Okayama was next on Morrigan's agenda, the city proper. There was a small shrine up in the nearby mountains that practically radiated power, but she could already tell that there was a bit too much up there for there to be much of use.
Instead she'd followed the traces of power from that shrine down into the city and started to look for places the beings up that way might have frequented.
Eventually she came to a construction site and two women working there. A blonde woman who was off to the side delivering lunches under watchful eyes that were less leering than worried, and a green-haired woman who was using an air-hammer a little higher up.
The blonde was a bit out of touch for her. There were small elements of something that wasn't human by any stretch of the imagination running through her.
Probably best not to risk it.
Besides, the girl was so obviously clumsy and accident-prone at a glance that it wasn't funny.
She turned to look up a couple floors to see the green-haired woman working steadily with the air-hammer and glancing worrying down to the blonde every so often.
Or at least that was the intention.
"Who are you?" a voice asked suspiciously from above her.
Morrigan straightened her purple business dress and turned toward the sound and resisted the urge to be nervous. The cyan-haired woman before her reeked of power on a level with Pyron or higher.
Best to be upfront here.
"I'm Morrigan Aensland," she said. "Succubus Queen of the Makai, who are you?"
"Ryoko," the woman said, bringing some vague memories of tales of a demon by that name being locked in a shrine nearby. "You were poking about outside the shrine. A particular someone 'suggested' I see what you were up to."
Ryoko refused to call Washu Mother, Mommy, Mom or any other such moniker.
"I'm looking for mating candidates," Morrigan said.
That brought a reaction as the woman suddenly appeared in front of the succubus without seeming to move.
"Tenchi's off limits," she said threateningly, a long energy weapon at Morrigan's throat.
Morrigan broke into a nervous-eager grin and flexed her fingers.
"Must resist urge to fight," she thought to herself. "The senshi would really not appreciate a battle of this magnitude."
It was difficult, since taking Lilith back into herself it was so very, very rare to actually meet someone that had the same raw power she did, much less potentially more.
It was a very good thing she'd gone to Nerima first. Most of her appetite for battle was well-sated already, and there was no need to be a glutton.
"Is Tenchi the green-haired woman up there?" Morrigan asked casually.
The sword pulled back.
"You're interested in Kiyone?" Ryoko asked. "I thought you wanted mates."
"Yes, and if a half-breed were enough, I could get a man," Morrigan said. "But I'm royalty and a pure-bred heir, or more, is needed. And for that, a succubi needs a human woman. A virgin human woman."
Ryoko smirked and leaned back crossing her arms.
"You, are sizing up the detective as a royal consort?" Ryoko repeated.
"That is the size of it," Morrigan said. "Though, the long-term relationship would likely be more sisterly."
After all, there'd have to be a real damn honest attraction for their to be much love-making after the first time.
Someone sneezed in Nerima.
"Let's talk, lady," Ryoko said, gesturing for Morrigan to follow.
"Someday when I'm less busy," Morrigan said. "We'll have to have a fight or two."
"Oh, I'll be up for that," Ryoko said as she walked to a payphone and dialed it. "Eh, Sasami, is Washu there? Was...Was....grumble...Mom, yes, it's some non-terran royalty."
"Actually, we're from Earth," Morrigan noted. "Just not this phase of it."
"Whatever," Ryoko said to Morrigan. "She's looking for a bride...yeah you heard me. Kiyone."
The laughter over the phone was clearly audible to Morrigan who arched an eyebrow.
"I know! Right?!" Ryoko responded to the loud guffaws, almost chortling herself. "Anyway, I'm going to give her some info on the cop-lady and...Ayeka what are you listening on the other line?! Of course I know about Morquendi matchmaking rituals. I've been to Morquendi. You know I didn't destroy the planet, it's still there! Look, there's no...no...Aye...wait...I...damn it, let me get a word in edge-wise. Gah she hung up."
"What was that?" Morrigan asked.
"My fiancee's other fiancee," Ryoko said distastefully, she looked up toward Morrigan. "Imperial edict, something about 'enough teasing'."
"I'm a succubus with a harem looking for several women to join in," Morrigan said. "No need to explain multiple spouses to me."
"Yeah, well, Earth," Ryoko said as if that explained things. "Ayeka's coming here with my cabbit to get things started."
"And how long will...." Morrigan paused her speech as the world around her changed into a crystalline room populated by two other women with large amounts of power.
"All right," Ayeka said. "We'll be moving to the edge of the system for better reception as we contact Kiyone's family for negotiations."
"I wasn't actually finished looking at candidates yet," Morrigan protested.
"Oh, this shall not take long," the jurai woman said. "Sasami will help you." She gestured to the green-haired fourteen year old next to her who waved cheerfully.
"Wait, Sasami?" Ryoko said. "What about me?"
"We have JURAI protocols to review," Ayeka said. "Ryo-Ohki, private room."
"Miah!" the ship declared as a crystalline wall opened up a door.
Ayeka nabbed Ryoko by a pointed ear and dragged her forward.
"Now, as first queen," long, irritated sigh, "you will be responsible for keeping up with the various Jurai militaries while I will be..."
The crystalline wall closed behind them and shut off the sound.
"Interesting marriage that will be," Morrigan said.
"Well, mother says most queens maintain chaste sisterly relationships with each other," Sasami said. "She then said that the sooner Ryoko and Ayeka 'boff each other silly' and get over the denial, the better for Tenchi and the universe at large."
"You know," Morrigan said. "I'm not really contacting these girls yet."
"You're not supposed to anyway," Sasami said as she started calling up a communication.
Several days later, Kiyone received an message from home.
"The Makibi family has approved a negotiation for matrimony of Kiyone Makibi, fourth heir in line, with Queen Morrigan Aensland of the Makai. Final decision to be Kiyone Makibi's. First meeting, Okayama, Earth Time, three weeks. Matchmaker will be on hand, the Aensland family will be represented by Sasami of the Jurai."
"Oh no," Kiyone said, hanging her head and rolling her eyes. "They ran out of cousins to sell off."
Still days before that arrived, or was even sent, however, Morrigan shook her head after several hours of questioning and explanation and distance paperwork.
The woman better be worth it after all that. Some part of Morrigan felt she'd already paid for the deal as it was.
At least that Ryoko woman was still having her ear bent when she'd been allowed to leave.
Now it was on to other candidates.
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(Posted Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:56)
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