Aku growls under his breath, his shoulders drooping. He hated doing things the 'honest' way but if the witch truly had a way of knowing if he cheated, then he would have no choice.
In the coming days and weeks, Aku returned every so often to check on the patch of earth in the garden and water it if the soil felt dry. For the longest time it seemed as if nothing was happening and each time he left, he looked more and more disappointed. There was irritation, yes, but there was also a growing sense of despair that he would never recieve his wish. He almost considered not returning at all until one morning he arrives early to find the tips of tiny green shoots sticking up from the soil. Aku blinks as if his eyes deceive him and moments later, he bursts in through the back door of the shop, grinning excitedly.
"Yuuko!" His serpentine form flies from room to room in search of the witch. It doesn't occur to him that she may not even be awake at this early hour. "YUUKO!"
Yuuko is most certainly not awake at this particular hour. Him bursting into her quarters where she passed out only a few hours ago is not a pleasant experience for her. The witch holds her head as she slowly sits up needing a moment to process just what and why this is happening at this hour.
Aku is it?
She scowls a bit. He's been coming and going, which is all well and good, but he's mostly kept to himself up till now. She's had no problem with that arrangement. Why this had to change right now is beyond her.
"What... could possibly be so important...?" The witch slowly rises from where she'd been sleeping and takes careful and somewhat steady steps towards him. Because as tempting as just pulling a blanket over herself is she now has company. And as the owner and proprietor of this business she does have a responsibility to customers... even if that customer burst into her home and woke her up her duty is irrefutable.
Careful steps are important, especially as a rush of solid darkness whirls around Yuuko. Suddenly, the demon lord is standing right beside her with fangs bared in a smile much too bright and cheerful for this world. It's a wonder that his face is even capable of emoting such an expression.
"They are ALIVE!" he announces joyously with claws raised and arms spread. "But you must see it to believe it!"
Aku can see that Yuuko has just awoken and is only barely awake but he can't be bothered to care. This news is MOST important! Of course, if the situation was reversed and he'd been the rudely awoken one, he'd put a swift end to whoever dared to disturb him from his nap. The most he does to dial himself back is shout in a 'softer', slightly hushed way.
"And if you can see it then I'll know that my eyes do not deceive me!" Because apparently he isn't sure if he can believe it himself yet. One of his arms remains extended out in front of them while his other hand hovers behind Yuuko as if he means to lead her through the house and into the backyard.
There are a dozen and a half things she'd prefer to do than go outside and look at the ground. She'd like to put on something that isn't slipping off her shoulders. She'd like to run something through her hair. She'd like a drink of the alcoholic variety. A quick smoke from her pipe... literally anything else.
A customer is a customer though...
So... not even bothering with shoes or even another word she moves to go outside and into the crisp morning air.
Now, if this were any other time of day she'd be much more interested and intrigued at the state of things. She honestly thought he'd be at this for years and years but to have something start to sprout at his very first attempt? This wish of his must be a very longed for desire. And she truly is impressed even if the early hour does not allow her to be so.
"Alright... show me."
Not that she doesn't trust him but... she doesn't trust him. Yuuko knows where the seeds are planted and presumably so does he since he's come here quite frequently but just in case. The witch doesn't want him pointing out any other sprouting plants and claiming them as his own.
If Yuuko's hair is a mess, Aku doesn't notice. And if her clothes slide off, so be it! The important thing now is that she set eyes on Aku's latest achievement. As they near the garden, he leaves Yuuko's side and heads straight for the patch of dirt he's been cultivating for the past several weeks. He's pleased to see that the sprouts have not vanished like a mirage and are still there. Tiny. But there.
Beaming at his unexpected success, the yokai takes his place beside the tiny sprouts and gestures grandly to them with both hands as if to present a great gift to the witch.
She leans down to take a look at the sprouting flora. There it is. In all it's green glory. Well... She's actually quite impressed.
Yuuko nods a bit and turns to face him. "That certainly is life. But your task isn't over yet. It needs to continue to thrive and once it blooms it will give us the answers you seek in regards to who will be able to carry that which you greatly desire. Until then... continue to look after your creation. But..." She offers the demon a smile. Despite the rude awakening and hangover it's still rather kind. "Know that I'm quite proud of you."
She moves away from the soon to be flowers and takes to take a seat on a the porch to her home. There's only so much standing and moving around she can do in this state. "I know this is simply a means to an end for you but... what are you hoping to see spring out of the ground? Any prospects?"
The smile she gives him and the words that follow leave Aku feeling somewhat perplexed. It's more than a little surprising (and confusing) to hear words of praise directed at him. Was it a joke? A veiled insult? He can't tell but at this point he can't bring himself to care much. The plants were alive, he's one step closer to receiving his wish and that's all that matters. His gaze follows Yuuko as she retreats to the porch but Aku remains where he stands near the plants as if he's not ready to leave them yet.
"I could not care less about what these things are so long as they continue to flourish and become large and strong," he answers with some theatrical movements of his hands. Large and strong! — what any parent would want their offspring or plant to become. But more than anything, Aku wants the answers these plants will provide should he manage to keep from killing them. Turning toward the well, the demon points a clawed finger to the sky. An arc of water leaps up out of the well like a jumping jet fountain which he directs into a nearby watering can to fill.
"How will these plants provide us with the answers I seek?" he inquires, stopping just short of asking Yuuko if she will 'read the flowers'.
"All flowers have meaning and purpose. Perhaps you cannot relate but people have flowers that resonate very well to them or to an occasion. The most obvious one, of course, is the rose which represents love. And there are flowers that represent death too... When your flowers bloom we'll be able to find out a suitable host due to the very species and color."
Yuuko leans back on her hands, kicking her legs out a bit as she watches him work. "The love and attention and hard work you're putting into those budding sprouts will resonate within the flowers that bloom. I'll read them, of course, but it is your efforts that will lead us there." Her gaze flickers up to the morning sky... ugh... it's much too early to be awake.
"Life leads to life. That is why you doing this on your own is so important. Creating life will allow you to find a way to allow you to make more. It is, in some ways, the natural order. And most importantly it keeps things in balance."
"The red spider lily..." That was the one that represents death. Aku was no master of flowers but he's been around awhile.
Once the watering can is sufficiently filled, the demon points his finger toward the patch of earth where the seeds have sprouted. Following his silent command, the can lifts itself up off the ground and floats to where it's needed. There, it hovers in midair as it pours water onto the seedlings. Apparently, Aku has an endless supply of magic to call upon at his whim and it seems to come not from the universe, but from him.
While his magic does the work, Aku returns to the house and takes a seat at the edge of the porch overlooking the garden. He listens as she explains how his efforts will lead to the type of flower that will grow and the life that will follow. And of course, something something, balance.
"You speak often of balance," he states plainly. Balance and Aku were two concepts that did not go hand in hand. The demon could see no value in keeping things 'in balance' and would sooner liken himself to an Extreme. His gaze shifts to look at the witch.
"I must wonder—" he frowns, slouching as he rests his elbows on his knees. "What if the host indicated by the flower should refuse me? I am, after all, the fearsome Lord of Evil and Darkness." Even he has to admit not every chick is into that.
She glances at him with a small smile at the mention of the red spider lily. Yes... that certainly is one. One that grows in this very garden for somewhat obvious reasons.
"I speak of balance often because I am bound by it." She lazily lifts up her hand and looks to her wrist as if there were some sort of shackle binding her to this shop. There isn't... but there is a weight, certainly, of the laws that must be followed in regards to her magic. They are, at times, like heavy weights that stop her from taking a firmer position in many situations.
"When I do things that tip the scales too far in one direction terrible things come to pass. And people get hurt. Those with great power must learn to control it so it doesn't effect the world around them too greatly." She gestures to Aku. "Even you are bound by some sort of balance. You and this samurai you spoke of before. One without the other would surely lead to some sort of ruin and chaos. At the very least a void where once the other stood."
She shrugs her shoulders a bit. Too tired and too hungover to say more than that. It's the sort of thing she thinks he'd scoff at and she has no great interest in explaining how her world works to him. In the end it's too sad a story. Instead she'll answer his concern which is a much easier.
"You have to trust in the magic and the contract that is made by creating life. You will have created something and it will lead you to someone who can help create even more. That is what you're paying for and that is what you will get. Have faith in my work and in yours. So long as those flowers bloom your wish will be granted."
Just as Yuuko had suspected, the demon scoffs inwardly at the notion of Jack playing the role of counterbalance to the glorious power of Aku. Yet, he does understand the sense of feeling shackled and weighted down by the samurai's continuing existence. It's part of why he's agreed to this contract, after all. While he might not be able to obliterate his foe (at least not yet), he could lighten the weight by finding a purpose beyond the samurai and create his own powerful allies.
Which means he must make these flowers grow and find the one who will help him grant his wish. Straightening out of his slouch, Aku, Lord of Evil and Master of Darkness, makes a solemn vow: "Then I shall make these flowers grow."
In the months to follow, Aku became more and more of a permanent fixture in Yuuko's yard. What started as short daily visits grew longer when he realized all the dangers waiting to sabotage his efforts. After discovering that something had chewed on some of the new leaves, he often took the form of a large owl and perched in the tree above to stand guard. And when a late snow fell over the garden, he shielded the sprouts like a mother bird shielding her young from the cold. Sometimes, on cool nights, he napped beside them in the form a of a cat. Other times Yuuko might find him napping on the porch, but for the most part, the demon kept away from the house and did not interfere with her other clients.
As the seasons changed, the plants grew taller and taller. Not all of the seedlings had survived but the ones that did seemed to be as stubborn as their caretaker. In the warm months of summer, buds appeared on the delicate stalks. Finally the day came when the buds opened and the long-awaited flowers bloomed. On that day, Aku once again leads Yuuko to the garden to show her the fruits of his labor. It's clear that he's proud of his work and he's eager to hear what she has to say, but there's still a small part of him that can't help but feel apprehensive.
Wearing his best poker face, Aku looks to the witch for the answer he's been waiting for, "What is your verdict, Miss Yuuko?"
Her own personal promised day is still far from coming to pass. Having Aku in her shop and mulling about is no great issue and he keeps to himself and leaves her to her work. Spirits come. Humans come. Deals are struck across time and space and magical items are collected to help the shop continue doing what it needs to do.
She has just finished a trade with a rather ragged and desperate man. He has traded an eye and half his magic to travel a limited amount of times across space. His magic will help further her cause... She shelves the golden crystal in her treasure room and it's then that she hears Aku's excited and eager calls. All that time and effort... He must undoubtedly be nervous. Though this amount of time is nothing for beings like them hard work is still hard work.
She doesn't keep the demon waiting too long. Yuuko carefully steps out into the yard to look at the fruits of his labor. And at first sight at what has bloomed she knows. She knows exactly who this represents. If they had been flowers representing simply death that'd be one thing. There would be options in the spirit world and even here. There are possible people that could take on this task. If it had been the red spider lily she'd have known where to point. But this is a plant that points to her specifically more than any flower teasing death would.
"This is a black knight butterfly bush. It looks somewhat like a lilac but you will find in a few weeks time it will be covered in butterflies and other insects. Like moths to a flame all sorts and even birds will come to sample the nectar of this plant. It provides that which is most needed.
Its petals are black giving it a haunted and rotting away look though it is not so.
A provider to those in need. Something not quite living any longer that can bear the burden of that which you hope to bring into this world. And... butterflies."
She turns away from the flowers to head back inside. Her feelings on this matter are somewhat numb. It's certainly not what she expected. It's certainly not what she thought the magic would lead to. But everything that happens in this shop does in fact happen for a reason and maybe this too needs to be. After all... she is not going to be able to ever be capable of having a child of her own in any other way. That time has passed. He is gone now due to their combined mistake. And her body... it certainly could not provide any living mortal thing a chance.
Her reaction, or lack thereof, is most perplexing. Aku can only blink his eyes and watch as she turns toward the house with a distant air of shock about her. It makes him wonder if something has gone wrong. Yet there is nothing uncertain in her tone of voice when she tells him to follow.
As Yuuko makes a beeline for the shop, Aku teleports to appear several times on either side of her route along the way. And each time she passes him, he fires off a new question: "Is she inside the shop?" he inquires. "How well do you know her?" And again, "Do you think she will agree to our arrangement?"
Finally, he appears on the back porch standing between Yuuko and the door leading into the shop. He looks as if he won't let her pass until he gets a more definitive answer. "Yuuko, I must know. Will she say yes?"
She answers those questions as he appears each and every time. They're short nearly single word answers but they are answered.
Is she in the shop? "No." Not yet anyway.
How well do you know her? "Very well."
Do you think she will agree to our arrangement? "Maybe."
Apparently her answers are not good enough, unsurprisingly. She looks up at him offering nothing as far as expressions go. It's just a lot. It's something she needs to take in and absorb. Does she have the ability to say no? He planted the flowers. He made them grow and gave them life. Now she must uphold her part of this magic. No is probably not an option.
"I don't know. I just learned who it is." She closes her eyes for a moment and works to center herself. This matter is serious and it's certainly not fair to him who worked so very hard. "You've done well. You planted the flowers. You helped them grow. Life has bloomed. You've done all that you need to do. Leave the rest to me. I just need time. Can you wait a few more fleeting moments?"
More and more, Aku feels that something has gone wrong. If all was right she would have given him a straight answer by now, wouldn't she? But perhaps Yuuko merely needed to contact the woman in question and have a word with her before things could move forward. A part of him is dubious, yes, but he still recalls what she told him not so long ago — Trust in the magic. Have faith in my work and yours.
After a moment of consideration, the demon's stern expression softens a bit and his gaze drifts pointedly elsewhere. He then moves aside to let Yuuko pass.
"Yes, yes, I will wait," he says with a measure of resignation. While eager to move things along, he's not so eager to meet some stranger whom he might have to woo and convince to be apart of this contract. It's not something he'd given much thought to before now and it's beginning to weigh heavily on his mind. Regardless, he would do what he must to receive his wish.
After letting Yuuko proceed into the shop, Aku follows her inside and seats himself in a chair. There he sits with a bladed elbow on the arm rest, half-way lost in his own thoughts. "...If you speak with her, please let me know what she says," comes his mumbled but sincere request. "I will be here."
He intends to stay, does he? She supposes that makes sense. He's worked hard and she's keeping this important information at bay. All the while while she struggles with her own personal dilemma, she can't decide if her own personal opinion on this is worth it or if she is just another tool to the magic. Does she even get a say?
Everything happens for a reason. Even something like this. Right?
And perhaps this is less about granting children to a demon and bringing balance to a truly chaotic creature. For being bound to her in any way comes with its weight and duty. Not that this makes the decision any easier.
First things first. Liquor. She needs to enjoy that while she still can. Should she grant his wish she's going to be losing all her fun vices... And once she has poured herself an ample helping of wine she moves back to the room that the demon is currently residing in, still waiting for his answer.
"Aku... You've come from a far off land. Many in need of wishes granted come from the infinite worlds of time and space. So may I inquire how you came to know of me? Is it knowledge that you've acquired through other lands and places. Or was it whispered to you like in a dream?"
For every minute Yuuko is away, Aku becomes increasingly paranoid with thoughts of uncertainty racing through his mind. Something had gone wrong, he was sure of it. The look on Yuuko's face had told him so. What would he do if the answer was 'No'? What would he have to do to change her mind? She would want something in return, no doubt. Something valuable. He could produce priceless gems and jewels from thin air but would that really be enough? Had it been a mistake to come here? Could he have been wrong?
When Yuuko reenters the room, Aku's mind jolts back to the present and he sits a little straighter as if he expects some kind of answer, good or bad. What he receives instead is a question. There's an anxious twitch in his claws as he grips the chair's armrests. It takes him no time at all to recall the event that had brought him here. It does, however, take him a moment to talk about it aloud.
"It was a dream...," he begins. "No, a premonition. I foresaw my own demise at the hands of my enemy. The Samurai found a way to return to the past and erase my future and myself from existence. But as my reality crumbled around me and my being began to fade, I saw but one remaining structure left standing. It was a shop — your shop. As I entered, the fading slowed and I knew that I would be safe for a time, though not forever. No one appeared to me in the shop but there was a table set for tea. Butterfly-pea flower tea, to be exact."
It was a strange detail to recall but a memorable one, no less. He vividly remembers the deep blue and purple liquids inside the teacups. He even recalls the cups themselves bearing images of butterflies but he sees no reason to mention it.
"I awoke soon after with the feeling that I must find this shop and the answers therein."
The witch closes her eyes for a moment as he speaks. A dream... Not a passing word or something he got from someone else as many others do. This is what came to him through nothing short of a prophetic vision, thus it was foretold.
The dream of her shop and the butterfly tea... That all points to her and the flowers that bloomed only confirm what she already knows. Whatever the reason of these predestined events it is her duty to see them through.
"Hitsuzen then...?" She nods a bit, more to herself than to him. This, for whatever reason, is part of the great plan that her existence still lingers here for. So who is she to deny this step? She has a duty here in this shop. And whatever role he may or may not play in it is not something she can deny. This is the path that was carved out for her...
"You must forgive me for making you wait for an answer. The results were a bit surprising... After all..." She cants her head to the side just a bit as she looks this demon over. "I am not alive. But I suppose that suits the purpose of this. For what living creature could take on the task? The one who will take on this deed... is me. So the flowers have said. So your dream foretold. So it must be."
It's then that his claws cease their idle tapping and Aku looks at her with rounded eyes. A silent moment passes in which he sits up so straight and alert even his horns seem to perch higher atop his head.
"So, it is you," he speaks with quiet shock. No wonder she had looked so pale and stunned earlier upon realizing it was she who was slated to this fate. Aku strokes his beard as if he's just been struck with an enlightening thought. "A being of great power and magic, one who is neither living nor dead but remains immortal. ...Yes, it makes perfect sense that it is YOU who shall bear my child."
Relieved, the yokai rocks back into his seat with a raucous bout of laughter, teeth and fangs bared in a big grin.
"WHAT RELIEF! You had me worried, Yuuko! I was not looking forward to convincing some stranger to carry out my wish. Not that I couldn't do it..." he's quick to point out with a raised claw. "I can be very persuasive after all. But why go through the trouble when before me sits a woman of such magical prowess and beauty?" Yes, beauty. It isn't as if he hadn't noticed. If they're successful and the offspring comes out looking like her, Aku wouldn't be at all dismayed.
It does make sense. She's probably one of the few stuck in this perpetual state. It's very unlikely any living being would be up to the task. She knew this. But she had thought the dead... Well. That's still her, is it not?
She's not as boisterous or as eager as he is. This is a lot and not a task she was ever intending to take on in her stalled out lifetime. Regardless... it is not in her power to deny him his wish which he has paid for. Life for life, after all...
"Of this I do not doubt... But there is no need for flattery at this juncture. The deal is struck and I can not deny you less I risk great consequence. You will get what you have paid for." She holds up a finger of her own. "While I know you have waited quite long enough and are not keen on doing more perhaps you will allow me some time to prepare. I had not intended this path and am ill prepared for something as delicate as motherhood."
She at least needs to try and ween off her unsafe vices. Or indulge in them heavily one last time. And vices aside this is going to take a small amount of processing time. Impatient as this demon is and has a right to be... to some extent, she hopes that he will grant her this.
After receiving his long awaited answer, Aku is in fairly good spirits. Good enough to grant Yuuko her request.
"I will allow you time to prepare," he answers without hesitation. "After all, I want nothing short of the best possible conditions for our agreement to come to fruition. Anything less may end once again in failure."
The yokai's gaze falls as his expression turns pensive, confused even. "I have yet to fully understand why numerous laboratory trials yielded unsuccessful results but one must reason that the proper conditions were not being met." Was it a lack of magic that caused the repeated failures? A lack of compatibility? Or had it been improper conditions in the lab? Needless to say, he was tired of failure and if a bit more time was needed for success then so be it.
"Do whatever it is you must do. I will return at a time of your choosing." He leans forward as if to stand — no doubt she doesn't want him around while she partakes in these preparations, whatever they might be, but he pauses short of getting up. "...It won't take years, will it? I will provide assistance if needed."
She lets out a deep breath mostly of relief. She had thought he might be over eager to start all of this and that she could not allow. She's simply not ready and while there's nothing that she really has to prepare for there does need to be some time to cope. Ask reflecting questions and maybe even ponder a bit. Something to help ease her into this new role.
For if she is not balance with herself then life will not flourish.
Yuuko looks up to him at his musing and offers a small smile. "There are specific conditions for all life. And they are not so easily met. Even humans have but a window for success. As did the very world we stand on. A series of events that fall into place at precise moments. Though humans are good at replicating themselves to a frequent degree things are not always so simple. Worlds like this one are not formed every day. And the creation of your kind may also be another rare case and require ever so specific timing. If life were so simply made the universe would be full of it. But it is only through searching through immeasurable distances of time and space that we find it. And quite often in the replica of what we already know and have.
"This is no failure on you. The universe has simply not made it so easy. Perhaps with good reason. But... we will see if magic can ease the passage of life. At the very least a few conditions have been met."
At his concern that she will postpone this for year she can't help but laugh. The situation is trying at best but... well... he's at the very least an amusing demon.
"No. I do not have all that many years to waste. A promised day is coming where I will not exist in this world any longer. So it's best to play my role for you sooner rather than later. I only need a few weeks, if that. You may return on a day that you feel is most promising to ensure success. As someone who is stuck in time there is no day that will be better than the others for it is all the same. So you may decide. If you prefer planetary alignment or a blood moon. Whatever you feel will promise the greatest chance. I will be ready upon your return. You, of course, have my word."
Aku reflects silently on her words. He doesn't understand some of them, namely what she means by a promised day when she will cease to exist. An immortal being should never simply cease to be — not without a fight, at least. Or perhaps she plans to exist in another world or realm of existence. Whatever the case, he's not here to pry into her personal affairs more than he has to. Instead, he focuses on what he does understand. To return on a day that was most promising to ensure success.
The yokai didn't think of time in weeks or months but in terms of solar patterns and lunar cycles. In a month's time there would come a day when the moon's shadow fell upon the Earth in a total solar eclipse. In the past he'd had good fortune on such days and his power seemed to be at its height. The timing could not be better. If Yuuko's sign was the butterfly, Aku's was the solar eclipse.
Always the ham, he raises his clawed hands in a slow, sweeping gesture as he speaks, "In the coming weeks, the moon will cross into the path of the sun and cast a great shadow upon the land. So too shall our paths cross again." Rising from his seat, the demon looms a tall and shadowy figure in the room. "I shall see you then, Yuuko." And though he inclines his head in a slight bow, he would hold her to her word that she would be here when he returns. As he departs, reality seems to warp around him and the shadowy form of Aku spirals upon itself before vanishing from Yuuko's dimension.
The weeks came and went leading up to the day when Aku would return. But given the time he has to think and reflect, the yokai isn't entirely prepared for what would happen. Would she leave her dimension and travel to the laboratory with him? Would she have magically removed one of her human eggs and present it for him to take? Or did she have something else planned? On the day of his proposed return, he still doesn't know what to expect. Regardless, when the moon begins to eclipse the sun on the day of reckoning, he appears at the shop without a sound.
There's not much for her to actually do as far as any preparation goes. Aside from cutting back on both drinking and smoking of course. She is a being frozen in time and if the magic and spells have deemed her this role than that is what it will be. It was the mental preparation that was required more than anything so to have a whole month to reflect and brace one's self for these great changes is most appreciated.
Normally for granting large wishes like this she dons her priestess outfit. All her symbols of the moon in both black and whites are etched into the garments and helps channel or at least give others confidence that she is as powerful as the rumors claim to be. Today that seems most unnecessary. Most of her clothing does. So there is no big kimono with unruly butterfly wings. No intricate bodice with spider woven patterns. No skirt of patterned flames. No lace, feathers, flora or jewels. Just something plain and simple. Something that can easily be taken off when the moment comes. And if he's a wild one when it comes to these matters there will be no love loss at its destruction.
When he comes she is seated at her usual table for guests taking tea in her butterfly printed cups. Similar but not quite the ones from his vision and dream.
"So it has." It's dark for this hour thanks to the hidden sun. It really is a fine time to craft a child. It's what she'd have recommended too. Though perhaps a lunar eclipse would suit her a bit better. "I have put the dolls to sleep and no one will be visiting today. We will not be disturbed as we proceed. So long as this does not take longer than the day is long, of course."
And it shouldn't... Or one would hope that conceiving with a yokai is not too lengthy an affair.
"We didn't go over the particulars but I trust you know how this will proceed?"
The sky outside continues to darken little by little as the eclipse creeps closer to totality. In the moon's deepening shadow, some flowers in the garden have started to close up, the night insects have begun their orchestra and several birds sing their twilight songs.
From his previous visits, Aku has grown accustomed to Yuuko's extravagant choices in fashion. So to see her in something so simple and plain does indeed catch his attention. His first thought is that she looks ready for bed. But why at such an early hour and when she knew he was coming? It takes him a moment to consider everything she's told him but he eventually catches on. The clothing, the putting to bed of the servants, the promise of privacy free of disturbances. Suddenly, realization hits him and his silent look of confusion finally lifts.
"...Ohhhhh," he exclaims with an extended note of enlightenment. "You want to do things the natural way. I see now. Understood."
He can't help but be a little surprised, and amused, at her audacity. After all, few beings — mortal or otherwise — would dare to engage in such an act with the almighty Master of Darkness.
"Certainly, your method would eliminate any possible mishaps in the laboratory." Cutting out the in vitro fertilization part leaves one less thing to worry about. It's a wonder Aku hadn't thought of it himself. "A bold one you may be, Yuuko, but you are wise," he grins. Logical and unafraid of his supreme evil? Aku isn't used to this. Perhaps it's no surprise he may have developed an inkling of fondness for the witch.
"Now then, if you are prepared to be taken, let us fulfill our contract." His claws are ready to tear away her clothing, just as she might have foreseen, but he's polite enough to wait and see where she wants to do the 'fulfilling'. He suspects she'd rather not be claimed over the tea table.
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unspeakablyevil) wrote2017-11-10 02:58 pm
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In the coming days and weeks, Aku returned every so often to check on the patch of earth in the garden and water it if the soil felt dry. For the longest time it seemed as if nothing was happening and each time he left, he looked more and more disappointed. There was irritation, yes, but there was also a growing sense of despair that he would never recieve his wish. He almost considered not returning at all until one morning he arrives early to find the tips of tiny green shoots sticking up from the soil. Aku blinks as if his eyes deceive him and moments later, he bursts in through the back door of the shop, grinning excitedly.
"Yuuko!" His serpentine form flies from room to room in search of the witch. It doesn't occur to him that she may not even be awake at this early hour. "YUUKO!"
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Aku is it?
She scowls a bit. He's been coming and going, which is all well and good, but he's mostly kept to himself up till now. She's had no problem with that arrangement. Why this had to change right now is beyond her.
"What... could possibly be so important...?" The witch slowly rises from where she'd been sleeping and takes careful and somewhat steady steps towards him. Because as tempting as just pulling a blanket over herself is she now has company. And as the owner and proprietor of this business she does have a responsibility to customers... even if that customer burst into her home and woke her up her duty is irrefutable.
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"They are ALIVE!" he announces joyously with claws raised and arms spread. "But you must see it to believe it!"
Aku can see that Yuuko has just awoken and is only barely awake but he can't be bothered to care. This news is MOST important! Of course, if the situation was reversed and he'd been the rudely awoken one, he'd put a swift end to whoever dared to disturb him from his nap. The most he does to dial himself back is shout in a 'softer', slightly hushed way.
"And if you can see it then I'll know that my eyes do not deceive me!" Because apparently he isn't sure if he can believe it himself yet. One of his arms remains extended out in front of them while his other hand hovers behind Yuuko as if he means to lead her through the house and into the backyard.
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A customer is a customer though...
So... not even bothering with shoes or even another word she moves to go outside and into the crisp morning air.
Now, if this were any other time of day she'd be much more interested and intrigued at the state of things. She honestly thought he'd be at this for years and years but to have something start to sprout at his very first attempt? This wish of his must be a very longed for desire. And she truly is impressed even if the early hour does not allow her to be so.
"Alright... show me."
Not that she doesn't trust him but... she doesn't trust him. Yuuko knows where the seeds are planted and presumably so does he since he's come here quite frequently but just in case. The witch doesn't want him pointing out any other sprouting plants and claiming them as his own.
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Beaming at his unexpected success, the yokai takes his place beside the tiny sprouts and gestures grandly to them with both hands as if to present a great gift to the witch.
"BEHOLD! I, AKU, have created LIFE!"
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Yuuko nods a bit and turns to face him. "That certainly is life. But your task isn't over yet. It needs to continue to thrive and once it blooms it will give us the answers you seek in regards to who will be able to carry that which you greatly desire. Until then... continue to look after your creation. But..." She offers the demon a smile. Despite the rude awakening and hangover it's still rather kind. "Know that I'm quite proud of you."
She moves away from the soon to be flowers and takes to take a seat on a the porch to her home. There's only so much standing and moving around she can do in this state. "I know this is simply a means to an end for you but... what are you hoping to see spring out of the ground? Any prospects?"
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"I could not care less about what these things are so long as they continue to flourish and become large and strong," he answers with some theatrical movements of his hands. Large and strong! — what any parent would want their offspring or plant to become. But more than anything, Aku wants the answers these plants will provide should he manage to keep from killing them. Turning toward the well, the demon points a clawed finger to the sky. An arc of water leaps up out of the well like a jumping jet fountain which he directs into a nearby watering can to fill.
"How will these plants provide us with the answers I seek?" he inquires, stopping just short of asking Yuuko if she will 'read the flowers'.
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Yuuko leans back on her hands, kicking her legs out a bit as she watches him work. "The love and attention and hard work you're putting into those budding sprouts will resonate within the flowers that bloom. I'll read them, of course, but it is your efforts that will lead us there." Her gaze flickers up to the morning sky... ugh... it's much too early to be awake.
"Life leads to life. That is why you doing this on your own is so important. Creating life will allow you to find a way to allow you to make more. It is, in some ways, the natural order. And most importantly it keeps things in balance."
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Once the watering can is sufficiently filled, the demon points his finger toward the patch of earth where the seeds have sprouted. Following his silent command, the can lifts itself up off the ground and floats to where it's needed. There, it hovers in midair as it pours water onto the seedlings. Apparently, Aku has an endless supply of magic to call upon at his whim and it seems to come not from the universe, but from him.
While his magic does the work, Aku returns to the house and takes a seat at the edge of the porch overlooking the garden. He listens as she explains how his efforts will lead to the type of flower that will grow and the life that will follow. And of course, something something, balance.
"You speak often of balance," he states plainly. Balance and Aku were two concepts that did not go hand in hand. The demon could see no value in keeping things 'in balance' and would sooner liken himself to an Extreme. His gaze shifts to look at the witch.
"I must wonder—" he frowns, slouching as he rests his elbows on his knees. "What if the host indicated by the flower should refuse me? I am, after all, the fearsome Lord of Evil and Darkness." Even he has to admit not every chick is into that.
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"I speak of balance often because I am bound by it." She lazily lifts up her hand and looks to her wrist as if there were some sort of shackle binding her to this shop. There isn't... but there is a weight, certainly, of the laws that must be followed in regards to her magic. They are, at times, like heavy weights that stop her from taking a firmer position in many situations.
"When I do things that tip the scales too far in one direction terrible things come to pass. And people get hurt. Those with great power must learn to control it so it doesn't effect the world around them too greatly." She gestures to Aku. "Even you are bound by some sort of balance. You and this samurai you spoke of before. One without the other would surely lead to some sort of ruin and chaos. At the very least a void where once the other stood."
She shrugs her shoulders a bit. Too tired and too hungover to say more than that. It's the sort of thing she thinks he'd scoff at and she has no great interest in explaining how her world works to him. In the end it's too sad a story. Instead she'll answer his concern which is a much easier.
"You have to trust in the magic and the contract that is made by creating life. You will have created something and it will lead you to someone who can help create even more. That is what you're paying for and that is what you will get. Have faith in my work and in yours. So long as those flowers bloom your wish will be granted."
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Which means he must make these flowers grow and find the one who will help him grant his wish. Straightening out of his slouch, Aku, Lord of Evil and Master of Darkness, makes a solemn vow: "Then I shall make these flowers grow."
In the months to follow, Aku became more and more of a permanent fixture in Yuuko's yard. What started as short daily visits grew longer when he realized all the dangers waiting to sabotage his efforts. After discovering that something had chewed on some of the new leaves, he often took the form of a large owl and perched in the tree above to stand guard. And when a late snow fell over the garden, he shielded the sprouts like a mother bird shielding her young from the cold. Sometimes, on cool nights, he napped beside them in the form a of a cat. Other times Yuuko might find him napping on the porch, but for the most part, the demon kept away from the house and did not interfere with her other clients.
As the seasons changed, the plants grew taller and taller. Not all of the seedlings had survived but the ones that did seemed to be as stubborn as their caretaker. In the warm months of summer, buds appeared on the delicate stalks. Finally the day came when the buds opened and the long-awaited flowers bloomed. On that day, Aku once again leads Yuuko to the garden to show her the fruits of his labor. It's clear that he's proud of his work and he's eager to hear what she has to say, but there's still a small part of him that can't help but feel apprehensive.
Wearing his best poker face, Aku looks to the witch for the answer he's been waiting for, "What is your verdict, Miss Yuuko?"
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She has just finished a trade with a rather ragged and desperate man. He has traded an eye and half his magic to travel a limited amount of times across space. His magic will help further her cause... She shelves the golden crystal in her treasure room and it's then that she hears Aku's excited and eager calls. All that time and effort... He must undoubtedly be nervous. Though this amount of time is nothing for beings like them hard work is still hard work.
She doesn't keep the demon waiting too long. Yuuko carefully steps out into the yard to look at the fruits of his labor. And at first sight at what has bloomed she knows. She knows exactly who this represents. If they had been flowers representing simply death that'd be one thing. There would be options in the spirit world and even here. There are possible people that could take on this task. If it had been the red spider lily she'd have known where to point. But this is a plant that points to her specifically more than any flower teasing death would.
"This is a black knight butterfly bush. It looks somewhat like a lilac but you will find in a few weeks time it will be covered in butterflies and other insects. Like moths to a flame all sorts and even birds will come to sample the nectar of this plant. It provides that which is most needed.
Its petals are black giving it a haunted and rotting away look though it is not so.
A provider to those in need. Something not quite living any longer that can bear the burden of that which you hope to bring into this world. And... butterflies."
She turns away from the flowers to head back inside. Her feelings on this matter are somewhat numb. It's certainly not what she expected. It's certainly not what she thought the magic would lead to. But everything that happens in this shop does in fact happen for a reason and maybe this too needs to be. After all... she is not going to be able to ever be capable of having a child of her own in any other way. That time has passed. He is gone now due to their combined mistake. And her body... it certainly could not provide any living mortal thing a chance.
"Follow me." She insists. "I know who it is."
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As Yuuko makes a beeline for the shop, Aku teleports to appear several times on either side of her route along the way. And each time she passes him, he fires off a new question: "Is she inside the shop?" he inquires. "How well do you know her?" And again, "Do you think she will agree to our arrangement?"
Finally, he appears on the back porch standing between Yuuko and the door leading into the shop. He looks as if he won't let her pass until he gets a more definitive answer. "Yuuko, I must know. Will she say yes?"
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Is she in the shop? "No." Not yet anyway.
How well do you know her? "Very well."
Do you think she will agree to our arrangement? "Maybe."
Apparently her answers are not good enough, unsurprisingly. She looks up at him offering nothing as far as expressions go. It's just a lot. It's something she needs to take in and absorb. Does she have the ability to say no? He planted the flowers. He made them grow and gave them life. Now she must uphold her part of this magic. No is probably not an option.
"I don't know. I just learned who it is." She closes her eyes for a moment and works to center herself. This matter is serious and it's certainly not fair to him who worked so very hard. "You've done well. You planted the flowers. You helped them grow. Life has bloomed. You've done all that you need to do. Leave the rest to me. I just need time. Can you wait a few more fleeting moments?"
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After a moment of consideration, the demon's stern expression softens a bit and his gaze drifts pointedly elsewhere. He then moves aside to let Yuuko pass.
"Yes, yes, I will wait," he says with a measure of resignation. While eager to move things along, he's not so eager to meet some stranger whom he might have to woo and convince to be apart of this contract. It's not something he'd given much thought to before now and it's beginning to weigh heavily on his mind. Regardless, he would do what he must to receive his wish.
After letting Yuuko proceed into the shop, Aku follows her inside and seats himself in a chair. There he sits with a bladed elbow on the arm rest, half-way lost in his own thoughts. "...If you speak with her, please let me know what she says," comes his mumbled but sincere request. "I will be here."
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Everything happens for a reason. Even something like this. Right?
And perhaps this is less about granting children to a demon and bringing balance to a truly chaotic creature. For being bound to her in any way comes with its weight and duty. Not that this makes the decision any easier.
First things first. Liquor. She needs to enjoy that while she still can. Should she grant his wish she's going to be losing all her fun vices... And once she has poured herself an ample helping of wine she moves back to the room that the demon is currently residing in, still waiting for his answer.
"Aku... You've come from a far off land. Many in need of wishes granted come from the infinite worlds of time and space. So may I inquire how you came to know of me? Is it knowledge that you've acquired through other lands and places. Or was it whispered to you like in a dream?"
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When Yuuko reenters the room, Aku's mind jolts back to the present and he sits a little straighter as if he expects some kind of answer, good or bad. What he receives instead is a question. There's an anxious twitch in his claws as he grips the chair's armrests. It takes him no time at all to recall the event that had brought him here. It does, however, take him a moment to talk about it aloud.
"It was a dream...," he begins. "No, a premonition. I foresaw my own demise at the hands of my enemy. The Samurai found a way to return to the past and erase my future and myself from existence. But as my reality crumbled around me and my being began to fade, I saw but one remaining structure left standing. It was a shop — your shop. As I entered, the fading slowed and I knew that I would be safe for a time, though not forever. No one appeared to me in the shop but there was a table set for tea. Butterfly-pea flower tea, to be exact."
It was a strange detail to recall but a memorable one, no less. He vividly remembers the deep blue and purple liquids inside the teacups. He even recalls the cups themselves bearing images of butterflies but he sees no reason to mention it.
"I awoke soon after with the feeling that I must find this shop and the answers therein."
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The dream of her shop and the butterfly tea... That all points to her and the flowers that bloomed only confirm what she already knows. Whatever the reason of these predestined events it is her duty to see them through.
"Hitsuzen then...?" She nods a bit, more to herself than to him. This, for whatever reason, is part of the great plan that her existence still lingers here for. So who is she to deny this step? She has a duty here in this shop. And whatever role he may or may not play in it is not something she can deny. This is the path that was carved out for her...
"You must forgive me for making you wait for an answer. The results were a bit surprising... After all..." She cants her head to the side just a bit as she looks this demon over. "I am not alive. But I suppose that suits the purpose of this. For what living creature could take on the task? The one who will take on this deed... is me. So the flowers have said. So your dream foretold. So it must be."
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"So, it is you," he speaks with quiet shock. No wonder she had looked so pale and stunned earlier upon realizing it was she who was slated to this fate. Aku strokes his beard as if he's just been struck with an enlightening thought. "A being of great power and magic, one who is neither living nor dead but remains immortal. ...Yes, it makes perfect sense that it is YOU who shall bear my child."
Relieved, the yokai rocks back into his seat with a raucous bout of laughter, teeth and fangs bared in a big grin.
"WHAT RELIEF! You had me worried, Yuuko! I was not looking forward to convincing some stranger to carry out my wish. Not that I couldn't do it..." he's quick to point out with a raised claw. "I can be very persuasive after all. But why go through the trouble when before me sits a woman of such magical prowess and beauty?" Yes, beauty. It isn't as if he hadn't noticed. If they're successful and the offspring comes out looking like her, Aku wouldn't be at all dismayed.
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She's not as boisterous or as eager as he is. This is a lot and not a task she was ever intending to take on in her stalled out lifetime. Regardless... it is not in her power to deny him his wish which he has paid for. Life for life, after all...
"Of this I do not doubt... But there is no need for flattery at this juncture. The deal is struck and I can not deny you less I risk great consequence. You will get what you have paid for." She holds up a finger of her own. "While I know you have waited quite long enough and are not keen on doing more perhaps you will allow me some time to prepare. I had not intended this path and am ill prepared for something as delicate as motherhood."
She at least needs to try and ween off her unsafe vices. Or indulge in them heavily one last time. And vices aside this is going to take a small amount of processing time. Impatient as this demon is and has a right to be... to some extent, she hopes that he will grant her this.
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"I will allow you time to prepare," he answers without hesitation. "After all, I want nothing short of the best possible conditions for our agreement to come to fruition. Anything less may end once again in failure."
The yokai's gaze falls as his expression turns pensive, confused even. "I have yet to fully understand why numerous laboratory trials yielded unsuccessful results but one must reason that the proper conditions were not being met." Was it a lack of magic that caused the repeated failures? A lack of compatibility? Or had it been improper conditions in the lab? Needless to say, he was tired of failure and if a bit more time was needed for success then so be it.
"Do whatever it is you must do. I will return at a time of your choosing." He leans forward as if to stand — no doubt she doesn't want him around while she partakes in these preparations, whatever they might be, but he pauses short of getting up. "...It won't take years, will it? I will provide assistance if needed."
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For if she is not balance with herself then life will not flourish.
Yuuko looks up to him at his musing and offers a small smile. "There are specific conditions for all life. And they are not so easily met. Even humans have but a window for success. As did the very world we stand on. A series of events that fall into place at precise moments. Though humans are good at replicating themselves to a frequent degree things are not always so simple. Worlds like this one are not formed every day. And the creation of your kind may also be another rare case and require ever so specific timing. If life were so simply made the universe would be full of it. But it is only through searching through immeasurable distances of time and space that we find it. And quite often in the replica of what we already know and have.
"This is no failure on you. The universe has simply not made it so easy. Perhaps with good reason. But... we will see if magic can ease the passage of life. At the very least a few conditions have been met."
At his concern that she will postpone this for year she can't help but laugh. The situation is trying at best but... well... he's at the very least an amusing demon.
"No. I do not have all that many years to waste. A promised day is coming where I will not exist in this world any longer. So it's best to play my role for you sooner rather than later. I only need a few weeks, if that. You may return on a day that you feel is most promising to ensure success. As someone who is stuck in time there is no day that will be better than the others for it is all the same. So you may decide. If you prefer planetary alignment or a blood moon. Whatever you feel will promise the greatest chance. I will be ready upon your return. You, of course, have my word."
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The yokai didn't think of time in weeks or months but in terms of solar patterns and lunar cycles. In a month's time there would come a day when the moon's shadow fell upon the Earth in a total solar eclipse. In the past he'd had good fortune on such days and his power seemed to be at its height. The timing could not be better. If Yuuko's sign was the butterfly, Aku's was the solar eclipse.
Always the ham, he raises his clawed hands in a slow, sweeping gesture as he speaks, "In the coming weeks, the moon will cross into the path of the sun and cast a great shadow upon the land. So too shall our paths cross again." Rising from his seat, the demon looms a tall and shadowy figure in the room. "I shall see you then, Yuuko." And though he inclines his head in a slight bow, he would hold her to her word that she would be here when he returns. As he departs, reality seems to warp around him and the shadowy form of Aku spirals upon itself before vanishing from Yuuko's dimension.
The weeks came and went leading up to the day when Aku would return. But given the time he has to think and reflect, the yokai isn't entirely prepared for what would happen. Would she leave her dimension and travel to the laboratory with him? Would she have magically removed one of her human eggs and present it for him to take? Or did she have something else planned? On the day of his proposed return, he still doesn't know what to expect. Regardless, when the moon begins to eclipse the sun on the day of reckoning, he appears at the shop without a sound.
"Yuuko. The time has come."
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Normally for granting large wishes like this she dons her priestess outfit. All her symbols of the moon in both black and whites are etched into the garments and helps channel or at least give others confidence that she is as powerful as the rumors claim to be. Today that seems most unnecessary. Most of her clothing does. So there is no big kimono with unruly butterfly wings. No intricate bodice with spider woven patterns. No skirt of patterned flames. No lace, feathers, flora or jewels. Just something plain and simple. Something that can easily be taken off when the moment comes. And if he's a wild one when it comes to these matters there will be no love loss at its destruction.
When he comes she is seated at her usual table for guests taking tea in her butterfly printed cups. Similar but not quite the ones from his vision and dream.
"So it has." It's dark for this hour thanks to the hidden sun. It really is a fine time to craft a child. It's what she'd have recommended too. Though perhaps a lunar eclipse would suit her a bit better. "I have put the dolls to sleep and no one will be visiting today. We will not be disturbed as we proceed. So long as this does not take longer than the day is long, of course."
And it shouldn't... Or one would hope that conceiving with a yokai is not too lengthy an affair.
"We didn't go over the particulars but I trust you know how this will proceed?"
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From his previous visits, Aku has grown accustomed to Yuuko's extravagant choices in fashion. So to see her in something so simple and plain does indeed catch his attention. His first thought is that she looks ready for bed. But why at such an early hour and when she knew he was coming? It takes him a moment to consider everything she's told him but he eventually catches on. The clothing, the putting to bed of the servants, the promise of privacy free of disturbances. Suddenly, realization hits him and his silent look of confusion finally lifts.
"...Ohhhhh," he exclaims with an extended note of enlightenment. "You want to do things the natural way. I see now. Understood."
He can't help but be a little surprised, and amused, at her audacity. After all, few beings — mortal or otherwise — would dare to engage in such an act with the almighty Master of Darkness.
"Certainly, your method would eliminate any possible mishaps in the laboratory." Cutting out the in vitro fertilization part leaves one less thing to worry about. It's a wonder Aku hadn't thought of it himself. "A bold one you may be, Yuuko, but you are wise," he grins. Logical and unafraid of his supreme evil? Aku isn't used to this. Perhaps it's no surprise he may have developed an inkling of fondness for the witch.
"Now then, if you are prepared to be taken, let us fulfill our contract." His claws are ready to tear away her clothing, just as she might have foreseen, but he's polite enough to wait and see where she wants to do the 'fulfilling'. He suspects she'd rather not be claimed over the tea table.
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