love with the first person to come along and offer her friendship."
"But not anyone could enter that chamber, am I correct, Count?" Souki asked, and D nodded. "That door would not open for any mortal but one pure of heart. At least you opened the door, Christopher Orcot, and drew her out into the world so that she could make other friends. You may find comfort in that, if you will."
"I'll try to," Chris said, and smiled at Raphael. "I'm glad that she has a big brother, at least."
Part 22b
Ti Lung had not seen much of the modern world, as he had spent most of the past century or so sleeping, but he adapted with remarkable speed and ease, even learning how to use a computer--in contrast to D, who tended to regard most forms of human technology with disdain. Ti Lung had no such reservations, and often used the computer at the Plant Dolls shop to help Daiki with the store accounts, or to research the new world in which he had awoken.
To his surprise, the exiled dragon found that there were advantages as well as disadvantages to living in the human world. He hated the pollution, of course, and claimed that he could not "feel" the earth through the layers of concrete and metal that had been built over it. D muttered darkly that it was just as well, for surely the earth must be crying out in pain over the way that humans had wounded and poisoned it.
However, Ti Lung did like amusement parks and movies and popcorn. "A most wonderful invention," he enthused during his first trip to a movie theater, staring enthralled at the screen as he ate his way through a jumbo bucket of buttered popcorn; it wasn't quite clear whether he was referring to the popcorn or the movie. After the movie was over, he delicately licked the grease from his fingers, in an almost catlike manner, and said, "I can't wait to show such things to Lady Honlon! I must work harder as her tutor, so that she can learn to take human form and venture outside the petshop."
And--much to D's dismay--Ti Lung was enraptured with the bacon cheeseburgers that were Leon's and Kanan's favorite treat. "The saltiness and crispiness of the bacon perfectly complements the texture and flavor of the juicy beef patty," the dragon rhapsodized. "Not to mention the rich flavor of the melted cheddar cheese, tempered with a hint of sweetness from the ketchup, which contrasts with the sour tang of the pickles. Never before have I tasted such a dish!"
"Don't forget the french fries," Leon said cheerfully, popping one into his mouth before taking a big bite of his own burger. For once, he was actually eating the greasy junk food openly in the petshop because Ti Lung had brought a sack of burgers and fries as a gift for Kanan--and for her chaperone and foster father, Leon--and it would have been unforgivably rude of D to reject or denigrate a gift from his noble guest. Leon didn't really understand how the kami system of social ranking worked, but dragons were apparently pretty high up on the list, being one of the "four Sacred Beasts," and D always treated Ti Lung with great respect, as if he were a prince, or at least an aristocrat of some sort.
"Yes, the french fries are most excellent as well," Ti Lung agreed.
"Good grub," Kanan said happily in a muffled voice.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," Shukou scolded.
D stared at Leon with a look of helpless fury on his face, obviously torn between wanting to voice his displeasure and not wanting to offend his guest. "This is all your fault, Leon!" he finally hissed, in a quiet but accusing voice.
Leon grinned, amused by his lover's frustration, but he knew that he'd pay for it later if he didn't appease D soon. He finished his burger, carefully wiped his hands clean on a napkin, then clapped his hand on Ti Lung's shoulder. "Ti Lung, my friend," he said in a casual, conversational tone, "have you ever had a milkshake?"
"No, I do not believe that Master Daiki has ever mentioned such a thing to me," the dragon replied, then asked eagerly, "Does it go well with cheeseburgers?"
"As a matter of fact, burgers and fries and milkshakes are a traditional human meal," Leon told him.
"Milkshakes?" D asked, his eyes lighting up the way they always did at the mention of something sweet.
"The burger joint also makes really great milkshakes," Leon said coaxingly. "Made with real ice cream; my favorite is the chocolate, but the vanilla and strawberry are good, too."
"With whipped cream?" D asked hopefully.
"And a cherry on top," Leon assured him.
"Then we must go get some milkshakes right now!" Ti Lung exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "We'll bring some back for Lady Honlon and Count D, of course."
Three milkshakes--one of each flavor--turned out to be enough to sweeten D's temper, and Ti Lung turned out to be quite perceptive, because after that, he was always careful to bring a milkshake for the Count whenever he stopped by the petshop with burgers for Leon and Kanan.
Despite his newfound enthusiasm for burgers and milkshakes, Ti Lung did more than eat junk food when he visited the petshop, and he kept his promise to tutor Honlon in the ways of dragon magic.
"First of all," Ti Lung lectured, "you must learn control. Since there are three of you in one body, it is very important for you to learn to cooperate and work in concert, rather than work against each other, as you normally do."
"I'll try my best, Ti Lung," Junrei said earnestly, but she looked a little doubtful about the ability of her two sisters to cooperate with each other.
"I can control myself if Kanan can," Shukou said in a slightly superior tone of voice.
Kanan scowled, and Junrei whispered, "Please, Kanan, you want to learn how to be human, don't you?"
"Oh, all right," Kanan sighed irritably. "We'll cooperate. Where do we start?"
Ti Lung gazed at the younger dragon and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I am a Dragon of Earth, but I believe that your elements are probably Air and Fire--a reflection of your mercurial nature." Kanan frowned suspiciously, as if trying to determine whether the other dragon was insulting her or not. "Therefore," Ti Lung continued, "you will find the magics of Air and Fire the most easy to cast."
"Please, not Fire," Leon groaned. "She might burn the entire shop down!"
"I would not!" Kanan protested, glaring at Leon.
"Let us start with air, then," Ti Lung said with an amused smile. He reached into the pocket of his silk robe and pulled out a scrap of paper. Holding it out on his palm, he instructed, "Move this paper through the air with your mind." When Junrei looked puzzled, he added, "Imagine a breeze picking the paper up off my hand and blowing it across the room."
"And how does this help us learn to take human form?" Kanan demanded suspiciously.
"Shapeshifting and illusion magics are very complicated," Ti Lung explained calmly. "You have a great deal of raw power, Lady Honlon--much more than I do, I suspect--but from what Master Daiki and Count D have told me, you can access it only when you are under extreme emotional duress, and even then, you have very little control over it. Therefore, you must begin by practicing small and simple spells that will teach you the skill and discipline necessary to master the art of shapeshifting."
"That sounds logical," Shukou admitted. "Very well, we will do as you say."
"For now," Kanan added pointedly.
"Then please attempt to move the paper," Ti Lung said pleasantly.
"Just by thinking at it?" Kanan asked skeptically.
"Exactly so," Ti Lung replied. "Just picture the image in your mind, and concentrate on it intently."
Kanan frowned, a crease furrowing her brow as she stared at the piece of paper resting on Ti Lung's palm, almost glaring at it. The paper quivered slightly, then rose a few inches into the air.
"We did it!" Junrei squealed excitedly, and the paper fluttered back down onto Ti Lung's hand.
"Dammit, Junrei, you made me drop it!" Kanan complained.
"Oh, sorry," Junrei apologized sheepishly. "Let's try again and concentrate really hard, all three of us."
Honlon frowned in concentration again, and a little breeze appeared out of nowhere, playfully ruffling Leon's hair and then blowing the scrap of paper off of Ti Lung's palm. However, it came to an abrupt halt in midair, then suddenly blew off in the opposite direction.
"What're you doing?!" Kanan demanded.
"Doing what Ti Lung said, and moving the paper across the room," Shukou replied calmly.
"I was already doing that!" Kanan shouted, and the paper began moving back in the original direction.
"This way!" Shukou insisted, and the paper shot forward in the opposite direction.
"No, that way!"
"I said, this way!"
"And I said, THAT way!"
"Please stop!" Junrei wailed, but the paper continued being yanked back and forth between the two sisters until it finally ripped into shreds and the pieces fluttered to the floor.
"I think you have your work cut out for you, buddy," Leon told Ti Lung, with an almost sympathetic smile on his face.
"This may take longer than I thought," the dragon sighed, but despite his words, he didn't really look disappointed.
***
Ti Lung also proved to be an able assistant at the Plant Dolls shop. His affinity for the element of earth made him especially good at helping with the seedlings; he was instinctively able to mix the right amounts of soil and fertilizer and water without needing to measure them. Once the dolls detached from their plant hosts, however, Ti Lung left their care up to Daiki. He was fond of the dolls and admired their beauty, but he had little interest in the chores related to the upbringing of the baby Plant Dolls: feeding, bathing, and changing diapers--especially the latter.
However, he was adept at handling the customers, who were quickly charmed by the handsome new "assistant" from China, and he was able to watch the shop when Daiki was busy running errands for the wedding preparations. The magic that allowed him to take human form also enabled him to change his ruby-colored eyes to a more human brown, so as not to draw undue attention to himself, but occasionally a glint of red would flicker in them when he was excited or upset.
"I appreciate your help, Ti Lung," Daiki told the dragon a few days before the weddings were to take place. "If you were not here, I would have had to close the shop, so thank you very much for your assistance."
"It is my pleasure, Master Daiki," Ti Lung replied, smiling warmly as he watered a hanging basket filled with flowers. The Earth Dragon missed having greenery around him, so Daiki had bought a number of potted and hanging plants to fill the shop, which seemed to comfort Ti Lung, and they flourished under his care.
"After all, I am grateful to you, too," the dragon continued, gently stroking the petals of the flowers, which quivered appreciatively at his touch. "You gave me a new life and introduced me to the lady whom I hope will become my future bride. By the way, I know that you were planning to close the shop on the day of your wedding, but I would be happy to mind the store that day, if you like."
"Actually," Daiki said with a grin, "I was hoping that you would attend the wedding and stand by me as one of my groomsmen."
"Really?" the dragon asked, a look of delighted surprise lighting up his face. "I would be honored, Master Daiki!"
"The honor is mine, Ti Lung," Daiki replied politely. "Surely our weddings will be blessed by having two noble dragons in attendance."
"That's right, Lady Honlon will be there, too," Ti Lung said, looking even happier.
"Yes," Daiki agreed. "And she'll probably be depressed about Uncle Chris and Tet-chan getting married, so I think it will be good if she had a friend on hand to comfort her."
"You may count on me, Master Daiki!" Ti Lung declared. "I shall most definitely be on hand to offer comfort to Lady Honlon!"
***
The petshop was a whirlwind of activity on the morning of the triple weddings. Several of the pets were busy decorating the lobby with streamers and flowers, and several more were running around in excitement, getting in their way. Tet-chan had prepared most of the wedding feast ahead of time, but he was in the kitchen right now tending to the few dishes that needed to prepared at the last minute, the ones that would be ruined if they were served cold or reheated. His assistant Pon-chan was no help at the moment, because she was busy primping and putting on her bridesmaid dress.
D was also busy primping. Leon had no idea why someone with such short hair had to spend so much time brushing it, but he knew better than to voice such a thought out loud; he had no desire to spend his wedding night sleeping alone on the couch.
When D finally deemed his hair sufficiently brushed, he summoned some of the cat-girls to work on his nails, and Leon decided to make himself scarce. "You had better start getting ready, too, Leon!" D called after him.
"Yes, dear," Leon said meekly as he left the room. "I'm just waiting for Daiki and Raphael to come over with the rented suits."
Conveniently, Daiki, Raphael, and Ti Lung arrived a few minutes later with the outfits that Jill had picked out. Leon wasn't really the tux type, so Jill had picked out a blue-gray suit that was a few shades darker than his eyes, along with a black shirt, white vest, and...
"A scarf?" Leon asked in a puzzled voice, holding up a white piece of cloth that seemed too wide to be a necktie.
"It's an ascot, Dad," Daiki laughed. "Aunt Jill thought it would make you look distinguished."
"An ascot?" Leon repeated, staring at it suspiciously. "Isn't that the kind of thing that aristocrats wear in those BBC period dramas? Trust Jill to pick out such a frou-frou kinda necktie!"
"I've got one, too, Leon, if that makes you feel any better," Raphael said with a smile. His suit was similar to Leon's, except that it was black.
"I don't even know how to tie this thing," Leon grumbled.
"I'll help you with it," Daiki offered cheerfully.
So Leon got dressed, and Daiki helped him with the ascot, although Leon wasn't sure where he had learned to tie one; maybe Jill had taught him. And when Leon caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, he had to admit to himself that he did look pretty sharp, after all.
Raphael looked pretty sharp, too, and with his long black hair pulled back in a neat tail, he could easily have passed for a nobleman in one of those British TV shows. As for Daiki, he was wearing a new cheongsam made of deep blue silk embroidered with gold flowers, along with matching blue silk trousers, and blue-and-gold slippers.
Ti Lung was wearing his usual bronze silk robes, but those were certainly elegant enough for a formal event, and besides, he wasn't one of the bridegrooms, anyway. "Master Daiki suggested that I come along to keep Lady Honlon company," he explained. "And of course I am honored to be present at such a happy and blessed event."
"Thank you for coming," Leon said sincerely. Even though he had been a little suspicious of Honlon's new suitor at first, he had since warmed to Ti Lung, who seemed to be taking things slowly and treating Honlon kindly. And to be honest, he was glad that there would be another dragon around to keep Honlon under control in case she got upset and threw a tantrum or something.
"Hello!" a cheerful voice called out.
"Chris!" Leon exclaimed, and he hurried out to greet his brother, followed by Daiki, Raphael, and Ti Lung.
"Looking good, big brother," Chris laughed as he hugged Leon.
"You too, kiddo," Leon said, returning the embrace. It was true; Chris was wearing a formal tux, and he looked very handsome and distinguished. In fact, Leon had to brush a few tears from his eyes at the sight of his little brother looking so grown-up. He glanced down to see the Plant Doll, Beauty, smiling up at them, and he added, "And you look very pretty, too, little one," reaching down to gently ruffle her hair with one hand. Beauty giggled and twirled around happily, showing off her lacy pink bridesmaid's dress.
"Sofu D and the Count were kind enough to give me a ride to L.A.," Chris said, and the eldest and youngest Ds stepped out of the shadows and nodded at Leon politely. Sofu was clad in his usual long cloak, while the young D was wearing a white cheongsam embroidered with dozens of colorful butterflies.
"A ride?" Leon asked suspiciously, wondering if there was a flying boat hovering in the air over the city.
"Via charter jet, Detective," the young Count replied, sounding amused. "You do realize that the 'flying boat' you once rode on is the true form of the petshop, don't you? It would be most inconvenient to uproot my shop every time I want to leave the city, so we usually rely on more mundane means when we travel."
Leon wondered if he was being insulted and whether he ought to take offense or not. But then he decided that picking a fight with the in-laws right before the wedding probably wasn't a good idea, so all he said was, "I see."
"Great-Grandfather, Cousin, I am so glad that you could attend the weddings," Daiki said warmly, bowing to his relatives.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," the young D said lightly, although Sofu frowned a bit sourly.
"Grandfather, Brother!" D exclaimed, hurrying into the room. He had finally finished his primping, and was clad in a robe of scarlet silk decorated with a gold phoenix, its outspread wings trailing golden sparks and tongues of flame. His hair was immaculate, as were his nails, which had been painted a bright red to match his outfit, and he was wearing Leon's "anniversary" gift, the dragon-shaped gold and ruby pendant, around his neck.
"Wow, D, you look gorgeous!" Leon said, wrapping an arm around D's waist to pull him closer for a kiss.
"Not before the wedding, my dear Detective," D said coyly, turning his head slightly so that the kiss landed on his cheek instead of his lips.
"It's a bit like locking the barn door after the horse has been stolen, don't you think?" Leon grumbled good-naturedly.
"Ahem," Sofu said, clearing his throat grumpily. "If you two don't mind..."
"Oh, I apologize, Grandfather," D said. "Were you able to find the ritual necessary for Chris's and Tet-chan's marriage ceremony?"
"In a manner of speaking," Sofu replied, still frowning. "I asked a..." He paused, and a hint of distaste colored his voice as he continued, "...friend...of yours to aid me with the ritual."
"A friend?" D asked in a puzzled voice, and then they heard a clattering sound outside the shop that sounded like hoofbeats. The double doors swung open, and an exotic vision glided into the room: a beautiful young man clad in robes even more ornate than D's, with long, flowing sleeves and skirts. He wore an elaborate headdress that looked like a crown of flowers fashioned from gold and jewels, with two very long, flame-colored feathers sprouting from the top of the crown like a pair of horns or antennae; Leon wondered if they might be phoenix feathers. His hair reached nearly to his waist, and had been divided into two long tails that hung on either side of his face, held in place by heavy gold ornaments.
Leon could have guessed that the stranger was not human just from his androgynous beauty, which like the Ds', seemed too perfect to be human--but the fact that his hair was a vivid shade of sapphire-blue made it pretty obvious. Well, a lot of young humans dyed their hair colors that weren't normally found in nature, but Leon was pretty sure that the stranger's blue hair hadn't come out of a bottle.
Two things happened simultaneously: most of the pets bowed to the blue-haired man and began backing away nervously, and D squealed, "Souki-sama!"
"Count D!" the stranger--Souki?--said cheerfully, and D ran forward to clasp hands with him, which would have made Leon jealous, except that the pair were giggling like teenage girls at a slumber party, acting more like best girlfriends than lovers.
"It's been such a long time, Souki-sama!" D said.
"Much too long," Souki agreed, then pouted. "I'm a little hurt that you didn't invite me to your wedding, Count."
"I would have, if I had known where to send the invitation," D protested. "You can be hard to find, Souki-sama."
"Ah, you're right," Souki said, smiling sheepishly. "I do travel quite a bit, and I don't normally leave a forwarding address."
"L-Lord Souki?" Ti Lung stammered incredulously, his face turning pale.
Souki's head swiveled in Ti Lung's direction. "Ah, I see that you have acquired a second dragon for your shop, Count."
"Not precisely," D replied. "He belongs to Daiki."
"This is Ti Lung, Souki-sama," Daiki said politely. "He is the guardian of my shop. He made a contract with my predecessor, Master Hua, many years ago."
"I am honored to meet you, Lord Souki," Ti Lung said, bowing very low. Leon was a bit disturbed by his response, wondering what sort of creature could possibly intimidate a dragon. Even D was unable to control Honlon when she lost her temper, and Ti Lung was supposed to be even more powerful than she was.
"Likewise," Souki replied to Ti Lung, nodding politely at the dragon before turning his attention to Daiki. "Daiki-chan, my, how you've grown!" he exclaimed, reaching up to pinch Daiki's cheeks like an indulgent aunt or grandmother.
Souki's eyes turned towards Leon, but they seemed strangely blank and unfocused. "What an interesting mental image," Souki murmured, an amused little smirk quirking up the corners of his mouth.
"Huh?!" Leon exclaimed, wondering if this Souki could read minds.
"What's up with this guy, anyway?" Kanan muttered, giving Souki a puzzled and suspicious look.
Ti Lung grabbed Kanan's arm and pulled her aside, whispering urgently, "Please, my Lady, it is imperative that you treat Lord Souki with utmost respect and do nothing to offend him. It is very...unwise...to incur his wrath."
That was the wrong approach to take with Kanan; telling her not to do something was likely to have the opposite effect, as Leon knew from experience. Sure enough, Kanan's eyes flashed with stubborn defiance, and her lower lip jutted out mulishly.
Souki giggled and smiled sweetly, looking as delicate and harmless as a butterfly--but Leon knew that looks could be deceiving. "The other Celestial Guardians like to spread malicious gossip about me, but you can't believe everything you hear about me, young man." He batted his eyelashes and smiled angelically. "Do I really look like such a monster?"
"Of course not, Lord Souki!" Ti Lung hastily demurred, bowing again. "In the future, I shall not pay heed to such baseless rumors."
"Hmm," Kanan said, still gazing at the blue-haired man suspiciously. Leon had his own suspicions. He'd gotten the impression that Ti Lung was at least a couple centuries old, and if Souki thought of the dragon as a "young man," then just how old was Souki?
"Souki-sama has always been kind to me," Pon-chan piped up, smiling up at him without any fear, and Souki smiled back and laid a gentle hand on her golden curls.
"You look very lovely today, Pon-chan."
"Why, thank you, Souki-sama!" Pon-chan said, beaming, and twirled around, much like Beauty had, the lacy skirts of her pink dress swirling around her. "Don't you think I look pretty, Leon?"
"Cute as a button," Leon said, bending down to kiss the top of her head as she giggled, but he kept a close eye on Souki. "I don't mean to be rude, but could you introduce me to your friend, D? Everyone seems to know him but me."
"Oh, excuse me, Leon," D said. "This is Souki-sama; he was a frequent visitor to my shop in Tokyo, but he has stopped by the shop here in Los Angeles only a handful of times. You must have been at work during his previous visits, and Honlon was secluded in the Crystal Chamber, so she has not met him either."
"But Daiki has?" Leon asked, and D nodded, which made Leon feel better. D would never have willingly exposed their child to any danger.
"But I have not seen Daiki since he was this high," Souki said, holding his hand at about waist level. "I am pleased to see him again, and to finally be able to make the acquaintance of Count D's chosen mate." He smiled at Leon pleasantly. "Will you come closer, Detective, and let me get a good look at you?"
"Of course," Leon replied politely; despite D's complaints about his uncouth manners, he had learned a little tact over the years. "It's nice to meet you, too, Souki...er...sama." And he bent his head down slightly to make it easier for Souki's hands to reach up to touch his face, because he had realized by now that Souki could not see with his eyes.
"Oho!" Souki laughed delightedly. "You are a very perceptive man, Detective Orcot."
"Of course," Daiki said, smiling proudly. "He is L.A.'s finest detective--possibly the finest in the world. How many human beings could have tracked down a kami who did not wish to be found?"
Leon grinned smugly, and D groaned, "Please, do not further inflate his already oversized ego!"
"A fine detective, then," Souki chuckled as his fingers examined Leon's features. "And a very handsome one, too, I see." He released Leon, and his blind eyes glanced first in Chris's, and then in Raphael's direction. Maybe it was some sort of kami-sense, Leon mused, although he had heard that even normal humans sometimes developed heightened senses of hearing and smell to compensate for the loss of their eyesight.
"Souki-sama, this is my mate, Raphael Van Horne," Daiki said.
"I'm very honored to meet you, sir," Raphael said a little nervously as he bowed deeply, then allowed Souki to touch his face.
"A very handsome young man," Souki giggled, giving Daiki an approving smile. "No wonder you are so smitten with him." Daiki and Raphael smiled at each other, blushing slightly. "And how well-suited you are to each other, darkness and light." Leon thought for a moment that he was talking about the physical contrast between them, except that of course Souki could not see that Daiki was blond and Raphael was dark-haired. Then Souki added, "The light in your heart eases the darkness in his. But you do know, I hope, that you should never let your beloved paint your portrait?"
Raphael gasped, his eyes widening, but Daiki just smiled and replied calmly, "Yes, I know, and so does Raphael, Souki-sama."
"It is well, then," Souki said serenely, and turned towards Chris, who smiled and bowed his head, regarding the strange kami(?) with awe, but no fear. But then, he had always felt comfortable among all the exotic and dangerous creatures who inhabited the petshop. Souki touched Chris's face and regarded him with a look of mild surprise. "How very interesting. A grown man with a heart as pure as a child's..."
Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by an angry roar as Tet-chan walked into the room and caught sight of Souki gently stroking Chris's face with his long, elegant fingers. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Tet-chan snarled, lunging forward. "Get your hands off him!"
In the blink of an eye, Souki moved about ten feet across the room, so quickly that Leon wasn't sure if he had jumped or teleported. A second later, Ti Lung and Ten-chan lunged at Tet-chan and wrestled him to the ground.
"Are you mad?!" Ti Lung cried, his eyes glowing red with fear and anger. "That is Lord Souki, the Sapphire Unicorn, whom even the Dragon King Naga fears!"
"Unicorn?" Leon echoed, staring at Souki more closely; so he wasn't a kami, after all. Leon found that if he squinted a little, Souki's human form seemed to shift to that of a horse-like creature with sleek, dappled fur of pale blue; flowing mane, tail, and fetlocks of a darker sapphire hue; and a long ivory horn growing out of its forehead--in short, a unicorn.
Meanwhile, Ti Lung was shouting, "He could grind you to dust beneath his hooves before you could so much as lay a single claw on him!"
"And that's if he's feeling merciful," Ten-chan added grimly. "And meaning no disrespect to Lord Souki, he doesn't have much of a reputation for mercy."
Souki giggled in a high-pitched, childlike voice, looking more harmless than ever. "What is it that the rumors say about me, Ti Lung?"
The dragon broke out in a sweat and stammered, "Th-the rumors--which are all baseless and malicious, I am sure--say that...well, that Lord Souki has a twisted nature of whimsical cruelty." He quickly added, "Not that I believe such nonsense, my Lord!"
"Oh, but you do," Souki said sweetly, and Ti Lung began to sweat even more profusely as Ten-chan glanced nervously at D. "However, you are brave enough to try to protect your friend from me, so that is a point in your favor."
"He is not really my friend," Ti Lung said, glaring at Tet-chan. "However, Master Daiki and Lady Honlon seem fond of him, so it is my duty to prevent him from unwittingly attempting to commit suicide, if at all possible."
"Who's fond of Tet-chan?" Kanan muttered sarcastically.
D bowed to Souki and said, "Tet-chan has been unforgivably rude to you, Souki-sama, but I ask that you overlook his behavior this once. I promise that I shall chide him most sternly."
Daiki bowed as well and said, "It is just that he is very jealous and protective of his mate, Souki-sama. Would you please forgive him, for my sake and Papa's?" His voice was solemn, but his golden eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. "It would be inauspicious to begin a wedding ceremony with bloodshed, and Uncle Chris would be very sad if you ground Tet-chan to dust beneath your hooves."
"Daiki!" Chris exclaimed, beginning to look alarmed.
Souki laughed, and it sounded more sincere this time. "Ah, very well, since you ask so nicely," he said, patting Daiki on the cheek.
Ti Lung and Ten-chan cautiously released Tet-chan and allowed him to get back to his feet, but were obviously watching to see if they needed to restrain him again. Leon hit the Tou-Tet on the head with his fist, none too gently. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but he sensed that disaster had just been narrowly averted.
"He's blind, you dumb shit!" Leon barked. "He wasn't trying to feel Chris up; he just wanted to know what he looked like!"
D sighed heavily. "And please forgive my mate's bluntness, Souki-sama."
"Not at all," Souki said cheerfully. "I find it most refreshing."
"Pity," Sofu muttered under his breath, and D gave him a dirty look.
Tet-chan rubbed his head, glaring at Leon, and said sullenly, "I know that he's blind! I just...forgot." The anger on his face faded, to be replaced by a sheepish smile. "I just lost it when I saw some pretty guy with his hands on Chris."
"Tet-chan, you really must control your jealousy!" Chris scolded. "Don't you know that I would never be unfaithful to you? You said you wanted to be part of my life; that includes meeting my friends and coworkers. Are you going to attack everyone who's friendly to me?"
"Just the ones who put their grubby paws on you," Tet-chan muttered.
"Tet-chan!" Chris snapped. "I mean it! I won't have you trying to kill people just because I shake hands with them, or God forbid, give them a friendly hug! If we're going to be married, you have to trust me."
"I do," Tet-chan said in a more serious voice. "I know that you'd never betray me, Chris. I don't know if I can stop feeling jealous when other people are friendly with you, but I'll try not to attack them."
"Tet-chan!"
"All right, all right," Tet-chan grumbled, throwing up his arms in defeat. "I promise not to attack people just because I'm jealous! But I do reserve the right to protect you if I think you're in danger."
Chris smiled and gave Tet-chan a peck on the lips. "I can't argue with that, as long as I'm truly in danger and you're not just using it as an excuse."
"Why exactly is everyone so afraid of Souki?" Leon whispered to Ten-chan.
"Kirin in general are very powerful," Ten-chan replied quietly. "But Lord Souki is said to be the eldest and most senior of all the Kirin. You know how Honlon is always going on about how dragons are Sacred Beasts? Well, Lord Souki is the most powerful of all the Sacred Beasts and Celestial Guardians. As you can tell from Ti Lung's reaction, the others all fear him, and believe me, it takes a lot to scare a dragon. And by the way, Leon, there's really no point in whispering." He glanced at Souki, smiling ironically. "The reason that Lord Souki is blind is because he possesses a deeper kind of sight: the ability to read the minds and hearts of people. And by people, I don't mean just humans; he can see into anyone's heart--even that of a kami or another Sacred Beast, like a dragon. Or a humble kitsune. In which case, he would see that I have nothing but respect for him. Lord Souki is Count D's friend, and as Pon-chan said, he has always treated us kindly."
"What a silver tongue you have, Ten-chan," Souki said, looking amused. "And uncommonly good sense for a kitsune. Would you like to see a demonstration of my powers, Detective?" Before Leon could answer, the Kirin smiled at Tet-chan and said, "Hmm. He is not pure of heart like his mate, but rather, vicious, bad-tempered, and given to acting without thinking."
Leon couldn't help but smile a bit as Tet-chan glared at the Kirin, but managed to hold his tongue. "Yep; sounds pretty accurate to me."
"However," Souki continued, "those few whom he loves, he loves wholeheartedly, and he would lay down his life without hesitation in their defense." Tet-chan squirmed under the Kirin's unseeing gaze, looking a little embarrassed. "And those few would be...his mate, of course, and young Daiki, and the Count..." He paused, raising his eyebrows in surprise, and he laughed. "And also Pon-chan, and Lady Honlon, and Detective Orcot."
"Me?!" Leon asked incredulously.
"Me?!" Honlon echoed, looking as if she were about to faint from shock. Leon wasn't sure which sister was speaking, but he had no doubt that all three of them were equally stunned.
"Lord Souki is never wrong about such things," Ti Lung assured them, while Tet-chan's face turned beet-red with mortification.
"Aw, you're such a softie, Tet-chan," Pon-chan teased, kissing him on the cheek.
"Oh, shut up, you stupid raccoon," Tet-chan snarled, turning even redder.
"It's your own fault, you stupid sheep," Pon-chan retorted cheerfully. "If you hadn't tried to attack Souki-sama, he wouldn't have revealed your secrets. Besides, you shouldn't be picking fights on your wedding day." She frowned. "Your nice clothes are all mussed up now."
Leon noticed for the first time that Tet-chan was dressed in what must be his wedding finery: a pair of orange silk trousers, an ankle-length vest made of crimson silk embroidered with gold along the edges, a gold chain strung with ivory claws resting against his bare chest, and heavy gold bangles encircling his wrists, ankles, and upper arms. Leon had to admit that he looked quite impressive, like a barbarian prince. He would have looked even more impressive if his silk clothing hadn't gotten creased and wrinkled when Ti Lung and Ten-chan wrestled him to the ground.
"Oh yeah," Tet-chan said in consternation, brushing his hands against his vest, trying to smooth out the wrinkles without much success.
"Allow me," Souki said with a careless flick of his wrist. A little breeze swirled around Tet-chan, and when it died down, the wrinkles were gone.
"Um...thanks," Tet-chan said awkwardly, looking startled. "And I'm sorry about that ...uh...little misunderstanding."
"You are even more thickheaded than the detective," Sofu told him irritably. "Souki-sama came here specifically to assist me with your marriage ritual, and then you go and attack him!"
"I said I was sorry!" Tet-chan growled. "Wait a minute...what do you mean, assist you with the marriage ritual?"
"It has been several hundred years since the last time that the ritual was performed," Sofu informed him. "I have never witnessed it personally, and I had only a general idea of what the actual ceremony entails. Obviously, you would not want me to make any errors in performing a ritual that alters the length of your lifespan, but I was having difficulty finding more detailed information about the ritual..."
"And I happened to hear that the eldest Count D was researching the ritual for performing a marriage between a mortal and a magical being," Souki said, picking up the story. "My curiosity was piqued, so I sought him out." He smiled at D. "At first I thought that you were formalizing your union with the Detective, but then Sofu explained to me that the Detective's younger brother wished to wed a Tou-Tet. I found that most intriguing--it's very rare that a Tou-Tet regards a human as anything other than a meal. And of course I wanted to attend your wedding and Daiki's. So I offered to help your grandfather with the ritual."
"Souki is the oldest and wisest of all the Kirin," Sofu said in a tone of rather grudging respect. Leon found that interesting. The Ds were devoted to protecting animals, especially magical ones, but Sofu obviously didn't like Souki.
"Oh, Sofu, you make me sound like such a geezer!" Souki laughed, pretending to pout, and Sofu scowled at him. Leon suspected that it was the Kirin's impish sense of humor that offended the dignified Sofu D--although someone who had once taken the form of a strawberry-gobbling little babbit didn't exactly have the right to criticize others for their lack of dignity, at least in Leon's opinion.
"He knows how the ritual is performed, and he has even witnessed it a few times," Sofu continued sourly. "And the mere presence of a Kirin offering his blessing dramatically increases the chances that the ritual will be successful. However, he would be well within his rights to refuse his help after the way you treated him, Tet-chan."
Leon knew how much Tet-chan hated apologizing--that was one thing they both had in common--but he swallowed his pride and bowed very low, saying in a suprisingly humble voice, "I beg you to forgive my rude behavior, Souki-sama." Chris looked startled for a moment, then smiled at him tenderly.
"I forgive you, Tet-chan," Souki said lightly. "Besides, the Count would be upset with me if I killed you on your wedding day." He rubbed his hands together briskly. "All right, let's get this show on the road, shall we?"
"Yes, we should finish before Aunt Jill and the others get here," Daiki agreed.
The lobby had already been prepared by the pets, the furniture pushed to the sides of the room to create a makeshift aisle with a long red carpet running down the middle, and the entire room had been festooned with pink and white streamers, and bouquets of pink and white and red roses. Leon privately thought that it was a bit feminine for an all-male wedding, but that was what D and Jill had decided on, and he wasn't about to argue with either of them. And besides, Pon-chan and Beauty looked adorable in their pink dresses, and obviously proud to be bridesmaids.
Sofu whispered a few instructions to D, Chris, and Tet-chan, and a small brazier filled with hot coals was set up at the end of the aisle. Hanging on the wall behind the brazier were a few scrolls painted in elegant calligraphy with the Chinese words for "love," "happiness," and "long life". They looked a little odd alongside the ribbons and streamers, but Leon thought it was probably a good symbol for the weddings: a union of human and kami, or human and Tou-Tet.
Souki and Sofu stationed themselves in front of the brazier, while D and his brother stood off to one side, assuming the role of Tet-chan's kin, while Leon, Daiki, and Raphael stood on the opposite side as Chris's groomsmen. Ti Lung and the pets took seats on either side of the aisle and waited expectantly. Tet-chan, Chris, Pon-chan, and Beauty waited at the opposite end of the aisle, the latter two holding little straw baskets.
Sofu laid sticks of incense on the coals, and soon a fragrant scent filled the air; it was similar to, but not quite the same as the incense that D normally burned in the shop. He then began chanting in Chinese and casting handfuls of herbs into the brazier, some sweet-smelling and some bitter.
"What are those?" Leon whispered to his son.
"Rosemary, for fidelity," Daiki whispered back. "Saffron, to invoke love, I think. Mandrake root, possibly to help bind the magical spouse into his new mortal form. Henbane..."
"What about eye of newt and toe of frog?" Leon asked with a grin.
"Behave yourself, Father," Daiki scolded softly, but with a little twinkle in his eyes.
Leon grinned and subsided, and when he noticed a little frog-girl sitting among the pets, he felt a bit guilty about his joking comment. Fortunately, she hadn't overheard him. He watched the ritual quietly from then on, but the bittersweet scent of incense and herbs was beginning to make him feel a little dizzy, and he wondered if there might be something narcotic among Sofu's herbs.
When Sofu was finally done with the herbs and the chanting, D nodded at Pon-chan, and she skipped down the aisle, strewing rose petals on the red carpet. Beauty followed after her at a more sedate pace.
When they reached the end of the aisle, Pon-chan went to stand beside the Ds, and Beauty went over to Daiki's side without any prompting. Daiki took her hand, and she smiled up at him, but then looked eagerly down the aisle, obviously waiting for Chris.
Chris and Tet-chan walked down the aisle together, side-by-side but not touching, and came to a halt in front of the brazier. "Tet-chan," Sofu said in a solemn voice, "will you pledge yourself in marriage to this mortal man, to bind yourself to him not just in heart and soul, but in body and blood?"
"I will," Tet-chan replied without hesitation.
"Do you swear not just to share in his life, but also his death?" Sofu continued. "Will you give up a portion of your magic to him, and share in his mortality?"
"I do, and I will," Tet-chan said in a steady, unwavering voice.
Sofu turned to Chris and said, "Christopher Orcot, will you pledge yourself in marriage to this Tou-Tet, to bind yourself to him not just in heart and soul, but in body and blood?"
"I will," Chris said, smiling at Tet-chan.
"Do you swear to be united with him in both life and death? Will you accept the gift of his magic, and in exchange share with him your mortality?"
"I do, and I will," Chris replied quietly, his expression turning more serious now, but he did not take his eyes off Tet-chan's face.
"From this day forward," Sofu said, addressing them both, "you will be neither entirely mortal nor entirely magical. There is no turning back, no way to break the ritual once it is completed. Are you prepared to accept this gift and this sacrifice, to love one another and share in both joy and sorrow for the rest of your lives?"
"We are," Tet-chan and Chris replied in unison.
Sofu reached into a pocket hidden in the lining of his cloak, and pulled out a small silver knife with an ornate gold handle. He gave it to Souki, who told Chris and Tet-chan, "Hold out your left hands." They obeyed, and Souki carefully cut a shallow wound across their wrists, and handed the knife back to Sofu. Then he reached into one of his voluminous sleeves and pulled out a cord made of braided silk that was as pure and white as newly-fallen snow.
Souki pressed Tet-chan's and Chris's bleeding wrists against each other, using the white cord to bind them together. The blood still flowing from their wounds seeped into the cord, slowly dying it red.
"Let mortal and magical blood flow together and become one," Souki intoned in a voice filled with authority, that seemed to ring out and reach every corner of the petshop. It was like the voice of a god, and for a moment Leon was filled with the urge to fall to his knees in worship. Then Daiki placed a hand on his shoulder, providing an anchor that kept him from being swept away in the Kirin's aura, and his wobbly knees steadied as Souki's voice died down into silence. And then he forgot about Souki as a glowing cloud of golden light enveloped Chris and Tet-chan.
Tet-chan threw back his head and cried out, as if in pain, and Chris gasped, although in his case, it sounded more like surprise than pain. Leon watched anxiously as...something...seemed to flow out of Tet-chan, a sort of shimmer of light running through the bloodstained cord until it flowed into Chris. The cord shimmered again as a similar mysterious "something" flowed out of Chris into Tet-chan. Quite frankly, Leon found it more than a little creepy, even though he had become somewhat accustomed to magic during the years he had spent living at the petshop. He might have been tempted to interrupt the ritual, except that he had the feeling that trying to interfere with such powerful magic could cause a backlash that might hurt, maybe even kill Chris and Tet-chan. And it was powerful; even a normal (well, more-or-less) human being like himself could feel the magic in the air, crawling along his skin like static electricity, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand up on end.
Tet-chan's horns slowly began to shrink, dwindling into tiny nubs, then vanishing completely into his long red hair. The talons on his fingers and toes likewise shrank until they looked like normal nails. His fingernails still looked rather long and sharp, but they looked human--not unlike D's, actually, minus the red nail polish. His golden eyes darkened into a shade of yellowish-hazel, and his cat-slit pupils seemed to contract towards the center of his eyes until they became normal, circular-shaped pupils. Tet-chan's hands slowly reached up to touch the top of his head, feeling the absence of his horns, and he gasped, his mouth opening wide enough to see that his fangs had mostly vanished as well, although his canine teeth were a bit longer and sharper than most humans. That, along with the yellowish tint to his eyes, still gave him a slightly feral look, a ghostly shadow of his animal nature, but he would be able to pass for human easily enough, particularly when, as D often said, most humans saw only what they expected to see, and refused to believe in things that they thought were impossible, even when the evidence was standing right in front of them.
The differences in Chris were more subtle. At first glance he appeared to be unchanged, but when Leon looked more closely, he could see little specks of gold in Chris's blue eyes that had not been there before. And Chris opened his mouth, tentatively running his tongue across canine teeth that were a little longer and sharper than before, although not as sharp as Tet-chan's.
The gold light faded away, leaving behind a sort-of-human Tet-chan and a not-quite-human Chris. "The ritual appears to have been successful," Souki said with satisfaction. "You are now bound together by the red cord of destiny." He took the knife back from Sofu, cut the cord precisely in the middle, and knotted one half around Tet-chan's wrist and the other around Chris's like bracelets. "Let these serve as symbols and reminders of the fact that you two are now one."
Daiki whispered to Leon, "There is a Japanese legend that says that two people who are linked by a red thread are destined to be lovers."
Leon nodded, understanding the symbolism of the cord now. Although while the whole "thread of destiny" thing sounded romantic, he privately thought that wearing a blood-soaked cord for a bracelet was kind of gross. He had to admit, though, that the bracelets were not the usual rusty, brownish-red color of dried blood, but a bright crimson, and if he had not witnessed the ritual, he never would have guessed that they had not been red to begin with.
"Congratulations; you are now married," Souki said cheerfully. "You may kiss the bride...or I guess I should say, the groom."
"Tet-chan," Chris asked uncertainly, "are you all right?"
"I feel a little strange," Tet-chan admitted. "Not quite like going blind, but I've lost some of my sense of vision, hearing, and smell. They're still there, but not quite as sharp as they were before." He ran his hand through his hair. "And it feels really weird not to have horns anymore." Chris began to look even more anxious, and Tet-chan smiled at him reassuringly. "But I don't regret it, Chris. I may have lost a few things, but I've gained something, too. Part of you is with me now. I can feel your mortal blood flowing through my veins. I feel a connection with you, like I would be able to find you no matter where in the world you were."
"That is true," Souki confirmed. "It is one of the side-effects of the ritual. You will always be able to sense the presence of your mate, even when he is out of your sight."
Chris smiled. "Then that will make it easy for me to keep tabs on you, Tet, and make sure that you don't get into too much mischief."
"I can see that this bonding thing has a few drawbacks," Tet-chan grumbled, but it was obvious that he didn't really mean it. "What about you, Chris? How do you feel?"
"I feel strange also," Chris replied. "It's hard to put into words, but I feel as if I am...more than I was before." He ran his tongue across his teeth again. "And I seem to have developed little fangs. I'll have to be careful not to bite my lip when I eat."
"Your eyes have changed, too," Pon-chan piped up. "There are little gold flecks in them, but they look really pretty."
"You have probably gained some of the heightened senses that Tet-chan lost, along with those pretty eyes," Sofu said, smiling a bit wryly. "You will discover the full extent of your new abilities in time."
"So...you're okay with this?" Chris asked Tet-chan. "You don't regret it?"
"It's a little too late for regrets now," Souki reminded them.
"No," Tet-chan said firmly. "As long as I'm married to you, that's all I need to be happy. I love you, Chris."
"I love you, too," Chris said, and he embraced Tet-chan and kissed him, and the pets all cheered--well, all except one. Beauty also remained silent, but she beamed at the pair and showed her approval by clapping.
"About time!" Ten-chan declared, but for once, Tet-chan ignored him.
When Chris and Tet-chan finally separated, Pon-chan came over to Chris, smiling through the tears in her eyes. "I'm happy for you, Chris, I really am," she told him, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you, Ponta," Chris replied gently, kissing her cheek. "That really means a lot to me."
In the audience, Honlon was weeping. "Well, I'm not happy for him!" Kanan said stubbornly, tears running down her cheeks.
"I want to be," Junrei whimpered. "I really do. But...it hurts so much!"
Shukou remained silent.
"I'm sorry, my Lady," Ti Lung said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He sounded sincere, and he didn't seem to be just uttering comforting words while secretly being pleased that a rival for Honlon's affections had been removed. That made Leon feel better, because he realized that Ti Lung truly did care for her, and maybe someday he would let the Earth Dragon marry her, after all--many years from now, of course, after she was an adult. And assuming that Honlon wanted to marry him, which wasn't necessarily a given. But for now, he would continue to be a stern and protective foster father, and he wouldn't let on to Ti Lung that he approved of him. He had to keep his potential son-in-law on his toes, after all.
"I can't take away your pain," Ti Lung said. "But I can offer you a shoulder to cry on when you need it."
"Thank you," Junrei whispered, and she did lay her head on his shoulder while she wept. Ti Lung wrapped a comforting arm around her, but didn't try to hold her too closely, or put his hands anywhere he shouldn't, Leon noted approvingly.
"I feel bad," Chris said, smiling at his childhood playmate sadly. "I do love her...but not that way. I feel terrible that I'm the cause of her pain."
"It's not your fault, kid," Leon tried to reassure him.
Souki nodded in agreement. "One cannot force love, although many humans--and even a few Sacred Beasts--have tried. It always turns out ill in the end."
"Continue being her friend, Uncle Chris," Daiki told him. "And someday, I believe that she will be able to accept it with joy again. But in the meantime, perhaps it is just as well that the two of you are going back to San Francisco. Time and distance will help ease the pain." He glanced at Honlon and Ti Lung. "And perhaps in time, her heart will turn to Ti Lung. I believe that he has the patience to wait for her to discover love again."
"And in the meantime, she has us," Raphael said firmly. "We'll be here to comfort her, and we won't leave her all alone in that Crystal Chamber. Poor kid, living alone for all those years...no wonder she fell in love with the first person to come along and offer her friendship."
"But not anyone could enter that chamber, am I correct, Count?" Souki asked, and D nodded. "That door would not open for any mortal but one pure of heart. At least you opened the door, Christopher Orcot, and drew her out into the world so that she could make other friends. You may find comfort in that, if you will."
"I'll try to," Chris said, and smiled at Raphael. "I'm glad that she has a big brother, at least."
Part 22b
no subject
Souki's presence makes this so much more enjoyable.
Are you working on a sequel really?
no subject