What Not to Ask the King of En
- Also Known as, If the First Chapter Didn't Exist

Youko probably should have known better, but she was homesick and curious. When she asked, however, she immediately gathered it was a mistake.

"What do you miss most about Wa, Shoryuu?"

Enki immediately groaned. "Oh, not that. Anything but that!"

Enki was a good measure of Shoryuu's mood.

Shoryuu frowned at his Kirin, but the expression stayed as he thought for a moment and then sighed. "Really … I miss sex."

Youko choked.

"Don't be so surprised." Shoryuu groused. "Rokuta doesn't notice the more intimate habits of Wa what with the lack of that interest, especially in a Kirin, but even the rest of the society, well. I've heard from a few kaikyaku that it's gotten a bit more reserved in the years and then shifting back out again, but …" He sighed deeply. "Really. I had no lack of lovers in my time, before coming here, a woman for every need, but there aren't any here. None. And it's not like the women aren't interesting, it just doesn't occur to them …" He just shrugged.

Youko had to pause for a moment before scowling in thought. "But … what about those brothels?"

"Geisha." He sighed, depressed. "Talk, Sympathy. No sex. No sex. Not even a little. Not the least, although there are a few massages, they just never cover the right area and asking would just be crude. So, I have had no sex, and it's been five hundred years." He fished for a drink and downed it briskly. "Worst thing, really. All those women, and not a one to lay with."

Youko blinked for a few more moments, digesting the information in a mild state of shock before suddenly smiling incredulously. Both Enki and Shoryuu stared at her, before Shoryuu snapped shortly, "What's the smile for?"

"You wouldn't understand." Youko chuckled weakly out. "It's not quite that great, but it makes sense and I just realized …"

Shoryuu frowned for a few moments longer before laughing shortly and shaking his head. Rokuta frowned between them.

"Well. This looks like an inside joke." Neither offered any answer other than Shoryuu's further chuckling, so Rokuta just sat back and swung his feet. "Well, at least I didn't have to hear him start ranting again. I just don't get it."

"Rokuta, you will never understand the glories of sex." Shoryuu bemoaned.

"And I don't care to!" Rokuta wrinkled his nose. "If it's anything like you described, it'd be uncomfortable. I can't believe half of that is real, much less something you want to do." He sniffed and scowled reproachfully at him. "I hardly believe those women liked what you put them through!"

Youko quickly raised her hands. "Stop, please! I don't need to hear anything more!"

Shoryuu frowned, and offered, "Well, if you're curious, I could show-"

"NO! Definitely not."

Keiki, walking in, interjected in a confused but long-suffering tone, "Rokuta, what are they going on about?"

"You don't want to know." Enki deadpanned. "Really. I didn't want to know, don't know half of it, and if you start asking he really will answer. And then you might offend Youko some more. I know you'll offend me."

Keiki frowned, sighed, and then offered, "How about refreshment, then?"

Youko and Enki didn't wait for Shoryuu to stop pouting before pouncing upon the welcome distraction. His token complaints were ignored. Youko made a note to not bring up Wa with Shoryuu again. At least not about missing it, anyways. She was not curious, thank you.

A/N: Exercises in how to reference something and yet never naming it. Do let me know how well I succeeded. A friend read the first, then asked about this and, well, I wrote it. Gotta love Enki's sauce. Just gotta love it.

Enjoy! Please Read and Review?

Fire & Napalm