The smaller Yokai, as taken off guard as it was, was still multiple centuries old. The tanuki had lived through ancients and the fall of their power base. It had lived through it's own kind being hunted to near extinction and now, here it was sitting at the very top of it's species. Not through connections, but pure and un-adulterated might and skill.
A craftsman it might be, but those finely tuned reflexes hadn't dulled in the slightest through these centuries of 'peace'.
In a flash, the small raccoon raised it's left paw and storm of morphing flesh came flying out. In one moment, it was but a simple paw. Small and adorable looking, and in the next, a distended mass of flesh, bone and muscle stretched and morphed into something to match the sheer size of the nearly rampaging Yeti-human hybrid thing.
A mix of scales and fur, massive claws the size of swords and a palm large enough to completely engulf a normal human's entire form. Blinking eyes, and open maws formed along it's surface. Silently wailing as the two massive monsters nearly crashed into each other.
Fights between council members weren't particularly rare, but most of the time it was restrict solely to verbal or financial spats. But physical altercations like this….it had been decades since the last one.
Just before the two were prepared to devolve into a mass of flashing teeth and swinging claws, a something 'wrapped' around each of their bodies. A pressure that didn't quite bring them to their knees but made their organs quail in unison. From their hearts to their stomach, each of them quivered. As though they were in the presence of something...other. Not enough to cause any real damage but enough to let them know of it's presence. Like a sword to their throat, it would be so easy to just end them right then and there. For their bodies to explode into a puddle of gore.
Frozen not by some invisible power, but by the very clear nearly prophetic visions of their own painful demise. Their eyes moved to the side at the still sitting golden kitsune just watching with not even that small and mocking smile in place. It was often said when a fox stopped smiling, it was an ill-omen to come.
"You will not fight here." Yasaka's tone was cold, a command settling deep within their bones. And for a split instance, they could see that much younger and crueler version of their leader overlapping across her form. Eyes like gold, didn't quite glimmer any longer. They were flat and without any depth. Like they were merely just drawn into place. "Find somewhere else."
"…." Akiko was the first to back down, her form morphing back into the delicate human shape that would cause any mortal man to walk out naked in the middle of a blizzard. Even going so far as to tie her ebony locks back into a tight bun. But despite tidying herself up, she didn't retake her seat. And only instead, only bowed deeply to the kitsune. "Please forgive me, Yasaka-sama. I have allowed some rather….derogatory comments to get under my skin unnecessarily. For disrupting this meeting, I will retract my request for access to the Shrine Water. And I wish to be excused from this meeting, I cannot sit by and pretend as though my people and clan haven't been insulted by another member of the council."
She then turned her frosty gaze at the tanuki, a vein pulsating on her temple before speaking directly at them.
"You have insulted me and my clan for the last time. I have allowed your snide remarks to pass for decades now and it's clear you have no respect for Yuki-Onnas as a whole. If that is the case, then I, head of the Falling Snow Clan, hereby sever all business tides with you, Kiyo, and the Endless Forms Clan."
Somehow, the tanuki actually somehow contorted its face to look shocked for a split moment. And even the other council members couldn't help but take in a sharp inhale of breathe. Those two Clans often went hand-in-hand with one another naturally. While it was the Endless Forms Clan that had a massive stake in the production industry, most of those goods wouldn't get where they needed to be without the Falling Snow Clan using their ice techniques to help better preserve goods without affecting the quality.
Everyone, even those not heavily involved in economics, could clear see the issues that'll arise with this feud. Xoru, had to grip the table tightly just to avoid falling flat on his face just then. Skin growing just as pale as the snow maiden. If anything, he looked right about ready to have a heart attack.
Despite the extremely dire news, Kiyo soon snapped out of their shock before throwing a sneer her way.
"Fine." The tanuki snapped it's muzzle with a sharp crack. "Good! So be it! My clan doesn't require ugly leeches like yours siphoning money from us like beggars!"
"At your leave, Yasaka-sama." Akiko turned back to her leader, bowing low. Despite her expression frozen into a blank mask, the blonde could feel the palpable rage surging through the women's body. There would be no talking her down, she was just far too gone for now.
"You are dismissed." Yasaka nodded to the bowing Yokai, who turned and quickly left the room. Not even sparing the prized natural treasure a glance. Golden eyes, burning with fury, turned to the grumbling trouble maker. "You are dismissed as well."
"But Yasaka-sama!" Greed had clouded the racoon's eyes it seemed, especially as they kept glancing at the Shrine Water with clear desire present. "We haven't decided what to do with-"
"That is no longer any of your concern." She really wanted to snap the drunk's head clean off after their stunt. Everyone there had known each other to know which lines could not be crossed and this council member still decided to do exactly that. And for what? Just to step on someone elses head to get what they wanted? The Yuki-Onna had been the only thoroughly honest one out of those fighting over the natural treasure. No smoke screen or anything, she wanted it for two of her clan youths. She'd been transparent as ice could be and honestly, it would've swayed the blonde's decision to actually let one of the them use it. But now? Seeing how quickly things had nearly come to blows, it only further reinforced her decision. "Dismissed."
Kiyo, stilled looked unwilling, even throwing glances at the other council members for some levels of support but found none. Not even the previously ablaze Marui dared to meet their eyes, the fight completely taken out of him. Rising to their diminutive height, they huffed and bowed slightly before stomping out of the room.
Slamming the doors just behind them, the council chambers laid completely still. Tension thick in the air.
It was Yasaka who spoke up first, disdain evident.
"All this trouble," She murmured, raising a slender hand to the heavily ornate box. An invisible force lifting it off the ground, allowing it hover in the middle of the chamber. "Over a little natural treasure. Back in the day, there were Sects that could cultivate herbs that would achieve the same thing as Shrine Water without the threat of some divine trickery. I know you all remember, that's why I'm ashamed of how far this world has fallen that even something like this was able to form a crack in our relationship."
"How," She clenched her first suddenly. "Disappointing."
The air, warped. A mighty pressure came in from all sides. Against all odds, it didn't just outright shatter the box but instead, it began to crinkle at the sides. Until suddenly, it collapsed in on itself. Turning into nothing but a ball no larger than her palm. Not even allowing a single drop of water to escape, a flicker of her bottomless Ki surged and sparked. A small golden flame, barely an ember, flew slowly out of her hand and engulfed the remains.
She could feel something try and resist her flame, a small fragment of something so insidious and divine before it was devoured, leaving not even ash behind.
"Dismissed." Yasaka intoned, forcing the doors open with a flash of her Divine Pressure. "That was enough excitement for one day."