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Chapter Text

‘My little rose of the abyss… come to me… come…’ dead trees littered the gloom and craggy rock, green moonlight casting stark shadows through the dark bars of the large prison, covered in ofuda written in the blood of his predecessor, brown with age, the paper yellowed and fraying on the edges.

A pale, elegant purple hand with horrifically sharp black talons bathed in that haunted moonlight through the black bars, reaching out in the dark gloom for the power he could feel inching ever closer to him. His lurid violet eyes dilated heavily, panting darkly, slightly covered by his hair. He closed his eyes and shivered as he felt her, the power so distinct now.

He could almost scent her… he’d howled the moment her feet touched Japanese soil, raking his horns along the bars in agony, fists tight against the bars, thick and turgid for something so close, yet so far out of his reach. No amount of touching himself could quench the fire in his loins for her, and he blacked out after multiple rounds of self-inflicted pleasure, lying sticky and defiled in a cooled puddle of his own seed, only to drag himself to the baths to do it all again, sticky puddles of white coating the stone tile.

He howled again, notes of pained longing and anguish rolling through him, echoing throughout the small comfortable prison he was afforded. He’d waited for ten years… his grandfather promised. He promised it would all be worth however long he had to wait. His hand drew back as if burned, a deep feeling of sorrow rolling through him. She’d stopped moving toward him. He could not tell what time it was in the human realm, but he realized it might have been time for her to rest… to recover from the long trip he knew she took to get to him.

He’d seen snippets of her behind closed lids lying in his futon, tortured by her big brown eyes behind her glasses, ached to touch her hair seemingly made of dark clouds, and run his tongue along her plump shoulder and neck to see if she was as delicious as she looked. She was juicy all over… something lovely he could not admit he needed desperately to his peers. They would see her differently, but he vowed to make sure that she knew he desired her just as she was.

A faint yellow light cascaded on his back sharply as the sliding door slid open softly behind him yards away. It remained silent, though his arm drooped against the bars, his head bowed like it was all hopeless.

“She is so close… I can feel her…” His dark voice sweetly whined, and a huge heaving sigh rang out from behind him as he raked his horns along the bars in protest.

“Master, if she truly is so close, we should be preparing you. Come in and stop howling, and choose a garment that you think she’d like to see you in.” A light sweet voice preceded a bowed blue head greeting him when he turned his head, but not before she wrinkled her nose at his typical attire.

Long silky hair black as sin fell neatly over his shoulders in straight heavy locks, framing his face like a princess’s would, so totally opposite of the usual wild styles of his kind. Her lord had unusual tastes, but he was awfully pretty for an oni. She could see him easily play a courtesan in Kabuki in the Night Party’s entourage. The only giveaway on his face were his strong chin. The oni women who knew he was off limits lamented that such a pretty oni would be wasted on a human.

His lovely lavender eyes were big because of his mother, his chin strong because of his father and their oni blood. Two long pointy horns jutted up straight off the top of his forehead, his purple skin fading to a muted gray black, and then pitch black at the tips. He stood, easily dwarfing her bowed form. He looked sullen, as if the thought of selecting something would cause him great distress.

“I don’t know what to choose, I only want to wear what she’d like.” He crossed his arms in his dark purple haori with black yukata, tied with a white tiger fur obi, a string of clear indigo beads threaded through a hair of the Northern Dragon around his neck, effectively sealing him inside this prison. The skull of a raven rested as the centerpiece, the beak still black and shiny, the empty eye holes a little unnerving, as though they could still see. He was unashamedly still half hard, his cock tenting the fabric noticeably below his belt. The thought of finally escaping this prison after winning his woman’s heart made him yearn even more for her.

“Then trust me to make you shine. When the bell rings, be ready for me to retrieve you and prepare for her arrival.” The waifish woman bowed again, and he nodded. She stood to turn and walk away, but he stopped her. Her single horn gleamed blue in the green light of the moon.

“Make me appear good enough to eat. I need her to understand the depth of my need for her through her own, Nanoha.” He stalked away to a different, darker part of the lands of his prison, uninterested in going back into the estate he was shackled to. She bowed again. If she was successful, she’d be able to come to the human realm as a servant to the Oni’s wife, which was a prestigious position. There weren’t many ayakashi able to leave the realm legally. He’d already left the area, but she stood straight, a menacing gleam in her eyes.

“I’ll treat it as though this were my own marriage. I truly do want to see you happy, little Isshiki.”

The taxi rolled to a stop after weaving through the small crowd of people walking toward its destination, the Oni Shrine. Thanking the driver in practiced Japanese, Rachel stepped out of the taxi, feeling less cramped. She was taller than even the average woman in her own country, so she was sure she was a sight to see for the locals of this somewhat rural part of Aomori prefecture.

She was sure that the locals would appreciate her attempt at dressing up for a festival. The yukata she wore was a little older, and because of her height and stature was meant for a man, but they did a decent job stuffing her inside of the garment. She had to do her own hair, purchasing simple silver plated kanzashi pins, and looking up popular hairstyles at the time, doing a very simple coif with a large gold moon shaped pin holding it all together, strategically placed star pins holding uneven sections of hair back for her.

She stood out, tall with cinnamon skin and unashamed in her purple yukata with roses and golden mists heavily dyed into the bottom and sleeves and gold obi, walking with care first to the purification basin, washing her hands and mouth carefully. She was used to eyes everywhere she went, but now it was for a different reason. These people had probably never seen someone who looked like her before, so it was mostly a morbid curiosity. She could feel the needle of it in her skin as she approached the altar, realizing that it might also be because of her snake bite piercings matching with the rest of her gold accessories, as she dabbed her mouth dry with a handkerchief that even matched.

She decided to focus on the ones not paying attention to her, smiling sweetly at the ambiance of the festival, little kids in oni masks and fake garden tools running between slightly tired looking parents who just wanted to eat some of the delicious food from the stalls. She could hear drums playing somewhere off in the distance, likely a troupe honoring Raijin, the oni-like Shinto god of thunder and storms. The way they skillfully played made her hips wiggle a bit with the rhythm, and she had to stop herself before she did something she might find embarrassing later, and moved on to the reason why she came to this particular shrine.

She thought about its story as she approached the main hall, where the offering box was kept. There was a legend of a benevolent Demon God, who kindly helped villagers survive drought, saving their crops so they could eat, so they created the shrine to venerate him. He was prayed to for protection of course, but some women swore that the god also helped them find love too. A lot of gods were like that though, abundance associated with the ones whose stories helped save people.

She could see old gardening tools laid out, and some depictions of the oni having no horns which was rare and proof of his kind nature, since the source of their horns were manifestations of sin. She found it interesting, because something that most should believe are evil and should be avoided, was welcomed and honored. She hoped that one day, she could be seen as a respectful foreigner, and thought of the prayers that she would put forth.

She knew coins were preferred for this, but she could not help herself as she took out her little red wallet, pulling out a 2,000-yen note, slipping it into the slats of the wooden box, as she approached. Bowing twice deeply, she clapped twice, and closed her eyes to pray.

‘I really hope you can understand English… I am here from very far away, drawn to the moving story of your good deeds. I pray for a shred of the protection that you afforded all of those villagers long ago. Please show the people of this beautiful town that I only wish to protect them as you have for their kindness and hospitality toward me. And maybe...’ she hesitated.

‘…maybe you could show me someone to love too? I haven’t been so lucky with that, maybe you could protect my heart too?’ As she finished praying and bowed, the sound of a beautiful bell rang out, making her stand abruptly, head up and listening for which direction it came from, her eyes on the locals who looked around excited.

She could hear snippets of speech she could understand… the family who ran the shrine, the Kidou clan, was in charge of everything on the shrine, ringing it. Everyone seemed to be looking around for someone or something. A few of them even looked at her curiously, and she smiled winningly at them, and they quickly looked away. As she walked away from the main hall, the sound of the bells died down, and so did most of the excitement, though it lingered.

Making a mental note to find the bell that made such a beautiful sound, she began to walk around, ordering meat skewers and octopus fritters with her limited knowledge of ordering, getting the counting system mixed up a little. The vendors laughed good naturedly, happy that someone foreign was even attempting to interact with them.

Bowing at them as she left, she went to go find a quiet corner to enjoy her food, sitting alone on a bench eating politely and tossing her trash appropriately.

Near where she sat, she spied the internal stall where she could buy protective talismans, and have her fortune divined through omikuji, or shaking sticks to retrieve a number and receiving the fortune from that drawer. While she ate, she learned how to ask for a protection talisman, and went over the steps to read her fortune.

Excitedly walking up to the stall where the shrine maidens ran things, she politely asked for a protection talisman, the woman asking which color she wanted.

“A purple one, please.” she smiled at the woman, who smiled easily back at her, exchanging hands with a few 100-yen coins and a lightly sweet-scented purple pouch with sutras on it. She tucked it between the lapels of her yukata and bowed, the maiden bowing in return before she walked off to the side, seeing the fortunes.

Waiting her turn patiently. She watched how the locals did it, she paid a donation, and shook the box. One of the sticks fell out of the box as she shook, and she took it to mean that she should take this one. She read the number ‘49’ on the stick. Looking for that drawer, she pulled it open, and took the fortune that was folded in half.

Opening it up, she immediately gasped, recognizing the kanji for Dai-kichi, or ‘great luck’. All aspects of her life for the rest of the year included excellent predictions, but included a haiku at the bottom. It read:

She had trouble with a couple of the kanji, but the rest of it was clear. An oni was waiting for her? Was she reading this wrong? She frowned, and noticed that the area she stood in was very quiet. She carefully folded her treasure of a fortune and tucked it into her kimono. Someone strong immediately yanked her back by both of her upper arms, a cloth covering her mouth quickly before she could cry out. Something smelled strange, and she lost all consciousness.

A phone rang in the office of an older gentleman dressed in an understated, but well-made forest green kimono. He picked it up, a frantic voice on the other end before he could open his mouth to greet the other on the line. He stood suddenly, and the guards stationed near him jumping to action.

“What is it, boss? You look excited.” The older man laughed, clapping his hands a couple of times with glee.

“Rejoice, your mistress has finally been found. The mark of the oni mistress, two moles situated on her outer right wrist have been confirmed. The ones stationed at the shrine today retrieved her. That was Kiichi now, calling to let me know he was on his way back here with her.” The men looked excited. One of them started shedding tears in the corner.

“BOSS! We gotta clean this place from top to bottom til’ it shines! We don’t wanna appear shabby to our new lady!” The old man laughed, slapping his thigh, pointing at his subordinate.

“You’re damn right… and I’ll help you. Air out my grandson’s old room for her to stay in, I’ll clean it up in a little while.” The old man looked severe, but his face lit up at the prospect of finally having grandchildren, and not worrying about his clan’s future.

Men and women were running through the halls, preparing the estate for their new lady’s arrival. The floors were cleaned until not even a speck of dust could be found in any crevice. A variety of side dishes for a meal were being prepared as well, and the old man walked through the entire compound, inspecting things quickly. He slid open the door to the room housing the shrine to the Oni god. He really hoped that this woman was the one they were looking for. He’d been waiting a decade for her to find her way to his family.

He frowned. Normally it did not take so long for the brides to make their way here. He wondered what delayed her, but found he couldn’t bring himself to be upset. If the shrine accepted her, she did her duty in making her way here. He knew his grandson could feel her… it was the same when his beloved wife came all the way from Brazil. It was the last time the compound was this lively… the clan would finally have another mistress running it.

There was a somber air over the place previously… he’d lost his son and daughter in law to a freak truck accident, that devastated his grandson, who hadn’t spoke for a year after they died. They pulled him out of middle school when it happened for a year since he would not speak, and home schooled him.

Worried for him, his wife tried to care for him up until he died of the Kidou clan blood illness. She’d died a year previously, and he visited her tamaya tablet in the room with the kamidana, to inform her about what happened. He lit incense and knelt, began to pray to her, knowing that she could hear him through their connection to the ayakashi realm, where she waited for him.

‘Wife, she is here! Finally! I hope that you offer her your protections from the grave, to give her strength to deal with any and all obstacles that she might face, just like you had. I will do my best from here, so that when it comes time for me to join you, I may do so proudly. The wait should not be much longer to correct the balance of our family. Please watch over us as you always do. I love you.’ He opened his eyes, and stared at her photo longingly. He missed her dearly, but he had a duty to ensure the clan would remain prosperous. She knew it too, and would wait patiently for him.

Standing quickly, he made his way to his grandson’s room, to change the futon, and to ready his new daughter to the world of oni.

Groggily coming to, she realized she was pressed between two bodies, sitting in a very spacious luxury car. Dread shooting down her spine and beside herself with fear, she began to shake a little. A clear, masculine voice rang out in front of her, snapping her out of her panic.

“Hey, don’t be afraid, miss. I told these idiots to just get ya back over here so I could talk to ya, and they panicked. Forgive them. My name is Kiichi Kidou, part of the branch family of Kidou.” She looked up to brown eyes so vivid they almost seemed red, a stylish cut framing his face and neck, as she looked him over. He was quite handsome, and looked to be somewhere around her age, in his 30’s.

“Am I going to die?” Her smooth contralto voice made the men shiver, and Kiichi’s eyes sparkled.

“Quite the opposite!” He shook his head, glaring at the men who flinched. Kiichi began to thoroughly chew them out in Japanese, she could tell by his tone. He turned back to her.

“You’ll be meeting the head of the clan and our boss, Mr. Mitsutane Kidou. He’s been looking forward to your arrival for a long time now.” She looked confused, but recognized something else first.

Yakuza. She’d been kidnapped by the Japanese mafia. Before she could control it, she began to giggle, and enchanted by the sound, Kiichi couldn’t help but ask.

“What do you find so amusing in this situation? I thought you’d be much more frightened.” Kiichi watched her carefully pull out a slip of paper, unfolding her omikuji.

“I received the greatest luck an omikuji offers just minutes before I got abducted by the yakuza. Surely you see how that can be funny, right Kiichi?” He felt something soft and filled with home at the way she said his name. For a moment, Kiichi was deeply jealous of his cousin, but squashed it down. She’d help make the clan feel like home again. Granny Kidou died tragically early, and they all felt it.

“I will say this, miss. You are indeed the luckiest woman in Japan.” She frowned when he turned his eyes back onto the road, not elaborating further. She settled back in her seat between the two men, discreetly looking around at the outside world, growing increasingly wild and beautiful in a way unfamiliar to her. Mount Iwaki loomed majestically in the distance, beautifully vibrant trees in red and gold dotting the landscape, bright green pines scattering reminding her a bit of home.

“I know how this will sound, but our compound is in a remote place. If you ran from us you would not get far, especially in clothing so restrictive.” She crossed her arms, pouting at him.

“I know you are yakuza, and have an honor code. As long as I don’t do anything stupid, you’ll leave me in one piece. I’m supposed to be meeting someone.” Kiichi’s eyes flashed, surprised that she knew so much, and was so calm about this. He could tell her mind was running a mile a minute, as she stared at the fortune in her hand determinedly.

It was not long before Kiichi pulled into a forested drive, the well-maintained cobble up the drive enchanting, the forest filled with more of the color that she’d seen on the way. Looking ahead, she could see an imposing compound made of slate gray stone and rich dark wood, the garden around manicured perfectly. Taking her by the arms, they led her into the compound. She was irritated by being chaperoned so closely, but it wasn’t as though her Japanese was good enough to tell them to knock it off, so she just let them. They were gentle.

Entering the genkan, they let her go and she took her shoes off stepping up on the wooden platform leading into the rest of the home, bending to adjust her shoes pointing out. She stood and looked at their surprised faces.

“What? I know what to do here.” She folded her hands together standing there, staring at them. A deep emotion flit across their features that she couldn’t understand, as they watched her stand there. She frowned, and they began to move at her displeasure. Taking their shoes off, they take her by the arms again, leading her into a large tatami mat room that housed the largest kamidana she’d ever seen, a smaller butsudan…. No, this was a Shinto household, so that was a tamaya. Recently visited, if the low and slightly smoking incense were any indication.

She was so fascinated that she didn’t realize they were dragging her up to the kamidana, a huge stone statue of an oni with ferocious fangs, wild hair, holding a club across his beefy shoulder, a sickle in his other hand outstretched. A tiger pelt with a drum decoration rested across his thighs, his feet large, toes with those same claws hidden behind a large shallow bowl at his feet. The strangest thing was that he had no horns.

She suddenly swore she could feel a presence behind this statue, but nobody was there. Taking her hand and drawing it to the statue, they slice her finger on its fangs, blood welling quick and wet, splashing heavily into the bowl at her and the stone oni’s feet. She yanked back reflexively, terrified. Was she just sacrificed to something?

She watched with fascinated horror at the stone sucking up the blood greedily, seeping through seemingly non porous rock until there was no evidence of her life force across it, not even on the parts that sprinkled messily, the one that took her hand giving her a cloth to stem the flow of blood.

A loud, obvious creaking click echoed throughout the entire compound resoundingly, loud footsteps echoing with increasing volume outside of the large room. Multiple men filed into the room quickly. To her surprise, half of them did not look fully Japanese at all, but half Japanese with other ethnic backgrounds. Her fear dissipated. These were people who understood her feelings about being othered.

The men that had grabbed her bowed at her feet, and so did the rest of the men in sweeping orderly fashion throughout the room, their foreheads touching the tatami mats, fully prostrated. All of a sudden, she could fully understand the men at her feet calling her mistress. Magic? There was no other way to learn Japanese instantly. She grew suspicious.

A door to the right slid open softly, an older man facing her. Clearly Japanese, but too tall to be considered average. Probably the boss she was supposed to meet, judging from his lavish attire. To her surprise, he too fell to his knees before her and bowed deeply.

“What is this about? You abduct me, and injure me on a kamidana only to bow at my feet? Make this make sense now.” For some reason, ordering them around felt… correct. The look of surprise on his face made her feel stupid for some reason… like he wasn’t expecting her to be aware. She supposed Shinto wasn’t a global religion, so his surprise was in good nature.

“I am surprised you know what this is… but I shouldn’t be. You were drawn to this country, weren’t you? Your blood is proof.” She felt a knot in her throat, and tried swallowing it down to no avail.

“I had always wanted to come to Japan yes, but once I read about this shrine, I wanted to see it. To see a being who most consider evil and beastly help people was inspiring… made me feel a little less alone.” She looked a bit sad, but looked out over the men who still refused to raise their heads, bowing at her. She looked uncomfortable, and the old man started.

“Where are my manners? I am Kidou Mitsutane, 87th Oni of Onizawa. Because that shrine accepted every drop of your blood, it is proof that you are the rightful mistress of Kidou, and will rule us toward prosperity. And because you are the highest rank in the room now as the liaison for the head of the clan, you must give them leave, or they will stay like that until you say otherwise.” She looked horrified, and raised her uninjured hand out to them.

“My name is Rachel Beck. I have no such titles or accolades, I am just a woman who loves this country. Please raise your heads. If you must know, I wield power very cautiously. I will be a kind mistress.” The men raised their heads, some of them filled with tears. Was her presence here really so moving? Turning back to Mitsutane, she addresses the unclear part that concerned her the most in the moment.

“What do you mean that I am the liaison? What in the world is going on?” Mitsutane stood, and walked over to her, inspecting the now bloodied kimono, which she looked down at with dread.

“I will tell you everything you need to know about what is happening, but we need to get you cleaned up. From which kimono shop did you rent from?” Mitsutane pulled out his phone, ready to call. She fidgeted.

“I cannot afford to replace this kimono…” she sounded small, which was unlike her earlier. Mitsutane put the phone down, and placed a hand on her shoulder. He needed to ask her a few questions about her life, to prepare her for her new one with them.

“It wouldn’t be right to make you do anything in this situation… I apologize for the way my subordinates treated you so roughly.” The two men at her feet flinched, and bowed again, almost flat against the floor in shame. Mitsutane continued. “I will be purchasing that kimono and the accessories from the shop in full. We will get your measurements, and get you about six more kimono sets to start.” Her eyes widened as he dialed the number of the shop she provided. She looked down at the two men practically begging her to step on them with how flat they made themselves on the ground.

“Face me.” She waited for them to sit up and look at her. Her face gentle, to their surprise. “Did you mean to scare me? Did anyone at the temple see you abduct me?” Surprised, the older of the two soke up.

“It was perfect timing. The bell told us you arrived, and we saw you standing at the main hall in prayer, surprised at the bell. We waited since then for you to be alone, and then took you. No one saw us with you. We didn’t know English well enough to persuade you. I am so sorry.” He bowed again, and lowered the head of the younger man as well. Rachel looked at the younger man’s hands, seeing cuts that looked like he was used to handling a knife for cooking.

“And you, you cook don’t you? I can tell by your hands.” The younger man, maybe a little younger than her looked happy that she noticed.

“Y-yes mistress, I do sometimes work in the kitchen here.” She smiled, and he melted a little. Their master would be comforted by this clever woman.

“Well then, I want you to bring me the best steak dinner you know how to make.” He perked up when he heard she wanted to eat meat.

“May I leave now to go to the market? We don’t have everything here that I need.” She nodded, and Mitsutane called after him when he booked it out of the room.

“Go with Kiichi, and tell him to use my card to get whatever you need!” A brief sound of acknowledgement, and he was gone. He turned to Rachel, who stood there awkwardly.

“You are the mistress of this house now. What do you want to do right now?” She thought for a moment. She wanted him to explain things, but he said he wouldn’t until she was bandaged up, and had new clothes.

“I want to go somewhere to get bandaged up, and talk about what is happening. I am at least owed an explanation.” He nodded, and lead her out of the room. She stopped at the door, addressing the men still in the room with a small bow.

“It was a pleasure to meet you all. If my fate is to be here, I would know each of you.” She turned and left, able to hear a few hiccups and wails of how kind she was. She thought it was strange. Did they think she’d be mean? She turned quickly and followed Mitsutane.

The halls were gleaming, freshly polished. They really did know she was coming, if the place was this spotless before her arrival. He led her into a room with a private stone garden, the ‘thunk’ of the shishi-odoshi surprisingly soft. She sat carefully so she didn’t drip blood on the expensive looking tatami, draping her injured hand on the table.

A maid in a simple dark kimono with white tiger stripe obi hurried in with a first aid kit. As she prepared what she’d need to bandage her hand, Rachel smiled at her. Mitsutane sat on the veranda admiring the garden in the cool but sunny and still warmer early fall, while the leaves still dressed the trees fully.

“Thank you for your help.” The young woman, maybe 20 turned red, her light dusting of freckles and lighter brown hair complimenting her cheeks.

“Of course.” She moved quickly, disinfecting and applying medicine, binding it in tacky cloth until her pointer was firmly encased. Standing and bowing, she quickly left as swift as she came, and Mitsutane only began to speak as soon as the door slid closed, her feet pattering away from the room.

“This is a tale as old as time, but you are here because you were destined to be. There may have been signs, but the most salient would be your desire to come to our country. This is by design. You are meant to carry on the Kidou name with my grandson Isshiki, who will become the next Oni of Onizuka, the 88th. A sacred number to us.” Mitsutane paused, glancing back at her curious face with a pleased surprise.

“Can you elaborate? And where is Isshiki?” A strange feeling echoed through her, a twinge she’d never felt before. Mitsutane watched as she pressed her hand to her heart, as she said his grandson’s name. He smiled. He would trust the Oni to guide him. His next words were uttered carefully.

“Make no mistake, your desire and love for this country is real, not a fabrication of something drawing you here. We aren’t sure exactly when, but when our next oni gets deathly ill, we know that the next mistress of Kidou had awakened her desire so strong to come, we’d begin preparing for your arrival, and the cycle begins anew.” Rachel looked mystified, so Mitsutane began to tell a story.

“A severe drought ravaged the lands we currently reside on, to the point the villagers would die from starvation during the winter if they did not so something about it. The oni that lived on Mount Iwaki came down to see the villagers lamenting the crops, and studied them for a while. After a time, he crept away into the night with the closest tool to him… a hoe.” Rachel looked invested, propping her chin up on her uninjured hand, large doe brown eyes riveted. Mitsutane smiled a little as he continued.

“The oni snuck away into the night, looking for a nearby body of water for them to use. Once found he dug tirelessly for 88 hours straight before reaching their fields of rice and barley. The villagers could hardly believe they were saved, and thus revered the oni as a God, erecting the Ki-Jinja shrine you see before you today on the very spot he dropped the hoe he’d used to save the village.” It sounded like the story was done, but the older man kept talking.

“The oni was pleased at the acceptance of the villagers, and vowed he would protect and provide for the lands for as long as his line existed. Legends say the first oni was he himself, taking a human wife, just as Isshiki will take you, if you will have him.” Rachel looked shocked. A marriage offer for a man she’d never even met or spoken to? She couldn’t help herself, blurting out her thoughts.

“You do understand how insane that sounds, don’t you? I have never met your grandson, and he has never known me.” Mitsutane smiled a secretive smile that made her burn with curiosity at the assuredness behind it.

“Partly untrue. Isshiki has been waiting ten years, glimpses of his beautiful bride and her power dangled in front of him like meat would be to a hungry tiger. He is ravenous to have you, and I think any woman would appreciate the intensity of an oni’s affection. I can feel his power from even here.” Something in that phrase made Rachel think of the kamidana, and she shivered.

“You never told me where Isshiki is. If he is so eager to devour me like you say, he would be here trying to win me over.” Mitsutane laughed heartily, slapping his knee with a hand heavily a few times.

“Whether you like it or not, you are a perfect oni bride! Shrewd and ruthless. Well, if you would like, we can meet him tonight. But I need you to listen carefully to what I’m about to tell you, and do not judge. I am bound to tell you so you can make an informed decision, but the less people know the process, the better.” Rachel looked so curious even she knew she looked like he’d just caught her by the collar and lifted her.

“Whatever you tell me will not leave this room.” Rachel looked desperate to know what he was going to tell her.

“Isshiki cannot meet you, because he is dead.”

Chapter Text

“Do you think she will come tonight?” The moment the bell rang, Isshiki became nervous. He refused food and could not rest, scrubbing himself clean until Nanoha had to drag him from the bath before he rubbed himself raw all over. He looked down at his body, and wondered if she would find him appealing. It made him uneasy. He’d had too long to sit with himself, nitpicking at anything that could potentially be considered a flaw.

He wasn’t allowed to date, the nature of his clan’s rituals forbidding it, and he’d been imprisoned for so long, he did not know how they’d hold conversation. Her working memory included ten years of time he could not account for in the living realm. Already he felt like she was farther away, despite being so achingly close.

Nanoha had watched over Isshiki all the while, offering him tea to at least keep hydrated. She could see snippets of his younger self when he first fell into the prison, a chain around her neck tying her to the prison as well. He’d freed her from the chain when he was properly sealed, and they spent time making his prison a home for as long as he needed to wait. She rubbed a clean smelling oil into his lavender skin, wrapping him in light and airy layers of silk in bright purples and shining silver fabric, adjusting for his necklace each layer since he could not take it off. As she worked on his obi, she hummed in thought.

“I think she will. I’ve heard from other oni that served human mistresses, and it seems like these pairings are harmonious in all ways. I imagine if you long for her this much, then she’s just as curious to meet you. I am certain that she will find you beautiful. You’ve tasted her blood, haven’t you?” Isshiki’s face reddened sweetly instantly, the color traveling up his ears and horns, and down his neck, his eyes closed, barely able to hold in his desire. Nanoha barked a laugh at how obvious he was.

“I would caution you against such overtly cute behavior. She might never leave you alone.” She helped him into his ivory colored haori, straightening and smoothing. He grumbled. He didn’t think he’d really mind if she were clingy. He’d been itching to be under her, over her, around her…

Inside of her…

“Her blood was so sweet and tangy… I…” Isshiki withered, gently resting his head in his arms as he sat on the cushion, head down on the table. Nanoha didn’t mind his theatrics this time since he was in the perfect position for her to begin detangling and smoothing his long hair. She gathered bottles of hair product smuggled in by the kijo and combs. Sitting to his side, she decided to start with a single section, detangling with an oil that smelled of soft flowers. She began her pep talk in earnest.

“Calm down, tiger. Do not scare her off before she gets a chance to yank that necklace from your neck. I mentioned her blood because you have to accept that first before she can come find you. The more compatible, the more delicious it was. If it is making you like this, then she’s got to like you as a person. I don’t think she’ll find you weird at all.” When he still did not seem convinced, she brought it up in a different perspective.

“Hey, so how do you know that she’s not feeling the same way you are? She didn’t even know you existed until earlier today. You’ve had years to build up your obsession of her, and she doesn’t even know what you look like. Give yourself a little grace.” She wished he’d at least had a shred of ego for his own beauty… having to beat off kijo with sticks for daring to peep lewdly at someone out of their league on a regular basis… oh, she hoped to leave this prison along with her master. She could handle human women. But kijo slobbering over her master made her want to throw hands. A long sigh escaped him, and she smiled at the drama.

“How she feels emotionally is the one thing that does not echo through me. I won’t know until after we become one.” He considered that she could be just as nervous, and somehow it comforted him. He let Nanoha comb though his hair until it was tangle free, and then brushed until it gleamed, and he finally fell asleep. She tiptoed out of the room, turning the lamp low, so he could rest. He would need as much of it as possible for when she arrived in the underworld to lead her.

She blinked, processing his words. Her shock was understandable. He’d been talking about his grandson as though he were still alive, so to have this bomb dropped on her had to be resetting her mind to make sure she really heard him correctly. He learned his wife had also reacted the same way, hearing his father speak to it. He waited patiently for her to speak, eyes steady on hers. He was pleasantly surprised at her instant worry.

“Am I too late? I realize I’m a lot older than Japanese typically get married...” She looked concerned, mind on overdrive trying to figure out what this meant. “Am I a bride to a ghost?” Mitsutane shook his head. He wanted to laugh, but did not want her to think it was at her, rather than the situation they were in.

“I will be honest, you are about ten years later than I’d thought you’d be. What took you so long to come to Japan?” Rachel looked around at the simple opulence surrounding her. She wanted to be angry at his question, but she needed to be fair… see if he could comprehend it.

“I… don’t have very much money. My plane ticket here was expensive, and there were many things I wanted to do before I left, so a lot of my dining options were ramen or convenience stores.” Her cheeks reddened very slightly, though she looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock. Realization dawned on him.

“Ah, I recall my father’s stories about World War II. Your people were not treated well… they were denied the spoils of war, and the support of their government.” She nodded grievously.

“I’d always felt like a foreigner in my own country, hearing those stories, and living with the aftermath decades later. I figured, if I was going to feel othered, why not do it in a place I actually find appealing?” Rachel smiled sadly. Mitsutane’s heart nearly broke into pieces. To think she wanted to come much sooner, but her life situation stopped her. He took her hand gently, his eyes serious.

“This is your home now, and you are no longer poor. I am sure Isshiki will be looking forward to caring for your every need and want until you both walk hand in hand through the Beyond.” She frowned.

“But you said he was dead. And I remember you saying something about him becoming deathly ill when my desire to come here grew. He’s been dead for ten years? How am I supposed to meet him?” Mitsutane sighed.

“It’s possible. But you have to fully agree to this after I explain, or I will have to send you home.” For some reason, the idea of him sending her back made an icy cold feeling of dread and depression roll through her. She did not want to leave, she was too curious. She didn’t think she’d have anything this spectacular happen in her life ever again. He was pleased at her instant expression of discomfort, the thought of leaving here horrendous. It gave him a spark of hope that she’d cave to his grandson’s charms.

“Okay, I’m listening.” Mitsutane sat comfortably on his cushion, propping his chin in his hand, as he rattled on. His sleeve slid down his arm, slightly faded tattoos appearing further up his forearm, disappearing under his clothing. She looked away quickly, worried he might find her staring offensive, despite her feeling anything but negative for the body art.

“Isshiki is dead. But not forever. That’s where you come in.” She looked surprised, but let him continue. “You both are two parts of a whole, spiritually. In human realm terms, his battery is dead, but you can jumpstart him again. His soul has been growing over these past ten years, so his return to his body is going to hurt quite a bit more than usual.” She processed his words.

“So his body is here somewhere? I assume you’re using magic to keep him… fresh?” She nearly gagged at the thought that they had a dead body lying around for ten years, decaying. This was the wildest shit she’d ever heard. Mitsutane shook his head quickly.

“He’s in a state of suspended animation. The moment he died, the protective seals we placed on him locked him in time. So don’t be surprised at his youthfulness during the first couple of years into his reawakening. His body has to catch up with the development of his soul.” Mitsutane looked out at the garden, hearing a door slam, the crunch of gravel beneath feet distinct. She heard it too, but didn’t want to be distracted.

“Wait, how am I supposed to jumpstart him?” Rachel had no medical experience beyond CPR. Mitsutane smiled softly, shaking his head at her insistence.

“I am getting to that, Rachel. Goodness, are you that eager to meet him?” Rachel’s cheeks grew ruddy, and Mitsutane found her adorable. He knew Isshiki would be all over her if she was like this before even meeting him.

“Actually, yes. Like, I’m a little scared, but this is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’m so curious to meet him… wondering if he will even like me. I just want to be prepared.” Mitsutane frowned.

“I’d told you earlier that he’s hungry for you. Are my words so farfetched?” Rachel shrugged.

“He’s only seen me right? He’s never held a conversation with me. He only sees snippets of me interacting with others, and there may already be parts he finds less than desirable. I hate to lead with that, but I’ve been burned too many times before, and I often have to remind myself that nobody is perfect. I must remain rooted in reality.” Mitsutane stroked his chin. He supposed she was right. But having experienced the bond for himself, he wanted to persuade her to be optimistic, and look forward to their meeting. Her reality was far more filled with magic and love now that she seemed to realize.

“Isshiki isn’t that shallow. He’s got his own quirks and understands being othered. I suspect you two are more alike than you are different, even though I’ve only just met you myself. You are sharp like he is too. Will you keep an open mind? Once you agree to go meet him, you can’t come back without him. And if you come back with him, you will have already been married in the eyes of the shrine.” Rachel’s eyebrows rose, and she thought about her situation, looking down into her lap.

“To be honest… a part of me believes in all of this.” She pulled out her omikuji and unfolded it, handing it to Mitsutane. Upon laying his eyes on the haiku, he crowed with laughter. She smiled a little bit, his joy infectious. She felt like Mitsutane liked her, to laugh so openly in front of her.

“Indeed, you are the luckiest woman in Japan this year. And we are fortunate too, to have you. So, are you all in? No matter what happens?” He looked up from her fortune, studying her expression. She looked as though she was making peace with herself, and smiled.

“I don’t want to regret anything. I could be walking away from the happiest day of my life, even if it was also a little scary and daunting in the middle of it.” She did have an anticipation that clung and refused to abate along with her burning curiosity. Mitsutane’s eyes lit up. She smiled a little, seeing a little of what he might have looked like when he was younger.

“That’s the spirit, my girl! I promise you will not regret choosing us. Come year end, you will be wondering how you ever managed without us.” Mitsutane nodded, sure of himself. She huffed with a laugh at his bravado. She raised an eyebrow.

“I will hold you to that. Now that I have agreed, what am I to call you? I don’t think calling you by your first name is appropriate.” She looked a little shy, and Mitsutane picked up on it, and threw the ball in her court.

“Then what do you think is appropriate?” Rachel looked embarrassed, but Mitsutane wanted desperately to know.

“If we are going to be family, you’d be my grandfather-in-law, right?” Her cheeks still ruddy, he nodded. His heart skipped at her genuine hopeful eyes cast at him. “Can I call you grandpa?” Her voice was small, and wavered slightly.

Mitsutane was so overjoyed his lip trembled a little. He took her hand and squeezed it. It was something so simple… and she asked as though it were the most precious thing. Suddenly, he was completely sure she’d make it to his grandson. Relationships were important to her.

“My sweet girl… of course you can call me grandpa! Isshiki used to be all cute and call me grandpa openly too, but he became so serious after his parents passed away… I hadn’t heard him call me that in decades.” Mitsutane looked emotional for a few moments, reining it back in after. A watery smile graced Rachel’s face. She decided that she’d ask Isshiki about his parents. He had a feeling that they were amazing people, and she wanted to hear from him directly his memories of them. To raise a son so different than what most people on this planet expected…

“I don’t have a whole lot of family I speak to. My own grandfather is unkind because of my size, and I was thinking I’d encounter the same sort of behavior here in Japan, since the vast majority of you are quite thin.” Mitsutane looked surprised. She was definitely plump, round like a peach. He could tell she was slightly uncomfortable in the restrictive clothing, but suspected it was because she was not a typical Japanese size. Not that it was an issue in his eyes… Mitsutane didn’t want to out his grandson’s preferences in women, so he opted for the diplomatic answers he could give.

“I’m sure you noticed that half of the family is half Japanese, didn’t you? I suppose it’s time to explain how our family works.” A soft knock on the door sounded. Rachel looked a bit surprised. She hadn’t even heard footsteps. Mitsutane called out to the person on the other side.

“Perfect timing, as usual. Come in Kiichi!” The door slid open to the dark haired red eyed man who drove her to the compound. His sleeves were rolled up, and she noticed he had no tattoos.

“Hello Mistress Rachel… Aoki is preparing your dinner as we speak. It shouldn’t be too long… side dishes were also prepared shortly before your arrival, so you will be able to eat to your fill in a little while.” Kiichi let out a sigh, plopping down next to Mitsutane, a hand scrubbing through his messy hair.

“Very good. She has agreed to marry our Isshiki. Celebrations should be had when they return from the underworld.” Kiichi instantly grew excited at the news, leaning in on the table toward her.

“You agreed to marry my cousin? For real?!” She nodded, seeing the relief and excitement in his entire being. He deflated a little too. She smiled at the contradiction.

“That’s… how are you feeling about this, Kiichi?” He looked serious all of a sudden, looking at her intensely. She blinked with a bit of surprise at it.

“Seriously Rachel… you’re going to love my cousin. I just know it. I’m only excited for the land to come to life with our family cohesive once again. We are more powerful together. Gramps here was about to explain. I’m actually a part of the branch family of Kidou. The branch maintains the shrine as priests. Once my father retires, it’ll be my turn, but I get to work with the main family as a driver for now, so that’s way more exciting.” He grinned, and she smiled, thinking about the men who were prostrated on the floor of the kamidana’s room.

“So… does that mean the main family is Yakuza? How are you so rich then? You’re not doing anything illegal are you?” Mitsutane shrugged at her suspicious tone.

“We train bodyguards in the Onizawa style of combat. It includes a few oni tactics and endurance training, so it is popular for the government to send men to us for the reserve defense army or for private patrons to give us money. We only use our yakuza status to move in the shadows to protect people. Doing things legally in Japan often comes with a lot of red tape that ruins the timeliness of protecting others.” Rachel hummed. She thought about the United States, and how it was once legal to own her people, or to be treated cruelly, and nodded.

“I’m aware things can’t be as black and white as the Japanese government would like things to be. I will not judge.” She looked between the two. “So are you going to tell me how I’m going to get to Isshiki? Is it traumatic?” Mitsutane frowned.

“You might think so. There is one simple rule we tell the brides. While traveling on the spirit road, do not trust anything asking you to look up or to the sides of the road or you will be lost, and must find your way back onto the road. Just keep your head down, and follow the connection to him you feel.” Rachel looked a little scared, but determined.

“That’s part of the reason we can’t let you see him, not even his face. There are demons who will use your memories against you, and mimic his appearance. If you don’t know what he looks like, then you have a greater chance of finding him.” Kiichi stood, making his way to the door as quickly as he entered the room.

“I’m gonna check on your dinner, Rach! I need you well fed for your trek through the Spirit Realm.” She looked mystified as he slid the door closed behind him. She turned back to Mitsutane, sounding unsure.

“So all I have to do is keep my eyes on the road, and I’ll eventually find him?” Mitsutane nodded, though he waved his hand a little.

“It’s a bit of an oversimplification. Remember when you said Isshiki’s name earlier, and your hand lifted to your heart?” She nodded. He smiled knowingly.

“You can feel him. Follow the feel of his power, and you will be victorious. You will know you are in the right place when you find an estate hidden behind sealed large iron bars, covered in ofuda. Because you are his other half, you can take the talismans off the prison, and let him out. Once you remove his necklace you have accepted him, and his soul will follow yours back here, you will wake from your projection, and his body will adjust to being alive again.” Rachel looked a bit vexed, but nodded.

“No pressure, huh?” Her cheeks turned red at the thought that he’d seen snippets of her, and wanted to meet her. Before she could fall too deep into a funk about her task, the door slammed open wide, and men started filing into the room with different trays filled with dishes. Aoki himself brought in her steak, cooked medium rare, which she was happy about. It wasn’t as bloody as she’d like it this time, but it did look moist and delicious.

She picked up the chopsticks and took a bit of the steak, the juicy seasoned meat pleasing to her palate after the long day she’d had. Aoki smiled widely as she enjoyed herself. His smile waned after a bit, and he scoot back from her side, bowing deeply again.

“I’m so sorry, Mistress. I’m glad you can understand me now, so that I can properly apologize. We had to get you here no matter what. Our Isshiki has been waiting for you, and I just know you’ll like him.” Rachel heard this before. It made her curious about him even more.

“Will you tell me more about him when I return with him? I have a feeling you can’t tell me much more than that right now anyway.” Aoki nodded happily.

“I’m home tomorrow, so if you come out of your shared rooms at some point tomorrow, then sure. I don’t know where I’ll be the day after tomorrow yet.” Rachel tilted her head.

“Why wouldn’t I come out of the room?” Aoki blushed something fierce, eyes drifting to Mitsutane, who shrugged, shooing him off.

“She asked you, Aoki. Answer your mistress.” Aoki smiled nervously.

“You m-might want to spend more time with our Master. It is well known within the household that the passion of an oni can be unrelenting, and you might get swept away, since he’s been waiting so long.” He looked like he hoped that she would be. She thought about the faces of all the Kidou family that she saw. There weren’t any small children, but there were young men and women, and older ones too. Suddenly she knew she had to go through with it. She could lament later if things didn’t turn out the way she wanted them to. She wanted to help these people, like the oni helped the villagers.

“We’ll see. How about you sit here with me, and have dinner with us? Tell me a little more about yourself?” He smiled, and happily dug in, and Rachel had a meal with three of her new family members, as she learned more about the new family she was going to try and make things work with.

After dinner, Rachel sat looking up at the millions of stars she could see in the night sky, the lights turned down a little in the room, so she could see night fall beautifully through the tree’s plush leaves, the purple and pink of the setting sun making her feel soft things. She stood, and turned to Mitsutane, who also stood, guessing she wanted to move forward.

“Alright. The fact that I can even speak with you now fluently is giving me the courage to go through with this.” Her eyes looked a bit hollow. “You are certain Isshiki desires me?” He walked over to the door, sliding it open. He turned back to her, his eyes pleased, his time with his new granddaughter lifting his spirits.

“I have never known him to want anything as intensely.” She nodded at his certainty. There had been no faltering in their words, not in the slightest from anyone. A small part of her still felt it was a trap, but she could not help it. She walked toward him, and out into the hall. He slid the door shut, and turned. She began walking behind him, trusting him to lead her to Isshiki.

“Isshiki, stop being such a brat, and eat something! At this rate you won’t have enough energy for her if you don’t consume sustenance!” Nanoha growled, banging down a big bloody steak in front of him, barely seared. Root vegetables surrounded the meat, a bowl of steaming sticky rice beside it. His normal ravenous oni appetite fled from him, the sight of the food making him queasy. He looked away, covering his mouth.

“Nanoha, I can’t keep this down. Can’t I have the broth from the beef bones? I might be able to stomach the rice.” Nanoha had never seen him like this. Concerned, she picked up the tray minus the rice.

“Hey, I’m gonna go make you that broth. Try and choke down the rice at least. You need energy to receive Mistress as wife tonight.” Nanoha hurried off, making up her mind to get him to eat, and then figure out why he was so incredibly nervous. He was driving himself insane the closer she got. He wasn’t even fighting her anymore, which was a sign of his weakened state. She was going to grind up the bones and strain them through the broth for extra nutrients from the minerals and marrow. She was desperate to get the Mistress to see him as the big strong oni he was most of the time.

She could use his beauty to his advantage though. He already looked the part, she just had to get him to stop feeling so sick. He’d been waiting too long for this. He’d heard him mention her appearance once or twice over the years, and figured she had a plump figure. He’d always told her that he’d reassure Rachel that he loved her and the way she looked, so she was likely feeling something close to what he felt in return. She couldn’t imagine someone who was supposedly meant for her rejecting her. She’d break.

Pouring the broth into a large bowl, she returned to him, to see him nibbling away at the rice. Half the bowl was gone, so she was at least satisfied he was consuming energy. But as an oni he needed more. Hopefully the taste of the broth made him want to eat meat again.

“Here is your broth. You will need to be able to stomach something more soon. What’s got you so nervous that you can’t eat?” Isshiki looked up at her, seeing her genuine concern. So he sipped at the broth, which was helping to settle his stomach. Nanoha stood there waiting, arms crossed and waiting, a severe look on her face.

“I fear that she might find me lacking… that I might not be enough for her. It did take her a long time to come.” Isshiki was doom spiraling, thinking the worst. She wouldn’t let him continue this. Not when they were so close to living where the air was sweet, and the sun would rise.

“I can guarantee she feels the same way about you. Listening to you speak about her and the brief seconds in time that you are afforded of her… she knows what it’s like to be different. I imagine things she’s never imagined happening to her is making her come to you. She’s curious. As a woman myself, I would be.” As an afterthought, Nanoha spoke further.

“Women aren’t just visual creatures, we communicate and collaborate as well. If you show her your interest, and speak to her, learn about her, then she will become soft and sweet for you. All we want is to be heard… to be an equal partner in a mating.” Nanoha nodded, but Isshiki frowned.

“What do I talk about? I’ll be too busy staring. Seeing her in person is going to wreck me. She looks like she smells amazing.” He shuddered out a sigh. She smiled.

“Well, like I said, ask her about herself. Isn’t there anything you want to know about your woman?” Isshiki spoke without hesitation.

“That’s it though, where to start? I want to know everything about her. Nothing is off limits. Her dreams, her desires… her darkest secrets. I want every shred of her, I am worried that I may scare her with what I want. I want to know everything she’ll tell me.” Nanoha smiled.

“Well, let’s start with that. Make your intentions with her clear. Let her know up front what kind of oni you are going to be for her. Let her know your thirst to know her better, and that you don’t know where to begin. Be honest with her. Show her your affection. I’ve lived with you and served you these last ten years. You are someone desirable in multiple aspects. You are meant for her, so you are bound to be exactly what she wants in a man. Regardless of the stigmas you face.” Nanoha watched him slurp down the rest of the broth, his stomach roaring with hunger. He had the grace to look contrite. Nanoha only looked pleased, having managed to entice his appetite back.

“I hope your woman knows how to cook. I’ll want a break from feeding you occasionally. You want that meat now, Princess?” He pouted at the nickname, crossing his arms. She clicked her tongue at him, stretching as she stood.

“Come on now, you need to eat. She has to find her way to you and she can’t if you’re being a little bitch.” He frowned harder. He wanted to tell her off, but she was right. He needed all his strength to assist her.

“Give me what you made, then. I need her to find me.” Isshiki polished off the rest of the rice, holding out his bowl for more. She smiled, taking his bowl and piling it high, going back to retrieve his meat with a smirk.

Rachel followed Mitsutane down a long shadow filled outdoor hall, the dim light filtering through the shoji screen doors and windows creating a soft atmosphere, soft blue lights drifting slowly among the trees in the distance making the night feel charged and alive. Their cloth covered feet moved silently across the wooden platform, toward the wilder part of the compound. A standalone room guarded by four men in priest robes was at the end of a long and winding path deeper into the forest. She marveled at the architecture, wondering if she’d ever have a cozy little spot to sit outside and listen to the rain.

Feeling that presence she felt at the kamidana again getting progressively stronger, she realized with a start and her hand on her chest that it was Isshiki she felt as they approached the sliding door to his resting place. The two guards stationed at the entrance bowed deeply to them, and slid the doors open. Mitsutane stood to the side, to allow her to go in. She hesitated.

“How do I get to the spirit realm to even get on the road?” Her voice was low and reverent… she didn’t dare speak loudly or strongly here. Mitsutane turned her around and pushed her toward the entrance gently, until she was over the threshold. There had to be some sort of barrier… she could feel him so strongly it almost made her a little dizzy.

“You must simply sleep next to him. Against him would be best, physical touch builds stronger connections. I will see you in the morning, granddaughter.” Mitsutane waited for her to enter the room, which was surprisingly airy and clean against her assumptions. She figured that she shouldn’t waste time. So much of it had already passed, and she was eager to meet him. Bowing low, she whispered.

“Please watch over us until we return from the other realm.” The doors slid shut, and she didn’t rise until she heard Mitsutane walking away from the entrance. No doubt the guards were still there, so instead of lingering, she turned and looked back into the small building.

She stood in a six-tatami mat space separated by a large well decorated bamboo curtain depicting oni in various states of work and play, from working in rice fields and pounding rice, to hauling heavy objects, playing the drums and other instruments, and resting in beautiful forests and flowers. A small pang squeezed her heart when she saw little oni children, wild like nature, even a human woman holding what was clearly an oni baby. She crouched, looking at the scenes with reverence. Were these painted memories, or a general commission?

It was hard to miss the ofuda that were plastered on the beams, the spells on them faded brown, but still glowing on the edges. Whatever magic Mitsutane claimed still held, even for this long. She couldn’t help herself, and took a long inhale. A soft sweet scent of flowers and heavy incense, but nothing else. She could vaguely see shapes behind the screen, likely her would be suitor lying in stasis. She inched forward quietly, as though not to disturb him, and lifted the screen to the side slowly.

It was dark, so she could not see much, but she could tell he was lying under the blanket, his face covered by a white sheet. She tried swallowing the lump in her throat. A clear sign he no longer graced this realm, and it shook her a little. There was no movement from him, not even a rise and fall of his chest, though the air in the room felt thicker from the magic.

‘Just get over it, Rachel. He’s dead, he’s not going to attack you. If anything, gramps just asked you to attack him!’ She moved closer, the welling power rolling off of him no mistake. The feeling was too weird for her to believe that everything that was said was untrue, if anything were. She walked until her tabi covered toes poked the edge of the futon. She couldn’t get scared now… she’d been so brave before.

Kneeling, she pulled back the covers, to see his long body covered in a thick white yukata, folded right over left, as is customary for the dead. His hair was long and inky black, the cloth covering his face giving no clue of his features. Remembering that she wasn’t supposed to know what he looked like until bringing his soul back, she laid in the surprisingly sweet-smelling cool futon next to him, stiff as a board and unable to become comfortable.

After a handful of minutes, the only sounds she could hear were the wind through the heavily forested area behind the building, and the occasional hoot of an owl. He still wasn’t moving at all. She had to get comfortable and sleep, so she could meet him. She began letting her mind wander to what kind of personality he might have. He was an oni, so would he be boisterous and imposing, or stoic and reticent? Would he be loud and outgoing, or maybe even shy and reclusive? Her eyes drooped, and then opened wide again. She looked at him, just a hand’s breadth away.

She scoot closer to him, and did what Mitsutane said would be better for the situation. She was pleasantly surprised his body wasn’t cold, but it also wasn’t warm either. She placed her head on his shoulder, and tentatively laid a hand on his chest. Still no movement. She relaxed into him, realizing that if he could put his arm around her, she’d be in a very comfortable hold. Letting her eyes droop, she focused her thoughts on her trial.

“Everything else seems so mediocre to this now. Protect my heart, and it will be yours.” She whispered low, her eyes drifting all the way shut. She vaguely thought of her grandmother, who had always been adventurous before she passed. She would have pushed her eagerly toward something like this. She hoped that granny was watching over her.

With the feel of Isshiki’s power enveloping her along with the heavy scent of incense, she fell asleep, whisked away into the darkness and void.

She didn’t get a chance to feel rested. As soon as her eyes closed, she felt like she’d woken right back up. The air felt unclean and thick, the light above her green and shining eerily over everything. A small glowing pathway made of the dirt of the underworld arced over hills and valleys, through trees and barren fields of detritus. Keeping her head down and on the road, she placed a glowing hand over her heart, and closed her eyes.

She could feel him, farther away, but so much closer than she ever had before. His power flared, as though trying to form a beacon that would lead her to him faster. Rising to her feet, she began to walk down the path, keeping her eyes firmly down on the road, making sure not to injure herself on anything directly in front of her. It was so dark and gloomy, she felt like she were high, and hallucinating in the low light.

She made it through the first few sets of hills, when the first attempt to yank her from her path came, causing a burning chill to spike up her neck.

“What’s a beautiful thing like you doing so deep into territory that doesn’t belong to you?” A deep and dark voice made of silk and gravel spoke against her ear, a cold puff of wind sending chills further down her spine. She said nothing, ignoring the obvious red flag and walked faster.

“Hey, don’t ignore me! You’re so cold!” the voice was plaintive, but it was clear it could do nothing, as she kept her eyes on the road. Getting angry, whatever was beckoning her growled, the voice dropping to a scary octave.

“Do you think you are just better than me? Fuck you bitch, you’re down here just like me, so you can fall into disgrace too!” She walked faster and faster, the thing finally attacking her, making her fall forward on her face from the wind, but no harm came to her. A slight purple glow enveloped her middle, and she looked down at herself. The screaming specter kept trying to attack her, but at this point all she felt was wind, the glow actually coming from inside her clothing. She seemed confused for a moment but then remembered, a hand on her chest where she tucked the purple talisman she’d bought from the temple stall.

‘The omamori!’ She thought frantically, thanking her past self. There was real power in the prayers of the Oni Shrine, for it to protect her even here. She stood again, brushing herself off, and resumed walking quickly, the bursting flare of Isshiki’s power insistent. Was he worried for her? Her heart melted a little at the thought, despite the screeching demon behind her, trying to murder her. Could she die in this place as she was? She didn’t think about that for too long, before she froze in terror.

She darted into the forest between trees, trying to lose the demon and no doubt anything else that had an inclination to attack. Closing her eyes briefly and catching her breath, she felt for him. He must have noticed she stopped moving, so he flared his power again. She could hear a terrifying roar in the distant direction she could feel him, and it scared her shitless.

‘Whhaaaat the fuck was that? Oh hell no, gotta keep it moving!’ She quickly followed the path again, the demon introducing some friends to come and try to break her.

“You are far too delicious for me to let slip from my grasp, little one. Maybe I’ll even enjoy your body first before I gobble you whole.” Knocked off her feet again, one of them tried to grab at her, her hands smacking limbs away from her, her eyes closed, refusing to look at them. Fed up, one of them tried to grab her by the ankle, a cold hand with deadly claws wrapping around her ankle briefly before a hideous screech of pain as though burned made her ears ring, as the demon skittered away from her, the others cautious in getting closer.

A bright flash of light, and a familiar set of legs in ghostly form appeared. Out of the corners of her eyes, she could see raised hands, but she shed a tear at the voice she heard.

“Don’t look up, sweetheart. Get going, and go find your destiny. I’m so glad you agreed to this… you’re gonna have so much fun!” The pathway glowed brighter, and she stood, wiping her tears but failing to dry them. Her voice nearly broke. She never thought she’d hear that voice ever again.

“Granny…” She felt like she was going to lose it. A familiar scoff, and a slight spiritual push in the opposite direction made her laugh through the tears. This was the real deal, not taking her bullshit.

“Just go! My time is through, let me do the last thing I ever can for you. Go!” She turned around and ran to show she understood, the triumphant laugh of her grandmother the last thing she heard before disappearing around a mountain bend, unable to miss a large looking compound in the distance. She could not help herself, and ran faster, the howling she heard earlier coming from the compound, and much louder. Was that Isshiki crying out?

Making her way slowly through the quiet valley, she climbed the hill and walked up the pathway into the overgrown garden until she stood in the circle in front of the entrance of what was now obviously a prison, the bars thick and imposing, ofuda plastered over the entire outer wall. She looked through the bars, and could see a small but well-maintained home. The sliding door opened, and a tall blue waifish looking kijo walked out, confusing her a little. The kijo bowed deeply, sounding pleased.

“My lady, the Master is waiting for you in his receiving room. Will you break the talismans on the prison and come inside? He’s been driving himself nuts with worry.” She smiled with all her teeth, in what she probably thought was an inviting gesture, but showed how easily she could tear and rend her flesh. Rachel looked hesitant, but felt Isshiki’s power pulse weakly, as though he were calling her.

“I… don’t know how to remove them….” She lifted a hand to the prison, touching the edge of one of the ofuda, which began to slowly glow green with magic reflected in her brown eyes, the magic spreading across to the other ofuda, which began dropping from the prison like harmless pieces of paper. The kijo smiled, gesturing around her, as the green glow suffused the back of the compound before dying off, the sound of falling paper brief and somehow anticlimactic.

“Just like that. You’re a natural!” The bars swung open, and the woman groaned, and bowed again. Her thick fluffy light blue hair complimented her pearly blue skin, the thin blue yukata with tiger fur obi familiar to the maids back at the Kidou compound.

“My apologies… I guess being stuck here for so long turned me into a goblin, rather than an oni. My name is Nanoha… I was chained to this prison once the Kidou servant mark appeared on the back of my neck. Now that you are here to take care of Isshiki, it’s my turn to take care of you.” Rachel walked in through the threshold with no hesitation, and bowed deeply to her in return.

“You’ve waited so long for someone like me… I am so sorry you spent more time here than you should have.” Nanoha was instantly surprised at how kind Rachel was. Nobody ever bowed to her, not even Isshiki. She grinned evilly inwardly. That brat will have finally met his match. He probably couldn’t be mean to her if he tried, and watching him fall ass over head for her would be the reward for more than a decade of hard work.

“Think nothing of it… I’m sure you had a good reason, but you’re here now.” Nanoha slid the door open, inviting her inside. Taking the wooden geta she appeared with in this realm off, she stepped up into the living quarters with a heavy sigh. Nanoha perked up, hearing some heavy things in the tone.

“Nanoha, I am nervous. What if…” She looked down, fidgeting with her kimono sleeves. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, but Nanoha understood anyway. Impossible not to with an emotional oni as a charge. Nanoha walked up close, her hands carefully on her shoulders. Rachel looked up, still fidgeting with her sleeves.

“He has longed, for you, Rachel. Any time he gets a snippet of you… the sound of your voice, your bright brown eyes, or a whiff of your scent, he’s inconsolable. I’m sure he’s in the other room shaking with anticipation now that you are here. He’s just as nervous that you will find him unacceptable.” Rachel stopped fidgeting.

“I’ve never seen him… well… I did see the shape of his body before traveling here, but… I don’t know the sound of his voice. I don’t know what color his eyes are, or what he smells like. But there have been signs of what he’s like. His family loves him dearly, and accepted me instantly. I saw more faces that looked closer to mine in this family. They want him back, and I can’t help but wonder if I’d feel the same way if I gave him a proper chance. I prayed at the oni shrine for someone to love and protect my heart. If he can do that, I am all his.” Rachel suddenly remembered her grandmother telling her she’d have fun. The look on Nanoha’s face softened into something serious and reverent.

“I am already happy with you. You’ve given Master Isshiki hope, and now you are here. Come. We’ll go and greet him. You don’t seem to be scared of me… are you made of steel, mistress?” Rachel giggled, and Nanoha loved the sound. She decided she’d try and make her laugh more often.

“I know it sounds strange, but your aura wasn’t threatening so I wasn’t scared. Your teeth are terrifying though.” Rachel spoke honestly and Nanoha laughed turning a corner, the only door on the left. She stopped, and looked back at Rachel.

“Ready to meet him? I can freshen you up if you need time.” Rachel shook her head.

“Isshiki has waited long enough. I’m curious to meet him.” She spoke clearly, knowing he could hear her on the other side of the sliding door. Nanoha knelt, sliding the door open. Rachel’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes focused immediately on him.

He was sitting in seiza, his hands covered by his flowing ivory sleeves. His handsome face was lowered, long lashes nearly covering his violet eyes, long dark hair spread out over his shoulders and down his back, and framing his face beautifully. His horns were huge like the rest of him, but she could see that he was nervous just like she’d been, and her nervousness vanished into thin air. Feeling bold, she stepped in, and spoke.

“Nanoha, give me some alone time with Isshiki. It sounds like you can leave the compound now that I’ve broken the seal. Don’t go far.” The order was firm, but gentle. Isshiki looked up shocked, his eyes looking into hers, completely missing the wicked grin on Nanoha’s face.

“Of course mistress. Simply call out, and I will be back instantly.” Nanoha bowed, booking it from the room with all haste, quite happy her new mistress was so bold. Isshiki was soft and sweet, and needed someone who could speak up.

They looked at each other for a bit. Isshiki noticed the blood on her sleeve, and frowned. He sounded hesitant, but drew all of her attention when he spoke.

“I know things probably did not turn out the way you wanted them to, but I hope you will give this a proper chance.” Everything about him was pretty except for that dark deep voice. From a distance, he might have been seen as woman, but there was no mistaking him when he opened his mouth.

“Isshiki…” he shivered at the sound of her voice, deep and sweet. His heart pounded faster when she moved closer to him, and he held his breath as she sat directly in front of him. Tucking her legs as best as she could behind her, she surprised him by bowing so low her forehead touched the tatami. He reared back a little, the feel of her so close making him dizzy.

“Rachel… please don’t—” Her voice rang out loud and clear in interruption, so that there could be no mistake in her voice how she felt.

“I am so sorry, Isshiki. You’ve waited so long for me to come to you. If I had known you were waiting for me I would have dropped everything to come.” He gasped, his eyes growing a little watery instantly. His heart grew warm and tender, his hand resting on her shoulder.

“I forgive you, Rachel. Please… never bow to me. Never you.” Lifting her head to see his weepy eyes, she smiled as he seemed reluctant to stop touching her.

“What will you do when we get married then?” She smiled cheekily a little when he instantly turned red, hiding his red blotchy face behind his sleeves. He was being so cute right now, so she had to tease him.

“Do not tease me, Rachel. I’m sure my grandfather has told you how much I’ve been looking forward to your arrival. I am in control and respect your wishes but I…” His eyes closed behind his sleeves, face red. Her face softened, and she baked in the warmth of his spiritual power.

“I recognized that feeling I had at the shrine was you. The way grandpa was talking, you could see bits and pieces of my life, right? Did you hear me when I prayed to the oni god?” He nodded.

“It was the first time I heard your voice so clearly. I was struck… I’d never spoken to you before… and when you asked for your heart to be protected…” He bowed in return to her.

“The way I feel about you is unmistakable. There are so many things I’ve wanted to tell and ask you, watching you these past ten years.” Remembering Nanoha’s advice, he continued. “I want to learn everything I can about you, so that I may love you the best I can. I want to be your best friend, and use whatever I have at my disposal to bring you the greatest happiness. If… you will have me, that is. The choice is still firmly with you.” She looked at him, his big body prostrated as low as he could make himself, almost desperate to have her approval. She frowned.

“So you did remember what I asked for.” It was her turn to be shy as she looked at him. She lifted a long shiny lock of his dark hair, the scent of soft sweet flowers surrounding her.

“You’re quite pretty for an oni, you know.” She smiled, and he looked up at her carefully. His voice was even, but she could tell he was holding back.

“Are you disappointed in my appearance?” She smiled, shaking her head. She pushed on his shoulders to get him to sit up again, smiling, and just gazing at him. It made him both a little unnerved at how directly she was looking, but also gave him a bit of confidence.

“Not at all. This is just what you look like… I care more about what’s in here.” She tapped about where she thought his heart would be. “I love your hair… would you let me brush it sometimes?” His cock throbbed as her hand slid smoothly through a lock of it, pressing his hair to her plump lips, kissing it softly as she let it fall back down his shoulder. His voice grew a little rough from desire. She was literally making it hard to resist her.

“Anytime you want to. I want you to feel comfortable around me.” He said it quickly, legs shifting, hand covering his front discreetly, but she still caught it. Her oni was adorable, a soft kiss of his hair made him hard? She smiled, and turned slightly.

“Nanoha!” The kijo appeared quickly, not even hiding the smile on her face, much to Rachel’s amusement.

“Yes, mistress? What can I do for you?” Her hands were clasped together as though she were about to make a commission that would change her life, and in a way, maybe it would.

“Where are the hair tools you use for Isshiki’s hair? I would like to groom him a little. His hair is so lovely.” Somehow smiling even wider, she immediately turned to leave the room.

“I’ll be right back with them. Do you need anything else while I fetch his things for you?” She laughed at how cheerful Nanoha became. Did they really think she would reject him outright? Isshiki tugged on her sleeve, looking incredibly shy, his eyes partially hidden by his bangs.

“Could I also groom you too? Your hair is like a cloudy storm, it’s so different than mine.” He looked hopeful, like she would refuse him. She could understand where he was coming from. Hair was a very important part of her identity. She smiled. It seemed only like he wished to appreciate her. She looked shy, but tilted her head.

“I won’t refuse you, but you don’t have the proper tools. When we return to the living realm, we will need to go shopping.” She looked thoughtful. Isshiki was practically vibrating at this point. With the way she was talking, she would stay with him.

“Does this all mean that you accept me as yours?” She looked at him carefully.

“Do you promise to protect my heart? To treat me as an equal, as someone who may carry your lineage forward? To always be in my corner, even when I do something stupid? I doubt I’ll ever do something dumb knowingly, but I need to know that I can let go… that I can show you who I am and love you so fully and fiercely, that you may even grow sick of me—” Isshiki growled, and put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her in closer. Instead of frightening her, it only made her heart skip a beat.

“I will protect your everything… anything within my power. Neither of us could really be completely fulfilled without each other. Some might view it as a curse, but I see it as a blessing. The magic of the oni contract with humans ensures that the couple that are chosen for the next generation are highly harmonious. I’ve wanted nothing more than to draw you into my arms and smother you with love ever since I’ve laid eyes on you.” She looked embarrassed and shy, and it fueled his next responses. He took her hands into his large ones, careful of his claws.

“Because of the nature of our connection, I could not date or marry anyone else. I’m meant only for you. I know men have hurt you badly in the past… I could see flashes of your pain and wished I could be there to show you what real love was like. The hardest part of being here was that I could not come to you and give you everything you’d been looking for.” She let him pull her closer, so close that her knees touched his. He was warm, and smelled sweet, and it made her lean in closer, to his delight.

“I’m here now. I don’t know much, but I’m following my gut here, and it’s telling me that I should let you do whatever you want.” Isshiki groaned, and she smiled wryly. She could guess at what was running through his mind, but he decided to rein himself in.

“What I want most right now is to learn all about you. What life was like for you, all of your favorite things, all of the things you find unacceptable… everything. I want to know every speck of you.” She smiled.

“You’re quite smooth for a virgin, Isshiki. Did you learn how to be a man from grandpa?” Isshiki looked a bit haunted all of a sudden, and she felt like she hit a landmine. She wanted to backtrack, but he shook his head.

“This is the darkest part of my life, but if I want to know all about you, then it’s only fair you should know about me. I lost my mother and father to a tragic accident around twenty years ago, ten years before I succumbed to this prison. I think about what kind of man my dad was for mom, and I want to emulate it with you. She was always so happy, and loved me so fiercely. I wish I hadn’t pushed her away so much as I grew.” He swallowed hard, clear that he still had trouble with the memories, and her absence. She fiddled with the tie to his haori, which quieted him. He encouraged all of her touches and attention.

“You don’t have to tell me now… when you’re ready.” Isshiki smiled, and her heart skipped a beat. If he was this pretty as a demon, what did he look like as a human? He shook his head again, pulling her a little closer, his thighs hugging her knees.

“If you agree to it, you will be the closest person to me. I want to tell you, I’ve been stewing on it for so long it will feel good to just let it go. I’m sure my parents are still happy together in the afterlife, so I should begin living.” He smiled with hope, and she was tired of seeing him wonder.

“Listen Isshiki… I need to know up front before I make my decision. What’s going to happen if I accept you? How can I guarantee that this will all work out? I get that I crossed literal realms to be here to even face you, but I’ve been broken before. How can I know I’m not trapping myself in a nightmare?” He nodded, understanding her feelings.

“Those men who hurt you before… they only wanted one thing from you, and once they got it, they fell out of your life like the morning mist when the sun warms the earth. They never made you feel good, they never made you happy, no matter how hard you tried. You wanted to be yourself, to never lose yourself in your quest for a lover. But they all wanted you to be something you weren’t, right?” She nodded. His hands pulled her in further, and she didn’t fight him at all, which surprised him.

But what surprised her was how easily he lifted her to his chest to lie against him, in a cradling hug, something like when a parent carried their child to bed, and it made her immediately break out into tears. He sat there quietly as she cried against him, not caring one bit for the tears and snot, hugging her closer when it felt like her pain was too much. Nanoha came in quietly with what Rachel asked for, sitting off to the side. He spoke gently after a little while.

“I’d like to piece you back together with gold… make you more beautiful and the envy of those who would look down on you. I don’t want just one thing from you. I want all of you. Your sexy body, your sharp cunning mind, your every emotion, all your dreams and nightmares, all of your memories, from the past and the future. Anything and everything connected to you, I want to know it... immerse myself in it. I’ve always wanted to be with someone and be their hero, just like my oni ancestors before me. It starts with you. If I cannot make you happy, I have failed as a Kidou.” He adjusted her in his hold, so he could gently stroke her hair, continuing in a low voice.

“I’ve wanted to pick up the pieces of your heart and make them whole again for a while now. I recognize your worth, and all I ask is that you give me a chance to prove myself to you.” He pulled back, and wiped at her tears, which only made fresh ones fall harder. Her heart was slowly peeking its head out, wondering if this could be real and true.

“Is this real?” Her voice was soft and broken, filled with disbelief and pain, and his hand gently slid from her hair and caressed her cheek. He looked concerned, but proud that she was so vulnerable in front of him. This was what he wanted. He wanted her to come to him for anything. He lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes. Her lower lip quivered at how tenderly he gazed at her.

“Yes. As real as the sun presents itself in the morning and in the evening sets behind Iwaki Mountain. As real as the lovely sight of you visiting our shrine, praying so beautifully. Please give me a chance to be your everything. You became mine the moment the last ofuda fell. On my soul, I swear to make you the happiest woman in the universe.” She looked at him carefully, his violet eyes filled with soft love, his hands cradling her as though she were something precious.

As she sniffled, she thought that maybe that’s what was happening here. She’d felt safe the moment she stepped into the compound. For as big and strong as he was, he was so beautiful and gentle that she couldn’t help letting her guard down. She wanted to believe it was too good to be true, but her gut was telling her something different. She then remembered her granny.

‘Get going, and go find your destiny. I’m so glad you agreed to this… you’re gonna have so much fun!’ Her eyes became resolute. She knew what she felt. She quickly grabbed the necklace around his neck and yanked, the beads falling to the floor and scattering across the room, their luster turning dark, as though turned off. Isshiki’s eyes widened, and Nanoha smiled with triumph. He was free to return to the realm of the living, and with his promised bride. She smiled at his shocked face, and simply wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders, drawing closer to him, her face all he could see.

“Let’s have some fun, shall we, Isshiki?”