Talk:Shirohebi/@comment-26380985-20150830234010/@comment-70.234.1.10-20150831081815

Upon hearing the disjointed whispers of a wedding from my Shirohebi savior, I decide to quietly gather my things and slip out the window of the room I'm staying in. For the first time, I get a good look at the immaculately maintained temple grounds. It appears to be on a small island or peninsula and the only readily visible way off the island is over a small, arching footbridge connecting the temple with the road to the nearby town.

As I make my way through a clearing on my way to the bridge, I hear a woman's voice- although it isn't the Shirohebi who had found me in the wilderness.

"It's been fifty years. I just want you to know.....I still love you" the melancholy voice said. After a moment's pause, it spoke up again. "Is somebody there?"

I emerge from the clearing to see a Ryu with shimmering emerald scales. Her upper body has the appearance of a voluptuous older woman with a beautiful, kindly face- one in her 40's or 50's but who is aging quite gracefully. She's wearing an off-the-shoulder pseudo kimono with a plunging neckline that's highlighting her very admirable bust. I take my eyes off her bust long enough to notice the single tear streaming down the side of her cheek. Before her is a simple marker that reads 'Rest in Peace, My Beloved' along with some flowers and gems.

"I'm so sorry...." I stammer. "I didn't mean to intrude..."

Wiping the tear from her face, she begins to look me up and down as though she recognizes me from somewhere. But despite my stumbling across a very private moment, the kindly Ryu doesn't seem particularly upset.

"You're the hunter who's been staying at the temple..." she said.

I nod.

"I hear that Yukihebi- one of the temple's maidens- is quite taken with you." a warm smile played at the corner of her lips.

"Oh...uh....is that a fact?" I ask, attempting to play dumb. The look in her jade eyes clearly said I wasn't fooling her.

"Why?" I ask. "I don't think I'm ready for this. I drink, I gamble, I have a nasty temper and I'm not much of a provider....."

"She's well aware of your flaws, young man, and she's still mad about you."

"What if......?" I sigh. "What if I agree to be hers but I end up repaying her kindness by hurting her someday?"

The Ryu's eyes were downcast as she looked at the marker on her late husband's resting place. "There are no guarantees in life- it's true for Mamono as much as it is humans. If you're willing to give back even a fraction of the love and devotion Yukihebi expressed for you, then isn't it worth the risk?". It was becoming clear that the Ryu viewed the Shirohebi maiden as a member of her own family.

"I...don't know....I'm just not ready for this..." I stammer as I begin to make a break for the footbridge.

"Young man!" she called out- not quite angry, but also indicating that she was beginning to tap her reserves of patience with me. "You are free to leave- none of us will keep you at the temple against your will. But what will you do when you get to town?"

"Let my friends know that I'm okay- maybe get some drinks at the tavern." I shrug.

"Maybe flirt with the tavern's serving wenches or try and get one of the Mamono women to take you home?" she said bluntly.

"Most likely." I nod.

"I see- and will these any of these girls look after you, feed you and lovingly nurse you back to health like my servant did?"

There was no flippant, dismissive answer from me. The Ryu had me pinned in her now-stern gaze, well aware that there was no adequate reply forthcoming.

"How long was I out for?" I finally ask after fidgeting for what seems like hours.

"Seven days. Yukihebi hardly left your side the entire time..."

I was speechless. The albino, serpentine beauty had been doting over me for nearly a week, and I wasn't even conscious enough to appreciate it. Sensing she struck a nerve, the Ryu gracefully slithered up to me.

"Before you leave, the absolute least you could do is thank Yukihebi for rescuing you." she said as she held out her elbow. I simply nodded absently as she and I walked back to the temple, arm-in-arm.

"You know her better than I do- what's she like? Yukihebi." I ask the stately Ryu as my savior's name rolls off my tongue.

"Yukihebi's very kind and loving and can see the good in anyone." she beamed as we climbed the steps at the front of the temple "She has a good heart..."

I nod. She'd have to if she was willing to care for a stranger she found unconscious in the forest.

"...and a pretty sizeable collection of illustrated yuri books that she thinks I don't know about. Maybe she'll let you have a look. Plus the other temple maidens make fun of her because she's so shy and her boobs are so big."

My jaw dropped as the Ryu slid open the front doors to the temple. I wasn't sure if she said that to see if I was paying attention or if the demure white serpent girl was in fact a connoisseur of illustrations with an emphasis on girl-girl action.

"Yukihebi!" the Ryu called out. The serpent girl was sweeping the adjacent hallway and emerged from around the corner. "Our guest was getting ready to leave, but he wanted to say something before he went on his way."

"Miss Yukihebi..." I blurted out. Instead of bowing while standing, I got down on one knee and bowed my head as I stood before the pale serpent girl. "Thank you so very much for finding me and nursing me back to health! I appreciate everything you've done for me...."

Despite a warm smile from the beautiful shirohebi, a look of disappointment was etched on her face, knowing that I was getting ready to leave. After looking at her beautiful but crestfallen countenance, I averted my gaze to the floor. My stomach was doing cartwheels and my heart was beating like a set of war drums.

"Miss Yukihebi....I....I must take my leave and tend to some matters in the village." I stammered, still looking at the floor. "But..." I paused, my mouth drying up. "But I would consider it an honor and a privilege if you were to join me for some tea or an early lunch."

Nobody said anything for a few agonizing moments before I realized the Ryu was standing behind me. I turned to her and said "....If that's OK with you".

The elegant and gentle Ryu stifled a giggle. "Take the rest of the day off, Yukihebi. I insist."

It was the pale, beautiful ophidian girl's turn to bow.

"Thank you, Ryu-sama!" she said deferentially. I looked into Yukihebi's eyes and the forlorn, disappointed expression was gone. The albino beauty averted her gaze and was starting to blush. I held out my hand and she gently clasped it. I'm pretty sure I was grinning ear-to-ear when I took the shirohebi by the hand through the temple's front doorway.

"Young man!" the Ryu called out as we walked past. "I shall require some fresh fruit from the marketplace while you're in town..." she handed me two taels of silver- probably ten times what was necessary for the stated purpose. The Ryu knew enough that I wouldn't have much in the way of money after being laid up for a week in the temple. "This is for any incidental expenditures while you're out, and I would also greatly appreciate it if you could escort Yukihebi home by sunset."

"Y-y-y...yes ma'am." I stammered. The Ryu also handed Yukihebi a white parasol to take with her.

I walked arm-in-arm with Yukihebi across the footbridge into town, although I could've just as easily floated. The whole way there, I thanked her for saving me from dying of exposure in the wilderness and followed it up with questions about any random or ecchi things I might've said while I was unconscious.

Over lunch, the shy, sweet and beautiful shirohebi brought up the wedding.

"I don't know how to say this..." Yukihebi said, fidgeting as the waitress brought her a plate full of fresh sliced cantaloupe. "But there will be a wedding coming up very soon..."

I almost spat out the juice I was drinking as soon as I heard 'wedding' and could only listen in stunned silence.

"What...what I'm trying to say is..." she drew her hand closer to her heart, drawing attention towards her outfit and how much like the Ryu, it highlighted her ample bust.

"This wedding.....I would like you there with me." she blurted out.

"Y-Yukihebi....I don't know what to say..."

"My sister is getting married next month....and I don't want to go without a date!" she lamented. "But it's my big sister...and I can't just skip her wedding...." she reached across the table and clasped my right hand.

"Will you PLEASE be my date to my sister's wedding?" Yukihebi pleaded.

It dawned on me that she must've been talking to one of the other temple maidens about asking me to accompany her to her sister's wedding. With me drifting in and out of consciousness at the time, I likely only overheard a few fragments and assumed she wanted to marry me after nursing me back to health.

I could barely stifle a laugh, which seemed to confuse and annoy the beautiful, cream-complexioned serpent girl.

Not wanting to string along the shy, beautiful shirohebi any further, I lifted my goblet in a toasting gesture.

"Miss Yukihebi.....I would be honored."