YERT

Sesshomaru was processing a lot of information in his head. How he would address his parents, how to address Ai, the problems this may possibly cause among the kingdoms. He glanced down at her but she seemed unfazed, staring curiously around the festival, she walked close to him, their shoulders brushing. He felt...happy. Of the many things he was sure of in his short life, having her as a mate was one of them. Telling his parents...he let out an audible sigh.

"What?" Ai asked, she was holding a stick of meat in her hand.

"Nothing." He replied quickly. "What is that?"

"I'm not sure, it's Masa's." She replied, smelling it. " She dragged Yato that way, to play a game." She pointed towards a stall, where Masa was cheering Yato on.

"Miss, do you want that?" A small Nymph child was eyeing the food. Ai handed it to the child, who bowed and ran away.

Ai wiped her hands on her Kimono and sighed. "I would like to watch the light show from the beach, close to the Palace."

Sesshomaru nodded. "I'll let Masa and Yato know where to meet us."

"What are you?"

Ai did not jump, she had felt Fen following her for sometime. "I'll need you to elaborate."

Fen stood next to her. "You energy, from the moment we touched. You're aura, you... are... different. The handsome one who's lips you were locking earlier, he is strong, incredibly strong full of demonic energy his powerful potential, that is still being unlocked, and the small bear and tall bird, they are fairly formidable but you..." He took in a deep breath. "You are different."

"What would you know?" Ai asked, curious.

Fen stood on the other side of her, leaned forward his dark eyes staring at her. "Nymphs are not just demons, we are connected to the earth and spirits of the elements we protect. Here, water, though some have some relation to the forest...hybrids if you will. We can feel energies and aura's, some better than others." He moved so as to be behind her now. "You, you have something in you, ancient and powerful- you don't know do you."

"You're right, I don't know what you are trying to get from this."

Fen nodded. "Just answers." He began to retreat into the darkness. "My Lady, I know who to chose as enemies or allies, you, I regard as an ally. Beware of the power in you, it is ancient and dark, but there is another in you too, that is light...not something found in the demons here. You are not like others, you must be careful." He was gone.

Ai really wanted to leave now.

"They'll meet us there after Masa goes."

When they were away from the village and deep on the beach, Ai finally spoke. "So, what now?"

"We should tell the Inu no Taisho."

Ai nodded. "Do you think they'll separate us?"

"I am-unsure."

They sat on Rocks, A glow could be seen above the treetops from where the Nymph village was. Sesshomaru pulled the necklace from his pocket, he had forgot to give it back to her. "Here."

"Oh, yeah."

"Do you wish to wear it now?" He unclasped the hooks. Ai nodded and lifted her hair, revealing her slender tan neck. His skin against hers, the contrast. Once it was on, she let go of her hair and turned to her side to face him.

"Sesshomaru." She stared at him intently, grabbing his large hand. "Here." She removed the bracelet and put it on his wrist. He stared at the dark beads on his wrist, he wondered if this was how she was telling him that she was also serious about them being together.

"My relationship with Kei-"

Ai kissed him mid sentence. "You don't have to explain."

"-it was not what she makes it out to be." Was how he finished his sentence just as the first lights penetrated the dark night sky.

"Sesshy boy!" Yato and Masa where running towards the Daiyokai couple. Audible clinking noises followed them. "Look what we won! You gotta try this stuff!"

Ai looked at Sesshomaru. "I have a feeling this will be an interesting night."

one Light show later.

"Oh god I think I love her." Yato groaned, running his hands through his hair. He hiccuped and sipped more of the alcohol from the large clay flask. He passed it to Sesshomaru who drank, his cheeks were a light pink. "I mean look at them!" He pointed to Ai and Masa who were running through the water in nothing but their sarashi and slips. Their bodies glistened in the moons light, muscles flexing. They laughed and splashed each other, Masa tackled Ai into the waves, Ai was quick to fight back.

"This stuff is amazing. Can you believe we won like all this..." Yato flung the large flask, the bittersweet alcohol sprayed over the three empty flasks next to him. The liquor was dangerous, after one sip no one could stop drinking. Even Sesshomaru himself, couldn't control how he felt, he could feel the alcohol in his blood with every exhalation. He was admiring the women as well, especially Ai, who at the moment was holding Masa under the waves.

"But why, why does she do this to me?" Yato continued, hitting his chest with one hand. "I mean, I'm a ladies man Sessh, a ladies man. I don't want to be tied down to just one lady- she deserves better than me, but- what do I know."

"Hayato, stop being pathetic ." Sesshomaru replied taking the alcohol from him and drinking. "You have always liked her, no woman knows you better than she does."

Padded feet approached them. Ai and Masa ran up to them, their hair clung to their shoulders and cheeks. "The water is-Amazing!" The Kuma-yokai giggled. She grabbed a full bottle and drank ravenously from it. "Join us."

"Yeah." Ai giggled, pushing her hair behind her ears. She took the bottle from Sesshomaru's hands and drank until it was empty. She tossed it into the empty pile. "C'mon." Pulling his hand she got him to stand.

He thought about it for a minute and decided, why not. He began to undress and Ai bit her lip. Masa howled into the night. "Take it off..."She pulled Yato towards the water.

"Wait, okay! I will! Just let me-" He was shedding his clothing as he got closer to the water...

It was early morning on the seaside and it was hot. The waves rushed over the sand and seabirds could be heard in the distance. All four laid on the beach, partnered up, Ai cuddled against Sesshomaru and Yato cuddled against Masa. Empty clay bottles lay around them as well as various articles of clothing.

"Well, we could find them in worse predicaments." Kazane chuckled, looking at her Mate. The Lord and Lady of the West had gone for an early morning stroll on the beach when they came upon the young daiyokai's. "Should we leave them?" She asked. "They look so peaceful."

"Has our son always had jewelry?" The Inu no Taisho asked, staring the bracelet on Sesshomaru's wrist, his arm was protectively wrapped around Ai. "I wonder if he got it at the festival."

Sesshomaru could hear muffled voices as he began to stir. The night was a blur. He could tell he was outside, the sounds the smells. He could feel sand against his bare skin. His one arm wrapped tight around a body, he felt a hand on his chest. He quickly opened his eyes and sat up. "Father, mother." Ai also followed suit, hearing Sesshomaru speak.

The Lord and Lady noticed the jewel hanging from around Ai's neck. They eyed each other and exchanged smiles. "Good morning children. Fun night?" Lady Kazane asked. Her son stood before her, in nothing but silk shorts and Ai in nothing but her Sarashi and short cloth slip. "Lord no Taisho, Lady Kazane." Ai bowed her head. Sand fell from her hair. The Inu no Taisho kicked Yato's foot and he and Masa quickly jumped to their feet.

"Sir!" They shouted bowing low.

Inu no Taisho let out a loud laugh. "This is certainly a sight." He picked up a bottle and sniffed it. "Ah yes, this stuff...I learned my lesson like this many, many years ago too."

"You two should go get washed up and get some rest." Lady Kazane smiled looking at Masa and Yato.

"Of course Ma'am." Yato and Masa quickly left.

Lady Kazane nodded her head and one of court maidens gathered the clothes and ran after them. "So. Are those matching items a symbol of everlasting friendship? I never took my son as the sentimental type, then again, I didn't think i'd find my son half naked on the shore with a woman, surrounded by bottles of.. Nymph alcohol." She held a hand over her mouth and giggled. " Though we all can't escape that which is youth."

Sesshomaru looked away. He hadn't expected to be in this situation either. His hands were behind his back and her gripped the bracelet tightly. "These are a set, given to us by the Nymph Fen. So yes, they do match and no they are not a symbol of friendship...instead a symbol showing that we are...a couple."

The Inu no Taisho stared at his son proud at how he handled himself, even half naked and covered in sand. Sesshomaru spoke with a level head and with a set mind. Their plan to get the two had worked better than he thought, or perhaps his son truly had had feelings and desires to be with Ai this whole time. "So you wish to court Lady Ai?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes. I want to court Ai."

"Jewelry aside, you desire to have my son court you?" Lady Kazane asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Yes, My lady." Ai looked at both of them. "If you will allow it."

Touga and Kazane looked at each other. The Lord of the West, stood at his full height, arms crossed over his chest. He took in a deep breath and stared at them both. Sesshomaru stared back and for the first time in a long time, The Inu no Taisho saw what seemed like worry, cross his sons face. Ai also looked tense, in her jaw. He exhaled. "Very well, you have our blessings." He watched as the two seemed to relax, their shoulders dropping ever so slightly. "Now wash up and enjoy the rest of this vacation."

"Yes, father." Sesshomaru bowed. Ai bowed as well. He grabbed her by the hand and walked with her back to the palace. Another court lady, with her hands full of discarded clothes followed quickly behind.

"Young love." Kazane smiled. "They will be quite the talk."

"Oh, yes, this will bring up a great debate. If we get the South back and under her control, we will have two of the four kingdoms, they will not like that balance. However, I don't care what they like or don't like."

"We should allow them to have this vacation, things will be harder for them, here on out. It will be harder for all of us."

The table was quiet. Yato nursed a tonic drink, while Masa sat slouched over a bowl of bone broth. Sesshomaru sat quietly at one end of the large table, arms folded across his chest, he glanced at Ai who sat diagonal from him, she was in deep thought. Everyone had bathed at this point, they were clean, in fresh clothes, but the after effects of the Nymph wine was hitting, some more than others.

"No one, remembers anything?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice low.

"Please." Yato groaned. "Shh." He sipped the tonic and winced. "I don't...sand, water, wine?"

Masa had one hand holding her head up, she used the other to hold a thumb up. "We won wine, we woke up on the beach."

"Is this what they call Yopparau*?" Ai asked with a curious smirk.

Masa and Yato stifled their laughter. Masa spoke in breathy huffs. "I think its better to call it, futsuka yoi*..."

"At this point Mikka Yoi*." Yato added.

Even Sesshomaru cracked a smile at this. Everyone felt varying levels of awful. He closed his eyes, trying hard to think of the nights events.

"Water." Ai whispered. "We watched the light show...that's when Yato and Masa appeared, clink...the clinking of the bottles, I remember them."

"I...yeah...We won that game." Said Masa her lips just above the now warm liquid dish, contemplating whether she'd drink...if she could drink.

"We drank a bottle on the way to them, I think...but I don't remember meeting them on the beach."

The Inu no Taisho entered the dining area that the young Dai-yoka's were in. He laughed a hardy laugh that caused everyone to shrink into their seats. "Ah to be young again." He folded his arms over her chest. "Listen, you won't remember if you keep trying, that is the way of Nymph wine, you will just have to let the memories come back organically...You'll really know what happened if one of you ends up a father-"

"Father." Sesshomaru spoke quickly, in a tone that said 'why would you say such a thing?"

"It happens." He replied seriously. "Or we'll hear the rumors if anything truly exciting was...witnessed."

The young prince rubbed the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Why are you here?"

"Ah, yes." He clasped his hands together. " Your mother and I have to go to the Sky Palace for the rest of the day and most of tomorrow. As such, Sesshomaru, you are in charge of the entire estate and all issues that may arise. Understood?

Sesshomaru stood and nodded his head. "Yes, father."

The Inu no Taisho parted with another laugh. "Ah to be young again."

Yato smirked, waiting to hear The Inu no Taisho's footsteps disappear. "Oh man, the whole place to yourself?"

"Do you think this is a test?" Masa asked. "What are Inu-courting rituals?"

Masa wasn't far from wrong it was a test and they soon would see if everyone would pass.

*Drunk *Two days drunk(hungover) *Three days drunk (Super hungover).

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