"Relax, you look fine." Aiko said and frowned up at me, "I told you, relax. Mom is going to love you."
I let out a slow breath, "Aiko, believe it or not but the woman that has to move all the time or she accidentally suck the life from the countryside isn't exactly my major worry right now."
Aiko squeezed my hand with one hand while reaching out to brush some dust from the shoulder of my suit with the other. She on the other hand was wearing a short red little piece of a dress. A really, really nice one.
"Father likes you. Don't worry."
"How could you tell?"
The fox spirit smiled as we approached the really, really nice restaurant, "He didn't rip your tongue out for touching me. Now come on."
Somehow that failed to reassure me much.
The hostess led us to a private room and I felt really out of place.. Seriously, a meal here likely costs more than I spend on food for a month.
The hostess opened the door for us allowing us inside. Inari was already sitting at the table along with a woman that looked like she could have been Aiko's sister.
"Mother." Aiko said and walked up, the woman getting up to hug her.
"Little one." she answered and then looked at me as as she let go of her daughter, "And who is this?"
"Daniel, this is my mother, Hisa. Mother, this is my friend."
"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." I greeted with a small bow to her.
'Deeper' Taziel whispered in my ear and I quickly adjusted before straightening my back again.
The old spirit approached and slowly walked in a circle around me, her high heels seeming to not bother her what so ever, "Daniel, you are not. What is your name?"
"I would prefer not to say." I answered her and suddenly there wasn't a woman, but a fox the size of a pony with snow white fur, it's nine tails almost curling around me.
"What is your name, mortal?" she intoned as she looked into my eyes.
"It's a bad habit to hand your name out." I told her as I desperately suppressed my instinct to run. Predator. Predator close. Predator very close. Teeth!
Those amber eyes narrowed at me, "Do you love my daughter, beast of burden?"
'Honesty always' Taziel reminded me in my ear.
I went against every instinct I had and shifted a bit closer to those big jaws, "No, ma'am. But I do like her and I would like to get to know her better. And I'm no-ones beast of burden, ma'am. I am my own. Taziel works with me, not the other way around. She is an asset, not my boss."
The giant fox slowly tilted her head before pulling back, "Hmm. Very well, daughter. I approve. If this mortal can keep one of the Infernal from taking him, he'll suffice as a companion." she murmured and suddenly there was a woman there again that offered me her hand.
I reached out to take it with another small bow.
"Thank you, Daniel. For saving my daughter." She said and stepped close, kissing my cheek.
Somehow she managed to make it scarier than the teeth previously.
"Hisa, my love, if you are finished interrogating our guest, dinner is going to arrive soon." Inari said and got up, moving to pull her chair out before looking at me with a nod, "I welcome you to our table... Daniel. Or what name you wish that we use."
I bowed again, "I thank you for your hospitality. Daniel works, but lately I have been going by Saint."
Aiko tilted her head as she regarded me, "Saint. Hmm. I like it." she said and moved towards the table. I quickly moved to pull her chair out for her before sitting down as well once Inari did.
Now I just needed to survive dinner before getting to the airport in trying to survive the slayer. On the bright side, the slayer really didn't seem all that scary right now.
Dinner proceeded pleasantly and non-murderous enough. The food was good and I was surprised to find it in good amounts. Normally places like this gave you way too little of it.
Pleasant enough small talk.
"So what do you plan to do now, Saint?" Inari asked as he finished his meal.
"I'm not sure, sir." I answered with a frown, "Get away from this island for sure. A slayer tracked me down and is under the impression that I need to be... well, slayed. I have a solution for it, but I need to be in New York for it to work. After that, I don't know."
The slayer showing up did kinda kick me in the arse though. Kendra was killed and another slayer was called. Someone that wasn't Faith Lehane.
Which meant Faith was somewhere else and stuck where she was before she turned slayer. I might not be responsible, but I still felt like I should check it out at least.
I kinda felt like I owed Kendra that much at least.
"The Slayer." Inari said with a nod, feeling his glass of wine in his hand as he whirled the liquid, "Their kind does tend to interfere quite often where they are neither needed nor wanted, don't they? I do owe you a favor. If you wish, I could handle that problem."
I shook my head, "She thinks she has legitimate cause to hunt me. That's one reason as to why I'm heading to New York instead of fighting her. I think there might be a way to resolve this without more violence. Need to get there in a way she, or at least her Watcher, can track."
Aiko smiled at that, "I think there might be a way to do that, right Father?"
Inari nodded, "We can indeed help you with that."
AN// Big thanks to Mech for betaing this section.
