E1: Enter, the Dragon-Ki

"So, how are Yokai made?" Virto asked Vargas. They were walking on the ocean together, enjoying the sunset that came down on the horizon to the beyond. Vargas more of floated right above the waterline, while Virto had nanites on his soles that gripped the water like a stick bug. "I understand how you were made, but, I'm curious about what happens in general."

"I don't have much of an answer that would fully help. You would have to ask my mother about this," Vargas answered back.

"Is it because your mother is lowering the sun?" Virto asked, looking around them for anything besides the flat plane of water below. "Is she close around?"

"She is always around, shining down on us with comforting rays of light," Vargas said, waving to the setting sun. "At least mentally. I heard it can be tiring being all over the place physically if she does it for too long."

"She does get a lot of massages…"

"Magic hands go a long way, but back to your question...do you mind supernatural answers?"

"It's a different world," Virto said, shrugging indifferently. "I can accept a world that works differently."

"If you say so. There are multiple ways of Yokai appearing. An object could be cursed or spited, and gain sentience through gathering natural energy and obtaining a purpose. That is the most common way I know. Then can be born from Yokai, be it by using their energy to create a new yokai or a more crude and lewd method…"

"That doesn't sound too bad. The natural ways of nature doing...nature things." Virto gets head patted by the kitsune, pulled in closer against his side. "Of course. We did a bit of Yokai creation ourselves, you know."

"Isn't that a 1 in 4 chance of being a full yokai?"

"Maybe, and we can always try one sometime." He winks down at Virto, Virto winking back up at him. "Although, there is another way humans or mamono can gain the status of a Yokai." Virto looked up curiously. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure exactly how it works, but all that is needed is a vessel and the soul of a yokai. I know the one being inducted today experienced it…" as soon as he talked about the new Yokai, both their eyes opened in a sudden, oncoming panic. "The induction!" They both yelled. Vargas scooped up Virto in his arms and started running in the opposite direction. He left splashes of water with each step, rushing to get off the ocean and to the meeting. "I can't believe I forgot!" Vargas exclaimed. "Damn me and my focus on your beauty!"

"Maybe if we both run we can get there faster," Virto said, wrapping her arms around Vargas' neck to keep still. "No, you have a yokai inside you, just hold on tight," he assured, reaching in view of the beach. He let her down after his feet touched the sand, turning around to show her his tails. "Why couldn't I just go in the portal before?"

"Because, I wouldn't be ready to teleport right after!" He said smiling. Virto took a second before diving into the tails, disappearing head-first into the mass of floof. Sparing details, he appeared in a large bin of wool, a yokai peddler bringing her head to him. "Virto?" Vargas said, coming into the store a moment later. He waved from the large container of wool, holding his hands up so his husband can pull him free of the soft trap. Vargas did a polite bow to the peddler and locked hands with Virto, taking her outside. They walked into a busy street, full of various mamono, male and female, wearing a rainbow of kimonos. The majority of them seemed to be filling into a large temple, a three-story wonder of bamboo and stone. "Is that it?" Virto asked.

"The one and only meeting grounds. Come, Ganan is probably already inside," Vargas said. The two of them followed the crowd, weaving around people to speed up the trip. They went through open doors, seeing the center a few flights of stairs down. Terraces of stone flowed down with the stairs until they reached the lowest point in the center. Down there, was the fire mouse from earlier, holding a fist over her mouth and pacing in a small circle. With her was a glasses-wearing lady with white and green hair, loose-fitting clothing, and a royal green felt hat. She had two medium-sized horns that protruded outward from her head. Her legs were like a goat's if a goat was bipedal. Beside the green-wearing Hakutaku was an Owl mage. Brown feathers stacked on feathers concealed her every look and bountiful body, making her look more like a circle with a head and talons. Her arm-wings were folded at her side, as she stood as still as a statue.

"Should we go down?" Virto asked, staring at the Owl Mage. Her pupils shifted and caught Virto's gaze, staring into her eyes until Virto looked away out of intimidation. "We could, but we should say hello after the meeting. For now, lets sit on one of the seats." The two took a spot halfway down to the central stage, sitting down in a space that looked just big enough for an Inari and a Human. Until then, there was a bit more waiting for the meeting to start. Virto kept staring down, feeling her hubby's head fall past her vision into her lap. "Boredom dear?"

"I guess we did come a bit early." Virto nodded and gave him a kiss on his ear, watching it twitch around after the peck. "I'll wake you up when it starts." Vargas nodded and closed his eyes, soon falling asleep while Virto hand-brushed his hair.

"That is a pleasant fox," someone said beside him. It was a woman with yellow pupils and small bi-forked horns pointing up and back. A large bout of white hair flowed behind her shoulder. Two fins replaced her ears, and she wore a golden kimono that only came halfway up her bosom. Her human torso transformed into a long golden dragon tail somewhere under her clothing, the tail being tucked haphazardly under where she sat. "And I see you're the lucky human. Never thought I would see a human in a place like this."

"Things happen when you get into a relationship with a yokai," Virto casually answered. His hands continued giving tender apprehension to Vargas' face, moving to lightly scratch at his cheek next.

"I understand that. You obtain access to areas and power you wouldn't have otherwise," the golden Ryu answered back. "Yet, you haven't seemed to have been turned into a mamono yet."

"Nanowatch," Virto said, pulling on the sleeve of his lab coat to show a sleek, blue watch adorning his wrist.

"N-nano?" The Ryu asked, unfamiliar with the concept.

"It is a thing I could explain, but I don't think we will meet again," Virto explained. She softly smiled and nodded. "I wouldn't have understood it anyway, there are just so many new things that I need to prepare for…" she said wistfully, staring up to the natural light seeping in through the roof. She looked back at Virto, placing a hand on Vargas' forehead. "I can feel his purring through his head-"

"It feels wholesome," Virto responded back.

"I can get accustomed to this. If we do meet again, can I ask for what I may call you?"

"Virto."

"The pleasure is mine Virto. My name is…" an instrument chimed before she could say. Virto looked around, seeing the doors closed and the place suddenly full of Yokai all zeroed onto the center. Virto quickly tapped Vargas' shoulder, his eyes opening as he looked onward from his lap pillow with folded arms.

"Attention, my associates," the Hakutaku said with a booming voice. "I am pleased that so many were able to attend on short notice. This is an important day, after all. As the second to lord Amaterasu, it is my duty to inform the Association, that Ganan will be leading the next few meetings instead of our Lord." Ganan stood up and bowed, with a furrowed brow and a slight frown. Murmurs passed among the crowd, asking where the god of the sun was. "It is a temporary change I assure you. A test for her disciple to see if she could handle. Ganan?"

"Thank you for the introduction," the Hinezumi said. She stepped forward, taking center stage. "As you all know, I am the underling to lord Amaterasu, and deity of the summer. I will like to start by thanking my mentor for this opportunity, and I have made an oath to not let her down."

"With the formalities past, our next business matter is on the fate of the Council. With the sun yokai potentially leaving the foremost position, the Council members have made the decision to allow a new deity to possibly take the mantle. This position can only apply to Association members, and you must be vetted by Nabu before you may be admitted."

"Next, we have new blood among our ranks. May our new deity of the harvest show herself?" The Ryu beside Virto stood up, nodding to her before making her way to the steps and down. She slowly went down, but tripped up and fell down the last flight, landing in a mess of tail on the center stage.

"Sorry!" she said, picking herself up and rushing to regain her regal stature. "I, I have not gotten used to my tail just yet…"

"Hurry up Mizuki," Ganan said without a change in her serious expression.

"With fevor!" She moved in front of the mouse, brushing her hair down and aside before standing in front of her. Ganan nodded and turned her around to face the crowd. "This, is our new yokai! Chosen by a spirit of nature, she has been prepared in recent time to perform." Mizuki stared at everyone, unable to think of anything else but how much Ganan's arm burned on her shoulder. "I want you all to make her feel welcome, or at the very least, not be a bother. A few territories were revised, so please see the scroll of the map for an update to what lands you shall inherit."

"Inherit?" Virto asked while Ganan continued her speech. "I thought you just watched over nature…"

"We did, until constant conflicts between humans were initiated among yokai that couldn't decide who's land was who's," Vargas said. "Mother didn't sleep for some nights…"

"Wait, are you saying that this is…"

"Mmhmm. The Yokai Association is one large…"

"Alliance, if you needed a reminder," Ganan said as she happened to finish Vargas's explanation. "Remember, this group was created to prevent conflict, not sanction it. Anyone caught in any hostile altercation will be personally dealt with."

"Ganan," Nabu said sternly.

"Sorry Nabu. I clarify, you will be punished by the council accordingly…" Ganan cleared her throat. "Now, the last piece of news is important. We have received complaints of the new technologies that have begun to crop up. We believe they are seemly connected to the purple haze from several months ago, but we haven't located the yokai who had caused it," Ganan explained. "We are confident that no matter how advance the humans become, we shall always be needed and worshiped. However, Lord Amaterasu has stated that….we are admittedly old-fashioned…."

"We do not control humans, merely the environment that they reside in. Nature shall always win in the end, but to not fall by the wayside of worship, I have been told to warn of "adjustments" made. I personally think the human's water wheels should go to hell, but I respect my superior's position, and we all shall as well." There were grumbles among the crowd, but no one seemed willing to challenge the sun god's decree.

"With this, Welcome to the Yokai Association Mizuki, and everyone is officially dismissed." Virto and Vargas looked around as everyone started leaving the premise, going to gather outside or head back to their homes. "So that is the other way," Virto said, Vargas sitting up with a yawn beside her. "Of course! Anyone can be selected by a yokai soul to become its new vessel. Mizuki, if that seems to be the name, is not the first, and she won't be the last," Vargas said.

"How in the world do you find a yokai soul?" Virto said. "Certainly they don't just seek out people, right?"

"Maybe they do, but I have yet to see one with my own eyes…" Vargas said, watching the Ryu talk to Ganan and Nabu. "Who really cares about how she became a yokai though. She seems nice!" Vargas said, going down to greet the new inductee properly. Virto cared, of course. he had several questions that her scientific brain needed settling. However, seeing Vargas care-freely strike up a conversation, he sighed and just followed in his example. 'Her origin is probably just standard yokai things', Virto said to himself.