It was the sudden silence in the surrounding that woke up Ayakashi. Rolling over, he was about to get out of bed when a tug on his sleeve pulled him back.
Ayakashi turned to see Hanamari, who was still deep in her slumber hugging his arm tightly in her sleep. The blanket had been pulled down to her waist revealing her bare torso. Ayakashi smiled.
It had been a passionate night for both them, and the strenuous activity had worn her out much faster than he had anticipated. He only had time to get her into a thin inner robe before she fell into a slumber.
Slowly extricating his arm out of her embrace, he watched as she rolled onto the spot he had vacated and settling down with a small sigh of satisfaction.
He chuckled as he pulled up the blanket up to her chin.
Exiting the bedroom, he went to the front hall and slid open the paper door that led to his courtyard. The morning breeze rushed in as if to greet him, and he held onto his hair to avoid it from getting into his eyes. The Sakura tree was in full bloom, and the morning light was filtering in through the cracks of the branches, even though it was still night out.
He blinked, then frowned. His hand unconsciously clenched on his katana, which he had taken with him when he exited the bedroom.
"So the rumor is true," Ayakashi whipped his head around to see a shadow slowly stand up from where it was sitting on his rooftop.
Ayakashi became vigilant. "What rumor?" he asked, his red eyes glowing.
The shadow jumped down and landed in front him. Ayakashi could finally make out its features.
Long red hair that fell down to his ankles and looked as if the man was wearing a flame, a lean build covered up by an equally red yukata, and a black Haori coat thrown carelessly over his shoulders, and a rare red weasel through around his neck in an elaborate scarf. His face could be called handsome, if it wasn't for the pair of fangs that had elongated from his upper jaw, giving it an air of evil. And the pair of horns, as black as coal, jutting out from either side of his head gave him a fearsome look.
Ayakashi relaxed his shoulders, when he identified the intruder. "What? If it isn't the Black Onyx King?" he grinned. "Been well, I assume,"
Black Onyx King- or better known as the Bull demon Sovereign, scoffed at Ayakashi's tone. He pushed past him and unceremoniously entered his front hall and sat down on an empty cushion.
Ayakashi smiled wryly. "You do know that this is my home, right?" he asked, helplessly, as he took a seat near him.
"Your home, my home, what's the difference?" Black Onyx King said dully, with his eyes closed. Then he cracked open an eye, "Oh,"
"Hmm?" Ayakashi watched as the Black Onyx King rummage around in his robe and pull out a long pipe with a golden handle.
Ayakashi grinned, "Still smoking?"
"Shut up," Black Onyx King mumbled around the pipe as he lit it. Taking a long drag, he exhaled. The purple smoke that arose from it nearly made Ayakashi choke to death. He coughed then waved his hand to disperse the smoke that had come his way, grimacing. "Now I know why your wife doesn't let that pipe within half a foot in her house,"
"Tch! She can forbid me all she likes, but she can't forbid me from smoking in your house," Black Onyx King said annoyed.
Ayakashi smiled. "Mah~"
The two fell into a companionable silence. From the corner of his eyes, Black Onyx King looked at his brother.
Like the Crow Demon Sovereign, Yamanuki Hachijin, The Black Onyx King was also sworn brothers with Ayakashi. Of the four noble clans of Yokai, his Bull clan was ranked the highest, while the Ninetails clan was ranked the lowest, even though in actual strength, Ayakashi could beat the living daylights out of him.
He leaned back on his arms, as he blew his pipe. Exhaling another cloud of smoke he squinted at his brother. "De? Is it true? You're trying to become a devil?" He asked.
Ayakashi shrugged. "A devil? What gave you that idea? I'm just trying lay back and enjoy the rest of my life," He said clasping his hands behind his head, giving a carefree attitude.
"Hmm..." Black Onyx King looked at him doubtfully. Then he shook his head. "Whatever, it's not like I care. If you die, then that's one less headache for me," he said, closing one ruby red eye, as he stared into the distance.
"That's horrible, aniki," Ayakashi said faking a hurt look.
The Black Onyx King's only reply was to blow out another puff of smoke. "Although...,"
At Ayakashi's tone, The Black Onyx King looked at him. Ayakashi flashed his canines as he rubbed his chin, looking thoughtfully at his brother. "Although," he continued. "If you've got something fun planned, I wouldn't mind joining you," he said. "It's been ages since the four of us brothers went out to have fun, right, aniki?"
The Black Onyx King frowned. "Oi, look, you brat," he said, annoyed. "You may enjoy goofing off, but I still gotta answer to the old she-dragon at home," he said.
Ayakashi gave him a teasing look. "Scared, are we?"
A vein popped in his forehead, and the Black Onyx King suddenly stood up and sent his brother flying with a kick. "Shut up!" he said. "And I'm not as young as I used to be," he said, plopping down on his seat.
Ayakashi picked himself up, softly rubbing the sore spot on his jaw, where his brother had kicked him. Wincing, he looked at the Black Onyx King, "You may be right," he said.
"Huh?" The Black Onyx King looked at him, suspiciously. Ayakashi pointed at his jaw, his face expressionless, "Hora, look, it's only a scratch," he said.
The Black Onyx King:"..."
Annoyed, several veins popped in Black Onyx King's forehead. Then, without another word, he sent his little brother flying through the open door with a furious kick that was more powerful than the last.
"Tch!" The Black Onyx King turned and sat down. He put his pipe in his mouth, ignoring Ayakashi as he crawled back in, his hair disheveled and his clothes a mess.
Ayakashi brushed off the dirt on his clothes, nonchalantly. He was about to say something else to his brother when a soft pair of footsteps interrupted him. He turned to see Hanamari, still in her white inner robe, and a blanket wrapped around her figure. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked around at the room. Spotting the Black Onyx King, she blinked. Then she looked at Ayakashi, "Ano..." she started.
The Black Onyx King eyes bulged and nearly fell out of his head. Ayakashi turned to introduce his brother to Hanamari, when a sudden force gripped him around the neck. Next thing he knew, the Black Onyx King had pulled him towards him, his arm thrown around his neck in a powerful neck-hold, as he pressed his cheek to his. "Oi, Ninetails," Ayakashi, who was trying hard not to choke, asked. "What?"
"Am I going blind, or is that a beauty that just entered the room?" The Black Onyx King asked, his eyes looking at him with horrified fascination.
Ayakashi grinned cheekily. "So what if she is? Pretty, isn't she?" he boasted, winking at his brother.
"Pretty," The Black Onyx King nodded so fast, his head seemed to make afterimages, then he caught himself as he shook his head furiously. "No, that's not what I meant. What I meant is, where did you find such an awesome beauty?" he asked, gulping down his saliva.
Ayakashi pondered for a moment. The Black Onyx King looked at him with anticipation. Then after a moment, Ayakashi said shamelessly, "Dunno. She came to me and asked to be my wife, that's it,"
The room descended into silence.
The Black Onyx King: "..."
Hanamari:"..."
"Go die, you bastard!" The Black Onyx King sent Ayakashi flying with another kick, veins popping all over his forehead.
Hanamari watched the debacle with stunned silence, then before she can get her bearings, her hand was gripped in a powerful hold, and the Black Onyx King was holding her hand, giving it chaste kiss. "Yo, lovely lady, allow me to introduce myself," he winked. "There's not a single soul that hasn't heard of the fearsome name, Black Death. King of the Northern Desert, Terror of the celestials, and the dream lover of many beauties from here to the upper realms, be awed in my- Black Onyx's- magnificent presence, 19th head of the Bull Clan of the Four Great Yokai clans!"
Finishing his introduction, he looked at Hanamari with anticipation. "Black Onyx?" she tilted her head, puzzled. She poked a finger at one of his horn. "Bull?" she asked him, blinking her blue eyes up at him.
The Black Onyx King wanted to die out of humiliation but looking at her blue eyes looking up at him, trustingly, he melted.
Before he could answer, Ayakashi interrupted him. "Uh, sorry, Hanamari. It's just my idiot older brother. You can call him big brother. He doesn't mind," he said.
Somewhere along the conservation, Ayakashi had dragged himself inside and was sitting down, his back against the wooden frame of the paper door. His robe was opened at the front, revealing his smooth chiseled chest. Straightening his robe, he dusted himself off.
The Black Onyx King glowered at him, but then his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Mah~ what he said," he agreed reluctantly.
Hanamari blinked again. "Then, nice to meet you, big brother!" she called cheerfully.
Black Onyx King rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Ou, nice to meet you," Then he paused and put a hand inside his robe. Rummaging around, he pulled out a small necklace with a blue bead strung to it. "here," he offered it to Hanamari.
Hanamari accepted it, looking at it confused. It looked like a worthless trinket that could be bought on any roadside jewelry shop. If you could describe it in a few words, 'cheap' and 'worthless'...those words come to mind.
But Ayakashi's eyes widened because he knew exactly what this worthless looking trinket really is. For his brother to give it to Hanamari... "Oi, Aniki, are you sure?" he asked, doubtfully, just to make sure his aniki hadn't had any screws loose in his head.
"Shut up!" The Black Onyx King growled at him, annoyed. "I'm not crazy!" he said, as if he knew what Ayakashi was thinking. He put his hand on top of Hanamari. "It's for my cute little sister-in-law, after all," he grinned, rubbing her head.
"Aniki..." Ayakashi looked at his brother, helpessly.
The Black Onyx looked at Ayakashi smiling. "I know you, little brother. If you weren't serious, you would've killed her by now,"
Ayakashi's smile disappeared. He looked at his brother coldly. The Black Onyx King smiled wryly, as he shrugged. "Mah~ Knowing you, you're bound to get in to trouble, sooner or later. This is just some extra protection,"
"But to give the necklace-"
"It's fine, it's fine," The Black Onyx King shrugged it off. "Worst off, I'll just have to buy another one," he said.
"Those aren't just mere jewelry that you buy anytime you know," Ayakashi said, but when he saw his brother's adamant look, he relented.
Crossing his hands, he closed his eyes, thinking. Black Onyx King didn't interrupt him, as he helped Hanamari put on the necklace.
After a while, "I got it," Ayakashi said, as if coming to a decision. He cracked open an eye and looked at Hanamari. "Oi, Hanamari, sorry to trouble you but can you go and make some tea for us. Your big brother and I have something to talk about,"
"Yes," Hanamari nodded. Her newly worn necklace glittered in the morning light as she happily trotted away. Watching her disappearing figure, Ayakashi didn't say anything for a moment.
The Black Onyx King leaned against the wall, his free hand crossed under the hand that was holding his pipe as he smoked, the purple smoke swirling about him in thick tendrils.
"First, Yamanuki. Then You. And then the Necklace of Divinity," Ayakashi said, his face absent of any of the cheerfulness he displayed before. Now, it was expressionless, and his red eyes were glinting with a familiar coldness and bloodthirstiness. He looked at Black Onyx King who still hasn't responded.
"And I don't buy that nonsense Yamanuki spouted about someone in the clan ascending. I'd say it was more likely along the lines of 'they are eagerly anticipating whatever misfortune that's coming my way'. Am I wrong?" he continued, his ruby red eyes glinting with a vicious look.
"Talk. Why are you here? Really," Ayakashi asked his voice cold, his eyes trained on the Black Onyx King.