The Koi Realm

2 weeks after the Undersea Incident

"I'm just saying," Night flicks my nose, "you were nuzzling me in your sleep your subconscious is trying to tell you something."

I smack him away and head for the noodle shop, "I don't know what you're talking about," there's only one seat left at the counter. Night mumbles," of course," and stands behind me.

"Two bowls," he places a silver tally on the counter, the shop owner beams at us and gets busy with our dishes.

"What brings you here?" the swordsman next to us asks.

"Food," I say, slurping my noodles the moment the bowl is set before me, "so good."

"You came all this way for food?"

"Two more," Night says, "my wife loves food, so we travel the world in search of the best dishes."

I nod in agreement and eat the second bowl of noodles, "the Dragon Realm has the best lotus paste cakes, the Vampire Realm surprisingly has amazing honey cakes, oh and gooey chocolate cakes."

"You're kidding?"

"She never kids, especially about food," Night takes one of the fresh noodle bowls and nods for me to take the third.

"That's her third one," the swordsman says, "you'll get sick."

"What's your name?" I ask once I've finished my third bowl of noodles.

"Tatsuya."

"Well, Tatsuya, I don't get sick."

Tatsuya shakes his head, "for your sake I hope that's true, nice meeting you both."

Night takes Tatsuya's empty seat and orders an extra bowl of noodles. I swear I eat more than him.

"Where to now?"

"Mister, how do we get an audience with the Empress?" Night asks. The shop keeper stop's what he's doing and looks us over, the rest of the patrons turn to look at us, hands going to their swords.

"What business have you with the Empress?" the fourth guy down to my left asks.

"Well that's our business isn't it?" I hop off my seat, "thank you, those were the best noodles I've ever had." Night sets his bowl down and chases after me.

As expected, someone follows us out of the shop. I make stops here and there pointing at things I want. Night buys me everything I ask for, including a porcelain female doll with a twirling red parasol, her dress is made of red and black silk with silvery swirls, she wears cherry blossoms in her hair. I've never had a doll or any toys for that matter.

Pearl, on the other hand, had doll, after doll and she broke them all. I wonder what she's doing, what they're all doing. The figure follows us into the inn but not up the steps.

"What's he waiting for?" I ask, placing my doll inside a magic case. No way I'm letting her break. Even though I'm sure Night would get me another if it broke. If the last two weeks have taught me anything is, he'll give me whatever I ask for. Including his heart.

"Probably waiting for sundown," Night leans against the window frame, arms crossed, "what are you doing?"

"I don't want her to break," I shrink the magic case and attach it to one of my bangles along with all the sweets Night bought me.

"If it breaks, I'll get you a new one," he peers out the window, "Which one do you think followed us?"

"I wager on Tatsuya."

He walks over and kneels before me, "why?"

"Something about him."

Night leans in our lip's inches away, "what should we do while we wait?"

"Not that," the moment I push him away he pulls me forward and lets out a soft laugh when I land on top of him.

"Not that hu?" he moves his hands to my hips but remains perfectly stoic.

"We didn't last time, why would we now?" I sit up and end up straddling him. He gives me a wolf's grin lets go of my hips and folds his hands behind his head.

Night closes his eyes, that wolf's grin still on his lovely face, "One day, one day," he keeps repeating.

If only he knew, I'd like nothing more than to have him in me, but we're on assignment and I can't afford the distraction. The door burst open, masked figures rush in carrying curved single edge blades.

"How annoying," Night mumbles.

I get of him and call my bow to me. Night summons his curved blades rotating them like they weigh nothing. The masked figures advance towards us, whoever isn't cut down by Night's blades is pierced by my arrows. Why can't we just go somewhere, where people don't want to kill us. A flying star zooms past us striking the wall.

Dammit, I want one, "Really," Night sends.

"Get me one, "I send back.

"Just turn your Shadows into throwing stars," he sends.

Why didn't I think of that? I call the Shadows forward forming them into throwing stars. They embed themselves into our assailants causing them to convulse.

"Poison, nice touch," Night sends, "what do you say we go somewhere else?"

"Do you know who sent them?" I send.

"I do," he says blasting the assailants with a wave of darkness, "your master should have come himself."

###

"Whose home is that?" I send Night.

"Minister of Defense," he sends back, "it seems like Tatsuya works for him."

"So, I was right."

"Yes, my love you were right."

My love, that's a new one, "why would the Minister of Defense send thugs after us?"

"Not a clue."

Tatsuya enters the Minister's home followed by two other swordsmen. We cover our faces and fly off one rooftop to the next. The moment the clouds cover the moon we fly to the Minister's roof. I send shadows to take out the guards. Night points to the landing on the second level, we cloak ourselves in darkness at the sound of footsteps.

"Someone's here," one of Tatsuya's companions says.

"Fan out," Tatsuya says, "I'll check on the Minister."

I send shadows after both his men, if only he knew they won't live past tonight.