《Our Goddess》


 Ch 1 - The Shrine

    Centuries ago, the city of Shinj¨­ had been the center of a vast agricultural region that grew rice and other food to feed people all across Japan. Its residents believed in Shinto spirits and gods of nature, and the people paid tribute at shrines as thanks for every successful harvest. But as Japan modernized, Shinj¨­ changed. Farms were replaced with factories, the region''s focus shifted toward manufacturing and electronics, and soon the city''s farming roots were all but forgotten.


    On this summer afternoon, volunteers were busy all along main street, cleaning up after the annual Shinj¨­ Matsuri festival that had ended the night before. Legend said that the festival had been founded over 250 years prior during a terrible famine, as a way to boost morale and to pray for a good harvest. Miraculously, the next harvest had been abundantly fruitful and Shinj¨­ was saved from disaster.


    However, just as Shinj¨­''s residents had forgotten their town''s origins, they had also lost sight of the festival''s original purpose. While the parade of fantastical floats certainly made people happy and brought in tourism business, it no longer served as a prayer to Shinto spirits or the goddess of harvests.


    "It''s so sad," grumbled a young woman as she brushed a lock of amethyst-colored hair over her ear. The rest of her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and tied with a vivid red ribbon. It wasn''t her normal aesthetic, but today she wore a neon pink t-shirt, black jogging shorts, and brown hiking boots. Her name was Akari Mamori, and she was 19 years old. She was also a Shinto enthusiast, to put it lightly.


    As Akari dodged her way through pedestrians and cleaning crew, she mourned the loss of tradition and Shintoism. No one cares about the old ways anymore, she thought. No one worships the Shinto gods of the land or gives tribute in thanks for their blessings. It''s shameful.


    She was exaggerating the gravity of the situation, at least a little. There were still some in the city who practiced Shinto ways, herself included, but they were certainly in the minority; the small shrine where she volunteered was lucky to see two dozen visitors a week. In any case, the current state of Shintoism was not the reason for Akari''s trip along the confetti-littered path of the Shinj¨­ Matsuri parade.


    She adjusted her backpack on her shoulders, checked that her hiking boots were properly laced up, and started the final stretch out of town. "Today''s the day that I solve the mystery of those statues," she muttered to herself.


    The statues in question were actually small wooden figurines about 3 inches tall, hand-carved into the shape of foxes. Over the last few days, she''d found four of those figures, each wearing a slightly different expression and holding a different object in its mouth. It didn''t take a Shinto expert to know that these statues depicted kitsune messengers, foxes that carried symbolic items related to the goddess of harvests, like a sheaf of rice or a storehouse key. What Akari couldn''t figure out, however, was why the figures had been placed near her apartment and why they seemed to be leading her into the woods.


    Since childhood Akari had always loved mysteries and learning new things. She saw these fox figurines as a puzzle to be solved, and a Shinto-related one at that. It was as if the mystery had been tailor-made for her, and she couldn''t possibly turn it down.


    Now that she was outfitted properly with her hiking gear and a supply of food and water, Akari followed the path of the parade to where it ended: a clearing just outside of town. The night before, this was where she had found the fourth fox figurine on a crumbled stone step at the base of an abandoned pathway into the forest. She steeled her nerves and started to climb, hoping to find more fox figurines along the trail.


    The stone footpath was long forgotten, weathered and overgrown with moss and other plantlife, including trees that grew right out of the cracked stone steps. In some areas, the path was so eroded that occasional wooden torii gates, cracked and worn and red no longer, were the only indication that any path had ever existed.


    Akari''s boots crunched through moss and slow-growing lichen, signs that no one had traveled this path in several years, or possibly her entire lifetime. Not that 19 years was very long when compared to Shinto history. Akari had read everything she could find about the history of Shintoism, going as far back as the ancient and primal Ko-Shinto practiced over 3000 years ago. No written records had survived from that time period, so she didn''t put too much stock in the stories of kami who had human-like forms and were invisible to all but the spiritually gifted.


    The sounds of nature filled the air around Akari, almost drowning out her footsteps. The ree-ree-ree sound of cicada insects was by far the loudest, followed by trickling water from small mountain streams that cut across the path. But once she tuned out those familiar sounds, she was able to pick out subtle indications of the life that infused the forest: the rustle of a squirrel climbing a high branch and the crack of it breaking open a small nut, the snapping of twigs as a sika deer walked through the underbrush in the distance, and the flutter and song of numerous birds overhead.


    Akari knew that nighttime and nocturnal wildlife would bring an entirely different set of sounds to the forest, but she didn''t plan to be out that late. Even with a flashlight and good hiking shoes, it would be dangerous to cross such uneven ground in the dark. It was still early afternoon but just in case, she picked up the pace and moved faster wherever the path was clear.


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    Along the way, she found four more fox figurines. Two sat plainly visible on top of large rocks and another two were tucked within old stone lanterns called t¨­r¨­. T¨­r¨­ had originally been a Buddhist concept, but they had been integrated with Shinto tradition starting in the late 700s. Since that detail only marked the beginning of their use in Shintoism, it didn''t do much to narrow down Akari''s evaluation of the trail''s age.


    By her best estimate, the trail had been built in the 1500s and improved upon for several hundred years. The now-decomposing torii gates had likely been added in the mid-1700s, possibly coinciding with the first few Shinj¨­ Matsuri festivals. If there was a shrine at the end of this trail, all signs pointed to it being devoted to agriculture and the goddess of harvests, Inari. But given its age and how long it had been abandoned, Akari expected the shrine to be barely more than rotted wood and dirt, with only the hardier stone statues remaining as evidence of its original intent.


    She stepped into the light at the top of the trail and almost tripped over a wooden fox because her eyes were fixed on something else. Her expectation about the state of the shrine had been very wrong.


    After passing through one more collapsed torii, the trail ended at a flat field of grass and wildflowers. In the middle of the clearing was a perfectly tended shrine building, larger even than the biggest shrine in Shinj¨­. The red paint that had once covered the exterior had long ago been worn away by the elements, but the building''s wooden structure was remarkably intact. It was one story tall with an elevated floor that was supported by thick beams painstaking carved from entire trees. The roof was straight and steeply sloped, likely to prevent buildup of heavy snow during the region''s wet winters.


    Akari paused just long enough to toss the fox figurine she had nearly tripped over into her backpack with the other eight, then she sprinted to the building. The structure was large for a shrine, easily 50 feet wide and twice as long, but the construction seemed pretty standard. Unlike the tiny one-room shrine where Akari worked, this one could easily accommodate an open hall for worship, a sealed honden for spirits to reside in, and living spaces for live-in priests and priestesses. She also noticed sliding doors on the exterior walls that provided some of the rooms with easy access to the covered wooden deck that circled the entire building.


    To the casual observer, the shrine would have appeared long abandoned, untouched by human hands for decades or even centuries. But there were subtle signs that suggested otherwise: the field was free of weeds and saplings, there were no dead leaves rotting under the shrine''s wooden eaves, and the wooden boards of the deck and stairs were smooth and unsplintered, as if they had been replaced within the last few years.


    "No way! This is amazing!" Akari said aloud as she studied the shrine. Her brow furrowed and she continued, "And very weird. Someone''s been maintaining this place in secret for generations! But why? And why not tell the public or the shrine association about it? It''s in good enough shape that they could easily take visitors, and it isn''t even that far from town."


    She didn''t feel comfortable just waltzing up the front steps of an unknown shrine, so she circled the building instead, admiring the traditional architecture and marveling at the impeccable condition of the structure. She was halfway around the building when she froze in place. She had finally noticed something important. Or rather, the absence of something.


    Everything Akari had seen during her hike, from the bright red torii gates to the scattered wooden foxes, had suggested this shrine would be dedicated to Inari, goddess of harvests, but the shrine itself had no indication of that at all. "Where are the decorations, the inscriptions? Where are the stone foxes?!" she blurted as she jogged around the building with her eyes wide open.


    Sure enough, there were no stone fox statues anywhere in the clearing, even though such statues were a mainstay of any shrine to Inari. There were over 3,000 such shrines in Japan, and they all had at least one mated pair of fox messengers on prominent display. The wooden ones in Akari''s backpack were the only thing remotely similar at this shrine, and none of them had been within the shrine grounds. The closest one had been under the final gate, just outside.


    "This girl''s weird," came a voice from inside the the building. "Raving about stone foxes while she runs around like a chicken with its head cut off."


    Startled, Akari turned to face the shrine. She tried to look through the nearest window but it was too high above her and the inside was dark. She dismissed the voice as imagined, just her subconscious mocking her own overreaction. Until it spoke again.


    "Should I kill her?" The voice was rough yet feminine, and its tone was far too casual for the subject matter.


    "No!" said another female voice, echoing Akari''s exact thought. Then the voice continued, soft and unsure of itself, "It''s not like she can see or hear us. She''ll go away soon."


    "What?" Akari said aloud. The voices went silent. She ran to the front of the building and approached the main steps, then said, "Hello? Is someone in there?"


    There was no response, until she put one foot on the first step. The first voice, who Akari had internally labeled ''Wants-to-kill-me'', said, "Uh, we''ve got a problem. She''s coming inside."


    "Hey, I can hear you!" Akari called back into the unlit hall. Never one to be afraid of the unknown, she continued to climb.


    "A very big problem," the meek-sounding voice said.


    "Shhhh. There''s no problem at all," said a third voice, dark and whispery and sensual. It reminded Akari of a snake, slithering over dry leaves. "I say we wait and see whether she can see us."


    "And then we kill her?" asked Wants-to-kill-me.


    "No," the snakelike voice said. "And then we wake the Boss."


    Foolishly, Akari kept moving forward. She wasn''t particularly afraid of the three voices she''d overheard, since they were all women and Japan was a relatively safe country. Worst case, she figured they were teenage troublemakers, squatting in an abandoned building.


    The front door was wide open but it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness inside. She saw a woman with short platinum blonde hair approach quickly and something hit Akari hard in the stomach, then everything went black again.

 Ch 2 - The Spirits

    Akari awoke in an unfamiliar place that was warm, stuffy, and dimly lit by sunbeams that slipped through wooden shutters. Before her was a long workbench that ran the length of the room. The surface was coated with sawdust and there were shelves underneath that held simple woodworking tools. She tried to look around to see more of her surroundings, but she could barely turn her head. She was firmly tied to a high-backed chair by red ropes that criss-crossed her head and body. They seemed to be made of soft cotton, since they didn''t hurt her skin at all.


    "Hello? Is anyone around?" she asked. She was quite concerned with her situation, but she told herself that panicking wouldn''t do her any good.


    "Finally. I didn''t hit her that hard," said a familiar voice, the one that Akari had nicknamed ''Wants-to-kill-me''. It was definitely coming from behind Akari, but she couldn''t turn to see the speaker.


    "Tsk. Humans are fragile. You need to be gentle with them," responded the slithery snake-like voice from before. Akari decided to call that voice ''Snake'' from now on.


    The pieces were starting to fall into place, but there was still a lot that Akari didn''t understand. She asked, "Uh, hello? Who are you? Where am I?"


    "Oh no. She has memory loss¡­" said the third, gentle voice. Akari didn''t have a nickname for it yet.


    Snake said, "Human girl, what is your most recent memory?"


    Ignoring the strange ''human'' descriptor, Akari scrunched her face in thought. Then she answered, "I found a big shrine in a clearing and I was investigating it. I heard voices inside talking about me so I climbed the stairs. I think I saw a girl with blonde hair¡­ That''s all I remember."


    Wants-to-kill-me said, "Ah, she seems alright. So, girl, are you comfortable?"


    "I''m not a girl, I''m a woman. And I have a name: Akari." She wiggled in her chair for a moment, finding herself securely bound but not in any pain, then said, "And¡­ yes, I''m surprisingly comfortable, all things considered."


    "Hebi is really good with ropes," the gentle one said.


    Akari was immediately distracted by the name drop. Which one is Hebi? she wondered. Well, since ''hebi'' means ''snake'', maybe I already know.


    "Why thank you, Usagi," Snake said, giving Akari enough info to match two names to their voices. Snake was Hebi, and the kind one was Usagi, a word that meant ''rabbit''. Then Hebi said, "Akari, I want to test something."


    From Akari''s left side a pale hand came into view, extending three slender fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"


    "Uh, three. I thought you already decided I didn''t have brain damage?"


    Hebi chuckled and said, "I''m testing something else." She withdrew her hand and said, "Usagi, Inu, what do you think? Time to wake the Boss?"


    Inu means ''dog'', Akari thought. Dog, Snake, Rabbit¡­ What is with these girls'' names? Are they code-names to hide their real identities?


    "Not yet. I have questions," said Inu, formerly Wants-to-kill-me. Then she said, "Hey girl, uh, Akari¡­ why aren''t you afraid? You''ve been captured by strangers and tied up. You should be freaking out."


    Akari shrugged as best she could while tied up so firmly, then answered honestly, "I''m a little afraid, but I''m also really curious. This is so exciting!" Since she was young, Akari never feared the unknown, since it just meant there was a mystery to discover. Her father had always said that her carefree attitude would get her in trouble some day, but all his caution hadn''t been enough to save him from illness. Akari figured she should live it up a little, rather than cower and hide from the world.


    "She''s so weird," Inu said.


    Usagi said, "I can see where she''s coming from. Being powerless and at the whims of another can be thrilling!"


    Inu sighed. "And you''re weird too, Usagi."


    "Um, did you have any more questions for me?" Akari asked. She was still just staring at the workbench while three women hovered somewhere behind her.


    "Hell yeah I do. How''d you find this place?" Inu barked.


    "Um, I just hiked up the old trail, following the little wooden fox figures."


    "Fox figures?"


    "Yeah, some little carvings of kitsune messengers, like you''d find at a shrine to Inari. I found them by my apartment, then in town, and all along the trail up here. I found nine in total, which seems fitting. You know, nine-tailed foxes and all that?"


    While Akari spoke, something long and grey and covered in scales appeared at the edge of her vision. The tail-like thing quietly pushed a small toolbox further under the work table and out of sight, then withdrew.


    Hebi cut in, "How curious. Here''s a different question for you: are you a spiritual person?"


    Akari smiled. "You could say that. I''m a priestess at a small shrine in the city, and I''ve followed Shintoism my entire life. I tried to get into the Shinto studies course at the university, but I couldn''t afford tuition¡­"


    "And have you ever seen anything you couldn''t explain?"


    Akari thought for a moment, debating how to answer. She decided to be honest. "Yeah, sometimes I see things other people can''t: little wisps of glowing energy around shrines and in nature. I always believed they were Shinto spirits, but I couldn''t prove it."


    "Ah, minor spirits," Hebi said, as if those mysterious phenomena were no more interesting than the dirt beneath her feet.


    "You know them too?!"


    "You could say that," Hebi deadpanned. Then she stepped in front of the chair, giving Akari her first good look at one of her captors. Hebi had long silver hair in a single straight ponytail that reached her waist, and her eyes were so narrow Akari briefly thought she was intentionally squinting. She wore a sharp black suit jacket and a pencil skirt, looking very much like an elite businesswoman.


    Then she said, "I''m a major spirit, and my name is Hebi." As she spoke, a grey tail at least four feet long flicked lazily behind her. It was the scaled thing from before, and there was no doubt that it was a living part of her. While Akari blinked in disbelief, Hebi said, "Would you like to meet my two friends?"


    Wide-eyed and excited, Akari answered, "Oh, sure!"


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    Hebi started to untie Akari, but Inu shouted, "Whoa, what are you doing? We don''t know if she''s dangerous!"


    "She''s clearly harmless," Usagi countered. "And I''d like to meet her properly."


    Hebi continued to undo Akari''s knots, saying, "If she tries anything, you can just sucker-punch her again."


    Inu sounded dejected as she said, "It sounds mean when you say it like that."


    "Does it now?" Hebi mused. Within seconds, she''d freed Akari. She gathered the fallen rope with the assistance of her prehensile tail, then started wrapping it up into a neat bundle.


    At the back of Akari''s mind, red ropes like that had a sexual connotation, but she wasn''t sure why. Maybe something I saw back in high school? The boys were always bringing pervy magazines to share, and some of the girls did too.


    Akari stood up and stretched her arms and legs, then turned and saw two other women. The taller of the two had short platinum blonde hair and wore sporty jogging clothes: tiny grey shorts and a blue and grey sports bra. Akari couldn''t help but notice her toned arms, abs, and legs. The other woman was short and busty, wearing a loose tan sweater and tight black leggings. She wore her golden brown hair in a long braid over her bare shoulder.


    Then Akari noticed the animal ears sticking out of their hair. The sporty girl had fluffy dog-like ears the same color as her hair, and the busty girl had big white rabbit ears that added nearly a foot to her height. Akari could have easily guessed which animal-related name belonged to which girl, but she was too busy thinking, Their ears are so cute!


    The shorter girl said, "My name is Usagi, and this grump is Inu. We''re also major spirits, just like Hebi. It''s nice to meet you, Akari." Then she bowed, her long white ears flopping forward. As she straightened up, she added, "I apologize for using your first name so casually, but I don''t know your family name."


    "Oh, it''s Mamori, like those protective Omamori charms you can buy at Shinto shrines."


    Hebi hummed, "Hmm, your full name means ''guardian'' and ''light''. Interesting¡­"


    Akari said, "And your names just mean ''snake'', ''dog'', and ''rabbit''. What''s up with that? Are they secret code names?"


    The other women ignored her remark and huddled together to talk to each other. It afforded Akari a good view of three animal tails, which matched the women''s animal names perfectly.


    "Well, she can definitely see and hear us," Inu said, her tone serious. Her fluffy platinum-blonde tail was stiff and alert.


    "Yep," Usagi agreed. "Should we wake Mistress?" She had a fluffy white tail, like a big ball of cotton candy. It lifted the back of her sweater and revealed her butt, firm and perky within her tight black leggings.


    "Yes, we should get the Boss" Hebi said, twirling the slender tip of her tail around one finger. Her tail gradually widened until it was as thick as her thigh at the base. The back of her pencil skirt was custom-tailored to accommodate it. "I don''t feel comfortable deciding this visitor''s fate without her."


    As ominous as their conversation was, Akari had paid more attention to their adorable tails and ears. She thought, I wonder what it would be like to have a fuzzy tail that I could pet whenever I want¡­


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    Akari was escorted out of the dusty workshop and down a pristine hallway to a sitting room. Sunlight streamed in through the open window onto the tatami mat floor. The walls were decorated with pastel paintings of landscapes, and a vase of wildflowers sat upon a small round table in the center of the room. Around the table were four dark wood chairs with embroidered silk cushions. The decor was an intriguing blend of Victorian and traditional Japanese influences, and Akari thought it was beautiful.


    Inu told Akari to sit in one of the chairs. Then she left the room, presumably to fetch the Mistress or Boss that had been mentioned.


    Akari sat down, then asked, "Um, where are my hiking boots? I assume you took them off after you knocked me out." She wiggled her feet as she spoke, enjoying her freedom after being tied to a chair for who knows how long.


    Usagi smiled a genuinely warm smile and took a seat to Akari''s right. "That''s right. Your shoes are waiting by the front door, for whenever you leave."


    "I can leave?"


    "If the Mistress allows you to," Usagi answered with a tone of finality.


    Akari thought, It seems that around here, whatever this ''Mistress'' says goes. I hope she''s a reasonable woman. Not that any part of this crazy situation is ''reasonable'', but you know what I mean.


    Akari decided to fill the time with conversation, since she was quite curious about the animal-women. "So, what''s it like being a major spirit? Do you get to boss minor spirits around?"


    Hebi was leaning against the windowsill, basking in the sunlight. She answered, "No, they''re more like wild animals, wandering where they will. We can shoo them away, but that''s about it."


    Akari opened her mouth to ask another question, but the thought vanished without a trace as someone stepped into the room and the sight nearly stopped Akari''s heart.


    The woman was impossibly beautiful, with fine features, deep golden eyes, smooth skin, and long orange-red hair that spilled over the shoulders of her loose and ornate royal purple kimono. She also had two triangular ears of the same orange-red color sticking up through her hair, but Akari barely registered them compared to her flawless skin and lips and cleavage and eyes and figure and¡­


    "Oh?" the new arrival said, raising one perfect eyebrow. "You brought a guest, a human." The woman approached and Akari''s gaze couldn''t help but follow. A black-tipped fox tail flicked behind her, or maybe there was more than one. It was hard to tell for some reason. "A human who can see us," the woman added.


    Driven by a sudden sense of awe and shame that she didn''t fully understand, Akari dropped from her chair and landed on her knees. She bowed forward until her forehead touched the floor, then said, "Please forgive my intrusion. My name is Akari Mamori, and I am just a humble Shinto priestess."


    "Raise your head and cease your groveling. I''m not feeling it today."


    As Akari looked back up, the gorgeous woman kneeled down for a closer look. Then the woman smiled and said, "Oh, you''re a cute one, too."


    Akari''s face went hot and her vision blurred. She praised me! That''s so wonderful, she thought, but another part of her asked, Why do I care? I''ve never met this woman before. I don''t need her approval. As her thoughts battled, she got up off her knees and sat back down in her chair.


    The fox woman took a seat in an ornate chair by the window, opposite Hebi. Then she said, "Allow me to introduce myself, young Akari. I am Inara, and this is my shrine. These women are my subordinates." As she spoke, she gestured with one hand at the walls of the room and then at the three major spirits, including Inu who had taken position standing guard by the door. "I hope they didn''t treat you poorly."


    Akari answered, "Not at all. Despite a minor kerfuffle when I first arrived, they''ve been great." At that, Inu looked both puzzled and relieved that Akari had downplayed all the hostile treatment so far.


    Akari continued, "Also, for a second there I thought you said your name was Inari, like the Inari Okami, the goddess of harvests, agriculture, industry, fertility, foxes, and a half-dozen other things. But that would be silly. I mean, there aren''t even any kitsune messenger statues here, and there''s no way I''d ever meet an actual goddess."


    A smirk crossed Inara''s face, halfway between wry amusement and smug pride. Akari didn''t know quite how to interpret it.


    Usagi scrambled to say, "Uh, Akari¡­ she is that Inari. She just prefers the name Inara these days."


    "Huh," Akari breathed. While looking right at Inara, Akari blinked three times, took a deep breath, and blinked a few more times, then she stared down at the floor between her feet. Her breathing sped up until it seemed like she might hyperventilate and pass out.


    "Oh my god, oh my god," she mumbled. "This is¡­ this is¡­" Then her head snapped up, her eyes wide and shining. "Amazing! You''re a genuine goddess, a true deity right here in front of me." Her voice picked up speed and she rambled, "I''m not worthy. Maybe no one is. But I''m a Shinto priestess, a devotee, so at least there''s that. Oh, I have so many questions!"


    The other women, Inara included, were taken aback at the sudden change in enthusiasm. Before any of them could act, Akari leapt into a constant stream of questions, not even bothering to wait for answers before blazing onward. "What''s it like being a god? Why do you live way out here in the boonies? What''s with the lack of kitsune statues? Are the other Shinto gods alive too? Where are your priests and priestesses? A shrine needs miko, you know? What''s your favorite food? Did you summon me here with your godlike power?"


    Inu took action. She clamped a hand over Akari''s mouth and said, "Whoa, chill out, crazy girl. You''re in the presence of a goddess and your first thought is to bombard her with nonsense questions? The hell''s wrong with you?"


    Usagi hopped forward and bowed deeply to Inara. "Our apologies, Mistress. Perhaps we were mistaken to bring her before you after all."


    Hebi remained at the window, observant and aloof.


    Inara shook her head and stepped around Usagi, taking a moment to gently pat the shorter woman on the head, right between her rabbit ears. "No, no need to apologize. If nothing else, this Akari is interesting, and I was just thinking that I needed more interesting things in my life."


    At that, a shiver ran through Akari''s body from head to toe. She wasn''t sure whether a goddess being interested in her was a good thing, but was definitely the most exciting thing that had ever happened to her.

 Ch 3 - Recruitment

    Akari was still sitting at the little table in that elegant room, trying to keep from being overwhelmed by the majestic presence of a goddess just a few feet away. After her torrent of questions, which still hadn''t received any answers, Akari had eventually calmed down, then Hebi had asked her to say who she was.


    "I live alone in a little apartment, and I work part-time as a miko at the Nakahara Shrine in old-town Shinj¨­," Akari explained. "Just me and a shrine priest named Jin work there, and his daughter who''s training to be a miko too."


    Across the table from Akari, Hebi nodded. "Very well, but who are you? What is it that makes you you?" She held the tip of her grey-scaled tail between her fingers like a pen, looking very much like a reporter or accountant in her formal jacket and skirt.


    "Uhh, well, I''m curious and I like to learn, and my dad always said I was too carefree around the unknown. I love Shintoism and I''ve studied it since I was little. And I can see those little wisp spirits, but you already knew that." Akari shrugged and added, "Being that weird girl who thought she could see spirits made it hard to make friends. Then the few I made moved away after high school¡­"


    "Ah, I see. That must have been hard¡­ Are you lonely? Depressed?"


    Akari glanced around at the other women in the room and her gaze lingered involuntarily on Inara''s striking gold eyes. She pulled her focus back to Hebi and answered, "Um, that''s kind of personal. Is this an interrogation or something? I thought Inu already did that."


    "No. Think of it like an interview," Hebi said with a smile.


    "Huh, okay. I guess I am lonely, but not depressed. My life is pretty good, all things considered." Akari was definitely an optimist, but she liked it that way. She''d rather see the positive side of things than dwell on the negative.


    "Hold up." Inara lifted a hand, her fingernails long and shiny and beautiful. "Hebi, where are you going with this? Are you trying to convince me to let this girl leave after she discovered us?"


    Hebi turned to face Inara and waved her tail in front of herself in a dismissive gesture. "No, ma''am. Quite the opposite in fact. I was hoping you would hire her to be a shrine maiden here."


    Inara leaned forward and her royal purple kimono parted slightly, giving Akari a welcome but problematic eyeful of cleavage. Akari considered herself biromantic and she had indeed fallen hard for a boy in high school, but the female form had a particularly strong effect on her. She could get lost for hours in a fashion magazine, admiring the beautiful models more than the clothes. And she made a point to avoid porn mags, out of fear that her admiration for the female body might become pervy.


    "And why would I want to hire her?" Inara asked.


    "As Akari''s employer, you''d have a degree of power over her, protection against her exposing us to the outside world. And she''d be kept close at hand."


    Inara seemed intrigued. She leaned back in her chair and waved a hand for Hebi to continue.


    Akari cut in, "Uh, do I get a say in this? I kinda like my job at the shrine in town."


    From her guard post by the door, Inu answered. "Sorry, girl. One way or another, you aren''t going back to your old life. But if you roll with Hebi''s plan, you might get out of this with your memories intact."


    Akari opened her mouth but couldn''t find any words. She rather liked her memories, and her old life for that matter.


    Usagi nodded eagerly. "Hebi''s plans are pretty great. She''s always plotting something exciting and mysterious!"


    Hebi nodded and addressed Akari, "As they said, I''ve got a plan, and it has everyone''s best interests in mind. You mentioned you had been short on money to pursue your dreams, yes?"


    Akari was still worried about the ''memories'' comment, but she answered, "Uh, yeah. I wanted to go to college, but I couldn''t afford it."


    "We can pay you much more than your current job, if you play by our rules."


    "And what if I refuse?"


    Inara was the one to answer. "Then I take away your ability to see spirits and erase your memory of this day. Or kill you, if that proves easier."


    Akari swallowed hard, then sat up straight in her chair and said, "I would like to apply for the job, please."


    Hebi clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! So, what could you provide us if you were to work here as a shrine maiden?"


    "Well, I''m experienced with shrine maintenance and rituals, and I have lots of knowledge about both traditional and modern Shintoism, if that''s helpful. I have some connections at other shrines, and with the town government because my dad was a civil servant. And I can clean, I guess."


    "Um, if I may?" Usagi asked, meekly raising one small hand. When Hebi nodded, Usagi said, "She could go shopping for us. I''d really love some new clothes." She hooked her thumbs under the exposed bra straps at her shoulders and tugged upward, sending her generous bosom bouncing. "This bra is too tight, for example."


    "You girls can''t go shopping? Just hide your ears under a hat, or be invisible since most people can''t see¡ª"


    Hebi interrupted, explaining, "We can''t take human form outside the shrine grounds, limiting us to things we can acquire in our mundane animal forms."


    "Except for Inara. She''s not limited like us, but she can''t walk among the humans for other reasons," Inu added.


    Akari''s eyes lit up. "Ooh, animal forms? I want to see!"


    Hebi clicked her fingernails on the tabletop. "We''re getting off topic. Akari, would you be willing to run errands for the shrine, on top of more typical miko duties?"


    "Sure, I guess. But if you can''t leave the shrine, how can you pay me?" In her mind, she pictured a small white rabbit trying to withdraw cash at an ATM. The image was too cute and she almost giggled aloud.


    Hebi smiled. "Online banking. I control the shrine''s bank account, which has been collecting interest on its donations for a few hundred years."


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    "Oh, that makes sense. So what would the job pay?"


    "Twice your current hourly rate, and the work is full time: forty hours a week."


    "Ooh. Nice." Akari didn''t think to question how Hebi knew her current pay.


    "And we''d cover food and board, including utilities," Hebi added.


    "Huh?" Akari said. "Why would¡ª?"


    "It''s a live-in position," Hebi answered flatly. "I did say you''d be kept close at hand."


    "Oh. Ohhh¡­ Give me a moment to think," Akari said, rubbing her chin in thought. She didn''t have any major connection to where she was living now, so moving wasn''t a major problem. And she''d get to live with and work for a beautiful Shinto goddess. And between the increased pay and no rent, she could save for a year or two and have enough to pay for her entire time at university. She could finally start living the life her parents had always wanted for her.


    Meanwhile, Hebi turned to Inara who was still lounging in her chair with her bare legs crossed. Hebi said, "How about it, Boss? Does this sound good to you?"


    Inara narrowed her gold-colored eyes and said, "I don''t know exactly what you''re scheming, Hebi, but I can see you put a lot of planning into this. I''m willing to see it through, if you can give me some guarantees."


    "Of course. We''ll have Akari sign a contract allowing you to wipe her memories if she exposes us. I believe I can even set up a charm to do it automatically, before she can even cause real damage."


    "Wait, what? You can do that?" Akari said, pulled from her thoughts.


    Hebi grinned wide, revealing neat, menacing teeth. "You''d be surprised what a goddess''s power can do. I''d just be guiding it." Then the grin changed to a gentle smile so fast it gave Akari whiplash. "So, are you in, Akari?"


    Akari could hear her father''s voice in her head telling her not to rush into situations she didn''t understand, but she blazed forward anyway. "Yeah, I''m in. When do I start?"


    "Right after this." Hebi drew a piece of paper out of her breast pocket and unfolded it. It was already covered in neat handwritten text, wordy and full of legalese. She slid it across the table along with a fancy black and silver ballpoint pen, then tapped the signature line at the bottom. "Just sign here, please."


    Akari skimmed the employment contract and didn''t see anything scary or unexpected, and she was pretty sure these spirits could have harmed her already if that had been their intent. She took the pen in hand and signed her name, changing her fate forever.


    "Welcome to the shrine!" Usagi cheered. "I think you''ll love it here."


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    "So, how long have you lived here, Usagi?" Akari asked as she followed the short and bouncy woman on a tour of the shrine.


    "Hmm, about two centuries I think, but the time really flies." She waved a hand at a spacious room beyond an open doorway. "That''s the worship hall. We don''t use it for anything right now."


    Akari was more interested in Usagi''s answer than the tour. She blurted, "Centuries?!"


    "Yeah. Hebi''s been here about 80 years, and Inu''s the young one. She showed up on our doorstep just 30 years ago."


    "Wow¡­ you all seem so young and pretty."


    Usagi smiled and tossed her long braid over her shoulder. "Perks of being a spirit. Our bodies are reflections of our souls, and my soul is quite fulfilled, thanks mostly to Mistress Inara." Then she stopped by another doorway. "This is the kitchen. I do most of the meal preparation because I enjoy it, but the others cook from time to time. You''re welcome to use the kitchen whenever you want. Do you like to cook, Akari?"


    "A little, I guess. I''m not very food motivated but I have to eat, so I took the time to learn to make some meals I like."


    "Ah, you''re the opposite of Hebi. She loves to eat, but can''t cook any of her favorite dishes to save her life. Oh, speak of the devil. Hello, Hebi."


    Hebi approached from down the hall. Her long grey hair was piled in a bun on top of her head, and she held a folded towel under one arm. More notably, she was entirely naked. Akari did a double take, noticing everything from Hebi''s slim figure and flat chest to her complete lack of pubic hair, then Akari looked away blushing.


    "Hello," Hebi said simply. "Want to join me for a bath?"


    With a giggle, Usagi said, "I think Akari here is a little overwhelmed. I might join you after I finish the tour."


    Hebi nodded and continued past, slipping into the bathing room at the end of the hallway. That room had been one of the first stops on Usagi''s tour, and it contained a large community-style bath, heated by a wood-burning stove. The entire shrine was off the grid, drawing its water from a well and its electricity from solar panels and an emergency generator.


    Usagi put a hand on Akari''s shoulder. "We can be a little casual with nudity around here. I suggest you get used to it."


    "O-of course. Sorry. I guess I should tell you that I''m attracted to women¡­"


    "Oh, I already guessed that. It was pretty obvious from your reaction to Mistress Inara. Don''t worry, you''re not the only one."


    "Ah, okay," Akari mumbled, but her thoughts were racing. I guess everyone has that reaction to Inara. She was just so beautiful and overwhelming. I hope I''ll get to see her again after the tour. I have so many questions!


    "These are the bedrooms." Usagi gestured with one hand at each door as she said, "Inu''s, Hebi''s, and mine. Mistress Inara''s is the double-door at the end of the hallway. It goes without saying, but please don''t enter any of them unless invited. And don''t turn down the Mistress''s invitations¡­" She trailed off with a distant look in her eyes, then shivered from ears to tail.


    "Uh-huh, sure." Akari said. It was starting to look like Usagi and Inara were in some sort of kinky relationship, and if so, Usagi wasn''t shy about it in the least. Well, they''ve lived together for 200 years so I guess they found their comfort zone by now.


    Usagi calmly resumed the tour as if she hadn''t just quivered in lust. "You can have one of these three rooms, whichever you like. They all have windows facing east, but the corner room also has a door straight to the porch, if easy access to the outdoors is your thing." She looked Akari up and down, casting a judgmental eye on her lightly used hiking clothes and her thick thighs. Unlike Usagi who had firmly toned legs and a big bust, Akari was more bottom-heavy. "Is it your thing?"


    Akari stood up straighter and planted her feet in a strong stance, then said, "Hey, I work out. I just have a pear-shaped body type, okay?"


    "Of course. I didn''t mean to offend," Usagi said, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.


    Akari didn''t believe her for an instant. That jab felt very intentional. But Akari said, "It''s okay. In any case, after all their talk of keeping tabs on me, I think Hebi and Inara would prefer I not have easy access to an exterior door."


    "Excellent point!" Usagi said with unnecessary cheer. "Pick a room and you can start moving in right away. Hebi already hired movers to bring all your belongings to a shed by the nearest mountain road, and we can all get some exercise carrying it in."


    "What?!" Akari squawked. She hadn''t cleaned her apartment in a few days, and she didn''t like the thought of random men packing up her stuff. "How will the movers even get into my apartment?"


    "Hebi borrowed your house keys while you were unconscious, and Inu ran off to put them under your doormat."


    "A-ah, okay¡­" Akari said, picturing a huge fluffy platinum blonde dog carrying keys in its mouth through town. But what''s to say that Inu''s animal form is a big dog? Maybe it''s a little cute one!


    Usagi''s voice cut into Akari''s daydreaming. "However, it would be nice if you were the one to call your landlord to cancel your lease. Even digital phones don''t carry our voices and some things can''t be done through email."


    "Sure, I can do that. I look forward to it, actually. That guy''s a jerk to me, even though I''ve always paid my rent on time." Akari had lived in that little apartment for three years, but she would have much preferred to have stayed in her family home where she''d grown up. But her dad had to sell it to pay medical bills, and then he died just the same. That had been two years ago, during Akari''s final year of high school.


    But she didn''t want to dwell on that right now. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, forced a smile, and said, "I''ll take this room then. When are we getting my belongings from that shed?"


    Usagi frowned. "Sorry, but you''ll have to do most of that work yourself. The shed is outside of the shrine grounds and I''m afraid our animal forms would be of little help. But if you bring things to the edge of the clearing, we can help with the final stretch."


    Akari could clearly remember Usagi saying, ''We can all get some exercise'', but apparently she had meant ''You can get some exercise''.


    The meek rabbit has some teeth after all, Akari thought. Is she jealous of me because I might take some of Inara''s attention? Then I hope that happens, just to spite her.

 Ch 4 - Moving In

    A medium sized dog with a long fluffy tail and pale blonde fur jogged ahead through the forest. Akari tried to keep up, but the path was faint and fraught with branches at inconvenient heights. Judging by the occasional hoofprints in the sandy soil and other signs of passage, the trail had been established by wild deer that were closer to the dog''s height than Akari''s.


    "Inu! Wait up!" Akari panted as she came to a stop. She brushed a clump of loose hair back over her ear and tried to catch her breath.


    Inu glared back at Akari, but she honored the request. She looked a bit like an Akita or Shiba Inu breed, with puffy cheeks, a round muzzle, and a short fluffy coat. But instead of a curled tail, hers was straight. Her eyes were also surprisingly expressive, letting Akari know just how little she liked her.


    Akari had expected a snarky reply, but it seemed that Inu couldn''t speak in her animal form. Between heavy breaths, Akari asked, "How much farther is it?"


    Inu sat on her haunches and lifted her front paws. She held them out about a foot apart, then narrowed the gap to just two inches. It was a rudimentary form of communication, but Akari got the meaning.


    "Oh thank the kami," Akari gasped. Then she said, "I am not looking forward to making this hike with my dresser, or my TV, or¡­ Damn, I have a lot of stuff¡­"


    Inu just rolled her eyes and waited until Akari was ready to move again, then she took off at a jog down the trail.


    As Inu had indicated, their destination wasn''t much farther. The entire trip was less than half a mile, but the winding path and constant changes in elevation made it feel longer. The trail emerged into a clearing next to a plain dirt road. A small shed, barely larger than an outhouse, stood alone in the field. A tiny wooden dresser and a futon mattress were stacked next to it.


    "I guess the movers put the rest of my stuff inside?"


    Inu nodded, then disappeared around the side of the structure. She returned with a ring of keys in her mouth, which she dropped at Akari''s feet. Attached to the ring was a bright red charm with the symbol for happiness embroidered on it, as well as Akari''s apartment keys and one small silver key she didn''t recognize, likely the key to the shed.


    Akari grabbed the keys, less slobbery than she''d expected but not entirely dry, and approached the building. She used the unfamiliar key to open the door and looked in. Nearly a dozen heavy-duty black trash bags were piled inside, along with a couple cardboard boxes and a small flat-screen TV. Judging by the bags'' inconsistent shapes, they were each filled with unsorted clothes and other random belongings.


    "Ugh, this is going to take a while," Akari groaned. She cast a hopeful glance at Inu. "If there''s something you can carry, I''d really appreciate the help." When the dog''s disinterested expression didn''t budge, Akari added in a sweet voice, "I''d owe you a favor¡­" As soon as the words left her lips, she realized that she must look absolutely insane to any outside observer. Talking to a pet dog is one thing, but bargaining with it is another.


    Inu tilted her head from side to side as if debating the merits of helping Akari, then she padded forward and grabbed a bag in her mouth and pulled it free of the pile in the shed. She went back for another of similar size and weight and put it next to the first. With her nose, she prodded the tied-off tops of the bags until Akari got the message.


    Akari tied the two bags together as solidly as possible then stepped back. "Like that?"


    Inu answered by slipping her muzzle under the knot and crawling between the bags until they were positioned across her back like saddlebags. Then she stood up and started walking away, towards the path.


    "Oh, wait up!" Akari called out. She locked up the shed, then grabbed her futon and awkwardly hoisted it onto her back. She was used to dragging the futon around her bedroom to store it in the closet each morning, but actually carrying the thing was another matter. It was heavy and floppy enough to be unpredictable and very inconvenient.


    Then Akari started the first of five exhausting trips through the forest to the shrine.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Anything you want, if it''s in my power, it''s yours," Akari panted. She was sprawled on her bare futon with her sock-covered feet sticking off the end. With Inu and Usagi''s help, all of her belongings had made it into the bedroom, but nothing had been unpacked yet.


    Inu, now in her human form and clothed in grey jogging shorts and a sports bra, stepped back a few feet, then said, "Before that, you need to clean up. You smell awful."


    "I feel awful too, but I agree that I should take a bath." Akari sat up and looked around the room. Even with all the black bags strewn about, it felt open and spacious compared to her previous bedroom. In that way at the very least, this was an upgrade over her previous life.


    Then she asked, "Where''d Usagi go?" Despite the rabbit''s passive-aggressive jab earlier, she really had come through and helped move Akari''s belongings inside.


    "I think she just left to start dinner. Why?"


    "I was going to ask her if she wants to join us in the bath."


    Inu raised one ear. "Us?"


    "Don''t you want to wash up too? I''m not saying you smell bad or anything, but you probably worked up a sweat, especially with how many bags you carried for me." Akari smiled her best smile. "Thanks again for that."


    "Don''t read too much into it. I just did it for that favor you promised." With that, Inu turned and left the room. As her tail disappeared around the corner, she added, "I''ll get Usagi."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Finding a change of clothes in all those unsorted bags took longer than expected and Akari was the last to arrive in the bathing room. She stowed her clean outfit in a cubby near the door, then stripped out of the sweaty clothes she''d been wearing through the entire day''s craziness.


    Akari was no stranger to public bathhouses and she found that being naked with her new roommates in the room was tolerable, as long as she didn''t think about it too much. Without looking directly at the other women in the room, Akari told herself, It''s just like bathing with the old ladies at the local bathhouse. Nothing strange or sexual about it.


    In addition to the big pool for soaking away the day''s worries, large enough for two people to stretch out and not touch toes, the room had several handheld faucets along one wall, each with a small bucket of toiletries. Akari sat on a stool near one of the faucets to wash herself before soaking, as was customary. She was reaching for the dial to turn on the water when she heard a voice.


    "No greeting, miss Akari?"


    Akari turned around slowly, terrified at what she knew she''d find. Her gaze passed over Inu, who was slouched chin-deep in the water, then over Usagi and her enviable breasts that bobbed at the water''s surface. Then she saw Inara, the goddess, the impossibly gorgeous fox-woman with perfect curves and piercing eyes that were currently focused on Akari.


    "Oh, Goddess Inara, I''m so sorry!" Akari babbled. "I didn''t realize you were joining us and I was so focused on washing since I''m trying to keep my mind off of all the naked bodies and¡ª"


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    Akari was interrupted by a girlish giggle so out of place she had to do a double take. It had been Inara''s, and it didn''t fit with Akari''s ''royal and distant'' impression of the goddess. Inara waved a hand and said, "It''s fine. Relax, little one. Relaxation is the purpose of this room after all. Well, in addition to cleaning, which I''ll let you get back to."


    Feeling hot in the cheeks, Akari said, "Thank you. Please excuse me."


    Then she tried to wash up while there was a powerful deity just ten feet away and watching. Needless to say, focusing on the task at hand was difficult. After what felt like an hour of painful awkwardness but was actually closer to five minutes of adorable clumsiness, she finished washing her hair and her body. Now she just needed to get into the water, the same pool that a goddess and two other beautiful women were lounging in, all fully naked.


    Akari steeled her nerves, watched her step on the wet tile, and somehow managed to get into the water without incident. As the gentle heat permeated her, she felt the tension in her muscles start to melt away. But the peace didn''t last long.


    Inara stood up, flashing Akari with a full view of her naked and frankly flawless body. Her hips were wide and her figure was soft, with just enough definition to suggest some strong musculature beneath her perfectly smooth and pale skin. And even though Akari tried not to look, she couldn''t help but notice a neat patch of fluff between Inara''s legs, the same vivid orange as Inara''s five tails.


    Wait, five tails? Akari thought. How many did she have before?


    Then Inara walked across the shallow pool and sat down right next to Akari. She tossed her long, flowing hair over the short, tiled wall behind her, then said, "I heard you''re all moved in? I hope it went smoothly."


    Akari turned to make eye contact, but she failed. Her eyes lingered over Inara''s voluptuous chest and the little pool of water that was nestled within her cleavage. Her breasts are so big! Well, not as big as Usagi''s massive melons, but still larger than mine and most Japanese women''s. I''d guess D cups?


    She shook that line of thought out of her head, then said, "Uh, yes. It went very smoothly, thanks to Inu and Usagi. Inu helped out a lot, even while she was in her dog form."


    Inara smiled. It was glorious and radiant and Akari felt positively blessed to have witnessed it. Then she said, "Inu is quite cute as a dog, isn''t she? I wish she''d take that form more often."


    From across the pool, a blushing Inu said, "Changing is really inconvenient, okay?"


    "Huh? How so?" Akari asked. The concept of being able to magically transform was so wondrous and exciting and she couldn''t imagine a reason not to use it all the time. Well, unless it was physically painful, like werewolf transformations in the horror movies¡­


    "We leave all our clothes behind when we transform," Inu explained, her tone unenthused, "so we''re naked when we change back."


    Usagi nodded and for once her ears didn''t bobble with the motion because they were weighed down with water, hanging to her shoulders along with her wet hair. She said, "Yeah, but Hebi seems to like that part of it. She likes to transform into a snake and back as a faster way to get undressed. For such a hard worker, she can be so lazy sometimes."


    "Um, Usagi¡­" Akari started, clasping her hands together. "Since you''re already undressed and it wouldn''t be any more inconvenient¡­ could you maybe transform and show me your rabbit form?"


    "Sure," Usagi answered instantly, then she lifted herself out of the water and sat down on the tiled bath wall.


    Damn, they''re even bigger than I thought, Akari marveled, eyes wide and staring. The models in fashion magazines never had breasts like that. Maybe the women in the lewd photo books the boys brought to school, but she''d never gotten a good look.


    Then there was an explosion of dense fog and Usagi''s human form vanished from sight. The fog dissipated quickly and left a small white rabbit in its place, just under 12 inches from pink-button-nose to fluffy-puffball-tail. Her long ears were just as damp as they''d been before the transformation, but the rest of her looked pretty dry. She hopped along the edge of the pool for a bit, then leapt into Inara''s waiting arms.


    Inara cradled Usagi against her bosom and said, "You''re adorable as always, Usagi." The behavior added more fuel to Akari''s theory that the two spirits were in a sexual relationship, but it also felt somewhat motherly, so maybe not.


    A squeaky voice answered, "Thank you, Mistress Inara."


    "You can talk in your animal forms?!" Akari blurted. "I assumed you couldn''t after Inu refused to answer my questions while we were getting my stuff."


    Usagi answered in her cute and high-pitched voice, "I think she doesn''t like the way her voice sounds." She glanced at Inu with her wide brown eyes and asked, "Is that right?"


    Inu shot a scowl at the bunny. "That''s none of your business." Then she rose to her feet and climbed out of the bath. "I''ve got work to do. Seeya at dinner."


    Inu turned and left, her wet tail hanging down over her firm butt. Akari could see how amazingly fit and toned Inu''s entire body was, and she wondered if Inu worked out. But if spirits'' bodies are reflections of their souls like Usagi said, then maybe working out would be pointless? Or maybe it goes both ways and exercise strengthens their souls too?


    Akari clenched her fists and nodded firmly. If she does work out, then I should ask to join her next time. We''re living together now and I want to get more friendly with her. Then she thought back to all the times she''d stopped to catch her breath while moving in. And I could use the exercise¡­


    "What''s got you all fired up, Akari?" Inara asked.


    "Um, I was just thinking of asking Inu to work out with me. I don''t think she likes me very much, so I wanted to bond with her."


    Inara waved a hand dismissively, still petting Usagi with the other. "I think that''s a fine idea to try, but don''t take it too hard if she declines. She''s just slow to open up to people."


    Then she fixed Akari with an inescapable gaze. "On another topic, you seemed to have a lot of questions for me. I can''t remember everything you rattled off, but I''m willing to answer a few for you now."


    "Oh, okay." Akari swallowed and scrambled to think of the questions she most wanted answered. Obviously she was curious about all sorts of things, but she''d surely have time to learn all the little details over time. After all, she was going to be living with Inara for the foreseeable future. Wow, I really am living with a goddess. Hell, I''m currently bathing with her, and she''s utterly gorgeous.


    Not the time for that! she chastised herself. I need to think of good questions. She spent a moment thinking, then said, "I greatly respect everything you''ve done for Shintoism, Japan, and Shinj¨­. As the goddess of harvests, fertility, and many other things, your historical legacy is truly impressive. So I am really curious: why are you going by the name Inara instead of Inari?"


    Inara''s soft and motherly smile faded. She gently placed Usagi on the edge of the tub, then turned back to face Akari. With sadness in her voice, she answered, "That''s a very long story, too long for the bath. I might tell you the whole thing another time, but for now I''ll just say that even the gods change¡­ and I am no longer the same woman as the one history calls Inari Okami."


    Akari wilted. She''d just put her boss, a powerful supernatural being, in a bad mood. "Oh, I''m sorry¡­"


    There was a soft WHUMPH sound as Usagi turned back into her human form, then a splash as she lowered herself back into the tub. She didn''t seem bothered by the change in mood, possibly because she and Inara were just that close. Akari got the impression that they knew each other''s personalities and quirks better than most people knew themselves.


    Inara smiled. "Don''t worry about it. Surely you have other questions for me?"


    The smile was infectious. "Oh, yes! Do you have an animal form like the other girls?"


    "Actually, I have a different skill with a lot more flexibility; I can transform into basically anything I want. But I have taken the form of a fox from time to time."


    "Oh, wow! And can humans see you when you''re transformed?"


    "They can, but their attention will be subconsciously drawn to me, which makes it hard to keep a low profile."


    Akari looked down at her thighs, shimmering under the steaming hot water. "Is that another one of your powers? Because I think it''s been affecting me too¡­"


    "It is, and I can''t turn it off completely. I apologize for any trouble it causes you."


    Akari shook her head. "It''s not trouble and I don''t dislike it. It''s just¡­ different." The best way she could think to describe the sensation was the interaction between a magnet and a compass; the closer she was to Inara, the harder it was to focus on anything else. It didn''t change what she felt about Inara, but it amplified the feelings.


    "That''s good to hear," Inara said. Then she put an arm around Akari''s shoulders and gave her a comforting squeeze. The act wasn''t sexual, but it wasn''t chaste either. It was the kind of casual intimacy that came naturally to someone who just didn''t worry about what other people thought. "I''m happy you decided to stay here with us, Akari."


    "Oh, that''s great, um, because I''m really looking forward to, uh, living here with you. And the other girls, too," Akari rambled, trying to ignore the warm flesh against her own. She was also quite puzzled by the huge difference between this motherly Inara and the regal and imposing Inara she''d met earlier in the day. "I hope that I can keep you that happy." She waved her hands frantically and clarified, "Through my work as a shrine maiden, I mean."


    Across the pool, Usagi crossed her arms over her chest and glared. Akari didn''t notice, but if she had she would have flinched at the powerful jealousy condensed in that glare.

 Ch 5 - Telling Tails

    Dinner was served shortly after the bath, since Usagi had started preparing it before taking a break to bathe. It was a simple homestyle meal of spicy vegetarian curry over rice with radish salad on the side. It was also absolutely delicious.


    "Wow! Usagi, this is so good. You''re an amazing cook," Akari said between heaping spoonfuls of curry. She normally tried to eat slowly so she wouldn''t overeat, but this was too good. The only thing keeping her from devouring it instantly was the spiciness which seemed to build up more and more as she ate. She solved that by drinking a lot of water and went back to the excellent curry.


    Across the table, which was low to the ground and surrounded by pillows to sit on rather than chairs, Usagi gave a little bow. "Thank you, Akari. I''m glad someone appreciates my hard work." As she spoke she cast a sideways glance at Inu, sitting to Akari''s right.


    "Hey, I appreciate it. I just need some meat in my diet," Inu said as she lifted a thin slice of beef to her mouth with chopsticks. The meat was still rather pink and rare, like it had been flash-seared at most. There was also a plate of curry in front of her, albeit with less rice. She chewed the meat and swallowed, then said, "So I whipped some up. No big deal."


    On Usagi''s left, Hebi had her own plate of beef and a double portion of both curry and rice. She licked her lips with a surprisingly long tongue, then said, "Thank you Usagi and Inu for preparing this meal. It''s quite wonderful." Then she immediately resumed eagerly shoveling food into her mouth. Usagi hadn''t been exaggerating when she''d said that Hebi loved to eat. Akari half expected Hebi''s jaw to unhinge like a snake''s so she could eat even faster.


    Akari''s mind wandered as she ate, lingering on the meat Inu had cooked. She didn''t know quite how to feel about that. Inu hadn''t offered Akari any beef, which made her feel left out. But she didn''t want to make a big deal out of it. Usagi''s curry was more than enough, and she wouldn''t dare cause a scene in front of Inara.


    The fox goddess was at the head of the table, kneeling demurely on an embroidered cushion several times more fancy than Akari''s. Inara had been very quiet during the meal, just slowly savoring her curry with a serene and contented expression on her face. The other spirits'' minor bickering hadn''t bothered her yet, but Akari didn''t want to test her patience.


    Therefore, Akari was a bit surprised when Inara suddenly addressed her. "Say, Akari¡­ are you ready for your work as our shrine maiden? The job will be quite demanding."


    Akari set her spoon on her plate and nodded. "I am ready, Inara-sama. I''ve been a miko for several years now and I should be able to quickly adapt to any differences between this job and my previous one." She was actually looking forward to it, since her previous job sometimes felt like hardly more than a glamorized janitor. She''d spent more time sweeping the shrine grounds than doing anything priestess related.


    Inara said, "Good, good. First, how much do you know about the various ways to operate a shrine?"


    Akari thought for a moment, then said, "Quite a bit, actually. I''ve traveled to and studied the operations of many Shinto shrines around Japan, including the ones on Mt. Fuji that are dedicated to the goddess Sakuya-hime. Those felt like empty flattery to me, just attempts to suck up to a princess without really understanding what Sakuya-hime had accomplished or what she would want her legacy to be."


    Akari bowed her head and continued, "Not that her legacy is as impressive as yours, Inara-sama. I dare say that of all the gods, you had the most influence on Shintoism and on the people of Japan. You gave my people the prosperity that brought us this far." Then Akari flinched as an elbow hit her in the right side.


    Inu hissed, "You should watch your own ''empty flattery''. Miss Inara can detect lies."


    "They weren''t lies," Akari whispered back.


    Inara''s reaction supported Akari''s statement. The goddess smiled broadly and said, "Thank you for the kind words, Akari. Now, since you have knowledge of shrine operations, I have a plan that I''d like your feedback on."


    At that, Hebi stopped stuffing her face and watched Inara very closely, keenly interested in what might happen next.


    Akari blinked in surprise. "Oh, of course. I''m happy to help in any way I can."


    "I''ll show you what I have so far after dinner. Please meet me in my room at nine."


    "O-oh, of course!" Akari stammered. Even though she knew that they would just be reviewing a plan for the shrine, she couldn''t help but think of lewd things. Usagi''s words from earlier echoed through her mind: Don''t turn down the Mistress''s invitations.


    If Akari wasn''t so flustered and lost in her own thoughts, she might have noticed something important about Inara. Hebi was watching closely enough and witnessed the exact moment when one of Inara''s five tails split into two, giving her six in total. And with it came a change in attitude.


    The corner of Inara''s mouth turned up in a mischievous grin. "May I ask why you suddenly seem flustered, my cute little Akari?"


    Akari had taken a sip of water and she nearly spit it out at being called cute by such a beautiful goddess. She hastily swallowed, then answered, "It''s nothing."


    "Nothing?" Inara asked. "As Inu said, I can tell when someone is lying to me."


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    She heard that?! Akari thought. Then her eyes settled on Inara''s large fox ears, which were twitching playfully. Oh, of course she''d have amazing hearing.


    Akari steeled herself and said, "Um, well, I guess I was thinking of something inappropriate, about being invited to your room, and I apologize for that."


    "Inappropriate? What could be inappropriate about coming to my bedroom, alone, at night?" Her voice was innocent, but the wide grin on her face was far from it. She knew exactly what Akari was flustered about. "Surely we would just work together as boss and employee on my plan for the shrine."


    She leaned forward and narrowed her eyes, looking very foxlike in that moment. Foxlike and devious. "Unless that''s not what your heart desires from tonight''s meeting."


    Akari''s ears burned and she was sure her face was beet red. Additionally, Inara''s magnetic attraction was in full effect, pulling Akari''s eyes and thoughts to her. A single glance at Inara''s perfect lips had Akari daydreaming about what it would be like to be kissed by them, and one peek at the deep plunging cleavage of Inara''s kimono sent her spiraling into even lewder fantasies. She wanted Inara''s touch, her approval, her attention. No, she needed them, like a drowning woman needed air.


    Akari tore her eyes from the goddess and reclaimed a bit of her self-control, but it didn''t change what she felt. The immediacy faded, but there was no doubt that her feelings remained the same. Her attraction may have been magnified by Inara''s strange ability, but it had formed 100% naturally. Every interaction with Inara had left Akari impressed and happy, eager to experience more. Everything she learned about the goddess just made her want to learn even more. Akari didn''t know whether to frown or smile as she thought, Oh no, I think I''m falling head over heels for her.


    "Akari?" Inara asked when Akari was slow to respond. "Please share your thoughts with me."


    Meanwhile, Hebi''s attention had returned to her food and Inu seemed content to watch Akari''s struggles with a look of smug amusement. Usagi was once again staring daggers at Akari, and Inara''s hold on Akari''s senses was the only thing keeping her from noticing Usagi''s venom. The look in Usagi''s eyes, full of fire and jealousy, only intensified when Akari spoke next. She was too truthful for her own good.


    "I''m falling for you, Inara-sama, even though it will only complicate things around here and I''m sure you''d never return the¡ª"


    "Thank you, Akari," Inara interrupted. The conniving glint in her eyes faded and a bit of her motherly side returned, albeit briefly. "I appreciate the sentiment." Then her foxy smirk reappeared and she said, "But let''s table that subject for another night."


    Akari was confused. How do you react to that? I just confessed and that was her response? She definitely didn''t turn me down, but I wouldn''t call that returning the feeling either. For the rest of dinner her thoughts worked in circles, asking questions that she couldn''t answer about her feelings for Inara, Inara''s feelings for her, and the relationship between Usagi and Inara that she''d just intruded on like an oblivious idiot skipping through a minefield.


    Everyone else remained quiet as well. Hebi looked disappointed at not hearing the specifics of Inara''s plan, or perhaps at not being included in the upcoming meeting about it. She ate quickly and left the table first. Inu and Inara happily ate their meals at a steady pace while Usagi alternated between sulking and glaring at Akari until everyone else finished eating and she could clean up.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Hebi was waiting in the hallway when Inara finally left the dining room. "It looks like you''re enjoying Akari''s attention," Hebi said, her voice low and neutral.


    Inara fluttered her eyelashes and her six tails wiggled like a pouncing cat''s. "I''m just strengthening our connection so I can keep her in check. It wouldn''t do to push her away when I have plans for her later."


    Hebi stepped closer and stood tall, looming over the goddess. There was a sparkle in her narrow eyes; she was in her element. "If you say so, Boss, but I think we both know that when it comes to planning, I''m better."


    Then her long, smooth tail slid along Inara''s throat, intimate and menacing. "It''s been a while since our last appointment. When you''re back on three, you know where to find me." Then she turned away, her tail trailing along Inara''s chin until the very tip flicked tantalizingly over her lips.


    Inara shivered and three of her tails grew faint and transparent for a moment, then they reappeared in full. Wearing her mischievous grin once again, Inara scampered off to her bedroom, plotting a scheme of some sort.


    Usagi watched from the kitchen as Inara passed by. She counted Inara''s six tails, then frowned and went back to cleaning.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    There was some time before the meeting with Inara at nine, so Akari spent it unpacking her belongings and trying to think of a way to fix her relationship with Usagi. She had thanked Usagi again for cooking and offered to help clean up as a bit of an olive branch, but Usagi predictably declined.


    As Akari unpacked, she made an unpleasant discovery: the movers had mixed Akari''s dirty laundry in with her clean clothes when they bagged everything up. With a sigh, she decided to do laundry first thing in the morning, if she could figure out how. Usagi''s tour hadn''t mentioned a washing machine and she wasn''t comfortable asking Usagi for help while she was so clearly unhappy.


    Do they even have a washing machine? Akari wondered. I haven''t hand-washed clothes in years, since that time all our appliances got repossessed.


    That had been the first sign of Akari''s father''s desperation. He''d hidden the full cost of his medical treatment from her, leading her to believe everything was okay. For the first year of his cancer treatment, Akari had lived a normal middle-class life, until they were suddenly broke and struggling to keep food on the table. After that, he''d been forced to sell their house, the only home she''d ever known, the warm and reliable place filled with memories of her mother.


    Once the sale went through, they moved into a tiny apartment with cheap rent and managed to reclaim a little of their previous standard of living. But her father was still on expensive medication, still visiting the hospital nearly every week, still growing weaker from the cancer and the chemotherapy. Still dying.


    A tear fell onto the clothes Akari was sorting. She''d loved him then and she still did, but she hated the decisions he had made. They''d cried together when they found out he had cancer and they decided to fight it for as long as it was treatable. But when he learned it was terminal, he didn''t tell Akari. And against doctor recommendations, he decided to fight the cancer. He fought it with everything he had until there was nothing left but debt. When he died and left Akari alone, she had no money for college, no valuable job skills, and a dead-end job that barely paid the rent.


    More tears followed as emotion overcame her attempts to stay logical and disconnected from her pain. Mom¡­ I want to remember him fondly, like you. But he destroyed my future. Couldn''t he see that? Did he see it and just not care?


    Akari buried her face in a blouse, a pale blue one that her mother used to wear. "I miss you, Mom. And I wish I missed him."

 Ch 6 - Rendezvous

    Akari stood before the imposing double doors, her legs shaking. She tugged on the sleeve of her white and red outfit, the uniform of a Shinto shrine maiden, and thought, This is stupid. Why did I think it was a good idea to wear my miko outfit to this meeting? I should go change. She turned and started back down the hallway, but she hadn''t taken two steps before there was a sound behind her. The sound of an opening door.


    "Akari? Where are you going? Did you forget something?" It was Inara''s voice, cheerful.


    Crap. I guess it''s too late now that she''s seen me. Akari turned back and bowed her head. "No, I guess not. We can meet now." She raised her eyes and the goddess was standing in the doorway, wearing a deep purple kimono and watching Akari closely, examining her clothes.


    "I see you''re already getting into the spirit of the job. Good. I respect your enthusiasm, and you''re going to need it. We''ve got a lot of work to do." With that, Inara grabbed Akari''s wrist and pulled her into her bedroom. Her grip was strong, yet gentle.


    Akari was instantly overwhelmed by Inara''s bedroom. Not only was it massive, easily three times the size of Akari''s new bedroom, it was also heavily decorated. Every wall was covered from floor to ceiling with trinkets and paintings, charms and keepsakes from every era of Japan''s history. Akari saw beautiful calligraphy scrolls, woodblock prints, elaborate wooden carvings, and a gleamingly sharp katana resting on a black stand. There was even a suit of samurai armor in one corner. The room also smelled of incense and flowers and something faint that she couldn''t quite place, a rich and earthy scent like fertile soil.


    Akari''s senses reeled as she tried to take in the dense room all at once. She looked down at the uncluttered floor to escape the overstimulation. Like the shrine''s other bedrooms, the floor was covered in standard three-foot by six-foot tatami mats, but something was off about them. After a second, she noticed black nylon loops peeking out between many of the mats, like anchor points to attach something.


    "Welcome to my room," Inara said, pulling Akari''s attention from the floor. The fox goddess spun on one foot and gestured with both hands, her kimono sleeves flying. "Don''t mind the clutter. I''ve collected a lot of art over the years and I can''t bring myself to get rid any of it."


    She clearly considered the weapons and armor to be art as well, which Akari could sort of agree with. Even if that sword had been designed to kill, its creation had required skill, artistry, and months of labor.


    As Inara spun, Akari got a clear look at the fox goddess''s fluffy orange tails, all six of them. I''m sure she had only five in the bath. I guess her number of tails varies¡­ but why? She put that line of thought aside for the moment and said, "It''s all beautiful, Inara-sama. It''s a wonderful collection that would take me days to fully examine and appreciate."


    With a prancing gait, Inara retrieved two silk pillows from an elaborately woven basket next to the samurai armor. She tossed them on the floor and unceremoniously flopped down onto one. "Sit with me. We''ve got a lot to cover tonight."


    "Oh¡­ of course," Akari said as she crossed her legs and sat down. She thought, She''s so different again. When I first met her, she was aloof and mysterious, then she became all motherly. And now she''s acting really casual, almost to the point of being childish.


    "I want to reopen this shrine to the public," Inara said simply. "It''s been long enough, maybe too long, since I left the public eye, and things got boring with just me and the girls here all alone."


    Akari nodded. She had assumed that was the plan as soon as Inara had hired her, since it wouldn''t make much sense for a closed shrine to employ a shrine maiden.


    Inara smiled and there was a glimmer in her eyes, a spark of innocent mischief that was exclusive to children and the elderly. "But I have to admit I don''t know what I''m doing. It''s been centuries since I was involved directly with a shrine, and even then the priests and priestesses handled everything. So I need you."


    Akari blinked, her mouth agape. It felt amazing to be needed by Inara, but it was also a terrifying amount of responsibility to bear. "What do you need me to do?"


    "Just about everything," Inara said matter-of-factly. "Interact with the public, advertise the shrine''s existence around Shinj¨­, coordinate with other shrines for seasonal celebrations, and plan how the shrine will function, or at least pass your knowledge of shrine operations on to Hebi for her to handle. Oh, and we''ll need to hire a crew to clean up the pathway from town. Hebi and her little computer can do a lot, but getting a contractor to travel out here and give an estimate on that job was beyond her reach."


    Akari lifted a hand. "Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but can''t you take human form and talk to people?"


    "I could¡­ but it would cause trouble if people noticed me. From what I can tell, the gods have all taken a step back in this era, staying out of sight. I don''t want to be the center of attention, at least to start. This will just be a normal shrine run by a loyal miko and her mysterious employer. And of course the other girls will help you out with day to day work whenever there aren''t any other humans around."


    An image of Usagi, Inu, and Hebi dressed as shrine maidens popped into Akari''s head, vivid and hilarious. In Akari''s imagination, Usagi pulled the look off almost too well, looking more like an anime stereotype of a miko than a real one, while Inu was grumpy yet attractive, keeping her distance from the guests, and Hebi¡­ well, Hebi wasn''t doing anything. Akari hadn''t interacted with Hebi enough to form an impression of how she would behave in that situation. She clearly had an office lady vibe, but how would that translate to being a shrine maiden?


    "¡ªthink that might work." Inara said, finishing a sentence that Akari hadn''t heard her start.


    "Sorry, Goddess, I missed that. I was lost in thought."


    Inara frowned. "First, no need to call me Goddess. It feels so stuffy. ''Inara-sama'' like you''ve been using is fine, but even just Inara would be acceptable."


    "Oh, I could never be so casu¡ª" Akari started.


    The frown became a smile. "Second, please do let me know what you were thinking about. Were you perhaps picturing the girls as shrine maidens?"


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Akari''s heart jumped into her throat. Can she read my mind? She swallowed, then stammered, "How did you know that?!"


    Inara chuckled. "Lucky guess, since It''s what I was thinking too. I can''t wait to see them in their little red and white outfits. Do you think I could convince them to wear the kind of hakama that has a cut out on the hips? I can''t resist the allure of a bare hip¡­"


    Before Akari could begin to respond to that uncharacteristic behavior, Inara said, "What you missed earlier was just me saying I wanted the shrine to be dedicated to something other than Inari Okami, if you think it could work. Would people come to an unaffiliated shrine, maybe dedicated to nature?"


    Akari wondered why Inara wouldn''t want the shrine dedicated to her, but she focused on answering Inara''s question. "Hmm, I don''t think we''d get many visitors as a generic nature shrine, at least not after the initial novelty of our grand reopening wears off, especially due to the inconvenient pathway visitors would have to take to visit us. We need a gimmick to set us apart from the other shrines, which aren''t doing that great these days."


    "A gimmick, huh?" Inara had her tails swept around onto her lap and she was brushing them with both hands, her fingers plunging deep into the fluffy orange fur. That fur looked so wondrously soft and Akari longed to touch it. Inara continued, "I''ll have to put some thought into that. Regular people won''t be able to see any of our supernatural appeal, and I highly doubt Inu would be willing to stay in dog form and be our mascot."


    Inara pouted, looking more like a pitiful child than an ancient goddess. "I wish the visitors could see the girls in their miko outfits¡­" The corners of her lips lifted. "But I guess they''ll have to be happy with you. After all, you''re quite adorable, Akari."


    "R-really?"


    "Really. Stand up and give me a twirl. I want to see how the style of miko clothing has changed in the last couple centuries."


    Akari stood up, saying, "Well, this outfit isn''t representative of every shrine maiden. I actually made this one myself, styled after historical versions with a bit of a modern flair. I have a traditional outfit that I wear to work on days that we expect high profile visitors. Well, wore, I guess. It''s weird not working at the Nakahara shrine anymore."


    She turned slowly, lifting her arms to show off the long white sleeves of her kosode robe. The red hakama had cut outs on the hips like Inara liked, but the tucked-in robe still covered her hips fully.


    Inara leaned forward for a closer look. "Oh? That''s not a normal hakama with distinct pant legs. It''s a skirt!" she proclaimed.


    Akari nodded. Her hakama was actually a long skirt, making it a little more flowing and swishy than the normal pant-like version. "That''s one of the changes I made. It''s definitely not a standard thing, at least outside of anime. Short-skirted miko are all the rage in the fanservice side of the industry."


    Inara stared dumbly. "You lost me at anime, then you said a couple more words I didn''t recognize. Can you explain them to me?"


    Akari had a hard time believing that someone in Japan had never heard of anime, but she soldiered on. "Oh, my apologies, Inara-sama. Um, before I explain anime, I guess I should ask whether you know about manga."


    "Oh yes," Inara said with a nod. "Those little picture books Inu reads. She brought some with her when she first arrived in our home. I gave them a look, but I just couldn''t get into their tales about young women playing competitive sports."


    "Well, not all manga are about sports. They can be about history, or fantasy, or even romantic drama. Anything you could write a book about can be manga instead," Akari explained. When her student seemed to be following along alright, she continued, "And the ''anime'' I mentioned is the same concept but the images are animated on a screen and the characters are voiced by actors." Akari was hoping that Inara''s exposure to Hebi''s laptop was enough to bridge the gap in her understanding.


    Inara furrowed her brow for a moment, then said, "I guess I understand. So what were those other things you said about rage and fans?"


    "Um, ''all the rage'' is just a saying that means something is popular, and ''fanservice'' means pandering to the audience''s desires, usually regarding sexy depictions of the characters."


    "Hmm, hmm," Inara hummed, nodding. "So you said that sexy miko are very popular in these anime stories?"


    "Yes, at least in some ani¡ª"


    "Then it''s settled. Our shrine shall have the sexiest miko in the land. Short skirts, bare hips, and deep cleavage! Or maybe side-boob would be better¡­" She smiled and stared at the wall, clearly imagining her ideal miko uniform.


    Akari''s face and ears burned hot. "Um, Inara-sama, I''m not sure that''s the best idea¡­"


    "Why so shy, little Akari? You are beautiful, and you''ve got those wide child-bearing hips that are so desirable to men and women both, at least last time I listened to prayers. As a fertility goddess, I got a lot of prayers in that vein," she mused.


    The awkward compliment was not helping Akari''s blushing problem. She took a deep breath, then blurted, "If our priestesses are skimpily dressed, they won''t be taken seriously!"


    Inara leaned back, her eyes wide. "You feel very strongly about that. So in this era too, female sexuality is kept behind closed doors and tolerated only in the shadiest districts of town?"


    Akari opened her mouth to reply, then closed it. She didn''t know how to answer that. Women are far more sexually liberated now than some other periods in Japan''s history, but we still have so far to go. Women should be treated equally and that can''t happen while they are being objectified for the male gaze. If the shrine uses sex appeal to draw in crowds, wouldn''t that set us back a generation or more?


    Inara could see Akari''s internal dilemma playing out on her face. She smirked and said, "The female body is natural, as is its sexual appeal. If you hide it in shame, aren''t you just giving the reins of your life over to a prudish society?"


    "Um, I guess so¡­" Akari said slowly. "But that doesn''t change the fact that people will think of the shrine differently if we wear revealing clothes. Male visitors will flock to the shrine but women, even those that like our outfits, will flee the sexualized atmosphere and creepy men." Akari had seen that happen in real life as cosplay and doujin events originally targeted at women became dominated by men over time.


    Inara rolled her shoulders and looked at the ceiling as she pondered Akari''s explanation. "I suppose that''s true. Maybe there''s a balance to be struck, a level of ''fanservice'' that is liberating to women without inviting unpleasantness from men." She looked back down and a savage grin appeared on her face. "And we don''t have to worry about any troublemakers at our shrine. I''ll scare them straight with a simple illusion, and if that doesn''t work, I can just make them disappear. No one would even miss them."


    That sounds an awful lot like murder! Akari thought, recoiling. She had forgotten that Inara and her spirits were not human and did not necessary share humanity''s sense of morality. Thinking back, Inu and Hebi hadn''t hesitated to knock Akari out and tie her up, and Inara had threatened her with memory loss or death if she didn''t take the job. These spirits were not good people, but they weren''t really evil either. Their morality was just on a different dimension entirely.


    "Hmm? Something bothering you?" Inara asked. She was very observant, but Akari also wore her worry in plain sight.


    "No, I think I''m alright," Akari answered, not quite lying. She was still a little scared of Inara, but she felt like she understood her more now. There was no use in judging a goddess by the standards of a lowly human. The best Akari could do was keep an eye on Inara, to keep her from doing anything truly terrible to the shrine''s visitors.


    Inara clapped her hands together once. "Great! Then let''s start planning the specifics. I want this shrine open to the public by Rei-sai."


    "Um¡­" Akari hesitated. She knew that the term Rei-sai referred to a shrine''s biggest annual event, but the date varied from shrine to shrine. It was always a date of importance to the shrine''s deity, but Akari didn''t know what that would be for Inara. August 24th through 26th was when the entire city celebrated Shinj¨­ Matsuri, which had some ties to Inara, but that had just passed. She decided to just ask, "When is your Rei-sai, Inara-sama?"


    Inara smiled. "September 10th, two weeks from today."

 Ch 7 - Crunching

    To say that Akari was exhausted would be a criminal understatement. Since leaving her apartment that morning to go on a hike, she''d been abducted by Shinto spirits, started a new job, moved into a new home, had a minor emotional breakdown about her parents, and spoke one-on-one with a literal goddess late into the night. The result was a state of mental and physical exhaustion so complete that Akari distantly wondered whether her normal energy would ever fully return.


    She tried to be quiet as she shuffled to her bedroom, but the hardwood floor creaked loudly under her feet. Hopefully the other girls aren''t light sleepers, Akari thought, if they even need to sleep. I really need to learn more about what it means to be a spirit¡­


    When she reached her room, she stepped inside and closed the door behind herself, then flopped onto the bed. Her thoughts about minor and major spirits quickly faded and she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.


    An unknown amount of time later, she awoke to the sound of laughter, quiet and reserved. The room was brightly lit and a figure stood near the door.


    "I didn''t realize you were that much of a fan of Shintoism, to wear miko-styled pajamas." It was Hebi''s silky-smooth voice, more joking and upbeat than Akari had heard before. Maybe Hebi was a morning person?


    Akari rubbed her eyes and sat up on her bed. She was on top of the covers and still wearing her miko outfit from the night before, except now it was severely wrinkled. That was annoying, since it required special care to wash. "G''morning," she said through a yawn. Her mind immediately wandered, thinking it was a little weird that Hebi had come into her room without knocking. "Need something?" she asked as she gave Hebi a closer look.


    The snake spirit wore a crisp white dress shirt and a black pencil skirt, and her long grey hair was done up in a tight bun. Akari half expected stiletto heels to finish the look, but Hebi was barefoot. That made sense, since it would be rude to wear shoes inside a home. Subtle makeup accented Hebi''s naturally narrow eyes, making them quite striking. Overall, Akari thought Hebi looked very professional, right up until she noticed that Hebi''s shirt was so thin it was nearly transparent and she wasn''t wearing a bra underneath. She certainly didn''t need one, since she was pretty flat, but her nipples were visible and¡ª


    "The opposite, in fact," Hebi answered with a slight grin. Akari tried to focus on that smile to keep from staring at Hebi''s chest. "I heard you took on some responsibilities, and that you''re on a tight schedule. Would you like my assistance?"


    Akari blinked, then nodded eagerly. "Yes, I''d absolutely love that. I was planning to ask you this morning, actually."


    Hebi chuckled again, a soft sound like wind blowing through reeds, or maybe a snake slithering through grass. "I must inform you that ''this morning'' has long passed. You slept through both breakfast and lunch, and dinner isn''t far off."


    "Really?" Akari jumped up and grabbed her phone from where it was charging on top of the dresser. Sure enough, the clock said it was just after 4pm. The massive amount of work that she and Inara had planned now loomed like a stormcloud over her thoughts. "I have too much on my plate to sleep away an entire day!"


    "Perhaps you truly needed that rest," Habi mused, her tail flicking idly behind her. "It wouldn''t serve you well to start such a significant project in a state of exhaustion."


    Akari couldn''t argue with that logic, but she still wasn''t enthused with the loss of so much precious time. "Thank you for offering to help me, Hebi. Can you start now?" She had barely finished her question when her stomach let out a long gurgle.


    Hebi just smiled knowingly. "Perhaps you should eat first."


    Akari put a hand over her stomach and went red in the face from embarrassment. "Good idea."


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    "Usagi kindly prepared breakfast for you, but when you seemed to need the rest, I ate it instead," Hebi explained as she and Akari entered the kitchen. "She also made lunch, which is waiting for you in the refrigerator."


    Usagi was already there, working at the long white counter on the south wall. She wore a white apron over a cream-colored sweater and her golden hair was in a thick braid that hung between her shoulders. The apron seemed to have some red text on the front, but Akari couldn''t make it out from this angle.


    Without turning around or stopping her cooking, Usagi said, "Be grateful, Akari. Hebi would have eaten your lunch too if I hadn''t stopped her."


    "Oh, um, thank you, Usagi," Akari stammered. She didn''t know exactly how to interact with Usagi. She was clearly kind and selfless, but she had a jealous streak a mile wide. Akari didn''t want to offend her, especially since her cooking was utterly delicious, but Akari wasn''t interested in being a doormat either.


    Usagi nodded and kept chopping at something with a large knife. "It''s on the top shelf, in the green container," she said calmly. Then her pitch jumped way up and she squawked, "Hebi! Don''t do that!"


    Hebi danced away from the counter with a big slice of raw salmon in one hand. She slid it onto her tongue, then swallowed it all in one gulp. "Mmmm, so tasty¡­" she moaned with a satisfied smile.


    Usagi turned her head and cast Hebi a dangerous glare. "One of these days, you''ll get your fingers chopped off¡­"


    "And I''m sure you''ll claim it was an accident, but we''ll both know the truth."


    Akari tried to ignore the strangely dark banter. The two women were like old friends who drove each other crazy but remained inseparable. She opened the sturdy and old-fashioned fridge and looked for the green container that held her leftover lunch. She was expecting a tupperware holding something simple like fried rice or stew, but it was something much better: a bento box with several compartments, each holding something different.


    She pulled back the lid and beheld the most adorable bento she''d seen in her life, beyond anything her mother had made for her in elementary school. There were two little bunnies made out of rice with pickled plums for eyes, a hard-boiled egg surrounded by a nest of julienne carrots and leafy greens, and even little octopus-shaped wieners with sesame seed faces.


    "Wow, this is so¡­ so¡­ cute!" Akari proclaimed as she stared at the food that was almost too precious to eat. She looked again at the hotdog-octopi. "But I didn''t know you cooked meat, Usagi."


    "I may be a vegetarian, but I don''t fault others for their ways," Usagi said.


    Hebi cut in, "Then why''d you make all the food look like defenseless animals? I think you''re trying to guilt-trip us."


    Usagi waved her knife in Hebi''s direction. "As if guilt could work on you. You''re shameless. I mean, look at that shirt."


    Oh good, I''m not the only one that noticed her see-through shirt, Akari thought.


    Hebi approached Usagi and gently pushed the raised knife to the side. "Says the girl in the tightest yoga pants on Earth. I would say that I can see the exact outline of your underwear"¡ªHebi tilted her head and pretended to be confused¡ª"but you don''t seem to be wearing any¡­"


    Akari hadn''t noticed that, but she definitely did now. A single glance was enough to see that Usagi had thick thighs and a plump yet firm butt, all stuffed into tight black leggings that hugged every curve. It looked great on her, and now Akari couldn''t help but scan for pantylines, to see if what Hebi had said was true.


    Usagi set the knife down on the counter a safe distance away, then turned around so her backside was pressed against the counter and out of sight. Then she said, "What have I said about bothering me while I''m cooking?"


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Hebi made a show of looking down at Usagi''s apron and reading the text there aloud, "''Bully the cook''? It seems your messages are quite contradictory."


    Usagi''s face flushed and she sputtered, "You bought this apron! I asked you to order me a simple apron and you got this stupid thing instead!"


    Hebi pressed forward, cupping Usagi''s blushing cheek with her slender fingers. "But you secretly love it, don''t you?"


    Usagi started to protest again, but Akari cleared her throat and said, "Um, sorry to interrupt, uh, whatever this is, but Hebi and I have work to do." Akari didn''t really care to know exactly what Hebi and Usagi''s relationship was and she didn''t have time to waste on it anyway.


    Usagi quickly turned away, deciding she''d rather hide her face than her butt. She resumed chopping with vigor and said, "Good. I also have work to do, so please leave me be." Even though she''d been acting quite bothered by Hebi''s teasing, Usagi''s rabbit features told a different story. Her fluffy tail wiggled side to side and her ears were angled forward, alert and quivering. At least for the normal bunniesthe students had cared for at Akari''s middle school, those were signs of excitement and curiosity.


    Hebi honored the request and strode away, toward the kitchen table. She addressed Akari as she moved. "Do you want to start reviewing the plans now while you eat?"


    Akari joined her at the table and set her adorable bento lunch down. "Sure. I can get you caught up on what Inara-sama and I covered. Are you ready?"


    Hebi plucked a small notebook and pen from the back pocket of her skirt. She readied the pen and gave a curt nod. Once again, Akari was reminded of an elite and professional secretary¡­ if she ignored that revealing shirt.


    In between bites of delicious food, Akari relayed all the plans from the night before as best she could. Her memory wasn''t perfect and she hadn''t thought to take notes like Hebi was doing now. Thankfully, Hebi was good at spotting holes in the information and asking followup questions. And unlike the mischievous behavior she''d shown while bothering Usagi, she stayed perfectly on track. She was laser-focused on the task at hand, to the exclusion of all small talk. Her businesslike attitude was almost stifling, and Akari was happy for the excuse to take a break when she finally finished her lunch.


    Akari stood up and took her bento box to the sink to wash. At some point in the last hour, Usagi had moved whatever she''d been preparing into the oven and left the room. As Akari rinsed out the container she said, "I think that''s everything Inara and I planned. How did you want to divide the workload now?"


    Hebi twirled her pale grey tail around one finger in thought. "Hmm, I prefer to be in control. Of planning, I mean. I''m pretty good at directing people too, for when we get to that stage."


    Akari pondered that, trying not to read too much into the ''in control'' thing, then she said, "Alright, for the initial stuff that needs to be done first, you can plan the festival and decide what work needs to be done around the shrine to get it ready for the public. And I can do all the phone calls and face-to-face stuff, as well as help out with the other stuff however you want."


    Hebi clearly liked that idea, with the way her tail started flicking from side to side. "Excellent. I''ll begin my half right away," she said, then she tore a page from her little notepad and offered it to Akari. "Here are the phone numbers you''ll need for all the construction companies. I took the liberty of writing their office hours next to each. If you act quickly, you might be able to contact two of them before they close."


    Unprofessionally-transparent shirt or not, Hebi made an excellent secretary. Akari was starting to believe that the monumental task of getting the shrine ready to open in just thirteen days was actually feasible. Still a terrifying amount of work, but feasible.


    As Hebi started furiously writing her own plans on her pad, Akari pulled out her phone and called the first number on the sheet, a local construction company.


    "Hello. I''m calling on behalf of the, uh, hold on one moment." She lowered the phone to her shoulder and whispered at Hebi, "What''s the name of this shrine?"


    Hebi didn''t look up from her notebook. "Just call it Mori-jinsha. Inara doesn''t like the old name."


    That just means ''Forest Shrine''. Simple, but straightforward, Akari thought. She put her mouth to the phone again, "Sorry for the delay. I''m calling on behalf of Mori-jinsha, a Shinto shrine in the mountains south of Shinj¨­. I''d like to hire a work crew to repair an old mountain path so that visitors can reach the shrine."


    "Mori-jinsha? Haven''t heard of it," came a gruff response.


    "It''s new, well, newly remodeled, um, newly reopened," she stammered, earning a raised eyebrow from Hebi.


    "Uh-huh," the man said. "You sound new to this. First day?"


    "Second, actually," Akari said meekly.


    A deep sigh came through the phone, then the man said, "Alright, what exactly do you need done?"


    After a lot of back and forth, including plenty of insistence that the work really did need to be done within two weeks and that Akari really could afford to pay for that urgency, she successfully booked a visit for the next morning. The plan was for Akari to meet a contractor in town and walk him up the entire footpath so he could give a price estimate. There was no way he''d be able to see the spirit girls but she planned to keep him away from the shrine itself, just in case.


    After the phone call, Akari asked Hebi, "Out of curiosity, what was the old name for this shrine?"


    Hebi kept her eyes on her notepad, which now had over a dozen pages filled in with plans for the festival, including some intricate sketches of booths and costumes. She answered, "It was called Shinj¨­ Inari-taisha, and it used to be the primary shrine to Inari in all of Japan before it closed in the 1700s. That was when Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto took over and became the main one."


    Akari knew that Fushimi Inari-taisha was one of the biggest Shinto shrines in the world, and it was famous for having literal thousands of red torii arches and numerous fox statues. She had never visited it because Kyoto was so far away from Shinj¨­, but it was at the very top of her wish list.


    Cautiously, she asked, "So what does Inara think of the Kyoto shrine?"


    Hebi glanced up at her, looking a bit like a displeased librarian who was sick of answering stupid questions; the only thing missing was a pair of half-rim reading glasses. She explained, "Imagine you used to have a different name, career, and identity that you weren''t particularly proud of, and you''ve worked really hard to distance yourself from it. Then imagine that people built a giant shrine to that identity and threw massive parties in its honor even after you repeatedly asked them to stop. Yeah¡­ the Boss is not a fan."


    "Oh, okay¡­" Akari frowned. I should have been able to figure that out myself, after what Inara told me last night. On top of feeling a bit dumb, she felt bad for repeatedly distracting Hebi from her own work. Akari stood up and said, "I''ll be in my bedroom for the other call."


    Hebi was once again laser focused on her task. "Mmhm," was her only response.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Wow, you''re alive," Inu said from the doorway. She wore knee-length shorts and a sleeveless blue basketball jersey, complete with the number 04 on the chest. Akari was pleased to see a sensible black sports bra underneath the jersey, having seen more than enough of Hebi''s nipples for one day.


    Conveniently, Akari had just finished her final phone call for the day, so Inu''s intrusion wasn''t interrupting anything. "Yes, I''m alive. What of it?" Her reply came out harsher than she intended, which she blamed on Inu barging in unannounced. What is with people walking into my bedroom today? Akari thought. I thought it was understood that a closed bedroom door means ''Knock before entering'', but maybe I''m taking too much for granted.


    Inu shrugged. "Nothing. It''s nice to see you can handle such a hard day. I suppose oversleeping is a better coping mechanism than most."


    Was that a compliment? If so, now might be the best time to ask¡­ "Um, I want to start working out. I heard from Inara that you''re a bit of a fitness expert. Do you think, maybe¡ª"


    "Yeah, sure," Inu interrupted.


    Akari assumed the worst and frowned as she said, "Oh, okay¡­" She paused. "Wait, you said yes?"


    Inu rolled her eyes. "Yes I said yes. Working out alone sucks and the others always flake on me or wimp out." Her orange eyes stared Akari down. "You won''t wimp out, right?"


    Akari swallowed. "Um, I''m only human, so I might not be able to keep up with you, but I am serious about this." She waved a hand at the furniture that she had painstakingly carried through the forest. "After yesterday, I realized I really want to be stronger."


    Then Akari had a flashback of how fit Inu had looked in the bath the previous night, particularly her chiseled abs. She broke eye contact and added, "¡­And I''d like a firm stomach."


    Inu''s ears perked up and she gave a firm nod. "Alright, then we''ll start you on a regiment of crunches, planks, and other core exercises. With some light weight training for your arms and legs and jogging for cardio. Well-rounded fitness is ideal."


    "Wow, I guess I came to the right woman," Akari said, a little surprised by Inu''s enthusiastic response.


    "You did indeed. Now, since there''s a little time before dinner, let''s see how many crunches you can do. I need to learn your limits."


    "What, right now?"


    "Yes, right now," Inu said with annoyance in her voice. She dropped to the floor, bent her knees, and put her hands behind her head. "Get on your butt and start crunching. I''ll race you to fifty."


    "Wah! Uh, okay!" Akari yelped, then she joined Inu on the floor. Akari imitated her form, then began. At ten crunches, she was feeling the burn. At 20, she started to really struggle and her form suffered. She barely managed number 28 before flopping backwards onto the floor, panting. She rolled her head to the side to see Inu still going strong and quietly counting aloud.


    "Sixty-five, sixty-six¡­" Then without slowing down, she barked, "Come on, Akari, I know you can do more! You promised you wouldn''t wimp out."


    "Sorry!" Akari said as she forced her elbows toward her knees yet again. She couldn''t help but be motivated by Inu''s enthusiasm, but there was no way she could match that girl''s stamina. And she knew her muscles would be regretting it later.

 Ch 8 - Welcome

    It didn''t take long for Akari to reach her absolute limit of 39 crunches. Her abs ached and burned and she mentally cursed Inu for bringing that suffering upon her, even if it had been at her own request. But she was feeling a bit of a post-exercise rush that felt pretty good and this was an important step toward her goal of being healthier and stronger, so she had to admit it was a net positive.


    Inu jogged ahead toward the kitchen, a rare grin on her face. "Ooh, that smells awesome!" she called out. The smell hit Akari''s less sensitive nose when she got closer to the kitchen. There was a tangy, zesty scent on top of a complex blend of savory and rich aromas. She already knew Usagi was a great cook but that smell raised her expectations even higher.


    Everyone else was already seated when Akari arrived at the table, making it pretty clear that the last open seat was for her. She sat on the little cushion and greeted the others, trying to find the right amount of casual and polite for the Goddess. She settled on, "Good evening, Inara-sama."


    "And you as well, Akari," Inara replied with a heart-stoppingly beautiful smile.


    Forget the food, that smile is all the sustenance I need, Akari thought.


    Then Usagi cleared her throat and gestured at the platters of food in the center of the table. "I made lemon-pepper salmon and some baked veggies in olive oil, with crepes and ice cream for dessert." There was also a heaping bowl of steamed rice that she didn''t bother to mention. She bowed slightly and added, "Please enjoy."


    As everyone started dishing up food onto their plates, Inu said, "You don''t normally make dessert. What''s the occasion?"


    Usagi raised an eyebrow and the ear on that side stuck straight up too. "Isn''t it obvious? Even if Akari is human, it isn''t every decade that we get a new member in our household."


    "Aww, thank you, Usagi," Akari said, beaming. It felt good to be welcomed to the shrine, and it had come from someone she had thought didn''t like her. All the decisions that brought her there finally started to feel like the right calls.


    The wholesome moment was soon shattered as Hebi and Inu started fighting over the platter of salmon. "You already took a ton," Inu whined as she tugged on the platter. "Let everyone else get some before you go back for seconds."


    Hebi refused to let go. "Everyone already has some on their plates. It''s not my fault they took tiny portions."


    Inu looked to Usagi with big puppy-dog eyes. "Back me up on this. You don''t want Hebi eating everything, do you?"


    Usagi just shrugged. "I''m just happy that Hebi likes it so much. There''s plenty of other food if the salmon you got isn''t enough to fill your belly." She left unsaid that all the remaining food just happened to be meat-free.


    Rolling her eyes, Inu groaned, "She''s got you so whipped, Usagi, it''s not even funny."


    Akari barely noticed the arguing. She was lost in the delicious taste of a meal that was somehow even better than its smell had lead her to expect. More than just flavor, the texture was also perfect, with the tender salmon practically dissolving on her tongue and leaving a zesty and slightly spicy echo ringing through her mouth. The vegetables appeared to be garden variety leeks, potatoes, carrots, and daikon radishes, but they were remarkably high quality, beyond anything you could get at the grocery store, and they''d been infused with rich and fragrant olive oil and a subtle blend of spices that brought out the very best the veggies had to offer.


    After swallowing another bite of bliss, Akari opened her eyes to see the whole table looking at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?"


    Inara let out a little chuckle. "No, you just seemed to be enjoying yourself quite thoroughly. The sounds you made were very cute."


    "C-cute?!" Akari felt her cheeks grow hot. It was true that she''d lost herself for a bit there, but she hadn''t realized she had made any sounds.


    "Nah, not cute," Inu chimed in. "It was downright erotic. She was moaning like she was being eaten instead of the other way around."


    Akari dropped her chopsticks and hid her blushing face in her hands. She peeked out between her fingers at the others, feeling like she might die of embarrassment. "D-did I really sound like that?"


    Hebi answered. "You really did. It was inspiring, actually, and made me realize how much I''ve been taking Usagi''s cooking for granted. I fancied myself a connoisseur, but I have much to re-learn."


    Curious about what Usagi thought of all this, Akari risked a glance her way. The rabbit spirit was leaning back slightly, supporting herself with both hands on the floor behind her, and she was watching Akari with narrowed eyes and closed lips. Akari thought, I can''t read that expression at all. Is she upset? Confused?


    Then Usagi took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Akari. You just gave me the most genuine and passionate review of my cooking I''ve ever received. I will strive to hit such a high mark again."


    While Inu giggled at that, a surprisingly feminine sound for her, Akari grew even more embarrassed. She nodded feebly, then returned her attention to her food. She was feeling really overwhelmed and awkward and too self-conscious to enjoy the meal to the same degree as before, but it was still amazing.


    <hr>


    After finishing dinner and an equally tasty dessert of crepes with strawberries and vanilla ice cream, Akari tried to escape back to her room. There was planning she could be doing and she was feeling more than a little socially exhausted.


    "Oh no you don''t," Hebi hissed as Akari attempted to follow the others into the hallway. She wrapped her tail around Akari''s waist and tugged her back. "I wanted to go over my plans so far with you. Even though I took on some of the responsibilities, you''re still the one in charge on this project and you need to be kept in the loop."


    "Ah, of course. Sorry, Hebi."


    "No need to apologize. I''m not keen on the concept of apologies. I don''t care what you say as long as mistakes aren''t repeated, and feeling guilty isn''t always the best route to that goal."


    Akari pondered that as she followed Hebi back to the now empty kitchen table. Then she said, "That''s an interesting philosophy. It reminds me of something the priest at my previous shrine once told me: ''An apology without intent to change is just manipulation.''"


    Hebi smiled from ear to ear, her mouth widening to a creepy degree. "Oh ho ho, as an experienced manipulator, I can confirm that that''s a remarkably accurate assessment."


    "Manipulator? What do you mean by that?"


    Hebi ignored the question and dove into a presentation of her ideas so far. Akari was quickly inundated with plans and schemes and pages of notes, and soon forgot about her concerns. Hebi seemed to have the vast majority of the festival plans under control, but her understanding of human interests was lacking, to say the least.


    "I don''t think most visitors would want to see animal bones on display, even if they represent the cycle of nature on this mountain. It''s just too grim for such a happy celebration," Akari explained. "And charging an entry fee to enter the grounds would sour our first impression. People would much rather pay for food and souvenirs, and even non-paying guests can help spread the word about the new shrine in town."


    Hebi nodded and took down notes, then asked, "But what about my idea to sell random gift bags? This festival will be expensive and our coffers aren''t bottomless, so we need something with a high profit margin to reclaim our costs."


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Akari actually liked the idea of selling little bags with random shrine-related trinkets and toys inside, some of which were rarer than others. She just had a couple concerns. "The gift bags are great. Though we should probably make a poster of all the possible contents, so people understand the range and don''t feel ripped off."


    "Yes, of course. And we could put the most desirable, and rarest, items at the top of the poster at double the size to draw attention. Oh, and every bag could come with a ticket inside, and visitors can redeem 20 tickets for another bag! That''ll get people buying even more to reach that coveted ''free'' goal." Hebi was salivating at the idea and its money-making potential, but it reminded Akari of the sketchy ways some free-to-play phone games would try to extract money from their users.


    Hebi''s eyes narrowed menacingly. "Wait¡­ no¡­ There will be ten different kinds of tickets, and visitors have to redeem one of each to get a free bag. And one of the tickets will be rarer than the others!"


    Akari thought, Uh oh, this is getting into some evil money-grubbing territory. I better cut this off. She said, "Um, please remember that someone has to make all those tickets and prizes. Maybe we should keep things simple for our first event."


    "True, but I can whip up those tickets on my computer and have them printed in town. Double sided, of course, with a unique pattern on the back to reduce the chance of fakes."


    Akari squinted. "You really think someone would try to scam us with counterfeit grab-bag tickets?"


    "If the reward is desirable enough, definitely. One thing I do understand about humans is their greed."


    Akari decided to trust Hebi on that and focus on what the prizes would be, and who would make them. "For the prizes, were you thinking standard shrine fare, like charms and fortunes?"


    "For the bulk of them, yes. The special prizes could coupons that can be redeemed for carved figures, like those wooden foxes I made."


    "You made those?"


    Hebi ignored the question. "Oh, and the top prize could be a miko outfit. You said you made yours yourself, right? If someone actually wins that one, we''ll get their measurements and you can make a set for them."


    "Hmm, that''s a lot of work¡­ but I did have fun sewing mine. I''d just need to borrow a sewing machine again." Akari frowned. "But what if the winner is a guy? I doubt he''d want to dress as a miko and I don''t know much about other clothes like kannushi robes."


    Hebi smiled. "Just ask him for his wife or girlfriend''s measurements."


    Akari was reminded of her conversation with Inara about sexualized shrine maidens. "Oh, right. That prize will probably be more popular among guys that girls¡­" She had mixed feelings about that. On one hand, Akari thought shrine maidens were cute and she liked how she looked in the outfit, but on the other hand, she was a shrine maiden herself and it was kind of unpleasant to be objectified.


    Hebi put a hand on Akari''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who''s a creep about it, and I''ll think of an alternative prize for people that aren''t into the miko thing." She withdrew the hand and held her chin in thought. "Maybe I can get Inara to bless a fox statue or two. She''s still a bit reluctant to engage in anything too reminiscent of Inari Okami."


    Then Hebi hopped to her feet. "In any case, I''ve got a lot of revisions to make to my plans. Let''s check in again after lunch tomorrow."


    "Sure. Thanks again for handling so much of this work, Hebi. You''ve been a lifesaver."


    "You''re quite welcome, Akari. I haven''t had this much fun since I discovered the internet."


    <hr>


    "Finally, some time to myself," Akari said to her empty bedroom. She did enjoy being around her new housemates, but she needed some downtime too. She pulled out her notebook and reviewed her restoration and festival plans. The most urgent action item was calling the equipment rental place to reserve all the booths for the festival. Oh, and she''d need to rent a portable toilet for the guests, and figure out how to transport all that stuff into the clearing around the shrine¡­


    "Hey, human."


    Akari sighed, put her pen down, and turned to look at Inu, who was standing by the door. "Please use my name."


    "Sorry, Akari. I''m not used to talking to humans, and they usually just call me ''dog'' or ''puppy'' when I''m in town, so I thought that''s how they talk to each other."


    Internally, Akari ranted, That''s because they think you''re a normal dog and they don''t know your name! That''s totally different than when you¡ª Whatever, it''s not worth getting stressed about¡­ "So, what did you need?"


    "I was going to start my evening exercises and I figured I should invite you. Nothing too heavy, since we just ate."


    A short battle was waged between the part of Akari that wanted alone time and the part that wanted to get fit and sexy. Fitness was victorious. After all, the first days of a new routine were crucial and she couldn''t afford to be lazy if she wanted to develop good habits. "Sure, and thank you for the invite. What''s the plan?"


    "I was thinking pushups to failure, followed by squats and lunges."


    "To failure?" Akari asked, afraid of the answer.


    "Muscle growth happens when you push your limits, so we''re gonna do push ups until we literally can''t do another one. It''s great!"


    Akari had doubts about its greatness, and they were soon confirmed. The workout was miserable and exhausting and a little painful, and Akari felt so weak compared to Inu. The dog spirit seemed to have bottomless stamina, and surprising upper-body strength. But after Akari reached ''failure'' on the final exercise, Inu said a magical phrase that improved Akari''s mood instantly.


    "Let''s hit the bath. Nothing like hot water to soothe sore muscles."


    "That sounds wonderful," Akari said, breathing hard as she wobbled toward her dresser to get a change of clothes. "I''ll meet you there."


    <hr>


    In the soaking pool, Inara slid up to Akari''s side and announced, "Usagi already touched on this earlier, but I''d like to formally welcome Akari to our little family. We''re happy to have you here." Then she pulled Akari into a very naked and very busty hug.


    Akari had mostly forgotten her awkward confession the other day, blaming it on Inara''s magical aura, but now those feelings returned in force. Inara''s bosom was like a warm blanket, wrapping Akari''s entire existence in comfort and love. Akari felt like she could live out the rest of her days in that embrace and die happy and fulfilled. She loved Inara, and it seemed foolish to deny that fact.


    A few feet away on Inara''s other side, Usagi was visibly jealous, alternating between glaring daggers at Akari and looking longingly up at Inara. Inu and Hebi both watched with rapt interest, wondering not if Usagi would lash out, but how.


    But before she could, Inara''s tails swept out and grabbed Usagi like a massive hand, then pulled her into the hug. "Sorry to leave you out, my little jelly-bun." Usagi''s face flushed pure red at the silly nickname, but Akari didn''t notice. She was too focused on the wonderfully unexpected sensation of Usagi''s soft and sizable breasts pressed up against her own. Inara had a truly remarkable figure, but her chest seemed almost small compared to Usagi''s. Akari wasn''t romantically interested in Usagi, but she couldn''t deny her physical appeal¡­


    After the dangerously erotic hug ended and Usagi returned to her own seat, Inara patted Usagi on the head in a somewhat condescending way and added, "You need to stop getting so jealous, considering how open the relationships are around here."


    Feeling a little self-conscious about her own breasts, Akari slouched deeper in the water to hide. But she was very curious about something. "Um, sorry if this is too personal, but what are the relationships here?"


    Before anyone could answer, Inara got a very mischievous expression on her face. She held up a hand and said, "No one answer that. Akari, what do you think they are?"


    "Um, I think that you have something, um¡­ intimate, with Usagi, but she also has some sort of relationship with Hebi? I feel like there might be more, but that''s all I''ve seen."


    Inu crossed her arms and watched stoically while Hebi let out a little chuckle.


    Inara smiled broadly. "If that''s all you''ve seen, Usagi must look like quite the hypocrite, to be the only one in two relationships and the only one getting jealous all the time."


    "Mistress!" Usagi whined. "Please don''t confuse the situation!"


    Inara patted her on the head again and explained, "Usagi is just a very caring and sensitive person who can''t help but feel jealousy when a new person joins the household. She did it when Inu joined too, even when nothing romantic was occurring between Inu and I."


    "So you''re not in a relationship with Inu?" Akari asked.


    "I can neither confirm nor deny that," Inara said with an intense look. "You''ll have to wait until the others get more comfortable with your presence to learn about any other relationships that might be present. After all, you''re brand new here and I wouldn''t dare share information they aren''t comfortable sharing themselves."


    Then she smiled, "But it sounds like you''ve been spending time with both Inu and Hebi. That''s great to hear. You just need to get to know Usagi as well and everything will go much smoother around here. As fun as it is to have a lively household, I can''t have you girls at each other''s throats when we''re trying to open the shrine to the public in under two weeks."


    "What?!" Inu and Usagi blurted at the same time. It was the first they had heard of the plan. Their shock was understandable after decades of peace and isolation on this mountain far removed from humanity.


    Inara put her hands up, palms outward. "Don''t look at me. Akari and Hebi are the ones planning it."


    Akari started to panic. She''d been thrown under the metaphorical bus. Was I supposed to tell them? I guess I just assumed they already knew, but apparently I was wrong.


    To Akari''s great relief, Hebi stepped in. She pressed her tail to her upper chest, gave a small bow, and said, "It''s true that we plan to open the shrine to the public via a festival on September 10th, and it''s my fault for not communicating that to you. I was so wrapped up in the planning that I failed to get you two up to speed. I assure you that everything is under control and I can give you a full run down in the morning, including any tasks Akari and I could use your assistance with."


    Akari relaxed and melted into the hot water. Thank goodness she fielded that for me. I do not want to make enemies of Inu and Usagi right now. The warm embrace of the water reminded her of Inara''s bosom, and soon she was lost in a daydream full of squishable marshmallows and fluffy fox tails.

 Ch 9 - Tests

    On the morning of the third day of Akari''s wild new life, she woke up feeling refreshed and ready for a productive day. She hopped out of bed and approached the dresser that held most of her clothes. The top of the dresser also served as a display area for a few precious belongings, like her mom''s earrings and her favorite shrine fortune from middle school. The yellowed slip of paper claimed she would have ''great blessings'' in the realms of learning and life goals. She had interpreted that as a signal to pursue her education in Shintoism and she''d never looked back. She wasn''t on the exact path she had imagined, but there was no doubt that she was learning a whole lot about Shinto spirits, stuff that college wouldn''t have covered.


    Akari spent a few minutes picking out her clothes for the day. She decided on comfy black shorts and a red tank top, since the forecast said it would be hot and she needed to hike the forest trail with that construction company estimator. She started to change out of her pajamas and had her shirt up over her head when the bedroom door opened suddenly.


    "Ah, didn''t realize you were changing." It was Usagi''s voice, and she didn''t sound sorry in the least.


    Akari''s good mood evaporated in an instant. She pulled her shirt back down and spun around to face the intruder. "Okay, I''m officially sick of it. Why do people keep barging into my room without knocking?! I remember you specifically said not to enter other people''s rooms uninvited, yet here you are!"


    Usagi shrugged. "I''d guess that we were all testing you, figuring out your boundaries and finding just how far we can push you. It''s all very pragmatic."


    "It''s all very rude," Akari snapped back. "If you want to know something about me, why not ask me?"


    Usagi smiled cryptically. "There are so many things you can''t learn about someone by talking."


    Akari''s anger was briefly eclipsed by confusion. O¡­kay, that sounded downright lewd. Just what did I get myself into?


    Usagi resumed at a conversational tone, "But to your credit, I did actually come here to ask you something. I need your help on something incredibly important."


    "Really?" Akari didn''t have much faith in Usagi''s evaluation of what was or wasn''t important.


    Usagi nodded firmly. "Yes. We need to sell food at our grand opening and Hebi tasked me with creating the menu. As a human yourself, you understand the tastes of the common folk better than I do"¡ªAkari''s jaw tightened at Usagi''s pretentious phrasing¡ª"so I''d like you to taste-test my recipes."


    Akari''s hostility disappeared instantly. "Ooh, I''d love to do that!"


    Usagi said, "Excellent. I''ll be cooking all day today and tomorrow, so please swing by the kitchen between your other tasks to sample whatever dishes I have ready."


    "I''ll do that," Akari said with a smile. Then she grew serious and shooed Usagi away with her hands. "But please get out of my room. And knock next time!"


    <hr>


    The day absolutely flew by. Akari stayed busy and productive and never got a chance to worry about anything. First was the walkthrough with the contractor, which went pretty well. His estimate to clean and repair the entire trail wasn''t cheap but it was within the budget Hebi had laid out, so Akari authorized the work to begin. Throughout the rest of the day, between phone calls and other planning tasks, Akari frequently zipped over to the kitchen to try out Usagi''s latest creations and provide feedback.


    The food was almost universally delicious, except for a few strange recipes that must have appealed more to rabbits than people. Akari ended up consuming way more calories than a normal day but she offset some of it by joining Inu for exercises in the shade outside. The trees around the shrine clearing were old and strong, with dense canopies that filtered out most sunlight and made a perfect place to work out or relax.


    The rough ground was ill-suited for crunches or push-ups, but the cool mountain air was ideal for aerobic activities like jumping jacks or jogging. Akari learned that the path around the edge of the clearing was almost exactly a quarter mile long, and then she learned that jogging a full mile at once was beyond her current abilities. Halfway through her fourth lap, she slumped against a tree and threw in the metaphorical towel.


    "You can put a fork in me, because I''m done," she panted at her dog-like companion, who ironically wasn''t panting at all.


    Inu shrugged and said, "Fair enough. You put in a good effort and it would be bad if you were too sore to do your festival planning stuff." She leaned against another tree, lifted her plastic water bottle over her head, and squirted water in her mouth and on her upper chest to help cool off. Then she looked back at Akari. "How''s that going, anyway?"


    Akari was torn. On one hand, she didn''t want to stare at Inu''s unintentionally lewd wet t-shirt or the blue sports bra underneath. On the other hand, she wanted to burn that image of sexy fitness into her mind as a goal to strive for. In theory, with enough work, Akari could look that good after a workout instead of looking like a red-faced ball of sweat and pain.


    She steadied her breathing and said, "It''s going well. Got a couple more calls to make today, then an in-person meeting tomorrow at the shrine association. It sounds like they''re willing to recognize us as a new shrine instead of a lapsed one, which is huge."


    Inu tilted her head and one furry ear flopped up on top of her head. "Why is that a big deal?"


    "It means the association will promote our grand opening at the other shrine locations around town. Free advertisement is great, but this is even better than that. You can''t normally advertise at shrines, and current shrine goers are definitely our target audience."


    Inu straightened up but her ear stayed folded over and inside out, which Akari found just as adorable as when it happened to dogs, and even sillier on such a serious woman. Akari had to stifle a giggle as Inu said, "Ah, that makes sense. Those people seem pretty likely to be interested in our festival. But what about after the festival? Won''t they return to their normal shrines to worship?"


    Akari pushed herself to her feet and brushed pine needles off her hands and butt. "Yeah, which is why we need to advertise elsewhere too." Then her face went pale. "Ah crap¡­"


    "What''s wrong?" Inu asked as she stood on one leg and stretched the other behind her. She was surprisingly limber.


    Akari let out a long sigh, the kind that said, ''I dug myself into a hole and the only way out is a whole lot of work''. Then she admitted, "I forgot that I need to pick up some flyers from the printer today and then put them up all around town. The route Hebi planned for me was over three miles round trip and I''m already exhausted¡­"


    "Want some help?"


    Akari was so surprised she had to do a double take. Inu just offered to help! Does she finally like me? She tried to keep her voice level as she said, "Yes, that would be amazing. If you could take half my route that would¡ª"


    "Hold up," Inu interrupted, "I can''t put up flyers on my own. I''m stuck in dog form outside the grounds, remember?"


    Akari slapped a palm to her forehead. "Ughh, that''s right. Sorry, Inu." She looked back at Inu and asked, "So how were you planning to help?"


    "Moral support, I guess? And I can probably carry some stuff for you, if that helps."


    Akari nodded firmly. "I''ll take what I can get. Thank you. Let''s leave in 10 minutes. I need to taste-test more of Usagi''s cooking real quick." Counterproductive or not, post-workout snacks were too good to pass up.


    <hr>


    Akari stepped out of the kitchen just as Inu was passing through the hallway. "Want one?" Akari asked, holding out some sort of fried food on a stick. It was an egg-sized ball with a crispy tan coating that looked like panko or breadcrumbs. She had another one in her other hand, half-eaten.


    Inu sniffed at the offered snack, then asked, "What is it?"


    "Deep-fried sweet potato on a stick. I''ve never heard of anything like it, but it''s delicious."


    Inu hesitated, then nodded. "Sure, I''ll give it a try." She grabbed the stick and opened her mouth wide, showing off her impressive incisors. She took a big bite and chewed heartily. "Mmm, thish ish rally gahd."


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "I know, right? I''m sure they''re like 500 calories each, but it''s worth it."


    Inu narrowed her eyes at the remaining snack as if it was a deadly threat. She swallowed and said, "I think I''ll save the rest for later. I need to get changed anyway." With that, she jogged off toward her room.


    She returned less than a minute later as a golden-blonde dog. Akari was getting used to seeing her in that form, but this time Inu had a spiral-patterned green bandana tied around her neck. As adorable as Akari thought it looked, she still had to ask, "What''s with the bandana?"


    "Makes it clear I''m not a stray," Inu answered, human speech somehow coming from canine lips. "And I can put stuff in it." Her canine form''s voice was rough and gravely, so Akari could understand why Inu didn''t like to use it, but it was also kind of cute.


    "Ah, that makes sense. Do you wrap things in it before you put it on?"


    Inu shook her head. "It''s got pockets hidden inside. Hebi sewed it for me since I''m always going into town to get stuff for her." She smiled up at Akari, looking deceptively happy and friendly. Her dog features didn''t convey her grumpy persona very well. "But you''ll be doing most of that now."


    "True," Akari said as they started toward the forest trail into town. Once the construction was going, the trail would be closed and she''d have to take the long way to town, via the deer trail and dirt road. She wasn''t looking forward to that.


    A few forest spirits flitted from tree to tree or hovered around the old stone lanterns, but Akari barely noticed them anymore. As a child, she had loved them. As a teenager, she''d pretended they didn''t exist, lest she be mocked by her peers. And as an adult, she realized the little wisps just weren''t useful, so she ignored them.


    Then Akari said, "How did you pick stuff up for her, anyway? Wouldn''t people notice a dog trying to buy stuff at a corner store?"


    Inu let out a low bark and it took a second for Akari to realize it was laughter. "I never said anything about buying. Anything Hebi couldn''t have delivered to our shed or a storage box in town, I just swiped from the shops."


    "You stole it? Those poor shopkeepers!" Akari was appalled and more than a little worried that a mob of grumpy retailers would be on the lookout for a certain blonde dog.


    Inu leapt over a destroyed section of the trail and waited on the other side for Akari to take the long way around. "If it looked like they needed the money, I always returned to leave some cash and a note. I write something like ''Sorry my doggie took your stuff and chewed it up. Here''s some money. Sorry!'' and it seems to work."


    Akari relaxed. It would certainly be hard to stay angry after such a cute note. She could just imagine a little kid carefully writing it one letter at a time. "Let me guess, Hebi told you to do that?"


    Inu tilted her head. "How''d you know?"


    Akari shrugged. "Just seems like the kind of thing she''d do. She''s very good at manipulating people, myself included. I usually don''t even realize she''s done it until it''s too late."


    Inu started back down the trail, calling back, "You''re smarter than you look, Akari."


    "Hey! What''s wrong with the way I look?"


    "You look a bit ditzy, that''s all. And you''ll look downright crazy if you don''t stop talking to me. We''re almost to town."


    Akari glared at Inu as the fluffy dog bounded down the trail. "Hmmf, you win this round, pupper."


    <hr>


    Inu''s presence was a good motivator and Akari made good time putting up all the flyers. She saw a couple people she recognized, but the only people that stopped to talk to her were strangers who were only interested in the cute dog with the green bandana.


    The hike back up the shrine was the worst part and it wiped Akari out. It was nearly dinner time when they arrived, but thanks to all the food she ate testing Usagi''s recipes, Akari wasn''t hungry. Just sore, mostly.


    While the others ate together in the kitchen, she stayed in her room, sat on her bed with a notebook, and tried to work. But now that she finally had time to unwind, intrusive thoughts rushed in to fill the gaps. She started to doubt whether her current path was actually going to work out in the long term. Working for a bunch of spirits was about as far from a stable job as you could get. Surely something would go wrong eventually, then this strange and supernatural household would spit out its lone human like an immune system rejecting a disease.


    And even if everything worked out for the next year and she saved up enough money for college, what was she supposed to put on her college application or her resume? It wasn''t like she could use any of these mystical women as professional references, since they couldn''t even talk on the phone. Akari just wanted be a regular girl on the same life track as everyone else in Japan. But thanks to her parents'' deaths, her dad''s terrible handling of their finances, and her own ability to see spirits, being normal wasn''t an option.


    I guess I''m doomed to be a weirdo forever. Maybe I don''t deserve a normal life. Her thoughts spiralled around and grew darker and darker like a building typhoon until there was a knock at the door. She almost didn''t recognize the sound of polite knocking after all the barging-in her housemates had been doing. Akari didn''t want to deal with anyone anyway. She stayed quiet.


    "Akari? Are you alright?"


    That''s Inara''s voice! I can''t ignore her. She called back, "Um, yeah, I''m fine!" but she didn''t feel fine at all. She felt like a fraud, pretending to have everything under control when she really had no idea what she was doing. Not with her emotions and not with this shrine grand opening thing. Without Hebi''s help, she would have cracked already.


    The door opened and Inara stepped through, looking radiant in a bright red kimono that showed a bit too much cleavage for public use. She shook her head, looking disappointed in Akari. "You are not fine. I can see through lies, remember?" She closed the door and approached the bed where Akari was curled in a pitiful ball. "May I sit?"


    "Sure," Akari said half-heartedly. "So how''d you know to come check on me?"


    Inara sat on the corner of the mattress and folded her hands on her lap. Her tails moved continuously, waving like seaweed in a slow current, and it made them hard to count. "One of my abilities; I can sense nearby human emotions. It''s one of several reasons I live so far from people."


    Inara didn''t need to explain why living near people would be a problem, with an ability like that. Akari imagined the negative emotions of an entire city of people, pouring in from all sides like a flood of pitch-black water. Not a pleasant thought.


    "So, what''s on your mind?" Inara asked. "I can''t read your thoughts, but I can tell it must be something heavy."


    Maybe it was Inara''s aura or maybe Akari was just exhausted and broken down enough, but she opened up in a way she''d never done with anyone before. "I feel like a fraud, acting like I know what I''m doing, and I keep getting away with it by pure luck that isn''t going to hold out forever."


    Inara listened attentively, then said, "I don''t mean to belittle your feelings, but what you just described seems like something recent, something surface-level. Is there something that''s been bothering you longer? I sensed it the other night before our meeting, but it wasn''t my place to mention it."


    Ah, when I was crying about mom and dad. Akari peeked up at Inara and asked, "But it''s your place to mention it now?"


    Inara nodded. "It is. You''re in a worse place now, a darker place. It''s my duty as the head of this household to take action when anything gets that bad."


    "My parents are dead," Akari blurted. "My mom when I was little. My dad more recently. I miss my mom."


    When Akari paused, Inara said, "I can imagine how hard that must be."


    Akari''s voice cracked with emotion, surprising herself a little. "But I don''t miss my dad. I hate him, even now, for how stupid he was. He spent all our money and left me with nothing. He ruined my life and still failed to save his own." As soon as the words left her mouth, she hid from them under her pillow.


    "Ruined? Is it really so bad?" Inara''s voice was gentle, like a warm blanket on a snowy day.


    "It isn''t what I wanted, that''s for damn sure. I should be in college, studying Shintoism and working toward a career path. Working toward being a useful member of society."


    Akari felt the comforting weight of a hand on her leg and Inara said, "At that university, would they teach you about those invisible minor spirits that you can see in the forest? Or major spirits like Inu, Hebi, and Usagi? Would the professors even know that I actually exist, living up here in the mountains?"


    Akari had interacted with enough Shinto priests and shrine maidens to realize how incredibly rare her ability was. Even at the largest shrines, no one admitted to seeing spirits and Akari was sure that academia would be the same. "No, I guess not."


    Inara''s voice took on a harsh tone as she continued, "So what good would that education be? It is my opinion that learning untruths is worse than learning nothing at all."


    Akari sat up quickly and the pillow she''d been hiding under fell away. She met Inara''s golden eyes and firmly said, "That isn''t fair. Shintoism is about more than nature spirits. Even if humanity at large doesn''t know the full picture, there are so many lessons that the Shinto faith can share, so much it can do for humanity."


    Goddess or not, Akari wouldn''t let anyone besmirch her religion like that. She took a deep breath and gathered her courage, then said, "You should know better, Inari Okami."


    Inara''s eyes went wide, nettled by the use of her old name. Then she smiled wider. "There we go! There''s the enthusiasm I saw when we first met. That''s the Akari that I hired, the Akari that can keep this Shrine moving forward. It''s as much my fault as the other girls, but we''ve let ourselves become stagnant. But you, my dear, are growing and changing."


    Akari blinked dumbly as Inara continued, "Sometimes that is hard, sometimes it will feel like you are on the wrong path, but you''ll keep moving because you are human. Because you''re mortal."


    Akari sat in silence for a moment. Was Inara-sama''s disrespect of Shintoism just another test? Just another pragmatic way to learn my limits? Even if it wasn''t¡­ She looked down at her hands and said, "What good does that do me now? I feel terrible about my parents being dead, so you decide to remind me that I''m mortal too?"


    "Being mortal is what drives you to greatness. Gods and spirits can live for thousands of years and accomplish less than some humans do in 60. I''m reminding you that you''re powerful, that you''re capable, that you''re growing better every day."


    When Akari didn''t respond, Inara started to stand up, but Akari grabbed the hem of her kimono.


    "Wait," Akari said, her voice barely a whisper.


    "I''m waiting."


    "Thank you for that perspective, and I''ll consider it, I really will. But¡­" Akari hesitated, then moved forward. "Can I ask you one more favor?"


    Inara sat back down. "Of course."


    "Just for a little while, can you hold me?"


    Without a word, Inara reached out and pulled Akari into a warm embrace, her chin resting on top of Akari''s head. Maybe it was a coincidence or maybe Inara had known somehow, but it was the exact same way Akari''s mother used to hold her whenever she cried, whether she hurt her knee or got picked on at school.


    And just like back then, Akari''s pain and confusion vanished in an instant. She felt safe in those arms. She felt a little guilty about getting tears on Inara''s gorgeous kimono, but she just said, "Thank you."

 Ch 10 - Bribery

    Two more days went by in a flash. Everyone in the shrine, be they spirit or human, was busy preparing for the festival. Akari was on the hook for anything involving talking to other humans or traveling into town and the other girls helped around the shrine grounds.


    Inu was the resident groundskeeper and handy-woman, so she touched up the exterior paint and cleared out dead leaves and branches in the clearing. Usagi continued polishing her festival menu and made a deep cleaning pass on the shrine interior, just in case visiting priests wanted a peek inside and wouldn''t take no for an answer. The rest of the public definitely wouldn''t be allowed to venture any further than the main worship hall.


    Inara was normally content to let the other girls do all the chores, but she insisted on providing a personal touch in the worship hall. From her bedroom, she brought out a few of her most on-theme works of art to display, placing them carefully around the room to create a sense of balance and comfort.


    "This statue, for example," she said to Akari as she adjusted the placement of a three-foot-tall wooden carving of a rice farmer, "was carved in the year 1690 by a man named Enku. He was a devout Buddhist who didn''t care much for Shintoism, but he had such a talent for imbuing a sense of calm in his works."


    "Enku¡­" Akari mumbled. The name was incredibly familiar. Maybe he''s that guy who carved all those famous Buddha statues around Japan? If so, Inara''s statue is probably worth an absolute fortune!


    Inara smiled as she reminisced, then added, "And he was very kind. He insisted on carving this for me as thanks for letting him stay here just three days. But the man sure could eat. If he''d stayed much longer, I would have needed to miracle up another harvest season."


    Akari giggled at the little joke, then said, "Speaking of people who eat a lot, where''s Hebi? I expected her to check in with me on the festival progress or at least join us for lunch, but I haven''t seen her all day."


    Inara''s fox ears twitched and she turned toward the door that connected to the main hallway. "I believe she''s on her way here right now."


    Sure enough, the door opened and Hebi peeked her head through without setting foot inside. Her neck seemed so long and slender like that, but Akari figured it made sense for a snake spirit. What didn''t make sense was the dull yellow dust that coated her face and hair. It turned her pale grey locks into a surprisingly close match to Usagi''s golden blonde.


    "A-ha," Hebi said with a tired grin. "Just the women I''m looking for. I''d rather not dirty up the nice worship hall, so can you meet me in the workshop?"


    Inara said, "Gladly. Shall we, Akari?"


    Akari nodded, then jogged to keep up with the taller goddess. They followed Hebi and her trail of dust to the workshop, where the source of it was quickly apparent. Every table and bench was covered with yellow sawdust, iron rasps and other woodworking tools, and dozens of small wooden statues, each no bigger than Akari''s fist. They''d been carved in the same artistic style as the fox figurines that Akari had fatefully followed to the shrine the week prior.


    Hebi stood next to a table that held about two dozen figurines which all appeared to be higher quality than the others scattered about the room. "Ignore all the practice ones. These are the ones for the festival. We''ll sell them in grab bags, as the mid-range prizes." She looked very proud of her work and it was clear from the hopeful look on her face that she was expecting praise.


    Thankfully, praise would not be hard to give. All the figurines were incredibly high quality and adorable, and each one was unique. There were all sorts of mountain animals, like boars and rabbits, plus other famous creatures from throughout Shinto and Japanese history. Akari particularly liked the cute little maneki-neko, the ''beckoning cat'' with its paw raised up.


    "These are amazing!" Akari blurted. "You''re an amazing artist, Hebi!"


    Inara gave a regal nod. "I agree. Your skills never fail to impress, and I am sure these will be a great success at the festival."


    But something was bothering Akari: there were no foxes anywhere on the table. Boars, bears, three different cats, and even all 12 members of the Japanese zodiac were present, but not a single fox? She just had to say something, but she needed to tread carefully in case this was one of those touchy subjects tied to Inara''s past. She cautiously asked, "Um, is there a reason you didn''t make any fox figures?"


    Hebi simply said, "I was planning to use the fox messenger statues that you have now, the ones that you followed to the shrine." It had been obvious to Akari that Hebi had carved those statues, but shei was surprised to hear Hebi admit it in front of Inara.


    Akari pouted. "What? I thought those were mine now, and I like them. You can''t just give them away to strangers." She hadn''t done much with them yet, but she was planning to decorate her room properly as soon as she had some free time. She thought the nine little fox messengers would look great on her windowsill.


    "Oh, I wasn''t going to give them away. They''d just be used as templates, the same as all these other figures I made by hand." She waved her long tail over the table as she spoke.


    Akari''s frown remained. "I don''t understand. Are you going to carve new figures based on them?"


    Inara cut in. "Close, but I''ll be the one doing it. When I realized the amount of work Hebi was taking upon herself to carve all these figures, working her poor hands to the bone, I offered to use an ability of mine to help out."


    Hebi nodded and elaborated, "As a goddess, the Boss can purify things such as water or sake down to their purest essence. And through a century of experimentation, we figured out just how flexible the definition of ''purify'' can be."


    Inara gave Hebi a warm smile, then looked back at Akari. "Hebi''s the one that came up with the idea, but I''ll explain. I can take a plain chunk of wood and imagine all the non-statue parts to be imperfections, then my magic purifies it down to just the desired shape."


    Then Inara grinned and bounced on her toes. "In the past we''ve mostly used it to replace broken kitchen utensils. Making statues with it will be so exciting. I''m just a collector with no artistic talent of my own, but I''ll get to play a part in the creation of real art!"


    Seeing Inara so cheerful and childlike was a shock to Akari''s system. Suddenly, seeing that glorious vision again became her life''s goal. If she could make Inara smile like that just once, she could die happy.


    But then Inara calmed down and the effect on Akari diminished. The goddess reached out toward Hebi with one hand and brushed a bit of sawdust off her shoulder, then said, "Go get cleaned up and join us for dinner. I''ll start on my reproductions of your figures after we eat." For Akari''s sake, she added, "It takes a lot of energy to use that ability, so I''ve found it works best on a full stomach."


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Akari made her way to the kitchen, still a little dazed from the intense rush of emotions she''d just experienced. She hoped she could get used to these secondhand ''mood-rushes'' over time, sort of like building up a tolerance to spicy food. Otherwise, living with Inara was going to be exhausting.


    <hr>


    As unusual and supernatural as Akari''s life had become, some parts were still quite mundane. One of those was grocery shopping. Whether or not the spirits needed to, they all ate three meals a day and Usagi had also been using up a lot of ingredients with her menu experimentation. Before Akari had joined the shrine, they had relied on grocery deliveries to the forest shed, limiting their selection considerably. She could see why they were excited to have a personal shopper on staff.


    Akari glanced down at the heavy canvas bags in her hands and wished she had a car, and a license, and a road that went all the way to the shrine. But on the plus side, it was good exercise carrying the bags up the mountain. The main trail was under construction so she had to take the shed route. It was a longer walk but it had a much gentler slope that was easier on her knees.


    As for the contents of the bags, they were all pretty standard. The handsome boy at the checkout counter couldn''t have guessed that she lived with a bunch of Shinto spirits. Unless perhaps he believed in the legend that Inari Okami and her fox messengers absolutely loved inarizushi. The simple snacks of sushi rice wrapped in a fried tofu pouch had even been named after her.


    Akari had seen premade inarizushi on display and bought a couple packages on a whim. She liked them enough herself, and if there was even a one-percent chance that they could make Inara smile like she had the night before, the purchase would be worth every penny.


    That hope kept Akari moving at a brisk pace the entire walk back home. She counted it toward her daily aerobic exercise, but Inu was sure to be on her case about strength training later. That could wait until after she presented the inarizushi to Inara.


    But as she approached the shrine, ducking under low branches that covered the deer-made trail, doubt started to set in. What if inarizushi reminds her of when she was Inari Okami, that part of her life she wants to leave behind? Or what if she''s just sick of the taste after hundreds of years of people leaving inarizushi as offerings? She paused her thoughts and her movement. Hang on, how long has that even been a tradition? Maybe it didn''t even start until after she retired?


    "What are you doing over there?" called a voice, rough and snarky. Inu''s.


    Akari fell back to reality and saw Inu standing in the clearing ahead, wearing tiny jersey-knit shorts and a sports bra, both bright blue. When it got hot out, Inu had no reservations about showing some skin. With a physique like that, Akari couldn''t blame her. If Akari had looked like that back in high school, she would have had real romantic success instead of a single botched romance with a boy who couldn''t comprehend her lack of sexual attraction to men. These days, it seemed that even high schoolers expected sex in their relationships.


    "Just got lost in thought on my way back from the store," Akari called back as she launched into motion.


    Inu nodded and said, "As long as you don''t get lost in the forest. It would be easy to get turned around with a sense of smell as weak as yours." Then she reached out toward Akari''s right hand. "I''ll take the eggs and cream to the fridge."


    "How''d you know¡ª?" Akari started. "Oh, right, sense of smell¡­" She passed the bag with the perishables to Inu and followed behind at a slower pace. Luckily, the inarizushi was in the other bag. Akari wanted to present it to Inara as soon as possible, before the other girls caught wind of her plan. Maybe it was underhanded to bring gifts to the goddess when the spirits couldn''t go shopping for themselves, but she didn''t care. It was a dog eat dog world, after all.


    <hr>


    "Is that¡­?" Inara started, her eyes wide and gleaming bright gold. She pushed a lock of vibrant red hair out of her face and leaned forward.


    "Inarizushi," Akari answered, trying to keep her voice level and calm. "I was hoping that you''d like to eat some with m¡ª" Akari was interrupted by Inara sweeping her into the bedroom and closing the door behind her. The movement was so fast and smooth that it was over before Akari knew what had happened.


    "I''d love to! It''s been so long since I''ve had any, but my nose and belly sure remember." Inara smiled broadly as she sat down at the little tea table near the samurai armor. The room was a little less claustrophobic now that some of the decorations had been moved out to the main hall, but it still felt cluttered and quirky. It felt lived in to a degree Akari had never seen anywhere else.


    The look on Inara''s face was almost predatory, yet Akari wasn''t afraid. In fact she was excited, thrilled that her gift was already so well received, and absolutely elated that she got to make Inara smile. Even if the smile was awfully full of teeth.


    Akari opened a plastic tray and passed it to Inara with a set of chopsticks. "Hopefully these are up to your standards. They''re just premade from the corner store, but I''ve always enjoyed them."


    Inara accepted the tray and immediately tore into the little pockets of tangy rice and seasoned tofu. As the goddess chewed, she let out a sound that made Akari squirm with embarrassment.


    Is that what I sound like when I eat Usagi''s cooking? Akari thought as she bit into her own inarizushi, which was very tasty but nothing special. It''s just like the sound effects from those pervy video games the boys played between classes!


    "This is wonderful, Akari," Inara said between bites, demurely hiding her mouth behind a hand. "Thank you for the thoughtful gift."


    Akari finished chewing and swallowed, then said, "You''re very welcome." She hesitated, wondering whether to mention the trope of fox spirits loving inarizushi. Before she could decide, Inara spoke.


    "I can''t believe I never thought to ask Usagi to make these for me. I could have been eating this every day."


    Akari froze. Her plan was falling apart. If Usagi started making homemade inarizushi for Inara, it was all over. Usagi would win the goddess''s heart forever.


    "But some things are better left as rare treats," Inara said sagely, then she took another big bite. She chewed for a while, swallowed, then continued, "Though I could eat these a few more days in a row before I had my fill."


    Akari leapt at the opportunity. "I need to go to town tomorrow anyway. I''ll pick up some more for us to share."


    Inara was silent, since her mouth was already full again. The smile on her lips communicated enough.


    <hr>


    Akari''s victory was short lived. She got one more private inarizushi tasting with Inara before Inu blew her cover. Akari was sitting at the kitchen table, listening to the sounds of Usagi preparing dinner while she organized her list of contacts. A lot of people had volunteered to help staff the festival and it was tricky keeping track of them all. Hebi sat to Akari''s left, managing the shrine''s finances on her laptop.


    "So, Inara likes inarizushi, huh?" Inu said from the doorway, looking right at Akari.


    Akari glanced around and saw that Inara was nowhere to be seen, but Hebi and Usagi had both turned from their tasks and were paying close attention. "W-what makes you say that?"


    "I smelled it in your grocery bags, and then I smelled it on you and Inara."


    Hebi slithered up to Akari''s side and said, "Been bribing the Boss? How brazen."


    Akari scooted away. "I wouldn''t call it a bribe, really. It''s just a gift that she seems to like."


    "More than just likes," Inu clarified. She pointed at her big ears. "I also heard her reactions, and they were something else. Something amazing."


    Usagi''s steady chopping stopped and her rabbit ears perked straight up. She darted to the fridge and started pulling out ingredients for inarizushi. Akari and Inu both watched in suspense, then relaxed when Usagi mumbled, "Damn, out of tofu."


    Hebi looked around at the other three, who all wanted to be the one to make Inara happy. She grinned and said, "So that''s how it''s going to be? Then how about a competition to give Inara the best inarizushi?"


    Inu nodded firmly. She was usually the least needy when it came to Inara''s attention, but she was also naturally competitive.


    "You''re on," Usagi said. She tried to look intimidating, but it was clear that she wasn''t very confident. She had a major edge with her cooking skills, but she had to rely on Hebi''s computer or Akari''s shopping ability to get most of her ingredients, and now it was every woman for herself.


    Akari swallowed and planned her next move. She''d had a small head start, but convenience store offerings weren''t going to cut it anymore. She needed to leverage her one competitive advantage, her ability to interact with humans, and find some high quality inarizushi even if she had to take a train to another city to do it.


    Hebi stood up tall and said, "I don''t want this getting out of hand and harming our festival preparations, so I''m setting some ground rules. We present our inarizushi to Inara at dinner the day after tomorrow. No hurting or stealing from each other. No drawing negative attention to the shrine. Agreed?"


    "Agreed," the others said in unison.


    Hebi packed up her laptop and started for the doorway, saying, "Good. Now I''ve got some research to do."

 Ch 11 - Competition

    The competition had begun. In less than two days, the three major spirits and Akari would convene to present their inarizushi to Inara. Then the goddess would pick a favorite and lavish love and attention on the winner. Or at least that was the hope, since Inara had no idea she had been volunteered to judge such a contest.


    Akari forged ahead anyway. She stayed up late searching the internet from her phone for the best reviewed inarizushi on the northern end of Honshu island. Tokyo or anything further south was just too far away. The train ride to Tokyo would take at least four hours each way and the journey would cost well over 20,000 yen round trip, on top of the price of whatever she paid for the sushi. Inarizushi wasn''t as expensive as most other sushi since it didn''t contain any fish, but the best that Japan had to offer was bound to be pricey nonetheless. Akari wanted to win, but she didn''t want to go broke in the process. She hadn''t even received her first paycheck for this new job yet.


    And speaking of jobs, Akari still had a lot of work to do for the approaching shrine grand opening and Inara''s Rei-sai festival. She couldn''t afford to leave the shrine for too long with all the tasks on her plate.


    That was why Akari wrapped up her research just after midnight, settling on the best-reviewed sushi restaurant in Sakata, the nearest seaside city. Despite Sakata''s geographical proximity to Shinj¨­, the mountains in between would add a lot to the travel time. She estimated the entire journey at just under four hours, restaurant visit included. That was precious time that she''d have to make up by working harder around the shrine.


    As she slept, she had a surreal dream about train rides, inarizushi, and the strangest sushi chef she''d ever seen. He had the head of a fish which was disconcerting enough given his career, but the weirdest thing was how the rest of him kept shifting. He started out in a traditional black chef''s coat but as she ordered her food, his body shifted into that of an octopus wearing unnecessarily erotic lace stockings on all eight legs. Then he had the body of an old man, wielding two canes just to stay standing. Then he wore a black suit and blue tie exactly like the ones her father had been dressed in at his funeral. Then the chef had Inara''s body, complete with voluptuous cleavage and flowing fox tails.


    Akari didn''t have time to question it; even in her dream she was completely focused on her task and very much in a hurry. She paid for her sushi, stored it in a stereotypical treasure chest that was chained shut with a few too many locks, then bowed and said goodbye to the strange man. When she looked up again, she was on a train heading back through the mountains. The other passengers paid her and her treasure no mind, since they were all staring out the windows, stunned and alarmed.


    Shinto spirits large and small filled the countryside, glowing brightly and lighting it up like a festival. Some were shapeless wisps, just standard minor spirits that Akari had grown used to over the years. Some were major spirits like Inu, Hebi, and Usagi, walking around in human-like forms. Others were monstrous: flying sea serpents longer than the entire train, a mountain ogre chewing on something that looked an awful lot like a human leg, and a giant red fox the size of a house, eyeing the passing train with disdain. The fox was without a doubt the most dangerous spirit out there. At a fundamental level, Akari knew that she had somehow earned that look of disdain, and she was sure that one more mistake would bring the fox god''s wrath upon the train and everyone in it.


    <hr>


    Akari awoke feeling exhausted and unsettled for reasons she couldn''t quite remember. She was sorely tempted to silence her alarm and sleep in, but she had too much to do.


    "Gotta get to work," she mumbled to herself as she climbed out of bed. Her hair was a tangled purple mess from tossing and turning. She still didn''t have a mirror in her room, so she couldn''t fix it there. She gathered some clothes and her bathroom supplies, then shuffled toward the door, still in her pajamas.


    She was used to being seen by her housemates in such a disheveled state, since they kept barging into her room uninvited, but she wanted to avoid letting Inara see her like that. She peeked out the door, looked both ways and saw no one, then scampered toward the bathroom. A quick wash and some light makeup later, she was ready to face the day, and Inara.


    Or not. Akari suddenly remembered something Hebi had said the night before: "Our gifts will be better received if the whole thing is a surprise. When you''re around the Boss, make sure to avoid the topic rather than lie about it, since she can see through lies. If you need to talk about where you''ve been, use very general terms and let her imagination fill in the details."


    Alright! Akari thought, trying to pump herself up. I''ll keep it vague and let her assume that I''m working on festival stuff. She''s been pretty hands-off so far, so I doubt she''d dig any deeper than that. And the only sneaky things I need to do today are plan my travel route and call the sushi restaurant to confirm everything. I can even do those while I''m down in Shinj¨­ for festival stuff, just to be safe.


    Feeling refreshed, she stepped out of the bathing room into the hallway and almost tripped over a pale blonde dog. "Wah, sorry Inu!"


    "Watch where you''re going," Inu growled as she padded off.


    Akari could guess where the grumpy dog spirit was going, and what she was planning to do. Inu had admitted quite clearly that whenever she needed something from town, she stole it. Akari could only hope that Inu was planning to leave some money behind to pay for the inarizushi she swiped. She''d hate for a shop employee to get in trouble because of this little competition.


    She dropped off her basket of bathroom supplies back in her room, then went to the kitchen to get some breakfast. There was a chance Usagi had cooked breakfast for everyone, but there would be leftovers in the fridge regardless.


    Usagi wasn''t in the kitchen. There wasn''t even a lingering scent of food, so the rabbit spirit must not have cooked anything yet that morning. Akari could only assume Usagi was sneaking into town too. After all, she had needed more tofu to make Inarizushi and she had no legitimate way to obtain it.


    Akari shrugged and opened the fridge. Not my problem. I''ll get my inarizushi legally, and it''s gonna be top-notch! The reviews said that place''s inarizushi was crazy good, maybe even better than their sashimi. Feeling confident, she grabbed one of Usagi''s test-run bento boxes and sat at the table to eat. Having so much pre-prepared food around the house was super convenient. Akari would miss it now that Usagi had settled on her menu for the festival.


    "Good morning, Boss," came a voice from the hallway. Akari went still and listened in.


    "And you, dear Hebi. What are your plans for the day?"


    "Just more festival preparations. And more of the same tomorrow. I can''t believe it''s so close now. Only five days left."


    Wait a minute¡­ Akari thought. Did she just lie to Inara after telling us not to? Does she have a magic ability to counteract Inara''s lie-detector?


    Inara''s smile was audible. "I know! I''m very excited, and more nervous than I''ve been in decades. Reprising my status, even if only partially, has me a bit on edge."


    Akari''s thoughts were still on Hebi''s lie. Or maybe she already finished planning her inarizushi strategy last night. Then it wasn''t technically a lie to say her plans were entirely festival related. Ooh, she''s clever.


    Hebi said, "I can help you with that later, if you''d like, Boss."


    "I might just take you up on that. Thank you."


    Wait, what did Hebi offer? Did I miss something?


    "Good morning, Akari," Inara said as she entered the kitchen.


    Akari looked up from her bento box, which she had barely touched. She''d been shamefully preoccupied with eavesdropping. Inara was alone, so Hebi must have continued down the hallway to a different room. "Good morn¡ª" Her voice caught in her throat when she saw Inara.


    She was radiant. There were no other words to describe how beautifully her red hair shone in the sunlight that streamed in through the kitchen windows, or the way her golden eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. There was also the fact that Inara wore a pale violet dressing gown so sheer it was nearly transparent. She seemed to be wearing a silk slip underneath, but it was small and didn''t leave much to the imagination.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Akari tried again after the initial shock passed. "Good morning, Inara-sama. Sorry about the frog in my throat there."


    Giggling, Inara pointed at the bento box and said, "That''s not a nice thing to say about Usagi''s cooking."


    "That''s not what I meant," Akari blurted, playing along with Inara''s joke. Then she asked, "Have you eaten?" She gestured at her bento box. "There are several more of these in the fridge, and they''re all very tasty."


    "No, I haven''t had breakfast yet. Are there any with inarizushi in them?"


    Akari tensed up. She needed to avoid that topic, lest she mess up and spoil the surprise. "No. But you''d probably like the omelette ones."


    "Ooh, that does sound good. Thanks, Kari-chan."


    Kari-chan? Akari blinked vacantly and her face went red. Kari-chan!? She gave me a nickname! And it''s a really cute one! She was distantly glad that Inara had already gone to get her food and wasn''t watching as she flailed about in glee.


    She turned and saw Inara crouching to browse the stack of plastic containers in the fridge. Her tails ran through a slit in the back of her dressing gown, and there were definitely six of them this time. They playfully flicked through the air as she searched for an omelette bento.


    Akari suspected there was a pattern to Inara''s tails, but she didn''t fully understand it. Normally, whenever Inara''s mood was neutral, her tails were an indistinct and constantly shifting blur. But when the goddess was in a particularly singular mood, the kind that overflowed into Akari and made her feel the same way, that was when Akari could count Inara''s tails. She had a theory that specific numbers corresponded to specific moods, but she hadn''t seen any one number enough to know for sure. She needed to work up the nerve and ask Hebi about¡ª


    "Kari-chan? Are you ever going to actually eat that food?" Inara said as she took a seat at the table, directly across from Akari. It was a fair jab, since Akari''s omelette bento was still mostly untouched.


    Akari''s line of thought evaporated and a smile blossomed on her face; Inara''s mood had become contagious again. "Oh, silly me! I got distracted."


    Inara leaned forward, her own bento already forgotten. "Ooh, what about? Anything fun?"


    "Just wondering about your tails, actually," Akari admitted, surprising herself. Apparently, Inara''s Playful Mood aura made it much easier to be straightforward. Also, Akari had spontaneously decided to give proper titles to each of Inara''s overflowing moods. "Is there a pattern to them?"


    With a coy smile, Inara said, "Maybe? Perhaps there''s a secret password that will open my heart and lay all my secrets bare." Then she took a big bite of rolled omelette and took her time chewing while Akari pondered her words.


    Ooookay, I guess I''m not getting a straight answer out of her right now. Akari finally scooped up a bit of her own omelette with her chopsticks and started eating. As expected of Usagi''s cooking, everything was perfectly seasoned and quite delicious.


    From what Akari understood, Usagi had finalized the menu for the festival: pre-made bento boxes like the ones she and Inara were eating, several kinds of fried snacks on skewers, and hand-pounded mochi. Mochi was more of a New Years tradition, but it was also associated with rabbits due to the rabbit in the moon myth, so it made sense that Usagi wanted to offer it, in a strange sort of way.


    "Mmm, that was good," Inara said, standing up from the table, empty bento box in hand.


    Akari squawked, "What? You''re done already?" She''d zoned out for a few seconds, but that was awfully fast to eat an entire meal, especially for a ladylike goddess.


    Inara put her bento box by the sink. "I was hungry, and you weren''t being much of a conversation partner. You kept getting lost in thought."


    Akari started to panic a little. "Sorry, Inara-sama."


    Inara smiled and danced away toward the kitchen''s exterior door, her wispy gown flowing. "Don''t worry about it. I''m used to finding my own fun up here in the mountains. I think I''ll go frolic with some wildlife. Byebye, Kari-chan!"


    As Inara reached the door, she shed her already skimpy clothes in a flash, tossed them on a coat rack next to the door, then stepped outside. Akari was still reeling from the sudden nudity when there was an explosion of fog. Inara transformed into a small red fox and darted into the woods.


    Akari blinked several times, murmuring, "Huh. That¡­ happened." Then she resumed her breakfast and tried to get her thoughts off of Inara''s naked butt and onto the festival preparations.


    <hr>


    Akari had a busy day in Shinj¨­, running errands and speaking to shrine representatives and city officials about the festival. It felt way beyond her realm of expertise, but it was her job and she was determined to do it the best she could. If nothing else, her illogical devotion to Inara was good for keeping motivated. And despite Akari''s awkward confession the other day, she refused to call it love just yet. Surely that had just been because of Inara''s Emotional Aura.


    Her dreams that night said otherwise. Instead of a strange sushi chef and a haunted countryside, Akari dreamed of Inara for a solid eight hours. She dreamed of her face, her captivating eyes and gorgeous hair and fur, and her inhumanly perfect features, the kind that didn''t inspire any envy because they were far too good, like a photoshopped fashion magazine cover.


    And she dreamed of Inara''s body. Akari had no qualms with its over-perfection. The deep part of her mind that had been slowly awakening to her sexuality since middle school was bursting out in a hurry now. It clawed its way closer to the surface every time she caught a glimpse of Inara''s nude form, a peek of her flawless skin and glorious figure. Akari had originally thought herself to be asexual, since she liked romance but wasn''t sexually attracted to boys. Then she had briefly fallen for a classmate, a girl who proved uninterested in girls. It wasn''t until her senior year that the truth had revealed itself to Akari; she could be romantically interested in both men and women but she was only sexually attracted to the female form.


    Being around Inara had confirmed that truth so solidly it was like a beacon in Akari''s mind, a flashing neon sign that read, ''This is what you want. This is what you need!'' She didn''t mean to fight it, but accepting herself was hard enough already, especially after all her and her father''s screwups. But now, with Inara around and constantly reinforcing her desire, Akari couldn''t deny it anymore.


    She awoke feeling refreshed and more than a little aroused. Annoyingly so, in fact. She pushed those feelings away and focused on the day ahead of her. On top of the inarizushi reveal at dinner, the work for the festival never seemed to end. Her train to Sakata departed at noon, and she had to make a few phone calls before that.


    Akari was sitting at the kitchen table, nibbling on another premade bento box, holding her phone to her ear, and trying to be patient. She''d been on hold with the booth rental company for nearly 15 minutes and she was getting bored.


    Then Hebi slipped into the room, glancing around suspiciously. She met Akari''s eyes, then jogged over and crouched next to her. "Hey, got a second?" she whispered.


    Akari shrugged, still holding the phone against her cheek. "I''m on hold, so I guess so."


    "Good. Can you do me a huge favor and retrieve a package from the shed? It''s probably only about ten pounds, but that''s way more than I can manage on my own."


    Oh right, she probably can''t carry things in her snake form. Which I still haven''t seen, now that I think about it. But that wasn''t important. The real issue was whether to help Hebi with something that was clearly related to the contest. The pack certainly contained inarizushi that Hebi ordered online with rush shipping.


    "Sure, I can get it," Akari answered. Hebi had been downright nice to her, at least compared to Inu and Usagi, and Akari was pretty confident that her inarizushi from a high-end sushi restaurant was going to be better than whatever Hebi bought online. "Is it there now?"


    Hebi''s face remained neutral but her tail was wiggling with happiness. "Yep. Just arrived. Can you meet me at the workshop door? I''ve got a mini-fridge in there."


    "You got i¡ª" Akari cut off as the boring hold music coming from her phone finally stopped. She lifted a finger at Hebi to say, ''one moment'', then spoke into the phone, "Hello? Yes I''m still here."


    Hebi nodded and slipped away, satisfied that Akari would go fetch the package after she finished her phone call.


    Akari did indeed retrieve the package for Hebi as soon as possible. The box was actually a styrofoam cooler to keep the food inside from spoiling in the summer heat. It wasn''t very heavy, but the shape and size would have made it hard for Inu to carry in her dog form, and impossible for Hebi.


    It was early enough for the mountainside to still be cool and calm, with only the sound of birdsong competing with the crunch of her shoes on dirt and leaves. By the time she got back to the shrine, Akari was feeling calm and alert. Sometimes a nature walk is exactly what you need, she thought as she knocked on the back door that lead directly into the workshop.


    The door opened just slightly, then something lashed out, wrapped around Akari''s arm, and pulled her and her prize inside.


    "Good. Seems that you weren''t seen. Normally, no one would think anything of it, but that package stands out and could get people asking questions¡­" Hebi took the box from Akari and set it on a workbench near a mini-fridge. She opened the fridge, took out a few cans of soda to make room, and carefully placed her inarizushi inside. Akari didn''t get a good look at them, but they seemed to be professional-grade, made by a sushi chef somewhere and express delivered.


    Akari opened her mouth, planning to ask about the soda just to fill the silence, but she was interrupted by a very unexpected hug. Hebi held her tight in both arms, with her tail wrapped around Akari''s waist. It was surprisingly comforting, as long as she didn''t think too much about what big snakes did after coiling around their prey.


    "Thank you, Akari. My plan really hinged on you getting that package for me, and you could have easily said no."


    Akari''s cheeks grew warm. "It''s nothing, really. It''s the least I could do after all your help. And not just with the festival. You were the only one who was consistently nice to me."


    Hebi stepped out of the hug, her tail unwrapping in a smooth motion. "I''ll give you another bit of help, some advice: someone who''s strangely nice to you could just want something from you. Don''t confuse manipulation for kindness."


    Akari blinked. Did she just admit she''s only using me? Or is this her way of saying that for once she isn''t using me?


    Then Hebi gently slapped Akari on the back with her tail and left the room, saying, "I''ve got some touch-ups to do on Inara''s figurine copies. See you at dinner, and may the best inarizushi win."


    Akari shrugged and left the workshop as well. Whether Hebi''s behavior was manipulation or not, she''d take it over open hostility any day.

 Ch 12 - Consequences

    The moment had arrived. Just before dinnertime, without revealing what exactly was going on, Hebi led Inara to the kitchen. The timing was no accident; the girls wanted Inara to be good and hungry for all the food she''d be tasting. Akari, Inu, and Usagi were already waiting there, each holding something behind their backs.


    Hebi gave a small bow. "We have presents for you, Boss, in thanks for how wonderful you are to all of us."


    Inara smiled, looking quite amused. "Oh? So this is why you four have been so secretive the last couple days." Then she sniffed the air and said, "Something certainly smells good."


    Hebi quickly grabbed a plate from the fridge, then joined the others standing next to the table. She gave a signal, then all four women bowed their heads and held their arms out straight, presenting their offerings to Inara.


    A faint sound filled the room, growing louder and clearer until it was unmistakably laughter. "This is certainly exciting," Inara said through stifled giggles. "I gather that you all wanted in on Akari''s strategy, and it turned into a formal contest? How fun!"


    "That''s exactly right, Inara-sama," Akari said, looking back up from her bow. She had been annoyed when the other girls decided to cut in on her inarizushi monopoly, but hearing Inara''s beautiful laughter made up for it a hundred times over.


    "Well I suppose I should start the taste testing then," Inara said as she sat down at the low table. She gestured toward the other cushions. "Sit down and pass those plates this way."


    Everyone got their first good look at the competitors'' offerings. Akari had correctly assumed that Usagi would make her own inarizushi from scratch, and despite a couple cosmetic imperfections, those golden-yellow pockets looked utterly delicious. Inu had gone the quantity-over-quality route and her plate was piled six layers high with corner-store inarizushi, at least 25 in all.


    Hebi and Akari had both acquired theirs from professional sushi chefs and it showed: the fried tofu wrapping was flawless and the sushi rice inside was sure to be of excellent quality as well. Akari just hoped that her journey to the neighboring city of Sakata and the care she had taken to carefully cradle her inarizushi cooler for the return trip had given her an edge over Hebi, whose inarizushi had been shipped through the normal mail system in a chilled package.


    Inara started by plucking a pocket from Inu''s plate and taking just a small nibble, then she quickly cycled through the other offerings. Once she''d sampled everyone''s, she went back for additional tastes of each, humming in thought while she considered. All throughout, she smacked her lips as if tasting wine and chewed slowly, savoring every bite.


    After an agonizingly long time, Inara stopped sampling the food, leaving about half of Hebi''s, Usagi''s, and Akari''s plates and the bulk of Inu''s towering pile. Then she said, "I very much appreciate this gesture, and I thoroughly enjoyed the delicious inarizushi, but¡­"


    Akari tensed up. But? But what? Is something wrong? The other girls were similarly on edge, sitting bolt upright and awaiting Inara''s revelation.


    Inara continued, "It turns out that eating this much inarizushi at once really weakens the charm. I''ll save the rest to eat later when my palate has had a chance to rest."


    The tension melted from the room and smiles returned to every face.


    "So which do you prefer, Mistress?" Usagi asked. Her eyes were wide and eager and her ears had stuck straight up.


    "Yes, please tell us!" Inu blurted, her tail wagging.


    Inara dramatically crossed her arms across her chest and said, "I refuse to pick a winner."


    The room went silent for several seconds, then several voices cried out at once. "What?! Why?"


    Inara frowned and leaned back from the table. She directed her gaze at Inu. "How did you get all of your inarizushi?"


    Inu quickly saw where the conversation was going. She stared down at the table, ashamed. "I took it from shops in town."


    "Right." Inara turned towards Usagi. "And you, Usagi? Where did you get the ingredients for yours?"


    Usagi''s ears wilted. "I already had most of them, but I had to go get the tofu."


    Inara nodded slowly, then said, "So the rumors of a strange rabbit seen hanging around the local tofu-maker, and the cause of his missing tofu?"


    "That was me," Usagi admitted. Then she suddenly hopped back from the table and groveled deeply, her forehead on the floor. "I''m so sorry, Mistress Inara!"


    Inara eyed all four women. She was just sitting calmly but her presence was imposing and her displeasure filled the room like a heavy fog. She slowly said, "I''m disappointed in all of you. Your actions raised enough suspicion in town that I could sense the turmoil from here. That is not the kind of attention we want, especially just before our grand opening."


    Hebi raised a hand. "But Boss, all that suspicion was caused by Usagi and Inu. Akari and I purchased our inarizushi entirely legally and didn''t attract any attention at all."


    Akari had to disagree with that last part, at least a little. She had definitely attracted some attention, taking the train through the mountains with a cooler on her lap, guarding it zealously like it was full of either diamonds or nitroglycerin. But that wasn''t the kind of attention Inara was worried about.


    Inara answered, "But you didn''t help your housemates, despite your full understanding that they would have to resort to theft without you. You could have prevented their crimes with a simple offer to help. Yet you did nothing, making you guilty by association."


    Her logic was undeniable. Akari could have easily picked up tofu for Usagi on one of her trips into the city, and Inu''s store-bought inarizushi would have been trivial for either Akari or Hebi to procure. They had all let their rivalry blind them to the true consequences of the contest.


    Inara took a deep breath. "Now, as punishment for your actions, there''s some cleaning I''ve been putting off¡­"


    <hr>


    Inara charged the four women with the task of cleaning the bathing room from top to bottom and wall to wall. She wanted it spotless and she wanted it finished before they went to sleep that night. As an additional penalty for their literal crimes, Usagi and Inu also had to scrub the restroom, toilet and all, after they finished with the bathing room. Of course, Inara could have cleaned it all in an instant with her purification magic. That bit of knowledge made the punishment even more effective. They accepted their discipline without another word of complaint.


    After eating their own dinner, the girls changed into plain work clothes, rolled up their sleeves, and set to work. The bathing room was quite large and got a lot of use, so the chore was bound to be difficult and time consuming. As a bit of a silver lining, it gave them all a chance to open up and just talk to each other. It was a nice change of pace after being so secretive for the contest.


    Most of the dialogue was about the upcoming festival, but some of it got personal. Akari shared a bit of her past, avoiding the worst topics but giving the other girls some background to why she loved Shintoism so much. She recounted, "When everyone else thought I was crazy for seeing spirits, I followed one of the little spirits to a Shinto shrine and spoke to a priest there. He talked about Shintoism and how spirits have always been here, even though people can''t see them. It was an explanation for my ability, and just hearing it felt like a massive weight had been lifted. I started visiting the shrine often and researching on my own, and I really liked what I found. The more involved I got with Shintoism, the better I felt about myself."


    "That makes sense," Usagi said as she scrubbed around one of the faucets on the west wall. "It''s pretty similar to my reasons for coming here. I joined the shrine because Inara validated what I was feeling and gave me what I needed, but I stayed because I loved living here with her."


    Akari wondered what exactly Usagi had ''needed'', but she wasn''t sure she wanted to know.


    "That was what? 300 years ago?" Inu asked, stretching her arms over her head. She had just finished scrubbing the grout between the tiles on the bottom of the pool, but there was a lot left to go on the sides.


    "Barely over 200," Usagi huffed. "I''m not even 300 years old yet."


    Akari paused her own scrubbing and sat upright. She tucked some loose hair back over her ear and said, "That''s still so crazy to me that you''ve all been alive so long yet look so young. I heard Inu''s at least 30 and Hebi''s over 80."


    Inu let out a bark of laughter. "Haha! ''Over 80''! That''s one hell of an understatement."


    Akari looked at Hebi, who was cleaning a mirror with rags in both hands and another grasped in her tail. "Huh? How old are you, Hebi?"


    Hebi looked away, but her stern expression was still visible in the mirror. "A lady doesn''t ask another her age."


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Akari turned to Inu next. "Do you know, Inu?"


    Inu shook her head. "Nope. No one does, not even Hebi. For a know-it-all like her, it must really sting not to know her own age."


    Usagi jumped in, "All we know is that she''s at least 700, since that''s when she first met Inara. She didn''t move in with her until much later, of course."


    "It''s rude to talk about me like I''m not here." Hebi was still focused on her work, her face unreadable.


    Akari said, "Sorry, Hebi. I shouldn''t have kept asking when you didn''t want to talk about it. I was just curious."


    Hebi sighed and unwound a little. "It''s fine. It''s not that sore a point for me. I just don''t know how much time passed during some of my hibernations. And I didn''t know how to read or write back then so I couldn''t have figured it out if I wanted to."


    "Really?" That was surprising, but it made some sense to Akari, since it wasn''t like spirits could just go to school like humans.


    It was Usagi who spoke next. "Some spirits are born with knowledge, since they were created by human thoughts and emotions. But us three, we started out as normal animals. Then, for reasons unknown, we ascended to spirits."


    Inu laughed again, then said, "Maybe you don''t know your reason, but I know mine. I was a good dog. My owner''s love for me must have reached the ears of a god, so I was reborn."


    "Aww, that''s so sweet!" Akari cooed. Then she jokingly asked, "But if that''s the case, why are you so grumpy all the time?"


    Inu turned away, diving back into her work. "I don''t want to talk about it."


    O¡­kay, Akari thought, I stepped on another landmine. Good going, me.


    Hebi cleared her throat, then said, "Let''s buckle down for a bit. There''s not much left, and I''ve got more festival work to do after this." She smiled and teasingly added, "And I''m sure Inu and Usagi want to get started on their extra punishment sooner rather than later."


    "You got that right," Usagi said with a smile.


    <hr>


    After the bathing room was done and Usagi and Inu moved on to their other cleaning duty, Hebi approached Akari in the hallway. "What are your plans now?" she asked.


    "Um, I was going to work on some festival stuff," Akari answered. "I need to organize some contacts in preparation for tomorrow morning."


    "Alright. Go ahead and do that. For the next couple hours, I''ll be meeting with Inara in her room about the festival progress and the remaining work. If you finish before midnight, you can drop by and give an update on your side of things."


    "Sounds good," Akari said, then she waved and started for her room. "Seeya then."


    Akari went to her room and flopped down on her bed. She stared at the ceiling and thought about her current planning dilemma. A bunch of staff from other shrines had volunteered to work at the festival, and Akari needed to figure out what to tell them about Inara and the other spirits. She had to say something, since it wouldn''t make any sense for her to be managing the entire shrine all alone.


    I guess I could say that the shrine manager is sickly, and needs to stay indoors? But that makes my working here alone even more unusual. I''d need additional help to tend to a sickly person in addition to shrine maintenance¡­


    She rolled onto her side, staring at her chest of drawers and the trinkets on top. She was hoping the sight of her precious souvenirs would bring a flash of inspiration, but nothing came and she had to keep brainstorming. Maybe the other shrine staff all went on a trip? But why would we schedule our biggest festival while everyone is out of town?


    As hard as she tried, she couldn''t think of anything convincing to tell the volunteers. Everything she thought of was too far-fetched or had an obvious flaw. And she was pretty sure that telling them she worked for an invisible goddess wasn''t going to fly either.


    "Ugh, this is getting me nowhere. I''ll come back to it later," she said aloud, a promise to her empty room. Then she shifted her focus onto another planning task. She needed to finalize the coordination between the equipment rental place and the movers who were going to bring the equipment and other supplies to the clearing.


    She wrote up a little timetable for when each type of equipment would arrive at the shed, then slotted in times for the movers to carry it to the shrine. Since the forest path was so narrow, she needed to make sure that no one else would be traveling that way while the movers were working. She had wanted to get a proper driveway put in, connecting the shrine grounds to the dirt road, but no one had been able to commit to such a massive tree-removal and paving project on such a short time frame. That would have to wait until after the grand opening.


    Making the timetable didn''t take as long as she''d expected, and she still wasn''t feeling up to her sidelined task. "I guess I''ll go give an update to Inara," Akari said as she stood up. "I really have made good progress, and maybe she''ll know how to handle the volunteer thing."


    It wasn''t even 11 when she left her room, turned right, and made the short trip down the hall to Inara''s room. The big double doors were closed, but she''d been invited, so she tried the handle and found it unlocked. She let herself in and quietly closed the door, not wanting to interrupt Hebi''s own report.


    Then Akari turned and looked toward the center of the room. She went completely still, eyes wide. At first, she wasn''t even sure what she was looking at. There were red ropes coming from metal rings anchored in the floor and ceiling, and the ropes all met in the middle around a person, a naked woman who was blindfolded and tied up by criss-crossing knots that cradled and accentuated her beautiful figure. Even her three fluffy tails were secured by red ropes and ornate knots.


    It was Inara, bound and suspended and completely powerless. Her weight seemed well-supported and none of the knots looked painful, but there was no doubt this was something very kinky all the same. Hebi was nearby, fully dressed in a pencil skirt and suit jacket. She stood tall in a powerful stance with one hand holding the end of a rope that went right between Inara''s legs.


    "Oh god, I''m so sorry," Akari blurted. She covered her eyes and kept rambling. "I shouldn''t have seen this but I was invited to the meeting so I let myself in but I guess you''re busy or something." In the back of her mind, she recognized that rope and those knots. It was the same as when Akari had been kidnapped and tied to a chair on her first visit to the shrine. And now she remembered seeing those metal rings embedded in the floor and thinking nothing of them.


    Akari''s face was burning hot and her breathing was picking up speed. She was uncomfortable and embarrassed and overwhelmed and maybe a little aroused and she needed to get out of this situation as soon as possible. She turned on the spot and reached for the door to leave, but a voice called out and stopped her.


    "Wait, Akari." It was Inara''s voice, surprisingly calm.


    Akari stopped, but she didn''t look back. She was far too embarrassed for that. She tried to steady her breathing, then said, "Um, yes, Inara-sama?"


    "I wasn''t expecting a guest." It wasn''t quite a question, but it certainly begged a response.


    Akari opened her mouth but Hebi spoke first, "My apologies to both of you. I had invited Akari to our festival meeting, but I completely forgot about that when Inara asked to be tied up."


    Ropes gently creaked as Inara tried to shake her head. "It''s fine, Mistress Hebi. Akari was sure to learn about this side of me eventually, and I don''t mind her knowing."


    ''Mistress'' Hebi? And Inara''s okay with me seeing this? Akari thought. It didn''t make any sense. None of this matched her understanding of Inara. Inara wasn''t subservient. She was regal and powerful, and she was the Mistress, the Boss, and the Goddess.


    Akari couldn''t help but glance at Inara again. She was still suspended several inches above the tatami floor, all tied up and blind and helpless. Akari tried not to stare at Inara''s nudity, so her eyes settled on the bright red ropes instead. The knotwork on her legs and arms looked pretty utilitarian, clearly intended to support her weight and connect her to the anchors in the floor and ceiling, but the knots on Inara''s body were¡­ beautiful. Ornate patterns of rope cascaded across her skin, diamond shapes of vibrant red against milky white. Akari had seen knotwork like that once before, in a lewd magazine that somebody had brought to class in high school. Back then, it felt shocking and crass, but this¡­ this was art.


    Akari waved a hand at Inara and the ropes, trying to ignore the one going between Inara''s legs. "Um, I don''t really understand all of this, but the knots are pretty."


    Hebi smiled. She kept one hand on that rope, holding it taut. "Thank you, Akari. Shibari is a passion of mine, and it''s one that Inara shares, albeit in a different way."


    Ah, shibari is the name for that ropework. I think I heard the boys in class muttering about it. A big part of Akari wanted to escape this painfully awkward situation, but another part was curious, drawn in by this bizarre and beautiful thing. "Um, I guess this is BDSM?" she asked. She knew the term from movies, but she didn''t really know what it meant, other than some association with black leather and shiny latex and pain.


    Hebi walked slowly from Inara''s left to her right and Inara gasped as the rope between her legs shifted. Then Hebi answered. "It fits within that umbrella, yes. BDSM stands for ''bondage, discipline or domination, sadism, and masochism'', but Inara and I are sticking to bondage and domination. A lot of people assume that BDSM always involves pain, but that just isn''t true. I personally despise pain and would never want to inflict it on others."


    Akari nodded. That certainly made her feel a bit better about what she was looking at. And looking she was. She couldn''t look away, almost as if Inara''s aura was influencing her again. She decided to blame that for her itching curiosity. "I still don''t really understand the appeal. Why do you want this, Inara-sama?"


    Inara answered, "I like the change of pace from being in charge, from being powerful. It''s incredibly freeing to let someone else take the reins, to be entirely at someone else''s mercy." She shivered as she continued, "And it provides something different than what I get from the other girls."


    "From the other girls?"


    Inara went to answer, but Hebi quickly stuck a round red object in Inara''s mouth: a ball-gag. Then Hebi said, "Since Inara is currently in no position to stop me, I can reveal the relationships she was trying to keep from you, Akari. If you want to know, that is." At that, Inara wriggled a bit, but she said nothing.


    Akari had been curious about that since the time in the bath when Inara refused to say what relationships had been going on in the shrine. She found herself saying, "Sure, I guess I''d like to know that, as long as it doesn''t betray anyone''s trust."


    Hebi shook her head. "It''s fine. Just like this side of Inara, you were bound to learn eventually." Hebi hummed in thought for a moment, then said, "If I were to boil everything down to its simplest form, I would say that Inara has a bondage-based submissive relationship with me, a socially dominant relationship with Usagi, and libido-driven intimacy with Inu. And with you, dear Akari, she has something new and not yet defined."


    "With me?"


    "Oh yes, she is definitely getting something from you, and you are getting something from her. I won''t presume to know what that is, especially if you don''t yet know yourself."


    Akari''s mind started churning. What am I getting from Inara? And what could I be giving to her? Does it even matter, since she''s already got three relationships? Is there any room for me in her life, or am I just a hired miko, here to maintain the shrine and nothing more?


    She was also still a bit unnerved at the whole bondage thing, even if it did seem to work for Inara and Hebi. And it was beyond distracting. It was hard enough to contemplate complex relationships without a naked, blindfolded, and now gagged woman dangling nearby.


    Flustered, Akari said, "Um, if it''s okay, I think I''m going to go. Tomorrow''s a big day for the festival preparations and I need to get some sleep. Inara-sama, maybe we can have our meeting over breakfast instead?"


    A muffled sound came from Inara and Hebi seemed to interpret it as an affirmative because she smiled and said, "She''s on board. See you in the morning."


    Akari turned and fled. She hurried back to her room, blushing brightly and trying not to picture Inara''s beautiful body, suspended so erotically. She changed into pajamas, turned out the light and climbed into bed, but that image stayed with her long into the night.

 Ch 13 - The Festival, part 1

    It''s here. Today''s the day, Akari thought again.


    She''d been thinking it all morning: while she got dressed before dawn, as she ate a hearty breakfast courtesy of Usagi, and as she went through her last-minute checks to make sure everything was ready for the festival to start in a couple hours. She was halfway through sweeping the trail between Shinj¨­ and the shrine when she finally broke the cycle and thought, I feel good about this. I think things will go pretty well, even if we don''t get many visitors. It''s just our first year, so I don''t expect much.


    She finished cleaning up the trail, clearing the freshly repaired pathway of any stray sticks and rocks that could cause someone to trip, then she returned to the main clearing. Despite the early hour, it was bustling with activity thanks to all the volunteers on loan from other shrines around town. Young women ran to and fro in vibrant red and white miko outfits, priests in formal robes and rounded black hats applied decorations to the festival stands, and plainclothes workers brought in fresh ingredients and boxes of other supplies. Many of them were old friends, but they didn''t just stick to the people they knew. As Shinto practitioners, they were all part of the same extended community and they greeted each new face with open arms and beaming smiles.


    Akari waved at acquaintances both new and old as she made her way to a booth that was nearly filled to bursting with small brown paper bags. The bags were stapled shut and unlabeled, but a giant poster made it very clear what they could contain. Full color photographs of all the possible prizes were arranged in descending order of both flashiness and rarity, with simple and concise explanations beneath each. At a glance, it seemed that every bag had a wooden figure of a fox or other animal and one redemption ticket, with a chance of an additional prize.


    "The sign looks great," she said aloud. "Good idea with the instant photos."


    From behind a pile of brown bags, a voice said, "Thanks. I wanted to be able to rearrange the sign if I needed to change the rarity for some reason."


    Akari stood on her tiptoes to try to see the source of the voice, but she was too buried. There must have been over 300 bags in there. "Are you in costume?"


    A pale face framed by long grey hair appeared between two piles of bags. It was Hebi, and she said, "Yes, but I''m not confident I can keep up the disguise. I''ve never had to pretend to be human before."


    Akari chuckled. "Not confident? Who are you and what have you done to Hebi?" Then she shook her head. "With your skills, you''ll be fine, as long as you keep your tail out of sight."


    Hebi shrugged her shoulders. "I prefer when all of me is out of sight."


    Akari felt a little bad for her part Hebi''s predicament. About 48 hours prior, Akari had met with Inara over breakfast to review the festival status. Akari mentioned that she would have a hard time explaining to the other volunteers that she worked at such a large shrine all alone. Inara had pitched a creative solution: if Akari could whip up some miko outfits, Inara would use a bit of magic to make Hebi, Inu, and Usagi visible to human visitors so that they could pose as shrine maidens and help out. But it couldn''t hide their ears and tails, so Usagi and Inu would need to act like they were in cosplay. Hebi didn''t have animal ears, but her tail was far too large and dynamic to pass off as cosplay, so she was warned to keep it wrapped up under her clothes.


    As soon as Akari had told Hebi about the plan, she sighed and said, "I''m sure that Inara was thrilled to have an excuse to dress us up like shrine maidens¡­" Inu had reacted similarly, but Usagi was quite excited. It had Akari wondering if cosplay was a regular part of Usagi''s relationship with Inara¡­


    Akari didn''t have time for daydreaming, so she forced her thoughts back to the present. And to get Hebi off the topic she was so uncharacteristically nervous about, Akari said, "Is there anything I should know about your grab bags, in case I need to help out later?"


    Hebi''s narrow eyes almost sparkled. "Yes, there is. First, we aren''t calling them grab bags. They''re ''Blessing Bags'', and each one is personally blessed by the nameless goddess of this shrine."


    Akari thought, Now that every bag has a wooden figure that Inara made, I guess that''s true, for a certain definition of ''blessed''.


    Hebi continued, "And I''m letting people pick out their own bags, so there''s no accusations of unfairness. I''ve already mixed them up, but I''ll shuffle them again whenever I fill in the gaps. Don''t let anyone grab and squish them, though. Some of the figures are fragile, and it could give away the secondary prizes."


    Akari asked, "Secondary? You mean like the custom miko outfit?"


    "Yep. Those prizes are written on a small card inside, same as the tickets that people can collect and redeem for another bag. I''ll show you how to confirm that the coupons and tickets are genuine later." She paused and hummed in thought for a second, then said, "Oh, and tickets are totally transferable between guests, but they have no cash value and cannot be redeemed without a complete set of 10 different animals." She pointed to a smaller poster with a bunch of clipart animals on it. "The dragon and snake are secretly the rarest, so they''re the only ones with counterfeit protection."


    Akari blinked vacantly. Even though she''d been involved in the original brainstorming, there was a lot more to this than she''d expected. She decided to trust Hebi on the little details and focus on big concerns. "And this is all legal?"


    "Very. I refreshed myself on human law and I printed the terms of service on every ticket in legible font." She lowered her voice and added, "Very small font, but technically legible."


    Her voice returned to a normal level and she added, "Oh, and the entire run of figures is limited edition, never to be released in the same poses ever again. I made sure to mark the originals after the Boss copied them, so I''d never be tempted to bring them back and break that promise." A smug grin appeared on her face, the return of her normal confidence. "If there''s one thing I''m good at, it''s delayed gratification. I''d never risk my long-term goals for short-term profits."


    "Uh, that''s nice to know," Akari said, trying not to put too much thought into the ''delayed gratification'' thing. After walking in on Hebi and Inara''s private time, things had become a little awkward between Akari and them.


    If Hebi was aware of Akari''s feelings, she didn''t show it. She waved a hand at a small gap between piles of paper bags and said, "Here are a couple sample figures for people that want to see them up close. I carved ''Property of Mori-jinsha'' on the bottom of them, but keep an eye on them just in case."


    Akari picked one up and was immediately impressed. It was a fox based on Inari''s messenger spirits and it had a sheaf of wheat in its mouth. It looked hand carved and unique, even though Inara''s magic helped mass produce them. A quick comparison against the poster revealed that this was the Male Wheat Messenger Fox figure. Its paired mate was in a slightly different pose, but you couldn''t really tell the intended gender by looking.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Akari set it back down. She had a few more things she needed to check on before the festival opened to the public, so she couldn''t dawdle here. "They look great and I think people will love them. I''ll be doing the rounds all day, so give me a shout if you need a break or anything."


    "You got it. Good luck out there, Akari."


    "You too, Hebi."


    <hr>


    The festival began at 10AM, but attendance didn''t really pick up until noon. When people thought of festivals, they usually thought of food too, and the hungry guests that hiked the long trail to the shrine were not disappointed.


    The rich scent of fried sweet potatoes was the first thing visitors smelled, but it was far from the only food on offer. Adorable bento boxes with rice, veggies, and optional meat were perfect for a midday meal, and Usagi had even added inarizushi to the menu as another on-the-go snack. Usagi herself was hard at work, acting as head chef to several booths of volunteer helpers.


    Other booths sold fortunes and keychains, paper umbrellas, and even kimonos. The wife of one of the volunteering priests ran a small kimono store and Akari thought that its presence would make a nice addition to the event. And there were informational stands as well. Guests could learn about Shintoism or the history of this shrine from a genuine Shinto priest, and there would be ritual demonstrations throughout the day.


    But the focus of most guest''s attention, and the runaway success of the festival, was Hebi''s Blessing Bag shop. People of all ages had fallen in love with the figures, since they were basically handmade collectible gachas. And unlike the gacha vending machines all around town, these were limited edition, and had a built-in reward system for buying multiples.


    People went crazy for them, to put it lightly. Groups of kids and teenagers gathered to trade figures and redemption tickets, while a few wealthy adults just kept buying bags until they got the figure they wanted.


    "Come buy a Blessing Bag for yourself or a loved one! Give the gift of a pleasant surprise!" Hebi called out to a passing man, "Every bag comes with a ticket. Redeem all 10 for a free bag. And the redemption tickets can be redeemed at future festivals, so Blessing Bag gifts don''t need to be opened today." For someone who normally only interacted with humans through the internet, she was a surprisingly effective saleswoman.


    A young boy who was standing next to the booth added, "But you really should open them right away. If you get a dragon ticket, I''ll trade a dog figure for it! It''s the only ticket I need, and I don''t like dogs."


    A few feet away, a miko with ruffled blonde hair stopped her patrol and the fur on her tail bristled up. Inu was already on edge with all these strangers intruding on Inara''s precious shrine, needing to act like a human was unpleasant, and now some kid was insulting dogs! But she calmed down quickly. She didn''t have time to be bothered by a child when there was so much ground to cover. She was the only patrolling security guard for the entire festival and this many people was sure to produce trouble sooner or later.


    She stomped off, earning a few stares and whispers about ''that grumpy cosplayer''. But despite her attitude, visitors did love the idea of shrine maidens dressed as cute animals.


    <hr>


    Later, Akari was helping with a small demonstration in front of the shrine steps. To a crowd of about 10 kids and adults, she said, "Long ago, this shrine was dedicated to the goddess Inari, but for reasons unknown, it was abandoned. For hundreds of years, local volunteers kept the building from rotting away, but it served no purpose."


    She turned and gestured at the forest all around them. "But even without humans worshipping here, the spirits of the mountain remained. And now, thanks to support from a new benefactor and from visitors like you, we''ve reopened the shrine and dedicated it to the nameless mountain goddess who resides in this land."


    Inara still wasn''t comfortable being publicly known, so she and Akari had whipped up this story to tell the volunteers and the visiting public. So far it had gone over well and no one was prying too hard into the specifics.


    After her speech, she split off to go check in on Hebi. She had seen all the brown paper bags guests were carrying, so the Blessings must have been selling well. She arrived at the booth to find it was barren. All the bags had sold and it wasn''t even 4pm yet.


    "Akari!" Hebi called out. "Just the woman I needed."


    "That''s me. What''d you need? And did all the bags really sell already?"


    "They did indeed, and that''s why I need you. Since every bag sold, that means that we gave out every prize, including both grand prizes." Hebi gestured with an open palm toward some people standing in front of the booth. "These wonderful people won the two custom miko outfits. Can you be a dear and get their measurements?"


    Oh right, Akari thought, I guess I had agreed to put two of that prize in there, but I didn''t think they''d all sell. This will be a lot of work¡­ She put on a smile and said, "Absolutely. Who shall I start with?"


    Hebi handed some measuring tape to Akari and pointed her toward a teenage girl. "This lovely young lady was the first to win the prize. Now that the booth is closed, you can lower the cloth cover and use it as a private place to take her measurements."


    The girl looked maybe 14 at most, and she was smiling broadly the entire time Akari introduced herself. When asked whether she was excited for the miko outfit, the girl said, "Oh yes! I''ve always wanted to be a shrine maiden. I know this won''t be the real thing, but I can''t wait!"


    Akari saw a lot of herself in the girl, and a lot that she wanted to encourage. As she guided the girl into the booth, she said, "That''s great to hear. I''m the same way. I actually made my own miko outfit, back before I ever worked at a shrine." She lowered her voice and whispered, "But it was terrible, nearly falling apart. I''m a much better seamstress now."


    The girl giggled. "That''s good. Will my outfit be as nice as the one you''re wearing now?"


    "Even better. I''ll make yours adjustable so you can keep wearing it as you grow. How does that sound?"


    "Great!"


    Akari got all the measurements she needed and the girl''s name and address, then waved goodbye. It warmed her heart to see that young people were still interested in her faith.


    Next up was a middle-aged couple, both with flecks of grey in their hair. Apparently, the husband had bought a couple Blessing Bags intending to give the figures to his nieces and nephews.


    "We don''t have any kids of our own, you see," the wife explained.


    The man fidgeted, embarrassed, "I never expected to win this prize."


    Akari felt a little apprehensive. This was exactly what she''d been worried about: a man winning the prize and wanting to put his wife or girlfriend in the miko outfit.


    The woman put a hand on her husband''s forearm. "But I''m excited to wear a cute shrine girl outfit!"


    Oh? I guess I was wrong to assume. She''s the one who wants it, Akari thought.


    The woman followed Akari into the booth and said, "This is such a fun idea for a prize, and I''m hoping it will help us out."


    "Huh? Help you with what?" Akari asked as she measured the woman''s waist.


    "My sister has three kids who are just the most wonderful and we spoil them whenever we can, but my husband and I really want a child of our own. But¡­ Kaito''s sex drive is rather low. I''m hoping this outfit can help." She lowered her voice, then added, "Can you make the skirt really short? He''s got a thing for that."


    "Uh¡­ sure." Akari had no idea why this woman was being so open about her sex life. And Akari wasn''t sure she liked the idea of the outfit she made being used in the bedroom. But the woman''s genuine happiness and wholesome motive made Akari feel a lot better about it.


    "Thank you so much! I''m looking forward to it arriving!" the woman called out when she left with her husband. Then she whispered something to him that made him smile, but Akari made sure to not think too much about it.


    After the couple was far beyond earshot, Akari whispered, "When I was getting her measurements, that woman was weirdly candid about her sex life. It was¡­ uncomfortable."


    Hebi was unphased. "Ah, that was likely caused by Inara''s aura. She was a fertility goddess for a long time and she still has that effect on people sometimes. Be glad she learned a way to keep it in check. I heard that one of her earlier festivals, a nighttime event that served free sake, got quite out of hand."


    "Out of hand?" Akari asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.


    "Let''s just say the town had a bit of a baby boom, and not everyone was sure who their baby''s father was."


    Akari''s cheeks turned pink. "Oh. That kind of out of hand¡­"

 Ch 14 - The Festival, part 2

    As the sun set, the festival transformed from a marketplace into a celebration. Beautiful lanterns were suspended on long ropes to illuminate the open center of the shrine grounds, where volunteer musicians played traditional instruments. Women in miko outfits demonstrated historic dances called kagura and some visitors followed along, growing in both numbers and confidence as time passed.


    Akari wanted to join in the performance, but she was busy speaking to a group of volunteers about the evening''s schedule. It took a lot of coordination to keep everything running smoothly, and she was the de-facto leader.


    She announced, "In an hour or so, we''ll switch gears again and do a formal dedication of the shrine, but until then¡ª" She cut off suddenly as she saw something unexpected in the crowd. That can''t be good, she thought, then she addressed the gathered volunteers again. "Sorry, but there''s something I have to go check on. I trust you to follow through on the plan we covered earlier, and I''ll be around if you need anything."


    What had caught Akari''s attention was a young girl with bright red hair and a comically large black bow on top of her head. She was short and slender and wore a long cherry-blossom pink kimono that nearly dragged on the ground. And Akari was convinced she was actually Inara in disguise.


    The bow seemed to be hiding her ears and the kimono covered her tails, but the quality of her disguise wasn''t the problem. Inara had made it clear to Akari that despite all her transformation powers, she couldn''t walk amongst humans without her aura drawing attention. And after hearing from Hebi about what Inara''s fertility aura had done in the past, and having seen its effect first-hand during the miko-outfit sizing, Akari was alarmed.


    What''s she thinking, walking around like that? I thought she wanted to stay out of sight?


    Akari followed the child-sized Inara through the throng of people. There must have been over 200 guests at the shrine, a remarkable turnout that Akari wouldn''t dare complain about, but it made it difficult to stay close to Inara. She ended up stopping next to a vendor stall and watching the goddess from a distance, hoping she wouldn''t cause a scene.


    But instead of causing trouble, Inara was just dancing playfully, giggling, and acting like a normal young girl, albeit one with infectious enthusiasm. She gathered seven guests, had them all hold hands with her in a circle, and started it spinning in time to the music. Soon, others were joining in, also in groups of eight. As she spun around, her dress flipped out and Akari caught a glimpse of her tails, all eight of them.


    Throughout the clearing, visitors of all ages danced and laughed, giddy and childlike, just having innocent fun. Akari was sure it was the effect of Inara''s aura, but it was a different emotion than she''d seen from it before.


    "Don''t worry about her," came a voice from Akari''s right. She turned to see Usagi emerge from the shadows, still in her red and white miko outfit. "This is her least harmful form. I call it ''Innocence''."


    Akari squinted at her. "Form? What do you mean?"


    Usagi hopped up and sat down on the front edge of the wooden stand. "You''ve noticed, right? The way she acts like completely different people sometimes? Regal and bossy one day, then smothering you in love the next?"


    Akari nodded slowly. "Or wild and almost too carefree?" she said, thinking of the unforgettable time that Inara had stripped naked in the kitchen, turned into a fox, and ran into the forest to frolick. That was just after she''d given Akari the nickname Kari-chan for some reason.


    "Ah, so you''ve seen her six-tailed form? I''d call that one ''Wild'' except she already nicknamed herself Kitsune."


    Akari''s eyes lit up. "So the number of tails does correspond to the personality! I''d been thinking that was the case."


    Usagi smiled. "You aren''t as dumb as you look, Akari."


    "Hey!" Akari said, reminded of the time Inu said the same thing. Is there actually something about the way I look, or are they just being rude?


    Usagi patted her on the back, almost friendly, then said, "I''m going to check on the shrine, to make sure no one''s exploring the private areas. ''Innocence'' usually isn''t problematic, but it can cause people to get a little too curious, just like little kids."


    Usagi walked away, a cheerful spring in her step from Inara''s aura. Akari still had questions for her about Inara''s forms, but she couldn''t help but think of how cute Usagi''s miko outfit looked, especially with the fluffy tail sticking out the back. Akari was proud of her work on the costume, and felt reinvigorated to work on the outfits for the two winners.


    <hr>


    After 10 more minutes of joyful calm, Akari decided she trusted ''Innocent'' Inara to keep out of trouble, so she opted to make a loop around the grounds and check if any of the performers needed anything. She stepped around a cheerful teenage couple who were dancing hand-in-hand, then froze. Straight ahead, less than a half-dozen feet away, was someone she didn''t want to see.


    "Akari!" he said. "I didn''t expect to see you here, but with your Shinto obsession, I guess it makes sense."


    "Watanabe," she said, using only his family name. "Welcome to the grand opening of Mori-jinsha. I work here now."


    He stepped closer, his features becoming clearer in the dim light. He looked the same as he had in high school, though leaner in the face and a bit taller. He was handsome, in a rough and unapproachable sort of way.


    "That''s cool. Seems like a step up from your old gig. I saw you there sometimes, working in your miko outfit." He reached out and flicked her dangling sleeve. "It''s cute."


    She stepped back. She hadn''t forgotten how he''d treated her in their senior year. "Thanks."


    "Got a girlfriend?" he asked, putting unnecessary emphasis on ''girl''. He knew that she was only attracted to the female form. But she had been attracted to him once, romantically.


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    "No," she answered simply. She didn''t owe him anything else. She had trusted him with her heart, once, at a time where she was still discovering herself. She''d wanted to spend time together, go on dates, cuddle and maybe kiss. But he had wanted her body. He wanted physical intimacy, including sex.


    "That''s too bad," he said with a smile. He had been cruel back then, pushing until it was clear she wouldn''t budge, then dropping her in a heartbeat when she wouldn''t give it up. He''d grown even colder in the years since. "Well good luck. If you''re allowed to date other shrine girls, I''ll try to leave one for you."


    He walked off with a small wave, leaving nothing but dredged up memories and a sour taste in Akari''s mouth. She felt that she''d handled it okay, but her heart was pounding and he left with the upper hand nonetheless.


    A miko with floppy platinum blonde ears approached from across the clearing. Inu. "What''s that guy''s problem?" she asked.


    Akari was confused at first. "You heard that? Oh right, your ears." Then she sighed and explained, "He was my boyfriend in my senior year of high school. We ended on bad terms."


    "That''s no excuse to be rude to you at your place of work."


    Akari nodded. She wasn''t interested in dissecting the reasons behind his shitty behavior.


    Inu put a hand on Akari''s shoulder. "I say he needs to be taught a lesson. Are you in?"


    "Um," Akari floundered, "I don''t know¡­ I probably shouldn''t do any¡ª"


    "Then I''ll do it without you. No one disrespects my housemates, especially not on shrine grounds. This is our turf."


    There was a look in Inu''s eyes that Akari couldn''t place at first, then it hit her: it was competitive spirit, just like in all of Inu''s sports manga.


    "I''ll just tag along," Akari said. To keep you from doing anything extreme¡­


    <hr>


    After transforming inside one of the closed-up market stands, Inu padded through the festival grounds in her dog form. She slipped between people''s legs, grabbed Watanabe''s shoelace and tugged it loose, then vanished into the crowd again. People tried to pet the cute doggy, but she was remarkably good at dodging unwanted attention.


    Before he could finish re-tying his shoe, she went for the other one.


    "What the hell?" he squawked pitifully. "Whose dog is that?!"


    Thirty feet away on the shrine''s steps, Akari giggled. She had a great view from there, but even she couldn''t follow Inu''s movements through the crowd. She was like a shadow, striking only when Watanabe least expected it.


    A few minutes later, he bought a skewer of meat from one of the few food stands that were still open. This one was run by a volunteer, since Usagi didn''t want anything to do with its menu. Watanabe didn''t get to eat a single bite.


    A dog pounced out of the bushes and swiped the skewer right out of his hand. Inu stopped a few feet away, in plain sight, and started eating slowly. She was just begging for retaliation and Watanabe took the bait.


    He ran after her, cursing under his breath, but Inu was faster. She led him back to the stand where she had changed, then waited until he could see where she''d gone. Then she darted inside through the heavy curtains.


    Watanabe followed, then shouted, "I''ve got you now!" as he pushed his way through.


    "Eeek!" screamed a woman inside the stand. It was Inu, partially clothed, with bits of her costume carefully covering her ears and tail. "I''m changing, and only staff are allowed inside the shrine stalls!"


    The sound of a slap rang out, and Watanabe stumbled backwards out of the stall, one hand pressed to a growing red mark on his cheek. He made no effort to apologize and silently turned to leave.


    Akari was standing right there, staring right at him.


    "S-sorry," he mumbled, "There was a dog and it took my food, and I¡ª I was just chasing it. I didn''t mean to¡­"


    Akari said nothing. She just stood there, her gaze hard and unforgiving.


    He turned around and jogged off, silent and no longer looking so superior.


    Inu emerged a moment later, fully dressed in her miko outfit with her ''cosplay'' ears and tail on display. She grinned wide and said, "It''s fun pretending to be human. I kind of wish I could do this in town. Just think of all the mischief I could get up to!"


    <hr>


    After that amusing and cathartic diversion, Akari returned to the shrine building to help with the final ceremony: dedicating the shrine to the various kami of the forest and the ''unnamed goddess''. It wasn''t technically a lie, since Inara hadn''t chosen a public-facing name yet.


    A head priest from one of the larger shrines in town was in charge of the ceremony, with nearly a dozen shrine maidens assisting. Hebi was among them, looking very stoic in her miko outfit, but Inu and Usagi stayed out of it, since their ''cosplay'' would look disrespectful during such an important ritual.


    For this ceremony, the entire shrine was evacuated and all the lights were turned off. The head priest purified the darkness of the worship hall, then walked backwards out of the building and down the stairs, chanting and continuing his purification. The shrine maidens began to dance in the clearing in front of the shrine, beginning a portion of the ritual that lasted almost ten minutes.


    It was something that all the miko had practiced specifically for this day, since it wasn''t part of their daily work, and Akari was impressed with Hebi''s skill. She moved smoothly and organically, yet with clockwork precision, and Akari''s movement felt sloppy in comparison. It wasn''t a problem, however, since the focus of the ritual, and the bulk of the labor, was on the head priest. He had to follow a rigid process to make the shrine ready for the kami and guide them into their new home.


    Of course, he had no idea that the spirits and goddess in question had already been living there for some time, but that didn''t change anything. According to Hebi, when the priest was done the shrine would feel more like home than ever before, like putting on clothes that were tailor-made for you.


    Soft chanting and the ringing of ritual bells continued for a few more minutes, then the head priest brought it to a close. He clapped his hands once, knelt on the ground, and bowed his head toward the dark shrine. It was done. The building and its surrounding grounds were now an official Shinto shrine, in service to the gods, spirits, and people of Shinj¨­.


    Once the ritual had completed, Akari climbed the stairs at the front of the shrine, drawing the attention of the audience and other participants. She faced them and said, "Greetings, everyone. I''m Akari, the primary shrine maiden here. I wanted to announce a few things. First, though we dedicated this shrine to the nameless goddess of this forest, the shrine''s name will remain Mori-jinsha for now, representing the forest and all its wildlife. Second, I encourage everyone to return in one week for the shrine''s first formal worship ceremony, or visit any day thereafter to pray for blessings or leave tribute."


    Akari almost bit her tongue when she felt a sudden sensation flow over her, a powerful sense of pride. It was coming from behind her, inside the darkened front hall of the shrine. She shot a glance over her shoulder and saw the silhouette of Inara there, tall and imposing, proud and dominant. Akari felt small in comparison, but she also felt proud for the part she had played in such a successful event.


    She turned back to the gathered crowd and finished strong, "And with that, I declare this festival complete. Thank you all so very much for attending our opening ceremony and for making this festival a success. Please be careful on your journeys home."


    Then she bowed deeply and the other priests and miko followed suit. The visitors quickly dissipated until the only people still present were all volunteers and their families. Akari stayed with them for another hour, talking to the volunteers and preparing for equipment pickup in the morning. Inu and Hebi helped with some of the teardown work, but Usagi was nowhere to be seen.


    I wonder if Usagi is off with Inara, Akari thought, since Inara seemed to be in a dominant mood, and that seems to be Usagi''s thing¡­ She shook her head, trying not to picture their love life. Seeing Inara all tied up by Hebi was quite enough of that stuff for one lifetime.

 Ch 15 - Nine Tails

    Less than eight hours after the festival ended, Akari was back outside, helping the moving company pack out all the rented equipment. Inara''s spell allowing humans to see the major spirits was still in effect, so they assisted as well. Inu and Usagi were at least partially motivated by the opportunity to dress up like miko and interact with humans again. Usagi liked the attention, and Inu was having fun pretending to be human.


    "Be careful with that fryer," Inu scolded. "It''s still full of oil and we aren''t liable if you dump it on yourself."


    "Yes, ma''am," a muscular young man said as he waddled past, weighed down by the heavy fryer. Inu could have helped as far as the edge of the clearing, but she really didn''t want to risk any oil splashing on her miko outfit or fur. Instead, she carried a heavy box of metal fasteners so effortlessly that the worker she passed it to underestimated its weight and nearly dropped it.


    On the other side of the clearing, Usagi stood on top of a partially disassembled booth to reach a lantern. Below her, two workers were watching closely. They claimed it was to catch her if she fell, but she knew they were hoping for a look up her skirt. Thanks to her skirt''s length and her agility, she finished her task without giving them so much as a peek. Similarly, her outfit''s kosode top couldn''t hide how busty she was, but it didn''t bare any cleavage.


    "Sorry boys," she said with a smile as they went back to work looking disappointed. "I''m not that kind of girl, in more ways than one."


    Hebi and Akari were taking their responsibilities more seriously. They made sure everything was accounted for and sent in the right direction, and handled the paperwork. Hebi was happy to wrangle all the forms and fill them in, but Akari had to sign them herself, since she actually existed in the human legal system.


    The movers were quick and efficient and the entire operation was done before 11am. As the last human worker left the property, Akari took one look at her dirty hands and said, "Bath?"


    The answer was instantaneous and unanimous. All four women hurried to the bathing room, with Hebi inviting Inara on the way.


    <hr>


    "Excellent work, girls. I couldn''t have asked for a better inaugural Rei-sai," Inara declared once they had all settled into the relaxing heat of the bathing pool.


    "Thank you, Inara," Akari said. "I''m so glad it lived up to your expectations." She was reclining in the far corner of the pool, but she hadn''t picked that spot for any particular reason.


    Suddenly, Inara scowled. "Nope, nope, this will not do."


    The other women glanced at each other from across the steamy water. "Huh? What won''t do?" Akari asked.


    "Sitting so far apart! You''ve just succeeded at a difficult task together, you''ve leaned on each other for support, you''ve bonded. I won''t have you all spread out in the bath like you''re afraid of each other."


    Usagi was the first to react. "Oh, sorry, Mistress. I''ll move closer."


    Inara stood up and beckoned toward Inu, Hebi, and Akari. "You too, all of you. Get over here."


    Nervous and holding an arm across her bare chest, Akari rose and walked closer. When she got a few feet away, Inara reached out and grabbed her shoulder with one hand, then she pulled Usagi in with the other.


    "Inu, Hebi, get in here. Group hug time! No exceptions."


    Before she really knew what was happening, Akari was stuffed into a five-way naked group hug, her chest pressed mostly against Inara''s and Inu''s, but she was touching at least a little of Usagi too.


    Hebi just rolled her eyes, unfazed but unamused, while Inu grumbled under her breath. Usagi seemed okay with it, since she was in direct contact with Inara. And Akari was bright red and sputtering.


    "What''s wrong, Akari?" Inara asked without easing up on the hug. She still had a hand firmly on Akari''s back.


    "Um, I, uh, um."


    "Spit it out," Inu said, annoyed.


    Floundering, Akari blurted, "I don''t feel comfortable touching the other girls while we''re naked!"


    The pressure on Akari''s back vanished in an instant and the hug quickly dissolved. Then Inara sat back down in the water and said, "That''s fine, we got what I wanted out of it anyway: a bit of physical camaraderie."


    As Usagi and Hebi slipped out of the hug, Inu said, "Akari, you''re gonna need to get over that, in order to compete in our annual mandatory household bath-wrestling competition."


    Akari said, "What? Hey Hebi, is that even a real th¡ª"


    Inu interrupted, "Let''s go." Then she grabbed Akari around the middle, lifted her from her feet, and dropped her in the pool butt-first. The water was deep enough to cushion her fall, but not deep enough to reach her face. A second later, Inu had both of Akari''s arms hooked behind her back in some sort of wrestling hold.


    Akari had never been particularly athletic and she''d definitely never learned to wrestle, so the entire thing was very one sided. She struggled for a moment then sputtered, "Uh, I yield? You win?"


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    While Usagi had watched with a concerned expression, Hebi and Inara just smiled and watched until Inu let Akari go and helped her back to her feet. Then Inara spoke up, "Good work, Akari. It looks like Inu has fully accepted you as a member of the family. And no, there''s no such wrestling competition."


    Inu flopped back into the pool, not so far away from the others this time, and said, "There would be if anyone would compete with me!"


    Akari sat down next to Inara, keeping some distance from the strangely hyperactive Inu. Akari''s heart was still pounding and the whole thing had been very surprising, but she supposed it had been sort of fun. And she had to admit that it hadn''t seemed sexual at all. Just immature and unexpected. I guess Inu has a childish side?


    To Inara''s left, Usagi whispered, "Is it almost that season?"


    Inara nodded. "Yeah. I''ll keep an eye on her."


    <hr>


    Dinner that night was a strange medley of leftovers from the festival, but Usagi somehow managed to make it better than the sum of its parts. She had a serious talent for cooking, to the extent that it made Akari jealous. Not that she wanted to cook that well; she wanted to do anything that well.


    The mealtime conversation wandered from topic to topic, just small talk, then it fizzled out. During the empty moment, Akari decided to just go right out and ask the question that had been on her mind since the previous day.


    "Inara, may I ask about your tails? Specifically how they correspond to your moods."


    The room was silent. The other girls watched Inara very closely, waiting to hear her answer.


    Inara gave a cryptic smile. "You figured it out? Or did someone tell you?"


    Usagi glanced away as Akari answered, "A bit of both. I don''t know much though. Just that your eight-tail mode is innocent and six-tail is wild and mischievous. And um, there''s a three-tail too." She broke eye contact, blushing at the thought of Inara all tied up.


    Inara said, "Oh, you''ve seen some others, but perhaps you didn''t notice."


    Hebi nodded in agreement and added, "Five seems to be the one most fond of you, Akari."


    "Huh?"


    Inara took a sip of water, then said, "It''s true. When I''m in that mindset, I just want to hold Akari and keep her warm and safe."


    Still blushing but for a different reason now, Akari asked, "So why do you have different personalities? Is it part of being a god?"


    "No, it isn''t something other gods have, as far as I know. But it is related. After living so long, my whims started to get a bit out of hand. As a way of keeping them under control, I split them into different tails. It makes my emotions easier to manage, like how it''s easier to carry a dozen eggs in a carton than by hand."


    This was very different than anything Akari had encountered before. Even media portrayals of multiple-personalities weren''t like what Inara described. Rubbing her temple, Akari said, "Huh, okay. So what does each tail represent?"


    Inara shook her head, looking apologetic. "Part of managing my emotions is knowing when to hold back or let things go. I can''t really engage in this conversation any further. Feel free to talk amongst each other, though." With that, she stood up and left the room in a hurry. Her tails were all blurred together and impossible to count.


    Akari felt panic creeping up. She looked to the others for help. "Um, did I upset her?"


    Usagi shook her head. "No, it''s like she said: she just needs to avoid some topics to keep from getting worked up. She''s good at knowing her limits by now, so don''t worry about her."


    Inu looked very curious. She asked, "So what are all her tails? I guess I knew there was a pattern, but I never cared beyond a couple specific numbers."


    Hebi smiled and sat up tall, like a teacher about to give a lecture. "I can answer that. In order from lowest number of tails to highest: Curious, Dominant, Submissive, Fertile, Motherly, Wild, Passionate, and Innocent. I believe they are all qualities that she desires for herself: her personal ideals."


    As Hebi spoke, Akari was frantically ticking off the words on her fingers. She stopped at the fifth finger, then said, "Wait, so the one that likes me is ''Motherly''?" If Inara just sees me as a daughter, then I''ll never get the kind of love I want. Wait, what kind of love do I even want?


    Usagi rubbed her chin and said, "I think ''Caring'' is a better name than ''Motherly''. That''s the mode that likes to tend the vegetable garden, cares for hurt animals, and wants us all to be happy."


    Hebi nodded vigorously. "Ah, good point. That is certainly more accurate."


    "That''s only eight," Inu blurted. "What''s her nine-tail form?"


    Hebi looked to Usagi, who went quiet. "Usagi, are you up for telling them?"


    "Yeah," Usagi said. "I only ever saw it once, and only from a distance, so I don''t know everything."


    Akari found herself curious too. She said, "That''s okay. Please tell us what you know."


    Usagi took a deep breath, then started, "It was within my first couple decades here. A man was visiting from afar, someone Inara knew from before my time. But he looked young, so maybe he was a god in disguise. I don''t know for sure. I invited him into the main hall. While Inara greeted him, I ran off to get tea. I was returning, still too far down the hallway to hear everything, when it happened."


    "He said something about her past and she wilted, like a puppet whose strings were cut, profoundly disappointed. Then she rose up, bigger than before, all nine tails glowing with light and power. She was radiant, as bright as the sun. And terrifying. She loomed over him and said something. I couldn''t hear her words, but I felt their meaning. He wasn''t welcome here anymore."


    Usagi paused to calm her breathing and build her resolve, then she continued, "He refused to leave. He wanted her to agree to something before he would go. She became something else then, a monster in every way except appearance. Her body was unchanged, but the being inside it was not the Inara I knew. It was something cosmic, beyond this reality. She whispered something and the man went pale. She glared at him and he cowered. She roared and he ceased to be."


    "He died?" Akari asked, her voice barely a whisper.


    "He disappeared. Vanished without a trace. She said later that she''d only sent him away, banished him to the spirit realm. I believe that if he was a god, he could return. But if he wasn''t, then it was a fate as final as death." Usagi took a slow breath, then added one last thing, "I never want to see Inara like that again."


    "Oh." Akari didn''t know what else to say. Inu was similarly silent.


    Hebi finally broke the silence. "I also don''t want to see the Boss in that state, and I believe that Inara doesn''t want that to happen either. Over the years, I''ve formed a theory that she fractured herself into nine pieces, nine competing ideals, in order to track each of their needs. And if those needs aren''t being met in a balanced fashion, her nine-tailed form takes over as a last-ditch effort. And from there, she''s just one wrong move from the other Inara, the monster, the terrible Goddess of Disaster."


    Inu let out a small whine, her unusual energy from earlier in the day sapped away. "So what should we do?" she asked.


    Hebi shrugged and forced a smile. "Same thing we always do: try to make her happy. Spend time with her, fulfill her needs, be her friend, her lover, her family. Be happy, be true, accept her love and give love back. That''s all we can do, and all she wants us to do."


    Akari clenched her fist and gave a nod. "I''ll do it." She looked to the others, meeting their eyes until they said the same. No matter what it took, no matter their interpersonal conflicts, they were all unified on this. They were all on the same team, because they all loved Inara.

 Ch 16 - Running Wild

    After that heavy and emotional conversation about Inara''s needs and her nine different forms, Inu quickly returned to an oddly rambunctious mood. Over the next two days, the dog-spirit''s mischief and roughhousing ramped up until it was genuinely annoying. She tickled Akari''s sides while they were doing sit-ups together, she tossed diced chicken directly into Usagi''s pot of vegetarian stew, and she hid many of Hebi''s office supplies far away in the shed.


    Most of Inu''s strange actions were just immature pranks, but there was also another change in her personality. One particularly humid morning, after working up a sweat exercising outside with Akari, she casually stripped off her sweaty clothes and resumed her jog naked from the ankles up. She was invisible to normal people, so it wasn''t a problem for the shrine or the occasional early visitor, but it was definitely making it hard for Akari to focus on her own workout.


    "Um, Inu?" Akari started, averting her eyes from Inu''s remarkably fit and attractive body. "Can you put on some clothes?"


    Inu stopped, tilted her head, and put a hand on her bare hip. The movement highlighted the musculature of her abs and the lines of her lower stomach and hips. "And get another outfit dirty?"


    Akari''s face was heating up. She begged, "I''ll do your laundry for you today, just please cover up."


    "Sure. I''ll take that trade," Inu said with a smile. Then she jogged away toward the shrine building to get dressed, her fluffy tail flicking side to side over a naked butt.


    I admire her confidence, Akari thought, but I don''t think I''ll ever need to be quite that comfortable with my body.


    <hr>


    "Akari?"


    Akari was focused on the smooth white fabric before her, carefully guiding it through the rhythmically pounding foot of a rented sewing machine. She''d been sewing for a few hours each day, working on miko costumes for the festival prize winners. She held these to a higher standard than the ones she''d whipped up for her housemates to wear during the festival, so she still had a lot of work to go before the two outfits were ready to send to their new owners.


    "Akari?" the voice repeated. Then sweetly, "Kari-chan?"


    That got Akari''s attention instantly. Only one person in the world used that nickname. Akari looked up from her work and saw Inara standing in the doorway, majestic and beautiful. She was dressed in a long pastel-pink robe, looking casual and comfortable and cozy.


    Akari bowed her head briefly, then said, "Oh, sorry, Inara. I guess I was in the zone."


    Inara smiled. The sight of it caused Akari''s heart to skip a beat. Then the goddess said, "Do not fret. I just have a small favor to ask of you, for whenever you next travel into town."


    Akari smiled back, trying to keep from getting flustered by Inara''s beauty. "I''ll be going down for some errands this afternoon. What do you need?"


    Inara''s expression grew serious. "I''ve been feeling something strange in town, an emotional disturbance. I''d like you to investigate just in case it''s something spirit related, like a certain inarizushi incident."


    "Ah, yes, I can do that." Akari had never expected spirit detective work to be part of her job, but it was certainly a more exciting way to spend the afternoon than shopping or sewing.


    "Thank you, Akari. Please visit the other Shinto shrines and ask if they have noticed any spiritual disruptions."


    Akari had no idea how to ask something like that without looking crazy, but she answered, "Got it. I''ll ask around while I''m shopping for this weekend''s ceremony."


    Inara''s eyes lit up. "Oh yes, that is approaching, isn''t it?" Then her ears wilted. "I hope we get a decent turnout. A few people have wandered up here since the festival, but I can''t help but worry that our weekend worship attendance will be pitiful."


    Akari couldn''t stand to see Inara downhearted. She quickly responded, "I''m sure it will be fine. But I''ll try to plug the shrine while I''m out tonight, just in case."


    Inara smiled and said, "Thank you, Kari-chan. I''ll let you get back to work now." Then she shuffled off down the hall, tails swishing cheerfully behind her.


    <hr>


    Akari worked a while longer until she hit a good stopping point on her sewing, then she left for town. The new and improved forest path, lined with sturdy logs and wooden handrails, made for a peaceful and relaxing trip alone with her thoughts.


    Things are pretty great these days, she thought, all things considered. Akari was still getting used to some of her housemates'' quirks, but her new life was going well. She didn''t really miss her old apartment or the neighborhood around it, and she could still visit her favorite movie theater and pastry shop if she wanted to, and if she found the free time. She was always busy nowadays, but not quite overloaded.


    She also missed her old job a little, which was likely why her feet carried her straight to the Nakahara Shrine. It was a small shrine, with just one little wooden building, a cobblestone yard area surrounded by trees, and a single stone honden. A priest in white robes was busy sweeping the yard. Other than him, the shrine was empty.


    "Hello, Jin," Akari called out as she approached, one hand idly tugging on the hem of her t-shirt. It felt strange to be at the shrine in street clothes after years of working in her shrine maiden uniform.


    The dark-haired man turned and smiled warmly, forming small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He leaned on his broom and said, "Akari! How great to see you. I wish I had been able to attend your new shrine''s Rei-sai, but I had to take Mika to visit her mother in Tokyo."


    Akari shook her head. "Don''t worry, there will be plenty of other chances to see the shrine. Maybe even this Saturday for our first normal worship," she suggested.


    Then she glanced around, looking for the distinctive red and white of a shrine maiden. "Where is Mika, anyway?" Mika was Jin''s teenage daughter and a miko in training. She was also very friendly and had an enthusiasm that Akari respected.


    Jin answered, "She''s on a school trip for the rest of the week." Then when Akari''s face took on a concerned look, he added, "But don''t worry about me, I hired another shrine maiden to replace you. She''s off today since we didn''t have anything scheduled, but she''ll be here tomorrow."


    Akari relaxed. "Oh, that''s nice. I really did feel bad about leaving so suddenly."


    He raised one eyebrow. "I just told you not to worry about me. Chase your own dreams, Akari."


    Akari looked down at her feet, then said, "Um, Jin? Mind if I ask an odd question?"


    "Not a all," he said simply.


    She looked up. "Have you heard or seen anything strange in the last couple days? Maybe something spiritual?"


    He blinked. "Hmm, nothing particularly wild, like a ghost on the loose or UFOs in the sky, but two of my regular visitors are home sick. They''re both healthy young men, so it''s odd for them to be sick at all." He paused for just an instant, then continued, "I went to check on them yesterday. They don''t even know each other, but they have the exact same symptoms."


    Jin counted off on his fingers as he continued, "Sore, exhausted, and very sleepy." He dropped his hands and shrugged. "Both of their doctors said it didn''t seem to be the flu or any other disease, just physical exhaustion for some reason."


    Akari''s brow furrowed. "Huh, that is really strange. You said they''re both young men?"


    He smiled, misinterpreting her motivations. "Yes indeed, both your age, give or take a year, and they''re both single." He put way too much emphasis on that last word.


    Akari fought off the urge to roll her eyes. Jin had been trying to set her up with local guys for years. She had never refused him outright because she had never wanted to explain her complicated sexuality to her boss. But ever since her bad breakup with Watanabe, she had a hard time feeling attraction to men.


    She decided to ignore Jin''s matchmaking attempts yet again. "Alright, thanks for the info." She gave a little wave and said, "I''ve got some shopping to do, but I''ll see you around."


    Jin looked a little puzzled at Akari''s change of heart and the rest of the odd exchange, but he didn''t seem too bothered. He waved and said, "Have a good one, Akari!"


    <hr>


    Next, Akari hit up the hardware store for some woodworking tools to replace the ones Hebi had worn out making her wooden figures. She bought what she needed without issue, using cash she''d withdrawn from the shrine''s bank account. She wondered how much was in that fund, but the ATM never showed that information for some reason. It was always happy to say just how little was left in her own account¡­


    Then she stopped by the Sakura Creek shrine to ask about spiritual disturbances, but they were closed for some reason. Finally, she visited the market for groceries. While picking out fruit for Usagi''s new-visitor-welcome-banquet, Akari overheard an interesting conversation.


    "I saw the strangest thing last night," an older lady said, leaning over conspiratorially. "A woman was standing in the park, the one near the creek and the corner store, wearing animal ears on her head. Pointy ones, like a cat or dog''s."


    The woman to her left just shrugged and went back to examining vegetables. "Maybe it''s that cos-play thing, where people get together and dress up like characters from their anime shows. My daughter used to be into it, back when she was in college."


    "Ah, I suppose. But this woman was all alone, just looming there in the dark. Isn''t that strange?"


    Again, her conversation partner was unimpressed. "Kids these days are all strange. I try not to worry about it. Worrying will give you more wrinkles, Fusako."


    Akari''s grocery list took her to another part of the store, but her thoughts lingered on that conversation. Could the mystery woman be a greater spirit? And could she be related to the two guys who got sick? Do evil spirits that like to put curses on humans really exist?


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    <hr>


    "Welcome back, Akari," Hebi said with a little wave of her tail as Akari stepped through the front door of the shrine. She took one of Akari''s bags of groceries and carried it towards the kitchen. "And you''ve arrived at the right time."


    "Huh, what for?" Akari set her bag on the counter next to the fridge and started unloading it.


    "You''ve seen how Inu''s been acting, yeah?"


    "Yeah. It''d be hard to miss." Akari giggled, then resumed, "Any idea¡ª"


    Hebi started talking at the same time, inadvertently cutting Akari off. "Well, she just ran off into town again. No need to go after her now, but can you keep an ear open for any mention of a dog causing trouble?"


    Akari almost dropped the box of panko crumbs she was holding. What if the mystery woman was Inu? Has she been sneaking into town and, I don''t know, stealing people''s life force? She shook her head, not wanting to believe it.


    She answered as calmly as possible, "Sure thing, Hebi. And, um, I already heard something that might be related. Some ladies were talking about a woman with animal ears hanging around town at night. They thought it was cosplay, but I''m not sure."


    Hebi shook her head and tail in unison. "Nah, Inu definitely can''t take human form outside these shrine grounds. I can''t even do that yet, and I''m much older and stronger than her. She''s probably just running around town as a dog, chasing cats or stealing steaks."


    It felt like a weight had been lifted from Akari''s shoulders. Compared to her fear that Inu had turned vampire, a hyperactive dog was barely a problem at all. "Huh, alright. And thanks for the help with the groceries."


    Hebi grinned wide. "Just remember it the next time I need something."


    Akari blinked in confusion. Didn''t you just ask me a favor? Yet I owe you now? Before Akari could say anything aloud, Hebi strode away like she had an important meeting to attend. She really had that ''office woman'' aesthetic on lock.


    <hr>


    The next morning, the distinctive sound of Shinto ritual bells rang out, filling Akari''s bedroom with melodious tones. It took until the second ring for Akari to wake up and realize it wasn''t actual suzu bells, but her phone''s ringtone. She wasn''t used to it yet since she didn''t get many phone calls, especially with the festival over and done.


    She grabbed at the phone, finally got it to her ear, and answered, "Hello? Akari here." She glanced at the clock on her dresser and saw it was almost 8am. She''d stayed up late sewing and had been hoping to sleep in until at least 9. So much for that plan.


    "Oh good, I need your help, Akari." A man''s voice, and one she knew very well.


    "Jin? What''s wrong?" It''s not like him to sound so worried.


    "You know how I hired a new shrine maiden? Well, she just called out sick."


    Akari was about to say that she was too busy at her new shrine to go back to work for him, but he continued, "I''m worried that it could be the same thing as those two young men. I want to go check on her, but I''m too busy at the shrine, picking up all her work. Can you please visit her for a few minutes, to see if she''s okay?"


    Not only was that a pretty easy request to fulfill, it also fit with her current duties. Inara had specifically asked her to investigate spiritual issues, and three visitors of the same shrine all falling to the same mystery illness certainly qualified. She could even listen around for Inu''s troublemaking while she was down there.


    Akari was already pulling on some shorts. "Yes, I can do that. What''s her name and address?"


    "Her name''s Hanako Sugihara, and I believe she was an underclassman of yours, so you may have already met. She lives on the south side of town, across the street from the convenience store by the creek park. She''s on the ground floor of building number 5, suite B."


    Near where that mystery woman was spotted! "Got it. I know the place. I''ll head over right now."


    His relief was audible as he said, "Thanks so much, Akari."


    "No problem, Jin. Just happy to help out."


    <hr>


    Akari knocked and waited for about a minute before someone answered. The woman who came to the door was unwell, no doubt about it. She was supposed to be two years younger than Akari, but in her current state she looked a decade older, at least. There were bags under her eyes and her black hair was an unbrushed mess. Even her flannel pajamas were disheveled, with one pant leg rolled part way up her calf.


    "Hello? Can I help you?" the woman asked, her words slurred. She was holding herself up by the door handle and she swayed left and right as the door swung from side to side.


    "Hanako? Jin from the shrine asked me to check in on you. My name''s Akari."


    "Ah, I recognize you now, senpai. I''ve been working hard to live up to your legacy at the shrine. I''ll make some tea." With that, Hanako wobbled into the apartment, unsteady on her feet.


    Akari was terrified by the thought of Hanako handling boiling water in that state, so she said, "No tea, please. I don''t want to impose."


    The girl shrugged, said, "Works for me," and flopped down into a pile of blankets next to a table covered in manga. There was a TV, but it was turned off. "Have a seat if you want. Docs said whatever I have isn''t contagious."


    Akari sat down and said, "Jin seemed worried about you. How are you feeling?"


    "Exhausted. Never been so tired in my life, no matter how much I sleep," Hanako answered. "I got bored of laying in bed, so I''ve been watching anime out here, napping when I can." Then she blushed. "Sorry about the mess, senpai. I didn''t think anyone would be visiting. But it''s real nice of Jin to be thinking of me."


    Akari glanced around the room, which really wasn''t very messy at all. The walls were covered with anime-related posters and shelves of manga, but it felt organized and lived-in, not sloppy.


    "Can I ask what you were doing before you got sick? I heard yesterday was your day off?" Akari asked.


    "I was sick yesterday too. Didn''t bother to tell Jin, since I hoped I''d feel better by today."


    "And what about before that?"


    Hanako met Akari''s eyes for a second, looked like she was considering something important, then blushed and looked down at the floor. "I''d rather not say."


    Okay¡­ what could that mean? Akari thought. I wish I knew her better, so I could figure out what she''s so reluctant to talk about. Even though Akari and Hanako had gone to the same school at the same time, they were two years apart and had never formally met before.


    As she thought, Akari looked around the room again and she noticed an odd trend: all the anime posters and figures were of women and some of them were a bit suggestive, with exposed skin and glimpses of panties. Nothing you wouldn''t let your friends see, but definitely more risque than you''d show your parents.


    Akari got an idea to break the ice. In a conversational tone, she said, "Hey, Hanako, do you have a girlfriend?"


    "I wish," she answered instantly, then she slapped her hands over her mouth. Through her fingers, she quickly corrected, "That''s not what I meant. I thought you said boyfriend. Yeah."


    Akari gently said, "It''s okay. I''m into women, too. In a relationship, actually." Then she thought, Sort of. I''m still not sure what our relationship is exactly, and the whole nine-different-Inaras thing isn''t helping¡­


    "Really?" Hanako looked awake for the first time since she''d opened the front door.


    Akari put on her best smile and scooted closer to Hanko, who seemed to be in dire need of a role model. "Really. I''m still figuring things out, but who isn''t?" Then she asked, "So, are you more open to talking about what happened now?"


    Hanako nodded. "Yeah¡­ So, the night before last, I met a woman about my age. Beautiful, with a great sense of style, all edgy and dark. Her name''s Itazu. She came over, and we, um, hung out¡­ all night. But then Ichi came home." She paused her story to clarify, "That''s my cat. He''s got a cat-door so he can let himself in."


    Akari glanced around the small apartment, looking for a cat, but it seemed Ichi was outside at the moment.


    Hanako''s expression got serious. "When Ichi saw Itazu, he went berserk. Tried to attack her. And she freaked out too. She left in a hurry, not even grabbing her clothes. I remember that." Hanako paused for to drink some water from a plastic bottle, giving Akari a chance to connect Hanako''s clothes comment to her vague description of what they''d done all night. They had been getting intimate. Then Hanako finished, "But when Ichi finally calmed down, her clothes were gone too."


    Akari blinked at that last part. Before that, the mystery woman just seemed like a promiscuous teen, but now things were definitely supernatural. She asked, "And that''s when you started feeling sick?"


    Hanako nodded weakly. "Not really sick though, just really tired. But I guess we did stay up late, um, doing things."


    Akari said, "You can say it. I''m used to hearing about sex." That made it sound like she was more experienced than she was, but she wanted to be a knowledgeable senpai for Hanako.


    Hanako lowered her voice and whispered, "I''d only ever fooled around before, but this woman, she was a master. We did all kinds of stuff, stuff I''ve never even seen in doujinshi. It was crazy and amazing. If that''s what sex is like, then consider me a fan."


    Then she frowned. "But I guess she isn''t going to come back¡­ She didn''t leave a phone number or even tell me her full name. And there was something weird about her, wasn''t there? How did her clothes disappear? Was she magical?" Hanako was slurring her words a little, like she was half asleep. She was clearly still exhausted; all that sex had taken far more out of her than it should have.


    Akari was already convinced that this ''Itazu'' was directly related to the animal-ear woman in the park and the two men who had fallen ill. The fact that her name was one syllable off from ''itazura'', meaning ''mischief'', was not lost on Akari. What''s with spirits and straight-forward names like that?


    She put a hand on Hanako''s shoulder. "I don''t know about all that, but you should be wary of her. You''re not the first person this week to mention a woman like that."


    Hanako''s eyes went wide. "She''s sleeping around?" Then she shook her head. "More power to her, I guess. It''s not like we''re in a relationship. I bet Itazu wasn''t even her real name."


    Then she yawned wide. "Well, thanks Akari, for talking to me. It''s nice to be out of the closet to someone I look up to¡­" Then she tipped over into her makeshift nest of blankets and fell asleep.


    I guess I''m a role model now? Feels kinda nice, Akari thought as she started toward the door. Before she could reach it, a flap at the bottom of the door lifted and a white face with black spots pushed its way through.


    "Oh, hello there. You must be Ichi," Akari said, crouching down to greet the cat.


    He was instantly friendly, nuzzling her leg and purring while she pet him. How strange. He warmed up to me awfully fast. Why''d he have such a problem with Itazu?


    <hr>


    "Thanks for meeting with me," Akari said. Hebi and Inara were seated across the kitchen table, looking a bit puzzled.


    "What''s this about, Akari?" Inara asked. Her tone was serious, so she may have already sensed the situation.


    "It''s about the disturbance in town," Akari answered. Then for Hebi''s benefit, she said, "Inara sensed an emotional disturbance and asked me to investigate."


    Hebi nodded in understanding and Inara said, "Ah, of course. What have you learned?"


    Akari took a deep breath. She was about to make some tenuous connections and serious accusations without much hard evidence, but she had to trust her gut. She sat up straight and said, "A woman has been sleeping around in Shinj¨­, particularly in the south part of town and particularly with devout Shinto followers. The people she slept with have been severely exhausted for multiple days now. At least three people between the ages of 18 and 22 have fallen victim so far. She has been seen with animal ears, and cats seem to hate her."


    The room was dead silent for a moment, then Hebi spoke. "You don''t still think it''s Inu, do you?" She didn''t bother to lower her voice, since Inu had run off to town mere minutes prior.


    "I don''t know. I''ll be the first to admit that I don''t understand the powers that greater spirits have, but I don''t know who else it could be."


    Hebi stood up. "I''ll go search for rumors online, to see if I can find out more. And if I have to, I''ll slip down into town tonight and watch. The weather should still be warm enough for my snake form."


    "Please do," Inara told her. Once Hebi had left, she turned to Akari and said, "Regardless of who this mystery woman may be, I need to fix the damage she has caused. Please build a list of people who directly experienced anything supernatural."


    Akari blanched. "You''re going to wipe their memories?" She was torn; she hated the thought of people losing memories they might care about, but she also understood that having knowledge of the supernatural could cause its own trouble. Her thoughts drifted back to her childhood when people thought she had an overactive imagination and made fun of her because she saw little wisps. If these adult victims told others about a mystical energy-draining woman, the social consequences would be much more severe. At best, they''d be dismissed as crazy or joking. At worst¡­ Akari didn''t want to think about that.


    Inara nodded and added, "I''ll also restore their energy. It should return on its own, especially if they are as devout as you said, but it is better to be safe than sorry."


    "Um." Akari fidgeted, unsure how to ask about the unusual topic. "What exactly did this woman do to them? I''m guessing she stole their life energy somehow?"


    "You''re partially correct. I believe she has been taking two other things as well: carnal energy and spirit energy."


    Akari could guess that carnal energy was associated with sex, but that last one didn''t make any sense. "Spirit energy? But they''re just regular people. I don''t think any of them can see spirits like I can."


    Inara explained, "All humans possess at least a little spiritual energy, and the religious ones have more. That''s why she''s been dining on Shinto worshippers. Someone like you, with your devotion to Shinto, your supernatural ability, and your direct exposure to a goddess? You''re like a fully stocked all-you-can-eat buffet. On that note, please stay inside after dark until we''ve dealt with this mystery spirit."


    Akari swallowed. "You got it, Inara-sama."

 Ch 17 - Homewrecker

    Akari was halfway dressed when her phone rang. And she actually recognized her ring tone this time. She finished pulling her t-shirt down and answered, "Hello? This is Akari."


    A shy-sounding voice said, "Hi, it''s Hanako. I got your number from Jin. Sorry for falling asleep while you were visiting."


    Akari nearly slapped herself for forgetting to leave her phone number when she''d visited. At least Hanako thought to ask Jin, Akari thought, then she said, "Hanako! It''s great to hear from you! Are you feeling better?"


    "I am, actually. And I wanted to thank you for the visit. And for being so understanding about, um, that stuff."


    Ah, she must mean her sexuality, Akari thought. "You''re welcome. I''m just happy I could help you out."


    There was an awkward pause since Akari didn''t know what else to say, then Hanako blurted, "Um, can I ask you a huge favor?"


    Akari steeled herself. Hanako had been through a strange situation and could really use some support, even if it wasn''t easy to provide. Akari answered, "Sure. I''ll do whatever I can."


    Haltingly, Hanako asked, "Can I call you¡­ when I have questions about girls? I really don''t have anyone else to talk to about¡­ that side of me."


    Akari smiled. "Of course. As I said before, I''m no expert and I''m still trying to figure things out for myself, but I''ll happily listen and give what advice I can." An idea occurred to her and she added, "I also have access to some friends with more experience, so I might be able to share some of their wisdom too."


    "Oh, that would be amazing! Thank you, senpai! You''re the best."


    "Glad to help, Hanako." Akari was just relieved that the ''big favor'' ended up being something she could actually do. Being a mentor was stressful work.


    Hanako thanked her yet again, then said, "Well, I''ve got to get to work and I''m sure you''re busy too. Seeya!"


    Akari couldn''t help but smile. This version of Hanako was so much happier than the zombie from the day before. "Have a good one, and beware of mysterious strangers," Akari said, only half joking.


    <hr>


    Hebi stood at the end of the table, dressed in a black jacket and tight pencil skirt with a clipboard in hand. She cast a narrow-eyed glance at each of the three women gathered, then said, "I already took the liberty of catching Usagi up on the situation as it was last night, so I''ll just focus on my new discoveries."


    Inara nodded serenely, but Akari was nervous. Inu isn''t here for this. That can''t be a good thing, right?


    Hebi kneeled next to the table, set her clipboard down, and started reading her notes. "I camped out in town last night and I was able to observe the mystery woman. I can confirm that she is a spirit of some sort, but I was unable to tell much more than that. The reason for that is: every time I saw her in person, she was covered in magical charms or glamours to hide her true nature. There were multiple layers, each apparently serving a different purpose."


    She listed off, "One glamour made her visible to humans; one hid her animal features, but it seemed prone to failure, giving the occasional glimpse of her ears; another let her conjure temporary clothing that had physical mass but ceased to exist if she got too far away; and finally, one glamour hid her spiritual essence and covered her tracks."


    Hebi took a breath, then continued, "Those effects seemed to be powered by a mix of the energies she''s been stealing from humans in Shinj¨­: life, carnal, and spiritual. She seems to seek out one person to feed upon each night, and the victim is utterly exhausted for three or four days. Oh, and thanks to a hint from Akari, I believe that cats can see right through her disguise. They have a natural connection to the spirit world, but there may be some natural animosity at play as well."


    Natural animosity? LIke cats and dogs? Akari thought. I don''t like the sound of that¡­


    Then Hebi looked right at Akari and added, "Oh, and this mystery woman is not Inu."


    Akari practically melted with relief, but Inara just smiled and said, "Of course not. Inu returned early last night and was with me until morning. She should be a little less rowdy today." Her tone of voice had a hint of suggestiveness in it.


    Akari opened her mouth to ask something, then decided she didn''t really want to know.


    Hebi resumed her explanation, "Overall, I believe this woman is incredibly cautious and intelligent, not to mention quite powerful. For a major spirit to be able to interact with humans is significant enough, and this woman can do it outside of sacred grounds." She frowned, her already narrow eyes narrowing further. "Even if she wasn''t going around sapping people''s strength, the implications of such a powerful spirit infiltrating Shinj¨­ are profound."


    Inara folded her arms across her chest and gave a serious nod. "This is beyond you girls now. I''ll need to venture into town myself to take her down." After that violent statement, she moved right into, "Akari, I need that list of people who interacted with her, to erase their memories."


    Akari was still caught up on the ''take her down'' part. Panicked, she said, "Wait! Can''t we try talking to her?"


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Inara blinked, then smiled kindly. "Of course we can. That was my plan all along."


    Akari could breathe again. "Oh, sorry. It sounded like you were going to hurt her."


    Inara''s smile didn''t change shape, but it took on new meaning as she said, "Only if she doesn''t cooperate. Just like people, not all spirits can be reasoned with."


    <hr>


    After Akari had reluctantly handed Inara a list of names and addresses, including that of the latest victim that Hebi had witnessed, Inara stepped out into the moonlit night. It was a little chilly, but nothing her fox form''s fur coat couldn''t handle. Before transforming, she had cast a few charms on herself to hide her power as much as she could. It was impossible to hide her godly power entirely, but the glamours would be good enough as long as she didn''t linger anywhere too long.


    She started running and bounded through the forest at impossible speed, her paws making firm contact on familiar stones and ancient trees that she had watched grow from saplings. After spending centuries here, she knew these woods as intimately as a lover. She leapt over startled wildlife and lesser spirits, jumped a creek without fear, and savored the rush of covering so much ground so quickly. But her confidence quickly faded when she reached the city''s edge.


    She noticed the streetlights first, garish and yellow. Those ugly imitations of natural sunlight were visible from miles away despite providing surprisingly poor lighting. Mankind loved to change the world to suit them, but they so often stopped halfway. They settled for a mediocre solution, when a little more care and effort could achieve admirable results that were also in harmony with nature.


    She shrugged and stepped into the street. This was no time for critiquing humanity''s industriousness. This night, they needed help. She crept from shadow to shadow, dodging curious teenagers, a stray dog, and even an old woman who seemed to sense that Inara was no normal fox. She darted away through a cluttered alleyway and resumed her search.


    It took nearly an hour to find the woman''s trail. Her essence-masking glamour was surprisingly effective, but it was also too narrow: it didn''t cover her mundane scent. Inara''s vulpine nose caught whiff of an odd scent, not quite human nor animal. And it smelled faintly of sweat and sex.


    I have you now, Inara thought with a toothy grin. She sniffed the air a few times, found which direction the scent was stronger, and set out along the trail. It led her through a small park, over a bridge, and eventually to a small house with a well-tended yard. It had a one-car garage that smelled of oil and gasoline, but there was no car inside. The ground floor windows shined with light, so Inara climbed onto a small garden shed and peeked into what turned out to be the kitchen.


    Two women sat at a table, talking. One looked a bit older than the other, maybe 30, and both were quite pretty. They both wore similar fashionable autumn outfits, cardigan sweaters over knee length skirts, as if they shopped at the same store. To Inara''s eyes, the younger one was practically shimmering with magic, and she definitely wasn''t human.


    Inara overheard the older woman say, "Thank you for coming over, Tsume. It''s so lonely when the house is empty, and Masahiro is gone for weeks at a time. He''s a traveling salesman, you know."


    The other woman, now calling herself Tsume, said, "Oh, my dear Yua, it''s terrible for someone as wonderful and beautiful as you to be left all alone like that. Women like us have needs, after all."


    She reached across the table and gently caressed Yua''s cheek. The older woman looked surprised at first, but soon leaned into it. A human couldn''t have known, but Inara spotted a spark of carnal energy fly between the women, a magical nudge to push Yua''s loneliness and desire over the edge, to make her willing to cheat on her husband.


    Inara''s domain, her list of godly responsibilities, encompassed things as diverse as industry, rice farming, and fertility. But her personal focus, her credo and her true passion, was love. Love was kind, caring, compassionate, deep, devoted, and consenting. What this spirit was doing to her victims, to poor Yua, was not love. It was an abomination and it needed to cease.


    Inara leapt into action. She dropped her animal form and passed through the window, landing in the kitchen as a nondescript figure, glowing brightly. She quickly solidified into her goddess form, complete with a regal kimono and a golden disc of light floating behind her, then her tails lashed out and coiled around the spirit woman.


    ''Tsume'' flailed and fought, letting out a frustrated hiss, but she was easily overpowered. The tails quickly wrapped her up in a cocoon so tight that no part of her was visible. The cocoon shimmered for a full second, then Inara unfurled her tails and the spirit was gone.


    Yua was predictably startled and confused. Her eyes were wide and panicked, her skin pallid and damp with sweat. She stammered, "What was¡ª Who are¡ª Wha¡ª"


    Inara stepped forward and placed one finger on the fearful woman''s forehead. She whispered, "It is alright. I will not harm you. You are safe now."


    Yua visibly relaxed and closed her eyes, then her body started to shudder slightly. Her muscles twitched like those of a dreaming puppy as her memory was searched and altered. Inara erased the memories of ''Tsume'', who Yua had apparently met just an hour before at the mall, then added a little bit of encouragement in their place.


    Inara whispered, "Your husband loves you very much. In the future, when your loneliness and your needs grow too strong, think of him while you pleasure yourself. And when he returns, merely mention what you did and he''ll surely sweep you off your feet and carry you to straight to bed."


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, back at the shrine, there was a burst of white light in the center of the main worship hall. When it faded, a dark-haired woman stood in its place, wearing a purple cardigan and a long black skirt. She crouched to the floor and sniffed at the air, then cautiously crawled forward. Almost immediately, her face squished against an invisible barrier. It shimmered with magic, revealing a cylindrical wall all the way around her. On the floor, geometric lines of glowing chalk radiated outward from the four-foot diameter circle that held her.


    The woman backed away from the wall, then swatted at it with one hand. On the second swipe, a spark arced from the barrier to her hand, scorching it slightly. She hissed at the wall, then licked her wounded hand while she peered around at the empty room. Eventually, she sat down cross-legged and waited.


    A few minutes later, Usagi jogged in through the front door, carrying a bucket of gardening supplies in one hand. Since the moon was full and bright, she''d been able to do some last-minute work to put up a fence of wooden stakes and twine around her vegetable garden before the morning''s human visitors could accidentally trample it.


    Usagi''s thoughts were completely focused on getting a small splinter out of her thumb and washing up, so she passed right by the mystery woman in her prison. Then Usagi stopped and did a double take, finally taking in the strange guest with her dark hair and piercing cat-like eyes. Usagi had some idea who the woman was, and she knew that Inara was still in the city, so she immediately dropped her bucket and sprinted deeper into the shrine to tell the others.

 Ch 18 - An Unwelcome Addition

    In less than two hours, Inara had scoured all traces of the mystery woman from the memories of Shinj¨­''s people. Akari''s list of exposed people had been incomplete but Inara found more than enough clues inside the other victims'' memories to track down the missing victims: two young men working at a Buddhist temple on the north edge of town. It seemed that the specific religion didn''t matter to the mystery woman; she had been willing to feed on anyone with enough spiritual, carnal, and life energies.


    With that taken care of, Inara crept southward through the city, acting like a real fox and sticking to waterways and parks to reduce suspicion. It wouldn''t do at all to draw attention now, right after she''d spent so much energy removing evidence of the supernatural.


    But the instant she was back inside her forest south of the city, she became a blur of orange bouncing from tree to tree, skipping the ground entirely. Her final jump took her over 30 feet through empty air and she landed daintily right in front of the main shrine stairs. She returned to her humanoid form, complete with an elegant blue silk kimono, then went inside.


    The entire household was there, gathered around the spiritual circle and staring at its captive. Only Inu had kept her distance, standing guard by the doorway.


    Hebi quickly rose to her feet and addressed Inara, "Welcome back, Boss. Excellent work capturing the culprit. We''ve been trying to get information from her, but she refuses to speak to us."


    The others rose as well, except the prisoner who sat cross-legged in the glowing white barrier, her back straight and prideful.


    "Thank you, Hebi," Inara said. She approached the circle, then just watched in silence for a full minute.


    The spirit woman squirmed for a bit under Inara''s imposing gaze, then shrugged it off and went back to silently staring at her various captors. Her attention lingered on Akari most of all, and there was a hungry look in those vivid green eyes that made Akari slightly uncomfortable.


    "As Hebi said, you sure are wearing a lot of glamours. Let''s see what you really are," Inara finally said, holding one palm outward toward the woman.


    With a puff of white smoke and a whiff of bitter scent, all of her glamours were dispelled. What was left behind was a beautiful woman with glossy black hair to her shoulder blades, pointed cat ears, and not one but two black tails, long and slim. Her fake clothes had also been dispelled, leaving her quite naked. She was slender yet busty, her figure flawless. Her face was also gorgeous by any standards, with soft angles and captivating emerald eyes.


    Hebi gasped as she saw the two cat tails. "A nekomata¡­" she mumbled to herself. "That''s why she''s so powerful."


    Inara sent Usagi to fetch a bathrobe, which she then passed through the barrier for the woman to wear.


    The cat-woman draped it over her shoulders for warmth, but she didn''t bother to close it up. She seemed comfortable showing skin, to say the least.


    Inara asked, "Will you talk to us?"


    The woman answered with silence and a glare.


    "Very well. I could provide you with some undiluted spiritual power, with all the energies you''ve been stealing, and at a higher quality. Or you can stay in that barrier and starve for a few days to loosen your tongue. It''s up to you."


    "Fine, I''ll talk!" the woman blurted. "Just don''t starve me."


    Inara smiled kindly. "Alright. Let''s start with introductions. I''m Inara and I''m the goddess of this shrine. What''s your name? A quick summary of your history would be nice as well."


    "The name''s Neko."


    "And?"


    "And I''ve been wanderin'' around Japan for a couple hundred years, borrowin'' energy from people to survive." Her way of speaking was simultaneously modern and dated, a swirling blend of every generation''s teen language. The dialect of disrespectful youth.


    Usagi cut in, "Stealing, you mean?"


    "It all returns to them eventually, so it''s borrowin''," Neko said with a shrug. "And you should finish your introductions. Who''re the bunny, the dog, the snake, and this weird human?" It wasn''t clear how she had deduced their animal aspects.


    Hebi fielded that question. She pointed at herself and other other women and introduced them, "I''m Hebi and this is Usagi, Inu, and Akari." Neko giggled at each of the other spirits'' names, as if she found them deeply amusing.


    Akari didn''t like Neko''s attitude one bit. She said, "You went by lots of different names in town. How are we to know that Neko is even your real name? It''s pretty literal, after all."


    The other girls shared a quick glance while Neko grinned wide, showing her sharp incisors. "I admit it ain''t a great name." She leaned toward Akari, as close as the barrier would allow. "You wanna give me a better one?"


    Neko''s robe fell open and Akari fought to keep her eyes up and away from that gorgeous body. Then before she could answer the question, Inara''s hand clamped down over Akari''s mouth.


    "She does not," Inara answered firmly.


    Then Inara let go of Akari and stood tall. "Now, Neko¡­ I cannot allow you to continue your current actions, your previous methods of survival. Your theft of energies is far too disruptive and dangerous to the people of Japan, and your desecration of love must stop."


    Inara''s voice deepened, not in pitch but in potency. These were the words of a goddess, speaking with her full authority. "You have two choices: stay in that barrier while you starve and wither away until you regress into a minor spirit, or take your sustenance from me and stay on shrine grounds where you can''t cause trouble for humanity."


    Neko somehow still had the nerve to scoff. "Not much of a choice, huh? Either I suffer a fate worse than death, or I move into your little shrine and play nice with your weird little cult?" She grinned again. "Or is it a harem?"


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Inara leaned forward and the light of the glowing barrier cast menacing upward shadows on her face. With her voice level and unyielding, she said, "If you''d like a third option, I''m sure I can devise an even worse fate."


    Sounding less than enthusiastic, Neko said, "Sure, I promise to live here, so long as you give me what I need."


    Inara nodded and said, "You''ll be contributing to the shrine too, Neko. Think of me as your employer, and the energy you need is your payment."


    "Don''t worry," Hebi interjected, "She''s an excellent boss."


    "Sure, whatever. Now let me out. I''m not some zoo animal to gawk at." Despite those words, she seemed to like attention and she was still showing off her bare body through her open robe.


    "But this isn''t permanent," Neko added the instant Inara brought the barrier down. "Someday I''ll want to leave this boring mountain, alright?"


    Inara smiled. "Of course. We can revisit the terms after you''ve proven yourself trustworthy. Until then, please look to Hebi for guidance on how things work around the shrine, and be on your best behavior."


    Meanwhile, the other women were not particularly happy at all. A new addition to the shrine was disruptive enough, especially now that they had public relations to manage, but Neko was an unwilling recruit who already had a reputation for causing major trouble.


    <hr>


    Not even three hours later, under cover of complete darkness, a solitary figure crept out an open window on the shrine''s north side. She dropped gracefully to the ground, then darted to the edge of the clearing.


    The instant that the fugitive exited the shrine boundary and crossed into the woods, she fell to the leaf-strewn ground in a heap. Her human form faded away like smoke, leaving behind a small black cat with just one tail. Unsteadily, she got to her feet just in time to be scooped up by the ruff of her neck.


    "I thought you might try something like this," Inara said, not disappointed so much as unimpressed. She held the cat at arm''s length. "I placed some limitations on your abilities, putting them back on par with a major spirit''s. Your glamours will only work within the shrine grounds. Everywhere else, you are basically a normal cat."


    In a raspy voice that a normal human would have heard as meowing, Neko replied, "So I''m in a slightly larger prison now?"


    "For now. But if you play nice, I just might help you out on your little quest for a name."


    <hr>


    The next day was surprisingly calm. Neko just napped inside all day, following sunbeams from room to room, and Akari and the others were happy to let her do so. They were busy all morning running Mori-jinsha''s first weekend worship ceremony, which had an attendance of eight people. Not a great turnout, but acceptable.


    Inara was in a playful mood and had wanted to make a quick appearance at the end of the ceremony and maybe work a tiny miracle, but Hebi and Akari talked her down from it.


    "Let''s keep things simple for now. We already have one gimmick with the cosplaying miko," Hebi implored. "And you said yourself that you aren''t quite willing to go public yet."


    "Fine," Inara whined. "Oh, Hebi, Akari? Would you like some cosplay ears of your own? I can whip up some magical ones for you. They''ll wiggle with your thoughts and everything!"


    Akari shook her head vigorously. "No thank you, miss Inara. We don''t want them to be realistic, remember? That''s why Hebi has to keep her tail hidden."


    Inara pouted. "Bah, that''s right. Well, in that case, I want you both in fake animal ears by next weekend so we have a consistent style. I bet you can craft some wonderful ears, Akari. Maybe tails too."


    Akari scrunched up her face in thought. "I think I can do that. I''ll just need some materials and more time on that rental sewing machine."


    "At this point, we might as well buy it," Hebi said, matter-of-factly. "We''ll surely need it again, especially if Neko joins us as a shrine maiden. She''ll need a miko outfit of her own."


    "Ooh, her ears sure will be cute in that outfit. Make it happen, girls," Inara said as she turned and left the room, her attention already on something else. Trailing behind her was a blur of tails, bouncing from one to eight and every number in between. Inara''s mood was unstable, but not in a problematic way. From what Hebi had seen in the past, a bit of outside stimulation would soon cause Inara to settle into one mood until its needs were met.


    <hr>


    "Are you alright, Inu?" Akari asked. They were getting in a quick workout before dinner, but Inu was oddly impatient and fidgety. During Akari''s sit-ups, while Inu was supposed to be holding her feet, Inu had stood up and started pacing around the clearing.


    "I''m fine," Inu said, even though it was clearly a lie.


    Akari gave up on her sit-ups. "Is it because of Neko?"


    "No, it''s not that. I don''t like her, but I can''t even focus on that right now."


    "So what''s wrong?"


    Inu quickly looked away, but not before Akari noticed a splash of red in her cheeks. "It''s nothing. It''s under control." Then she went back to fidgeting and pacing, and even petting her own tail.


    Doesn''t look very under control to me, Akari thought, but it''s not my place to meddle.


    Then at dinner, Inu didn''t join the rest of the household, but neither did Inara. Neko was there, still yawning from her latest nap.


    "Thanks for the food," Neko said stiffly, at least attempting to behave well.


    "You''re welcome, Neko," said Usagi with a smile. "I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know if you''d like anything specific in the future."


    Akari half expected Inu to throw out a snarky comment like, "I''d like more meat," but she wasn''t there. I wonder where she''s at? Maybe talking to Inara about whatever was bothering her? I hope she works it out and returns to her normal self.


    Suddenly, a loud voice carried through the entire shrine, yelling, "Not me! Not me, dammit!"


    Akari set her chopsticks down, confused and worried. "That sounded like Inu. What''s she saying no to?"


    The sound of a single giggle drew Akari''s eyes to Neko, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Oh, you are hilariously naive."


    Akari frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Neko looked to Hebi and Usagi, a knowing smile on her face. "I bet your friends know exactly what''s going on. Ask them."


    Akari took the bait. "What does she mean?"


    Usagi blushed bright red and looked down at her food, but Hebi was willing to answer. She said, "Remember when I told you about each of our relationships with Inara?"


    Akari nodded. She had no idea where this was going, but she didn''t like the feel of it.


    Hebi continued, "Inu and Inara share a needs-based relationship. Sometimes Inu gets into a state, what you might call ''heat'', where she literally needs sexual release. Inara helps her with that."


    Akari felt her face grow hot. She understood a little why Usagi had refused to answer, but she was still curious about something. "So what did the ''not me'' thing mean?".


    Hebi leaned close and explained, "The word you heard wasn''t N-O-T. It was K-N-O-T."


    Akari blinked, still confused. "Like a knot in a rope? Like your shibari stuff?"


    Neko was giggling aloud now, unable to keep a straight face any longer. She blurted, "Have you ever seen dogs going at it? Like really boning? The guy-dog''s dick has a round bit near the base that inflates while it''s inside the girl-dog. The dick is too thick to get back out, so they''re locked together for a good long while. They call that knotting."


    Akari was more confused than ever. "D-dick?" she stammered. "Inara doesn''t have a dick." Then she figured it out. "Oh! Does she have one of those strap-on things? With a knot on that?"


    The whole time, Akari was thinking, This is way outside my comfort zone, but it''s good to expand your comfort zone, right?


    Usagi shook her head. She was finally willing to talk to clear up the misunderstanding, even if she wasn''t willing to meet Akari''s eyes. "No. You know that Inara can transform, right? Well, she can transform specific parts of her body."


    Akari blinked, staring at nothing. "Huh¡­" she said, thinking, Transform just some parts of her body?


    She swallowed, feeling her face burning hot and her vision blurring. "Oh." She gave herself a dick? Like men have?


    Then she hid her face in her hands. "Ohhhh." No, like dogs have.


    Akari pushed her plate aside and slumped to the table, hiding her head under her arms. She couldn''t help but imagine exactly what was happening just a few rooms away, between her friend and her goddess, her crush.


    "I wish I never asked¡­"


    Neko burst out laughing. Between bouts of laughter and gasps for air, she managed to say, "Oh damn, this is crazy funny. I think I''m going to like it here after all."

 Ch 19 - Whats in a Name?

    I should just say something. Akari paced around the small bedroom again. I''m sure Inara will be happy to explain.


    Akari stopped and looked out the window. Beyond the shrine''s clearing the trees were turning with the season, painting the mountainside a gorgeous mix of golds and reds. It was beautiful, but Akari couldn''t appreciate it in her current state.


    Unless she doesn''t want me asking about it, like how she didn''t want me talking to Neko¡­


    She frowned and sat down on her bed. She couldn''t get it out of her head, the way Inara had silenced her the other day, back when Neko had arrived. Neko had asked if Akari had a better name to give her and before Akari could even start to answer, Inara''s hand was clamped over her mouth.


    I just don''t understand. Why would Inara do that?


    No matter how many times Akari told herself it wasn''t a big deal, that she should just move on, some part of her had refused to let go. She needed to know why. Akari had always been curious, always driven to learn and understand, and she didn''t want to live in a house where that wasn''t allowed.


    She needed to ask Inara, consequences be damned. Akari jumped to her feet and started for the door. With any luck, Inara was still in the kitchen helping Usagi clean up after breakfast.


    She''s not a tyrant, Akari told herself, or she wouldn''t bother helping out with chores, and she wouldn''t show so much concern for me and my problems.


    She continued down the hall, dreading every creak from the floorboards, every step that took her closer to confrontation. Maybe it was nothing, but maybe Akari was about to ask the wrong question and pull the pin from a grenade she couldn''t even see. She knew she didn''t understand the thoughts of gods and spirits, but she did know they could be dangerous.


    "Akari, is that you?" The voice came from the kitchen, and it was Inara''s. She must have heard the creaking floor, or sensed Akari''s emotional turmoil. Akari couldn''t keep anything from her, it seemed.


    Here goes everything¡­ "Yep, got a moment?" Akari called back, her feet carrying her forward and her nerves winding ever tighter. She rounded the corner and saw Inara sitting at the table, dressed in a red kimono and staring right at her. Usagi was nowhere to be seen.


    Inara smiled and answered, "For you, dear Akari, I have as long as it takes." She patted the cushion to her right. "Please sit down."


    Akari did so, but she couldn''t help but bristle at how quickly control had been taken away from her. She''d come here with a mission, planning to demand an answer to the question that had been bothering her, but Inara had already flipped it around. Now Akari was powerless, just a little girl asking for help, another mortal seeking guidance from a god.


    "You look frustrated. Anything I can do to help?"


    Inara''s voice was kind. Disarming. Akari wasn''t sure she liked that. On some level, she wanted to be angry, because it was better than being sad. "I wanted to ask you something. It''s been bothering me more than it probably should and I''m sick of wondering in the dark."


    Inara''s gorgeous golden eyes widened. "Oh, this definitely warrants a conversation then. Ask away."


    Akari took a deep breath, then just went for it. "Why did you cover my mouth the other day, when we were all gathered around Neko? She asked me a question and you didn''t let me answer. I didn''t even know what I was going to say yet, so why did you stop me?" Despite all Akari''s efforts to stay calm, emotion had seeped into her voice at the end, cracking a little. Her hands were clammy too, the way they''d always get during finals, or when she argued with her dad.


    "First, I must apologize," Inara started. "I did not realize how that action would affect you, and I see now that I should have explained myself. I did have a good reason, but that doesn''t make my behavior correct."


    Akari nodded, not wanting to test her voice while she was so emotional. The apology had cut through her armor of anger, exposing the real problem beneath: the pain of not being trusted.


    "As for your question, I covered your mouth because major spirits like Neko, Inu, Usagi, and Hebi, they don''t have names, not like you and I do. ''Inu'' and ''Neko'' are just labels, based on their animal aspects."


    Akari was completely lost. What does that have to do with anything? And how can someone just not have a name?


    Inara continued, "But powerful spirits can earn a name for themselves, and become even stronger in the process. One of the requirements to earn a name is to be given it by a human follower. I was pretty sure that you didn''t meet the ''follower'' criteria for Neko, since you barely knew her, but I didn''t want to take any chances with an unknown threat like she was at the time."


    Akari took a slow breath, trying to process that. "So you stopped me from accidentally giving her a name, because it could have made her stronger?"


    Inara nodded. "She''s already more powerful than even Hebi, so I believe she may have reached the necessary strength to begin the transition."


    "Is that how you became a goddess? You were a powerful major spirit and someone gave you a name?"


    Inara smiled and gently patted Akari on the head. "That was one small part of my journey, yes. A name is what separates major spirits from superior ones. But there''s quite a gap between a superior spirit and a god."


    She switched gears and continued, "In any case, it''s best to be careful with names around Neko. If she asks for a name again, please turn her down."


    Akari nodded vigorously. "I''ll do that."


    Inara started to stand. "Now, if I''ve relieved your immediate concerns, I can tell you more of my story another time. For now, I need to have a chat with our new housemate. Someone left black hair all over our clean clothes this morning; I think Neko likes napping in cat form on the fresh laundry."


    Akari truly did feel better. Inara had a good reason for what she had done, and she hadn''t meant any harm by it. And she really was a kind person. Now Akari just felt guilty for being so upset in the first place. She bowed her head and said, "That''s fine. Thank you for hearing me out, and I''m sorry for assuming the worst."


    A serious expression settled on Inara''s face. "I don''t fault you for that. My biggest regret in my long life was the opposite: not seeing the signs, not suspecting until it was too late. A piece of advice: open your heart, but never close your eyes."


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    With that, Inara turned away and left the room. She had exactly five tails, meaning she was in her ''caring'' mode, but they drooped nearly to the floor.


    <hr>


    Akari was supposed to be training the other girls for an upcoming Shinto ritual, but Neko had flaked out. Neko was still reluctant to help around the house, or even spend time with the others. And in the case of this ritual training, it really took the wind out of Akari''s sails. Why bother teaching the complex routine to three of them if she''d just have to do it all again for Neko?


    But since they''re gathered anyway¡­


    Akari started, "So I heard that major spirits can earn a name of their own, and it makes them stronger." She sat down on the shrine''s front steps. "Are you girls working toward that?


    Inu and Usagi both looked to Hebi expectantly. As the oldest and strongest of them, it made sense that she''d be pursuing a name.


    Hebi joined Akari on the steps, using her long tail to brush her skirt forward before sitting down. Even in a miko outfit, she still managed to look businesslike. "I do want a name," she answered, "and I used to be very determined to get one, but I''m no longer in any hurry."


    "Huh? Why not?" Akari asked.


    Hebi shrugged. "I''m not into progress for progress''s sake, and growing stronger would add more complications to my life. I like things, including my place in them, as they are now."


    Unprompted, Usagi answered next. "It''d be nice to have a name someday, but I don''t like the human follower requirement." A smug smile crossed her face, one that Akari had seen before. "I don''t care about the opinions of humans."


    Akari felt personally attacked, and slightly offended. But it did explain some of Usagi''s past rudeness. If she''s biased against humans, does that make her racist? Mortalist? In any case, Akari wasn''t going to take that lying down. Since joining the shrine, she''d learned the hard way that Usagi could be quite a brat, but only until someone stood up to her.


    "Inara cares about human opinions, and that''s what matters," Akari quipped, aiming for Usagi''s known weakness: she looked up to Inara even more than Akari did. Then Akari quickly redirected the conversation to deny Usagi the satisfaction of a retort. "What about you, Inu? Do you want a name?"


    Without a word, Inu turned and started walking away.


    "Wait! What''s wrong, Inu?" Akari called out.


    "She''s just grumpy," Usagi explained. "And she doesn''t like this topic." Then she ran after Inu and put an arm around her, pulling her close. They talked quietly for several seconds, then they both returned. For all her pettiness, Usagi was good at connecting with others. It reminded Akari of the socialite girls from high school who seemed mean at first but could sweet-talk and fit in with anyone.


    Inu sat down on the ground, unconcerned about getting her hakama skirt dirty. Then she grumbled, "Usagi thinks I should talk about this, to work through my issues. I think she''s been spending too much time around motherly-mode Inara."


    "And?" Usagi prodded.


    "And the reason I''m upset is because I already had a name. It was given to me by my master when I was a normal dog. I don''t want another one."


    Akari was intrigued. The whole concept of a pet dog ascending to a major spirit was really exciting, like something out of a folktale. "Ooh, what was your name?"


    "I don''t remember," Inu growled. Then she stood up and barked, "So much for feeling better, Usagi," and stomped off. Before anyone could react, she''d rounded the corner of the shrine and disappeared from sight.


    Akari slumped against the stairs. "I feel terrible. I didn''t mean to upset her."


    "It''s fine," Hebi said. "You couldn''t have known. Since names are sacred to spirits, they get stripped away when a soul makes the transition to being a spirit. No spirit can remember their previous name, and someday Inu will have to come to terms with that."


    Akari was already deep in thought. I wonder if I can find out what Inu''s name used to be¡­ She lived just 30 years ago, so there might be records from vet visits or pet registration. If I use my dad''s civil servant connections, I should be able to get that info. I just need to figure out who Inu''s owner was¡­


    <hr>


    "Neko, are you in there?" Akari was pretty sure Neko was indeed in her bedroom, but getting her to come out was the hard part. Neko had been so unpredictable lately, happily socializing one day, then retreating to her room and refusing to talk the next.


    After a few seconds of silence, Akari knocked again. "Inara sent me. I promise I won''t take more than a few minutes of your time." Annoyed, she added, "You can''t hide from all your responsibilities by sleeping."


    "Whaddaya want?" Neko finally answered, but the door remained closed.


    "I need to get your measurements. It''ll be quick, I promise."


    "Why do you need ''em?"


    "I need to make you a miko outfit, remember? So you can help out as a shrine maiden. We talked about this already."


    "And why should I help with that shit?"


    Akari''s jaw clenched. She hated when Neko got like this, answering every question with another question. She was just like a bratty teenager. Well, someone has to be the adult in this conversation¡­ Akari answered, "Because you promised, as a condition for living here and not getting starved into a minor spirit."


    Akari found it a little terrifying, actually, how if a major spirit didn''t get enough energy they regressed into a minor spirit. Faceless and mindless, those wisps were closer to bugs than to people, and there was no returning from it. It was a one-way trip, a temporary and terrifying detour along the way to the afterlife. Akari felt bad using it as a threat, but she''d been left with little choice.


    The door opened. "Come in, and make it quick."


    Akari stepped inside, already pulling measuring tape from her pocket. Then she froze. She wasn''t sure what she''d expected of Neko''s bedroom, but it definitely wasn''t this. The walls were covered in glow-in-the-dark stickers shaped like stars and planets, but the room was otherwise barren. There was a pile of blankets in one corner that functioned as Neko''s bed and a small stereo sat on the floor in the middle of the room, with a stack of tiny plastic discs next to it. Akari thought the discs were called MiniDiscs, but she didn''t know anything else about them because they were from before her time.


    "You like music?" Akari asked, trying to start a conversation.


    "Yes." Neko didn''t bother to elaborate. Then she waved a hand in a ''hurry up'' motion. "Get on with it already."


    "Ah, sorry. Can you lift your arms, please?"


    Neko did so. She was wearing a plain black t-shirt and shorts, and her hair was in a messy ponytail, like she''d just woken up. As Akari approached with the measuring tape held out, the shirt and shorts disappeared entirely, startling her.


    "Tryin'' to help," Neko said, standing there in lacy black lingerie that didn''t match the clothes she''d just been wearing at all. Apparently, she had been allowed to keep her fake-clothes ability, at least within shrine grounds, but Inara had insisted that her miko uniform needed to be real.


    Akari couldn''t help but blush. "Uh, thanks," she mumbled as she tried to focus on getting the measurements. Neko really was beautiful, and that lingerie was pretty sexy, the kind of thing Akari would never wear. She was also pretty sure Neko was messing with her on purpose.


    Neko grinned. "Oh ho, you''re into girls?"


    "Yeah, what of it?" Akari said, feeling defensive.


    "Nothing wrong with that. Just makin'' conversation. I''m into guys and girls."


    Akari relaxed and returned to the task at hand. She noted Neko''s waist measurement in her phone and moved to the next. "I guess I''m kind of the same. I dated a boy for a while, and I like Inara now."


    Neko scoffed. "That''s it? Two people? We ain''t the same."


    "Huh? What do you mean?"


    "I''ll just say I''ve been with a lot of people, and I never stay with the same one for long. Most of them couldn''t handle a second night, but I move on even if they can. I always spot some hot new thing to sleep with."


    "Oh. I''m the opposite. My heart belongs to one person at a time."


    Neko nodded. "Ah, you''re monotonous."


    "You mean monogamous?"


    Neko grinned at her own joke. "That too."


    As Akari was measuring Neko''s bust, the bra beneath the measuring tape disappeared, as did Neko''s panties. Akari looked up at Neko''s face instead.


    "That''s not actually helpful," Akari said. "I designed the outfit to be worn with a bra."


    "Wasn''t meant to be," Neko answered. "Just testing your monogamy. You ever wanna roll in the hay, just say the word. I know Inara doesn''t want me tipping the scales with magic anymore, but for a snack as tasty as you, I''m willin'' to play fair. And I''d make it worth your while¡­"


    Akari still remembered Hanako''s descriptions of her time with Neko. "Crazy and amazing," she had said. But Akari wasn''t interested. She wanted romance more than sex, and her heart was only set on Inara. By focusing on that thought, Akari ignored the naked body before her and said, "No thank you. Can you bring the bra back so I can finish up?"


    Neko didn''t seem offended. She magicked up a new bra, leopard print with a matching thong, and said, "The offer stands."

 Ch 20 - Seeking Answers

    Usagi watched with a frown on her face as Inara left the kitchen.


    Four tails, again. She must be in sync with Inu''s heat, Usagi thought. And that means I''ll have to hear them going at it again tonight¡­


    She was frustrated and lonely, but most of all jealous. She stopped chopping vegetables and stabbed the knife into the cutting board to vent a little steam and get it out of her hands. She was in no state to be handling sharp objects. She went to the fridge instead, taking inventory and building a mental shopping list. It looked like the shrine was set for meals for at least another day or two, but Akari would need to go shopping soon.


    Akari¡­ she thought. I don''t care if she''s nice to have around, she''s been grabbing up more and more of Inara''s time. She stomped from the refrigerator to the sink, then froze. A pile of dirty dishes had been abandoned in the sink, and she could guess who had left them.


    Usagi rolled her eyes. Such a slob. That cat acts like she''s never lived in a house before. She hasn''t done a single thing to help around here, and yet she''s been getting some of Inara''s attention too.


    She scowled at the dishes, but they weren''t really what she was upset about. All these new arrivals, don''t they realize I was here first? That I''m the most devoted, the deepest in love? How dare they take my Inara from me! Usagi was fuming now, breathing hard and pacing around the room.


    Then she felt her stomach tighten into a nervous knot, the familiar sensation of guilt. She flopped down on a cushion by the table and hung her head. No, Inara isn''t mine. She''s wild and free, and I''m privileged just to know her. My time with her is a precious gift, not something she owes me. If she would rather spend her time with the other girls, who am I to question it? I''m no one. I''m just a dumb bunny who thinks that just because I love Inara, she will love me back, and love only me¡­


    She stared blankly at the table''s surface for a long moment, letting the emotions overcome her. Then she looked back up with a determined look in her eyes. She hopped to her feet, brushed the wrinkles from her skirt and sweater, and marched out of the room.


    I''ve been petty, greedy, jealous, and lonely. And there''s a perfect solution for all of that. Usagi''s cheeks went pink as she thought of what she needed to do, who she needed to see.


    She slipped into her room to get her extra-private duffle bag, the grey one with a combination lock securing the zipper, then she made her way as quietly as possible to Hebi''s bedroom door. It was the room nearest to the workshop, and Hebi could almost always be found in one or the other.


    Usagi knocked gently, then waited. After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the door opened.


    Hebi stood there, tall and slender. Her pale grey hair was in a loose bun, held up by black and red ornamental chopsticks, and she wore a black pencil skirt, black pantyhose, and a scandalously transparent white blouse with no bra beneath. It was a look that no one else could have pulled off, and she knew it.


    "Oh?" Hebi said, already noticing the familiar bag in Usagi''s right hand. "What brings you to my door, Usagi?"


    Usagi frowned, but she was smiling on the inside. "I''ve been a bad girl, mistress."


    Hebi''s lips pulled back into a very snake-like grin. "How disappointing. I''ll have to clear my afternoon schedule." She stepped back from the door and pointed into the room with one hand. "You know what to do. Get changed, quickly," she hissed.


    Usagi hurried inside while Hebi closed and locked the door. Usagi sat on the floor, unlocked her bag, and started withdrawing her outfit and tools. Pastel pink fur, glossy black latex, and polished chrome: Usagi''s preferred aesthetic was clear.


    Looming overhead, Hebi didn''t need to change a single thing about her own outfit. She considered herself a very lucky mistress indeed; even though her two submissives had very different needs and desires, they both appreciated the same stern and classy look that she herself favored. She had few stereotypical dominatrix getups in her closet, but her ''casual'' look remained her most popular.


    Hebi watched in silence until Usagi had finished stripping naked, then she said, "Stop. Before we proceed, I need to know more about your transgressions."


    Usagi dropped the fuzzy handcuffs she''d been holding, then kneeled on the carpeted floor and bowed her head. "Of course. I''m sorry, mistress, for presuming otherwise." Then Usagi went on to explain what she had felt and thought back in the kitchen, how she''d been unreasonably upset at her housemates. In addition to informing Hebi, recounting it served as a way for Usagi to reexamine her own biases and better understand how she''d arrived at those feelings.


    Hebi, still standing tall over the nude Usagi, listened carefully to every single word. She needed to parse Usagi''s story, cross-reference it with her own knowledge, and devise a plan. After all, it wouldn''t do to punish Usagi for anything that wasn''t actually her fault, or to needle a touchy subject that would only worsen Usagi''s mental state.


    For over a hundred years, Hebi had been learning and refining her art. She was a therapist of sorts, using the framework of domination and submission to work through issues, to help others understand themselves, and of course, to bring both parties some sensual pleasure.


    Finally, Hebi came to a decision. She said, "First of all, I will say that your emotional state is quite understandable."


    Usagi blinked up at her. "It is?"


    Hebi nodded. "But it is nonetheless detrimental and in need of correction."


    Usagi looked almost relieved at that. "Yes, mistress."


    "So I''ll start with a punishment of restraint, limiting your movement so that you will be forced to reconcile your feelings with reality." Hebi''s tail to picked up two pairs of fuzzy pink cuffs and tossed them onto Usagi''s lap. "Put these on your wrists and ankles, then lie down on your stomach."


    As she followed Hebi''s orders, Usagi felt better already. She had resigned herself into Hebi''s care for the near future, trusting that she would emerge on the other side with a new perspective and a stabilized emotional state. And if she was lucky, Hebi might bless her with sexual release as a reward for a job well done¡­


    <hr>


    "Sorry for showing up unannounced," Hanako said when Akari came to the shrine''s front door. The younger woman wore a bright pink t-shirt with a character from an amusement park on it, along with simple jeans and tennis shoes.


    "It''s fine, don''t worry about it," Akari said. The shrine was a public place, at least during daylight hours, and it often received visitors outside of worship services. Hanako''s visit wasn''t a problem at all. What was a problem was how Hanako looked. "Umm, are you feeling okay, Hanako? You look¡­ tired."


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    That was a severe understatement. Hanako had visible bags under her eyes and her shoulder-length black hair was frazzled and messy, like she''d dried it with a leafblower and forgot to comb it out afterwards.


    Hanako said, "Just been having a hard time sleeping. Got a lot on my mind. Which is why you''re here. I mean why I''m here." She tried to smile but it looked very fake indeed.


    "Wanna talk? Sit with me." Akari sat down on the wide wooden steps and patted the spot next to her.


    Hanako smiled more genuinely. "Thanks, Akari. I knew you''d come through for me. Not sure why I knew that, though¡­"


    "Huh? What''s that mean?" Akari asked.


    The smile faded. "I have memories of talking to you about relationship stuff, but it''s like pieces of it are missing. Why would I ask about relationships? I didn''t even have anyone in my life at the time."


    Oh no, Akari thought, already forming a guess at what had happened. Inara erased her memories of Neko and it wiped out the context for other memories too.


    Akari decided to deal with that tangled issue later. For now, she changed the topic, "No one at the time? So there''s someone now? Tell me about her!" She clapped her hands together in genuine excitement. It was great seeing friends find love.


    Hanako''s eyes lit up, almost overpowering the look of sleepiness. "Her name''s Ayumi. She just moved to town, and she came to my shrine almost every day for the last week. She''s beautiful and fun and I want to get to know her better. But¡­"


    "But?"


    "What if she''s¡­ what if she isn''t, uh, like you and I." Hanako took a breath. "What if she doesn''t like girls? How do I even tell?"


    Ah, the age-old dilemma, Akari thought. She was acutely aware of her own lack of experience with the subject, but she did have some useful advice nonetheless, something she''d gleaned from TV and high school gossip and general life experience. She said, "There''s a simple method to find out, and it''s one that isn''t unique to lesbians."


    Hanako blinked at her. "What? What is it?"


    Akari shrugged and grinned. "You can ask her directly. Ask her if she likes you."


    Hanako shook her head frantically. "No, uh-uh, no. What if that scares her away?"


    Akari shrugged again. "Then it wasn''t meant to be. But if you want, you can spend some time with her first. It''s okay to be friends before you become lovers."


    Hanako blushed brightly at the word ''lovers''. Since she no longer had any memories of her wild night with Neko, she was practically a virgin again. Then her face took on a serious expression. "Yes, I like that plan. Even if she isn''t into girls, I would still like to be her friend. I need more offline friends."


    Hanako quickly bowed her head, and apologized, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to devalue our friendship. It''s still very important to me. You helped me when I was sick. Um, I think. It''s all a bit of a blur."


    A dark look appeared in Akari''s eyes, and she was glad Hanako was bowing and missed it. Akari was not pleased at all with the way Inara had handled Hanako''s memories. The poor girl was a mess because her head was full of holes and remnants. It was as if Inara had gone in swinging a machete when she should have been performing careful surgery.


    Sure, Inara had to wipe the memories of a half-dozen people in a single night, and I have zero idea how her memory powers actually work, but she should have done a better job!


    Akari calmed slightly and said, "No problem. Now for this Ayumi girl you like, just talk to her again next time you see her. And ask if she''d like to join you for something simple and low pressure, like shopping or coffee. Be her friend, since she probably needs friends too, if she just moved here." Akari felt good about the advice, but she wasn''t sure it would be enough. Asking a girl out was far from Hanako''s only problem. She''d also been having trouble sleeping and her memories were a mess.


    Hanako listened closely, then nodded. "Alright. I think I can do that. But, um¡­" She trailed off, her face flushed red.


    "Hmm? What''s up?"


    "Well, I''ve been having these dreams¡­ weird ones. And I was wondering if you¡­" She shook her head. "Nevermind. Now that I have a plan regarding Ayumi, I''m sure they''ll clear up."


    Akari could guess what the dreams had been: remnants of her real-life sexual encounter with Neko. And considering what Akari knew about that mind-blowing encounter with an experienced seductress, she could see why the dreams were disrupting Hanako''s sleep.


    Then Hanako changed the subject. "Hey, while I''m here, do you think you could give me a tour of the place? It''s a beautiful shrine, and you live here too, right?"


    Akari tensed. Who knows what Inara and the others would do if I parade another human through the shrine. In theory, she wouldn''t be able to see them, but what if she sees their animal forms? How would I explain it? And Inara and Neko would both recognize her, and after what they both did to her, I¡­


    Akari cut off that thought and said, "Ooh, I''m sorry, but I can''t give a tour right now. The place is a mess and I need to get ready for this weekend''s ceremony." She was only partially lying. The shrine was actually quite clean, between Inara''s magic purification ability and Usagi''s fastidiousness, but Akari really did have prep work to do. These early weekends were vitally important to the shrine''s success, especially with winter approaching, which was sure to bring down attendance. "But I promise to show you around another time, alright?"


    Hanako smiled. "That''d be great. Thank you yet again, Akari. Good luck with the ceremony. Jin and I can''t make this one, but maybe next weekend."


    As Hanako got up and started down the shrine steps, Akari replied, "Sounds good. See you around!" Her voice was cheerful, but her thoughts were dark. She needed to have a talk with Inara about how she handled people''s memories. And Akari felt empowered by how well the last time she''d confronted Inara had gone. Inara wasn''t a bad person, she just didn''t know the consequences of her power.


    <hr>


    "Inara-sama, can I have a moment of your time?" Akari asked. Inara''s bedroom door had been wide open and the goddess was just sitting on a cushion in the middle of the room, wearing yet another beautiful kimono. Her back was turned to Akari, and her four fluffy tails waved idly through the air.


    Inara glanced back over her shoulder, then went back to whatever she was doing. "Sure. I''m listening."


    "Um, it''s about my friend Hanako."


    "Oh, the girl that came to visit. So what''s up?" Inara kept looking down at something in her lap, occasionally moving her hand slightly.


    "She was one of the people that you visited, to erase her memories of Neko. I''m worried about the side effects of that. She''s having trouble sleeping and she can''t make heads or tails of what happened to her."


    "Ah, yeah, that''s pretty normal."


    Akari didn''t appreciate Inara''s casual dismissal. "How can you think that it''s acceptable to leave her memory in such a bad state?"


    Inara finally turned to face Akari, using her hands to spin the pillow she was sitting on. There was a large touch-screen tablet on her lap, which must have been what she''d been fiddling with. She looked up at Akari and said, "It''ll clear up with time. People normally gloss over the patchy memory by assuming they dreamed it."


    Akari said, "I think Neko made a really big impression on her, life-changing in a way. I don''t think her mind will accept ''it was a dream'' as the entire explanation."


    Inara smiled and Akari couldn''t help but feel comforted. "No worries, your friend just needs another big memory to overshadow what''s left of her memories of that night."


    "You''re saying she needs to get laid again?" Akari asked, her lips moving before she''d even finished the thought. And what she''d said was far more casual than she wanted to be around her goddess. What''s going on here? Is it Inara''s aura again? Which one was four again?


    Inara let out a small chuckle. "That would probably work, but it''s far from the only way. Just a really fun day should be enough. I recommend spending a day with her, ''hanging out'' as people are saying these days. And it''d be good for you to spend more time with other humans, to stay grounded in reality. Part of your purpose here is to be a voice of reason, to be grounded, and you can''t do that if you get swept up by us spirits."


    "Oh, alright. That sounds great. Thanks for the help, Inara-sama." Then Akari stepped forward a few feet, trying to get a look at Inara''s tablet. "What''s that you''re looking at?"


    Inara flipped the tablet around and brandished it for Akari to see. "Oh, it''s artwork I found on the ''internet''. There are entire communities devoted to this stuff, just sharing it with each other for free. It''s great!"


    Akari glanced at the tablet and felt her heart stop. It wasn''t just any artwork. It was an entire gallery of pornographic drawings, and there were several common themes: all the images were of women, most of them featured furry ears and tails, and greater than half of the characters had dicks. Huge ones. There were black bars or pixelated areas censoring them, but it did very little to hide what was going on.


    That was when Akari remembered what four tails meant. Hebi had called that mode ''Fertile'', but it seemed ''Horny'' was more accurate.


    "Uh, that''s nice. Thanks again for the talk. Bye!" Akari said before turning and jogging out of the room. She took the time to close the door behind her on the way out, thinking, Some things should be done in private!

 Ch 21 - Turmoil

    Usagi gently closed the door behind her. She held the straps of her duffle bag in one hand and she rubbed her eyes with the other. She looked exhausted, but happy. There was barely any sign of what she and Hebi had been up to, just some faint marks on her wrists. Her short fluffy tail wiggled over her low waistband, and she was deep in thought.


    She was thinking over everything she and Hebi had talked about, both during their BDSM session and during aftercare. She knew that Hebi''s ''therapy'' wasn''t the complete solution to her problems; her jealousy was too deep-seated to be solved by a couple hours of discipline and stress release. She would eventually need to talk to the other girls and overcome her issues with them constructively.


    Hebi just gave me some temporary relief, and some tools to work toward the full solution, Usagi thought. The rest is up to me.


    Usagi trusted Hebi''s wisdom; she was very intelligent, always seeking to learn and to understand. So Usagi took it to heart when Hebi had forcefully pulled Usagi''s braid backwards, stared down into her eyes from above, and said, "This is a process. First, you took the critical step to calm down and look inward, to figure out why you felt the way you did. Then you decided to change the way you think about your relationship with Inara. Now the hardest part starts: actually changing yourself."


    Usagi shivered at the memory. Then she noticed someone approaching in the hallway ahead. It was Neko, wearing a denim miniskirt and a stretched-out black t-shirt that bared one shoulder and the top of a breast. What seemed to be a band logo adorned the front of the tattered shirt, but Usagi didn''t recognize the picture and couldn''t read the weird font. Completing the punk look, Neko''s hair was done up in messy pig-tails.


    Usagi''s first instinct was to question Neko''s fashion, to insult her strange choices. What shoes would she even wear with that? Combat boots? But Usagi knew she needed to do better than that. Maybe someday she could hold a nice conversation with Neko, but for now she''d settle for a simple greeting.


    "Hello, Neko. I hope you''re well."


    Neko blinked, seemingly surprised at the polite greeting. Then she answered, "I''m good, thanks. So¡­ what were you and Hebi up to the last few hours?"


    "Huh?" Usagi said with her ears folded back in fear. "What do you mean?"


    Neko raised one eyebrow, put a hand on one hip, and scoffed. "You both missed dinner, duh. Don''t freak, though. Akari and I cobbled something together. She''s a better cook than she thinks."


    "Ah, sorry about that. I¡­ we¡­" Usagi trailed off, then she decided to just be honest, at least about the important part. "Therapy," she admitted. "Hebi was helping me through some stuff."


    Neko nodded casually. "Cool, cool. I can respect that. Well, seeya, buns." She stepped close and mimed an exaggerated wind-up motion with one arm, getting ready to slap Usagi on the butt. Once it was clear that Usagi had noticed, Neko lowered her arm and said, "Just kidding. Unless you want me to?"


    Usagi rolled her eyes and skirted past the taller woman. "No thanks. It''s a bit sore."


    "Aha! You were doing something kinky. I knew it!"


    Usagi spun back and glared intensely. "Yeah, and what of it?"


    Neko backpedaled, holding her palms up. "Nothin'' at all. It''s just good to see. The world could use more sexual freedom. Spread that shit around like party favors, like radio singles, like love." Then she turned and pranced away, bouncing on her bare toes while her two tails flicked to an unheard rhythm.


    What a weird woman, Usagi thought. Then her stomach rumbled and she decided to scrounge up some food for herself and Hebi. She was also curious about what Neko and Akari had made for dinner, and whether there were any leftovers.


    <hr>


    That night, as Usagi had feared, the whole house got to hear Inara and Inu going at it. Except the sounds echoing down the hallway weren''t sexual at all. Inara and Inu were arguing about something, loudly.


    Inside Inara''s room, the volume was even louder. Inara and Inu were standing ten feet apart, both fully clothed. Inara''s tails were writhing and unstable, fluctuating between six and seven tails over and over again. Her mood swung in time, from mischievous to passionate and back. Inara was dressed in a deep red kimono worn loose and almost falling off her shoulders while Inu wore a blue basketball jersey and small grey jogging shorts.


    Red in the face, Inara said, "You didn''t have this much of a problem when Akari joined us. Is it just because Neko is a cat spirit? Are your canine instincts just that strong? Who am I kidding? We''re here because of your heat, so of course they are."


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    Inu scowled, her orange eyes gleaming. "Akari is friendly and helpful, and she cares about this shrine. Neko is a useless slob who''s gonna bolt from here the first chance she gets."


    Inara scoffed. "You''ve just had more time to warm up to Akari. As I remember, you had problems with her too when she joined us."


    Inu stepped closer. "I had reservations. I needed time to decide how I felt. I already know how I feel about Neko. And I''m not alone in this. Haven''t you noticed that Hebi and Akari are avoiding her?"


    Inara held her ground. "I''ve noticed that Neko likes to spend most of her time napping quietly and causing no one any trouble at all. The other girls will warm up to her with time."


    Inu shook her head and spat, "Whatever. That''s not even my point. You should have asked the rest of us before inviting her into our home."


    With an exaggerated frown, Inara put a hand on her chest and feigned concern. "Oh! I didn''t realize I needed to seek permission from the council."


    "That''s not what I meant and you know it." Inu''s voice grew louder and her cheeks were just as flushed as Inara''s. "We''re a family. We should talk, we should cooperate! Even if your decision was final, you should have let us know what you were planning. It''s not right to drop something that big on us out of the blue." Inu''s chest was heaving now and she had stepped even closer.


    Inara''s tails stopped lashing and shifting. They settled on seven distinct tails: ''Passionate''. She shivered, then smiled at Inu. "Damn. You''re so sexy when you''re angry." Her left hand reached forward and pawed at the elastic band of Inu''s shorts. "How about we table this discussion, and get wild for a while? You''ll feel much better after you let off some steam."


    Inu stepped back, out of reach. "I''m not in the mood anymore." She swallowed hard, then looked down at the floor. "Thanks, by the way." Her voice was raspy. Oddly quiet.


    "For what?"


    "For discovering another way to overcome my heat. Even if it''s miserable." Then she turned and jogged out of the room. Inara started after her, but she froze when she saw how Inu''s fluffy tail and ears had gone completely limp. It wasn''t like Inu to get sad. Grumpy, annoyed, even angry, but never sad.


    For a moment, Inara wilted too. She had no idea what to do to fix things. For all her power, all her experience, Inara had nothing for this situation. Maybe if she had been in her Caring mode she would have had the patience to hear Inu out. But it was too late and that part of her was beyond her reach. She couldn''t tap into that mood no matter how much she wanted. Once again, her ancient decision to split herself into pieces had gone and complicated things.


    "Well, I certainly botched that," she admitted to the empty room.


    Then her seven tails fluffed back up and she smiled. "But I bet Neko''s up for sex."


    <hr>


    Neko paused her music, some sort of rhythmic industrial dance music with rapping on top, then opened the door.


    A curious look appeared on her face when she saw her visitor. "Inara? What''s up?"


    Inara stepped into the room. Then she let her silk kimono slide open down the middle, revealing nothing but bare skin beneath. "Are you up for some fun?" she asked.


    Neko smiled, wide and full of teeth. On anyone else, it would have been a little creepy, but on her that catlike grin looked natural. Then she answered, "Always."


    Inara used her tails to push the door closed behind her, then darted forward and kissed the grin off Neko''s lips. After that, everything was a blur of passion and physicality.


    Within seconds, Inara was sitting on the blanket pile that served as the room''s bed and Neko was straddling her lap, eagerly kissing her face. Then Neko switched and nibbled at her neck, earning halting moans from the goddess. As she worked, Neko pulled Inara''s kimono off her shoulders. Then she pushed Inara backward to get at her breasts, grabbing and massaging and mewling with desire.


    Suddenly, Inara grabbed one of Neko''s hands and licked from wrist to fingertip, then pulled Neko down on top of her. She didn''t have a plan in mind. Neither of them did. They rolled over and tussled, not for dominance, but for leverage and for access to the other woman''s body. Passion was their only concern, the sweaty, panting, damn-the-consequences kind of passion. The ''let loose and forget your problems'' kind of passion.


    Inara wanted to forget what she had said to Inu, how she had hurt her dear friend, how she had apparently caused everyone pain by inviting Neko into the shrine. She wanted to prove to herself that she''d made the right call, that Neko was a good person at heart, capable of love and compassion. But there was a dark current running beneath that thought: the creeping feeling that Inara herself was the one who needed to prove herself, the one who wasn''t capable of real love.


    For the self-described Goddess of Love, that thought was beyond terrifying. All she could do was run and hide, trying to bury that awful feeling underneath physical contact, as if sex could erase the pain inside. And for a little while, as Neko returned all her passion two-fold, it worked. But eventually the pleasure would end and Inara would be forced to deal with reality again.


    When that time came, would Inara have five tails again, and be equipped to listen calmly to Inu''s concerns? Would she have one, and become the curious child, eager to learn and grow and improve? Or would she be unstable again, a surefire recipe for another conflict?


    Those thoughts sapped most of the pleasure from the experience, turning it into a simple transaction: Neko got the energy and sex she sought, and Inara satisfied the needs of her seven-tailed mood. She knew it wasn''t healthy, and Neko probably did too. But that judgement didn''t mean much to them. This was all they had.


    When the passionate sex¡ªInara was reluctant to call it lovemaking¡ªfinally stopped, Neko quickly curled up and fell asleep. As the rush of sensation left Inara''s system, she felt her mood switch. She watched as one of her tails vanished and left her with six.


    Wild, she thought with a sigh. Then she made a snap decision, attempting to make the best of the hand she''d been dealt. She transformed into a fox, jumped out the open window, and vanished into the woods.

 Ch 22 - Memories

    Akari considered it a good thing that her shrine maiden duties at Mori-jinsha had become routine, almost boring. Once you got past the fact that her boss and coworkers were supernatural, the job was basically the same one she''d been doing for years. Of course there were a few management tasks that Jin used to take care of back at her old shrine, but Akari had Hebi''s excellent assistance on the administrative work and Inara handled all the really big decisions, like when to hold special events.


    Another Saturday service at the shrine had come and gone without issue, and now Akari had some actual free time on her hands. She was free of responsibility for the rest of the night and all day Sunday.


    A whole day to myself¡­ What should I do with it? Akari wondered as she stripped out of her miko outfit. As much as she loved her ceremonial garb, it wasn''t the most comfortable and taking it off felt wonderful. Then it felt almost as good when she slipped into some comfy pink pajamas.


    "Oh!" she said aloud as she recalled something. Inara said I should do something fun with Hanako, to fill the hole in her memory. Maybe she''ll want to hang out tomorrow.


    A small part of Akari''s mind whispered that Hanako would be busy, that she wouldn''t want to spend time with someone she barely knew. But Akari recognized that voice and knew to ignore it. She was in a good mood and wasn''t about to let a little anxiety ruin it.


    She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Hanako. When the phone reached the third ring, that intrusive voice told her to just hang up, since Hanako wasn''t going to answer anyway, then¡ª


    "Hello? This is Hanako."


    Akari smiled, happy to see her anxiety proven wrong. With some luck, maybe its other claims would be false too. "Hey Hanako! It''s Akari. How''ve you been?"


    "I''ve been great! A little tired, but I''ve dealt with worse. You?"


    Akari flopped down on the bed and playfully kicked her legs in the air. "Just had another successful ceremony, and now I''m just lounging in my room. And I happen to have tomorrow free as well."


    "Oh really? Me too!"


    "Perfect. Wanna hang out? Maybe go out somewhere? A change of pace would be nice."


    "For sure!" Hanako said, sounding very excited. "I want to invite my new friend Ayumi too."


    "The more the merrier, and I''d like to meet her. But¡­ she''s still just a friend?" Akari knew that Hanako had a crush on Ayumi, but it was still unknown whether Ayumi was into girls.


    "Yep. We haven''t spent that much time together yet, after all. It was hard to think of ways to hang out with her without it feeling like a date. But if the three of us go together, I think the pressure will be a lot lower." After a pause, Hanako added, "Oh, you have a girlfriend, right? You can bring her too!"


    Akari''s legs fell to the bed and she thought, Right. I did say I was in a relationship¡­ But even if we were properly dating, there''s no way Inara could come out with us. Her power would draw way too much attention. Akari scrambled to find an excuse and settled on, "Oh, we''re not officially dating yet. And anyway, she''s not available this week."


    "No problem. Just the three of us then. I think you''ll like Ayumi. She''s interested in Shintoism too, we can talk about it for hours. But she''s also just a fun girl. Always happy, unlike her intense parents."


    Akari was relieved that Hanako hadn''t pressed the Inara issue; she seemed more focused on Ayumi anyway. "Works for me. So where should we go?"


    Hanako instantly answered, "Let''s go to Shinj¨­ Fun Land. I have a season pass and a few guest passes that came with it, so we''ll all get in free."


    Akari raised an eyebrow at that. Shinj¨­ Fun Land was a local amusement park, and she''d always assumed it was more for kids than adults. Though Hanako was barely an adult; she couldn''t even drink for another two years.


    Akari said, "I guess I saw your Fun Land shirt the other day, but I had no idea you were so into that place. Is it that fun?"


    "You''ve never been?! It''s amazing! I''ve been going since I was a kid. You''ll have a great time, I promise!" Hanako cheered. Then she got back on topic and said, "I''ll call Ayumi now and text you the plan once I know it, alright?"


    Hanako''s enthusiasm was contagious and now Akari was hyped up too. She answered, "Alright. I can''t wait."


    <hr>


    The next morning while Akari was getting dressed for the hike down into town, she got a phone call.


    "Ayumi had to cancel¡­" said the voice on the phone, soft and sad.


    "What?" Akari blurted. "But she was on board just last night."


    Hanako sighed. "It''s her parents. They pulled her into some career development thing at the last minute. I think they actually like ruining Ayumi''s plans¡­"


    "I''m sure they mean well," Akari started. "They just want her to¡ª"


    Hanako interrupted with, "Let''s just cancel the whole thing. I''m not up to going to Fun Land anymore¡­"


    Akari took a stand. "No, we should go ahead with it. You got me all excited for today, and with how much you love Fun Land, I''m sure it will make you feel better. We can always go again with Ayumi some other day." Of course, Akari had another motive as well. She wanted to fill the Neko-sized hole that Inara had punched in Hanako''s memory. The younger woman seemed to be holding herself together better lately, but Akari didn''t want to take any chances.


    There was another sigh, then Hanako said, "Okay, I''ll give it a shot. Meet at the south station? The bus to Fun Land comes every 15 minutes on weekends."


    "Yep, see you there!" Akari said enthusiastically. She was looking forward to the day, but she was also keeping her expectations low in case the amusement park was as childish as she feared.


    <hr>


    "Fine, I admit this place is really fun," Akari said as she and Hanako jogged down the wooden roller coaster''s exit ramp. Their hair was swept back and messy from the wild ride, but they were both smiling.


    It was the end of the operating season and the sky was overcast, so the park wasn''t very crowded at all. All the lines were short but there were just enough people around to keep it from feeling empty or boring.


    "I told you!" Hanako shouted back as she ran toward the roller coaster''s entrance, planning to ride it again. "Just wait ''til you try the churros."


    Once they were back in line for the coaster and standing still, Akari asked, "Churros? Is that another ride?"


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Hanako burst out laughing, then explained, "No, they''re a dessert. Sticks of fried dough about this big, with cinnamon and sugar on them." After gesturing with her hands to indicate their size, she shrugged and said, "They''re from somewhere overseas, but all the amusement parks sell them these days."


    "I''m interested, and a bit hungry. Want to get those after this ride?" Akari asked.


    "For sure. But we''ll want to avoid intense rides for a while after we eat. One time when I was here with my parents, my dad ate a bunch of churros right before getting on the teacups. He threw up all over another family and almost got in a fight."


    Hanako was giggling at the memory, but Akari had a very different reaction. Before she knew it, tears were welling in her eyes. She tried to hide it by looking up at the coaster as it climbed the towering lift hill, but Hanako noticed.


    "Are you alright, Akari?"


    "It''s nothing," Akari lied. She had never been to an amusement park with her parents, but they had often gone sledding and hiking together before her mom passed, and she''d gone once or twice after that with just her dad. By the time he got cancer a couple years later, she thought she''d grown out of all that, out of spending time with him. And now she knew that she''d never have another chance again. He was gone forever.


    Hanako raised an eyebrow and grabbed Akari''s hand. "It''s not nothing. Was it something I said?"


    Then Hanako''s expression fell as she realized what she had done. Back in her first year of high school, so long ago she had all but forgotten it, she''d heard about Akari''s father passing away. The rumors about the third-year girl with no parents had been cruel, but they didn''t last long; after a few weeks the rumor mill had moved on to some new topic.


    "Oh." Hanako gave Akari''s hand a gentle squeeze. "I''m so sorry. I should have been more careful."


    Akari stared at the ground as her tears grew stronger. "It''s not your fault. Um, can we sit down for a bit?"


    "Sure." Then Hanako pulled Akari back through the line, apologizing to the other riders they had to squeeze past.


    She found a secluded bench near the food stalls and they both sat down. Hanako didn''t say anything, waiting for Akari to decide whether she wanted to open up.


    After a long moment, Akari said, "I was pretty mean to my dad, before he died. But now I miss him so much."


    "Mmhmm," Hanako said, gently patting Akari''s shoulder.


    Akari continued, "Hearing about you and your parents, your silly story about your dad¡­ it just hurts, you know? I have memories of my dad throwing up, but it was because of the chemotherapy. Not fun memories."


    "I''m sorry."


    Akari shook her head. "Don''t be. I''m glad you mentioned it, because it reminded me that I do have good memories of my parents, of us hiking together, of my dad carrying me on his shoulders when my legs got too tired. Or my mom playing along when I saw¡­ Nevermind."


    Not the time to bring up my ability to see spirits. I''m here to help Hanako move on from supernatural stuff, Akari thought. And to have some fun.


    Akari wiped her eyes and sat up straighter. "In any case, I''m thankful to you, Hanako. I was kind of stuck in a rut, thinking that my dad was this stupid, selfish man. But he was a good father too. He was human."


    Akari had thought she had her emotions under control, but that last sentence hit her hard. It was as if a dam had burst and suddenly she was crying again. The tears came harder and she sobbed openly, but she felt Hanako''s warm hand on her back, comforting her.


    "I''m so sorry," Akari babbled through shuddering sobs. "This was supposed to be a fun day."


    The warm hand rubbed gently. "Don''t be," Hanako said, echoing Akari''s own words. "I think you needed this, and there''s still plenty of daylight left." Hanako removed her hand to dig into her bag for some tissues, which she handed to Akari.


    Akari blew her nose and wiped her eyes then tried to smile. "I''m getting hungry. Can we get those churros now?"


    "We definitely can. There''s a lot of hearty options too, like yakisoba. I don''t think they sell anything here I don''t like, although the popcorn is a bit too expensive."


    Akari followed Hanako toward the fragrant food stalls, thinking, I''m supposed to be the senpai. How''d it turn out like this?


    <hr>


    Akari felt a lot better with some tasty and sugary food in her belly. She and Hanako avoided rowdy rides for the rest of the afternoon, sticking to calmer things like the scenic train that ran around the outside of the park. They also went through the haunted house, but Akari didn''t find it very scary at all. She had seen real spirits and they weren''t anything like those bloody-faced actors and plastic props.


    But now that she thought about it, the spirits she had seen were all nature or animal spirits. She couldn''t recall ever seeing a human ghost, and she wasn''t sure she even could. The spirit girls at home all used to be animals. If Inu became a spirit because of her owner''s love, could a human soul do the same?


    That line of thought was cut short when a rubber spider on a string dropped from the ceiling and landed on Hanako''s shoulder. She squeaked in fear and hid behind Akari for protection. It was pretty cute, and Akari was bummed that Ayumi hadn''t been there to see it, and to be Hanako''s protector instead. It would have been a good bonding moment for the possible couple.


    Hanako was a resilient girl and she quickly recovered from the spider attack, but she did pick up her pace after that. They emerged from the darkness of the haunted house into a different kind of darkness. The overcast sky had been taken over by storm clouds and a light rain had already started. All around them, rides were closing down and the whole park would probably close soon if the rain didn''t stop.


    "Curse my luck," Hanako whined. "The forecast said only a 10 percent chance of rain."


    Akari ran with her toward the park exit, saying, "Yeah, but we had a lot of fun so far. Let''s come back soon with Ayumi."


    As they passed under the covered gateway, Hanako pulled Akari into a hug. "Definitely! Thanks for being my friend, Akari."


    Akari couldn''t help but grin. "You too, Hanako." Then she stepped out of the hug and said, "But isn''t it a bit early for goodbye hugs? We''re riding the same bus back."


    Hanako giggled. "Oh, right."


    <hr>


    They chatted about anime and their jobs on the short bus ride, then parted ways at the bus station with another hug. Akari put up the hood of her jacket and mentally prepared herself to get wet. But when she stepped out from under the covered bus station, she found the rain was barely a sprinkle. She looked to the north, where Shinj¨­ Fun Land was, and saw a sheet of rain still pouring down.


    Wow, it''s not letting up. It''s a good thing we left when we did.


    From there, her legs were on autopilot. She had walked this very path nearly every day for over a month now, and it was much nicer with the renovated walkway. Since her feet knew the way, she let her mind wander. It returned to the topic of spirits, and then found its way onto Inu, and her real name.


    By the time Akari reached the shrine, she had formed a plan, one that would have to wait until a weekday to enact.


    <hr>


    Entering the town hall was hard, because of all the memories it brought with it. Akari''s father had worked in the Department of Land Management before he got too unhealthy, and she had often visited him there on the second floor. But today she had a different destination.


    "Excuse me? I''m interested in some records," Akari said after approaching a desk on the ground floor.


    The petite woman behind the counter looked up from her computer with a puzzled look on her face. "What kind of records?"


    "The ones about dog ownership," Akari answered. She knew that the law required all dog owners to register with the municipal office, and to notify the city of change of address or death. But what she didn''t know was¡­ "Um, are those public?"


    The woman pushed her glasses up her nose with one finger. "Not normally. Why do you want them?"


    Akari fidgeted. She was quickly realizing how poorly thought out this plan was. "Well, I heard from a friend about a special local dog that died about 30 years ago. I want to learn her name."


    The woman tilted her head in thought. "Hmm, I guess I''m not worried about you misusing that information. I''ll help with that." She readied her hands over her keyboard and said, "I just need some information so I can look up the record, like the owner''s name, or the date the dog passed away."


    Akari wilted. "Oh, I don''t know anything like that."


    "How about the breed?"


    Akari opened her mouth to answer, then closed it. She didn''t know that either. In her dog form, Inu looked a bit like a Shiba Inu or maybe an Akita, except her tail was straight and very fluffy like a Golden Retriever''s. Akari frowned and said, "Let me email my friend to ask."


    The woman nodded. "Sure. Just let me know when you have more information."


    Akari sat down in the waiting area nearby, pulled out her phone, and started writing an email to Hebi. Inu didn''t have an email address, or any device to check email on. Akari got halfway through typing up the clerk''s list of questions when she went still.


    Should I really be going behind Inu''s back on this? It doesn''t feel right to be sneaking around, but I don''t think I''m close enough to Inu to ask her something so personal. She slumped deeper into the comfortable chair, thinking, And it might just upset her again.


    She shook her head. No, I should be honest with her. We''ll be exercising together this afternoon, and I''ll ask her then. If the mood is right.


    Akari jumped to her feet and approached the counter again. "No response yet," she said. "I''ll come back another day when I have that info." She bowed her head and added, "Thank you for the help."


    The woman shrugged. "Of course. Uh, good luck in your search."

 Ch 23 - Boiling Point

    "Fifteen burpees," Inu barked. "Then we rest."


    Akari frowned at Inu''s choice of exercise, but she didn''t complain aloud. That would have only made things worse. Inu was already pushing Akari and herself harder than normal and her curt tone strongly suggested she was in a bad mood.


    Things aren''t looking good for my plan to find a good moment and ask Inu about her original name, Akari thought.


    She buckled down and followed Inu''s lead through the burpees, which were a sinister combination of a squat and a pushup. They always left Akari exhausted, but she supposed that was the point.


    At least those awful burpees came with a nice bonus: she and Inu were facing each other and Akari got to watch Inu''s amazing body in action, like a masterwork sculpture come to life. It wasn''t even a sexual thing, or so Akari told herself. Akari just respected Inu''s physique and wished she could be that fit, too.


    When the set finally ended, Akari was panting and Inu was smiling. Inu splashed some water on her face and chest, then said, "I feel so much better now." And she looked better too, as if the exercise had flushed all the negativity from her system. In a way, physical exertion was Inu''s therapy.


    "That''s good to hear," Akari said, sitting on her butt on the grassy ground and breathing hard. Then she looked up and saw Inu staring down at her with those piercing orange eyes. Feeling highly self-conscious, wondering if she''d had a wardrobe malfunction she hadn''t noticed, Akari asked, "Uh, what''s up?"


    "I was about to ask you the same thing," Inu answered. "The whole time we''ve been working out, there was a look on your face like you had something to say."


    She''s more observant than I thought, Akari thought. "Um, actually there is something I want to ask you about, if that''s alright."


    Inu shrugged. "As long as it isn''t about Inara or Neko." Her tone was light, but there was a seriousness in it. She wasn''t joking about those topics being off limits.


    Akari shook her head. "It''s not. It''s about your name, and your past life."


    Inu''s left ear quirked up and she said, "Huh, alright. Ask away."


    "I want to try to find out your original name, since I thought you''d like to know it. I might be able to find it in the municipal records, if you give me some information about your life as a dog."


    Inu waved a hand and started away at a light jog. "Walk with me."


    Akari scrambled to her feet and followed. She was hopeful now, but she could never really tell what Inu was thinking. Inu was just so stoic and reserved.


    Once Akari had caught up and was jogging along with her, Inu said, "Before we get into it, you should know I''m not interested in all that superior spirit stuff. But knowing my real name would be¡­ nice." Then she added, "So what do you need to know?"


    "Um, your dog breed, your owner''s name or address, and uh... when you died," Akari answered. The words felt strange on her tongue; they confirmed just how weird her life had become. She was literally talking to the ghost of a dog, and a sweaty, sexy ghost at that.


    Without breaking pace, Inu answered, "I''m a mutt. I looked just like my animal form does now. I''m pretty sure I''m part Akita and part Golden Retriever, but I don''t know the rest."


    "Alright, that''s what I''d guessed," Akari said. Then she waited to hear Inu''s other answers. THe joggers reached the edge of the clearing and turned to follow it around the shrine. It was a path they''d run so many times that they''d worn a slight dip into the terrain. Inara didn''t mind the change to the landscape, especially since the path helped keep weeds and saplings from creeping in from the forest.


    After a moment, Inu continued, "I didn''t understand names or dates when I was a dog. I don''t even know the exact year I died, so I can''t help you with those. Sorry."


    Akari didn''t lose hope. "But what about places? Could you point out where you lived on a map?"


    "Hmm, I don''t think I could recognize it from a map, but my feet should remember. I can take you there."


    Akari darted ahead of Inu, then stopped and turned around with a grin on her face. "That would be wonderful. I''m sure I''ll be able to find your record once I have your address. When can we visit your old home?"


    Inu stopped too, but she continued jogging in place. "How about right now?"


    Akari''s grin faded. "Now? I''m kinda tired¡­" Then she slapped her own cheek and said, "No, I can handle it. Let''s go!"


    <hr>


    "This is the place?" Akari asked, trying to ignore her aching muscles. The walk down the trail had been good to cool off, but the long trek across town had taken a lot out of her.


    The fluffy dog at her side nodded, but also shot her a look that said, ''You look crazy when you talk to animals''.


    Akari stepped closer and peered through the locked gate to the small yard and cottage-style house beyond. "It''s¡­ nice," Akari said. "Or at least it used to be."


    The one-story house looked cozy and cute, but it was in dire need of maintenance. Large flakes of cream-colored paint had chipped off of the siding and now lay in the dirt amongst scattered weeds, and the gutters were filled with leaves so old they had broken down into soil where maple saplings now grew.


    The house wasn''t abandoned¡ªAkari was pretty sure someone still lived there¡ªbut it was severely neglected. The car in the driveway looked functional, if a bit of a junker. It was a sickly brown sedan, family-sized and utilitarian, and it was rusting on the edges from years of exposure to salty and humid air. It was the kind of car a lower-middle-class parent might pass down to their teenager, and the kind of car the teenager would find too embarrassing to drive.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The address on the gatepost had faded to a mere outline, as if it no longer wanted to be associated with the pitiful plot of land behind it. Akari noted it down in her phone, then turned to face Inu who was sitting on her haunches across the street.


    Inu didn''t seem to want to come any closer. Seeing her old home in such a state of disrepair must have been unpleasant for her.


    "Let''s head home," Akari said, wondering how many hands the poor house had gone through since Inu''s era. 30 years was a long time, and time hadn''t been kind to the place.


    Inu omitted the judging look from before and simply nodded. She wanted to leave too.


    They walked in silence back through Inu''s old neighborhood, then along the bike trail that followed the Mogami River through town. Akari saw a few other houses like Inu''s: old and neglected or abandoned entirely. Like most rural towns in Japan, Shinj¨­''s population was in decline. Since Inu''s time 30 years ago, it had lost 7,000 of its 44,000 residents. Land value was low and there wasn''t any real draw for people to stay in Shinj¨­ when they finished high school. The people that remained were like Akari, too poor or too attached to the past to leave for a thriving city like Tokyo.


    Just when Akari started really feeling bad for herself, something smacked hard against her leg. It was Inu''s wagging tail, and it came with another trademark Inu glare. She wondered if all dogs were secretly capable of such judgemental looks, or if that was a major spirit thing.


    "Yeah, yeah. I shouldn''t get all mopey. Especially now that I have enough information to find your name." Akari pointed at a fork in the path up ahead that would take her toward the town hall. "How about I go ask about that right now? Can you head home on your own?"


    Inu rolled her eyes at the questions she couldn''t answer, at least not without risking someone overhearing. A woman talking to a dog was weird, sure, but nothing worth making a big deal over; a dog talking back was something else entirely. Instead, Inu answered by padding away down the other path, toward the shrine.


    "Seeya at home," Akari mumbled after her, feeling too self-conscious to shout after her, but not so much as to stay silent. She felt like she had really started bonding with Inu, and it felt good.


    <hr>


    "Usagi?" Inu asked, peeking her head into Usagi''s bedroom. "Can you join me and Hebi in her room?"


    Inu''s voice had a serious edge to it, so Usagi didn''t question the sudden intrusion. She hopped to her feet, leaving her charm project for later. When she wasn''t cooking, Usagi spent most of her free time making simple charms that the shrine could sell to visitors. They didn''t sell as well as Hebi''s figurines, but they were an important fixture of any Shinto shrine.


    Usagi did have one question. "Why just us three?"


    Inu waved her into Hebi''s room and closed the door before answering, "I would have invited Akari too, but she''s busy in town and I don''t think we can afford to wait any longer."


    Usagi nodded. She''d had a feeling that something like this was coming. And Neko''s absence from the meeting was not lost on her.


    "Something''s wrong with Miss Inara," Inu said as she sat on edge of the bed and propped her elbows on her spread knees.


    Hebi, who was sitting on the floor with her legs tucked under herself, merely nodded. There was a pained and determined look on her face.


    Inu continued, "She''s been unstable, and unfeeling. It''s like she''s bottling something up and lashing out when it overflows. I''ve never seen anything like it since I joined the shrine."


    "Me either," Hebi said quietly, her voice a low hiss. "And I feel like I''ve failed somehow for it to get this bad."


    Usagi sat down on the tatami-mat floor, then glanced between the other women. "Maybe I''m missing something, but isn''t Neko the most likely cause?"


    "It''s possible," Inu said with a shrug.


    "No," Hebi said, forcefully. "This is different. Neko''s abrupt invitation was only a symptom of a deeper problem. Even Akari''s invitation could be related. The Boss has been reaching out, grasping at straws and pulling them close, forcing them into her home. Two new residents in as many months, after 30 years of seclusion. Sudden change like that is a sure sign of a problem. There''s something Inara isn''t telling us."


    "Alright. So what do we do?" Inu asked. She and Usagi both looked to Hebi expectantly. There was a leadership hierarchy in the shrine, and Hebi was indisputably the second in command.


    Hebi simply said, "We need to hold an intervention."


    "I¡­ don''t know what that means," Inu admitted.


    Hebi explained, "It''s when a person''s loved ones come together and corner them, then force them to see the error of their ways. Of course, it''s more nuanced than that."


    Inu glared. "I''d hope so. Cornering a predator seems like a bad way to start a discussion."


    Usagi nodded. "We need to lure her out and get her feeling comfortable, not cornered. How about a group bath? It''s relaxing and comfortable, and you can really bare your soul when you''re already naked."


    "I like that plan," Hebi said. "But we should get Akari in too. She tends to bring out Inara''s Caring side, and that''s the best-case Inara for this."


    "That''s the problem here, isn''t it?" Usagi said, her voice quiet and sad. "Inara''s moods aren''t under her control anymore?"


    "It certainly seems that way," Hebi answered.


    Inu tilted her head. "Was she ever able to control them?"


    Hebi nodded. "To a certain extent. She seemed to be able to steer herself where she wanted, and at the very least she was able to predict when something might put her into the wrong mood, so she''d just avoid it."


    "Like when we Akari was asking about Mistress Inara''s tails and she withdrew from the conversation?" Usagi asked.


    "Exactly." Hebi pulled her tail into her lap and clutched it with both hands. "If she''s lost the ability to influence her moods, she may be fearful, panicked. We''ll need to be very careful with her."


    "Should we invite Neko to the intervention?" Inu asked, earning surprised looks from the other two. She quickly added, "If she''s just a symptom, like Hebi said." It said a lot that Inu wasn''t blaming Neko for Inara''s situation. It said even more that she was willing to bring her into the solution.


    Usagi looked to Hebi to make the call, but Hebi was deep in concentration. After a long moment, Hebi let out a long sigh and said, "I think we should. That way, we can bring up the issue of Inara''s invitations without it looking like an attack on Neko. And I''m sure Neko is confused by this situation too."


    Usagi jumped to her feet. "I''ll make a nice dinner, one of Miss Inara''s favorites, to get her in a good mood."


    "So it''s tonight? The intervention?" Inu asked.


    Hebi gave a resigned nod. "Better sooner than later. I''ll go talk to Neko. Whoever sees Akari next should let her know what''s going on."


    <hr>


    "Hello, Usagi," Akari called out as she stomped into the kitchen. Her legs felt like pillars of lead, barely responsive after so much exercise.


    "Hi, Akari," Usagi responded automatically. Then she set her measuring cup down, turned and said, "Actually, I need to talk to you for a minute. Is now a good time?"


    Akari fished some juice out of the fridge and started pouring herself a glass. "Sure. What''s up?"


    Usagi let out a slow breath, then said, "First, I wanted to apologize for being mean to you in the past. I was jealous, and I''m sorry for how I acted. I''m trying to be better now."


    Akari paused with her glass to her lips. She blinked and lowered the glass, then said, "Oh, no worries. It wasn''t that bad. But thank you for the apology." Akari really meant it when she said it hadn''t been that bad. Usagi''s jealousy was on par with standard high school gossip and it was nowhere near as bad as the teasing and whispers Akari had endured after her dad died.


    Usagi continued, "Second, and unrelated to that, Inu, Hebi and I all talked earlier. About Inara. We think something''s wrong and she needs our help."


    "You mean the argument with Inu?" Akari hated hearing Inara raise her voice like that. Even though Akari had been unable to make out many words, the tone had made her sick to her stomach.


    Usagi nodded. "That and more. We''re going to hold an intervention tonight after dinner, in the bath. All you need to do is help guide her into the bath, and then just be open and honest. I''ve seen how you handle emotional matters and I''m sure you''ll do well."


    Akari was a little shocked at that. She wasn''t used to genuine compliments from Usagi. "Uh, thanks. I''ll do my best."

 Ch 24 - Intervention

    Everyone in the bathing room went completely still as Inara stepped inside. The only sound was the occasional gentle splash of a drop of water falling from a wet body to the tile floor. Hebi quickly filled the silence with the rhythmic sound of scrubbing, using a soft brush held in her tail to wash her own back.


    Then Akari followed Inara inside, looked around the room, and said, "How nice, we''re all here."


    Akari wasn''t a great actor and no one should have been fooled by her fake surprise. Yet Inara seemed to be.


    "That''s right! We''ve never bathed all together like this, not since Neko joined our home," Inara said cheerfully.


    Hebi and Usagi shared a quick glance. The fact that they''d succeeded at luring Inara into an intervention proved that something was very wrong. The goddess should have seen right through them, she should have read their emotional states and known that something was up. She should be the one asking them if something was wrong, if they needed help.


    "I''m certainly digging it," Neko joked, her twin black tails flicking through the air. "It ain''t often I get to see this much skin all at once."


    Good, Akari thought. At least one of us is able to act normal. Now we just wait until everyone''s soaking in the bath.


    Akari took an empty stool next to Inara, tried not to get distracted by the phenomenal body on display, and started to wash herself. It was relaxing, and the motions so familiar they were basically just muscle memory. Once she closed her eyes to wash her hair, it was like the rest of the world fell away, leaving just Akari and her thoughts. It was a pity that her thoughts were so unpleasant.


    Is this even going to work? What if Inu was right and cornering a fox, a natural predator, is the wrong move? I trust Inara. I know she would never hurt me, but¡­ I''m worried she''ll run away again, hide from her problem until it gets even worse. What if she lashes out during a shrine service? Will the visitors feel it? Will they run away in terror and ruin the shrine''s reputation forever? Will I still have a job?


    "Uh, Akari? You eventually gotta rinse the soap off if you wanna get clean." Akari hadn''t moved in nearly a minute, and Neko had noticed.


    Neko''s voice cut through Akari''s stupor. As the fog of negativity faded, the illumination of understanding shined in its place. We need to do this if we want to help Inara. There''s a risk involved, like there is with everything in life. But we gotta try. We need to get clean.


    Akari upturned a bucket of water on her head, rinsing the shampoo from her hair, the soap from her body, and the anxiety from her thoughts. Then she turned to look at the others. "Sorry about that. Got lost in thought."


    "No problem" Inu said. She was already sitting in the bath, and her hair was wet and lying flat against her scalp instead of all fluffed up. She looked cute like that, and definitely less intense than normal. Usagi, Hebi, and Neko were soaking too, spread out along the far edge of the bath.


    Inara climbed in, toes first, then her long and slender legs. Then she submerged her hips and tails. Akari couldn''t count how many tails because they were too indistinct. Another bad sign.


    Akari got in too, sinking all the way to her shoulders. The water was perfect: hot enough to feel it warming her to the core, but not hot enough to get her sweating. But she didn''t have time to relax. She looked across the pool of steaming water, past the six pairs of legs shimmering under the surface, and made eye contact with Hebi. They all looked to Hebi to lead them, now that Inara wasn''t able to.


    Hebi gave a single nod, then turned to face Inara. "Inara-sama," she started. This was no time for nicknames like ''Boss''. "I have something important to talk to you about. We all do."


    Inara blinked and raised an eyebrow. "Okay¡­"


    "And I need you to promise not to run away from this conversation, no matter what comes next."


    Inara''s brow furrowed at that. Hebi had certainly set a dire tone. But she gave a nod and said, "I promise, except I will leave if I''m putting any of you in danger. Especially Akari, because humans are so fragile."


    Hebi sat back against the side of the pool. She hadn''t relaxed, but she was no longer on edge. "That''s acceptable."


    "So what''s so important that it had to interrupt this lovely bath?"


    "It''s actually the whole reason for the group bath. We orchestrated this to talk to you. We can tell that something''s wrong with you, Inara-sama. You''ve been bottling things up lately, and then lashing out. Inu got the worst of it the other night, but that was far from the only time."


    Inara didn''t react, so Hebi cut to the chase. "Have you lost control of your tails? Are your emotional states out of reach or something?"


    Inara didn''t answer. Her face went blank and emotionless and she stood up to leave.


    Usagi grabbed her leg, holding it tight to her chest. "You promised!" There was true emotion in her voice, more than Akari had ever heard from the rabbit.


    Inara shook her head. "I won''t put you in danger."


    Usagi wasn''t backing down. She countered, "I think you''re using that as an excuse. I''ve seen you at your worst, and you aren''t nearly worked up enough to be a danger yet."


    The goddess stared down at her for a moment, then she looked around at the other women in the room. They were all staring back at her in anticipation, with fearful looks on their faces. But they weren''t afraid for their own safety. They were afraid for hers.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    All at once, the stony expression melted away, leaving a sorrowful one. She sat back down and pulled her tails around and across her chest. There were three distinct tails, meaning she was in her submissive mode.


    "Alright. I admit it. My control over my emotional state has weakened. I can''t pick my moods right now I''m sorry for any worry that''s caused you, and for any harm I''ve caused you, my lovely family. I''ll try my best to improve."


    Hebi stood up, water trickling down her slender body and steaming in the cool air. "Your loss of control isn''t really the problem here." The other girls stared at her in confusion and she continued, "I think it''s a symptom, a side effect of something greater. Inara, tell us what is really bothering you."


    Akari recognized this power dynamic instantly. The sexual aspect that she had seen before was gone, but Hebi was firmly in control and Inara was submitting to her. That was good, better than Akari had hoped. If one of the mischievous sides of Inara had appeared instead, or her dominant one¡­ Akari didn''t even want to think about it.


    Inara spoke, slowly at first but with gathering speed. This wasn''t just bottled up emotion, it was a dammed reservoir. "I''m afraid, because I feel like I''m getting weaker. I''m losing my power, and it''s because my connection to mankind is all but gone. I peek out at the humans who visit the shrine, I walked among them during the grand opening. But they all feel alien to me. It''s like we share nothing in common at all. They live their simple lives and they have everything under control. But I don''t. My head''s a mess. I have no right to meddle with their perfect lives when my own is a disaster that worsens every day."


    She paused for a single breath, then continued, "And when I hurt Inu, it made it even worse. It was like I was watching someone else move my body and make me say those things. I wanted to stop, I wanted to comfort her, but it was out of reach. It was impossible."


    "You''re wrong about humans," Akari cut in. "We have no idea what we''re doing, and our lives are anything but perfect. Every one of us is a bundle of imposter syndrome, snap decisions made with incomplete or inaccurate information, and a false sense of control. We''re all messes. And I think you should meddle with our lives. Every person I''ve ever met would benefit from advice and guidance, even if they refuse to admit it."


    Inara opened and closed her mouth, not finding the words. It hurt Akari''s heart to see Inara looking so powerless. The woman Akari loved was powerful, she was wise, she was a goddess. And Akari was determined to help her be that again.


    She grabbed Inara''s hand and pressed it to her chest, just above her heart. "I''m human. Do I feel alien to you? Can''t you feel my devotion for you? My connection to you?"


    Inara''s cheeks flushed with color, another abnormal look for her. Then she said, "I do feel your devotion, and that''s the problem."


    Akari flinched at that. "Huh?"


    Inara quickly explained, "Your devotion is like a beam of light penetrating all the way to outer space. Compared to that, the humans who visit this shrine are just coins on the bottom of a murky pond, barely visible at all."


    Neko paddled closer and kneeled in the middle of the pool then spoke up, "That''s because they ain''t worshipping you directly. They''re here for Shintoism, for the shrine itself, and maybe for the mountains and wildlife the shrine serves. You''ve intentionally separated yourself from all of that. Akari knows the real you, so you get the full brunt of her devotion." Neko grinned her Cheshire grin. "Honestly, I''m pretty jealous. I was never able to get that from my human lovers."


    The three tails in Inara''s lap shimmered and split to eight: innocent. She pouted at Neko and said, "I can''t reveal my true self to humanity. That would do more harm than good."


    Hebi, still standing over Inara in a position of power, said, "You don''t need to go that far. Just add a little of yourself to the Shrine. Make some fox statues, or commission a ranma carving in your likeness to put above the front entrance. Put down some roots, Boss."


    Hebi paused for a breath, then continued with a softer tone, "Besides, I bet the people who bought those wooden figures we sold at the grand opening, the ones you helped make, are shining more than coins in a pond. Cast your attention to the north, and you''ll see the same sparkles I do."


    Neko turned and blinked up at Hebi in eager disbelief. "You got worshippers in town?!"


    "Not intentionally. I just carved some figures for the shrine." She shrugged dismissively. "I guess people like them a lot."


    Inara nodded in answer to Hebi''s request. She was facing north with a distant look in her eyes. "It''s true. Some of the people with those figures are visible to me even from here." A gorgeous smile filled her face as she continued, "One young boy has a complete set, and he loves them very much."


    The goddess paused and shook her head in shame. "How have I never noticed it before?"


    Usagi slid close and patted her on the leg. "Because you were hiding. Take it from me, you can''t see the sun if you''re hiding inside a burrow."


    Hebi crouched down and gently took Inara''s hands. "It''s time to open up, Inara. It''s time for you to be a Shinto goddess again. There are people out there who don''t know how much they need you, a whole town that could use your love, your prosperity."


    Inu cleared her throat, then said, "Uh, about that. Shinj¨­ isn''t doing so hot lately. Lots of run down homes, including the one I used to live in."


    Hebi gave a firm nod. "It''s true. The town has lost over 7,000 residents from its peak. Shinj¨­ relied on industries and agriculture that have mostly moved overseas. Much of Japan is in that state. And the birth rate has reached historical lows."


    Neko came in on cue. "Hey, ain''t fertility your jam, Inara?"


    Usagi answered, "Yes it is, along with agriculture and industry." It was a blunt approach, and it probably sounded just as scripted as it was, but they needed to make sure Inara understood what was at stake. There were millions of people out there that needed exactly what she could provide.


    Five pairs of eyes watched the goddess closely, hoping against hope that she''d take the path they''d so obviously laid before her. The ''make Inara commit to helping Shinj¨­'' plan had been conceived before they knew the source of Inara''s troubles, and it had originally been intended to give her some motivation. But now that they knew that Inara''s problem was directly tied to her relationship with humanity, it was crucial that she take up the cause. Humanity needed Inara, but Inara needed them even more.


    Suddenly, Inara''s tails became a blur, shifting from one to eight and every number in between at random. Usagi flinched at the sight, then relaxed as Inara calmly reached out and grabbed one of her tails from the indistinct mass. At that instant, her tails solidified, and there were five. She was in ''caring'' mode, and she''d chosen it herself.


    Inara smiled. It was just as radiant and bewitching as the first time Akari had seen it. It was the kind of captivating otherworldly beauty that didn''t steal Akari''s agency, it amplified it. It made her want to love Inara even more, to open her heart even wider. To be there for her forever, as family. To make Inara her purpose, to serve that higher cause, the way the other spirits already had.


    "I guess I have my work cut out for me," Inara said casually. "So I''ll need all of your help. Hebi''s ideas sounded excellent, and I''m sure we can all find ways to contribute to them." She stopped and blinked back tears. "And thank you all, for believing in me even when I couldn''t."


    Independently and unscripted, the other five women gathered around her and pulled her into a hug.


    "You''re welcome, Miss Inara," Inu said. "And we''re so happy to have you back."

 Ch 25 - Scramble

    It was all-hands-on-deck at the Mori-jinsha Shrine. Inara urgently needed to reconnect to humanity, and there was a lot of work to do in order to make that happen. First, Hebi prepared a broad plan of attack that approached the problem from multiple angles. Then she enlisted everyone to handle the parts they were best suited for.


    "What about me?" Akari asked. She had just watched Hebi give everyone else, even Neko, their own customized job. The other girls ran off to get started, leaving Akari and Hebi alone in the kitchen.


    Hebi set her clipboard down on the kitchen table. "You''re still our only liaison with humanity, and Inara has a special task for you. She wants to commission artwork from some of Japan''s finest artisans, and you''re going to be doing all the talking." Hebi smiled ever so slightly. "I''ve already prepared all the contact information for you. I''d do the communication too, but some things are not suited to email. My inability to speak with humans is¡­ inconvenient."


    "Oh, awesome. That actually sounds really fun," Akari said. She wasn''t an artist herself, but she really respected them. Just being tangentially involved in the process of making art was sure to be rewarding.


    "Glad to hear you''re excited for it." Hebi plucked a small notebook from her breast pocket and handed it to Akari. "Here''s the contact info for a couple dozen artisans that I believe we can afford. Try to keep the total spending below five million yen."


    Akari''s jaw dropped. That''s more than what Hebi pays me in a year, and more than twice what I was making at my previous shrine. "Tha-that''s a lot," she managed.


    Hebi just shrugged. "Good art is expensive because it can take hundreds of hours to create, on top of the required talent. Sculpture is no exception, and as you''ve seen from her room, Inara has a taste for that." Hebi raised a pen and the tip of her tail in unison. "Oh, and make sure to leave money in the budget to transport the results here. Insured shipping, please."


    "Oh, of course," Akari said, mentally noting that down and feeling embarrassed for not thinking of it herself.


    Hebi stood up, smoothed her grey pencil skirt, and strode away, her grey-scaled tail swishing long and low, just above the floor. "Feel free to come to me if you need help, but remember that I have my own tasks as well."


    "Right, thanks!" Akari called after her. Then she opened up the little notebook to see what Hebi had prepared. Inside, in Hebi''s immaculate handwriting that could pass for a computer font, was a list of artists. Each had a short description of their style and specialties along with their contact information. For most of them, the contact was an agent or spouse rather than the artist themself.


    Feeling curious, Akari used her phone to look up one of the artists online, a woodcarver named Izuka Tetsuhiro. Apparently his carvings were quite famous and often displayed in Shinto shrines. But the second search result was an article about how eccentric and difficult he was. The headline was, "Genius woodcarver or mad villain? The enigma of Izuka Tetsuhiro."


    She looked back at Hebi''s notebook and frowned. He was one of the few artists without an agent. Akari would need to interact with him directly. Maybe Inara won''t choose him? There are tons of artists in this book, including another woodcarver.


    <hr>


    "It has to be Tetsuhiro," Inara said, excitedly. His ranmas are gorgeous, like three-dimensional snapshots of reality. I want one above the shrine entryway for sure, and maybe another over my bedroom door." Smiling, she gestured at the door with one hand to show exactly where she meant.


    "Alright," Akari said, resigning herself to having to call the troublesome artist. "But before we commission anything for your personal quarters, let''s get all the public-facing ones figured out. This is about connecting to visitors, remember?"


    "Yeah, yeah, fine," Inara said. With a wink, she added, "You sound like Hebi."


    Akari smiled. "I''ll take that as a compliment. Now, how about a pair of fox statues at the base of the main stairs? Those other shrines don''t have a trademark on fox statues, and we can include their traditional symbolic objects or not, your choice." Akari had been careful with her wording, making sure not to mention the shrines by name. There were almost 3,000 shrines to Inari-okami around Japan, and they were all dedicated to an old version of Inara that she no longer identified with. It was a touchy subject, and one worth avoiding right now.


    Inara hummed in thought for a moment, her single tail flicking behind her. Even without that tell, it was obvious she was in a curious mood. "How about two foxes, both female, both with nine tails?"


    At the words ''both female'', Akari felt her hopes rise. Is Inara putting her sexuality into this by commissioning a lesbian couple? If so, that''s a great sign for the plan to open up to humanity. But when Inara added that both statues would have nine tails, Akari''s interpretation changed. Nevermind. I guess she just wants two statues of herself.


    "So they''re the same?" Akari asked. "Two identical statues?"


    Inara''s face scrunched up in thought. "Hmm, no, that''s kind of boring. How about different poses? Ooh, they can be looking at each other, in love."


    Okay, now I''m just confused, Akari thought. She decided she just had to ask, "Uh, what do these two statues represent to you?"


    The answer was instant. "Me as I am now, and the woman I want to be."


    Akari sat there and blinked several times. The answer seemed surprisingly profound, at least until she realized that the two statues still looked basically the same. "So you''re already really close to what you want?"


    "Oh, not at all. I have soooo much work to do. I guess I should make the two statues more distinct then, shouldn''t I?" Inara clenched her fists and gave a determined nod, which Akari found painfully adorable, then she said, "Alright. One fox will look like a normal, real fox, albeit with nine tails. The other will be recognizably the same fox, only majestic, magical, and glorious. It needs to be obvious to all the visitors that this shrine represents personal improvement."


    "Huh," Akari said as she processed all of that. Inari-okami was the Shinto deity of many things, from fertility to agriculture to sake, but self improvement was not one of them. Well, I knew she wasn''t the same old Inari, and I guess this is one of the ways she''s changed, and plans to keep changing. Then Akari remembered the intervention and how much everyone had been worried about Inara. She thought, I should tell Hebi about this development.


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    "That sounds like a wonderful idea," Akari blurted, trying to cover for her long pause. "Do you have a preferred sculptor from the list?"


    "I haven''t actually seen any works from this list. My favorite sculptor passed away, what was it? 50 years ago?" She shook herself from a brief reverie and added, "Can you find some example photos on my tablet for me? I''m looking for high detail, so that the first fox looks lifelike, but not too realistic. The second fox needs to feel supernatural." With that, Inara passed her touch-screen tablet to Akari and went back to pondering potential art.


    "Sure thing." Akari woke the tablet up and jolted in surprise at the pornographic art displayed in the browser. Like before, it was a woman with a large dick, but she was just posing glamorously instead of having sex like many of the images Inara had shown her the last time. Akari quickly opened a new tab and entered one of the sculptors'' names from Hebi''s book into the search bar.


    Hebi had really done her homework; this artist seemed to specialize in statues for Shinto shrines, and their animals in particular looked really good. "How about this sculptor?" Akari asked, showing the page of image results to Inara.


    "Nope, too stylized. I know that''s the fad among shrines these days, but I want these statues to look alive, like they might just get up and walk away once they get bored of posing."


    "Hmm, alright," Akari said, already flipping through the book for another sculptor.


    It wasn''t until the third sculptor, a woman who went by just ''Kasumi'', that Inara was satisfied. "This is the one. Look at those creatures! So intricate, so alive!"


    Indeed, this artist had a real talent for making stone look like a living thing, and the fur was especially convincing. It looked soft to the touch even though Akari knew it was chiseled rock. Then Akari looked at Kasumi''s commission-information page. One pair of statues from her was likely to cost over half of the art budget.


    Akari took a deep breath, then said, "Is it okay if we move forward with just these two artists for now? I''m still pretty new at all of this, so I think it''s best if I limit myself to a couple things at a time."


    "Of course, Kari-chan!" Inara cheered, pulling Akari into a hug. Five tails wrapped around them both, like a soft blanket "You''re doing great, and I''m sure you''ll really connect with these human artists."


    Akari felt her face heat up, but it wasn''t entirely from the embarrassment of being squished into Inara''s chest. Inara''s confidence in her felt wonderful, and Akari finally started to believe she could really handle the task of coordinating such specific and expensive artistic endeavors. "Thanks, Inara. I''ll do my best."


    <hr>


    While Akari was busy navigating the new world of commissioning high-end art, Inara started on her own task that wasn''t directly related to her quest to reconnect with humanity. She finally understood how much her past actions had strained her relationships with the other spirits, and she meant to fix that damage.


    "Hey, Usagi?" Inara said, knocking on the rabbit spirit''s bedroom door.


    The door opened in a flash and Usagi appeared with her long blonde braid still swinging from her quick movement. "Yes, Mistress?" she asked hopefully, backing away from the door to let Inara enter.


    Inara shook her head as she stepped inside. "None of that right now, sorry. I''m here to apologize, which can''t be done right from a position of power."


    "Apologize? What for?" Usagi asked with one ear quirked up.


    Inara sat on the bed and crossed one leg over the other. "For neglecting you, and for overlooking your conflicts with the others. I should have noticed and helped, and I''m sorry."


    Usagi started to lower herself to sit on the floor, but Inara patted the spot next to her on the bed. Reluctantly, Usagi sat there instead. Then she said, "I admit I had a rough start with Akari, but I''m already acting to improve it. I''ve apologized to her, and I want to get on friendly terms with her."


    "That''s great. And what about Neko?" One orange tail flicked behind Inara''s back. She hadn''t picked her curious mood, but she''d arrived at it naturally, healthily.


    Usagi hesitated. She still wasn''t sure what to think about Neko. Then she answered, "Well, I wouldn''t say we''re getting along badly. It''s just¡­ awkward."


    "What''s awkward about it?" Inara asked.


    "Um, I guess it''s just hard to understand her. Sometimes it''s like we didn''t even speak the same language, and not just because of her slang. I know what she wants, which seems to boil down to ''have fun and grow stronger'', but that''s all I know. Neko is just so different from me."


    Inara nodded. "Anything I could do to help?"


    Usagi froze. It was really unlike Inara to ask so many questions. She normally had all the answers, or told someone else to find them. Usagi wanted to see Inara above her, godly and powerful, but the intervention had made it clear that Inara had been hiding her weakness behind a mask of perfection. She had never been perfect, and pretending to be had only caused more trouble.


    After a long time, during which Inara sat patiently and watched Usagi with her kind eyes, Usagi said, "I don''t know. Maybe I just need to ask her about her interests or something."


    With a smile, Inara said, "I''m sure you''ll find something in common. And I''ll keep an eye out for ways to help."


    Then she pulled Usagi into a warm hug. "Thank you for being here for me, all these years," she said quietly, the way one might whisper a secret in a crowded room. "I''ll try to be in a dominant mood for you soon. I love you, Usagi."


    Usagi''s face went hot and her pulse quickened, then it calmed as she sunk deeper into that comforting hug. "You''re welcome, Inara. I love you too."


    <hr>


    "You good?" Inu asked, jogging in place next to a red-faced Akari.


    "Yeah," she panted, "Just gotta catch my breath."


    "Take your time. I''m gonna do another lap. Got nervous energy to burn off, I think."


    With that, Inu took off at a fast jog. Her tail swept back behind her and wagged from side to side with her footfalls. And for once, Akari wasn''t distracted by the view; her thoughts were somewhere far more important.


    Now''s a good time, I think. She''s in a decent mood, it''s just us around. I just hope she''ll be happy, Akari thought. She wiped some sweat from her forehead, thanked the weather for being nice and cool, then turned to watch Inu make her circuit of the shrine clearing. She was almost all the way around, so Akari quickly stood up straight and tried to calm her breathing.


    "Hey, Inu?" she called out as the dog spirit approached. "Do you still want to know your original name?"


    Inu almost tripped over her own feet, but she righted herself. She slowed to a stop next to Akari, then answered, "Yeah, I think so. You found it? And you''re sure it''s mine?"


    Akari nodded. "I''m sure. That address was enough to narrow it down to just you, and there was even a photo."


    "So? What''s my name?" Inu said gruffly. Akari thought it felt a little forced, like she was putting on a tough front.


    "Michi," she answered.


    Inu narrowed her eyes. "Like the word for ''road''?"


    "Or ''path'' or ''method''," Akari said. "But there was a note in the file that you had been found as a stray puppy in an alleyway, so it might be related to that. In any case, I think Michi is really cute."


    Inu nodded in agreement, but her eyes were wet. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes, then overflowed, running down her face.


    "Uh, are you okay?" Akari asked. "You''re crying."


    "What? No, I''m not," Inu insisted. Then she touched her face and her hand came away wet. "Oh. I''m crying."


    "You okay?" Akari repeated.


    Inu sniffed and wiped her face with both thumbs. "I''m fine. Just memories, coming back to me. Emotion, I guess? Sorrow, joy, relief. So much emotion." She turned away to hide her face as the tears turned into full-blown sobbing. "I¡­ I need some time alone."


    She started away, not jogging, just walking slowly. Akari felt conflicted, unsure if she''d done the right thing. But then Inu turned back, a weary yet genuine smile on her face. "Thank you, Akari," she said.


    "You''re welcome," Akari called back, with a bright smile of her own.

 Ch 26 - Give and Take

    The Jinsha-mori Shrine''s reputation was growing. A few more people showed up to the latest weekly service, and more and more people were making the short trek to the shrine on a daily basis as part of their hairei, or personal worship.


    But that meant more cleanup work for Akari. People tracked in dirt and filled the garbage bins, which had to be emptied by someone. She was okay with the work of course, but it took up a noticeable chunk of her day, on top of shrine promotion, commissioning art with Inara, and various other duties.


    Akari was sweeping the first of autumn''s leaves from the stone steps, lost in thought about how beautiful Inara had looked that morning and how much the other humans were missing out by being unable to see her, when someone called out behind her.


    "Hey, want a hand?"


    Akari turned and was surprised to see Neko in full miko regalia. She wouldn''t be visible to any human visitors without Inara''s visibility spell or her own abilities that were on lockdown, so it was odd that she''d bothered to dress up.


    Maybe she just likes how she looks in the outfit? Akari thought. It does suit her, and her cat ears and tails make it feel very ''anime'' Then she said, "Uh, sure. Thanks, Neko."


    "So, whatcha need?" Neko asked, her tone of voice just as casual as ever.


    Akari gestured at the wide stone steps, which had collected a fair number of orange-red leaves in the corners. "Well, these leaves need to be gathered up, and I was planning to sweep the path from town after that."


    Neko nodded and grabbed a broom from the little utility cart where Akari stored her cleaning tools. "Can''t help ya with the path, since I''m a prisoner of the grounds and all, but I got you up here. Go on and get that path before it gets dark."


    "Thanks!" Akari started to leave, then froze. Wait. This isn''t like Neko at all. Why would she be so helpful all the sudden?


    Akari turned back and said, "Let me guess. You''re trying to win my approval as a human follower to help you earn a name?"


    Neko smiled and said, "Ding, ding, ding, we got a winner!" Then she sprang to Akari''s side and wrapped one arm around her shoulders in an overly familiar way.


    With her other arm, Neko gestured out at the trees that ringed the shrine clearing, indicating the world beyond. "Girl, everyone''s got motivations, but it doesn''t make them bad people. And irregardless of mine, I really do wanna be your friend and I don''t mean you a lick of harm."


    Something about that first part rang true with Akari. She thought about her relationships with others, and the motivations involved. She became friends with Hanako specifically to fix her memories, a problem that Akari felt partially responsible for. And Akari spent time working out with Inu primarily to get fit and stay healthy, but she had to admit she enjoyed looking at Inu''s physique. When it came to Inara, Akari wanted her love and approval, perhaps romance, and while she was being brutally honest with herself, maybe even sex. And in all those cases, Akari tried to pull her own weight and be useful to the other person in return.


    Akari almost gasped aloud as she realized that the relationships where she didn''t want or provide something, the ones that weren''t transactional, the ones with Usagi and Hebi¡­ those were the ones she had the most difficulty with. She had no idea what those two were thinking or what they wanted, and she didn''t really want anything from them either.


    Neko read her expression and grinned. "You see it, don''tcha?" Then she started to sing, "Everybody''s looking for something¡­ Some of them want to use you. Some of them want to get used by you."


    Akari thought Neko''s singing voice was actually really pretty, even though she didn''t recognize the song. She also thought Neko was a bit off-target because those lyrics didn''t quite match Akari''s revelation.


    Neko stopped singing and returned to her normal tone. "And while I''m dishing the free advice: be careful around people that act like they don''t want anything from you."


    Akari shot a glare at her. "And around people who lie about what they want?"


    Neko stepped back, both hands raised, palms out. "Be honest with yourself. Do you really think I''m lying about what I''m after? I want a name, it ain''t secret."


    Akari shook her head. "No. I believe you. But that doesn''t mean I should just go along with whatever you say. I need to decide whether it''s worth it for me."


    "Ooh, I like your spunk. And girl, I totally agree." Neko danced away, broom in hand, then called back, "I think you and I are going to be great friends."


    <hr>


    The conversation with Neko stuck in Akari''s head the rest of the afternoon. Was it okay to want things from other people, to expect some amount of give and take? Or did that cheapen the relationship? And what on Earth did Usagi and Hebi want from Akari, if anything?


    She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into Inu in the hallway. "Oh, sorry, Inu."


    "No problem. I take it Usagi''s making dinner?"


    "Huh?" Akari said.


    "You just came from the kitchen, right?"


    "Oh! Sorry, I wasn''t really paying attention. Lost in thought."


    "Nevermind. I can smell it from here. Ramen tonight."


    Suddenly, Akari blurted, "Want to work out before dinner? Or just talk?"


    Inu tilted her head questioningly for a moment, then shrugged and said, "Sure. Wanna spot me on the weights? I need to work my arms today."


    Akari knew basically nothing about weightlifting. Well, she knew that spotting meant watching someone else lift weights, probably so you could catch the bar if they dropped it. "Um, alright. You''ll just need to tell me what to do."


    Then after an awkward pause, Akari added, "We have weights here?"


    "I do," Inu answered. "In my room. You didn''t know? You can use them whenever you want. Just ask."


    "Oh, thanks, Inu," Akari said as she followed the sporty spirit back to her bedroom.


    Akari had never been inside Inu''s room before. It was quite plain, except for two posters of soccer players and a huge bookcase filled to the brim with sports manga. A weight bench sat in the center of the room where it would be obnoxiously inconvenient to anyone trying to use the room for anything else. But Akari guessed that the room didn''t get much other use; Inu preferred to be outside over staying indoors.


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    Inu wasted no time explaining how to spot, then got right to work. She confidently piled weights on the bar, laid down flat on the bench, and started lifting. The movement was smooth, almost effortless, despite the fact she was bench-pressing more than Akari weighed. Akari just stood by, nervous and attentive, trying to be a good spotter.


    Then Inu spoke, "Thanks again, for finding my old name. I don''t know how I expected it to feel, but this is¡­ nice. I feel like I have a past again, and it''s connecting me to something bigger, but it''s not holding me back either."


    "Oh?" Akari said, surprised. She didn''t want to say more and risk messing up Inu''s remarkably open state.


    "Yeah. And it''s got me thinking about whether I want a real name, a superior-spirit name. And would it be Michi, or something else?"


    "I still think Michi is an adorable name."


    "But adorable isn''t really my style, is it?" Inu said, then she gave a final push and put the bar back in the cradle.


    Akari shrugged. "Anyone can be adorable sometimes."


    Inu slid out from under the bar, sat up, and took a deep drink from her water bottle. Then she said, "And what about right now? Am I adorable?"


    Akari looked her over. Inu was sweaty and flushed, and her platinum blonde hair was somehow both frizzy and limp at the same time, with her furry ears blending into it. Her skin was practically glowing in the afternoon sunlight that streamed through the open west-facing windows. She looked tired, content, and completely comfortable in her skin. And very, very Inu.


    Without thinking, Akari said, "No, right now you''re sexy."


    Inu blinked twice and her ears perked up. Then she looked away, suddenly shy. "Uh, thanks."


    Akari looked down at her feet, embarrassed. "Sorry. That was weird."


    Inu quickly recovered. "It''s fine. Want to go next?"


    "Huh?" Akari had no idea what she meant. Well, she could take some guesses based on the ''sexy'' topic, but they were probably wrong.


    "Want to lift? I''ll spot you. Since you''ve never done this before, we''ll start with just the bar until you get the form down."


    "Oh, of course. Sure," Akari said, feeling foolish.


    She laid down on the bench and looked up. The shape of Inu''s chest loomed above her, and Akari was thankful that Inu''s shirt was tight around the stomach so she wasn''t staring straight up at the underside of a bra. But, the shirt was tight enough that the blue color of Inu''s sports bra showed through the light-grey material.


    Thankfully, Inu was a good fitness instructor and helped Akari into a comfortable flow that had no room for getting distracted by Inu''s body. The workout felt good, and cleared her mind too, making it easier to work through her inner thoughts.


    After a lot of consideration, Akari decided to embrace the reality that people want things from each other. Most relationships are give-and-take, she thought, and that''s okay. I''ll try to find out what other people want, and try to fulfill it. It should strengthen my relationships, and make them into something I can understand.


    In between sets of twelve reps, she thought, Usagi did apologize for being mean, so maybe she wants something from me now. I''ll have to talk to her after dinner. But I''ll hold off on Hebi. She''s always plotting something, so she probably won''t be open about her motivations.


    She stared at the ceiling as she resumed. Or maybe not? She''s treated me very fairly, after all, and she does want stuff from me, but it all happens to fall within my job duties, like the art commission stuff. Speaking of, I need to check if Kasumi replied to my email.


    Inu held out her hands to tell Akari to stop. "That''s good for now. Don''t push yourself too hard on your first time."


    "Thanks, Inu. I really needed that. Same time tomorrow?"


    Inu shook her head. "No, your arms''ll be too sore for weights tomorrow. Better to change it up. How about cardio outdoors in the morning? I can always use a jogging partner."


    Akari smiled. "You''ve got it."


    <hr>


    The esteemed woodcarver Izuka Tetsuhiro only accepted calls between 7pm and 9pm on weekdays, so Akari had made sure to finish eating dinner quickly. She jumped to her feet, thanked Usagi for the delicious ramen, and dashed off to her room. There, she''d have the peace and quiet necessary to work through whatever strange demands Tetsuhiro made of her.


    She''d already prepared a detailed plan for the ranma commission. It would be just over eight feet wide, due to the wide main-hall doors, and it would depict local mountains, trees, and wildlife, with Inara at the center as a majestic forest goddess who just happens to be a nine-tailed fox. It would also be double-sided, so that visitors passing under it to enter the shrine would be greeted by a smiling and welcoming Inara, and those exiting would see a more reserved goddess, wishing them safe travels home.


    Akari took a deep breath, double-checked that all her notes were within arm''s reach, then sat down on her bed and called Tetsuhiro. As the phone rang, she wondered what sort of man he would be. The article online made him out to be a terror, but he clearly had remarkable passion and skill, and no one was all bad.


    *CRUNCH* *CHOMP* "Yesh? Hello?"


    "Hello, am I speaking to Izuka Tetsuhiro?"


    "Thash me. Whasha want? I''m eating dinner," he said, his void deep and gravely, and his mouth full of food.


    "My name is Akari Mamori. I''d like to commission you, on behalf of the Mori-jinsha Shrine in Shinj¨­."


    The phone was silent for a second, presumably while Tetsuhiro swallowed, then he clearly said, "I''m listening, and you have good timing, girl. Was running low on work."


    Akari bristled at the ''girl'' comment, which had no place in a professional conversation, but she doubted that would be the worst she''d face in this process, so she pressed on without letting her irritation show. "The shrine would like to commission you to carve a large ranma for our main entrance, depicting local nature and the likeness of our deity, a woman with fox ears and tails."


    "Nice, a big one. Gonna cost you a pretty penny."


    Akari maintained her professional approach, since Tetsuhiro didn''t seem put off by it despite his very different style. "The shrine has a budget dedicated to art, and I believe we can afford your rates. If I send you the specifics, can you give an estimate of the total cost?"


    "I don''t do written communication. Just tell me what you want, and I''ll tell you what it''ll run ya."


    "Of course. One moment." Akari opened her notebook, then read off all the specifics she''d wisely documented in advance, "We''d like a warm-colored wood, 2510 by 635 by 60 millimeters, double-sided with a different pose and expression for the goddess, but the same silhouette. The other details, local trees and wildlife on a mountain background, can remain the same on both sides. The goddess should be front and center, in a loose kimono that exudes femininity. She has pointed fox ears and nine bushy fox tails."


    She paused for breath and he cut in, "Damn, girl. You got your shit together. Good stuff. People come to me with nothing but dreams bouncing around their empty skulls, then write articles about how I''m the unprofessional one. Sorry, keep going. My gears are turning already."


    "Thank you, sir," Akari said, feeling an immense sense of relief. This is going well! Then she continued, "On the exterior-facing side, we''d like the goddess to appear friendly and welcoming, with a kind expression on her face. On the interior, she should be more reserved and slightly sorrowful as her guests leave and she wishes them safe travels and hopes for a future visit."


    "Oof, that''s gonna be a tough one. I ain''t the best at conjuring up facial expressions, nor likenesses, since those ain''t part of most ranmas. But I can work from a reference. Can you send me some photos of the person you want this ''goddess'' to look like, making those faces?"


    "Of course, I''ll get right on that after this call. Do you need any additional information before you can give an estimate?"


    "Eh, I guess I could use some specifics about the trees and wildlife. You said you''re in Shinj¨­? I''ve never been there."


    "Of course, sir," Akari said, then she read off a list of local wildlife and tree species, from fox and shika deer to maple and elm. "Include those in whatever combination you feel conjures a feeling of harmony in nature and prosperity. Some other feelings to convey in the piece include curiosity, a balance of power, growth, love, wilderness, passion, innocence, and divinity."


    "Nice, nice. This shrine of yours has quite the specific vibe, and I like it. I''m hoping you can handle this price tag though. What''s two million yen do for you? Most of that''s from the size of this thing. Finding timber that large that''s been properly dried and won''t crack is going to be tricky, and pricy."


    Akari winced. That was the price of a new economy car, albeit a barebones model. But it was also well under half of the budget. "That''s acceptable. I look forward to working with you. How would you like to proceed from here?"


    "Get those photos and email them to me, then call me back tomorrow the same time. Dinner''s the only time I''m not carving."


    "Will do. Thank you so much."


    "Nah, thank you for your business and professionalism. Talk to you later," he said, then he hung up the phone.


    Wow, that wasn''t so bad at all. Either I got lucky with my timing, or he''s not nearly as bad as the internet made him out to be. Now if only Kasumi would reply back. Her website says she only takes commissions by email and that she''s open, but it''s been two days now¡­

 Ch 27 - Questions and Answers

    "Finally!"


    Akari stood in the middle of her bedroom with her arms raised triumphantly over her head. A smartphone was clutched in her right hand, and its screen displayed an email that she''d been eagerly awaiting for three days.


    The email was frustratingly sparse, but it was better than nothing. It confirmed that the sculptor who called herself Kasumi was indeed open for commissions. It also mentioned that she was rather picky in which jobs she took on, so she wanted to speak over the phone before agreeing to anything.


    The message ended with, "I''ll call you at 8am to talk specifics. Kasumi."


    Akari''s triumphant pose turned into a stretch, and then into a yawn. She''d just woken up and was still a bit out of it. She wasn''t even sure what time it was. She checked her phone to find out.


    "Oh no." It was 7:56.


    She scrambled to find her notebook, which had fallen halfway under her bed, then squeezed it in both hands and tried to calm herself. She needed to be alert and coherent when Kasumi called. Inara had been truly enamored with Kasumi''s art and Akari didn''t want to endanger the commission by messing up an important detail or rudely yawning at the wrong time.


    Akari started toward the kitchen to get some coffee, then thought better of it. I don''t know how long this call will take, and I can''t afford to take a bathroom break in the middle of it.


    Finally, she took a deep breath and sat down on her bed. I''ve got this. I just need to wait for her to call.


    She''d just finished the thought and the clock on her phone screen had barely ticked over to 8:00 when Akari''s phone flared to life, vibrating and playing her Shinto-bells ringtone a bit too loudly for how close she was to it.


    Akari almost dropped the phone in surprise, then recovered and answered, "Akari Mamori here with the Mori-jinsha Shrine. How may I help you?"


    "This is about the sculpture request. I have some concerns," the voice on the phone said in a dreary, almost weepy tone.


    "Kasumi! Thank you for your call. Tell me your concerns and I''m sure we can work through them," Akari responded, trying to stay cheerful and professional. And once she thought about it, she realized she sounded a lot like her mom.


    "Well, the first is this timeline. Two months would be tough for two sculptures."


    "Oh, that was just a rough starting point," Akari countered. "We don''t actually have a hard deadline, so you can definitely take longer if you need."


    "Hmm, I guess I''m not coming across clearly. I can definitely do it in that time, if I have a little extra¡­ motivation." Her dreary tone of voice lightened slightly at the end, like the sun peeking through overcast clouds.


    Akari blinked in silence for a moment. Huh? I guess she wants more money for an earlier delivery? And she seems to prefer that over a later deadline. So Akari said, "Alright. I can arrange for a bonus for early delivery, if that''s acceptable to you."


    "Hmm, good. Now my next problem: recognition. I''m an up and coming artist and my work speaks for itself. I''m sure you agree?"


    Akari found herself nodding her head, even though no one could see her. "Of course! Your sculptures are absolutely lovely."


    Kasumi''s voice went dark. "But that''s not good enough. It''s one thing for my work to speak for itself. It''s another for it to speak my name."


    Akari opened her mouth to reply and realized she had no idea what to say. This woman wasn''t making sense. "I, uh. Sorry, but I don''t understand."


    "I need credit, writ large across plaques beneath both statues. Some particularly old-fashioned shrines take issue with this little request, and I do hope you aren''t like them¡­"


    "Ohhh, I understand," Akari said. Then, "And I believe that will be no trouble. I''d be happy to display your name so that others know who sculpted our majestic statues."


    "Good," Kasumi said flatly, like she''d expected nothing less than complete compliance. "Now for my final concern." She paused long enough for Akari to fear the call had been dropped, then continued, "I prefer handshakes over passing glances, formal contracts over back-alley exchanges, and committed relationships over one-night stands."


    "Uh." Akari was completely and utterly lost. She had never been the best at following leaps of logic or unraveling cryptic messages, and Kasumi had just dropped one hell of a cryptic message. Do I ask for her to explain herself? Is this a test? If I admit that I''m confused, will I blow it for the shrine, for Inara?


    Thankfully, Kasumi elaborated without additional prompting. "New business deals are stressful. Conversations like this one, making new contacts, building a rapport, they''re all very taxing. I''d much rather have¡­ a sponsor. A patron of the arts who is committed to financing my future endeavors."


    "Ah, okay." Akari was still confused. The metaphors had been translated into something more literal, but she still had no idea what to do with it.


    "So how about it?" Kasumi asked.


    Reluctantly, Akari was forced to ask, "How about what?"


    Kasumi let out a long and weary sigh, like it physically pained her to have to explain herself. Then she said, "I want future business from you, the promise of additional commissions. It''s only fair that if you like my work, I should be your first thought when you desire more."


    Akari understood that at least. She said, "I see. Well, my boss is the final judge of any commissioned artwork, but knowing her, I''m sure that once she sees your work in person, she''ll want more." Akari took a moment to collect herself and to channel Hebi, then said, "If we''re satisfied with your results, of which I have little doubt, then I can promise that when the shrine is in the market for future sculpture work, you will be our first and only consideration."


    "Good," Kasumi said, finally sounding somewhat happy. "Now let''s get down to the details of the sculpture. Your email was very detailed about the style, but I need more information about the intended pose. These foxes are to be looking at each other, yes?"


    "Yes, just a slight glance is enough. The intent is to make them feel connected. The more mundane fox desires to become the magical one, and the magical one is looking back at her past self with encouragement and pride."


    Kasumi hummed in thought. "Hmm, yes. I can see it now. But they are both looking mostly forward? And they''ll be flanking the stone steps of a shrine? Can you send me a picture of where they''ll be placed?"


    Akari hopped to her feet. "That''s correct, and I absolutely can get that for you. Would you like it right now? I can pause the call and take a photo without hanging up. I think."


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    "Sure, if it''s that convenient. You''re already at the shrine?"


    Their call had started to feel like a conversation instead of a power struggle, and Akari much preferred it this way. She answered, "Yes, I actually live here. I''m a live-in caretaker, among other things."


    "Ah, okay. Well, go ahead and get that photo. I''ll stay on the line."


    "Will do. Be right back."


    As Akari poked around with her phone''s interface, trying to get to the camera without hanging up, she thought, What an interesting woman. She seemed really harsh and needy at first, but I guess she''s just looking out for herself. After all, if she doesn''t make sure she gets enough money and recognition, no one else will.


    Taking the photo of the front steps required hanging up after all, but Kasumi wasn''t bothered. Akari sent the photo and called back, and the rest of the call was just confirming all the terms and setting up future check ins. Kasumi seemed really organized, and she planned things far in advance. She even offered to send out periodic status updates, complete with photos of her progress. Akari leapt at the opportunity, knowing that Inara would enjoy seeing the artwork come together.


    I think I lucked out with her, Akari thought. Or maybe my expectations were just too low, for both Kasumi and Tetsuhiro¡­


    <hr>


    I think I messed up, Akari thought.


    She had promised Tetsuhiro a photo of Inara''s likeness, and she needed to get it to him today. But that was before she learned that Inara couldn''t be photographed. The goddess could easily make herself visible to normal humans, but it turned out that her ability acted upon human perceptions, and didn''t affect cameras.


    "Yeah, it''s a real bother," Inara said as she munched on some strange lollipop. The writing on the package was in a language Akari didn''t recognize, and there were unpleasantly jagged shapes inside the translucent red candy.


    "It''s one of the reasons I pulled back from humanity. Just a couple photographs of a floating kimono and the whole city starts freaking out. That''s also when I started conjuring my own clothes. It took a long time to get the look and feel right, but now the worst case scenario is a photo with some empty space in it."


    Inara paused to wave the stick of red-dyed sugar at Akari. "Want one? They''re from this weird snack subscription service I found online. The crickets are pretty tasty, and add a nice crunch."


    Akari shook her head vigorously, thinking, Apparently ''wild'' Inara is also rather adventurous. Or very in touch with her animal side. This is the same Inara that stripped down, turned into a fox, and ran off through the forest.


    Inara tilted her head and asked, "So why''d you want a photo of me anyway? To stare at on your nightstand? Usagi already asked for that and had to settle for a drawing."


    Akari had glimpsed a ray of hope. "A drawing? Who drew it?"


    "Hebi, of course," Inara mumbled over the sucker in her mouth. "She''s a pretty decent artist. No pro, but only because she doesn''t want to be. If it was her passion, I''m sure she''d eventually reach the same level as Kasumi and Tetsuhiro."


    Akari seized the chance. Inara had even set up the perfect transition for her. "Tetsuhiro wants images of you to reference for his carving. Would you be willing to pose while Hebi makes a couple sketches?"


    Inara smiled, and it was gorgeous despite the bump of candy in her left cheek and the paper stick poking out between her lips. "Sure. But Hebi''s busier than me, so you should arrange the time with her." Then one of Inara''s six tails vanished and she added, "And it would be a good opportunity for you and her to grow closer. I''ve seen how you two interact and it''s far too stuffy and one-sided. She''s more than just your supervisor, you know?"


    Akari nodded. "Of course. I''ll make sure to do that."


    A melodic laugh echoed from Inara''s lips. "And the same goes for you and I, Kari-chan. I''d love for you to be more casual around me. I''m your roommate, your friend, your¡­" She trailed off and raised one eyebrow, inviting Akari to finish the sentence.


    Behind Inara, five tails had been swaying like rice stalks in a breeze, but another one faded away, leaving just four. She''d just shifted into ''fertile'' mode, adding some suggestive context to her previous statement.


    Akari''s cheeks turned as red as Inara''s candy, and she jumped to her feet. "I''ll try to do that too," she blurted. Then she left the room in a hurry, her thoughts a tangled jumble of competing desires and doubt. She wanted Inara, and wanted to be wanted by Inara. But that was as far as she''d gotten. When confronted with the possibility of a physical relationship with a goddess, Akari could only flee.


    <hr>


    By the time Hebi wrapped up whatever it was she''d been working on and emerged from her workshop, Akari had calmed down. She waved Hebi over to the table, and said, "Thanks for making time for me."


    "No problem. What do you need, Akari?"


    "Three things, actually. One of them is time sensitive, so I''d like to start with that one, if that''s alright."


    Hebi flopped onto a cushion, crossed her legs, and curled her tail around herself. She looked both comfortable and professional. Then she said, "Sure thing, and no need to be so formal."


    Right, Inara even told me to be more casual with her, Akari thought. Then she said, "Ah, right. Well, I wanted a favor from you to help with the woodcarving commission. The artist wants a photo of Inara-sama to reference, but I just found out that won''t work. Can you sketch her in a couple different poses for him?"


    "Yeah, no problem. I actually already have a few sketches of her, but they''re nudes and probably don''t have the expressions you''d want." As Akari blushed at the mental image, Hebi continued, "But the Boss should be okay with posing for some new ones. I can get on that after lunch, if that''s soon enough for you."


    "That''d be wonderful!" Akari cheered. "I just need them before my 7pm call with Tetsuhiro."


    "Oh, she went with Izuka Tetsuhiro, huh? I thought she might like his style." Then Hebi raised the tip of her tail and waved it dismissively. "But I''m getting off track. What were the other things you wanted to talk about?"


    "Well, Inara said something that I think you''d want to know. She said she would like the shrine to represent personal growth, and she wanted that theme to come through in the stone foxes we''re commissioning."


    Hebi''s narrow eyes widened in surprise, giving Akari her first good look at them. They were a pale grey, just like her scales. "Now that is something. A goddess expanding her domain is a rare and momentous occasion. And personal growth, huh? I guess that''s been a thing around the shrine lately, and it''s definitely something humans are interested in. Self-help books always seem to sell, even when they''re complete bunk without any substance."


    Hebi seemed genuinely annoyed by that topic, but she quickly calmed and said, "But I digress. I can work with this. If the Boss wants to add personal growth to her domain, we''ll add it to our public-facing messaging, mention it at shrine events, and make it a core part of the shrine''s identity. For now, keep working as normal, and I''ll get you a new weekend service plan later on once things are more settled."


    Akari blinked. "You''re really going to go that far, off of a single thing Inara said? She could have just been musing."


    Hebi shook her head. "I know her, and she would never say something like that about the shrine''s purpose unless she was sure. And this is wonderful news. I had been worrying that she''d stay within her old domains, which would invite conflict with Inari shrines. But if she''s expanding her influence, or even just shifting her focus, then I''m happy."


    After that, the conversation sputtered out. Akari was silent, so Hebi asked, "Wasn''t there a third thing?"


    Akari fidgeted with her skirt beneath the table. "Uh, yeah. But I''m having trouble deciding how to start." She took a deep breath, then said, "I want to be a better friend to you, Hebi, but I don''t know what you want from me."


    It was Hebi''s turn to blink in surprise. Then she said, "I''m happy with what we already have. I''m not a social person, so the amount of friendly interaction we already get is enough for me. Is there something you''re expecting from me that I''m not providing?"


    Shaking her head, Akari answered, "No, nothing like that. It''s just¡­"


    Hebi waited patiently for Akari to continue.


    Akari leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "I guess I''m just no good at relationships. I don''t know what I should and shouldn''t do, and I always feel like I''m letting people down. I want to get closer to you, but I don''t know how."


    "First," Hebi said, the tip of her tail counting off ''one'', "I''m terrible at relationships. I shouldn''t be giving you advice at all, but since it''s about me, I guess I''ll try my best." She added the index finger of her right hand next to her tail. "Second, relationships don''t all have to be active things. Sometimes the right fit is a passive relationship where you''re just available when the other person needs you and vice versa. If you trust that they''ll be there when it counts, you don''t always need constant interaction."


    Then Hebi smiled and raised another finger. "And third, it makes me very happy that you care about our friendship this much. I''ll try to improve our relationship from my side. If we both try, even clumsily, I''m sure we''ll meet somewhere in the middle."


    Akari felt a rush of warm emotion and wanted to reach out and hug Hebi, but she was pretty sure Hebi wasn''t a hugger. She settled for saying, "Sounds like a plan. Thanks so much for always being there for me. You''re a good friend."


    Hebi chuckled at that. "Don''t get carried away. I''m not even sure I''m a good person. And, thank you too."

 Ch 28 - Clean Body, Dirty Thoughts

    A shrine as large as Mori-jinsha had a lot of seldom-used equipment and decorations, and all of it had to be stored somewhere when not in use. That place was the storage room, a bedroom-sized space at the back of the shrine, just next door to Hebi''s workshop. The old oak door remained closed and forgotten for most of the year, especially back before Akari moved in and the shrine became operational again.


    But now, on a chilly October evening, that door was open wide to let in fresh air. Akari and Neko had just spent a solid eight hours cleaning and reorganizing the room, and they weren''t even done. Once the sneeze-inducing dust settled, Akari planned to do some additional sorting and labeling so that they could actually find and use the supplies stored there. For example, there were at least two easy-to-assemble wooden stalls that would have saved the shrine some rental expense during the grand opening festival, had anyone known they existed.


    After all that sweaty work, Akari and Neko went straight to the bath. Scrubbing all the grime from their skin was a top priority, but so was soaking their sore muscles. As Akari had already seen from exercising with Inu, even major spirits got tired and sore after a hard workout.


    "Ugh, I can still taste the dust," Neko grumbled as she splashed a bucket of water on her head. She was nude and sitting on a stool next to one of the bathing room''s faucets. With her black hair soaked and flattened, her triangular ears stuck out very prominently on top of her head.


    "Me too," Akari said from her own stool a few feet away. She tried to keep her eyes forward and off of Neko''s amazing body, but it was hard.


    Neko had no such concerns. She openly looked Akari''s way, took in her naked form, and didn''t make a big deal of it. "There''s still a big smudge on your back, between your blades."


    Akari reached for the spot with her lathered puff, then flailed awkwardly at it. Her joints and muscles were too stiff to reach it properly. She did manage to get some soap and water near it, but the grime, a combination of sweat and ancient dust, didn''t budge.


    "Nope, missed it. Want me to get it for you?" For once, there wasn''t a hint of sexuality in Neko''s offer.


    "Sure. And thanks."


    "What are friends for?" While Akari chuckled at that, Neko continued, "Other than doing dirty, sweaty, hard work for zero pay."


    As a warm and a foamy washcloth touched Akari''s bare back, she said, "Thanks again for your help today. You were amazing and I don''t even know how much time you saved me. Especially with the big stuff I couldn''t have moved myself. I owe you one."


    Behind Akari where she couldn''t see, two feline tails flicked in satisfaction and a cat-like grin flashed across Neko''s face. Then it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Yeah you do. If I''d known how much work I was signing up for, I would have asked the others to help."


    "Already did," Akari said between aching moans; in addition to sweating and collecting dust as she worked, Akari''s back held a lot of tension, and Neko''s scrubbing felt divine. Then she continued, "They were all busy with their own ''Operation Reconnect Inara with Humanity'' missions."


    "Are you really calling it that? Also, I''m done if you wanna rinse now."


    "Only in my head. And aloud just now, I guess," Akari answered, feeling a bit embarrassed by the whole situation. She cooled her flushing cheeks by splashing a bucketful of clean water on her head. When she next looked up, Neko had already slipped away and into the steaming water of the bath.


    I''m surprised she didn''t make that whole interaction sexual, Akari thought. Goddess knows that most anime would have done it. Wait. The phrase ''Goddess knows'' doesn''t work here. Inara-sama doesn''t know much about anime. But she seems curious about it. Maybe we could watch some together some time?


    Neko''s eyes were closed in relaxed bliss, so Akari didn''t feel the need to cover herself as she crossed the tile to the bath. She was getting used to being naked around other women, but it was harder around Neko; her body was just amazingly perfect, like a model''s. Or a porn star''s. Seeing it sent Akari''s mind bouncing between feelings of inadequacy, envy, and attraction.


    Akari lowered herself into the bath, jolting a little as her most sensitive spots were submerged. Then, with a lot of help from the hot water enveloping her body, she pushed all those conflicted thoughts aside and started to relax. Bathing had always been one of Akari''s favorite things, and she loved just relaxing in warm water and tuning out the world, but she''d grown even fonder of it since moving to the shrine. Knowing that her new family could all take part in the same calming activity made it a little more special, somehow.


    "Hey Akari?"


    "Hmm?" Akari hummed, her eyes still closed.


    "Got anything else you''d like help with? Maybe an itch that needs scratching?"


    Akari opened her eyes and looked across the bath at Neko. There had been a seductive tone to Neko''s questions, and the look in those green eyes confirmed it. They were alive and sparkling with curiosity, and with lust.


    Akari felt her cheeks grow hot and shook her head. "No thanks."


    She''d been getting used to turning down Neko''s advances. They were never forceful and she never felt pressured, even now when she clearly owed Neko a big favor. For Neko, sex wasn''t a bargaining chip. It was a personal passion that she wanted to share, like a chef making her favorite recipe for her friends, or a musician giving the gift of music.


    Akari was willing to let that moment pass and return to her relaxation, but then she remembered something. "Um, actually. I could use some advice, uh, regarding sexual stuff."


    Neko lit up, her tails flicking playfully. She also sat up, lifting her impressive breasts, D-cups at least, fully out of the water. "You''re asking the right gal. Whatcha wanna know? How to woo and wow women? Tongue exercises to take your game to another level?"


    Akari turned even redder and shook her head. "No, it''s uh, something else." Then she went quiet.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Neko tried to be patient, her tails flicking back and forth like a pendulum. Then she said, "Well, spit it out, babe!"


    Slowly, Akari managed to say, "Uh, I like Inara. A lot. I love her."


    "Yeah, and the sky is blue. Tell me something I don''t know."


    Akari took a deep breath, then blazed forward. "She seems to want¡­ to take our relationship further. Physically. She flirted with me, in her four-tail mode."


    Neko bounced excitedly. "Ooh, that''s my favorite Inara. Too rare though. I haven''t had many cracks at ''er yet."


    "But I think I''d just let her down."


    Neko didn''t answer. She just glared until Akari caved to the pressure and elaborated.


    "Twice now, when she handed me her tablet, there were pictures of women, with, uh, dicks. I think she likes male parts."


    Neko''s eyes sparkled with excitement. "Is that all? Humans have a lovely little invention to solve that problem. Maybe you''ve heard of it? It''s called a strap-on."


    Akari opened her mouth to respond, but Neko continued, "And, you ever think she mighta been showing you those pics for a reason?"


    Whatever Akari had been planning to say was gone. "Huh?"


    "Damn, you''re way too innocent. Think about it: she happened to show you pictures of chicks with dicks, twice. She also happens to be able to transform her body. She''s testing the waters, my gal, tryin'' to check if you want a meaty member or not. That''s how she bones Inu, right?"


    At that thought, Neko gazed into the distance, licked her lips, and shivered.


    Akari blinked vacantly, then said, "Oh."


    Neko returned to reality and said, "So, do ya want the D? You seem like a girl''s girl, but there was that shitty ex-BF of yours."


    Akari shook her head more forcefully than even she''d expected. "No, I''m¡­ I can be romantically attracted to men, but I''m not into the male body."


    "Totally opposite me, then. Two hundred years without fallin'' in love, but I''ve slept with all sorts."


    "Two hundred?!" Akari blurted. She knew that age wasn''t rare for a major spirit, since Usagi and Hebi were even older than that, but it didn''t fit with Akari''s understanding of Neko, or her personality. She was more like a young 20-something, and a horny one at that.


    Neko smiled. "The last 40 were the best though. All that kickin'' music you humans make! And gadgets for music on demand! The right song can be great foreplay, and a sick soundtrack can even make sex better. Oh right, I was supposed to be giving you tips about sex?"


    Akari nodded. "Yeah, you already did¡­ And I think you were right about Inara-sama. I bet she was just trying to see what I wanted. So what do I do now? Tell her I prefer the female, uh, form?" Akari could barely finish the sentence. For Inara''s genitalia to matter, that meant actual physical intimacy. That meant having sex with a goddess. It was unfathomable.


    Neko bobbed her head from side to side in thought, then said, "Sure, but I''d take a more direct route. I''d say I want to eat her out, then describe how I''d devour her luscious peach top to bottom, inside and out."


    After that, Akari went completely still with a vacant look on her face. Neko waved a hand and even shook her sizable breasts at Akari, but there was no response.


    "Ah damn, I broke you," Neko said with an unrepentant grin. "Well, you ever want to learn how to please even a goddess, just hit me up. I can even give you a personal demonstration¡­"


    With that, Neko climbed out of the bath and sauntered away, humming a tune and flicking her forked tails playfully. She crossed into the laundry room, planning to towel off before magicking up some clothes, but her tune cut off abruptly.


    "Hello, Neko," Usagi said. She was clearly on her way to the bath since she was naked with a towel over her front and her long golden hair was loose around her shoulders. There was also a sour expression on her face, barely above a frown.


    "Yo," Neko said cheerfully. "Akari''s in there, but she won''t be much of a conversation partner. I think I broke her."


    "Oh, I heard that part," Usagi said with barely restrained venom. The corner of her mouth turned up in an unpleasant smile and she added, "So, no luck with Inara?"


    Neko ignored the hostility and grinned. "Not yet, but Akari''s getting there. I''m rooting for her."


    Without responding, Usagi pivoted and walked away. Neko watched her go, eying her curvy hips and fluffy tail, until the glass door to the bathing room was closed once again. Then Neko resumed her humming and dried herself off.


    <hr>


    It didn''t take long for Akari to recover. She didn''t have enough experience to properly fantasize about what sex with Inara would be like, and the mental images she did conjure were clunky and awkward, like an amateur play with only two actors, no director, and a lot of nudity. She returned to Earth from her daydream to find Usagi washing off nearby.


    Akari splashed some water on her face, then said, "Oh, hi Usagi. How are you today?"


    "Been better. You?" Usagi''s tone was almost friendly; she kept her jealousy on a tighter leash when it came to Akari.


    Akari thought about it for a few seconds, then said, "Really good actually. Things have been working out with the commissions, and we got a lot done today in the storage room."


    Usagi''s nose twitched at that, recalling the centuries of memories associated with that room, mostly of dust and sneezing. Then her ears twitched in surprise at what Akari said next.


    "I''m sorry you aren''t feeling great. Was it anything I did?"


    Usagi turned and saw Akari''s purple eyes peeking over the edge of the bath. The rest of her was submerged in the steaming water. It was adorable, in a frustrating way. "No, it''s not your fault. I just have a hard time when Mistress Inara focuses on others. I''m just selfish that way."


    Those big purple eyes blinked. "But aren''t you in a relationship with Hebi t¡ª"


    "Yes, I know I''m a hypocrite," Usagi interrupted. "And knowing that only makes me feel worse."


    "I''m sorry."


    "It''s not your fault. I already said that."


    "But I''m still sorry. I want you to be happy, Usagi, but I don''t know how to talk to you."


    Usagi raised an eyebrow. "You''re talking to me now."


    "Barely. It''s kinda hard when, uh, my eyes keep wandering."


    Usagi glanced down at herself. Unlike Inara, she didn''t have a bombshell physique, and she didn''t have Neko''s supermodel slim-and-busty look either. She didn''t have Inu''s strength or Hebi''s striking slenderness. When Usagi saw herself, she saw a short, squishy, jealous mess.


    One of Usagi''s ears quirked up. "Are you trying to cheer me up through flattery?"


    "Yes, I''m trying to cheer you up," Akari answered, "but not like that. I guess my head''s just in a weird place. Sorry."


    "I heard part of your conversation with Neko. Inara really came on to you?"


    Akari shrank back from the edge of the pool. "Uh, yeah?" she said, warily.


    Usagi turned away and went back to washing herself. "It''s fine, I''m not angry. In fact, I hope things go well for you. Mistress Inara needs all the love she can get."


    "Is that what you want?" Akari asked.


    Usagi glanced back over her shoulder. Akari was at the edge of the pool again, peering up at her. "Huh?"


    Akari explained, "I''ve been trying to figure out what you want, so I can provide it. I''m not good at relationships, so I try to be useful. But I never could figure out how to be useful to you." She took a breath, then said, "And what you want is for Inara-sama to be loved and happy?"


    "Yeah, I suppose so," Usagi said as she rinsed the soap from her body.


    Akari jumped to her feet so abruptly it splashed water all the way to Usagi. "Then that''s what I''ll do. I''ll do everything in my power to make Inara happy, and I''ll make sure to leave room for you to do the same. I don''t want Inara all to myself, and I know I couldn''t handle that. I''m just a weak human, but I care about her, and I''ll do my best."


    Usagi stood as well, and a worried look appeared on Akari''s face, like she was a little afraid. But the rabbit spirit just walked over to the bath and climbed in. Once she was settled in, a few feet from Akari, she said, "You and I are a lot alike, Akari. A hell of a lot alike."


    The room was silent for a moment, then Akari tried to restart the conversation. "Did you hear that Inara wants to add personal growth to her domain? The shrine''s going to be dedicated to self improvement."


    "Huh. I could use some of that."


    Akari smiled at her. "Me too. Want to work on that together?"


    With a chuckle, Usagi responded, "Then it wouldn''t be self improvement, would it?"


    Akari giggled. "Touch¨¦."

 Ch 29 - Changes

    "We won''t be able to do this much longer," Inu said as she jogged in place next to the shrine steps.


    "What?! Why?" Akari blurted, distracted from her shoe-tying.


    Inu blinked calmly and brushed her bangs back from her forehead. "Uh, it''s going to get cold soon? The first snow can''t be far off." Their breath was already slightly visible this early in the morning, and the air had a harsh edge to it. Shinj¨­ wasn''t directly on the ocean, but the humidity was still high and wet-cold was the worst kind.


    "Ohhh. Okay." Akari relaxed and returned to the task at hand.


    "What did you think I meant?"


    Akari stood up and bounced on the balls of her feet. "I thought you were going to be too busy for it or something."


    Inu raised one eyebrow and one ear perked up to match. "Me, too busy to work out? And what would I even be busy with?"


    "¡­Your name, becoming a superior spirit, that stuff."


    "Oh. That''s not a big priority for me. It''s just an option for the future. I don''t even know what it would take to make the transition."


    "Ah, right."


    Inu took off at a warm-up pace, then once Akari fell in next to her, she said, "It''s kind of scary, actually."


    "Scary?" Akari asked.


    "Yeah, I could become a different person. A different thing entirely. I don''t even know what a superior spirit is. What if I don''t like it? What if it comes with some huge new responsibility? Will it be a blessing or a curse?"


    Akari took a second to process that. This kind of worrying wasn''t like Inu at all, and seeing her this unsure was a bit unnerving. "Ah, I can see how that would be scary."


    Things were quiet for another lap of the shrine clearing, then Akari spoke up again. "Have you tried talking to Neko about it? She''s so committed to becoming a superior spirit, I bet she knows what it would be like."


    Inu was slow to respond, and when she did, her voice was quiet. "Neko and I¡­ we don''t get along. I doubt she''d give up any information that might help me become a superior spirit before her."


    I wonder about that, Akari thought. I could see Neko refusing to do anything that might slow her own transformation, but I don''t think she cares that much about other people or what they do.


    She decided not to press that issue. "What about Hebi? She''s very knowledgeable, and she''d be happy to tell you."


    Inu sped up to a full-out run that Akari had difficulty keeping up with. But she wasn''t trying to run away from the question; she was working through her feelings. She eventually slowed back down, much to Akari''s relief, and said, "I''m afraid of what she might tell me. What if being a superior spirit is too good to pass up? What if it becomes an obsession for me, like it is for Neko?"


    Akari recognized the questions as rhetorical, so she stayed quiet and just jogged alongside Inu. Sometimes silent support was the best action.


    Eventually, Inu spoke one more time, her voice unsteady and full of emotion. "What if Hebi''s information sets me on a path that leads me away from this shrine, from you, and from Inara?"


    Akari could understand that feeling all too well. Now that the Mori-jinsha Shrine was truly her home, now that she had real friends for the first time since high school¡­ she wouldn''t want to risk that either. And when it came to Inara, to the goddess she had fallen for, the thought of losing her was too painful to even consider.


    <hr>


    Between all her other work, Akari tried to do some online research. She pored over obscure blogs, decades-old religious studies, and any Shintoism-related page that so much as mentioned the word ''superior''. She had hoped that there might be some information in the human world about the difference between a major and superior spirit. She wanted to help ease Inu''s fear of the transition, if possible.


    But she quickly realized that the flexible nature of Shintoism, the lack of absolutes or any one correct way to believe, meant there was very little reliable information out there. Then there was the fact that what she was searching for was basically unrelated to humans and how they interacted with the spirit world. It would be pretty hard for a human to ever learn about the topic in the first place; Akari''s gift to see spirits seemed incredibly rare, after all.


    She put her phone down, admitting defeat, and decided to ask Inara or Hebi later. Neko probably knew too, but Inara had warned her to be careful with that topic around Neko.


    If Neko got a name, would she ascend right there and then? Or are there other requirements? Akari thought. Then she shook her head. No, it sounds like she needs human followers, plural. She''s not going to get those while she''s stuck on shrine grounds unless she participates in a lot of ceremonies while visible to humans, and Inara wouldn''t allow that unless we were desperate.


    Or I suppose she could carve little figures like Hebi did. That got Hebi some followers in town.


    Before Akari could ponder any further down that path, she was interrupted by a knock at the door. She rose from the bed and opened the door to find Inara there, looking wide-eyed and energetic, with her ears perked and one fox tail swishing behind her.


    "Good afternoon, Kari-chan! Do you have any news about the commissions?"


    Yep, that''s her curious mood, alright.


    "I do, but I was hoping to put it all into a small presentation for you," Akari answered. She felt a little guilty for delaying the news when Inara was so excited. "Can I get that together real quick, and show you in 30 minutes or so?"


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "Absolutely! Just drop by my room whenever you''re ready."


    After Inara left, Akari got right to work. The woodcarver Tetsuhiro did all his communication over the phone, so Akari had been keeping written notes of their calls. She got out her notebook and reviewed what she''d written down, then she flipped to a new page and summarized it. Akari wasn''t half as skilled as Hebi, but she thought she was pretty good at identifying the important information and the things Inara would want to hear.


    Tetsuhiro had received the sketches of Inara, in both welcome and goodbye poses, that had been sketched, scanned, and emailed by Hebi. He had also purchased the wood for his carving from a specialty supplier who catered to ranma artists, so it would be sufficiently dried and ready to carve as soon as it arrived early next week. Tetsuhiro wasn''t big on documenting his work progress, but he was happy to provide a weekly check-in over the phone. He really liked how organized Akari was, and he was looking forward to tackling such a big and ambitious commission.


    Next, Akari went through the emails on her phone, since the vast majority of Kasumi''s updates were text-based. Kasumi had already started sculpting some small-scale statues to experiment with poses for the two fox statues, since she wanted to be confident in her direction before she chiseled into the large and expensive stone blocks for the full-size statues. She had even sent photos of her progress, which Akari uploaded in a cloud-storage folder so Inara could look at them on her tablet any time she wished.


    With a few minutes to spare on her 30-minute estimate, Akari arrived at Inara''s door, notebook and phone in hand. She was hoping there wouldn''t be a lewd surprise on the other side, another of Inara''s attempts to gauge Akari''s interest in male anatomy. But since I haven''t actually told her about my preferences yet, I need to be prepared for anything.


    "Come in," came a shout from inside, before Akari had even had a chance to knock.


    Oh right, she can sense me.


    Akari opened the door and was once again taken by the eclectic beauty of Inara''s bedroom. The walls and area nearest them were positively coated in artwork, from paintings to pottery to an actual katana.


    Inara herself was lounging on a wicker chair by the wide-open window, basking in the afternoon sun that streamed through. She hopped to her feet and scurried over to Akari''s side, clearly eager. "Are you ready to give your update? When you said it would be a presentation, it got me so excited."


    Inara''s so cute like this! "Well, don''t set your expectations too high. I just threw together all the information I had, using my phone since I don''t have a PC."


    "Do you want one?" Inara started for the door. "I''ll have Hebi order one right away."


    Wow, she''s very distractible today, Akari thought. She guessed either one or eight tails, then saw that Inara indeed had eight. Innocent mode. "Hold on, Inara-sama. Don''t you want to see this presentation?"


    "Of course, the computer can wait." Inara flopped onto the floor, put her hands on her knees and smiled. "Go ahead."


    "I''ll need your tablet for a moment, to show the pictures."


    "Pictures! Excellent," Inara said happily as she handed over her tablet.


    Akari braced herself as she woke up the tablet, but she was greeted by a background image of a pretty forest with a scattering of app icons on top. Dual-wielding devices, she used her phone to share the image gallery to Inara''s cloud account, then opened it on the tablet.


    She took a deep breath to calm her nerves, then began.


    <hr>


    After her little presentation, which took less than five minutes in total, Akari asked, "Any questions?"


    "Nothing about the commissions. You''re doing great, and it seems like everything''s going smoothly. I did enjoy the way you summarized everything for me. You really seem to know what I want to see."


    Then Inara''s tails grew indistinct and began slowly shifting between several moods, and she asked, "Do you like the nickname ''Kari-chan''? One of my tails called you that, and before I knew it, I was thinking or saying it in other moods."


    Akari was caught off-guard by the change in topic. "Hmm, it''s very cute, but it does feel a little¡­ diminutive, like a little kid''s nickname."


    "Tsk, that won''t do. What about just ''Akari''?"


    Just Akari?


    The longer Akari thought about it, the hotter her cheeks grew. Having her crush, also a literal goddess, address her so casually, with no nickname, no honorific, so comfortable and direct¡­


    It was wonderful.


    "That¡­ would be nice, Inara-sama."


    "Tsk, that won''t do," Inara echoed. "Please just call me ''Inara''. I can''t grow closer to you if you''ve got me up on a pedestal."


    Akari''s face somehow flushed even redder. "Oh¡­ uh, okay¡­ Inara."


    "And I would so like to grow closer to you."


    "I''ve noticed that." Akari fidgeted. "The other day, were you asking me¡­ to be your lover?"


    Inara smiled a soft and genuine smile, and it was glorious to behold, like a blessing from beyond Earth. "Yes, if you''ll have me."


    Akari hesitated. "I¡­ it''s just so much. Can I have some time to think about it?"


    "Of course, but is more time what you actually want? Do you want to wait until the moment passes and the feeling that you''re feeling right now becomes harder to grasp? Or do you want to take a plunge off the cliff that''s before you, and see where the river takes you?"


    There was a lot on Akari''s mind, far more than could possibly be addressed in this single moment. But one issue stood out, its texture unique among all the other thoughts, jagged and tinted with fear as it was. "Um, will I be safe? I''m just a fragile human, and I saw what Neko''s¡ª" Akari almost said ''love'', but she knew Neko didn''t experience that. "¡ªsex did to those people."


    Inara reached out and grabbed Akari''s hands so gently it was as if they''d been suspended on a cushion of air. "Neko''s lovers ended up like that because of what she was taking, not what she was giving. And I am a giving lover."


    Akari felt that fear dissipate, but something equally concerning rose in its stead, a different kind of fear. "And will this change things between us? Change what we are to each other, how we interact?"


    "Yes, it will." Inara smiled. "But only for the better. My relationships with the other girls are not defined by our sexual encounters. Those moments are just one more ingredient in the stew, another flavor to add spice to our lives. And your moments would occur only as often as you want them."


    "Can I say yes now, while I have the nerve, but have some time to prepare before we do anything? I''m still a virgin, and this is¡­ a lot to take in."


    Inara nodded. "Of course."


    "Then my answer is yes. I want to be your lover. I''ve wanted it so bad I didn''t even realize what I''ve been feeling, like I was lost in a forest so dense the sun couldn''t reach the ground, and every tree was made of desire for you. I love you, Inara, and I don''t think that''s just your aura talking."


    "It isn''t. This entire conversation, I''ve been fighting tooth and nail to keep my aura suppressed. This is all you."


    "Then all of me wants you. All of you. I want to be let in and I want to know the real you, to support you when you need it, to give everything you''ll take, and take everything you''ll give!"


    Inara blinked. It was the most intense confession of love she''d ever received, and thanks to her aura and long life, she''d received many.


    Inara leaned forward and embraced Akari in a wonderfully warm hug.


    At a low whisper that was perfectly audible and perfectly intimate, Inara said, "I love you too, Akari. And while I can''t promise to let you into my darkest corners just yet, I will promise to support you, and let you support me."


    Just then, as Akari was feeling love and relief and elation and a hundred other feelings flow through her heart, she felt one feeling with an external source, a distant buzz that approached like lightning and vanished just as fast. It had been a burst of what Akari could only describe as magic, like the lingering sparkles of a fairy godmother''s spell.


    And if Akari''s eyes had been open during that instant which lasted less than a single second, she would have seen all nine of Inara''s tails pop firmly into existence, then fade. She would have witnessed Inara''s true form as it returned to the world, however briefly, for the first time in over a century.

 Ch 30 - A Vision of Beauty

    "Do you like wine?"


    Akari froze with one hand halfway into the washing machine and still clutching a dirty shirt. It wasn''t the question that alarmed her, so much as the implications. Why would Inara ask that, unless¡­


    "Um, I''m not really sure," Akari answered, glancing up at the goddess in the hallway. She wore a dark purple kimono today, with her shoulders almost completely bare and her cleavage off the charts. "I''ve had a little sake once or twice, but I''ve never even tasted other kinds of wine."


    "Oh no, that will not do at all," Inara said with exaggerated concern. "Would you like to join me for a private tasting tonight after our meeting? I''ve got several lovely wines, and I''m sure one of them will suit your palate."


    "Hmm," Akari said calmly, as if she was carefully thinking it over.


    In reality, she was freaking out and her thoughts were running a mile a minute in ten different directions. Would that be considered our first date? Will it lead to something more? I don''t really want my first intimate experience to be skewed by alcohol, but could I even go through with it without? Am I reading too much into this? And it probably won''t get sexual at all. Oh, but I kinda want it to get sexual. Wait, I do? Am I a pervert? For wanting to get intimate with my new and official lover? Hardly. That''s how things are supposed to go¡­


    Akari could imagine it clearly: Inara held her gently with one arm and plucked the near-empty wine glass from her hands with the other. Inara set the glass aside and returned to grasp Akari''s chin, her touch warmer even than Akari''s heated cheeks. Akari''s chin was lifted and she saw Inara''s lips approach, so soft and beautiful. She could feel hot breath on her lips and she smelled the sweet scent of red wine on Inara''s breath as they came together and¡ª


    "Yes. Yes. I would like to taste wine with you, Inara!" Akari blurted. Then she quickly hid her burning face behind another t-shirt.


    "Excellent! Feel free to dress up nice for your commission-progress presentation, then. I find that the right atmosphere can make a world of difference on the flavor of wine." Then she added, "But not too formal. It will only be us in there, after all."


    Akari was pretty sure Inara left after that, but she didn''t dare look back up for nearly a minute. She was clutching that shirt so tight she thought the poor thing might rip, and she felt like her face must have turned purple from not breathing.


    Then she thought, Oh! My presentation. It isn''t done yet!


    That got Akari moving again. She rushed through the rest of her laundry and flew down the hallway to her bedroom. It would be her second weekly presentation on the progress of Inara''s commissions, and she wanted to do it properly. And she also needed to decide what to wear¡­


    <hr>


    Even after Akari finished assembling a simple slideshow, using her phone since the laptop Hebi ordered had yet to arrive, and after she picked out a cute-yet-classy blouse and skirt combo to wear, she still had to make it through one final obstacle before her meeting: dinner with the rest of the household.


    "Would you pass me some more rice, Akari?"


    "Of course, Inara." she answered. "Here you go."


    Usagi noticed it first, of course. She''d overheard snippets of their conversations over the last week, but this was the most blatant yet. Akari and Inara were on a first-name basis now, with no honorifics or formality whatsoever.


    But it was Hebi who commented on it. "You two seem closer," she said with a subtle little smile that belied the bottomless stomach behind it. The smile was also short lived, since she soon resumed eating with gusto.


    "We do? How wonderful!" Inara replied. "I''ve said it before and I''ll say it again: I want all of us to be a close, happy, warm, and welcoming family!"


    "Even me?" Neko said with a scoff. She was underdressed for dinner, in just an oversized black t-shirt with some band''s logo on it. Her neon pink panties were slightly visible below the hem when she was standing, and on full display as she sat cross-legged at the low table.


    "Even you," Inara answered with a wide smile.


    "So what changed?" Usagi asked. Her face and her voice told very different stories about her mood: her smile was quite convincing, but her tone was that of simmering jealousy about to boil over.


    Akari refused to be passive in a conversation about her love life. She spoke up, "We''re uh, dating, I suppose."


    Inu put a restraining hand on Usagi''s practically vibrating shoulder and said, "Congrats." Then she looked Usagi in the eye and quietly said, "You agreed to this lifestyle long ago. Don''t make a scene now."


    Inara didn''t give her a chance anyway. The goddess hopped to her feet and proclaimed, "On that note, I need to get my room prepared. Akari has another presentation for me on the progress of those commissions! I think Kasumi has the final poses now. I''m so excited!"


    With eight tails and her silk kimono swishing, Inara pranced out of the room, leaving everyone else a little stunned and slow to resume conversation.


    "''On that note''?" Neko echoed, looking at Akari with one eyebrow raised. "Your dates are just presentations? That''s not dating, that''s work."


    "After the presentation, we''re doing a wine tasting." Then Akari fidgeted with her chopsticks. "I assume I''m not the only one she''s shared her wine passion with?"


    Inu shrugged. "I don''t drink."


    "I don''t either," Hebi added. Then she clarified, "Well, only for special occasions, because it affects me strongly."


    Everyone looked to Usagi, but when she didn''t respond, Neko answered instead. "She hasn''t invited me yet, but that does sound like fun. Drinking together is the best foreplay, right behind music."


    "She''s invited me before," Usagi said, quietly.


    "And? Give us the deets," Neko prodded.


    "I declined."


    The same puzzled look appeared on everyone''s face at the same time, silently pushing Usagi to explain.


    "It was a long time ago. I¡­ didn''t think it was right for me to be that informal around her. And I didn''t want to see her in a weakened, altered state." Usagi slumped to the table, using her dense braid of golden-brown hair as a pillow. "And she''s never asked me again."


    Inu spoke firmly, "She stopped asking me, too. I bet she thinks you don''t drink. You gotta communicate, Usagi."


    "I¡­ I know, but¡ª"


    Usagi was cut off by a loud chime, coming from Akari''s side of the table.


    "Sorry, that''s my alarm. Gotta get dressed for the meeting." Akari jumped up, set her dishes by the sink and dashed to the door. Before leaving, she turned back and said, "You can do it, Usagi."


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Usagi blinked in confusion, having expected jealousy in return. Then she remembered their conversation in the bath the other day, and remembered how Akari admitted she couldn''t handle Inara on her own. They were on the same team now, and it was time Usagi acted like it.


    She took a deep breath, then said, "I''ll talk to Mistre¡ª uh, Inara tomorrow."


    "There you go, girl!" Neko said with a grin. "Get that vixen!"


    The look of confusion returned to Usagi''s face. "Uh, I can understand Akari rooting for me, but why are you, Neko?"


    "Because sex is awesome. And no offense, Buns, but you need a lay."


    As Usagi blushed and gave Neko the cold shoulder, Inu giggled and said, "''Buns''? Isn''t that a bit of a boring nickname for a rabbit?"


    Neko shook her head. "Have you seen that ass? It''s legit!"


    Hebi nodded sagely. "I must admit, that ass is legit."


    Neko''s tails played seductively along her lips and throat while she looked at Hebi and Usagi with a grin. "Sweet, we''re on the same page. Now if you two got some room in your little dom-sub gig, I''m always open to jam. I prefer to power-bottom, but I''m a decent switch if needed."


    Usagi sat up bolt-straight and glared fiercely at Neko, not saying a word.


    "That''s one mean cover of Silent Jealousy. Point taken," Neko responded. She started to gather everyone''s empty dishes from the table. As she placed them by the sink, she couldn''t help but wiggle her butt and add, "The offer stands, though."


    <hr>


    "Thank you for that wonderful presentation, Akari. Your hard work really shows."


    "Uh, thanks, but the artists are the ones doing all the work. I still can''t believe how much progress Tetsuhiro made."


    "Don''t underestimate yourself, dear. And don''t overestimate their progress. From what I''ve seen of artistry, from the outside of course, when the work looks 90% done, more than half of it remains in the forms of adjustments and polish."


    "I can see that," Akari responded, but her thoughts were already elsewhere, on the upcoming wine and whatever came with it. There was a hungry feeling deep in her chest, even though she''d just eaten. And it wasn''t sexual desire, at least not entirely. It was a longing, a need for companionship that she''d been subconsciously suppressing for who knew how long. And now she was going to fulfill it, and that thought was enough to get her heart hammering.


    Akari smoothed her pale pink blouse, noting how the lacy texture and darker color of her bra showed through the thin material when under pressure. Then she said, "Shall we have some wine? After you talked it up, I''m really curious." But her temporary confidence vanished and she quickly added, "But don''t let me drink too much, in case I''m a lightweight."


    "Of course, of course," Inara said, already waving Akari along toward a stout black box in the corner of the room, mostly hidden behind a kimono stand with a deep red kimono displayed on it. As Akari got closer, she realized the box was humming gently and had a small blue LED on the front, glowing brightly.


    "A mini-fridge?" It seemed so out of place among all the classical art that Akari couldn''t help but comment.


    "Close. This is a wine cooler, a technological marvel designed to keep up to thirty bottles at their ideal temperatures. And it''s not nearly as dirty or bothersome as maintaining a wine cellar."


    Inara opened the cooler, which hissed quietly as the air-tight seal broke, and started confidently pulling out bottles. "A good host would offer their guest the choice of wine, but I''m sure you''d prefer I make the calls in this case?"


    "Yes, please."


    "Well, based on your taste in sweets, I''m sure you''ll like this white wine, and you can never go wrong with a good merlot." Inara looked closely at a short, squat bottle for a moment, then returned it. "Let''s save the sake for another time, perhaps in the bath."


    The mental image of Inara in the bath leapt into Akari''s mind, and it wasn''t wholly unwelcome. She''d seen that sight so many times, yet it took her breath away every time. And now that the picture was in her head, Akari found herself staring freely. Uh oh, am I becoming a lewd woman? Or is this natural?


    "¡ªor crackers, or both?"


    Akari had missed the first half of the question. "Huh? I zoned out, sorry."


    "I asked if you liked cheese, crackers, or both. I''ve got some here to snack on while we chat." Then Inara leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, "They aren''t anything special though. I have Hebi buy simple ones so they don''t distract from the taste of the wine."


    Akari was distracted alright, by the lovely expanse of skin spilling out the top of Inara''s kimono. She was suddenly very conscious of her own bra, and even more aware of Inara''s lack thereof. "Um, whatever is fine," she managed, barely.


    "Cheese it is," Inara proclaimed. She gathered something from the bottom shelf of the wine cooler, presumably cheese, along with some utensils stored nearby. Then she led the slightly overwhelmed Akari to a corner of the room filled with pillows and small cushions.


    It reminded Akari of those stereotypical ''Arabian'' harem rooms, with hanging silks and beautiful women in transparent veils, and she supposed that wasn''t far from the truth. There were certainly enough cushions here for every woman in the house, if they could ever agree to share Inara to such an open degree.


    Inara flopped onto a cushion, then started pouring wine into glasses with practiced ease. "So, Akari¡­" she started. "How are you? Not your work or your relationships with the others. How are you doing?"


    Akari hummed in thought, barely even noticing when Inara handed her a glass with a small amount of white wine in it. "I''m good, I think."


    Inara took a slow sip of her own drink. "You think?"


    "Yeah. I''m happy here. I didn''t have many friends before this. Or family. And now I have both. Everything''s really different, of course. This is hardly a normal life, but it''s a good one."


    "That''s wonderful to hear, Akari."


    Akari finally took a sip of her wine, then blurted, "Ooh, that''s really good. Sweet, tangy. A little bitter, I guess from the alcohol." She took another larger sip. "Is this expensive?"


    "Not particularly. I limit my spending to half the interest our account generates," Inara said, mostly truthfully. That white wine was cheaper than most of the wines in her collection, but it was still 10,000 yen a bottle.


    "And what about you, Inara? How are you?"


    Inara chuckled. "So quick to move on from yourself! But, if you insist, I''m quite good." She passed Akari a small plate with a few slices of cheese on it. "Especially with you here."


    "Why''s that?" Akari asked. She nibbled some of the cheese, which was dry and dense, with a mild smoky flavor. She drank more wine and smiled at how well they went together.


    "Because I love you, of course. And being with those you love is the greatest thing on Earth, in my opinion. For all I want to embody self-improvement, there can be no self-love without the love of others to show you how it''s done."


    Akari was blushing, but she didn''t want the praise to stop. "And why do you love me?"


    Inara scooted her cushion closer under the guise of refilling Akari''s glass with another helping of white wine. The portion was just as small as the last pouring, but the night was young. Then she answered, "Because you''re adorable and earnest, appreciative and excitable. Because you''re a lovely person who completes my weaknesses, and most of all, because you love me. It''s a bit of a, what do you call it when something shouldn''t be possible because it needs its result to happen first?"


    "A paradox?" Akari guessed.


    "Yes! A paradox. Love does not happen in one direction, at least not entirely. You have to meet your partner halfway, so to speak." Inara scooted a little closer, and Akari found herself doing the same until they were side by side, thighs touching. Then Inara wrapped one arm around Akari''s shoulders. Inara held her gently with one arm and plucked the empty wine glass from her hands with the other.


    Starting at the crown of Akari''s head, a shiver rippled from her scalp to her toes. This was almost exactly like the scene she imagined earlier when she agreed to taste wine with Inara. Unnervingly alike.


    But when Akari expected her to set it aside, to return and grasp Akari''s chin, Inara turned away instead. She filled the glass with red wine, and returned it.


    "This one''s my personal favorite. Hard to find, but absolutely worth it." She smiled and added, "But drink it slowly. It''s stronger."


    Akari blinked away the strange deja vu, the imperfect vision she had experienced, and smiled back. "Thanks for the warning. I''m already feeling the other wine a little. It''s nice. Like a hot spring for my belly and my mind."


    Giggling, Inara said, "That''s not a way I''ve heard it described before, but it''s quite accurate."


    As Inara sipped her red wine with a look of contented bliss on her face, Akari''s thoughts drifted unwillingly. An image came to mind of Inara''s dark purple kimono strewn on the floor, with an embroidered pattern on the inside, the silhouette of a fox. It was strange, because Akari had never seen the inside of that kimono before. And what fun was there in a mental picture of clothes on the floor? Akari wanted another scene of romance, or of Inara naked. Then the picture vanished.


    Akari reached out and pinched Inara''s kimono sleeve with a finger and thumb. It was soft, yet dense. Substantial. Real, at least she thought so. She looked up at Inara''s golden eyes and rosy cheeks. "This kimono is real, isn''t it? Not one of your projections?"


    "It''s real. Like I said, clothing and atmosphere affect the enjoyment of wine, and I might as well get some use out of these vintage kimonos." Inara gave Akari''s shoulders a gentle squeeze. "You look lovely, Akari, in case I didn''t say it already."


    "Oh, thank you."


    Then Inara tilted her head questioningly. "But how''d you guess? I''ve spent many years making my projected clothing flawless."


    "Just a feeling," Akari said, and it was mostly true. It wasn''t until later that night, long after Inara''s kimono had been shed in a moment of passion, that Akari would glimpse the silhouette of a fox embroidered inside, exactly like in her vision. And in that blissful moment, she wouldn''t fully comprehend the meaning.

 Ch 31 - A Feast for One

    The mood struck Usagi the minute Akari left for her meeting with Inara. She knew the private date would turn into more, she knew the wine tasting wouldn''t be the end of their night together. And it tore at her heart like a wild animal.


    Jealousy was an ugly and invasive thing. So Usagi fought to shut it out, to shut it down. And she had two weapons that had proven effective in that fight: keeping herself busy, and focusing on her relationship with Hebi. So she started cooking the moment the kitchen was cleaned up from dinner.


    She pulled out frozen beef to thaw, gathered a half-dozen different homegrown veggies from the fridge, and tapped into the entire spice rack for inspiration. Then she added noodles, rice, and potatoes to her rapidly filling counter-space, plus some fresh eel that had been originally intended for a family meal, but was now being repurposed.


    After all, Hebi had a nearly bottomless stomach, and she''d devour and appreciate every single thing Usagi cooked for her. And Usagi expected to do a lot of cooking before the night was done, before the event that ruined her mood was in the past and out of mind.


    She was thirty minutes in when someone finally noticed what she was up to. Inu stopped in the hallway outside the kitchen and said, "Uh, getting an early start on breakfast? Or prepping meals in advance for the week?"


    Usagi danced lightly on her toes from counter to counter, mixing something here, adding a few spices there, and even kneading some dough for a baking project unknown. Her soft puff of a tail wiggled happily to a tune no one else could hear. After a delay so long that Inu thought she hadn''t been heard, Usagi finally answered, "Making a feast for Hebi."


    Inu looked over the insane quantity of food being prepared, easily enough to feed the entire household for two days. And she could smell all the ingredients being used. Good ones. Expensive ones. "Uh. Okay¡­ Any special occasion I should be aware of?"


    "Nope! Just loving on her."


    That''s when it clicked, when Inu realized what was up. Usagi was jealous, and this was her way of coping. It was certainly more productive than seething, so Inu was reluctant to discourage it. "Ah, okay. Have fun."


    "Oh, I will," Usagi said with surprising force.


    Inu blinked, then scampered away to her bedroom. She didn''t want any part of that.


    <hr>


    Akari was tipsy. Even with no prior experience with alcohol, she was sure of that. She was pretty sure she wasn''t drunk, at least not like the salarymen she''d seen stumble down main street after having too much to drink with their coworkers. But she supposed she wouldn''t mind if she did get to that point, since her bedroom was just down the hallway.


    If she even made it to her bedroom. The way things were going with Inara¡­


    "So Akari, I gotta know," Inara said, a single tail wrapped around her arm like a feather boa. "Did you manage to help your friend? I believe her name was Hanako?"


    "It is, and I did." Akari took another sip of white wine. She''d switched back to white after a single glass of red. She was a sucker for sweetness, it seemed. "She''s feeling much better, not losing sleep any more, and we had a great time together at the amusement park."


    "That''s so wonderful to hear. I may have seemed callous when talking about her memory issues, and for that I am sorry. So many years of distancing myself from humanity had tarnished my attitude toward them. I must improve it."


    Akari nodded along, but her thoughts were still on Hanako, and that very date-like day at the amusement park. She wanted a date like that with Inara, but she was sure it was impossible. Inara''s aura would draw too much attention. Then a different thought caught her mind in an iron grip: had Hanako ever asked out Ayumi? If so, how did it go?


    Akari looked up at Inara, eyes shining. "Do you mind if I text Hanako? I really wanna know if she confessed to her crush yet."


    Inara leaned forward, instantly just as excited. "Not at all. I wanna know too. Her crush, is it a girl? I''m making some assumptions, I know, based on her interaction with Neko, and I''m sorry for that."


    Akari waved a hand, "It''s fine, and yes she''s a girl. But last I spoke with Hanako, we didn''t know if Ayumi was into girls."


    Akari quickly typed up a text, gave it three re-reads to make sure she hadn''t bungled it too bad in her tipsy state, then sent it. She stared at the phone for nearly a minute, then said, "Bah, no point waiting for a text. She''s probably busy anyway."


    "More cheese?" Inara offered. "Or if you want something more substantial, I can slip out to the kitchen and get you something."


    Akari thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "Just cheese sounds good. It goes pretty well with this white wine." She gestured with her glass, then realized it was empty. "Oh, I''m out."


    Inara shook her head in shame, her flowing red locks spilling past her wine-pink cheeks. "I''m a terrible host. I should have kept you topped off."


    Akari playfully swatted at Inara''s hand. "Psh, you promised to keep me from getting too drunk, and you can''t do that if you''re on refill autopilot."


    "Autopilot. That''s not a word I''ve heard before. I believe I can figure out what it means. How fun!"


    Akari scratched her chin and said, "You''ve been in your curious mood a lot lately. Any reason why?"


    Inara pulled her single tail around and into her lap, then ran her fingers through the soft fur. "I''ve been curious about the same thing, actually." She flashed Akari a grin, then continued, "And I think it''s because we''re at that amazing point in our relationship where everything is new and different. I want to relish that, to appreciate it as deeply as possible."


    "That makes sen¡ª"


    "And because I want to know more about you. About how you tick, about what you like and dislike. About what you love." The look in Inara''s eyes had become intense, almost predatory. Akari half expected to see drool dripping down Inara''s chin, like a cartoon caricature of a wolf stalking its prey.


    "O-oh, okay," Akari managed. Her pulse had quickened, but she wasn''t afraid. "Ask me anything."


    Inara let go of her tail, and put both her hands on Akari''s. She grabbed them gently, then said, "I''d prefer to let our bodies do the talking."


    It was at that moment that Akari had two very important revelations. First, she realized she''d been incorrectly thinking of Inara''s four-tail mode as the only sexual one. In reality, it was the one most tied to physical need but it was hardly the only one interested in sex. Akari had already seen the five-tail ''caring'' Inara flirt with her, and both her dominant and submissive modes were surely laced with sexuality. And now ''curious'' Inara was very interested in sex.


    Her second realization was more of a vague awareness than a conscious thought, the result of all the systems and sensations of her body coming together in agreement. Her mind was there, lounging in the mellow fog of alcohol and completely free of fear. Her body was there, from the heat in her wine-filled belly to the different kind of heat between her legs. And her heart was so on board it was captaining the ship. The entirety of Akari had rallied behind a single statement, two little words that leapt from her tongue like a high-diver into the waiting pool below:


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    "I''m ready."


    <hr>


    Akari never did make it back to her own bedroom that night. There was what felt like a lifetime of kissing and exploration, of hands beneath clothes and lips on every square inch of exposed skin. An eternity of learning and growing comfortable that in reality lasted just under an hour. Then Akari was carried to a bed so soft she briefly worried she might sink into it forever.


    Inara undressed Akari first, gently removing each article of clothing like a holy seal securing a ceremonial offering. For a long moment, she just looked and savored Akari''s natural beauty, imperfect and unique in all the world. Then she shed her own kimono, a regal thing of hand-stitched silk older than any living human, and tossed it unceremoniously aside. As it fell to the floor, it caught Akari''s eye and distracted her from Inara''s naked form just long enough for a powerful wave of deja vu to crash over her thoughts.


    Within that purple kimono, stitched to the inside at a life-size scale, was an embroidered fox that Akari had never seen before, but nonetheless knew. It had been within a daydream, a bit of wishful thinking, that she had glimpsed that fox on the inside of Inara''s kimono. And now it was real, in the exact same scene she had imagined. Every detail matched, down to the rise and fall of the wrinkles in the cloth, down to the glare of the corner lamp off the smooth silk, partially obscuring the fox''s hand-stitched ears.


    But before Akari could dwell on it, her entire consciousness was pulled back to the figure before her, the glorious and flawless form of a literal goddess, naked and majestic. There was no shame, no doubt, and no unnecessary ornamentation: just Inara in the flesh, with her vibrant hair tumbling down and around her breasts, not hiding them but cupping them, framing them like a masterpiece painting.


    Akari wanted her then, so badly it hurt. It reminded her of her confession just the week before, reminded her of the intense need she had finally escaped by setting it free, by admitting the depth of her devotion to Inara. But for all her desire, Akari had no plan. No idea of the path to take in the coming hours. She was a virgin, and she regretted it not because of some societal bias against virgins, but because her lack of experience had left her helpless and inactive in the face of her lover.


    "What should I¡ª?"


    Inara shushed her with a single finger, hot and firm against Akari''s lips. "Let our bodies talk. Just listen to them."


    The finger withdrew, but it was immediately replaced by lips, pressing hard against her own. Akari toppled backwards to the bed, then felt soft hair cascade across her upper body as Inara straddled her and kissed again and again. Inara''s lips revisited all the places they had explored before, when the two women had been still mostly clothed. Then they traversed new territory, mapping out Akari''s body in extreme detail, cataloguing every squeak and moan, every ticklish gulf and tender peak.


    Inara lingered a little wherever Akari liked the attention, but always moved on before long, eagerly searching for new and novel experiences, as if she planned to learn everything about Akari''s body in a single night using only her lips and tongue. And just when Akari started to feel impatient, started to want to return the favor or try something entirely new, Inara shifted gears.


    She grabbed Akari''s shoulders and tumbled sideways, rolling Akari on top. She gave an inviting wink and wrapped her legs around Akari''s lower back, locking them together with Akari in a position of power that she had no idea how to use.


    But she was sure she could figure it out, somehow.


    <hr>


    The next day was surreal. Nothing felt quite right for anyone in the house.


    At breakfast, Inara and Akari were practically floating, still riding the high of the previous night. Even on less than four hours of sleep, Akari felt alert and alive. Invigorated. And the difference in their relationship was obvious in how they whispered and flirted, the way they fed each other bits of breakfast with natural familiarity.


    They were halfway through their meal before they even noticed the piles of plastic containers and cling-wrapped platters of food that covered the kitchen counters and filled half the fridge.


    "What''s all that?" Akari asked.


    Inu, who had been awake for hours and had already returned from a solo jog, bathed, and whipped up her own breakfast from what little food remained in the fridge, said, "It''s a feast for Hebi. Usagi''s coping mechanism."


    Inara asked, "And where are those two?"


    Inu''s fluffy platinum-blonde ears wiggled for a moment, twisting toward the hallway door and Hebi''s room beyond. Then she answered, "Usagi''s other coping mechanism."


    Akari''s cheeks went pink and she asked, "Uh, can you hear everything that happens in this house?"


    "I can''t hear what goes on in Inara''s room."


    Akari visibly relaxed.


    Inu touched one finger to the tip of her nose. "But I can smell it on you two."


    Akari curled into a ball of beet-red embarrassment, but Inara just chuckled and said, "Sorry about that, Inu. We''ll take a bath right after we finish eating."


    "Cool." Inu packed up her dishes and started to rinse them in the sink. Then she stopped and looked back at Akari. "I''m not jealous, and I don''t really know what I mean by this, but you seem different this morning, Akari."


    "Huh? Like how?"


    "I don''t know. It''s like you''re more real than you were yesterday."


    Akari giggled. "Well, I''ve always been quite real, so I don''t know how I could be more real now."


    "It''s not the best description, but it''s all I''ve got." Inu set her rinsed dishes in the dishwasher, said, "Have a nice bath," and left.


    Inara had been quiet during the interaction, but she spoke up after Inu was gone. "That wasn''t like Inu. She seems anxious."


    "Yeah¡­" Akari frowned. She believed Inu when she said she wasn''t jealous, but something was definitely wrong. I just hope I didn''t somehow harm my closest friendship.


    <hr>


    Inara and Akari were soaking in the bath, relaxing with one arm around the other''s shoulders. Akari was ignoring the nagging desire in the back of her mind that came to life at the sight of Inara''s nudity. She''d rather just unwind and enjoy the moment. She wanted more of last night, of course, but intimacy could wait for the privacy of Inara''s room.


    Then there was a knock on the door, and a giggly voice called, "Ya''ll decent in there? I''m comin'' in." Neko sauntered in, her twin tails and hips wiggling, then she sat down at a faucet with her back to the pool. It gave Akari a phenomenal view of her butt, and for once she wasn''t distracted by it.


    "Good morning, Neko," Inara said casually.


    "Is it? Ain''t actually checked a clock." The cat spirit yawned, then added, "And I was woken up at some accursed time last night by that shockwave. Had a bitch of a time getting back to sleep."


    "Shockwave?" Inara and Akari asked in unison. Akari blushed at the coincidence, and Inara flashed her a small smile.


    "Dang, you didn''t even notice? Musta been some damn good sex. Good on ya."


    Inara said, "Seriously, what are you talking about, Neko?"


    "A monumentous thing happened, and I''ve never been so close to it before."


    "Elaborate," Inara insisted.


    Neko spun around on her seat, putting her washing on hold. She pressed one arm across her chest and held her chin with the other. "Let me guess¡­ The other girls are antsy? Maybe avoiding you two?"


    Akari nodded eagerly. "Yeah. I assumed it was jealousy."


    "In part," Neko said, "But it''s mostly a new sensation, an awareness they can''t shake. Even I''m feeling it, and my bond to Inara ain''t nothin'' compared to theirs. Usagi''s been here for centuries, so she prolly felt it hours before it hit, like achy joints before a storm."


    Inara was growing annoyed. "Spit it out, Neko. What are you talking about?"


    The cat smiled ear to ear. "Akari has bonded with you, Goddess. And not like a lover. Not even like a worshipper with her god. Nuh uh, you two clicked like two magnets, like a doll''s arm in the socket, like a bullet in a gun." The grin faded and her tone went serious. "Like a goddess and her chosen one."


    Neko turned away and resumed cleaning, lathering up a loofah and washing her back with remarkable flexibility. "Tsk, tsk, not even given an explanation," she mused. "That''s gotta be hard on the poor girls."


    "Uh, what?" Akari asked, already looking to Inara for clarity. "What''s that mean?"


    Inara slumped against the edge of the bath, eyes closed. "I should have known. I''ve seen this before, but I assumed it wouldn''t happen to me, that I was too fractured to agree on something so strongly." She pulled Akari close and said, "It''s as Neko said. Inadvertently though it may be, you''re sort of my chosen one now, my primary disciple."


    "And what does that mean? Does it change anything?"


    "It changes nothing, and everything. It''s like if I turned up the thermostat for the shrine by a few degrees. No one would notice it at first, but it would affect them nonetheless. And without an explanation, they''d grow irritable. That was what we saw with Inu at breakfast."


    "I meant with me," Akari blurted, letting herself be selfish for once. "What''s being a ''chosen one'' going to do to me?"


    Inara kissed her on the forehead. "I don''t know, but I love you, so the effects will only be good. I promise."


    Neko splashed into the bath and let out a loud sigh as the heat penetrated her body. Then she said, "Want me to tell the girls what''s up? I can explain it to ''em for you."


    Inara shook her head. "No. I''ve dedicated myself and this shrine to personal growth, and that means doing this myself. I will tell the others, individually. But thank you for the offer, Neko, and thank you for making me aware of the situation."


    Neko''s ears twitched at the praise and she reclined deeper into the hot water of the bath. "No probs, Goddess. Happy to help."

 Ch 32 - Revelation

    "Oh! She says it went really well," Akari announced to the three other women in the kitchen. She was sitting at the dinner table, dressed in a cute skirt and blouse combo as if she was ready to go out somewhere.


    "Who?" Inu asked. In contrast, she was wearing a sports bra and terry-cloth shorts, like she planned to resume working out after the meal.


    Akari waved her cell phone, with a text message on its screen. "Oh, my friend Hanako. She confessed to her crush, a girl named Ayumi. I guess it went well." She paused for a second, then said, "I''m really happy for her."


    "That''s wonderful!" Inara cheered, raising her glass of water. Her loose kimono, a royal purple today, almost spilled open from the motion. Then she cast a seething glare in Neko''s direction and added, "I''m glad she''s recovered, too."


    Neko''s ears popped up and her eyes went wide and sympathetic. "Hey now, Goddess, I''m sorry about what I did, and you got me on a nice short leash now. No need to hammer that nail."


    "Of course, of course." Inara relaxed, then added, "And I was partially to blame for Hanako''s situation as well. Let''s just focus on the good news." She turned to face Akari. "I take it Ayumi returned the sentiment?"


    "Not quite. She''s not sure whether she''s into women, but she''s curious."


    Neko burst out laughing, earning curious looks from the other three women. Once she calmed down enough to speak, she said, "If she said that, she''s def into women. I never met a ''curious'' woman who didn''t melt at my fingertips. The only real question is whether she''s interested in a relationship with a woman. Humans get so hung up on that stuff."


    "So, are we gonna talk about this relationship?" Inu blurted.


    Everyone turned to face Inu, then Neko followed her gaze to Akari and Inara. The two were seated so close together they could be mistaken for conjoined twins. They were definitely in that new-couple phase where they tried to be together literally all the time.


    "You''re some sort of chosen one now, Akari?" Inu continued. She had received a brief explanation of the strange new development from Inara in private, but she wasn''t satisfied.


    "Uh, I guess so," Akari said.


    "Yes, she is," Inara said at the same time. "But I was hoping to address that with everyone present. Maybe tomorrow after Hebi and Usagi''s ''date''."


    "You mean after Hebi finishes eating all our food?" Inu raised her chopsticks and let some fried noodles flop back onto her plate. "Leaving us with this greasy delivery yakisoba?"


    "I ordered extra meat for you¡­" Akari said, frowning.


    "I know and I''m thankful," Inu said, "but this just isn''t very good."


    Akari''s expression became even more pitiful. "Okay. I won''t order from that place again. Sorry¡­"


    "Hold up!" Inara said firmly. "Emotions are running high right now and I''m to blame for that. No one else should feel bad about any of this."


    Neko grinned and bounced on her cushion. "Great leadership, Goddess."


    Inu shot a suspicious glance at Neko, then shrugged and said, "Fine, we''ll talk tomorrow."


    Inara shook her head. "No, anything worth saying is worth saying twice. I''ll explain everything to the best of my understanding, and I''ll say it again tomorrow with Hebi and Usagi present. You three should be there too, to participate in the conversation."


    "O-okay¡­" Inu said, blinking in surprise.


    Inara scooted a bit to her left, putting a whole foot between her and Akari, and she sat up straight and tall, then she explained, "Akari is a Chosen One, a human selected by a god to be their voice and representative in the world. It had never been a common thing, and then it fell out of favor centuries ago. Akari might be the only one alive right now."


    "That''s rather ominous¡­" Akari said, earning a giggle from Neko.


    Inara continued, "It''s actually very beneficial. It comes with spiritual protection, a stronger bond, and sometimes special abilities based on the god''s domains."


    Akari silently raised one hand.


    Inara nodded her way. "Yes, Akari?"


    Akari took a deep breath, then said, "I think I know what special ability I got¡­"


    Everyone leaned closer, eyes gleaming and expectant.


    "Uh, I had two small visions, like deja vu. Glimpses of the future."


    "When?" Inara asked.


    "Last night. Um, before the ''shockwave''." Akari meant before they made love, but she couldn''t bring herself to say it that way. All of this stuff was so new and overwhelming. "The main one showed me the design on the inside of your kimono, long before I''d ever seen it."


    "Anything since?"


    Akari shook her head. "Not yet, but I feel different. Like there''s something on the edges of my memory. Like if I tried hard enough, I could remember forward. Does that make any sense?"


    "Oh, this gon'' be good," Neko mumbled to herself.


    Inu just stared and blinked.


    Inara opened her mouth, but no sound came out.


    Akari broke the silence. "Uh, what''s wrong, Inara?"


    Inara hung her head, and shook it side to side. "That doesn''t make any sense. Foresight isn''t in my domain. Not my old one or the current. Why would you get that ability?"


    "Ooh, I have an idea," Neko cut in. She turned and grinned at Akari. "Hey, Akari, what''s your biggest worry right now, the thing that sometimes keeps you up at night?"


    "Uh." Akari looked around, looking for assistance with the odd question. She found only curious faces watching her expectantly. "I guess¡­" She thought for a moment, and the answer wasn''t far away.


    "I guess I''ve been worried about my future. Whether I''ll get to keep living here at the shrine, whether my life will ever go back to ''normal'', whether I''ll go to college some day. That sort of stuff."


    Quietly, her voice barely over a whisper, Inara said, "And my power tried to give you the tools to answer your questions¡­"


    "Ding, ding, ding!" Neko cheered. "You ''chose'' a mortal with hangups about the future, Inara, and you made yourself a little seer. And grats, Akari. Hella sweet ability."


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    Then Neko looked back to Inara with an intense gleam in her green eyes. "And grats on a new domain."


    Akari also to Inara. "Huh?"


    Inara didn''t speak, so Neko did. "That ''chosen one'' business goes both ways, ladies. The student influences the master, or somethin'' like that."


    Inu stared across the table at Neko. "How do you know all this? You''re just a major spirit like me."


    "For now. I got goals, honey, so I did my research. And you spend enough time around priests and monks, you start to learn how the spiritual world works."


    What had happened to Hanako was still on Akari''s mind, and she took major issue with Neko''s vague explanation. "Spend time? That''s not all you did," Akari spat. "You stole from them. You''re like a vampire."


    Inara cut in, "Stop. Remember that everybody''s nerves are running hot right now. Don''t let your emotions run away with you." She let out a slow and deliberate breath. "And I need to process this too. I was ready to add personal growth to my domain. Representing it should be pretty simple since it''s a part of normal life. But foresight is supernatural. It''s not something we can just advertise on the shrine gates."


    After an awkward pause where no one else had anything to say, the goddess pushed away her remaining yakisoba, which she hadn''t particularly enjoyed either, and said, "Let''s all sleep on this and convene in the morning."


    "Okay," Akari said, even though she had two-hundred questions and no answers. And her supposed foresight wasn''t giving her anything.


    <hr>


    Neko''s ears must have been nearly as sensitive as Inu''s, because she turned to face Akari while she was still hidden in the darkened front hall.


    "Can''t sleep?" Neko asked. She was sitting on the shrine''s front steps with a heavy blanket over her shoulders. Her breath was visible in the dull orange lantern light.


    Akari sat down on the same step. She was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, and the cold air felt good on her face. "I''d be more surprised if I could sleep, after learning all that."


    "Yep. That''s why I''m out here, actually. Waiting for you."


    "Huh? Do you have foresight too?"


    Neko giggled. "Nah, just a hunch that paid off. I figured you or Inu would go for a midnight stroll, and I wanted to be here to help ya out. If you want help, that is. No pressure."


    "I''ll take everything I can get right now." Akari sighed deeply. "I''ve always been different, with my ability to see spirits, but then I moved in here and I started to feel normal. It was nice." She slumped forward, resting her head on her knees. "And now I''ve got a weird new ability that even Inara doesn''t understand."


    "Weird is normal," Neko said seriously, despite the total contradiction. "Everyone is weird, everyone is different, everyone has some part of them that no one else understands."


    Akari raised one eyebrow. "Since when have you been a wisdom-dispensing sage?"


    "Since I turned 200 and got my certificate in the mail," Neko joked. "Or, since I started to consider you a friend."


    Akari blinked at the cat spirit, looking for signs of deception in her gorgeous eyes. "You do?"


    "I do. Despite my shit reputation, I am capable of relationships." She cracked a smile and waved a hand at the clear night sky. "Sometimes. When the stars align."


    "Me too," Akari said. "I mean, I consider you my friend too."


    Neko punched Akari in the shoulder. "Aw damn, you''re makin'' me blush." Then her face went stoic. "Seriously though, you got any questions about all this chosen one BS, I''ll answer best I can."


    "Thanks, Neko¡­" Akari trailed off, staring at the starlit sky. Here on the edge of the city, far from the light pollution of millions of humans, even the milky way was visible, at least on a clear autumn night.


    She could pick out a dozen stars with religious associations, constellations with stories and lessons to share, and not a single one of them applied to her weird new life in the Mori-jinsha shrine. But there was someone right next to her who might have some answers.


    Akari opened her mouth to speak, then realized something: her new power wasn''t the biggest problem on her mind, not remotely. Looming large in her thoughts, like a deep red sunset hiding all the stars, was something more important to Akari than her own issues. Her friends. Her family. She hated it when they snapped at each other, when they couldn''t get along. She missed Hebi after not so much as glimpsing her for over a day, and she knew she needed to face and overcome Usagi''s jealousy. And she wanted things to go back to normal with Inu.


    "Hey, Neko."


    "Ya?"


    "You know how everybody''s tempers are running hot, because of all these changes? How would you fix that?"


    "Hell yeah they are. Inara''s thermostat metaphor was dead on. But we can''t just turn down the heat to where it was, so we gotta open the windows."


    "Uh¡­ huh. What''s that mean?"


    Neko mimed opening a window, then cupped her hands around her mouth and silently shouted through the imaginary window. Then she explained, "People gotta vent. Let the frustration out. As for how, I''m thinking friendly competition is a slick way to burn off some frustration. Inu''d definitely agree, with her love of sports manga."


    Akari agreed, even if she couldn''t really picture the kind of competition Neko was going for. Competing with the others to give inarizushi to Inara had been pretty fun, she thought. "So, what would we compete at?"


    "Popularity," Neko said simply.


    "Popularity" Akari frowned. "If we''re fighting for Inara''s attention, the competition won''t be very friendly."


    "No, no. Among the visitors to the shrine! We hold a popularity contest at the next festival. We all dress up and put on a show. Let the visitors vote for who they liked best. Japan''s obsessed with pop idols, so let''s capitalize on that."


    Akari giggled. "Well, you said ''capitalize'', so I''m sure Hebi''s on board. She''ll find a way to turn a profit from the whole thing for sure."


    "So are you on board?" Neko asked.


    Akari nodded. "Sure, I''m up for it. I''ve got a head start since the public actually knows me." Then a puzzled look came across Akari''s features. "But what if my foresight does something that gives me an edge in the contest?"


    "Then good on ya. You gotta learn how to use it eventually, and natural abilities should be fair game in this contest. Well, as long as they don''t stain the shrine''s reputation."


    "I feel like that last bit was aimed at yourself."


    "By choice or not, this is my home now. And if I screw things up for it, it''d only make my life harder." Neko smiled broadly. "So, miss miko, when''s the next festival?"


    "Aki Matsuri," Akari answered instantly. "On November 3rd, or at least that''s when Shinj¨­ holds theirs. It''s a fall harvest festival down in the city, and our shrine would be more than welcome to participate."


    "Hmmmm," Neko hummed, rubbing her chin. "I suppose that''ll do. Think you can get a stage near the celebration for our little idol show?"


    "As long as we keep the show Shinto related."


    Neko bowed her head dramatically. "Of course."


    Akari went still, then slowly turned to look Neko in the eyes. "Hold up. This festival would be outside shrine grounds."


    Neko''s eyes gleamed back in the low light, just like a cat''s. "Yep."


    "But you aren''t allowed outside."


    Neko grinned. "I suppose that''s true."


    Akari''s eyes narrowed. "So you''ve got some sort of plan to get Inara to let you go?"


    "I do indeed. I call it ''Operation Be a Great Person So That Inara Naturally Expands My Privileges and Eases My Prison Sentence''. Or you can call it ''Time Served for Good Behavior'' for short."


    "And you think that will work?"


    "You''re the seer. You tell me."


    Akari giggled at that, then stopped abruptly when she realized it didn''t have to be a joke. "I guess it can''t hurt to try. Give me a sec."


    Akari took a slow breath, then focused on that feeling that had been at the edge of her mind all day, the one that was so familiar and foreign at the same time. It really did feel like remembering forward, and now that she had a way to describe it, the sensation came through even clearer.


    She thought back to that morning, to breakfast and her bath with Inara and Neko. Then to the calm hour when she checked her email for messages from Kasumi and prepared notes for tomorrow''s call with Tetsuhiro. Then she recalled ordering Yakisoba and picking it up from a puzzled delivery driver at the shed by the road.


    After the tense and unsatisfying meal, she tried and failed to get to sleep, and that brought her to the present. There wasn''t anything else to remember.


    Until there was.


    Like a daydream she couldn''t control, like a movie skipping scenes randomly, her thoughts flew forward in time. She caught a glimpse of a stone fox statue, fully finished and ready for shipment. She saw more than a little naked flesh, most of it belonging to Inara. And she saw a woman in a crowd wearing a shrine maiden outfit, with black ears sticking up over shiny black hair. Two tails flicked through the air, broadcasting the owner''s pleased attitude.


    Akari tried to look around, to see more of the festival, but the scene suddenly dropped out from under her feet, and she was falling. She saw the shrine covered in a foot of snow, then baking in the summer sun while cicadas sang. She saw Shinj¨­ under construction, with massive cranes reshaping the skyline and a new bullet-train station being built right at the bottom of the hill beneath the shrine.


    Faster and faster, glimpses of future memories flew past her, captured moments like drops in a rainstorm of time.


    She reached out for something, anything to hold onto. But her fingers passed harmlessly through the visions, leaving only ripples in their wake. And the visions kept coming, accelerating more with every passing second. She no longer tried to make sense of the images. There were too many, too fast. She only wanted it to stop, but she didn''t know how.


    Akari wanted off this ride. She was scared and overwhelmed beyond belief.


    And then everything went black.

 Ch 33 - The Day After

    "And you handled the meeting with Tetsuhiro?" Inara asked. She was seated at the kitchen table, looking unusually frazzled for a goddess. Her hair was a mess, and there were dark patches under her eyes.


    Hebi nodded. "Yes, Boss. I texted and emailed him from Akari''s phone, claiming she lost her voice due to a cold and needed to postpone the meeting."


    "But did he reply? I heard he loathes digital communication."


    "He did. We''re rescheduled for Thursday, if she''s recovered by then."


    "She''ll be up and about the day after tomorrow," Inara said with conviction. "I''ve seen it in a vision." Then she slumped forward and cradled her head in her hands. "I understand now, what she must have gone through in her visions last night. I''m honestly surprised she''ll be recovered from it so soon. She''s such a strong girl."


    "I''m so damn sorry," Neko said suddenly, in an unfamiliar apologetic tone. She looked just as bad as Inara; Neko had been awake since she brought an unconscious Akari in from the cold, yowling for help until the whole house was awake. "I put her up to it."


    "It''s not your fault, Neko." Inara patted her on the shoulder. "You couldn''t have known. But I should have."


    Hebi set her clipboard down with a CLACK. "What we could or should have done doesn''t matter right now. We need to move forward." Then she tried to stand up, but the process was slow and laborious.


    "Pfft, you look so pregnant, Hebi. It''s hilarious."


    It was true. The snake-spirit''s stomach was visibly round, and not just like a normal pregnancy. It was more like a late term pregnancy¡­ with twins. It was all the food Usagi had made for her. She''d actually eaten it all.


    "I''m glad you find it amusing," Hebi replied calmly. "It also means all that food will be put to use. I won''t need to eat for several days."


    "Need to eat?" Neko scoffed. "Do any of us actually need to eat? I just like the taste."


    Hebi''s narrow eyes stared daggers down at Neko. "Usagi, Inu, and I do, at least a little. Our spiritual power isn''t enough to sustain us alone."


    "Oh. Sorry." Neko squirmed on her cushion. "I didn''t realize. So how''d you all get by before Akari joined up?"


    Inara answered, "Foraging and gardening mostly. We ordered food online sometimes, and they all just spent more time in animal form. Lower energy use."


    Neko looked quite concerned. "Are Usagi and Inu going to need to do that now? We''re awful low on food at the moment."


    It was Hebi who answered. "We have enough non-perishables for one day, and I can order food online." Then she shuffled toward the door, her bulging stomach leading the way. "But thank you for your concern."


    After Hebi left, Neko turned toward Inara and started, "So, I know this ain''t the greatest time, but Akari and I had an idea and I''d like to run it by ya, maybe get your approval."


    "And when did you two have this idea?"


    Neko looked down at her hands, which were clenched in her lap. "Right before she passed out."


    "Hmm, okay. Go on¡­"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    After her conversation with Neko, which included some very loose and noncommittal planning for how the shrine might participate in Aki Matsuri, Inara had a date with Usagi. At first the word ''date'' seemed an inaccurate description for their much needed conversation, but she did plan to spend the afternoon with Usagi alone, doing whatever Usagi wished. Put that way, it seemed exactly like a date after all.


    "She doesn''t need constant monitoring," Inara said from Akari''s doorway. "She''s just asleep, not on life support."


    Usagi looked up from her seat by the bed. "I know, but I feel guilty. I''ve been so hung up on myself that I didn''t even realize what happened to her. She''ll wake up, right?"


    "By tomorrow afternoon, if my own visions are to be believed."


    Usagi relaxed and put a hand on Akari''s arm. It was warm through the blanket. "Good."


    "You have quite the motherly side, Usagi. I admire that."


    Usagi''s face went pink. "I''d be a terrible mother. I haven''t interacted with a child in years, and the last one I encountered tried to trap me in a cage made of twigs."


    "Want to fix that?" Inara asked.


    "Huh?"


    "Want to go see the city, together? Maybe you''ll see a kid that doesn''t try to capture you."


    Usagi blinked in confusion. "What brought this on?"


    "I''m just throwing out ideas. I want to spend the day with you. What would you like to do?"


    "Is going to the city really an option? In human form?"


    "It is. I need to practice controlling my aura and my new foresight, particularly around people." Inara didn''t reveal why she needed to practice being around humans. She wanted to understand her limits before she was willing to commit to Neko''s festival plans.


    Usagi was quiet for a long moment, a look of deep thought on her face. Then she said, "Then I''d like to go shopping. With you."


    "That sounds delightful. Shall we get ready now?"


    Usagi leapt to her feet and sprinted right past Inara. She stopped in the hall and added, "I''ll get dressed. Do I need a hat for my ears?"


    "That would make it easier on me. Supporting your human form outside the grounds and making it visible are rather easy, but hiding your ears requires conscious effort. I can do it while you''re in stores, though."


    "In stores¡­" Usagi''s eyes glimmered with excitement. "Oh, Inara, thank you!" she shouted back as she scurried away.


    Inara needed to get ready herself, but she spent a moment at Akari''s bedside, smiling down at her sleeping face. She looked peaceful, despite the circumstances that put her there. "We''ll all get through this," Inara whispered. She kissed Akari on the forehead. "Together."


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    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Usagi bounced on her toes, unable to contain her energy. "You''re sure about this?"


    Inara smiled. "I am."


    "What about their cameras? Like the security cameras in the stores?"


    "You''ll appear as a normal human. I won''t appear at all. I''ll leave handling merchandise and money to you, if that''s alright."


    "Absolutely." Usagi hooked her arm through Inara''s and started down the forest path. The rabbit spirit was wearing a long black skirt and a peach-colored sweater that was tight under the bust, showing off her sizable chest without exposing any skin to the chilly fall air. A soft tan beanie hid her ears, and her puffball of a tail was held flat under her sweater and skirt band.


    Inara had conjured up an outfit of tight grey leggings and a puffy blue and white jacket that was surprisingly short, leaving a band of visible skin just above her pants'' high waistline. She didn''t wear a hat and didn''t need one: hiding her own ears and tails from mortal eyes had become trivial after so many years.


    "So where''d you see that outfit, Mistre¡ª I mean, Miss Inara?" Saying ''Mistress'' in public was a surefire way to attract more attention than they wanted and she needed to break the habit, at least for today.


    "An article about winter fashion. It said that so-called ''snow bunnies'', or young women who hang out at ski resorts, like to dress like this around the lodge. And I can see why; it''s very comfortable and striking." Inara smiled mischievously. "I thought the ''bunny'' part was fitting for a date with you."


    Usagi looked down, watching her step on the trail''s many stairs. "It looks very good on you."


    "You look gorgeous today, as usual," Inara replied, and the reaction was instant. Usagi''s cheeks flushed red and she nearly tripped over her own feet. "That sweater is going to win some fans today."


    "It''s not that special. I''m not that special."


    "And I''m not making that up. I saw it happen in a vision, while testing my new powers. Watch for the human couple walking their pet dog."


    "Oh. Uh, okay¡­"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Sure enough, before they''d even reached the shopping district, the two women were attracting attention. Men in suits waiting for the bus all turned their heads in unison, and a group of four high school girls gawked and whispered.


    "Think they''re celebrities?"


    "Out here? Unlikely. Probably wealthy tourists though."


    "They''re early for the ski season."


    "But they got the look down. I want a sweater like that."


    "You don''t have the tits to pull it off."


    "How mean!"


    The whole time, Inara watched Usagi''s expression and she was happy to see the satisfaction there. Deep down, Usagi craved attention, making her life of isolation at the shrine less than ideal.


    Then a dog''s barking broke the mood. Up ahead on the sidewalk, a man and a woman in their mid-twenties were walking a small brown dog who had become very alarmed about something. It whined and pulled and barked until the woman scooped it up in her arms.


    "Sorry about that," she called out as she stepped off the path to let Inara and Usagi through. The man with her followed, but froze partway, staring at Usagi''s chest.


    Usagi''s eyes snapped back to the woman, expecting a look of jealousy there, but it was something different.


    She wore a pleased look, like a wine connoisseur tasting a fine vintage. She nodded at her partner and he smiled back. It seemed they shared a particular interest, and Usagi had what they wanted. With visible effort, the woman tore her eyes from Usagi''s breasts and met her eyes. Then winked.


    The moment would have been a huge victory for Usagi''s ego, except that small dog was yapping nervously the whole time. Animals had a way of sensing the supernatural, especially the presence of animal spirits. Thankfully Inara had some tricks of her own. As she passed by, she let out a gentle Shhhh sound and the dog immediately quieted.


    "It''s okay," she whispered. "We won''t harm your family. You''re a good protector, aren''t you, Chousuke?"


    Before the couple could puzzle out how she had figured out their dog''s name without getting a good look at his collar, Usagi and Inara had moved on.


    "See? You''ve got fans, and an open offer, if I''m not mistaken about that wink."


    "I could never take them up on it¡­"


    "But?" Inara prodded.


    "But it''s nice to know people like my appearance."


    Inara giggled. "''Like'' seems a little weak a description for that. They''re still watching you."


    Instead of looking back, Usagi lowered her head to hide her reddening cheeks and picked up the pace.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Only one guest in the changing rooms at a time, please."


    "Huh?" Usagi blinked at the cashier over her armful of clothes. Though she and Inara had entered the shop together, Inara wasn''t anywhere near the changing rooms. She was walking the aisles and making sure to not touch anything, since she was invisible to the security cameras.


    The woman at the register continued, "Sorry, I''ve been telling that to everyone. We''ve had a lot of shoplifting lately so corporate Loss Prevention keeps adding policies."


    "Oh, okay. No problem," Usagi said. "Is there an item limit?"


    "Not yet," she answered, clearly less than happy with the company''s decisions thus far. "Go ahead."


    Usagi tried on a half-dozen outfits worth of clothes, but three of the tops were too tight around the chest and one skirt didn''t fit her wide hips. All together, she was still able to assemble two outfits that she was really happy with.


    "Miss Inara?" Usagi emerged from the room, holding the two top candidates up for Inara to see. "Which do you prefer?"


    "Let''s get them both," Inara answered immediately.


    "Really?"


    "Yep. I owe you at least that much."


    The cashier watched their exchange with curiosity, no doubt wondering what the two women''s relationship was.


    Things got a lot clearer when Inara dipped down and briefly kissed Usagi on the lips. The other woman blushed and looked away, then mumbled her way through the rest of the transaction. Public displays of affection were quite rare in Japan, and homosexual ones were completely unheard of.


    After that, they hit two more clothes shops, a low-end jewelry store that catered to teens and twenty-somethings, and a specialty spice shop to get some seasonings for future meals. Inara kept her physical affection more subdued and avoided causing any more scenes until¡­


    "Ooh, I''d love to do a proper bra fitting, if that''s alright." Usagi was already heading into a lingerie store.


    Inara had stopped just outside the door. "Sure. But I''ll wait out here."


    "Why?" Usagi frowned. She was carrying the money and could certainly manage on her own, but she''d been excited to see what kind of lingerie Inara liked.


    "You can''t see them since they''re hidden, but I''m bouncing between two and four tails right now. Keeping my aura in check is taking my all, and lingerie shopping with you would definitely be too much."


    A grin flooded across Usagi''s face. Two-tailed Inara was ''dominant'' and four was ''fertile''. The combination sounded amazing. "Ooh, alright. I''ll be quick. Then do you want to head home and put my purchases to use?"


    Inara closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath. "Sure. And I''ll actually be waiting over there, in that empty park." She pointed down the street, at a bench next to two vending machines. "The other lingerie shoppers'' lewd feelings are too strong from here."


    While Inara sought shelter from her own moods and the thoughts of all the humans around, Usagi had the first proper bra fitting of her life.


    "Looks like you''re a G70," the clerk announced after she finished measuring Usagi''s sizable chest. "Not a common size, so you may have the best luck ordering things online. If you shop internationally, look for 32F or 32DDD. Sorry for all the confusing numbers and letters. I''ll write it down for you."


    "Do you have anything that size in stock?" Usagi asked. She had just learned that she''d been wearing a full cup size lower than ideal for years, and she was excited to finally experience the comfort of a proper fit.


    "Hmm, I believe so." The woman, who had gorgeous long black hair that reminded Usagi of a cascading stream, led the way to the very end of an aisle. "Looks like we have nude and standard black, both pretty utilitarian. Good for daily wear. Nothing in the intimate space though." Then she shook her head. "Actually that''s incorrect. We have some really risque bras that are adjustable to that size, since they have barely any material."


    "I''ll take one of each," Usagi said with conviction. "Nude, black, and whichever of the skimpy ones is most popular. Oh, and some matching panties for the skimpy one."


    "You¡­ don''t want to try them on first?"


    Usagi smiled. "I''m in a bit of a hurry. My mistress is waiting outside."


    "Oh?" The woman blinked. "Oh. Okay. Meet me at the register. I''ll have those right out."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Hey, Inu?" Neko asked. She''d just returned from checking in on Akari, who was still sleeping deeply.


    "Yeah?" Inu was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. She''d been working out furiously all day, only taking breaks for protein-shakes and carbs.


    "Any idea where Usagi and Inara went?"


    "On a date."


    "Nah, I saw them get back, arms full of shopping bags. I meant, ''Where''re they now?''"


    "The next part of their date. They''re in Inara''s room. I don''t expect to see them again today."


    "Oh." Neko grinned ear to ear. "Nice."

 Ch 34 - Awaken

    A streak of red-orange fur zipped through the underbrush, barely disturbing the vibrant carpet of fallen leaves that had begun to cover the forest floor. The maple trees overhead shone with the same bright red and orange, as if the entire mountainside was alight with supernatural fire.


    Chasing after the blur of orange came a larger creature, with pale fur the color of a dusting of snow on a sandy beach. The pursuer lacked the grace and agility of her quarry, but she made up for it in raw power. Muscles pumped beneath her short fur, and she panted hard as she leapt over log and ravine.


    She burst through a low shrub and found herself in a picturesque clearing of short grasses and fading wildflowers, untouched by humanity. In the middle, perched on a fallen log and looking frustratingly regal, was a fox. I had bright orange fur that faded to ashy black on the tip of its ears and tails. The tails unfurled like a nine-petaled lotus, and the fox grinned.


    Inu didn''t take the time to grin back. She barrelled forward and leapt at the smaller beast, hoping to tackle it from its throne.


    Inara was too fast, of course, and she took off running again. She went south and vanished into the sunset-orange forest, making use of a natural camouflage that lasted just a few short weeks each year.


    Thankfully, Inu had senses far stronger than her eyes. Her ears were supernaturally keen, and after thirty years together, she knew Inara''s scent more deeply than anything else on earth. So many days chasing each other through nature, so many nights together beneath the sheets.


    She followed that scent like a beacon, like a leash pulling her toward her destiny. And soon she would reach that destiny. Soon she would¡­


    Inu''s train of thought crashed to a halt as she emerged into the shrine''s clearing and witnessed an unexpected and very welcome sight. Inara had stopped and waited, ears perked and alert with a wide smile on her flushed face. She had transformed back to her humanoid form, and she stood tall with her feet planted wide. And she was completely nude.


    The chase was always wonderful, but it was nothing compared to the catch. Inu pushed off hard with her back legs and leapt into the air, then transformed mid-jump. In a puff of smoke and magic, Inu returned to her human shape, arms and legs open to grab Inara.


    Inara half-caught, half-collided with her and toppled backwards onto a soft blanket that just happened to be unfurled there, like a picnic in progress. A picnic lunch had indeed been planned, but it could wait.


    "Gotcha," Inu breathed, straddling the goddess on hands and knees, staring down into Inara''s golden eyes.


    "Only because¡­ I stopped¡­ for you," Inara panted back. Despite her snark, she couldn''t hide how winded she was. For all her godlike power, Inara never could match Inu''s stamina.


    "Oh, really?" Inu asked, bringing her lips to Inara''s neck, where droplets of sweat had left small tracks on their journey toward the Earth. She placed a single gentle kiss near Inara''s collarbone, then opened wide and bit down on her shoulder.


    It wasn''t a hard bite, but it wasn''t soft either. In any case, Inara moaned and squirmed beneath Inu''s naked body, firmly pinned down and at Inu''s mercy.


    The bite became a kiss, and one kiss became a flurry as Inu covered the panting goddess with affection. Inara returned the sentiment as best she could, her lips finding brief purchase on lips and neck and breasts. Things continued to heat up, fighting against the chilly fall air, until¡­


    "Boss¡­ I thought you knew better than this."


    Inu and Inara were too occupied to look up at Hebi, but Inara did pull her lips away from Inu''s just long enough to say, "Than what?"


    Hebi let out a long sigh, then sternly said, "I had foolishly expected a goddess of a public-facing shrine to avoid public indecency. We get daily visitors now, at a volume that is sure to increase with the turning of the leaves. What if someone saw you?"


    Inara waved a hand and the entire area around the picnic blanket shimmered. Within a second, it looked and sounded like an empty field, at least to mortal eyes and ears.


    Hebi huffed and pivoted on one foot. "Have it your way, Boss, but remember the trouble it caused poor Akari the last time you had to mess with human memories."


    "Should we take this inside?" Inu whispered, her hips still moving against Inara.


    Inara hesitated, tangled in genuine concern. Then she shook her head. "Nah. We''re hidden now. But¡­ help me be more careful next time."


    "Of course," Inu answered, ever loyal. And she sealed her commitment with a wild kiss.


    <hr>


    The mood around the shrine grew more and more tense as the afternoon went on, as the sun approached the horizon, and as Akari slept through another family dinner. Inara had predicted that Akari would wake up that evening, but the vision gave no indication of exactly when.


    And it was entirely possible that the vision was wrong, or that someone had inadvertently taken an action that changed that future. When Inara kissed Akari on the forehead, had it extended her sleep somehow? Was the constant support at her bedside actually slowing her recovery?


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Work must go on," Hebi lectured. "Whether she wakes up tonight or in a week, we have responsibilities." She tapped a pen on the antique desk that occupied the corner of Inara''s bedroom. The surface of the desk was covered in paperwork and printouts, bills and receipts, and Hebi''s trusty laptop. "For example, some types of fundraising are subject to the human tax system, and that means we have to submit reports to prove that our efforts are exempt."


    Hebi paused, then added, "But I must admit that this is rather therapeutic for me. Documenting known truths, no matter how mundane, always reduces my stress about the unknown." Inara didn''t respond, but that was fine; Hebi had just been musing aloud while she worked.


    "And for you," she told Inara, "some quiet introspection might be what you need, both for the stress and to get a handle on that wild side of yours." She clicked her tongue in disapproval. "I still can''t believe you and Inu transformed and started screwing in plain sight of the front steps. You forgot to hide your presence and it was loud enough for me to hear in my workshop, so a visiting worshipper would certainly have noticed."


    "Mmm mmnhhmm!"


    "Shhh, my pet. I said quiet introspection." She turned and glared at Inara. "Unless you truly mean to contest my understanding of the situation?" Her tone was soft, but there was a threat buried within. A threat that Inara''s bonds could be tightened, that her sensory deprivation could be deepened.


    Inara went silent, though the ropes that suspended her from the ceiling did creak a little as she settled back down. She was dressed in gorgeous lavender silk lingerie, blindfolded and gagged, and wrapped in an elegant web of red rope that both restrained and supported her. It limited her body and freed her mind.


    Hebi turned back to her paperwork and laptop. "Good girl. Now give me a couple more hours with these tax forms and I''ll give you a reward for good behavior."


    The ropes creaked again as Inara squirmed and her breath grew a bit heavier, but she was otherwise quiet. Soon the only sounds were the tapping of keys and the shuffling of paper. But once all the forms were filled out and sent off, new and wonderful sounds would fill the room. Hebi was looking forward to it.


    <hr>


    Akari slept. And she dreamed.


    She saw impossibilities and nonsense, just the scrambled influences and fantasies that fueled the subconscious and created normal dreams. And she saw scenes so realistic, so lifelike, that she temporarily believed they were real life, convinced that everything she''d experienced before, all her time at the shrine, had been the dream.


    And she saw the future. There were futures that were mutually exclusive, visions of a summer festival in full swing and of the same festival being canceled due to a typhoon. There were distant and remote possibilities, chains of interconnected events forging toward some distant end, each moment building upon the previous in a way that allowed no room for change, no allowance for even the slightest drift, lest the entire path vanish into impossibility.


    But some visions, the ones that seemed the most important, they showed her futures that tugged at her very soul. She saw possibility flow like a river that reached a flatland and spread out, forking once, twice, a dozen times at the mercy of the landscape, only for every branch to eventually empty into the very same ocean, to reach the same shared destiny. She intuitively understood that some fates were inevitable, that mortals could make a million decisions, split their personal river from the path of least resistance over and over again, and still fail to avoid the single unalterable destiny that awaited them at the end of every possible path.


    For the vast majority of humanity, one such destiny was death. They could avoid it for years, take their time on long looping paths while others raced headlong toward it, but they eventually reached it all the same.


    And for Akari, another unchangeable destiny was Inara. Akari saw a thousand of her own lifetimes, each quickly fading from her memory like water between her fingers, but each ending the same way. One way or another, no matter what path she took in her life, Akari would eventually return to Inara. They were forever entwined now, bound together by whatever mysterious rules a ''chosen one'' was held to. But Akari didn''t mind it. It was comforting knowing that Inara would forever be a constant in her life, as close to a soulmate as she could imagine.


    One other vision stood out among the rest, not due to its importance, but its strangeness. It was perfectly realistic and believable in every way, spare one.


    Akari saw familiar Shinj¨­ storefronts, even the familiar faces of shopkeepers and acquaintances. She witnessed a large meeting between a dozen store managers and several police officers. She heard complaints about a dramatic rise in shoplifting, and theories about the perpetrators.


    "It''s those dang high school kids. They have too much free time. Why, in my day¡ª"


    "No, this is obviously too sophisticated for kids to pull off. They keep sabotaging our security cameras, after all. I bet it''s the yakuza, setting the stage for a takeover. They''ll be coming for ''protection'' money soon, mark my words!"


    "I doubt the yakuza are swiping cheap jewelry and lingerie. It''s some young thugs, scoring free gifts for their girlfriends. That''s why we need the police to take action."


    The reality of it, or at least the reality that Akari''s vision predicted, was far stranger. A small deer, brown with white spots and standing about two feet tall at the shoulder, walked through the open front door of a clothing store. It went straight to a display of winter coats, grabbed not one but two coats in its mouth, then bolted. It fled right out the door and vanished into the alleyway between shops before anyone had even noticed it.


    "She''s coming around."


    "Right on schedule."


    "You''re giving your vision way too much credit. If it had bothered to show you, I dunno, a clock, it woulda saved me a shitload of stress."


    "Shut it, Neko. Now''s not the time."


    "Don''t be mean, Usagi."


    That voice had been Akari''s own, but it sounded so far away, so faint and raspy and weak.


    "Get her some water. She''s parched."


    Inara''s voice. It''s wonderful to hear it again after all this time. Wait, how long has it been? It felt like years.


    "Here. I brought a bottle with me."


    Inu. Of course she''d know to bring water. Gotta stay hydrated to stay fit.


    The first drop was lovely. She wanted to chug the rest, but it was being poured into her mouth in a frustratingly slow trickle. Even that made her cough.


    Her eyes opened, and her family surrounded her, wearing both concern and relief plain on their faces. They all looked the same as she remembered, but that wasn''t as useful a measurement of time as she''d hoped, since spirits don''t age.


    "Sorry, everyone. How long was I out?"


    "Six years," Neko answered.


    Inu immediately punched her in the arm and clarified, "No, it was closer to 48 hours."


    "Only two days¡­" Akari mumbled. "But I saw so much."


    Inara put a gentle hand on Akari''s shoulder. "And you can tell us about what you saw whenever you''re ready. No pressure if you need more time."


    "I don''t remember the specifics anymore. Just the lessons. I think I understand destiny now, and what being a ''chosen one'' does to it." She smiled up at Inara. "I''m with you for the long haul now, aren''t I?"


    Inara smiled back. "I wouldn''t have it any other way."

 Ch 35 - Aki Matsuri, Part 1

    "I can''t believe we''re going ahead with this festival plan," Inu said in a huff. Her dinner plate was already licked clean, but the other women were still eating. Except for Inara, who wasn''t present.


    "I promise I''m fully recovered," Akari pouted. She was really looking forward to Aki Masturi. Participating in the annual harvest festival was a treasured tradition for her, and she thought the Shinto-inspired idol performance would be a blast.


    "That''s not what I''m worried about." Inu glanced at Neko for just an instant, but the message was clear.


    Neko''s ears folded back and her green eyes went from gorgeous to sinister in an instant. "What? You think I''m gonna screw it up?"


    "Yeah, I do," Inu barked. "And if you don''t cause a scene, Inara''s aura will. There''s a damn good reason she doesn''t go into town anymore."


    "This is the difference between me and you," Neko spat, hackles raised. "I have a goal that I''m working towards, a dream that I won''t risk. I''m more worried about you screwing up at the festival on purpose, since your only dream seems to be keeping Inara stuck on this mountainside with you."


    Akari felt a strange sense of deja vu at the thought of Inu causing a scene at the festival. A vision? she wondered for a moment. No, I think I''m just remembering when Inu hassled my ex at the last festival. Still helps prove Neko''s point though¡­


    Hebi''s scaly grey tail whipped out over the table like a referee''s flag and she firmly said, "Inara has been practicing control. She spent a whole afternoon in town with Usagi with no issue, and she''s putting it to the test in Shinj¨­ right now. If she can keep her aura in check for a whole day and night on her own, she''ll be able to manage a few hours at the festival just fine."


    Nodding along, Usagi added, "And Inara can always sneak away in fox form if things get dicey."


    Then Hebi shot both Inu and Neko a piercing glare. "And neither of you are going to cause a scene at Aki Matsuri, because you both understand the problems it would cause for yourself, Inara, and the rest of this family."


    "Yes, Mom," Neko said with a wave of her forked tail. "In other news, I''m gonna go watch a couple movies with modern slang so I don''t sound like a total fossil when I''m chatting up the locals. Anyone wanna join?"


    Surprisingly, Usagi raised a hand. "I do. But what are we going to watch them on?" Even after so many years, the shrine still didn''t have a modern entertainment center, or even a TV.


    Neko grinned, put an arm around Akari''s shoulders and pulled her close. "On Akari''s fancy new laptop. The screen is hella amazing."


    "Oh, you''re in too, Akari?" Usagi asked.


    "I guess so, since my laptop''s been volunteered." Then her eyes went wide and sparkly, "Ooh, and I''ll bring hot cocoa and a pile of blankets."


    "That sounds lovely," Usagi said as she hopped to her feet. Then she looked down at all the dishes on the table and frowned.


    "I''ll clean up dinner," Hebi offered, "since you cooked such a delicious meal for us."


    "Thanks!" Usagi and Akari said in unison, while Neko just nodded.


    After they left, Inu stuck around to help with the dishes. And to vent some more. As she moved a stack of dirty dishes to the sink, she said, "I''m surprised you''re not with me on this, Hebi. Holding a festival here at the shrine was one thing, but going to one in town, surrounded by humans¡­"


    Hebi shrugged. "This is a big deal for the shrine, as a way to promote Inara''s new self improvement domain. It''s important to her."


    "I know that, but¡­" Inu put her hands on the edge of the sink and let her head hang. All her normal energetic pep was gone, and only apprehension remained.


    Hebi stepped close and put a comforting hand on Inu''s back. "It''ll be fine, Inu." Then she started to rub between Inu''s shoulders. The muscles there were like steel cables from all the stress. "You just need to have more faith."


    Inu slowly melted under Hebi''s firm touch. She took a slow breath, then said, "More faith in Inara, or Neko?"


    "Both."


    <hr>


    Inara stood in front of the shrine stairs, hands clasped and a broad smile on her lips. She wore a red winter kimono with an oversized white scarf to fight off the late October chill. Seven black-tipped tails swayed through the air behind her, but this time her passion wasn''t of the sexual variety.


    "My test run in town was a great success, thanks in part to my new gift of foresight. It was quite the novel experience when it warned me about humans that were falling too far under my allure." Inara smiled at Akari, who was seated on the stairs next to the other girls, and added, "Thank you for that, dear Akari."


    Akari wriggled happily and smiled back, but something scratched at the back of her mind, something about the words ''dear Akari''. Before she could ponder it further, the conversation had moved on.


    "On a related note," Hebi started, "Akari, have you started on Neko''s shrine maiden outfit?" The other girls still had their custom-tailored miko clothes from the previous festival.


    "Oh." Akari sucked in a breath through her teeth. "No I haven''t¡­ Sorry."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Neko waved a hand. "It''s fine! I''ll handle it. I can conjure clothing on demand, remember?" To prove her point, she replaced her black long-sleeve tee and jeans with a scandalously skimpy miko-inspired outfit, the kind that was basically just red and white lingerie.


    Inara shook her head. "I''m willing to let you outside shrine grounds for this special event, but I never agreed to allow your powers." She eyed Neko''s conjured clothing for a second, then added, "And as sexy as it is, that choice of attire isn''t helping your case."


    "Aww, dang," Neko said, accepting her fate awfully quickly. "I know! I''ll help Akari sew it. That''s the least I can do."


    Akari hugged Neko around the shoulders, trying to ignore the lewd outfit and the strangely potent effect the sexy miko look had on her. "That''d be wonderful! My schedule is still a bit tight though. The festival is so soon¡­"


    Hebi raised one hand and the tip of her tail in unison. "I can take over some of the festival prep for you, starting with all the digital correspondence."


    Akari released the hug that had quickly grown uncomfortably intimate and said, "Assistance accepted! You''re wonderful, Hebi."


    Inara spoke and instantly captured everyone''s attention. "Usagi''s on food planning again, since we secured a food stall next to our stage. And I have a special task in mind for Inu."


    "Really?" Inu tried to keep her voice level, but her tail was wagging so fast it was blowing fallen leaves off nearby stair steps.


    "I need you to scout the area in advance and map out possible escape routes if things go sour. I don''t expect any trouble, but if there is, I want all of us to be able to get to safety without revealing our true natures, and without resorting to any memory modification." That last bit was clearly for Akari, who was rightfully disapproving of that kind of magic after what it did to Hanako.


    Inu sat bolt upright and gave a quick nod. "You''ve got it, Miss Inara. I''ll go down tonight after sundown."


    "And what about you, Mistress?" Usagi asked with one ear perked upward in curiosity. "Are you helping too?"


    "I''ll be planning the Shinto Shrine Maiden Idol Contest, of course. Since you five will be on stage, it makes sense for me to coordinate everything from behind the scenes." A luminous smile blessed her features and her eyes sparkled with excitement. "And don''t worry, I''ll make sure the performance gives each of you equal equal time in the spotlight."


    <hr>


    Unlike Inara''s Rei-sai festivities, which had been entirely the Mori-jinsha Shrine''s responsibility, Aki Matsuri was a coordinated effort from dozens of shrines in the Shinj¨­ area. And since it was a long running tradition, they''d long ago figured out how to keep it running smoothly. The girls from Mori-jinsha only had to show up, check in, and set up their booth. Their stage was already fully constructed, and it even had lights and a canopy that would let the show go on if the perfect autumn weather didn''t stick around.


    "Alright, girls," Inara said from up on the small stage. She was dressed in a plain grey kimono, her hair was tied back into a bun, and her ears and tails were nowhere to be seen. She looked like a normal human woman, albeit a very beautiful and motherly one. "Let''s stay focused today. Our goals are to promote our shrine to a new audience and announce the new self-improvement domain. Don''t let your enthusiasm for the popularity contest distract from what''s important."


    Five shrine maidens nodded in unison, all wearing red hakama skirts and white tops with long, loose sleeves. The miko outfits had all been crafted by Akari in the same style, but each girl wore hers slightly differently to accent her own figure. Usagi''s top was pulled tight in the middle, showing off her hourglass curves. Inu''s was loose and practical, worn more like a karate gi than a miko outfit. Hebi looked especially slim and tall with her longer skirt and narrow hips. Akari wore hers the most traditionally, albeit with a bit of non-traditional mascara and blush to give her a very feminine look. And finally, Neko had used her influence as Akari''s crafting assistant to give her outfit a couple subtle and sexy touches: cut out hips with visible panty straps, and a hint of bared cleavage at the chest.


    "Yes, Miss Inara," Inu said confidently, ears alert and tail wagging. She had resolved to keep everyone and their secrets safe through this reckless event, even if she had to watch over every inch of their area herself.


    Just like at the previous festival, most of the animal spirits had their ears and tails on display. The exception was Hebi, whose tail was too long and prehensile to pass as a costume piece. She kept it out of sight beneath her long skirt. Usagi was loving the attention her bunny ears got from the other festival volunteers, and Neko struggled to keep her tail''s movements believable, since a robotic costume tail couldn''t sway and flick so naturally.


    "Look at this crowd," Neko marvelled as the public started to wander down the temporarily repurposed street. It took the visitors a while to work their way past all the other stalls and spectacles, but soon they were gathering at Usagi''s fried sweet potato stall and asking about the idol performance that was advertised on a large banner.


    "I''ve¡­ I''ve seen this before," Akari muttered. The lights, the crowd, Neko in her shrine outfit. They were all so familiar. She started to feel light-headed, and that''s when she remembered. This had been one of the scenes she''d glimpsed in her first true vision. Before she''d blacked out.


    And true to her vision, Neko''s forked tail flitted back and forth through the air. It was exactly like the tail of a stalking housecat, just before it pounced. And with that image in her head, Akari realized that Neko had been quite the schemer. She had planned to earn some human followers tonight, another step toward her goal of becoming a powerful Superior Spirit, but at least her prey wouldn''t suffer this time.


    Akari darted forward and grabbed Neko''s slender tail, just below the fork. "Watch the tail. It was making you look like a predator preparing to gobble these people up."


    Neko glanced back with a grin. "Thanks for the warning. Wouldn''t want to scare them away before they get to see my sexy side."


    Just then, two adults and a small child approached, one of the many families who had arrived right as the festival started to get an early start. The kid, a boy of perhaps five years, already had a lollipop in hand, but he still pointed excitedly at the fried sweet potato stand.


    "You already have a treat," his mother cooed. "After you finish it, we can get a proper dinner."


    "Those do smell really good," the father muttered quietly, trying to keep the boy from overhearing.


    Suddenly the boy stopped and pointed directly at Neko. "A kitty! A pretty kitty! She''s seshi!"


    "Hmm? What do you mean?" His mother followed his gaze and saw the cat-eared shrine maiden, but that didn''t explain the word ''seshi'', which didn''t have any meaning that made sense here.


    "Daddy said girls with kitty ears are really se¡ª seku¡ª um, seshi! And he said not to tell you that, so keep it a secret."


    "Did he now?" She turned to face her husband, smiling coldly. "Was the word he said ''sexy''?"


    "Yeah!"


    "Thank you, Jiro. You''ve been a good boy, so I promise to get you a sweet potato later. Daddy, however, is going to skip dinner tonight."


    "I am?" the man asked, fidgeting with his watch.


    "You are," she replied with a vindictive grin. She lowered her voice. "And we''re going to have a talk about your word use around little Jiro. And your thing for cat ears."


    Akari expected Neko to be fighting back laughter at that exchange, since it was genuinely amusing and Neko loved to poke fun at human romantic hangups. Instead, the cat spirit was holding her chin in one hand and leaning against the stage, deep in thought.


    "Seshi, huh?" she mumbled to herself. "Seshi. I could live with that. I could thrive with that."


    "Neko? What''s up?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing." Neko bounced excitedly on her toes. "Let''s get ready for the idol show. It''s starting soon!"

 Ch 36 - Aki Matsuri, Part 2

    "You''re sure you want to do this for me? I mean, I can do it¡­"


    Akari said she could do the introductory announcement for their idol performance, but she didn''t actually believe it. She could perform in front of a handful of regular shrine visitors, sure, but taking the lead at something new in front of this many strangers was too much.


    Neko grinned. "Nah, I got this. I''ll give a little over-the-top energy, show a little leg, and I''ll have them all pumped for our performance."


    "Don''t do anything weird¡­"


    "Of course. Inara''s approval is just as important to me as all the followers, err, fans I''m about to earn."


    Akari glanced around to see if the other girls had heard Neko''s confession. She had obviously cooked up this entire idol show to boost her following, to lay the groundwork for her ascension to a superior spirit. All the fundraising and publicity for the shrine were just icing on the cake.


    But the others were too busy with their own concerns to have overheard. Usagi was closing up the fried sweet potato stand for the night, Inu was pacing around the stage like a soldier on patrol, and Hebi was deep in conversation with Inara about something. Hebi looked a bit annoyed yet resigned to move forward with Inara''s wishes.


    Those wishes became clear almost immediately when Inara jogged over to Neko and Akari. "Hey girls, I decided on your group name, and how you''ll each be addressed for the popularity contest."


    "Oh! How exciting!" Akari replied.


    "Lay it on me, Goddess," Neko said, still grinning.


    "Since the shrine''s still called Mori-jinsha, the group will be called Mori Musume," Inara said. The name just meant ''forest girls'', but it was a fitting name for a group of animal-eared girls working at a forest shrine. "And you''ll go by your animal names, since it fits the brand."


    Neko giggled, "I''m obviously fine being ''Neko'', but Akari''s gonna be ''Ningen''?"


    Akari''s face fell. "That sounds so weird. I''d rather not."


    "Good call. Akari''s just Akari then."


    "And Hebi? She won''t have any visible snake features with her tail hidden."


    Inara leaned close, giving Akari a whiff of her perfume, a sweet, rich, and earthy scent that Akari hadn''t smelled before. "She''s going to move like a snake, and I gave her permission to unveil her tail briefly during the finale. As long as no one gets a close look at it, we can claim it was a prop."


    "If you say so," Neko said. "And just so you know, Inara, Akari asked me to do the intro and build the hype."


    Akari bowed her head. "Sorry, I just wasn''t confident that I''d do a good job,"


    Inara''s voice grew soft and motherly. "Did you take a peek at the future to check? Seeing that success is possible can be a great motivator."


    Akari quickly shook her head. "I didn''t want to get overwhelmed again."


    Inara stepped behind Akari and placed her hands on Akari''s shoulders. "I''ll guide you and make sure your visions stay related to this festival. The rest is up to you."


    "Wha? Uh, okay¡­ I''ll try my best," Akari mumbled, then she closed her eyes and reached for that oddly familiar feeling of remembering forward. She also attempted to steer her vision to ''recall'' things related to the idol show and her own performance in it.


    She saw herself climbing the steps on the back of the stage, and she saw Inu down below, making one last patrol before the show. Akari felt herself take a deep breath and psych herself up for the opening introduction. From her vantage point, she could see a crowd of hundreds, most with their attention fixed on her.


    "You''re not welcome here," someone said near the stage, a woman''s voice stern and ungiving. It wasn''t directed at Akari, but at someone in the audience.


    "This is a public festival," came a reply. "I can watch if I want."


    Akari glanced down and saw Inu glaring at a young man. Oh shit, that''s Watanabe. Why''d he have to be here?


    Akari''s ex-boyfriend stepped closer to Inu. "And I remember you. That slap hurt, you know?"


    "Good. Too bad you didn''t learn your lesson from it."


    He looked pointedly at her ears and said, "I see you''re dressed like a bitch today, literally."


    Inu''s reaction was instant: she kicked him in the shin, but her flimsy sandal did little damage. "You''re not welcome here," she repeated, but her voice was less level this time. "Leave before I call security."


    "You just kicked me. I should call them on you. In fact, I''ll do that right now." He put both hands to his lips and opened his mouth to shout, then¡ª


    The vision ended. Akari was back with Neko and Inara, with the comforting weight of Inara''s hands on her shoulders.


    "Damn," Akari muttered once she had reacclimated to the present.


    "What''s wrong, Akari?" Inara asked, resting her chin on Akari''s head.


    "I didn''t even get to my introduction before the vision ended. I saw Inu and my ex getting into a fight, and it looked like it was going to derail the whole performance."


    "Damn indeed," Neko agreed. "So what can we do about it?"


    Akari answered, "I think we just need to get Inu to call off her final patrol. And tell her not to interact with my ex if she does see him."


    Inara patted Akari on the shoulder and started away. "I''ll go find her and tell her. She''ll listen to me."


    "Thanks, Inara," Akari said, but it didn''t feel like enough. If Watanabe saw Akari doing the intro, he would probably heckle her, and even if it didn''t derail the performance, it was sure to torpedo her confidence. "Um, Neko. Can you still do the intro for me? Knowing he''s here¡­ I don''t think I can."


    Stolen story; please report.


    Neko gave an understanding nod. "Sure thing, babe. I''m happy to help a follower."


    Akari couldn''t help but giggle at that. "You''re really gunning for that promotion, huh?"


    "Like an asskissing salaryman," Neko confirmed.


    <hr>


    "Ladies and gentlemen, humans and spirits, souls and celebrants of this lovely Aki Matsuri! It''s my humble pleasure to introduce Shinj¨­''s first and only Shinto idol group, Mori Musume!" Like the other girls, Neko held a wireless microphone, and it carried her voice loud and clear to the entire gathered audience.


    Neko did a little twirl that showed off her tail and revealed the bare legs beneath her skirt. "We''re one cute human and four cute animal girls from the forest near the Mori-jinsha shrine south of town. And as you can see, we were given human forms by the goddess of that shrine, so that we could work as shrine maidens alongside our human member. And so we could put on this show for all of you!"


    With that, Neko spun around again, flashing so much leg that Akari nearly had a heart attack until she remembered that all their outfits had dance shorts beneath.


    She danced to Akari''s side and said, "This is our human mentor, the adorable Shinto expert Akari!" Akari barely had time to wave to the crowd before Neko zipped off again.


    Neko stood behind Usagi, then gently grabbed both of her ears and held them up high for everyone to see. "This busty little bombshell is Usagi, and she''s a seriously awesome chef!"


    While Usagi cowered in embarrassment, Neko moved on to Inu. "She''ll run circles around you and fight off any threat, this is our fitness nut and loyal protector, Inu!"


    Inu beamed, clearly proud of that description.


    Neko slid to Hebi''s side, wrapping an arm around her remarkably slim waist. "Smart and sly, slender and so sexily stern, say hello to Hebi!"


    Hebi remained stone-faced and pushed her glasses up with one finger. The lensless costume glasses had been Inara''s idea, and they were a simple but effective way to emphasize Hebi''s academic aesthetic.


    "And last but not least, I''m the flirty little kitty of the group, Neko!" She wiggled her ears and swished her tail and made an exaggerated paw gesture with one hand.


    On cue, all five girls lifted their microphones and said, "And all together, we''re Mori Musume!"


    The girls were far from professional pop stars with their own music library, so they just performed a few covers of Shinto-related pop songs, singing over instrumental backing tracks karaoke-style. And the singing was really secondary to the dancing, which incorporated dozens of distinctive miko movements. Throughout their practice sessions, Akari had made sure that the dance moves remained faithful and respectful tributes to Shinto rituals, and not some cheap knockoff or parody.


    The audience seemed to agree. Priests and other shrine maidens clapped along with the rest of the public, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Akari kept an eye on the crowd, looking for any trouble with Watanabe, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just one small change in plans, just asking Inu to avoid confrontation, had been enough to sidestep an entire timeline.


    Foresight is awesome. And more than a little terrifying, Akari thought as she went through the familiar motions of the kagura dance. She''d been doing this dance at various events for years now, and it was basically muscle memory at this point. She just needed to speed it up a little to fit the pop song rhythm and stay in sync with the other girls, and that wasn''t too hard.


    "Akari!" Usagi hissed.


    Akari opened her eyes to find the music had stopped and she was the only one still dancing. She stopped and bowed deeply, partially hiding her rapidly reddening face. "Sorry about that," she said into her microphone. "I just love kagura and I got carried away."


    Neko, always quick on her feet, rolled with it, "That''s our Akari. She loves Shinto more than anyone I''ve met, and that''s why she leads all our events back at the Mori-jinsha Shrine. Come see her when you visit for daily worship, especially if you''re interested in self improvement, our goddess''s newest domain. If you want to grow or improve in any way, she''s here for you, watching and supporting." Her exaggerated peppiness faded and her tone grew serious and reflective as she pressed a hand to her chest. "I know she''s already helped me be a better person."


    Suddenly, the pep returned in force. "And before you go, please vote for your favorite Mori Musume idol at our booth right there. We''re having a friendly competition, and we want your opinions!"


    With a deeply exaggerated bow, Neko cheered, "Signing off, I''m Neko!"


    "I''m Akari!"


    "U-Usagi!" stammered Usagi, only slightly exaggerating her real shyness.


    Inu pointed a thumb at herself and grinned. "Inu."


    "And I am Hebi," Hebi finished, but as she spoke, her long and scaly tail unfurled from beneath her skirt and waved in the air beside her like a charmed snake. She flashed a mysterious smile, then tucked the tail away again and left the stage.


    <hr>


    "I''d say that went really well," Inara said between bites of fried sweet potato on a stick, one of a dozen or so that hadn''t sold yet when Usagi closed up shop. The festival had finished and the only people still around were exhibitors packing up their stands or volunteers picking up litter. Usagi, Hebi, and Akari were off doing just that.


    "Of course you''d say that," Inu said with a roll of her eyes. "You got to see us all dancing in cute outfits and making fools of ourselves."


    "You weren''t fools. The festival goers genuinely enjoyed your performance. We got nearly 100 votes, after all."


    "So you have counted them!" Neko blurted. "Hurry up and tell us who won!"


    "Not until we''re back home. I don''t want you girls distracted or discouraged while we still have cleanup to do."


    "Fine," Neko pouted. "I''ll go help Akari with her work. Seeya!"


    Neko strutted away, looking very cheerful and confident.


    Inu watched her go. "She''s certainly having a good time."


    Inara nodded. "This was her plan, after all. And it went very well, both for her and the shrine."


    Inu narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean ''for her''?"


    Inara smiled and nibbled some sweet potato, then said, "She''s still working toward her goal of becoming a superior spirit by gathering followers. And now that self improvement is my domain, I can''t refuse her, now can I?"


    "Isn''t that dangerous? She''s a loose cannon, and she used to hurt people."


    "Used to," Inara said firmly. "And I believe she can put that behind her and grow for the better."


    "I hope you''re right¡­"


    <hr>


    "Hey, Akari!"


    Akari paused with a microphone cable in one hand. She had been packing the borrowed electrical equipment back in its crate. "What''s up, Neko?"


    "What are your thoughts on the name ''Seshi''?"


    "The thing the little kid called you earlier? Never heard it used as a name before."


    Neko lowered her voice. "But does it fit me?"


    "Wait, that kid calling you ''seshi'' was enough to earn your name? Seriously?"


    "Maybe? It''s hard to tell with this stuff. But just in case, I want to know your opinion on the name."


    Akari rubbed her chin. "I guess I like it. It''s cute, and it makes me think of ''sexy'' too. Though maybe that''s just because I was there when the kid said it. Not sure that association will come through for others."


    Neko seemed quite satisfied with that. She smiled broadly and said, "Let''s give it a test run. Hi, I''m Seshi!"


    Akari giggled and played along. "It''s nice to meet you, Seshi, I''m Akari."


    Just then, a loud hum echoed through the area. It was a bit like microphone feedback, but all the equipment had been unplugged. Akari had to cover her ears, but the other humans didn''t so much as flinch. A pair of Shinto priests who had been deep in conversation looked around with puzzled expressions, then resumed unfazed.


    The hum grew louder and higher, as if building toward a crescendo, and Neko winced and covered her own ears. There was a squeak overhead, barely audible over the hum, and a small creature, a mouse by the looks of it, fell from the stage rafters. It landed behind the microphone crate, then skittered away and off stage.


    Then the hum stopped.


    "What was that?" Akari muttered, lowering her hands from her ears and looking around in confusion.


    Neko blinked several times and ran a hand over her tail to smooth it back down. "Oof, that was pretty different from your thunderclap."


    "Huh?" Akari was totally lost. "My thunderclap?"


    "The shockwave when you became Inara''s chosen one? I thought this would have been like that."


    "This? You mean that loud humming sound?"


    "Yep. And thank you, Akari. I really owe you one."


    Akari frowned. "I don''t understand, Neko. What do you mean?"


    The cat spirit grinned so wide it was as if her smile would escape her cheeks. "You just gave me a name. I''m not Neko anymore. I''m Seshi."

 Ch 37 - Fallout

    On the walk back to the shrine from the festival, Inara shared the results of the audience vote. She''d been running the booth during the idol contest, so she was the only one who knew the final results.


    "There were 98 votes in total," she said, working from memory because the ballot box had been packed away. "And it was a really close race."


    Usagi giggled. "You love drawing this out, don''t you Mistress?"


    Inara nodded sagely. "Of course. It''s one of the many pleasures of my life with you five. I wouldn''t dare waste it."


    "Agh, you''re helping her draw it out even more," grumbled the spirit formerly known as Neko. She had gained the name Seshi now, even if the others didn''t know it yet. They had heard the supernatural hum when the name was granted, but they had interpreted it as microphone feedback. Seshi was happy to let the misconception stand for as long as possible, since there was sure to be fallout.


    "Fine, I''ll put you out of your misery, Neko," Inara said. "You got 21 votes."


    Seshi''s eyes sparkled in delight. That meant as many as 21 new followers, 21 more steps toward her goal. Of course, it wasn''t clear how many followers she would actually need to become a superior spirit, but more was always better.


    "Inu got a solid 18 votes, including basically all the active, youthful types." Inara ruffled Inu''s hair, an action that would have earned anyone else a tongue lashing or a fist to the jaw. "I bet if we perform at a sporting event with more of that type of attendee, you''ll win in a landslide."


    "What about me?" Usagi asked, literally bouncing as she walked.


    "You got 20. The kids really seemed to love you." Inara winked and added, "And the young men."


    Usagi''s bouncing stride continued as she smiled in satisfaction.


    "I''m sure I got less than them," Hebi said. Her tone wasn''t pleased, but she didn''t sound disappointed either. She spoke as if stating a fact of life that she had power over and no emotional attachment to.


    "That''s true, but you still received a respectable 15 votes. I told you some people like the mysterious girl in glasses vibe."


    Giggling, Seshi added, "If only she''d also carried a pen and clipboard to get the ''stern secretary'' fans."


    Akari smiled but shook her head. "Nah, that would clash too much with the miko outfits. But I do feel like we could have leaned into her ''wise senpai'' side more."


    "I''m fine with my current aesthetic," Hebi said, pushing her fake glasses up her nose. "I''d rather not be the center of attention."


    "Speaking of the center of attention¡­" Inara looked at Akari, and smiled proudly. The other girls faced her too, their faces expectant and slightly jealous.


    "Huh?"


    "Akari got 22 votes, crowning her the most popular idol of the evening!"


    "Damn," Seshi hissed, acting far more upset than she actually was. "Beaten by a single vote."


    "Wha?! Really?"


    Inara nodded. "It''s true. The way you were lost in your kagura dancing even after the music stopped was very endearing, especially among the Shinto devoted in the audience. They could tell how much you care."


    "Congrats," Inu said with a slap on Akari''s back that nearly knocked the wind out of her.


    Usagi gave an energetic nod. "Yep, that was a well-earned victory."


    "Hold on." Hebi stopped walking and the others came to a stop with her. They were on a small street at the edge of town now, with no one else around. "That totals to only 96 votes, Boss. You said that there were 98."


    Inara''s fox ears reappeared, along with a vulpine grin. "That''s right. There were two write-in votes for me. I''d love to take that as a compliment, but it likely meant that my aura wasn''t as locked-down as it should have been. I need to do better next time."


    Seshi started walking again, saying, "Then it''s a good thing your domain includes self-improvement now, huh?"


    Inara nodded. "Exactly, Neko."


    Akari glanced at Seshi, hoping she''d use that opportunity to mention her new name, but the cat spirit just looked away, feigning innocence.


    <hr>


    "Neko, Akari?" Inara loomed tall in the store-room doorway.


    Akari was up on a ladder, putting the empty ballot box up on a high shelf along with some other event supplies. The rented equipment had all been picked up on site by the rental company. She pushed the box to the back, then said, "Yes, Inara?"


    Neko stood below, holding the ladder. "What''s up?"


    "Please come with me," Inara said, five tails swaying behind her. Five was her ''caring'' mood, but the look on her face was stony and serious.


    It reminded Akari of her mother, specifically when she had been upset with Akari''s behavior. If this was about what Akari thought it was about, that association was very fitting.


    "Oh, sure," Neko said with a forced smile.


    The short walk to Inara''s room was torture. Akari knew exactly what was coming, even if she didn''t know how Inara had found out about Seshi''s name and Akari''s part in it.


    Inara was calm and collected, until she closed the bedroom door behind her. Then the air in the room grew heavy and every hair on Akari''s body stood on end. It was like being inside a bottled storm.


    "I''m very upset," Inara said, slowly. "But I want to hear the full story before I say anything I might regret."


    Akari started, "I''m sorry, Inara, it was my¡ª"


    "It was my fault," Neko interrupted. "I was given a name by a passing child, and I tricked Akari into confirming it." She looked down at the floor. "I''m Seshi now."


    Inara''s stony expression didn''t change. "Is that true, Akari?"


    "Yes, it''s true. I should have been more careful, especially since I knew Neko was hoping to gain followers at that event."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Neko shot a spiteful glare at Akari for outing her, but Inara just nodded and said, "I anticipated the part about followers. That was apparent from the moment she pitched the idea to me. We all gained followers today. Seshi''s just have more immediate impact."


    Seshi couldn''t help but smile at Inara using her new name. It was final now, set in stone like one of Kasumi''s statues. Seshi even pondered trying to commission a statue of herself.


    "Seshi." Inara''s voice was absent all joy and levity, and her gaze burned fiercely.


    "Y-yes, Miss Inara?"


    "You defied me, and betrayed Akari. You''ve lost no small amount of trust today." With each power-infused word, the decorations on the walls rattled and the lights flickered slightly.


    Neko opened her mouth, planning to apologize. But Inara wasn''t done yet.


    "But more than angry, I am disappointed." Behind the goddess, five tails flickered and faded, split and fused. As many as nine tails writhed through the air, but they always returned to five before becoming solid.


    "I''m sorry!" Neko blurted, bowing deeply.


    Inara wasn''t convinced. "You aren''t sorry, Seshi. You would do it again." She paced around the room, her eyes lingering on the priceless artifacts that covered the walls; things she had purchased from the original artisans centuries ago. More than just art, they were filled with memories, stories that were important to her. Seeing them helped calm the fury that was burning in her heart in that moment.


    Akari stepped forward. Standing up to a goddess, to her goddess, was terrifying, but she had something that needed to be said. "But can you blame her?"


    Inara and Neko spun to face the human, eyes wide.


    Akari summoned all the courage she could and continued. "She''s pursuing her dream. As much as it hurt to be tricked by her¡­ I''m still happy to have helped her make progress. She''s come a long way since she came to our shrine, since she joined our family, and she can grow even more if we just let her. If we just believe in her."


    Inara faced Akari. "That''s what I was doing by allowing her into town. I let out her leash as far as I could, but apparently that wasn''t enough for her."


    Neko''s eyes darted from one face to the other, frantic. She looked like she wanted to say something, but didn''t know where to start.


    Akari stood strong. "Yes, she pushed the boundaries, fought against the limits that you set. But that''s how people grow, how they reach greater heights and become greater people." Akari gestured at the paintings and other art that filled the room, pieces representing the true wonder of humanity''s artistic potential. "These works of art, do you think they''d exist if their artists had respected their limits? No, those artists never stopped pushing against the barriers in their lives. And then they went on to make even greater treasures than these."


    Neko was lost, but Inara watched Akari intently with golden eyes.


    "In fact, all these works are from early in their artists'' careers. You never went back and bought their greatest works, did you? No, you wanted pieces that signified the remaining potential of humanity, not the apex or the realized goal."


    "How do you know that?" Inara asked, her voice quiet yet firm.


    "I don''t know how I know it." Akari clutched a hand to her chest. "Maybe it''s through our bond. But I know that you valued personal growth even then. The seeds for your new domain were planted long ago."


    Inara was silent, so Akari added one last thing. "I think Seshi would trick me again, if it was necessary for her goal of becoming a superior spirit. And I think you would allow it to happen. The goddess of self-improvement would not stand in its way."


    The room was silent for a long moment, one that seemed to stretch toward infinity like a star being pulled into a black hole. Then Inara spoke quietly, and more importantly, calmly. "I need time to process this. We''ll talk tomorrow."


    <hr>


    "Thanks, Akari. You saved my ass back there." Seshi leaned against the frame of her open bedroom door, looking relaxed and relieved.


    Akari didn''t meet Seshi''s eyes. The reality of what had happened that day was finally settling in. The reality that she had been used.


    "It still hurts, you know, being tricked like that," Akari started. "That boy didn''t count as a follower, so his naming had no power and you knew it. It only had power when I said it. I thought I was your friend, but I guess I''m just a follower to be led around by the nose. To be used."


    Seshi grabbed both of Akari''s hands and held them tightly. "You are my friend, hell, probably my only friend. But I hurt you because I''m a shitty friend. This probably just sounds like an excuse, but I''m new at this. I''ve never had to weigh my desires against someone else''s feelings before."


    Seshi let Akari''s fingers slip through hers, then she dropped to her knees. She bent forward until her forehead touched the hallway floor, a bow so exaggerated Akari had only seen it on TV.


    "I''m sorry, Akari."


    Seeing someone prostrating like that was too embarrassing for Akari. "It''s okay¡­"


    Neko sat back up, but stayed on her knees. "No, it isn''t. You said that I''d betray you again if I had to, and maybe that''s true. But I don''t want it to be. I don''t want to be cold-hearted and self-centered. I don''t want to be a piece of shit like that, even if that''s what it takes to become a superior spirit."


    "Now I definitely don''t believe you," Akari said, half-joking. "You''d give up your only dream that easily?"


    Seshi''s green eyes shined with a rare level of seriousness. "No, I''d find another way, a way to get there without hurting my friends."


    Akari was torn. She wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe that Seshi had seen the error of her ways, that she had learned, that she wanted to improve. But Akari couldn''t trust her completely, not so soon after being tricked like that, while the sting of betrayal was so fresh in her memory.


    Well, when you can''t trust something 100%, but you still want to take the chance¡­ Akari thought. Then she held out her hands. "It''s a gamble, but I''ll believe you. I accept your apology."


    Letting out a sigh of relief, Seshi took the offered hands and rose to her feet. Then she pulled Akari close and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Thank you, Akari, for everything. Especially for believing in me."


    The moment was suddenly ruined when Seshi pushed Akari to arms'' length. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes downcast as she quickly said, "Sorry, but you smell really good and I felt your boobs squish against mine and I haven''t had a lay in a long time and I need to stop before I say something raunchy."


    "O-oh. Okay," Akari stammered. This was a side of Seshi she''d never seen before. Lewd? Yes. Flirty? Always. But restrained? Never.


    Then Akari smiled. She took it as proof that Seshi was changing, and that she truly cared about Akari. "Want me to tell the others about your new name?"


    Seshi shook her head. "It should be me. And it should be a good distraction from my stupid horniness." Then she stepped around Akari and headed for the kitchen, mumbling, "Inu probably heard everything already¡­"


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, less than a city block from where Mori Musume had performed at the festival, down near the Masugata River that ran through the center of Shinj¨­, two women spoke in a cluttered room with concrete walls.


    "I''m telling you, they weren''t human!" said the smaller woman, who had pale sky-blue hair in a short A-line cut. She wore surprisingly little clothing, just a blue tank-top and matching boy-short panties. Her bare feet paced frantically across scraps of mismatched carpet.


    "Uh-huh," said the other woman, a thin and leggy brunette with a short pigtail hairstyle and an elegant pink sleeveless dress. She was reclining sideways in a tattered brown loveseat with her feet kicked up, showing off strappy magenta high heels. They were just one of over a dozen pairs of expensive shoes stored in the small room. "Then what were they? Ghosts?" She was clearly joking, but she couldn''t hide the shiver that ran up her spine at the thought.


    "I don''t know yet. But I''m pretty sure their ears and tails were real." She grabbed a smartphone from a pile of pilfered electronics and flopped into a pristine gaming chair, by far the nicest piece of furniture in the room. "I wish I had set up one of my cell-cams before their show, to see if those ears show up on recordings."


    "And then I''d get to see their performance!" the other woman said. "I''m bummed I couldn''t make it."


    "You didn''t miss much. And you were doing something more important anyway." With that, she nodded toward a black duffle bag in the corner, zipped tight and filled with something blocky.


    The tall girl frowned at the bag. "I don''t like taking things people actually need."


    "They''ll be fine, Shika. Insurance exists for exactly this sort of thing."


    "If you say so¡­"


    <hr>


    Hebi looked up from her laptop as Seshi entered the kitchen. "Good timing, Neko, I was about to call a house meeting."


    "Uh, the name''s Seshi now."


    Inu leapt to her feet. "Aha! I knew it!"


    Hebi grabbed Inu by the back of the shirt and pulled her back down onto her cushion. "This isn''t the time for that. This is serious." She turned to face the cat spirit, then seamlessly switched to the new name. "Seshi, can you go get Akari? Usagi''s already fetching Inara."


    "Yeah. Not sure Inara''s going to join though. She''s in an odd mood because of my name thing."


    Hebi''s piercing gaze didn''t waver. "She''ll join for this. A bunch of stalls at the festival were robbed, and since we''re so new, we are the primary suspects."

 Ch 38 - Tracking

    "So what''s left to do, Seshi?" Akari looked across the pile of freshly washed laundry they were folding, her purple eyes shining with expectation.


    Green eyes blinked back. "For the laundry? I guess there''s just our miko hakama after this, since we washed them separately."


    "No," Akari giggled. "For your ascension to superior spirit! You''ve gotta be close now, right?"


    "Ohh." Seshi shrugged. "Yeah, there''s not much more, but I''m not sure exactly what."


    Akari dropped the shirt she was folding, having found something more exciting to pursue. Seshi wasn''t normally this unsure of herself. "Have you asked Inara? She might know."


    Seshi nodded. "I did, and she said the same thing. She can sense I''m getting close, but she doesn''t know the next step. Each spirit''s journey is unique, or some bullshit like that."


    Akari smiled at the return of the crass cat she knew and loved, or at least considered a friend. Then she offered, "I can take a peek forward for you with my foresight."


    "No thanks," Seshi blurted. "I already owe you after the shit I pulled with my name. And the last time you used your power for me¡­" She trailed off, a deep frown on her face.


    "Awww, Seshi feels guilty!" came a mocking voice from the doorway behind Seshi. It was Usagi, looking strangely cheerful in an oversized pink sweater, big enough to wear as a dress. Her golden hair was braided loosely down the front of her left shoulder and her rabbit ears were perked up and alert. "I never thought I''d see the day!"


    "Whatcha want, Usagi?" Seshi replied. "And why''re you so excited this early? Get some tail last night?"


    "Just this morning, actually," Usagi answered with a wide smile. "And speaking of, Inara wants to talk to everyone."


    Akari jogged toward the door and squeezed past Usagi, saying, "I bet it''s about the robbery." Then Akari almost tripped over her own feet as she glanced back and caught a glimpse of Usagi''s backside, literally. Bubbly round butt-cheeks stared back at Akari from beneath Usagi''s fluffy bunny tail. It was holding the back of her sweater up and she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    Akari felt her own cheeks heating up. Nudity in the bath is something I''ve gotten used to¡­ But in the hallway? As Akari resumed her journey down the hallway, she called back, "Put some pants on, Usagi. Or at least panties."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "We have more information about the robbery," Inara announced, reclining on a large cushion in the spacious front hall. The others sat around her in a loose semi-circle. "Last night, we were the primary suspects, but we''ve been cleared now."


    "Why''s that?" Inu asked. There were dark circles under her eyes. She''d been in dog form all night, searching the town for clues that could prove their innocence, but she hadn''t found so much as a scent trail to go on.


    "The timing of the thefts," Inara answered. "Apparently all the cash boxes were taken while you five were on stage and I was plainly visible in the booth."


    Hebi raised the tip of her tail to get attention. "To play devil''s advocate for a second, couldn''t we have had someone else sneak around and steal the cash while we distracted everyone with our idol show?"


    Inara smiled and nodded like Hebi''s comment had been expected, or even rehearsed. They had probably discussed all these details together before the house meeting. "Of course. But there was another major detail that proved our innocence: what else was stolen."


    "It wasn''t just money?" Inu asked. Cash was nearly impossible to trace, even with a dog''s sense of smell. If she''d known something else had been stolen, she could have been tracking that instead of wandering blindly all night.


    Hebi gently rubbed her closed laptop, like a proud parent ruffling a child''s hair. "I''ve been reading the shrine organization''s message board where multiple vendors reported that some of their stock was taken. They didn''t notice it until they counted their inventory later, but it''s undeniable that someone was targeting Omamori charms. Over 200 were stolen in total from over a dozen vendors, including some who didn''t lose any cash."


    "Charms? They stole charms?" Seshi blurted. "The hell''s the point of that?!"


    Akari opened her mouth to defend the charms, but nothing came out. She loved Omamori, the little good luck amulets that shared her family name, but she fully understood that they weren''t worth stealing. They were just simple cloth pouches with a written blessing inside, purchased more as a souvenir to support a shrine than for their subtle spiritual benefit. And nobody would trust a second-hand Omamori to actually provide that.


    Akari finally found something to say, but it was just another question. "The thieves won''t be able to resell them, so why go through the trouble to steal so many?"


    Inara smiled and clapped her hands. "Exactly! There''s a chance it was a red-herring to throw off pursuers, but there''s another possibility as well¡­" One fluffy tail flicked excitedly behind her as she spoke; she was deep in her curious mood.


    "Which is?" Inu asked sharply. Her sense of justice and her frustration at being accused had worn away her last remaining patience.


    "The thief needed the blessed charms just as much, if not more, than the money they stole. The cash might have been the red-herring!"


    "Ooookay? What good does that info do us?" Seshi asked.


    A vulpine grin eclipsed Inara''s features. "That depends on whether you consider extra responsibility to be a good thing."


    Inu was past her limit. She tugged on her own ears and shouted, "Agh! Spit it out already, Miss Inara!"


    "Sorry, I guess this is more stressful than fun for you. I''ll make it simple and clear: I believe the thief is another spirit, one who needs the spiritual power inside those charms for some reason. And since this is beyond what the human police can handle, it falls to us to do something about it."


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Oh." Inu blinked, hovering between relief and frustration. She had no idea if the stress was finally over, or just beginning.


    Then Inara turned to Seshi and smiled. "If you''re looking for a way to boost your connection to your followers, you could take this on."


    The cat spirit blinked lazily. "Me? And how would that help me exactly?"


    "Many of the people who saw you on stage, the people who voted for you, your new followers¡­ they''re the same shrine-keepers who were victimized, or they''re regular visitors to those shrines. Helping them, even in ways they never realize, will strengthen your bond and pave the way toward your ascendance."


    That got Seshi''s attention. "I''m on it!"


    Inara clapped her hands again. "Great! Let me know if there''s anything I can do to help. The residents of Shinj¨­ are my people too."


    Seshi scooted surreptitiously over to Inu''s side. Then she asked in her sweetest voice, "After you get some sleep, wanna help me track down this no-good robber? I could use your talents, and we''ve got new leads that need followin''."


    Inu narrowed her eyes and regarded Seshi for a long moment. Then she answered. "Only if Akari comes along to keep you in line."


    Seshi held a hand to her chest, offended. "You wound me, Inu. But I''d appreciate Akari''s help as well, including her power." She met Akari''s eyes and added, "If you feel comfortable with using it, of course."


    "Uh, sure," Akari answered. She was honestly more hung up on the fact that Seshi and Inu would be working together. I hope they don''t bicker too much¡­


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "What in the world are you wearing?!"


    The shorter woman, with wide azure eyes and pale sky-blue hair, looked down at herself, then back up at her friend. "Uh, a winter coat, obviously." The silver coat was big and puffy, with sleeves so long they completely covered her hands.


    "With that skirt? It looks like you''re naked from the waist down! You''ll draw way too much attention," retorted the taller woman. In contrast, she was wearing a long forest green skirt and layered long-sleeve shirts in shades of orange, along with a loose slate-grey knit cap. She looked very well put together, like she''d just walked out of a catalogue for fall fashion. Considering the entire outfit had been on a mannequin before she''d swiped it from the display, it very well may have been assembled straight from a corporate catalogue.


    "You know I don''t have any longer skirts, Shika. I like ''em short."


    "Then wear some pants!" Shika shouted.


    "Calm down. Your ears are starting to show."


    Shika''s hands snapped to the sides of her head, where tufts of white had started to peek through her short cinnamon-brown hair. "Nezumi! I thought the charms were supposed to handle this."


    Nezumi flopped back down into her computer chair, since they weren''t going anywhere with Shika in that state. "The charms can only support you. You have to do the rest, and that means keeping a clear head. I can always send Emily-chan instead. I''ve boosted her range and lifting power considerably, though battery life has taken a hit."


    "A drone flying around with wads of cash is even more conspicuous than my ears or your skirt."


    "I guess that''s true." Nezumi leaned back and crossed her legs, revealing a whole lot of thigh and a glimpse of black panties beneath her blue miniskirt. She really didn''t understand everyone''s obsession with modesty. As long as you''re warm enough, what does it matter how much skin you show?


    Shika let out an exasperated sigh. Her furry ears had become completely visible, extending over six inches from the side of her head. "Can you not flash me right now, Nezu? I''m trying to calm down."


    Large mouse-like ears popped into existence on Nezumi''s head as she dropped her own disguise. Then they twitched excitedly. "Ooh, wanna bang? Maybe that will help you relax."


    Shika turned away. "No. It took forever to get all these charms to hang nicely under my clothes."


    "That''s why I picked a coat with big pockets," Nezumi offered unhelpfully.


    "Shush. I''m trying to focus."


    It took a couple minutes of slow breathing, but Shika eventually got her deer features to retract. Then she waved to Nezumi and said, "Come on. Let''s just get this over with. Maybe no one will think too hard about the pantless girl in the giant silver coat."


    Nezumi hopped to her feet and her ears vanished, along with the slender tail that had been pinned between her back and the chair. "Alright! Operation Shop Like a Human is on!"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    "Do you smell something, Michi?" Akari asked. It felt strange to use Inu''s previous name from her past life, but they had agreed that calling her dog form ''Inu'' in public was too weird, especially if someone recognized Akari and Seshi from the idol performance. Two young idols walking a dog with the same name as one of their group members was not a good look.


    "Yeah, didja catch the robber''s scent?" Seshi chirped far too happily. She was wearing a tight-fitting jogging outfit, with striking purple lines up the side of her black elastic pants. A light jacket over her sports bra was just enough warmth for the gorgeous fall weather.


    The blonde dog stopped and shot Seshi a seething glare, then continued forward. She had indeed caught a scent trail that matched the charms Akari had purchased from a local shrine, but it led off the paved pathway and down into the ravine. There was a dirt trail there, mostly hidden by shrubs but easily traversable.


    There was another scent as well, much stronger than the charms. And after so many years in the mountains, Inu knew it very well; wild deer must have used this trail regularly.


    Inu also knew that if she could smell the deer, they had already caught her scent and fled. Deer had an even stronger sense of smell than dogs, and any deer who lived this close to humanity would have learned to avoid dogs.


    Inu sniffed at the air, ignoring the deer scent for now and focusing on the charms again. She started down the dirt trail, earning confused responses from her companions.


    "Down there?" Akari peered down the path, hoping her windbreaker jacket and running pants would protect her arms and legs from all the branches.


    "If I expected to be climbing around in a ditch, I would''ve worn boots," Seshi said. She glanced around to make sure they weren''t being observed, then went ahead and switched her conjured tennis shoes for a pair of hiking boots. "Much better."


    Akari wanted to scold Seshi for using her powers in public, but there was no time: Inu had already snuffled off down the trail. "Wait for us!", she called out as she followed Inu. Akari had to make do with her jogging shoes, but at least the trail was smooth and dry.


    The path made a sharp left and followed the creek for about a block, then went underneath a bridge. After everyone''s eyes adjusted to the darkness, they saw dirt, trash, some graffiti on the bridge supports, and a sturdy-looking steel door set into the concrete wall. It appeared to be storage or maintenance access for a storm drain, but any signage had been worn away or covered in graffiti.


    While Inu continued on ahead, checking if the scent trail continued out the other side of the bridge, Seshi stopped at the door. She grabbed the handle and tried it, but it didn''t budge. "Locked." She frowned. "And I never learned to lockpick or conjure keys. My sex appeal was always enough to get me inside."


    Inu quickly turned around and padded back to her friends. A very faint scent had continued that direction but the bulk of it was under this bridge. She sniffed up to the door. No, the scent was behind that door. She also caught a dozen other familiar smells wafting out from inside: food, perfume, cleaning supplies, and more.


    Seshi''s human ears and nose twitched in an oddly catlike way and she said, "I feel a spiritual presence around here, and not just the stolen charms. Inara was right that the thief is another spirit."


    "Okay. So now what do we do?" Akari asked. "Break in? Do a stake out?"


    Suddenly, Inu was barking, and not in a friendly way. Akari and Seshi looked where she was facing and saw two women standing on the dirt trail about thirty feet away, arms full of shopping bags.


    Everything was still for a long moment, then the shorter of the two strangers turned and shouted up at her companion, "What the hell, Shika! You should have noticed their scent!"


    The taller one dropped the slice of pizza she''d been eating, which had been completely monopolizing her sense of smell. It landed top-side down in the dirt with a splat. "Sorry."

 Ch 39 - Showdown Under the Bridge

    "Lovely day for a walk, isn''t it?" said the stranger with silver-blue hair in a short A-line cut. She was wearing an oversized puffy silver coat, and her bare legs looked very small beneath it. She was smiling, but there was no joy in her expression.


    The taller woman who stood behind her stayed quiet. She looked older and far more fashionable in her swishy green skirt, layered autumn-colored sweaters, and a grey knit cap that covered most of her cinnamon brown hair. Both women were standing on the dirt trail, arms full of shopping bags.


    Akari smiled and stepped toward them. "Yes, the weather''s gr¡ª"


    Seshi grabbed Akari by the back of the collar and pulled her back beneath the chilly shadow cast by the bridge overhead. "Stay behind me," she hissed. "They aren''t what they seem."


    Inu, still limited to her dog form while outside shrine grounds, continued barking at the strangers. She could smell them now, and their scent was strange and complex. Fragrant food and perfume were the strongest components, but there was an animal scent hidden beneath, including that of the wild deer that she''d been smelling all around this area.


    Seshi held a hand out to shush Inu. Seshi was taking her role as leader on this mission very seriously. When the barking stopped, she addressed the strangers. "You stole from my followers." Her voice was level, but far from calm.


    "Oh no oh no," the taller woman muttered, wide brown eyes flicking about frantically. She was visibly panicked now, bouncing from foot to foot as if the ground was too hot to touch. The more she lost her composure, the more her illusion faded, revealing long furry ears that stuck straight out from the sides of her head. They were deer ears: white fluff surrounded by fur the same cinnamon color as her hair.


    "Nezumi¡­" she whined. "You said there weren''t any active gods in this city¡­"


    "There aren''t," the one called Nezumi answered. She nodded toward Seshi. "She''s just a spirit, the same as us. And the other girl is a human priestess. They''re from that Shinto idol group."


    "Just a spirit," Seshi said, a grin widening across her face. "Did you hear that, Akari?"


    "Huh? I guess so." Akari was feeling nearly as scared as that deer girl. She had no idea what to expect from cornered spirits, since she hadn''t been present when Inara captured Neko all those weeks ago.


    Laughing, Seshi strode forward. "I''ll show you what I really am."


    Her black-furred ears reappeared first, emerging from her hair like blades from an extendable razor. Then her tail materialized, long and sleek and forked low near the base. Both ends stuck up into the air, tips twitching as she stalked her prey. Akari was used to seeing Seshi like this, but it didn''t stop there.


    Seshi''s eyes got larger and even more catlike, their emerald green color growing deeper and more vivid until they were literally glowing in the low light beneath the bridge. Her fingernails grew longer, curving to savage points like cat claws. Her illusionary clothing fell away like melting snow until she was completely naked, then new clothes coalesced around her: a wispy black kimono, made of sheer silk and loose around the shoulders, covering almost nothing.


    Akari didn''t understand why Seshi had changed into such a revealing outfit, but she definitely didn''t mind the view. The thin cloth made Seshi''s figure look particularly amazing as she crossed into the warm sunlight.


    "A nekomata. Shit. Shitshitshit." Nezumi took a step back, now just as nervous as her deer friend. Her own illusion crumbled, revealing large round mouse ears on top of her head. "Shika, we need to run."


    The deer-girl named Shika was very ready to flee, but she couldn''t move: a strange vine with silver leaves was tangled around her lower half, wrapping her green skirt tight to the slender legs beneath. Unbalanced, she fell to the ground and landed hard on her butt. "Too late," she said, pouting.


    Seshi continued her approach. "Thanks for living near so much wild silver vine. That stuff is good for more than getting cats high."


    "Seshi, don''t hurt them," Akari blurted, chasing Seshi a few paces out from the shadows.


    "Seshi?" The mouse spirit swallowed hard and took another step back. "Your name isn''t Neko?" She must have remembered the name from the festival performance she had watched from the rafters while Shika pilfered the shops.


    Grinning from ear to ear, Seshi answered, "That''s right. I''ve been named. Unlike you, little mouse."


    Nezumi dropped her shopping bags to the ground and reached into one of her coat''s many pockets. She grabbed something large, but before she could get her hand back out with it, Akari spoke.


    "She''s got a remote in her pocket, and it looks like it controls a flying drone. It will emerge from a vent in the wall behind us."


    "What the?!" Nezumi almost dropped the remote in surprise.


    Akari''s eyelids flickered as she used her foresight. She was getting better with practice, and the intense situation was actually helping her focus. She continued, "And she''ll get very upset if you break the drone. She calls it ''Emily''."


    "Oh really?" Seshi flashed Akari a thankful smile, then fixed Nezumi with a sinister glare. "How about you leave your toy out of this, and I won''t have to break it?"


    Nezumi pulled her empty hand from her pocket and jumped back to dodge a vine that was attempting to wrap around her ankle, but she didn''t run away. She whispered something to Shika, too quiet for even Inu to hear from that distance, then Nezumi''s body seemed to disappear. For an instant, her coat floated in the air above her empty shoes, then the whole outfit fell to the ground. Behind that, a small spotted deer was trying to untangle itself from another pile of clothing: the outfit that Shika had been wearing.


    Without needing to be asked, Inu leapt into action. She bolted up the trail and tackled the deer to the dusty earth before it could get free. Inu was slightly bigger than Shika and much stronger, because her human body''s physical fitness translated to her dog form as well. The little deer kept struggling and scrambling to escape until Inu placed her jaws around her throat and started to press down.


    "I yield, I yield!" Shika cried, literal tears trailing from her big round eyes.


    Seshi scanned the scene but the mouse was nowhere to be seen. She could have easily escaped into the underbrush or a storm drain, and then even Inu wouldn''t be able to track her.


    "Very well." Seshi shrugged and her kimono slid a little further off her shoulder. Somehow, the slip only made her look even more in control, even more menacing. She stalked closer, claws raised. "We''ll just hold onto this deer until the mouse surrenders herself," she announced loudly.


    "No need," came a tiny voice from right next to Inu. A small white and tan mouse was sitting on top of a fallen shoe. "I never left. I would never leave Shika behind."


    Akari said, "Aww, that''s nice of you."


    "You know what would also be nice?" Seshi asked, looming over the frightened animal spirits. "A little tea party, with just the five of us. Would you please invite us inside your home?" Her words were polite, but her tone was anything but. It wasn''t a request. It was a demand.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "The key is in my left front jacket pocket," Nezumi said. Then she planted her little mouse feet and bravely faced the unusual dog that had her friend. "Can you please let go of her throat? She won''t run. Right, Shika?"


    "R-right. I promise I won''t run." With how much Shika was shaking in fear, her four wobbly legs wouldn''t have been able to carry her anyway.


    Inu let go of her throat, but stayed close while Seshi rummaged in Nezumi''s jacket for the key.


    "Ahh, so that''s how you hid your ears," Seshi said with a giggle. "You were wearing a couple dozen charms under that silly coat, using their power to boost your illusion. I prefer altering my form directly instead of illusions." It was a boast, a reminder of just how much more powerful she was than her foes.


    Seshi stood up with a small silver key in her hand and started toward the door in the concrete wall. She asked Akari, "Can you grab all their stuff? Don''t want some jogger thinking they discovered a murder scene."


    "Sure thing." Akari made sure to gather up their shopping bags as well, though it would take two trips to get it all.


    Seshi put the key in the lock and it turned smoothly. She opened the door to the repurposed maintenance room, but didn''t enter it yet. She gestured inside and said, "It would be rude to enter before our gracious hosts."


    <hr>


    The room was small and cluttered, with salvaged scraps of carpet covering the bare concrete floor. A few wall hangings, mostly anime wall-scrolls and posters advertising video games, adorned the plain grey walls. A single futon mattress and a dozen mismatched pillows filled one corner of the room, taking up nearly a quarter of the floor space. Clothes of all sorts filled most of the remaining area.


    The only other significant feature in the room was a computer desk with a high-end gaming chair in front of it. Aside from a keyboard, mouse, and monitor, the desk''s surface was covered in tools and partially disassembled technology, including a dozen cell phones and several drone propellers.


    "Let''s skip the bullshit," Seshi started. She was leaning against the steel door that was the room''s only known exit, and she was back in a casual jogging outfit. She hadn''t bothered to hide her ears and tail. "You stole money and charms from the festival. Were you working with anyone else?"


    The little deer shook her head emphatically. "No, it''s just us. It''s always been just us." She and the mouse were huddled together in the middle of the mattress, looking very small compared to their human-sized ''guests''.


    Akari raised a hand. "Can I ask why you did it?"


    Seshi sighed. "This isn''t the time for ''good cop, bad cop''. Let me handle this."


    "But I need to know if they had a good reason. If they really needed the charms, then maybe I can forgive them."


    Rolling her eyes, Seshi said, "What did I just say? Stop playing good cop, Akari."


    Akari mimed zipping her lips closed. Seshi had been the one tasked by Inara with this mission, so Akari would follow her orders. To occupy herself, she went to check on Inu, who had been sniffing around the cluttered room for evidence. She crouched next to the dog and whispered, "Find anything?"


    "Yeah," Inu croaked back, sounding very much like a dog trying to bark at whisper volume. Her ability to control her voice while in animal form was far weaker than Nezumi and Shika''s. Inu pointed her nose at a black duffel bag and said, "That''s filled with the remaining cash and charms. And I bet everything else in here is stolen too."


    "She can talk!" gasped Shika, after overhearing their whispering. Despite her serious fear of Seshi, Shika was easily distracted and hadn''t been paying much attention to the ongoing interrogation.


    Inu huffed and turned away, pretending to continue her search. She felt helpless, unable to take a human form outside of her home shrine, while these criminals could even hide their ears and blend in among the public well enough to go shopping. Not that Inu wanted to go shopping, but it was out of her reach nonetheless.


    Apparently that power is thanks to all the stolen Omamori charms, Inu thought.


    While everyone else was focused on Seshi and Nezumi, who were now arguing about how to possibly return so much stolen property, Inu sniffed out a small pile of charms and slipped her nose through their strings. Once she was wearing five around her neck, she tried to transform.


    Normally, back within the sanctified shrine grounds, the transformation process was easy and instant. This time, her goal felt frustratingly out of reach, like a word on the tip of her tongue that she just couldn''t think of no matter how hard she tried. She added another two charms and tried again, and this time the transformation came easily. There was a puff of smoke and a low WUMPH.


    Everyone turned at the sound. The blonde dog had been replaced by a blonde woman with the same ears and tail as before. And other than seven little talismans around her neck, she was completely naked.


    "Inu? What are you doing?" Akari asked, trying not to stare at her friend''s nudity.


    "Damn, she''s hot," said Nezumi, her beady eyes openly scanning up and down Inu''s firm and fit body. Inu had the figure of an athlete who trained for function rather than aesthetics: toned and angular, yet soft in just the right places.


    Seshi grabbed Nezumi by one ear and lifted the mouse into the air, hissing, "Eyes on me, thief."


    Blushing red from chest to ears and covering what she could with her hands, Inu said, "Sorry. I was testing something."


    She lifted the charms up and over her head, then dropped them back on the pile. As soon as they left her fingers, she reverted to her dog form, unable to maintain the transformation.


    Inu could still feel a bit of spiritual power just from being in the same room as so many charms, but it wasn''t enough of a boost unless they were touching her body. Apparently the mouse and deer could take human form as long as they were within the charm-filled room, and they could even hide their lingering animal features if they wore the charms directly.


    And of course Seshi could do both without any help. That''s just how much stronger she was.


    I should get stronger too, Inu thought, if only to better serve Inara. Inu had never seriously considered trying to ascend to superior spirit because she''d never seen the need. But now she understood how weak she was, even compared to other major spirits¡­


    She wanted to be stronger. She wanted to be more useful to Inara, wanted to be the one the Goddess went to first, not an afterthought brought along for her nose. And there was a path to that goal, the same one that Seshi was walking. It would take an astronomical amount of work, especially since she was starting off so far behind, but Inu had never shied away from hard work.


    I''m not there yet, but maybe I should reuse ''Michi'' as my name. Akari went through so much trouble to find it for me, after all.


    <hr>


    "We admit fault and agree to return every stolen thing that is possible to return," the two rogue spirits said in unison. "We promise to stop stealing from the people of Shinj¨­, and we promise to pay the Mori-jinsha shrine back for the full value of the omamori charms we are being allowed to keep."


    After nearly an hour of back-and-forth about the timeline on returning the stolen merchandise, the terms of their new debt to the Mori-jinsha shrine, and how spirits were even supposed to earn human money, Seshi and the two spirits had come to an agreement. They could even keep living in their underground maintenance room, since the local government had clearly forgotten about it.


    "Finally! Was that really so damn hard?" Seshi huffed. Then she shrugged and smiled. "But since you''re being so cooperative, I won''t have to bring out the big guns."


    Shika, still in deer form and curled around her mouse roommate, said, "Big guns? You aren''t the big guns?"


    "Nah, that''d be our Goddess," Seshi answered. "And believe me, it''s best if she doesn''t have to get involved. When I was causing trouble, she mopped the floor with me in about two seconds, and didn''t even break a sweat."


    "O-oh¡­ Okay."


    Akari crouched down next to the bed and gave the spirits a warm smile. "She''s actually a very kind and wonderful woman. I hope you get to meet her someday."


    "We''ll take your word on that," Nezumi replied. "After today, I''ve had my fill of other spirits for a good long while."


    Akari was still curious about these new acquaintances. "So how long have you two been living in Shinj¨­?"


    Nezumi answered, "Only about six months. But we''ve been traveling together, what, 40 years?" She looked to Shika, expectantly.


    Shika nodded. "Yep, that sounds right! I love my little Nezu, and always will!" She nuzzled the much smaller mouse with her nose.


    Nezumi made a half-hearted attempt to push her away. "Not in front of the strangers¡­"


    "They aren''t strangers anymore! They''re other spirits, and for once they aren''t trying to eat us!"


    Akari gaped. "Uh, what?"


    Shika nodded somberly. "Normally, powerful major spirits try to eat weaker ones, since it''s the quickest way to gain spiritual power. Nekomata in particular are well known for hunting smaller spirits and playing with them before consuming them." She smiled and added, "Seshi doesn''t seem to be like that."


    "At least not anymore," Nezumi muttered.


    "Shut your trap," Seshi spat. Firmly shaking her head, she continued, "I''ve never eaten other spirits. I prefer my spiritual power to have a more¡­ intimate flavor."


    "Um," Shika started, rising to her hooves. Even with the added height from the mattress, she was barely over knee height. "Sorry for the change in topic, but can we have some privacy to return to our human forms and get dressed? I''m much more comfortable that way."


    Seshi beckoned for Inu and Akari. "Yeah, yeah. Seeya in a week for your first progress check-in. And if you skip town, I will hunt you down, and I might just eat you after all."

 Ch 40 - Holidays, part 1

    It was mid-December and the area around the shrine was calm and quiet. A thick layer of snow had covered the mountainside like a down blanket, and even the noise of the bustling city below couldn''t penetrate it.


    Usagi shuffled aimlessly down the long hallway that ran through the center of the shrine. It seemed eerily silent at first, but when she stopped and listened hard, she could pick out signs of life, such as Akari''s voice coming from her bedroom. She was on the phone with one of the artists Inara had commissioned. Both the wooden ranma carving and the fox statues were nearing completion, and it kept Akari busy coordinating their shipment.


    From another room, Usagi''s keen ears detected the gentle tapping of fingers on keys as Hebi worked on her laptop. The snake spirit was likely managing the shrine''s finances, or coordinating future collaborations with other shrines now that she''d taken over the digital side of that job. Akari''s involvement was still required for voice or face-to-face communication, since normal humans couldn''t see or hear Hebi without Inara''s help.


    And every few seconds, a distant CLUNK echoed down the hallway; Inu was training again. It was too snowy outside for a jog so she had her weight bench set up, and by the sound of it, she was doing leg lifts. Ever since that confrontation with the rogue deer and mouse spirits, Inu had been more committed than ever to her training, both physical and spiritual.


    Usagi shuffled past Seshi''s door, but heard nothing from inside. If Seshi had been home, she''d likely be listening to her old albums or napping lazily, but she was down in town again, checking in on Shika and Nezumi. Either that or she was taking advantage of her new freedom to socialize with humans and win more fans for Mori Musume, more followers toward her own ascension.


    Usagi stopped before the large, sturdy door to Inara''s room. "Mistress Inara? May I come in?"


    "Yes, of course!" the Goddess called back.


    Usagi entered and found Inara lounging on a large cushion with her bare feet in the air and a tablet propped up between her splayed kimono sleeves. The tablet''s screen was filled with pictures of idol groups, costume diagrams, and photos of cute hairstyles. One fluffy tail swayed through the air.


    "Great timing, Usagi. I''d love your opinion on these spring-inspired costumes. Mori Musume will wear them for two or three shows in the spring, including one during Hanami, if Hebi can swing it with the shrine association."


    Usagi smiled at the mental image of all five girls performing on stage, dancing through swirls of falling cherry blossom petals. And in her mind''s eye, Inara was right at the front of the audience, looking up at them with a look of pride and satisfaction.


    She approached and knelt by Inara''s side. "I''d love to help. I''ve been looking for something to occupy myself."


    Inara had been about to hand the tablet to Usagi for her opinion, but she set it down instead. She gave Usagi her full attention and said, "You sound frustrated. What''s wrong, my dear?"


    Usagi sighed. "It seems that everyone else has purpose, while I''m just waiting for time to pass me by."


    Inara sat upright, facing Usagi. Her single tail split into five as her mood switched from curious to caring. "How about a hobby?"


    "I already have some. But I can''t garden in the winter, and cooking can only fill so much time." Usagi paused, then shook her head. "And that''s not even the real problem. It feels like everyone''s drifting apart. Even when we''re all here in the shrine, it feels empty because everyone''s pursuits are pulling them in different directions. We hardly feel like a family anymore."


    Inara pondered that, ears twitching. "Hmm, that''s fair. I do hope that this Mori Musume stuff can bring us a little closer together, but there''s no reason to stop there. Maybe you can plan a dinner or a party here at the shrine?"


    "A party? Like a festival? We already have Hatsumode coming."


    Hatsumode was the popular tradition of visiting a shrine at the beginning of the new year. Visitors would pray for the future and retire their old omamori charms, and they usually bought new omamori or paper fortunes called omikuji. Some of the largest shrines in Japan received millions of visitors over the first three days of the year, and even the smaller shrines like Mori-jinsha could expect hundreds.


    Inara shook her head. "Not a public festival. Something for us, rather than for the people of Shinj¨­."


    "Huh. Okay. But I don''t want to take everyone''s time while they''re all so busy. And we still need to clean the shrine for Hatsumode and¡ª"


    With a kind smile, Inara took Usagi''s hand and said, "I''m sure we could all use a little break."


    "Alright. I''ll start dreaming up a fun party." Usagi peered at Inara''s tablet. "But before that, you wanted my opinion?"


    "Yes! Do you like these pink miko outfits, or is that too much pink with the sakura petals too?"


    <hr>


    Seshi pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead and let out a long breath. "You got fired¡­ again?"


    Shika looked up, her eyes puffy and red and her makeup all smudged from crying. She was still wearing her former work uniform of a white blouse and a long black skirt. "How was I supposed to know not to insult the customers? Nezumi and I insult each other all the time! It''s a sign of familiarity, and my boss told me to act familiar."


    Seshi blinked slowly, trying to process that. She chose to address it indirectly. "Didn''t you get an employee handbook that covered stuff like that?"


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    Shika nodded. "Yeah, but Nezumi told me to skip to the end and click accept."


    "Huh?" Seshi slowly turned to face the mouse spirit at her desk. "Why?"


    Nezumi didn''t look up from her work. She was hunched over a disassembled cell phone, and dressed in just a blue tank-top and boyshort panties. "I figured it''s like those software terms of service. None of that stuff can really affect us spirits, so we just skip them."


    "This obviously affects you!" Seshi blurted.


    Shika pouted, "I see that now¡­"


    "Whatever, just do better next time. And maybe go for something less public-facing than waitress, at least until you get better at interacting with humans." Then Seshi approached Nezumi. "How''s the cell phone repair gig going? Can you start paying my shrine back for all those charms we let you keep?"


    Nezumi frowned at the interruption, then she set her soldering iron down in its holder and leaned back from the phone she''d been repairing. "The first two went great, but the third guy threw a fit when I couldn''t restore all his photos."


    Seshi didn''t even try to hide her grimace. "So what did you do?"


    With a shrug, Nezumi answered, "I did the only thing I could: I gave his money back so that he wouldn''t trash my reputation."


    Seshi sighed. "I guess that''s okay. But you gotta start using a contract so you don''t get screwed over again. I''ll see if Hebi can write one up for you."


    Shika let out a cute squeal that made Seshi''s thoughts go to lewd places. "Oh, you''d do that for us?!"


    Seshi ran a hand through her hair, trying to distract herself. "I''ll ask, yeah, but no guarantee she''ll agree."


    <hr>


    In between heaping spoonfuls of curry rice, Inu said, "Hey Seshi, can I pick your brain after dinner?"


    Seshi looked exhausted from her new job shepherding the rogue spirits. There were dark circles under her eyes, her ears sagged, and her black hair had lost its sheen. "Ugh, why? I just wanna sleep."


    Inu set down her spoon and clenched her hands into fists. "I want to become stronger. I want to become a superior spirit."


    Akari''s eyes went wide. "Ooh, you can use the name Michi! I''ll name you whenever you want."


    Seshi''s tails bristled. "Oh, she can be named whenever she wants, but I wasn''t allowed to?"


    Inara answered firmly, "You were a criminal serving time."


    "I feel like I still am," she whined. "Managing those girls sucks! They have no idea how to act like humans. Shika keeps getting fired from her human jobs like an idiot."


    "But she keeps trying," Inara said, "so she must be really determined. I respect that."


    Usagi cut in, trying to change the subject before Inara could heap any more praise on other women. "I have an announcement to make. The first few days of the new year are going to be busy here at the shrine thanks to Hatsumode celebrations. The holiday is all about looking forward, so it''s particularly important to Mistress Inara''s new foresight domain. We need to do it right, and that won''t be easy. So before we get buried in all that work, I want to end the year with a relaxing celebration here at the shrine. I''d like to throw a little party here with food and drink and games. Without the huma¡ª err, public."


    Hebi was following along intently, the gears in her head turning on how the shrine might be able to turn a profit from the event, right up until that final sentence about not inviting the public. Then she tuned out and went back to inhaling her dinner.


    Akari''s face lit up with a cheerful smile. "Oh, that sounds like so much fun! I''ll pick up supplies and help you cook!"


    Usagi beamed. "Thanks, Akari."


    Seshi waved her spoon in Usagi''s direction. "Oh, can Shika and Nezumi come? It''d do them good to see how all of us interact. They''ve been alone so long they have no clue how to cooperate with anyone else."


    Usagi glared daggers at the cat spirit. "This was meant for just us, as a way for us to grow closer together. To be a better family," she said firmly, each word ringing out like a hammer striking an anvil.


    Seshi recoiled from the unexpected intensity. "Whoa! A simple ''no'' woulda been enough."


    "No, it wouldn''t have," Hebi said, now that her plate was clear. "You don''t usually take no for an answer."


    Inara raised a hand. "Hold on. I think Seshi''s onto something here."


    "How so, Mistress Inara?" Usagi asked through clenched teeth.


    "We''re going to be swamped during Hatsumode, to the point that we probably need to hire help. Those spirits could work off some of their debt to us."


    Usagi''s face was turning red as she tried to maintain composure. "That doesn''t require them to intrude on our family event."


    Inara blinked. "I was thinking we could invite them over to get to know them better before hiring them. But if you want to keep the party to just us, that''s fine, Usagi. I''m sorry for not understanding what you had in mind."


    Seshi bowed her head. "Yeah, sorry Usagi. I didn''t mean to step on your toes."


    "Uh, it''s okay." Usagi visibly calmed, then tried to smile. "Well, I''ll try to make the 30th a fun and relaxing day for all of us. Let me know if you come up with any ideas."


    "Will do, Usagi," Inu said.


    Hebi said, "Come to me if you need anything ordered online. If we''re quick, it should arrive in time for the party."


    As the women returned to eating, Akari turned to Seshi and asked, "So how have Shika and Nezumi been? They seemed like nice people, other than all the stealing."


    Seshi''s ears perked up. "They''re total idiots when it comes to some things, but yeah, I guess they''re nice. Nezumi is real clever, but she''s got no fashion sense. She just sits around in her panties all day, and not in a sexy way. Shika knows how to look great, but she''s kinda a ditz."


    Inara smiled and leaned close. "I can''t help but notice how much you focused on their appearance, Seshi. Are you attracted to those ladies?"


    Rolling her eyes, Seshi answered, "I''m attracted to a lot of people. But yeah, I''d be down to bone if they are. I ain''t gonna be the one to ask, though. It wouldn''t be right when I''m sorta their boss, and they really care about each other."


    "Seshi grew a conscience!" Inu marveled. "Inara''s self improvement domain is working!"


    "How about her foresight domain?" Seshi asked. "Think your snark is hurting the chances of me helping you become a superior spirit?"


    Giggling, Akari said, "I can take a peek and see!"


    Inu brought her hands together and bowed her head. "Sorry, sensei. Please forgive me."


    <hr>


    Later that evening, Akari visited Inara''s bedroom to give an update on the art commissions. Akari had a calendar pulled up on her laptop screen, and she was pointing to dates as she spoke.


    "Tetsuhiro''s ranma carving is being shipped on December 22nd, and Kasumi''s statues are shipping on the 29th. The 30th is Usagi''s party, and the 31st is set aside for preparing the shrine for Hatsumode. We can probably spare the time that day to install the ranma over the main entrance so it will be ready for the New Year''s Day visitors. The fox statues most likely aren''t going to make it until after the 3rd."


    "What about the 24th?" Inara asked.


    "Nothing''s planned. Why?"


    Inara smiled knowingly. "Isn''t Christmas Eve a romantic holiday in your culture?"


    Akari nodded. "Yeah. Couples go out on dates, or stay warm inside and eat fried chicken and Christmas cake." She was drastically simplifying her explanation, but it wasn''t really inaccurate either.


    "Would you like to spend it with me?" Inara asked.


    Akari''s jaw dropped and a thousand thoughts ran through her head like a stampede. Christmas Eve with Inara. Me? She chose me? But won''t the other girls be upset? Maybe they don''t care about human traditions. And do I even want¡ª


    "Yes", Akari said, interrupting her own thoughts. She didn''t really care what the other girls thought, or about anything else. Not when compared to this. "I''d love to spend Christmas Eve with you."


    "Wonderful! Do you have time to plan out the evening? It doesn''t need to be fancy. Just whatever you want to do."


    Akari felt the smile on her lips, wide and vibrant. "I''ve got this."

 Ch 41 - Holidays, part 2

    The moment had finally arrived. Akari''s heart was pounding. Her face was flushed. She was grinning from ear to ear.


    "I''m going on a date with Inara," she sang to herself as she danced around her bedroom. "A Christmas date with Inara~"


    Akari had picked out her outfit the day before, but she still spent over an hour getting dressed and fussing over the details of her hair and makeup. She had never been that girly or fashionable, so she only wore makeup for special occasions, and this was the most special of occasions. Except maybe for something like a wedding, but that was getting too far ahead of herself.


    Akari was dressed in a white blouse under a lightweight red sweater, with a dark grey skirt and white leggings for warmth. Her purple hair was pinned back above her ears to show off her eyes, which had been accented with a touch of mascara. She had thought about adding a bit of rouge for rosy cheeks, but the cold air would probably manage that just fine.


    After one last look over herself in the mirror, making sure that not so much as a single hair was out of place, she jogged to Inara''s bedroom door.


    "Miss Inara?" she called out after knocking. "Are you ready to go?"


    The door opened and Akari''s heart nearly stopped. Inara was standing there, not in a regal kimono like Akari had expected, but in a long sleeveless dress that faded from forest green at the top to a deep royal blue when it ended at her ankles. It was slit up one side, showing a lovely and daring stretch of bare leg. A sheer white shawl covered her shoulders, and she held a larger coat in one hand for venturing outdoors. Her red-orange hair was pulled back into a french braid that cascaded nearly to her waist, and her ears and tails were already hidden away with magic.


    Akari opened her mouth, but she found herself speechless. Inara spoke instead. "You look positively lovely, Akari."


    "Y-you look amazing too, Inara," Akari mumbled in reply.


    Inara reached for Akari''s cheek, but stopped short to not smudge her makeup. "I love the way you''ve highlighted your beautiful eyes."


    With Inara''s hand so close, Akari couldn''t help but notice the striking blue-green nail polish the goddess was wearing. Dammit, I forgot to put on nail polish! Akari grumbled internally. And after I trimmed and filed them and everything. But that thought vanished like a wisp of smoke in a hurricane when Inara''s hand dropped down along Akari''s arm and gently took her hand.


    "Shall we? You said the reservation is at eight, and we''ve got quite a walk ahead of us."


    Akari could feel the goddess''s warmth flowing through her hand, and also through their spiritual connection. Inara had chosen her, she was Inara''s chosen one, and it felt amazing. And the night was far from over.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The walk down the forest trail into town was like a dream. Everything was peaceful and quiet, as if the entire outside world was frozen in place beneath a layer of snow. Akari held Inara''s hand tight, and together they safely made it down the sometimes-icy path without losing their footing. And when they emerged through the wooden torii gate at the bottom of the hill, it was like they had passed through a portal from the past into the future.


    Shimmering lights and neon signs sparkled in the crisp night air, cheerful tourists and locals mingled in the pathways, and couples out on dates clustered together on every bench and around every romantic shop.


    Akari was so caught up in the moment, in the bliss of being on a date, that she didn''t so much as wonder about what others might think about two women walking hand in hand on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, back when she reserved a table at the sushi restaurant, she''d had the foresight to ask for one off by itself.


    "We have a reservation." Inara''s voice pulled Akari back down to earth. "Under ''Mamori'', I believe."


    "Of course. Right this way," the waitress said. She led them past the crowded main room, through a narrow hallway, and to a small room behind a traditional sliding door. The floor was made of tatami mats, and two small black cushions had been placed on either side of the low table. "Will this do?" she asked.


    "This will do wonderfully. Thank you," Inara said with a smile so warm it seemed to brighten the small space and warm it several degrees.


    The waitress bowed and left, leaving Akari and Inara alone together in the cozy room. Even though other people were nearby, just on the other side of the thin walls, it somehow felt even more private than inside Inara''s room at the shrine. Like their own little haven.


    "Um, here''s a menu," Akari said, holding out the slender folded board. The menu was minimalist, just a list of names and prices in increments of 100 yen.


    "Thank you, dear," Inara replied. "It''s been long enough since I last had sushi that I may need your help." She glanced over the names and looked back up with wide eyes. "Okay, I definitely need your help. I''ve never heard of half of these dishes. What''s an avocado roll?"


    "Have you never had an avocado?"


    Inara shook her head.


    "Well, they''re a weird, soft vegetable that''s been available in Japan for a while, but using them in sushi only caught on recently. Apparently Americans love doing that."


    Inara nodded slowly. It seemed even America was relatively new and mysterious to her. Then she smiled and said, "Let''s just go ahead and order one to try. And pick out anything else you think I might like." She winked and added, "I''ll deal with the bill and Hebi''s wrath."


    After deliberating for a few minutes, Akari ordered a selection of sushi and sashimi, and one bottle of hot sake. She made sure to keep the alcohol order small so that Inara wouldn''t risk losing control of her goddess aura. Multiplying everyone''s romantic desire when it was already sky high was sure to cause trouble.


    After the waitress returned with their order, the first couple minutes of conversation were all about the delicious food, whether Inara liked the new developments in the world of sushi, and general chatter. Then the topic switched to the shrine.


    "I''m excited for the new year," Inara started. "It had never been that important to me before, but it''s so perfect for my new domains. A time for looking forward, for moving on from the past, and for making new commitments to yourself. You''ve heard of new year resolutions, right?"


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    Akari nodded. "Yes, even if I''m not great at keeping them¡­"


    "Well this coming year, I plan to commit myself to the shrine more than ever, and even reveal myself to our loyal worshippers."


    Akari felt her jaw clench. "Um, are you sure you should do that? Most humans fear supernatural things."


    Inara tipped her head questioningly. If her tails had been visible, a solitary one surely would have been fwipping curiously behind her. "That''s why I said I''d keep it to the loyal few, those who would be more accepting." Inara frowned. "It''s not like you to be this cautious, Akari. Where''s the girl who followed a trail of mysterious carvings into the woods all alone? The girl who performed on stage at a festival with animal spirits in miko outfits?"


    "Ah, I, well¡­" Akari frowned. "I¡­ I think I just don''t want to risk losing you. To fame, or to trouble with humanity¡­" She trailed off, but her thoughts continued, Or to someone else.


    "Ah, jealousy," Inara said, not unkindly. "Do you know why I have nine tails?"


    "Huh?" Akari had no idea what that had to do with anything, but she answered as best she could. "Um, because you split yourself into nine pieces to keep your powers under control."


    "But why nine pieces?"


    Akari blinked. "I¡­ don''t know."


    Inara smiled. "Don''t feel bad for not knowing. I''ve never really spoken of it." She took a sip of sake, then said, "It''s because there are nine competing ideals that I strive for, nine ways I believe a woman should aspire to be." She raised her hands and counted off, "Curious, dominant, submissive, fertile, caring, wild, passionate, innocent, and powerful. Those words aren''t perfect fits for my aspirations, but they''re good enough."


    "Okay¡­ I guess I knew that list already, from your various moods. But what does this have to do with me being jealous?"


    "Jealousy isn''t one of my ideals," Inara answered. "I don''t believe there''s anything to be gained from nurturing or tolerating jealousy. It doesn''t look good on Usagi, and it''s quite unflattering on you as well, my dear."


    Akari wilted. "Oh. I''m sorry for ruining things."


    "You have ruined nothing. Jealousy is a foe we all must do battle against, and to fight properly, you need to first understand your enemy. So if you would like, we could talk through your feelings and identify where this jealousy is coming from. It need not be right now, of course."


    Akari took a deep breath. "I do want to work through that, and I''ll take you up on that offer, but¡­ not tonight. I want to enjoy my time with you to its fullest."


    Inara nodded. "Of course. And how would you like to spend that time?"


    Akari looked down and realized they had finished off most of their sushi and completely drained the little bottle of sake. "I''m not sure, actually. I wanted to keep the evening flexible so we could do whatever we thought of in the moment."


    Inara nudged her empty sake cup around the tabletop with one finger. "Well, I would love to go bar hopping with you, but I don''t trust myself to keep my aura in check if I drink any more."


    "How about we take the bar home with us, so you can safely cut loose? We can visit a liquor store on the way home, retreat to your room, and look up mixed drink recipes on my laptop."


    "Now that sounds like a lovely plan."


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    The plan was more successful than Akari had anticipated. They had purchased only a couple bottles of liquor, since they''d have to carry them a long way uphill to get home, but their selection produced some delicious results even with zero mixologist skills between them. After a few drinks while lounging around the small heater in Inara''s room, something changed in both of them.


    Inara, who had long ago shed her disguise and limiting dress in favor of a loose and comfy kimono, also started to abandon any sense of modesty. Her kimono was open to her navel, and the soft curve of her breasts tempted and teased from within that excessive cleavage.


    Akari had stopped pretending not to stare. Inara was truly breathtaking, more beautiful than anything she''d ever seen. Akari wanted her like a desert wanted rain, like a weary worker wanted rest, like a magnet wanted iron. She decided to get what she wanted.


    Akari shed her sweater, her skirt and leggings, then even her blouse. Her bra and panties were a matching set, both silky and snug and the same lovely purple as her hair. Then, as Inara watched in puzzled amusement, Akari climbed onto Inara''s lap, inserting herself between the goddess and her own kimono. She wrapped her arms and legs around Inara''s bare skin, and smiled proudly.


    "I know that you said there''s nothing to be gained from jealousy, but just for tonight, can I have one little present?"


    Inara giggled. "I suppose that depends on the present."


    "I want to be the only one in your thoughts."


    "Already done, my love."


    Akari blinked, emotion welling in the corners of her eyes. "Love? You love me?"


    "From the bottom of my heart."


    Akari kissed Inara then, again and again. She kissed as the goddess held her tight, she kissed as she felt deft fingers unhook her bra, and she kept kissing, their lips clinging together out of need and love and lust, even as Inara tipped herself backwards and pulled Akari with her. Inara''s hands slid down Akari''s back and her thumbs hooked into the elastic band of the purple panties.


    "No," Akari whispered. "Let me show you my love first."


    Maybe this is the real reason I put all that effort into my nails, she thought, maneuvering her hand lower and lower along Inara''s soft stomach. Inara''s panties, apparently just conjured fakes, helpfully vanished. And Akari set to work.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    For what felt like hours, everything was perfect, magical. Akari was in pure bliss. She gave and she received and the pleasure built and built toward a crescendo until Akari started to lose her grip on reality. In all the world, there was only her, and Inara, and the rising ecstasy of the goddess''s touch. There was no shrine, and there were no housemates to compete with. No humans or spirits, and no divide in between.


    There was no past to dwell on, only this moment. Only this moment and the future.


    The future¡­


    Her thoughts seemed to stretch and slide, pulled like taffy nearly to its breaking point before being pulled back and folded over itself again, reforming the consciousness called Akari with a bit of new insight, with a little glimpse of the infinite threads of fate that formed the grand tapestry of time. But as Akari crested the apex, as her body bathed in endorphins and passion and love, her gift of foresight took over¡­


    As she came, her mind went.


    "It approaches."


    "Oh yeah?" Inara whispered into Akari''s ear, her fingers unslowing.


    "In one-hundred years or ten-thousand, the distance is irrelevant. It approaches, and it cannot be stopped."


    Inara went still. "Akari? What are you saying?"


    Akari''s eyes snapped open, wide and blank. Tears dribbled down both cheeks, steadily, unstopping. Her breath was ragged and fast. "I can see it all. I can see voices, left alone in the dark. The last of humanity, though they are barely human. They''ve given so much."


    Inara held Akari''s trembling body tight in her arms. "Shh, it''s okay, dear Akari. Everything is okay. It''s just a vision. It can''t hurt you."


    She pressed her forehead to Akari''s and closed her eyes. Beads of exertion formed on Inara''s skin, then ran down to join the cold sweat that had coated Akari''s body. "You aren''t strong enough for this yet. I will take this burden from you."


    Inara''s muscles clenched and her eyelids flickered. Her fox ears went rigid and all nine tails splayed out behind her in an array. Each moved independently but in cooperation with the others. They were all needed for this.


    Inara''s body began to glow, and Akari''s breathing finally slowed. "It''s okay, my love. I see the vision now. I have taken it from you, and you may rest."


    Akari didn''t respond; she had already passed out. Her body was limp, but her chest rose and fell steadily. She was asleep. She was safe.


    Inara managed to contain the vision, to withstand the infinite, just long enough to place Akari safely in bed before her knees gave out.


    "How?" she muttered, panting hard. "How did little Akari stand this as long as she had?"


    The goddess held her head in her hands and steadied her breathing using the meditation techniques she had learned from a passing monk centuries ago. Then she sat upright, legs crossed, body bare in the dim candlelight. She closed her eyes, and braced herself. Then she opened her mind to the vision, and witnessed the end.


    When it had passed, an unknowable amount of time later, Inara rubbed her temples and groaned. "Well, that''s¡­ not good," she mumbled to herself. "But it''s not urgent. No reason to let it ruin our holidays. I''ll bring it up with the girls after Hatsumode."

 Ch 42 - Holidays, part 3

    Akari practically floated through Christmas and the next several days after. To her, the world was alight with warmth and magic and love, and every little thing was perfect and wonderful. She had work to do around the shrine and with Inara''s art commissions, but she did it with cheer and passion. While the other girls were relaxing around the house or bickering about inconsequential things, Akari was diligent and productive, wearing her full priestess outfit and humming all the while.


    The cause of her good mood was no mystery. Everyone in the house knew that she''d been on a romantic Christmas Eve date with Inara, and they even knew it had ended in Inara''s bedroom.


    What they didn''t know, with the singular exception of Inara, was what had happened after that. They didn''t know about the powerful vision that had overwhelmed Akari''s mind and had nearly been too much for the goddess to handle. To Inara''s great relief, even Akari didn''t seem to remember it.


    Akari had completely forgotten the vision, the tears and the terror, and even the words she had spoken, the bleak prophecy she had uttered.


    But Inara remembered, and it weighed heavy on her mind.


    "I''ll bring it up to the girls after Hatsumode," she had told herself, after seeing the full vision for herself, after weathering everything that Akari had endured and more.


    The shrine''s New Year celebrations were approaching, and Inara was having a hard time looking forward to it.


    <hr>


    On the 30th of December, Inara closed the shrine to the public. Technically Akari had been the one who put up the sign that read ''Closed for Private Event'', but it was Inara''s magic that would prevent humans from so much as setting one foot across the shrine''s boundary.


    Then everyone leapt into action, preparing the shrine for Usagi''s special end-of-year party. It wasn''t a festival or formal event; it was just a day for the shrine''s residents to cut loose and relax before the hectic events of Hatsumode that would monopolize everyone''s time for the first few days of the new year.


    Usagi woke up early that morning to pre-cook the meals and a bunch of snacks, and she had some help from the others. Akari made a last-minute run into town for some drinks and recipe ingredients, Hebi assisted in the kitchen, folding inarizushi pockets and packing finished meals into containers in the fridge, and even Inara helped by cleaning every corner of the shrine with her purification magic.


    Seshi, always a late sleeper, stayed in bed until the party formally started at noon. She shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and magically switching her clothes from a loose black t-shirt and pajama shorts to a tight black t-shirt, a short black skirt, and thigh-high pink socks.


    She pulled her hair back into two pigtails, conjured a silver and black choker, and declared, "Hell yeah, I''m ready to party!"


    The others, who were already seated around the table with lunch served in front of them, blinked up at her, but not in surprise. The outfit and behavior were both pretty standard for Seshi.


    "I don''t know¡­" Usagi hummed to herself. "Should people who didn''t help prep for the party be allowed to participate?"


    "Good point," Inu said, nodding. "I think everyone else helped out." Her sleeves were still rolled up to the shoulders from her own contribution. With a little help from Inara''s magic to keep her human form up, Inu had just carried a massive rental TV into the shrine, so that they could watch movies on it later.


    Seshi held a hand to her chest and feigned shock. "You think a party''s success is locked in during planning? I''ve been to a lot of parties over the years, and a good party needs someone on the floor, watching and reacting and adding spice here and there. For the next, um¡ª" She looked at the clock over the stove. "¡ªfifteen hours, I am 100% committed to the success of this party."


    Usagi and Inu stared at her for a moment, dumbstruck. Fifteen hours was definitely too long for a party, but the rest was good. Usagi finally spoke, "Uh, good call, actually. I would really appreciate that, Seshi."


    Inu nodded firmly. "Excellent plan, sensei. I apologize for doubting you."


    Inara clapped her hands together and said, "With that, let''s get this party started. Feel free to cut loose, girls. I know I will."


    <hr>


    After lunch, Inara told everyone to stay around the table while she slipped away to her room. She returned with a few bottles of wine from her collection. She shared them with the other girls, explaining each bottle''s vintage and origin.


    "This is Akari''s favorite," Inara added after pouring everyone a small amount of a recent-vintage white wine. "It''s as sweet as she is."


    Seshi downed the wine in two quick gulps, then said, "Nice. This tastes a hell of a lot better than the cheap beer and hard liquor people my age are always drinking."


    Between sips from her own glass, Akari elbowed Seshi and said, "People your age? There aren''t any 200-year-old humans."


    "More like ''people with her level of maturity''," Inu said. Despite her new student-teacher relationship with Seshi, Inu couldn''t resist a good jab.


    Everyone''s eyes snapped to Seshi, expecting a retort.


    Seshi just shrugged. "When you''re right, you''re right."


    Meanwhile, Inara had her eyes on Usagi and Hebi, both rare drinkers who had surprised her by accepting her offer of wine. When it came to Usagi, that was definitely good news; it meant she was getting over her hangups about interacting with Inara in an altered state. The less Usagi put Inara on a pedestal and the more she treated her like a real person, the better.


    But Hebi was different. Due perhaps to her very slender figure, she was an extreme lightweight when it came to alcohol. And more than that, Inara knew that Hebi''s normal poise and reserved attitude could fracture in unpredictable ways when she drank. There was no telling how Hebi might behave after just one glass of wine, and at a party like this, there was little chance she would stop at just one drink.


    "Is it hot in here?" Hebi asked, undoing the top few buttons of her white blouse.


    "It''s a little warm," Akari responded. "I can open the window if¡ª"


    "Or is it just me?" Hebi finished with a grin. Her narrow eyes were alive with mischief.


    "Woo, go Hebi!" Seshi cheered, pumping a fist in the air. "Glad to see you actually having fun for once."


    Hebi left it at that, but only for a few minutes. While everyone was relaxing around the table, enjoying their wine and the mix of snacks that Usagi had prepared, Hebi suddenly unbuttoned her entire blouse and tossed it aside. Then she started on her bra, which was a simple white bralette, far from necessary for her nearly-nonexistent bosom. She only wore it when she needed to look formal and didn''t want her nipples to be visible through her blouse.


    Usagi leapt into action. "Um, Hebi, dear¡­" she cooed as she tried to put Hebi''s shirt back over her shoulders. "This isn''t that kind of party."


    "Bras are so uncomfortable," Hebi replied, squirming out from under the shirt and unclipping her bra. "And it''s nothing anyone here hasn''t seen before."


    Usagi glanced around at the other girls and saw a bunch of reddened cheeks, and it wasn''t just from the alcohol. Seeing the ever-serious Hebi in a tipsy state was surprising enough, but watching her strip in the middle of the kitchen was something else.


    "Um¡­" Usagi scrambled to find an explanation that would get through to her. "It''s not just that. Seeing you naked is a bit distracting."


    "And you''ll get cold," Inu added. "The temperature''s going to drop tonight, and the forecast said we''ll get a foot of snow by morning."


    Usagi nodded rapidly. "Right, you''ll be freezing cold."


    Hebi wasn''t listening. She stood up and started removing her skirt. Usagi tried to stop her by grabbing Hebi''s hands, but as soon as she was restrained, there was a puff of smoke and Hebi disappeared. A slender and snow-white snake about four feet long fell to the floor and landed on Hebi''s empty clothes, then a second later there was another POOF and Hebi''s human form returned. She knelt formally next to the table, completely naked, and picked up another glass of wine.


    "Hebi?!" Akari blurted. She''d seen Hebi''s nude body before in the bath, but that didn''t prepare her for the shock of seeing the snake spirit''s pale skin, her slender figure, and her rosy pink nipples right here in the kitchen. And the table was low enough that the tops of her thighs and lower belly were visible, including a glimpse of grey in between.


    "Much better," Hebi sighed. "Anyone want to join me? It''s quite freeing."


    "Not just yet," Inara said, rising to her feet. She grabbed a white fleece blanket from a cabinet and draped it over Hebi''s shoulders. "Please at least keep this on. You know how easily the cold affects you, and I''d feel terrible if you got sick."


    "You got it, Boss," Hebi said with a smile. She pulled the blanket tight around her shoulders, pulled her tail in under it, and wiggled happily.


    Akari''s heart was still beating fast from the startling exchange. If things like that keep happening, I''m going to need more wine just to deal with it.


    <hr>


    After wine and snacks came movie time. Akari hooked her laptop to their rented TV and played some cheesy comedy that was far from good, but entertaining nonetheless. It was also easy to make fun of, with everyone getting in some nice jokes at the movie''s expense. And true to her word, Seshi remained committed to keeping the party lively. Unprompted and largely unnoticed, she slinked around the room keeping everyone''s drinks and snacks topped off.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    As the film''s credits rolled, Usagi and Hebi were loudly debating which character had the best line and Inu was trying to convince them that one of her own mocking quips had actually been better. Akari and Inara were watching the argument while giggling and eating popcorn, a treat which was brand new to the goddess. And Seshi was off by herself, slowly and deliberately typing something on a scuffed but functional smartphone.


    It had been a gift from Nezumi, one of the phones she''d refurbished as practice for her new business. Seshi was admittedly behind the times on this sort of technology, but she couldn''t deny it was useful for keeping in touch with Nezumi and Shika. She usually kept her communication related to their probation and debt agreement, but sometimes they texted each other just to chat.


    Thirty minutes later, after the conversation moved on from the movie and as the energy of the party started to stall, there was a loud knocking sound. It was rhythmical and deliberate, and it echoed down the hallway from the front hall.


    "That''s weird," Akari said. "Inara''s ward should have kept people away."


    Seshi jumped to her feet. "Now that our little family got our quality time, I figured I''d liven this party up a little. I invited the mouse and deer."


    Usagi stiffened and narrowed her eyes at the nekomata. "You what."


    Seshi kept her cool and said, "I waited until we all got to have our relaxing party, with just the six of us. Then I invited two lonely dorks who need some friends. And if we like spending time around them, they can potentially help out for the New Year rush in a couple days. Win win."


    As Usagi opened her mouth to reply, Seshi added one last thing, "Oh, and they''re bringing more booze. We''re out of everything except Inara''s most vintage wines, and I assume she''d rather save those for wooing Kari-chan."


    Akari flushed as red as pinot noir at hearing that nickname again, and from someone else''s lips. When did she hear that? Inara hasn''t said it to me in weeks. Has Seshi been saving it for a moment like this?


    "When you''re right, you''re right," Inara said with a grin, echoing Seshi''s own words from earlier. Then she put an arm around Akari''s shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze, whispering, "Love you, Akari."


    "So we''re letting them crash our party?!" Usagi nearly shouted. She turned to Inara with a pleading look on her face. "Mistress Inara?"


    Six tails flicked excitedly behind the fox goddess as she stood up and kissed Usagi gently on the forehead. "I think it sounds like fun. If it turns out badly, I promise I''ll make it up to you, Usagi."


    Seshi dashed off down the hall, shouting, "Awesome. Be right back!"


    <hr>


    "I''m still not sure about this, Seshi," Shika said as she slowly crossed the massive front hall. The brunette wore a orange cable-knit sweater and a long brown skirt, and she was in the process of removing a forest green scarf from around her neck using just one hand. The other hand held a canvas bag filled with bottles of liquor. The outside of the bag featured a simple depiction of a spotted deer and a pine tree, and the words ''Shinj¨­ Liquors''.


    The deer spirit''s nose started to wiggle like she smelled something. It wasn''t a scent, but something else that permeated the air and grew more and more dense as she crossed the room. It was spiritual power, and this place practically pulsed with it, completely eclipsing the charms they wore beneath her clothes.


    "It''s okay, Shika," Nezumi said. Her silvery-blue hair was pinned back with simple bobby pins, and despite being indoors she was still wearing her puffy silver winter coat, with black leggings visible below. Her hands clasped the handles of another ''Shinj¨­ Liquors''-branded bag filled with drinks. "If we can trust a literal nekomata, we can trust this fox goddess."


    Then her face scrunched up into an uncomfortable scowl. "Though I could do with fewer mouse-eating predators in my life."


    Seshi waved one hand dismissively. "You''ll be fine. Inara''s a total softie, and she loves basically everyone."


    Shika smiled at that, then eagerly skipped ahead to meet the goddess. Seshi and Nezumi hurried after her, and soon all three of them were standing in the kitchen, seeing some new faces and some they had seen before, but under less-than-pleasant circumstances.


    "You must be Shika," Inara said with a gorgeous smile and a nod of her head. She turned to face Nezumi. "And Nezumi. It''s wonderful to finally meet you both after hearing so much about you. I hope that we can put our past troubles behind us and become great friends."


    The goddess was breathtaking in her royal purple kimono with her hair pinned up in an intricate flowing wave. The two spirits might have stared forever if Seshi didn''t take charge.


    She pointed past Inara at the other girls and said, "You already met Akari and Inu, and the one with the bunny ears is Usagi. And the drunk snake in a blanket is Hebi. She''s normally uptight and super serious, if you can believe it."


    Nezumi smiled and greeted each of them, but her composure faltered when she got to Hebi. As a mouse-spirit, and an actual mouse in a former life, snakes set off some primal fears that cut right through the cool and collected attitude she''d been trying to project. "Uh. Um, t-thank you for writing that contract for my repair business¡­ It helped a lot."


    Shika had no such problems. She blushed at Hebi''s nudity, but walked right up to her and immediately hit it off by pointing to her tail and saying, "I love your scales. So pretty!"


    "Alright!" Seshi shouted, clapping her hands together. "Let''s get this party back into gear. Shika bought a bunch of booze on employee discount, and we''re not sleeping ''til it''s all gone!"


    Akari rushed forward to help with the bottles of liquor. "Oh, you got a job at the liquor store? That sounds like fun."


    "It is!" Shika chirped. "Most of the customers aren''t very talkative, but some are really interesting people, and I just love learning about their lives. I''m so glad I decided to apply after seeing their adorable logo. See? It''s got a deer, just like me."


    "Not as adorable as you, though," Nezumi added. It sounded a little forced, like the mouse was trying to make sure everyone knew that she and Shika were an item.


    Shika set an array of bottles on the kitchen table, then put a finger to her chin. "Um, I noticed you girls have your ears and tails out. Should we?"


    Akari and Inara gasped in unison and their eyes went wide. "Oh yes, please," Inara said.


    At the same time, Akari blurted, "I want to see them! I mean, I''ve seen your animal and human forms, but I''ve never had a good look at your spirit forms."


    Nezumi rolled her eyes and stepped back from the table. "Fine. Gawk if you want."


    Shika didn''t make a big deal of it at all. She just dropped her illusion, causing her human ears to lengthen and grow furry. Her real ears were white on the inside and the same cinnamon-brown as her hair on the outside, and they twitched and swiveled adorably whenever her attention shifted. When Akari leaned to try to get a look behind her, hoping to see a cute deer tail, Shika smiled and clarified, "My tail''s nothing special, just a few inches of fur, so I keep it under my clothes."


    Nezumi''s reveal was more dramatic. Big round mouse ears popped into existence on top of her head, and each one was as big as an open hand. Then a thin, whiplike tail nearly as long as she was tall appeared behind her. As it flicked from side to side, Seshi''s eyes followed it instinctually as if she wanted to swat it.


    "There. My true form," Nezumi grumbled. "Now let''s get drinking. I have some catching up to do."


    Shika and Usagi nearly collided when they both went to serve drinks at the same time. They giggled, then worked together to pour each of the other women a glass of something that suited her.


    "Nezumi likes anything made from grains or honey, like beer or mead," Shika said. "What do your girls like?"


    Usagi blinked, blushed, and busied herself with the drinks. "Um, well, they aren''t really my girls. If anything they''re all Inara''s."


    Shika looked over at the others, then back to Usagi. "Oh? I got the impression you''re the house mom, making sure everyone eats right and takes care of themselves. Was I wrong?"


    "Well, that''s not wrong. But I only have eyes for Inara."


    Trying and failing to stifle a giggle, Shika said, "That doesn''t mean you can''t love the others in a different way. There are lots of kinds of love, and they''re all wonderful."


    "Huh. Okay." After that, Usagi was quiet for a while, just pouring drinks with a thoughtful look on her face. Shika smiled proudly.


    When Usagi and Shika presented the drinks to everyone, Nezumi wasted no time in her quest to catch up. She looked at Inu and raised her glass of pale beer. "Betcha I can drink this faster than you."


    Inu raised her own glass. "You''re on."


    Akari counted them off and they started at the same time, but it wasn''t even close to a competition. Inu finished long before Nezumi, slamming her glass down triumphantly while Nezumi''s was half-full. It was a bit impressive that the petite spirit eventually finished the whole glass.


    "Alright, maybe I underestimated you, Inu," Nezumi said with a grin as she wiped the foam from her lips. Then she looked at Akari. "How about you? You''re more on my level, I bet."


    Shika poured them each a glass of beer, then said, "No more races after this, Nezumi. Two glasses is usually enough for you."


    Akari wasn''t used to chugging liquor, but she gave it her best shot. Nezumi lost again, but by the way she was smiling it seemed like losing had always been part of the plan. She had picked the most sober-looking people and successfully encouraged them to drink more. It also broke the ice between them, something the introverted mouse normally struggled with.


    After the race, Akari, Inu, and Nezumi started chatting about nothing in particular, and Inara watched them closely from a seat in the corner. A look of worry was plain on her face, but the reason was still secret from the others: alcohol had been involved in two of Akari''s overwhelming visions, and she was concerned about a repeat.


    Shika saw that worried look and approached. "Hi, Inara. Having fun?"


    "Yeah, I think so," Inara answered. She had five tails behind her, and they were all still and tense.


    "Why so unsure?"


    "I just don''t want anyone to drink too much and¡­ feel bad later."


    Shika put one hand on Inara''s shoulder and pointed with the other. "No need to fret about that. Usagi''s on the job."


    Sure enough, Usagi was watching everyone closely and keeping track of how many drinks they''d each had via tally marks on a notepad. She even kept it up when she was pulled into a minor argument between Nezumi and Seshi.


    "Alright. She does seem to have that handled. I''ll try to relax more."


    Shika smiled as she watched all the other girls interact. "You really love them, don''t you?"


    Inara nodded. "I do."


    "I fall in love easily," Shika suddenly confessed. "Not always sexual love, but sometimes. It makes things¡­ tricky sometimes. I care so much, but that''s not always enough to make things work out, you know?"


    Inara looked at the deer spirit, truly considering her for the first time. There was an aura of sorrow and joy and experience around Shika. She had lived through a lot in her time, and had learned even more. Heartbreak had that effect on people, at least the ones who were able to move on afterwards.


    Inara answered, "I can empathize with that. I''ve been known to fall in love quickly as well." She paused, then added, "Though I''m slower to open up to people than I used to be."


    "Really?" Shika asked innocently. "You opened up to me pretty quick."


    "Huh. Must be the alcohol," Inara said, but she sensed that there was more to it. Shika was easy to talk to, and didn''t seem to want or expect anything from Inara. After so many centuries of godhood, it was refreshing to find someone that didn''t care about her status or power. Talking to Shika satisfied a need that had been woefully underserved: simple friendship, without power dynamics or concerns of fairness.


    After that, Usagi switched everyone over to water for the rest of the night and the party started to wind down. Seshi brought a bunch of blankets and futons into the room, and Akari wasted no time crawling into a cozy pile. Inu and Hebi both transformed into their animal forms and snuggled up with her and the trio quickly fell asleep.


    Only then did Inara fully relax. Akari had made it through the night without another vision. The goddess approached the party''s host and said, "You did a wonderful job with this party, Usagi. Thank you."


    Usagi fidgeted, but didn''t look away. "You''re welcome, Mistr¡ª er, Inara."


    Inara placed a hand on Usagi''s shoulder and pulled her close. "I can be your Mistress if you want. Though at the moment, I''m mostly just sleepy. How about we let Seshi handle the clean up, and you can be my little spoon?"


    Usagi glanced back at the table that was covered in snacks and bottles and empty glasses. Seshi and Shika were cleaning up as quietly as they could, while Nezumi was sprawled across the top of a bare futon, covered by a light blanket. Her coat and omamori charms had been stacked neatly next to her, almost certainly by Shika.


    Usagi smiled and hugged her goddess tightly. "That would be wonderful."

 Bonus - Character Bios

    <h1>Main Characters</h1>


    <h2>Akari Mamori</h2>


    Species: Human


    Gender: Female


    Age: 20


    Name note: Akari means ¡®Light¡¯ and Mamori means ¡®Protection¡¯ (the same root word as the  omamori</a> talismans sold at Shinto shrines).


    Personality: Friendly, eager, curious, excited by unusual things, obsessed with Shintoism


    Appearance: Cute and a little chubby with wide hips and thighs, purple eyes, shoulder-blade length dark purple hair, and a perpetually bright smile. B-cup. 5¡¯2¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Plain t-shirts and skirts, or miko shrine maiden outfits that she made herself.


    Abilities: Can see and hear Spirits, and since becoming Inara¡¯s Chosen One she can glimpse the future by ¡®remembering forward¡¯.


    Sexuality: Homosexual, Biromantic


    Relationships: Head over heels in love with Inara, close friends with Inu, Seshi, and Hebi, trying to get closer to Usagi


    Goals: Secure her future, earn Inara¡¯s love.


    Personal Mantra: ¡°Don¡¯t fear the unknown. Learn from it.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Eru Chitanda from ¡°Hyouka¡±, Tohru Honda from "Fruits Basket"


    <h2>Inara</h2>


    Species: Fox Goddess


    Gender: Female


    Age: >1,000


    Nicknames: Mistress, The Boss, Miss Inara, Goddess


    Appearance: Inhumanly beautiful, with deep gold eyes, long flowing red hair, and black-tipped fox-like ears and tails. E-cup. 5¡¯7¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Loose kimono or sheer dressing gowns, usually in red or purple.


    Personality: Elegant, persuasive, confident, welcoming, doesn¡¯t share info about her past


    Abilities: Shapeshifting, emotion-influencing aura, mood reading, memory alteration, barrier creation, foresight, conjured clothes, etc, etc.


    Nine Moods/Personal Ideals, with corresponding number of tails:


    <ol>


    <li>Curious</li>


    <li>Dominant</li>


    <li>Submissive</li>


    <li>Fertile</li>


    <li>Caring</li>


    <li>Wild</li>


    <li>Passionate</li>


    <li>Innocent</li>


    <li>Powerful. Very dangerous. Occurs if her desires aren¡¯t kept in balance.</li>


    </ol>


    Sexuality: Homosexual, Polyamorous


    Relationships: Socially dominant to Usagi, bondage Sub to Hebi, needs-based partner with Inu, caring lover to Akari, unknown relationship with Seshi.


    Past Identity: Inari-okami the God of Fertility, Agriculture, Sake, Prosperity, etc.


    Current Domains: Love, Wilderness, Self-Improvement, and Foresight.


    Goals: Improve herself, keep her power under control, live up to her nine personal ideals.


    Personal Mantra: ¡°Live and love to the fullest.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Miko from ¡°No Game No Life¡±, Holo from ¡°Spice and Wolf¡±, Yozora from ¡°The Helpful Fox Senko-san¡±, etc, etc.


    <h2>Usagi</h2>


    Species: Major Spirit (Rabbit)


    Gender: Female


    Age: ~220


    Appearance: Short and busty, with light brown eyes, long golden-brown hair usually in a braid, big white bunny ears, and a short fluffy tail. F-cup. 4¡¯11¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Comfy sweaters and tight leggings.


    Personality: Helpful, self-sacrificing, clumsy, shy, jealous, strict vegetarian


    Abilities: Animal form, human form within blessed areas, excellent cook


    Sexuality: Homosexual, Submissive


    Relationships: In love with and socially submissive to Inara, bondage Sub to Hebi.


    Goals: Serve Inara, take care of her housemates.


    Personal Mantra: ¡°Love is worth any sacrifice.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Rinko Yamato from ¡°My Love Story¡±, Kagura Sohma from "Fruits Basket"


    <h2>Hebi</h2>


    Species: Major Spirit (Snake)


    Gender: Female


    Age: >700


    Appearance: Slim and tall, with narrow eyes, human ears, very long grey hair in a ponytail or bun, and a four-foot-long grey prehensile tail. A-Cup. 5¡¯8¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Either in formal office dress or completely nude. Rarely bothers with bras.


    Personality: Curious, scheming, sly, food motivated, nicer than she seems, gets wild when drunk.


    Abilities: Animal form, human form within blessed areas, flawless liar, contract magic (channeling Inara¡¯s power)


    Sexuality: Pansexual, Dominant


    Relationships: Dom to Inara, Dom to Usagi


    Goals: Keep the shrine running, learn and stay ahead of the curve.


    Personal Mantra: ¡°There is always a way to victory, if you¡¯re willing to do what it takes.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Mitsune Konno from ¡°Love Hina¡±, Hanako Koyanagi from ¡°Wotakoi¡±, Kuon from "Utawarerumono", Kraft Lawrence from "Spice and Wolf"


    <h2>Inu</h2>


    Species: Major Spirit (Dog)


    Gender: Female


    Age: 30


    Appearance: Fit and strong, with wide orange eyes, short platinum-blonde hair, and fluffy tail and ears. C-cup. 5¡¯6¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Athletic clothes like sweats, gym shorts, and sports bras.


    Personality: Energetic, protective, loyal, hostile to strangers, fitness nut


    Abilities: Animal form, human form within blessed areas, enhanced endurance


    Sexuality: Demisexual (only attracted to Inara, and only when in heat)


    Relationships: Friends with Akari, devoted protector of Inara and the Mori-jinsha Shrine


    Past Identity: Michi, a beloved family pet


    Goals: Defend the shrine, become a Superior Spirit (to be a better protector).


    Personal Mantra: ¡°I need to be stronger. For her.¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.Character Inspirations: Mai Kawakami from ¡°Myriad Colors Phantom World¡±, Polt from ¡°Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls¡±


    <h2>Seshi</h2>


    Species: Named Major Spirit (Nekomata)


    Gender: Female


    Age: ~200


    Appearance: Gorgeous and sexy, with an hourglass figure, vibrant green eyes, long glossy black hair, ears, and two tails (forked at the base). D-cup. 5¡¯2¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Punk/rocker clothes: band t-shirts, short skirts, torn jeans. Will conjure other fashion to fit in and seduce people.


    Personality: Promiscuous, flirty, cryptic, immature, lazy


    Abilities: Animal form, human form, illusion, seduction, conjured clothes


    Sexuality: Bisexual, Aromantic


    Relationships: Friends with Akari, grudging respect for Inara, warden and friend of Nezumi and Shika


    Past Identity: Neko, unnamed Major Spirit


    Goals: Become a Superior Spirit (for unknown reasons), always have fun


    Personal Mantra: ¡°Just do whatever feels good.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Kiri from ¡°Heart-Pounding Excitement at Mononoke Girls'' Academy¡±, Kuroka Toujou from ¡°High School DxD¡±, various succubi characters


    <h2>Nezumi</h2>


    Species: Major Spirit (Mouse)


    Gender: Female


    Age: >40


    Appearance: Very short, with round blue eyes, short blue-white hair in an A-line cut, huge round ears with white fur, and a long thin pink tail. B-cup. 4¡¯6¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Puffy jackets and skirts in public, boy short panties and midriff baring tank tops indoors.


    Personality: Blunt, antisocial, easily loses track of time, unbothered by showing/seeing skin, ruthless when needed


    Abilities: Animal form, human form with help from charms, intuitive understanding of technology


    Sexuality: Homosexual


    Relationships: In a committed relationship with Shika for the last 40 years, friends with Seshi


    Goals: Provide for Shika and herself, get more human technology to take apart and learn about


    Personal Mantra: ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out, okay?¡±


    Character Inspirations: Entrapta from ¡°She-ra and the Princesses of Power¡±, Yuki Nagato from ¡°The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya¡±


    <h2>Shika</h2>


    Species: Major Spirit (Deer)


    Gender: Female


    Age: >40


    Appearance: Leggy and thin, with short cinnamon-brown hair, big brown eyes, long pointed furry ears from the side of her head, and short white tail she keeps beneath her clothes. C-cup. 5¡¯5¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: A huge variety of fashionable dresses, heels, and classy makeup.


    Personality: Ditzy, outgoing, skittish, obsessed with human fashion, falls in love easily, emotionally perceptive


    Abilities: Animal form, human form with help from charms, enhanced sense of smell and hearing


    Sexuality: Pansexual, Polyamorous


    Goals: Live peacefully and treat everyone fairly


    Relationships: In a committed but open relationship with Nezumi for the last 40 years, friends with Seshi


    Personal Mantra: ¡°There are lots of kinds of love, and they¡¯re all wonderful.¡±


    Character Inspirations: Haruka Ozora from ¡°Harukana Receive¡±, Chizuru Ichinose from ¡°Rent-A-Girlfriend¡±


    <h1>Minor Characters</h1>


    <h2>Hanako Sugihara</h2>


    Species: Human


    Gender: Female


    Age: 18


    Appearance: A little curvy, with shoulder length black hair pinned back with cute pins, and brown eyes. C-Cup. 5¡¯3¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Jeans and t-shirts, sometimes anime related.


    Personality: Geeky, excitable, shy, not used to offline socializing, easily discouraged


    Abilities: N/A


    Sexuality: Homosexual


    Relationships: Akari¡¯s former underclassman, full-time shrine maiden under Jin


    Goals: Get a girlfriend, work hard at her shrine maiden job


    Character Inspirations: Hanako Ikezawa from "Katawa Shoujo", Ruka Urushibara from "Steins;Gate"


    <h2>Habuku Watanabe</h2>


    Species: Human


    Gender: Male


    Age: 20


    Appearance: Tall and lean, with short black hair gelled back, a chiseled jaw, and dark eyes. 5¡¯9¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Button-up shirts and slacks. Tries to look classy and serious.


    Personality: Self-centered, confident, outgoing, lone wolf, easy to anger, doesn¡¯t take no for an answer


    Abilities: N/A


    Sexuality: Heterosexual


    Relationships: Akari¡¯s ex-boyfriend


    Goals: Pick up chicks, get a good reliable career


    Character Inspirations: Various overbearing men, Rintaro Okabe from "Steins;Gate" (appearance only)


    <h2>Jin Kammuri</h2>


    Species: Human


    Gender: Male


    Age: 35


    Appearance: Average build, with short black hair and kind eyes. 5¡¯7¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: Priest robes


    Personality: Kind, helpful, concerned about others, adaptive


    Abilities: N/A


    Sexuality: Heterosexual


    Relationships: Akari¡¯s previous boss, father of Mika, divorced but on good terms with MIka¡¯s mother


    Goals: Be a good father for Mika, maintain the Nakahara Shrine


    Character Inspirations: Eisuke Urushibara from "Steins;Gate"


    <h2>Mika Kammuri</h2>


    Species: Human


    Gender: Female


    Age: 16


    Appearance: Short and thin, with wavy brown hair and wide blue eyes. 5¡¯0¡¯¡¯


    Fashion Style: School uniform, miko outfits, and casual skirts and t-shirts


    Personality: Kind, energetic, enthusiastic in whatever she does


    Abilities: N/A


    Sexuality: Heterosexual


    Relationships: Daughter of Jin, part-time shrine maiden under Jin


    Goals: Stay close to both her parents, get good grades in school


    Character Inspirations: Kanata Higa from "Harukana Receive"

 Ch 43 - Holidays, part 4

    The morning after the party, it took a few hours longer than normal for the residents of the shrine to get moving, for obvious reasons. Nezumi and Shika were the first to get dressed, then they had a quick breakfast of party leftovers and excused themselves.


    "Thank you so much for the invite," Shika told Inara with a graceful bow. "Please reach out to us if there''s anything we can do in return."


    Inara rubbed some sleep from her eyes, then said, "I already have something in mind, actually. Are you two available any of the next three days to help with our shrine''s Hatsumode event?"


    Shika blinked and tilted her head. "I think so?"


    Nezumi nodded and told Shika, "You''ve got work tonight, but you have the first and second off. And I can make it work."


    The sleepy look vanished from Inara''s face and a smile blossomed in its place. "Wonderful! I''ll have Seshi send you the details."


    The two spirits left after that, but didn''t get far. Beyond the shrine''s front steps was a solid wall of snow nearly two feet high. The forecasted snow storm had come and gone, leaving clear skies and even more accumulation than anticipated.


    "Ugh," Nezumi groaned. "That''s not going to be a fun walk." The thought of pushing her short legs through that much snow had her nearly sick to her stomach.


    Shika smiled. "Transform and hop on my shoulder. Just promise to warm me up when we get home."


    A pink glow filled Nezumi''s pale cheeks. "Um, okay. Thanks."


    With a puff of smoke, Nezumi turned into a tiny mouse. Shika gathered the fallen clothes into one of her liquor store bags, and gently placed Nezumi on her shoulder.


    Shika pointed a finger across the flawless expanse of sparkling snow and cheered, "Onward, my love!" The mouse on her shoulder just groaned in reply.


    <hr>


    "It''s not going to get any warmer than this," Inu said firmly. "We need to get the snow cleared while the sun''s still out, so the walkway can dry and not turn to ice tonight."


    "Yeah, yeah," Seshi grumbled. "But why doesn''t Hebi have to help?"


    "Because she''s cold blooded, obviously," Akari said, poking Seshi''s bare hip through the cutout in her shrine maiden hakama. The cat spirit had modified it to be extra sexy with hip cutouts and a short skirt, clearly not planning for shoveling snow in it.


    Seshi yelped at the cold contact, but a quivering smile appeared on her lips. The party last night had satisfied all of her wild instincts except one. But she knew how much Inara liked seeing girls in miko outfits, and if she played her cards right¡­


    "Come on!" Inu shouted, hefting a snow shovel over her shoulder. "You can look forward to a hot bath when we''re done."


    "Ooh, that sounds nice," Akari said.


    Usagi raised a hand. "And I already put the water on for tea, which should be ready shortly."


    With four workers and the shrine''s four shovels, the girls made quick work of the walkway, while Inara watched and used a bit of purification magic to keep everyone comfortable and free of sweat. Fresh snow was already too pure to purify away, or she would have just done that and saved everyone the trouble. Hebi, not wanting to feel left out, sat just inside the shrine door with her laptop, finalizing the plans for the next few days.


    <hr>


    Once the snow removal was done and the day was at its warmest, Hebi asked Inu for some help moving something heavy. Inu had just finished shoveling the steps to town and the little footpath to the shed and road, and she somehow still had energy left over. Together, they hauled a long shipping crate that had been delivered a few days prior out of the store room and set it on the front porch. It was less than a foot thick but over eight feet long, making it as awkward as it was heavy.


    "This is the ranma that Inara commissioned from the woodcarver Tetsuhiro," Hebi explained to her gathered assistants, Inu and Akari. "I''ve already prepared the spot for it over the main entrance, and I shouldn''t need too much help installing it."


    "Just tell me where you need me," Akari said with a smile.


    "For now, I just need you two on either end to hold the crate in place while I pry it open."


    Hebi carefully removed a few nails with a crowbar, then popped the entire front panel off the crate. Akari and Inu had been distracted in conversation about the coming Hatsumode, but they went silent when they saw the carving.


    Akari had seen photos of the entire creation process and even of the final result, but seeing the ranma in person was another matter entirely. "It''s gorgeous," she muttered, awestruck.


    It was a sweeping vista of nature and life, a panorama of mountains, trees, wildflowers and animals, all perfectly lifelike except for the uniform dark wood color. The negative space that had been cut out of the wood felt like open sky and valleys, even with just bland packing material as the current backdrop. Every inch of the carving''s length was impossibly detailed, down to the texture of the fur on a lone deer, the distinctive outline of every maple leaf, and even the subtle curve of a smile on the central figure''s face.


    And that figure was instantly recognizable as Inara: her eyes and smile, her hair and ears, even her lovely and curvy silhouette. The likeness that Hebi had captured in her drawings had been replicated and expanded upon perfectly, to a degree that had Akari wondering if Tetsuhiro had somehow seen Inara in person, or in a dream. Akari had asked Tetsuhiro to conjure feelings of prosperity and harmony in nature within the carving, along with a laundry list of the things Inara''s nine tails represented. Somehow that master craftsman had captured it all.


    "Hey Akari," Inu started, pulling the human from her dazed wonder.


    "Yeah?"


    "Has Inara ever been the deity of art? Because this¡­ this isn''t normal, right?"


    Akari shook her head. "No, that''s Ame-no-Uzume, goddess of the dawn and wife of Sarutahiko Okami." Akari looked at the carving again, having a hard time believing how good it looked. "But maybe Inara''s domain is moving that direction¡­"


    Hebi stood up and moved two small ladders into place beneath the doorway, saying "Nothing against this line of thought, but let''s get this thing installed so our visitors tomorrow can enjoy it too."


    "Right, right," Inu said, jumping into action. She and Akari worked together to lift the massive carving from the crate, then flipped it around so that the smiling ''greeting'' Inara faced outward. The other side was basically the same carving again, since it had to use the same silhouettes, but Inara''s expression was different: more reserved, more intimate, and conveying a sense of well-wishing and protection.


    Inu held the ranma in place from the center while Hebi moved her ladder around and secured it. The process didn''t take long, but it gave Akari enough time to check her email on her phone. She gasped aloud, then ran off to find Inara.


    "What was that about?" Inu asked.


    "Not a clue. But things sure are lively with Akari around."


    Only the bottom half of Inu''s face was visible from Hebi''s position on the opposite side of the door, but it was smiling broadly. "Yeah, and I wouldn''t have it any other way."


    <hr>


    After a brief chat with Inara, Akari ran out of the shrine, passed beneath the fully installed ranma, then made a sharp left at the bottom of the steps. She crossed the clearing and was deep in the trees when she heard a truck rumble to a stop ahead of her.


    "Hello!" she called out as she reached the road and stepped over the large snowdrift created by the plow that had passed through that morning. "Sorry I wasn''t here to help you park. I wasn''t expecting you to arrive today."


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    There was a small delivery truck pulled up next to the shed with its tailgate facing the path. Four large crates were secured with tethers in the open back, sitting amongst a dusting of wispy snow.


    A man hopped out of the driver''s seat of the truck, wearing a blue coverall uniform and hat. He said, "No problem, miss. I could park this thing backwards on a rocking boat in the dark. I have, actually."


    Another man in the same uniform got out of the passenger side and gave Akari a silent nod. Then a third figure emerged from the truck''s cab, bundled up in a fluff-lined grey coat with a wool cap pulled down over her ears. Her eyes were hidden beneath dark sunglasses, and her lips were thin and tight, like they were personally displeased to be exposed to such chilly air.


    "You must be Akari," the mysterious woman said.


    "I am. But who¡ª"


    "I''m Kasumi," the woman answered.


    "Bwuh?" Akari had received an email that the fox statues would be delivered today, but she had not been expecting the artisan herself to make an appearance. In fact, with how unapproachable and mysterious the artist known only as ''Kasumi'' was, Akari had been pretty sure she didn''t make public appearances.


    Upon seeing Akari''s baffled expression, the driver let out a deep laugh and said, "This little lady practically begged us to let her ride along. She says that it''s only about making sure the statues get installed right, but¡ª"


    Kasumi cut him off. "It is about that. Mostly. I''m also a bit attached to these particular statues, so I had to make sure they arrived safe and are treated right. And I want to meet the commissioner, my patron."


    Right¡­ I told her we''d commission her again if Inara was happy with the results, Akari thought. I guess she wants to help that along.


    Akari decided to roll with it. "Oh, it will be wonderful to have your experience on hand for the install, and I''ll see whether my boss is available to meet you." Akari pulled out her phone. "Let me text her now."


    As Akari frantically emailed Hebi a warning that Kasumi was coming and wanted to meet Inara, the delivery men started unloading crates from the back of the truck onto two furniture dollies with big rubber tires. There were four crates in total, housing the two fox statues and the stone plinths that they would sit upon.


    "You sure are remote," the driver said, making conversation while he worked. "We don''t usually have to lug things through a forest to deliver them."


    "Uh, yep. It''s inconvenient, but you can''t really move a 500-year-old shrine," Akari said distractedly, still focused on her phone.


    The talkative man countered, "Well, I heard there''s a shrine in Mie Prefecture they tear down and rebuild every 20 years, switching between two spots." He paused as he worked with the other man to lower a very heavy crate onto the dolly. "But I suppose that''s a bit different."


    Kasumi stepped close. "So, is your boss available to talk?"


    Akari panicked and hid her phone screen."Uh, yeah, I think she will be, after the installation is done."


    <hr>


    With Kasumi overseeing the operation, the pair of fox statues were successfully installed a few feet in front of the shrine''s front steps. They sat atop polished granite pillars that featured small bronze plaques crediting Kasumi for their crafting. The pillars were about ten feet apart, and the angle of the two foxes'' heads made it clear that they were associated, if not actively watching each other.


    The fox on the right was incredibly lifelike, with a realistic size and intricate details, from the texture of its fur to the precise shape of its snout. The only ways to tell it wasn''t a real creature just pausing on the plinth for a rest were its stony grey color and the fact that it had nine tails splayed out behind it like a blooming flower.


    The one on the left was beyond lifelike. Its fur seemed to glitter in the sunlight, its eyes were wide and full of intelligence and purpose, and its lips were curled into a proud and hopeful smile, directed at the other fox. Inara had wanted the statues to represent her own journey, her growth from her current self into her idealized one. Akari thought that Kasumi had succeeded in that task, but Inara would be the final judge.


    While they waited for Inara to make her appearance, Akari offered glasses of juice to Kasumi and the delivery men, then said, "So how did you make the ''magical'' one sparkle like that?"


    "Nothing special. I just used a block of granite that had a quartz-infused vein running through it. The other statue came from the same block, except outside the vein."


    Akari blinked. It really was a simple technique, but the effect was amazing. "Um, will it wear out faster as a result?"


    "It shouldn''t, as long as it''s cared for properly," Kasumi answered. "I''ll send along some guidelines for granite maintenance. If you do it right, these will outlast everyone you know. If you do it wrong, I suppose you can pay me to make another."


    Akari disagreed with the ''outlast everyone you know'' part of that statement, since she knew a lot of immortal spirits, but she was determined to care for these wonders to the best of her ability.


    "Oh, here she comes," Akari said, somehow both relieved and even more anxious now that Inara was showing herself to the humans. She''d hid her ears and tail and was surely suppressing her aura as much as possible, but her immense beauty was still on full display. Kasumi seemed like an incredibly observant person, and Akari wondered if Inara could truly hide her supernatural nature from the sculptor.


    "Kasumi, I presume?" Inara said as she made her way down the stone steps. She wore a black winter kimono with a fur lining at the neck and pastel flowers embroidered throughout the silky material. Short black gloves covered her fingers, perhaps as an extra barrier between her power and human contact.


    "Ye¡ª" Kasumi''s voice caught in her throat when she first laid eyes on the goddess, then she resumed. "Yes, that''s me. And you must be Inara. I''ve heard little about you, but what I have heard has me quite intrigued." She took off her sunglasses and hat, revealing short black hair in a bob cut and bright green eyes, then she offered a hand.


    Inara smiled and gently grasped Kasumi''s hand, then stepped back. "May I take a closer look at your work?"


    Kasumi nodded. "Of course. Take your time." Then she quickly covered her head and eyes again, as if she didn''t want to be recognized by anyone, even way out in the woods.


    Inara hummed in thought as she admired the statues, stepping around them and peering at them from every angle. She mimicked their glancing poses, the way they were each looking at the other in admiration or pride. She ran a covered finger along their backs and pushed on their tails as if testing that they were actually stone and not alive, then walked away and sat down on the shrine steps.


    "Inara? Are you okay?" Akari asked.


    The goddess looked up at Akari with a brilliant smile and glossy, wet eyes. "I am wonderful."


    She turned to Kasumi. "Forgive me. I didn''t expect to be affected so. Your work is truly amazing. Better than I could have hoped for. There''s no doubt in my mind that every visitor to this shrine will know the emotion of these statues, and understand the purpose of this shrine. Personal growth, given form and life in unliving stone. Thank you."


    Kasumi was speechless for a moment, then her driven, confident personality reemerged. "You''re very welcome. I put my all into my work, and a little extra into these statues. I do hope you''ll commission me again. With a path as long as this shrine''s and a clearing so large, you certainly have the room for more works."


    Inara suddenly rose to her feet, wiping moisture from her eyes. "Forgive me," she repeated, then she turned away, toward the shrine. "I¡­ need some time to recover. Akari can handle the rest."


    She scurried away into the shrine just as Akari felt a wave of emotional energy radiate out from the goddess. With her emotions so high, she was having difficulty keeping her aura in check, and she really didn''t want to reveal her true nature to these humans.


    "I would call that a rousing success," Akari said cheerfully.


    The quieter of the two delivery men finally spoke up, saying, "Quite an emotional lady, huh?"


    "Only when something goes just right," Akari said. "She really loved your statues, Kasumi."


    Kasumi waved to the two men, "We''re wrapping up here, and I don''t want to keep you longer than necessary. You can get ready to go and I''ll be along shortly."


    As the men stacked the empty crates on their dollies, Kasumi faced Akari and lowered her voice. "The whole time I was working on this assignment, I felt like there was something special about it, like my hands were being guided, no, inspired by something bigger than myself. After seeing this lovely shrine and meeting Inara, I''m sure of it."


    Then, instead of elaborating, she smiled and said, "Please email me again when she wants another statue or two."


    <hr>


    Starting just after midnight on the 1st of January, the people of Shinj¨­ began to arrive at the Mori-jinsha Shrine. There, they found a rotating crew of shrine maidens on staff, keeping the walkways clear of snow and supporting the public in their first prayer of the new year.


    Even if the beautiful shrine maidens hadn''t been eagerly pointing out the shrine''s newest decorative additions, the public would surely have noticed them. After all, the ranma was positioned directly above the donation box, and the fox statues flanked the only path to the shrine. But more than that, a strange aura of satisfaction permeated the air, directing every eye to appreciate the wondrous artwork that had been painstakingly crafted by skilled human hands.


    Inara couldn''t be happier with those creations, and that emotion slipped out from her like the scent of fresh-baked bread from an oven.


    "Are you even trying to keep your aura in check, Mistress Inara?" Usagi whispered as she came off shift. It was Shika''s turn to keep the flow of people moving smoothly for a while. "The people out there are practically drooling over those statues."


    Inara just smiled and watched the visitors from the shadows at the back of the main hall. "I am, but good art just has that effect on people."


    "If you say so," Usagi said with a chuckle. Then she continued down the hall, leaving Inara to her proud observation. The goddess wanted to hear what people thought about the shrine''s new displays, and what their presence might mean.


    An older couple paused at the top of the stairs, waiting for their turn to make an offering and pray to the deity. One of them said, "Looks like there''s a fox theme now."


    "Ayup. Is this an Inari shrine then?"


    "I don''t think so," the first answered. "The little darlings said it''s a nameless mountain goddess who lives here. And Inari-okami''s foxes never had nine tails."


    The other nodded, slowly shuffling towards the offering box. "Oh, that''s right. I wish I knew this goddess''s name then. It would make it easier to pray, I think."


    Inara almost stepped forward then, to reveal herself and tell them her name. But there was one thought that kept her firmly seated and hidden, one question she needed to answer before she could make the progress she so desired.


    I am no longer Inari-okami, goddess of rice, prosperity and¡­ industry. That word left a sour taste in her mouth just thinking of how the ill-fitting domain had been thrust upon her all those years ago. But who am I now? Who have I become, after centuries of inaction, decades of reinventing myself, and now a mere half-year of visible growth?


    "What did you pray for, dear?" The couple had finished their visitation and were beginning the long walk home.


    "Just a bit of positive change, to keep things fresh in this old town."


    "Huh. So did I. What are the odds?"

 Ch 44 - Future and Past

    "House meeting! House meeting! Get your asses to the front hall!"


    Seshi''s voice echoed down the central hallway and throughout the shrine. Everyone heard it, but they were a bit slow to react, in part because they had certainly not expected her to be the one picked to gather everyone for an important meeting. The shrine residents had also been a bit lazy lately, enjoying the downtime and relative peace after all the New Year events.


    Already present in the front hall, Hebi wiped the sleep from her eyes. She''d been napping under the warmth of the kotatsu they''d set up there after the holidays were over. Inu arrived next, wiping sweat from her upper chest and forehead with a fresh towel. Incapable of being inactive for long, she had been lifting weights in her room.


    "Any idea what this is about?" Inu asked as she sat down across from Hebi.


    "Not a clue. But I get the feeling it''s something Inara''s been holding back on for a while." As a masterful liar herself, Hebi had developed a good sense of when she was being lied to, or at least being left out of important information. That went double when it came to Inara, after so many years together.


    "Hi girls," Usagi called out as she entered the room. She was expecting a short meeting and hadn''t bothered to remove her apron.


    "Usagi," Hebi started, casting a narrow-eyed glance at the rabbit spirit, "you should put away any food you were working on. This meeting may be a big deal."


    Usagi waved a hand. "No need. I was just doing dishes."


    After that, Seshi, Akari, and Inara all arrived within seconds of each other. The human and nekomata took seats around the kotatsu, but Inara remained standing.


    "First, I want to apologize."


    "Huh?" Akari blinked up at the goddess. She couldn''t recall anything Inara had done lately worth apologizing for. If anything, she''d been unusually awesome and supportive for the last couple weeks. But¡­ there was a nagging sense at the back of Akari''s mind, an itch that had been worsened by Inara''s kindness instead of reduced.


    "I kept this from you so that you could all relax and enjoy the holidays, so I''m sorry about that." She bowed her head and her five tails slumped low behind her.


    "Kept what?" Seshi asked, running her hands through her hair like a cat cleaning itself. Her hair and clothes were a bit disheveled and her cheeks were oddly pink. And she was grinning like a satisfied fox.


    Usagi''s eyes narrowed and her ears perked up. "Seshi, were you just with Inara?" she whispered.


    Keeping her attention on Inara, Seshi only answered with a shrug.


    Inara ignored Usagi''s whisper and continued, "On Christmas Eve, Akari''s power saw an important vision about the future of this world."


    "It did? I don''t remember that."


    "That''s because it was too much for you and you blacked out. I took the vision in your place, and you seemed to forget all about it," Inara explained. "Which was probably for the best, because the vision was of the end of the world, but not in any useful or immediate way."


    While the others stared at her in alarm, she scrambled to explain it better. "Um, it''s the same as knowing that the sun will burn out someday, millions of years from now. Not practical, and harmful to fixate upon."


    "O¡­ kay," Akari said. "So how does the world end?"


    Inara glanced away. "An unfortunate chain of natural disasters, I think. But that''s not important."


    Hebi watched Inara closely, suspicious, but she kept quiet.


    "If it''s not important, why are you telling us this?" Usagi asked with a deep frown set on her features.


    "Because the vision itself was dangerous. It overwhelmed poor Akari, and was nearly too much for me when I took it over for her. Akari''s visions are getting bigger because she hasn''t been using her power, like steam from a natural geyser that''s being bottled up. Without regular use, Akari''s foresight is growing stronger and less focused. Instead of seeing small visions about her own future, like her subconscious desired when she got this power, she''s getting vast yet useless prophecies about the entire planet."


    Seshi cut to the chase. "Doesn''t that make this an Akari-specific issue? Why the house meeting?"


    "Because I need all of you to help her out with this." Inara turned to Akari. "You should use your power at least twice every day: once for yourself, and once for someone else. You don''t have to take any action on these visions, but you need to choose to have them, lest they build up and overwhelm you again."


    Akari was wide-eyed and silent, but gave a firm nod.


    Inara looked each spirit in the eyes briefly, then said, "I need you all to ask her to use her foresight on your behalf. If you''re curious about something, big or small, ask Akari about it. The more specific the request, the better, so that her power can be honed and focused, and that kind of question is more likely to get comprehensible results."


    Seshi rolled her eyes and flopped backwards, propping herself up with her elbows. "You''re giving us a recurring homework assignment to ask Akari for fortune tellings? Really?"


    "Really," Inara answered. "And once her skills are more refined, she can start offering fortunes to shrine guests." She smiled at Hebi and added, "It''ll be great for our finances."


    All other eyes were on Akari, but she didn''t know what to say. Her thoughts were a tangled mess of relief and alarm and excitement for the unknown. And that nagging feeling hadn''t faded at all when she learned of her forgotten vision. If anything, it got worse. There was something Inara wasn''t telling her.


    Finally, she managed, "If this is what''s needed to keep my power under control, I''ll do it." She smiled and bowed her head. "I hope my foresight can be useful to all of you."


    "I''m sure it will be," Inara said through a warm smile. "And make sure to use your power for yourself too. It can be as simple as wondering ''Will the weather be nice tomorrow?'' or ''When is lunch going to be ready?'' You just need to use it, to get practice and familiarity. Promise?"


    "I promise."


    "Wonderful! Now I''ll let you all get back to your relaxing break. This weekend won''t be as hectic as Hatsumode, but I am expecting more visitors than normal, between first-visit-of-the-year stragglers and new regulars."


    The goddess strode from the room, her tails trailing behind her, indistinct and erratic. Three tails, then six, one, five, changing at random. Eight, the number of raw passion, wasn''t in the rotation and Usagi had a suspicion why. She was glaring daggers at Seshi, who was whistling surreptitiously and trying to slink away.


    Akari and Hebi, however, were both focused on Inara. They suspected she wasn''t telling them everything and they were dead right. Inara had been central to that vision, and instrumental to the apocalypse it foresaw.


    <hr>


    "So, is 175 degrees celsius right for this recipe?" Usagi asked, notepad in hand and ears alert.


    Akari put a hand under her chin and leaned back on her cushion. "Um, that''s not really a fortune¡­ but I''ll see what I can do."


    She closed her eyes and tried to remember forward, to imagine what would happen if Usagi cooked her casserole at that temperature. At first there was nothing, and Akari started to doubt whether her power of foresight could be applied to cooking. Then¡­


    Usagi was standing in the kitchen, hotpads ready and waiting as the timer on the stove ticked down. The instant it beeped, she silenced it and opened the oven door. She pulled the rack out, then sighed. The top of the casserole was golden brown, except in the center where the surface was higher. There, it was blackened and cracked. It still looked and smelled edible, especially the non-burned areas, but Usagi looked completely crestfallen.


    Akari blinked herself back to reality, then said, "It was, or uh, will be a bit burned on top, but otherwise good. Maybe try a little cooler, or a few minutes less?"


    Usagi gave a nod and hopped to her feet. "I knew it. Thanks Akari!"


    I thought telling people''s fortunes would be more exciting than this, Akari thought. But at least it isn''t scary. She shivered as she remembered the feeling of powerlessness from her earliest visions, the overwhelming sensation of being drowned beneath the constant battering waves of possible futures. If practicing like this kept that kind of vision away, she''d happily keep it up.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    She was about to switch to preparing for the morning shrine visitation when her cellphone let out a chime. She dug it out of her pocket and saw a notification about a text from an unknown sender.


    Hey Akari, it''s Nezumi. Seshi gave me your number. Got a minute?


    Sure. What''s up?


    She said you can tell fortunes now. That''s cool.


    Can you check if Shika''s job at the liquor store is gonna work out? She''s getting all stressed about it, and if I know her, that''ll make things turn out bad for sure.


    Akari smiled. Aww, she''s worried about Shika. Those two really are cute together. Like an old married couple. She giggled to herself. I guess they kinda are, if they''ve been together 40 years.


    Yep! I''ll take a peek right now.


    Akari relaxed and tried to picture Shika at work. Akari had been to Shinj¨­ Liquors before, so it wasn''t hard to imagine Shika behind the counter, dressed in the green apron the employees all wore. Somewhere along the line, Akari''s imagination crossed over into a vision and the scene came to life. Customers browsed the shelves and glass cases containing hundreds of different drinks, colorful displays boasted whatever sales were running at the time, and Shika rang up a basket of purchases at the cash register.


    Akari was a little surprised to see Shika''s furry deer ears sticking out from the sides of her head, but none of the customers were reacting. I guess my visions show the world as it really is, without the effect of illusions?


    "Hey, you rang that one up twice," a middle-aged customer said, his tone a bit heated.


    Shika glanced at him, then at the register display, then at the assortment of bottles on the countertop. Akari expected her to get flustered, but she just smiled and said, "Oh, it looks like I did. Sorry about that, sir. I''ll get that fixed right up for you."


    With remarkable speed, she removed the extra bottle of sake from the transaction, then scanned the rest of his order. She reached under the counter and pulled out a tiny bottle of reddish-gold whisky, and placed it in front of the man while bowing her head. "I apologize for that. It shouldn''t fall on you to catch my mistakes. Here''s a sample of Starfall Whiskey, on the house. They distill it right here in Shinj¨­, and it''s one of my personal favorites."


    The man looked a bit stunned as he accepted the gift. "Oh, uh, no problem. Thanks, miss."


    "Thank you," she said with a wide, gleaming smile. "And please do come again."


    The vision started to grow fuzzy, as if a fog was rolling in straight through the walls, but Akari continued to watch as another employee approached Shika. Judging by his different uniform, he looked like a manager.


    "Good thinking giving out one of those samples to smooth things over. Got a ton left to give out anyw¡ª"


    Suddenly Akari was back in the shrine, phone in hand and feeling a bit disoriented. It was like waking up from a dream, including the way it rapidly faded from memory. She quickly typed a response to Nezumi.


    Tell her not to worry. It looks like she''s gotten the hang of things, and her manager likes how she handles customers.


    Nezumi''s response was almost instant.


    Thanks, Akari.


    I''ve got a bigger question for you, about a business venture I''m working on. Can I visit tomorrow to talk face to face?


    Sure! I''ll be around all day.


    Akari was glad the conversation had been via text so she could hide her surprise. Nezumi had seemed so quiet and antisocial, at least when she wasn''t drinking, and Akari hadn''t expected her to act so familiar after such a short time.


    I wonder what kind of business venture she''s cooking up? Maybe something with that drone of hers? She really is a wizard with technology.


    <hr>


    "Wait, right now?" Akari said, looking back at the dozen or so visitors gathered outside the main hall doors. The human guests were all doing their own thing, praying or just enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, but Akari wanted to be available in case they needed anything.


    Hebi nodded. "It''ll be quick. And the presence of humans nearby will force Inara to keep her emotions in check while we talk."


    Akari chewed her lower lip for a moment, then said, "Okay, if you say so."


    They confronted Inara in her bedroom, making sure to close the door securely behind themselves. The goddess was seated on a cushion near the center of the room, facing an open window and watching the winter breeze rattle the bare trees.


    "Inara," Hebi started, "we have to talk about that vision. You weren''t telling the whole story, were you?"


    "I wasn''t."


    "Will you tell us now?"


    Inara sighed and turned to face the two women. "I''d rather not, but I suppose the lack of understanding will cause you more distress than the truth." She gestured toward two pillows nearby. "Sit. Before I can explain the vision, I have a story from my past I need to share for context."


    Akari felt herself growing excited, eager to learn more about Inara, but she suppressed the reaction; she got the feeling Inara wasn''t proud of this story. She had kept this from them for a reason, and Inara''s reasons were basically always sound. Akari calmed herself, then sat down on Inara''s left. Hebi took the cushion on the right.


    "This was from before I met Usagi. I had met Hebi in passing, but she didn''t live here. I was the only spirit in this shrine, along with over a dozen priests and priestesses. The shrine was dedicated to the whole of Inari-okami, but the primary focus was definitely agriculture and harvests."


    I knew this used to be an Inari shrine, Akari thought. But I never knew why Inara abandoned that name¡­ Maybe I''ll finally learn.


    "I had a¡­ very bad year. In a single cycle of seasons, I lost a dear human friend to sickness, I failed the town by providing a weak harvest, and then I¡­"


    She stopped for a second, gathering her will. "I¡­ had my heart broken. At the time, I saw it as a betrayal, a sudden and cruel abandonment in favor of another. But I know now that the signs had been there for some time, and she was simply following her heart, her truth."


    Inara closed her eyes and spoke, and her words carried more than just their literal meaning. Sights and scents, emotions and moods were somehow embedded within her voice, and in an instant Akari and Hebi felt like they were there, back in Inara''s past.


    "I gave in to my despair," she said, and the others saw a vision of Inara slumped in the corner of this very room. Her precious works of art were toppled and scattered, and she wasn''t even bothering with clothes despite the large flakes of snow that drifted in through the open window. The ones that landed on her skin didn''t even melt, so cold was her heart.


    "A season passed, and then another. When the humans needed me to bless their harvest, I wasn''t there. When they came to pray, I didn''t listen. I was convinced that my actions and their dependence on me had brought them suffering. I decided they''d be better off without me." Akari watched as the drifting snow melted and a warm breeze filled the room. She listened as summer cicadas sang and autumn rains rattled the roof. And all the while, Inara never moved.


    "For five years, I waited, telling myself I was resting, recuperating. That I was letting the humans move on, encouraging them to grow strong by depending on themselves. I emerged to see how they had fared, and¡­" Inara couldn''t finish the sentence, but the vision did it for her.


    A nine-tailed goddess emerged from the forest into a wide field that had once been filled with rice paddies and workers. Now, there was only barren earth and the overpowering scent of death. Bodies, hundreds in all, were strewn across the landscape, slashed by the sword and pierced by arrows. Aside from the soldiers, innocent farmers had been cut down in their homes, now burned to ash.


    War had come, a clash between feudal clans over land and power. And after years of drought and famine, the locals had been outclassed, and utterly devastated.


    "My inaction brought destruction. My dereliction of duties had been directly repaid with disaster. Every single death could be traced back to me, to my selfish, foolish decisions. And in my grief, my bottomless despair, I believed that was my future. I was no longer Inari. I had become the Goddess of Disaster."


    Akari was speaking before she even realized it. "But that''s just not true! You didn''t desire any of that. You were¡ª"


    Inara smiled and raised a single finger. "I know, dear Akari. I know that now. But it is reassuring that even at my lowest, I would have had your support." Then her smile faded and she continued her story.


    "I pulled away from the public eye, restarting small and focusing on my own little patch of nature. I protected this mountain, and kept it free of human meddling. Through wars and famine, bounty and progress, I kept to myself and the spirits. Humanity earned their own victories, and sowed their own defeats without me. And that brings to me Akari''s vision."


    Akari leaned forward, intensely focused on Inara''s face, her words, her body language. She needed to understand this, more than anything before.


    "As soon as Akari and I became connected, and she brought to me the domain of foresight, I had feared that things would go the way they had before. Foresight is closely tied to disaster, to ill omens and times of peril. I was afraid that I was being pulled back to that dark side of myself. And I''m afraid that Akari''s latest vision has confirmed it."


    "What?" Hebi hissed when Inara didn''t elaborate. "What was the vision?"


    "I brought the apocalypse, the complete destruction of Earth that left humanity nothing but digital ghosts in the emptiness of space. Some time in the distant future, I intentionally sparked natural disaster after natural disaster, bringing down the very cosmos upon mankind''s only home. The vision didn''t reveal why I did those things, but there was no doubt that it was all my doing."


    Akari didn''t even need to gather her thoughts. "You didn''t do those things and you never will. That vision was not destiny. I''ve seen my destiny as your Chosen One, watched every single way I eventually die in your arms. That vision was not an inescapable fate like mine. It was a warning, Inara. And I believe it was a warning meant specifically for you."


    Hebi squinted at Akari, clearly wondering where she was going with this line of reasoning. Inara just blinked vacantly.


    Akari looked Inara straight in the eyes and stated, "You said that foresight is tied to disaster, but I disagree. Foresight is a tool for progress. Disaster can come about through action or inaction, but progress comes only from effort, from collaboration and personal improvement, from love and forward thinking and using the tools at your disposal. Even your old domains, industry and harvest and fertility, those are all examples of change, action, and improvement. You are not the Goddess of Disaster, but the exact opposite. You are the Goddess of Progress."


    Akari was nearly panting for breath at the end, surprised at her own intensity. The words she''d said felt like her own, yet also larger than herself. It was as if another Akari, wiser and more confident, had spoken through her mouth. She thought of the fox statues outside, one mundane and one divine, looking at each other with forward hope and retrospective pride, and Akari wondered if she had just reached across that gap and accepted help from her better, future self.


    Then she put her hands on her temples. All this confusing future stuff is giving me a headache.


    Hebi glanced back and forth between Akari and Inara without speaking. The conversation had long ago surpassed her ability to participate constructively. It was up to the goddess to decide what happened next.


    Inara was quiet for a long moment, holding her chin with one hand. She almost spoke several times, but closed her mouth again. Then finally, she reached out and took Akari''s hand.


    "Thank you, Akari. Perhaps that vision was meant for me, as a warning against the temptation of despair. I am thankful you were here to guide me to the right interpretation." She smiled and gave Akari''s hand a playful squeeze. "And¡­ I think I rather like the title you''ve given me. Inara, Goddess of Progress¡­ It does have a nice ring to it."

 Ch 45 - Progress

    At Inara''s insistence, things started to move quickly at the shrine. She wanted to move on from the version of herself who had misinterpreted Akari''s apocalyptic vision, and she wanted to embrace her new identity. She told the other girls her goals and spent the days working by their side to prepare the shrine for the next step in its evolution. She also spent the nights with them, in a different way.


    "Goddess of Progress, huh?" Seshi said, combing her fingers through Inara''s seven fluffy tails. It was about all the movement Seshi could manage, as she slumped across the mattress in complete exhaustion. "Sounds real important, like a real big-league title. Gonna come out of hiding, then?"


    Inara smiled back and pulled a thin sheet over her bare and glistening skin. Lately she had found herself with more energy than normal, a surplus of desire for physical passion, and Seshi had been primed and ready to help. And the nekomata was actually spiritually powerful enough to keep up with a goddess''s most passionate urges.


    "Yes, I suppose I will. Hebi''s already planning the rollout of my new title. I think this Saturday is the big reveal to the public."


    "Nice, nice," Seshi said, her eyes roaming over Inara''s form. Even beneath the sheet, her figure was beyond beautiful. Seshi was not picky when it came to lovers, but she knew quality when she saw it. Or tasted it.


    She shook her head to get off that train of thought. She was too wiped out to do anything else anyway. Several hours of nighttime fun had left her dead tired and deeply satisfied. "You planning to tell the humans your name?"


    Inara turned and met Seshi''s vibrant green eyes. "Huh, I hadn''t thought about that. I''ll ponder that. Thanks, Seshi."


    The cat spirit grinned back in the low light. "Any time, Inara."


    <hr>


    "Do you have any ideas, Akari?" Inara said as she took a seat on the shrine''s front steps. It was mid-morning and it was just warm enough outside to relax and chat over a snack. "I really want to distance myself from the name Inari-okami. That''s not me anymore, and anyone starting on that assumption is going to be harder to get onto the right path."


    Akari took a bite of strawberry rhubarb pie, squinting at the extreme tartness. Inara had ordered the pie from a specialty website during one of her curious moods, and of all the girls in the house, only she and Akari had liked the sour taste.


    "Hmm, how about Inara-hime? Like the goddesses Sakuya-hime, Toyotama-hime, and so forth."


    Inara hummed as she chewed her own forkful of pie. Then she swallowed and said, "I''m not sure about calling myself a princess. I''ve never actually been a part of the divine nobility." She had nearly married into it, before the heartbreak that had sent her into despair, but that was all in the past now.


    Akari waved a hand dismissively. "Half the gods with royal titles weren''t related to any of the heavenly Amatsukami. And Okami is arguably a higher tier honorific than hime anyway." Then Akari planted a strawberry-flavored kiss on Inara''s cheek. "In any case, I think Inara-hime sounds really cute."


    "Inara-hime?" the goddess echoed, testing the name for herself.


    "Inara-hime!" Akari repeated, giggling like a schoolgirl. She loved the feel of the word on her tongue, the sound of it in her ears. She could say it all day and never get tired of it. "Do you like it, Inara-hime?"


    Inara''s cheeks flushed with color and she felt genuinely flustered for the first time in forever. The truth was that she was quickly falling in love with the name Akari picked, especially when it came from Akari''s lips.


    Then Akari frowned. "Ah, but you wanted us to be on first-name terms, remember? Just ''Inara'' and just ''Akari''¡­"


    Inara''s hands flailed. "No, um, this is different. I really like the name Inara-hime, and you can use it¡­ when we''re alone."


    "Oh?" Akari set her pie plate aside and leaned over to look up at Inara''s blushing face. "A formal title for the public, and a pet name for us?" she teased.


    Inara refused to answer, except with a single nod.


    "I knew you''d like it!"


    Inara squinted at the human. "Wait¡­ did you see this with your foresight?"


    Akari grinned from ear to ear. "Yep! I''ve been using most of my personal fortune tellings to test out possible names for you. I might as well, since I needed practice with my gift anyway."


    The goddess blinked. "But I only asked you for suggestions just now¡­"


    The grin somehow grew wider. "And I already knew you''d need a public-facing name soon, so I wanted to be ready with a winner."


    Suddenly, Akari was swept into a hug so tight she thought she might never escape.


    "Thank you, Akari. You''re truly amazing, you know that?"


    "I try. And you''re welcome, Inara-hime."


    <hr>


    Nezumi arrived at the shrine in the late afternoon for her planned meeting with Akari, along with a backpack full of electronic devices. She started placing them out on the kotatsu, but Akari spoke up.


    "Um, what''re all these?" Akari stared at the array of circuit boards, radio controlled cars, cracked phones, and other devices in various states of repair.


    "Possible business opportunities," Nezumi answered. "I''d like your hel¡ª well, your power''s help deciding which is the best path to take."


    "Uh huh¡­" Akari mumbled, caught off guard;. When Nezumi had asked for help with a business venture, Akari hadn''t expected a scattershot approach. She''d assumed Nezumi had a single idea in mind, and just wanted a single vision to solve some problem she was stuck on.


    Nezumi watched Akari closely, then said, "Is this too much? Can you only do one fortune per day?"


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    "Oh no, that''s not it. I can do more than one. But it does get tiring to do multiples, especially if the visions are complex. Questions like ''Will this recipe burn or not?'' are a lot easier than ''How will the general public react to this product?''" Akari explained.


    "Ahh. Hmm. Give me a second to think."


    An intense frown settled on Nezumi''s face and her large ears twitched in thought. She was silent for a long moment, then said, "I have an idea to reduce your workload. Wanna hear it?"


    "Sure!" Akari said cheerfully. Nezumi was super smart, so Akari was expecting something clever. Though her expectations related to the petite mouse-girl had been proven wrong before.


    "I have a business finances account, which I can access via this app on my phone," Nezumi said, holding up one of the few functional phones she had brought along. "I check the amount every morning like clockwork. Can you tell me how much money will be in that account thirty days from now, were I to follow each of the business plans I present to you?"


    Akari blinked. "Thirty days? Is that going to be long enough to get a real understanding?"


    "It should be, yes. All of these plans are just aiming to raise short-term capital, so that I can fund a large-scale project later."


    That was the most Hebi-like thing I''ve ever heard. I bet those two would get along well, Akari thought. Then she got an unpleasant feeling that she didn''t dare use her foresight to explore further. Maybe too well. With their powers combined, I''m sure they''d be too successful and draw too much attention to themselves.


    "Ah, alright," Akari said. "Let''s try this out. What''s your first plan?"


    The mouse spirit carefully lifted a device with four slender propellers on top. "This is Emily," she said reverently. "And she''s a cutting-edge aerial drone, with every recent technological advancement I could get my hands on. I have two plans for her I''d like you to foresee for me."


    "Mhmm," Akari said, not even taking a guess at what those plans might be. Akari was not a tech-savvy girl in any way, shape, or form. The extent of her tech knowledge was knowing her way around a PC and basic office software.


    "The first plan is renting Emily out as a multi-purpose scouting device. Private investigation, movie filming, whatever opportunities come my way. I''m not picky or worried too much about laws or ethics." Then Nezumi grinned and leaned forward, eagerly awaiting Akari''s revelations.


    That last bit is a little concerning, but I suppose it''s not atypical. Why would an immortal animal spirit care about human-made concepts like that? She pushed that line of thought aside. "Okay, I''ll take a look."


    Akari pictured Nezumi checking her phone in the morning, and imagined it had been thirty days since she put her ''Emily for Hire'' plan into action. At first, Akari was just seeing a still scene, then a bunch of details changed and the vision burst into life.


    The biggest change was the state of the little bunker Nezumi called home. Akari had imagined it the way she''d seen it before, with a cluttered computer desk, a mattress in one corner, and racks of Shika''s fashionable clothes filling most of the remaining space. In the actual vision, there were no racks of clothes, and just shelves and shelves of drone parts in their place. The bed was half covered in discarded instant ramen packaging, and the other half was occupied by a naked and wild-eyed Nezumi.


    The future Nezumi sat up, brushed some styrofoam cups away with her tail, and checked her phone. She swiped away some notifications with concerning text, like ''Where''s our money, girl?'' and ''Re: Cash-only shipping services'', then she opened her accounting app.


    "Good, good," Nezumi muttered, her voice raspy and quiet, like she hadn''t used it to talk to anyone but herself in weeks. "That transfer went through. I should have just enough to get me and Emily to the mainland. The yakuza won''t follow us there, right, Emily?" She reached behind herself to the bed''s second pillow where a sleek object of gleaming chrome and black carbon fiber sat like a crown upon a velvet cushion. She stroked one of its landing feet gently.


    The drone had been considerably modified from the device Akari had just seen on the kotatsu, and it likely contained a fortune''s worth of new technology. Nezumi had clearly come unhinged, and Shika was nowhere to be seen. Akari forced herself from the vision then, having seen quite enough.


    She shook her head and rubbed her temples, then said simply, "Don''t do that plan. It turns out really badly."


    Nezumi, once again looking cute and curious and sane, asked, "How badly? I need to know if the whole plan is bad, or if there are parts that can be salvaged."


    Akari took a slow breath, trying to decide how much to say. She settled on, "Well, for starters, you seem to have broken up with Shika, become completely obsessed with augmenting Emily, and you''re spending the last of your funds fleeing the country and your debts to literal gangsters."


    Blue eyes blinked vacantly for a moment, then Nezumi gave a firm nod. "Got it. Nothing Emily related. Shika already doesn''t like how fixated I can get on that drone, and apparently she''s got excellent intuition."


    Then, without lingering on the unnerving implications of that vision, Nezumi moved to another plan. She held up a square green circuit board with a bunch of clear plastic bumps protruding from one side. "This is a white-light LED lamp for use in street lights. It''s twice as energy-efficient as the high-pressure sodium bulbs used throughout Shinj¨­ while being 25% more visible to drivers, and it can send and receive status updates via an adaptive wi-fi mesh."


    Akari nodded slowly. Thankfully she didn''t need to fully understand something herself in order to use her foresight on it.


    Nezumi placed the object down in front of Akari. "I want to order these in bulk and sell them to the city of Shinj¨­. Will that work?"


    "One moment," Akari said, bracing herself for the possibility of another glimpse of an unhinged mouse running from the yakuza.


    Instead, she saw Nezumi snuggled tight against Shika''s side, checking her phone with one free hand. Their bodies were covered in fine silk sheets, but the room looked otherwise the same as Akari remembered it.


    Nezumi smiled when she saw the money in her account, then she dropped the phone, rolled over, and kissed a waking Shika on the lips.


    "Mmm," Shika moaned, returning the kiss with a surprising amount of passion. "What a lovely way to wake up."


    "Agreed."


    Nezumi tossed the sheets aside and straddled Shika''s nude body. As the mouse spirit peppered Shika''s face with more kisses and let her hands wander, Akari felt her sight blurring and her cheeks growing hot. The vision ended, leaving Akari looking right at the woman she had just seen making love.


    "Sorry," Akari mumbled.


    "For what? Was that plan really bad too?"


    Akari waved her hands and shook her head. "No, it looked like a great future. I just saw something private between you and Shika."


    Nezumi smiled. "Oh, that''s good to hear. And don''t worry about seeing that. We''ve got an open relationship, and I''m the furthest thing from shy about nudity. Well, I guess drunk Hebi has me beat." Then her expression turned serious. "So how much money did it make?"


    "I couldn''t read the exact amount before you put the phone down, but it was eight digits."


    "At least ten million yen? Nice. That''s far better than expected. That suggests I landed another contract beyond just the LED lamps."


    "Should I check another of your non-Emily plans?" Akari asked, her eyes roaming the other strange objects on the table.


    To Akari''s surprise, Nezumi shook her head. "Nah, your vision was based on this reality, where I haven''t heard about any futures except the awful Emily one. If I learn about another plan''s potential, it could skew my underlying biases in a way that actually prevents the good future you just predicted."


    Then she smiled. "And that vision showed me with plenty of money and Shika by my side. I couldn''t ask for anything more. Thank you for your help, Akari."


    "You''re welcome, Nezumi," Akari said with a smile of her own. It really felt good to help people with her power.


    Shortly after that, Nezumi gathered her gadgets, reactivated her disguise to hide her ears and tail, put her oversized coat back on, and left the shrine. The whole way home, she was skipping and humming happily to herself, looking an awful lot like an excited middle schooler. She had a plan that was nearly guaranteed to generate enough money to fund her next big plan, and she was excited to share it with Shika.


    And she knew now that Shika was even more important to her than she''d previously known. Nezumi needed her to be her voice of reason, an anchor to keep from straying into madness like so many spirits before her. Without love and companionship, immortality was a sure path to insanity.

 Ch 46 - The Curious Cat

    "It went perfectly!" Nezumi cheered, nearly falling out of her swiveling computer chair in the process. Shika reached out to steady the smaller woman, but she righted herself on her own.


    "That''s great to hear," Akari said with a smile. She was sitting on a small folding chair that the spirit couple had brought out for her, and Shika was sitting cross-legged on their bed. Akari was secretly hoping that they''d spend some of the money from Nezumi''s business plan to get a better apartment; this one room bunker was hardly ideal for entertaining guests.


    Then Akari added, "I''m looking forward to better street lights throughout Shinj¨­."


    Nezumi leaned forward. "That''s not all you have to look forward to. I also secured a contract to modernize the storage lockers at every municipal facility in town: the bus depot, the swimming pool, and even the train station. They''ll be on NFC smart-cards and an uncrackable WPA3 shifting-encryption wi-fi mesh by the new year."


    "Oh, cool," Akari replied, sharing a brief glance with Shika. They were kindred spirits, both completely baffled by Nezumi''s technical knowhow.


    Suddenly Nezumi tipped herself out of her chair and fell on Shika with a wide-armed hug. "And I owe it all to you and Shika!"


    Shika giggled and returned the hug, saying, "Please, you did the real work, I just picked out your clothes for the meeting."


    Nezumi peered up from Shika''s arms. "Akari, back me up on this. Look at this photo and tell me that Shika isn''t some sort of fashion genius." The mouse spirit quickly pulled up an image on her phone, then tossed the device at Akari.


    Akari caught the phone, looked at the screen, and felt the wind leave her lungs. Where she had expected a nicely dressed but still very youthful girl who was hard to take seriously, there was someone else entirely.


    Nezumi''s blue-white hair was pinned back above her human-mode ears, showing off her immaculate makeup and confident expression. A sliver of dark eyeliner had countered her childlike softness and made her appear surprisingly serious. And her outfit was just as impressive: a perfectly-fitted suit jacket and pencil skirt, both deep, dark blue, which gave her an air of severe formality. Black hose and polished flats finished the look without breaking theme. It honestly reminded Akari of a female military uniform more than business clothes, but on Nezumi it all just¡­ worked.


    "Wow," Akari eventually managed. "I can see why you landed the contract. You must have been the best-dressed person in the room."


    "I was. And before that, the receptionist about had a heart attack thinking I was some big-time CEO or government auditor." She scowled and added, "There was still some skepticism from the committee, likely since I''m a woman, but only until I dropped a knowledge bomb on their heads. You shoulda seen their faces fall when I answered every question with an answer they understood and ten technical details they didn''t!"


    Nezumi was giggling infectiously now, clearly having the time of her life. Shika squeezed her tightly and smiled too, sharing in Nezumi''s happiness. It was adorable, right up until Shika got a strange look in her eyes and addressed Akari.


    "That said, none of that would have been possible without your help, Akari. We want to repay you in any way we can. What can we do for you?"


    "Hmm," Akari pondered the question, choosing to ignore the intense gleam in the deer spirit''s eyes. "The shrine is fine on money, thanks to Hebi, but I''d love your help again at our next big event, which is Toshigoi in mid-February. You were both great at Hatsumode."


    Nezumi shook her head, sending her big ears swinging. "Of course we''ll be there, but we want to do something for you, personally. If the rest of your shopping trip can wait¡­"


    Shika finished the sentence, leaving no room for ambiguity, "¡­we''d like you to join us for a few hours. There''s a bathhouse nearby with private baths, and we just bought some new silk sheets for this bed." She ran the fingers of one hand smoothly, alluringly, across the top of the bed, her other arm still around Nezumi''s shoulders.


    Akari was stone-still for a long moment, then she felt her cheeks ignite and her lips tried to sputter out a response. That invitation had been brazen even by living-with-Seshi standards, and completely unexpected.


    I already knew about their open relationship, but to be invited into a¡ª Akari''s thoughts struggled to arrive at the word ''threesome'', but that''s clearly what it was.


    Finally, she got past the initial shock and found her answer sitting in plain sight, and she knew her reason to refuse. "No thank you. I''m committed to Inara, for the long haul." Then she smiled and said, "I truly appreciate the offer, but if you''re looking for, uh, what you''re looking for, maybe ask Seshi instead?"


    Nezumi opened her mouth, planning to argue her case, but Shika silenced her with a finger to her lips.


    "Of course. Sorry if we made you uncomfortable at all. Consider the matter dropped," Shika said. Then she gave a wide smile and added, "Would you like any help with your shopping for the day?"


    "Ah, no. I''m good." Akari stood up and started for the door, then said, "Please keep in touch about your projects. I find it very exciting, but I suppose that makes sense considering it''s all so tied into progress, and that''s Inara''s whole thing now."


    "Of course," Nezumi said. "Talk to you soon, Akari."


    <hr>


    The next day, Seshi made one of her regular visits to the little bunker she had nicknamed the Fieldhouse, since a mouse and deer lived there. She was halfway through reciting her checklist of ways Shika and Nezumi might be breaking parole when she sensed something was off.


    "What''s up with you two? It''s like you''re having a psychic conversation while I''m trying to do my job here." She narrowed her eyes at them. "Is that a thing you two can do? If so, tell me how. It''d be super useful for when my mouth is¡­ occupied."


    Shika gave a small bow. "No, sorry. We aren''t psychic, but we''ve both been thinking the same thing, and deciding whether to bring it up to you."


    Seshi set her creased-paper checklist aside, honestly happy for a distraction from that formal stuff. "Go for it. Whatcha got for me?"


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    Nezumi answered, "Akari did us a massive favor, and we wanted to repay her with some intimate fun. She turned us down since she''s only got eyes for Inara."


    Shika continued seamlessly, as if they truly had been discussing this telepathically. "We were thinking of inviting Inara too, in case that changes Akari''s answer, and to avoid Inara getting jealous, and to help Nezumi get over her slight fear of the fox goddess."


    "Nah, that''s no good," Seshi said flatly. "First of all, Akari isn''t a multiple-partner kinda girl. I''ve tested her boundaries, and even now that we''re close friends, she ain''t open to me or anyone else."


    "Second, Inara isn''t the one you need to be worried about jealousy with. If you hook up with Inara, you''ll be in stormy waters with Usagi for who knows how long." The nekomata clasped her tails in one hand and admitted, "I''m ridin'' that tempest right now. I''ve started bringing home my own food, since everything she makes me is served too hot and too spicy for my sensitive kitty tongue."


    "Ah," Shika frowned and slumped, like her strings had been cut.


    Nezumi rubbed her partner''s back in comforting circles. "It''s okay, Shika. Akari can still be our dear friend."


    Seshi fidgeted nervously, very far from her normal cocksure self. "Um, and maybe, if you just want someone to, uh, sleep with¡­ I didn''t want to suggest it since I''m in charge of your parole, but¡­"


    "Akari suggested it too," Nezumi admitted. "Hooking up with you, that is."


    Seshi''s ears perked up and her eyes went wide and catlike. "Oh?"


    Nezumi turned to Shika. "How about it, love? I''m sure Seshi''s a very experienced lover."


    With a Cheshire grin, Seshi said, "You can say that again."


    <hr>


    The conversation started with an email, a simple request to reserve Kasumi''s next sculpture commission opening. Kasumi played it cool, saying she was happy to hear from the Mori-jinsha shrine again, but she was secretly completely thrilled.


    "You can have my next open slot, in April," she told Akari when they moved the discussion to a phone call. "Though I can cancel on someone if you need it sooner."


    "Oh no, April is great. We don''t have a deadline in mind for this sculpture. Whenever it''s ready is good enough for Ina¡ª for the shrine."


    "So, what kind of sculpture do you want? More wildlife?" Kasumi asked.


    "A small statue of our goddess, actually," Akari answered. "In a similar style to her depiction in our ranma carving. I can send you some sketches if you want."


    "Sure, I won''t turn them down. So, clothed in a kimono, with nine tails?" she guessed, already picturing the impossibly beautiful woman she''d met on her visit to the shrine. Even if Akari wouldn''t admit it, Kasumi knew that ''Inara'' woman was more than she appeared.


    "I''ll send scans of those sketches now," Akari said.


    "Actually¡­ I''ll be passing through your area in a couple days. Mind if I swing by and take a look at the originals in person? And that ranma carving too."


    "Oh, yeah, that''d be fine. Just let me know when you''re planning to arrive, so that I''m there to meet you."


    <hr>


    "Huh, I texted Akari, but she hasn''t replied. Is she busy? Do they not get a good signal up here?" Kasumi mumbled to herself as she crossed under the final torii gate and entered the shrine grounds. She was wearing a winter coat that was a bit too warm after the strenuous uphill climb from town, and of course her hair and eyes were hidden beneath a cap and dark sunglasses. She just didn''t like being identified by strangers.


    She approached the main building, thinking, It''s a public shrine, so I''m sure she won''t mind if I wait for her on the front steps.


    But she was just halfway across the clearing when she sensed something strange, like a blur in the corner of her eye, the faint rumble of a purring cat, or a face glimpsed for an instant and just as quickly forgotten.


    "Is there someone here?" she asked quietly.


    There was no answer, but there was a feeling Kasumi just couldn''t shake. The feeling of being watched, of being examined by something so close that she should be able to reach out and¡ª


    BUMP!


    Even though there was nothing there, her hand collided with something, she was sure of it. It was soft and smooth, like cloth over a padded bra. There was a faint sound like retreating footsteps, then a voice called out from near the shrine building.


    "Hey there. Need somethin''?"


    Kasumi blinked in confusion as the memories of those earlier sensations faded like a dream. Within seconds, she completely forgot. She looked up at the black-haired shrine maiden who was approaching with one hand raised.


    She was astoundingly pretty, in a rough-around-the-edges way, like a punk rock princess. Not that Kasumi would ever use such a silly description aloud.


    "Uh, my name is Kasumi. I''m the artist of those fox sculptures, and I''m just coming by to pick up some sketches from Akari. I texted her to say when I''d get here, but¡­"


    The approaching woman grinned and waved a hand dismissively. "Ah, she couldn''t sleep at all last night, so she took the day off. I can go wake her if it''s really urgent."


    Kasumi shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn''t want to do that, not when I just wanted to look at the ranma and some sketches. "


    "Go ahead and look all you want at the ranma," the shrine maiden said. "I''ll try to find those sketches for you."


    As the mysterious woman turned to leave, Kasumi said, "Wait, I didn''t get your name."


    "Seshi," she replied with a wide smile, as if just saying the name made her happy. "I live and work here as a shrine maiden," she explained, then she jogged off into the shrine''s depths.


    Kasumi was still studying the wooden carving, holding her sunglasses out of the way and peering up at it from every angle, when Seshi returned with a small stack of thick art paper.


    "These the sketches you expected? Akari had ''em all laid out and ready to go."


    The image on top was a profile view of the same woman depicted in the ranma, instantly recognizable. Kasumi nodded. "Yeah, that''s them. Thank you, Seshi." She took the papers and sat down on the shrine steps for a closer look.


    Seshi sat down next to her. "You could probably see them better if you nixed those sunglasses."


    "Oh, right." Kasumi took off her glasses and tucked them in a coat pocket. Beneath, her eyes were almost as green as Seshi''s. "Sorry about that. I didn''t mean to be rude."


    "So, Kasumi, why are you dressin'' like a celebrity in disguise? Are you really that famous?"


    "No, I''m not that special. But have had a bad experience or two with a stalker, so I prefer to go unnoticed."


    "I get that. But this is a safe place, so you can relax here."


    Kasumi blinked at the beautiful shrine maiden, pondering her youthful appearance and mannerisms. How old is she? Eighteen, maybe?


    Seshi continued unprompted, "I was in a bad place mentally when this shrine took me in last year. I owe Inara a lot."


    Kasumi nodded. "I can empathize. I had rough teenage years too, but things get easier."


    "Oh, I''m older than I look," Seshi quickly corrected. "I just got stuck in a teenage mindset longer than I shoulda."


    Kasumi blinked. "Oh, sorry for assuming. You just look so youthful."


    "So do you," Seshi said, then she looked away. "Sorry for making this awkward."


    "Don''t worry about it!" Kasumi said. "Now I''ve got to get to a house showing, but I''m sure I''ll see you again."


    "House showing?" Seshi asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    <hr>


    "Kasumi is thinkin'' of moving to Shinj¨­, so she can visit the shrine regularly. And she said it''d be better for business to be local to the people who are seein'' her handiwork." Seshi said as she reclined against a large silk cushion. "Seems like you made a big impression on her, Inara."


    Inara nodded, but eyed Seshi suspiciously. "That''s great news, but why''d you want to tell me in private?" They were alone in Inara''s room, and for once it wasn''t for a bit of passionate release.


    Seshi''s forked tail flicked erratically at her side, betraying her inner turmoil. "Well, uh, maybe it''s nothing, but I feel kinda curious about Kasumi. I watched her all morning, but I want to know more about her."


    Inara smiled. "Got a crush?"


    "No," Seshi blurted. "Or yes, but not in a love way. I don''t do love. This is just a lust thing, or maybe I want a friend, I dunno."


    "Of course."


    "And maybe she doesn''t want this, but if it happens to come up naturally¡­" Seshi trailed off.


    "Yes?" Inara prodded.


    "I know I''m still on probation, and that she''s a human, but can I hook up with her? I won''t drain anything from her."


    "So you sensed her spiritual talent too?" Then Inara met Seshi''s eyes. "You must promise to be very careful. Her spiritual energy will be a tempting meal."


    Seshi grinned. "I had a very different kind of meal in mind."

 Ch 47 - The Path Forward

    Technically, Akari had lied when she told her housemates that she didn''t get any sleep the previous night. She had slept. And she had dreamed.


    She dreamed of a future where she had Inara all to herself. Inara lavished love upon her and only her, and life was wonderful. They weren''t entirely alone, since they had hired human shrine maidens and other staff to help out at the shrine, but all the animal spirits had moved out. Over the years, the spirits had grown and changed and found their own happiness elsewhere. Akari kept in touch with her old friends, but they grew apart over time, like people do.


    In this vision, everything was perfect. Until Akari died. After over 80 years at Inara''s side, at the ripe old age of 103, Akari passed away from natural causes. She smiled as she died in Inara''s arms, leaving the world with no fear and no regrets.


    "I love you, Inara-hime," were Akari''s last words.


    "And I love you, Akari," the goddess whispered as the last spark of life left Akari''s body.


    In the deepest reaches of Inara''s heart, she had hoped that Akari would ascend and become a spiritual being, to stay with her forever. But she had enough foresight to know that it wasn''t meant to be; for better and for worse, Akari was human. That included her brief lifespan, barely a flash in the pan compared to Inara''s immortality.


    Inara seemed fine for a long while after that. She remained the deity of the shrine for another twenty years, and she wore a wide smile whenever her old friends visited. They were immortal too, and they liked to stop by as they travelled the world. They had new lives and lovers of their own, and they were happy.


    But Inara didn''t let anyone into her heart. When Usagi offered to return to the shrine, to return to Inara''s side as a lover, Inara refused and said, "My heart still belongs to Akari, and always will. And I''m okay with that."


    After a few more years, cracks began to appear in Inara''s facade. She was far lonelier than she let on. She stopped commissioning art, and then stopped maintaining the artwork she already had. Then she fired all of her staff and closed the shrine.


    "As Inari-okami or Inara-hime, I''ve been a major player for long enough. Other gods deserve the limelight now," she said as she bid farewell to her priestesses.


    That was the inflection point. Her downward spiral had begun long before, but that moment was when its terrible velocity became apparent. From then on, Inara refused all help, forcefully if needed, and her mental state rapidly declined. She stopped leaving the shrine entirely and she let the structure fall to snow and rain and rot.


    Inara had given up on life, but death would not take her. For better and for worse, she was truly immortal.


    Within another decade, the entire forest south of Shinj¨­ was dark and dying. The local government claimed that a chemical spill had poisoned the land, but the only poison there was Inara''s mental state. Her sorrow had seeped into the earth, the plants, and the very air, creating a boiling miasma that killed any mortal foolish enough to wander in. It also kept all spirits at bay, no matter their spiritual power. If there was anyone left to help Inara, they couldn''t reach her now.


    And the toxic grief spread at an accelerating pace. Within five years, the entire city of Shinj¨­ was uninhabitable, despite all of humanity''s scientific attempts to cleanse the corruption. Even mankind''s best spiritualists were no match for the mourning goddess''s power. Within ten years, the mountains beneath Japan had rotted to their cores, and then they fractured, spewing endless ash and lava into the sky while the corruption burrowed deeper down toward the planet''s core. It was a chain reaction from there, and humanity had no choice but to flee the planet.


    Over a century of technological advancement, thanks in part to Inara''s domain of Progress, gave them the tools to escape Earth, but only barely. Some humans rode massive colony ships into deep space while others attempted to settle upon the barren red sands of mars. Most of humanity remained on Earth during the destruction, their physical bodies dying while digital replicas lived on in virtual worlds housed in solar-powered satellites.


    The once living, breathing planet was reduced to a ruined wasteland. The human species was wiped from its surface, all driven away or doomed to a digital afterlife. From one perspective, it was a form of progression, inspired by the Goddess of Progress. But to Akari, it was a nightmare, and one that she felt personally responsible for.


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    Just before the vision finally ended, after the last glimmer of mortal life on Earth had faded, two golden eyes shined up from the ashes, feral and haunted. And the sight broke Akari''s heart.


    Akari awoke in tears, gasping for air. She felt completely exhausted, both physically and mentally. She had no energy to even process the dream, and much of its message slipped through her fingers like oily black liquid, leaving only painful residue behind.


    She toppled out of bed, crushed by a splitting headache that stifled all thoughts. She tried to get dressed, but after several feeble attempts, she gave up and collapsed back on the bed.


    I can''t even think straight right now. I need rest, she decided.


    She told her housemates that she hadn''t been able to sleep a wink and needed the day off from her shrine duties. The girls were all supportive, and Usagi volunteered to check on her and bring meals.


    And once again Akari slept restlessly, dreaming the same terrifying vision again and again.


    <hr>


    It took three days of this dreadful cycle for Akari to seek help, but Inara had sensed the need before that. She was ready and waiting when Akari asked to talk, but what Akari had to say surprised her.


    Once they were inside Inara''s soundproof room, Akari said, "I''ve been having visions of the end of the world again, whenever I sleep. The end doesn''t happen until after my time, but it definitely happens because of me. And because of you."


    Inara frowned deeply. "But we decided that vision was just a warning, something easily avoided."


    "It''s more than that," Akari admitted, slumping into Inara''s waiting embrace. "I''ve seen so many variations of this future now. They all start the same way and take different paths in the middle, but always end the same. I think that avoiding this fate will be a far more difficult task than we thought."


    Inara didn''t like the sound of that. "Okay. What do I need to do?" she asked expectantly.


    "Nothing," Akari said. Then when Inara tried to cut in, Akari pressed a finger to Inara''s lips. "I have an idea about the root cause, and it isn''t your problem to solve."


    "Huh?" Inara''s ears twitched and she stared at Akari intensely.


    "It''s mine. Mine and the other girls''."


    Inara''s gaze grew even more intense. "Explain, please."


    "Remember the visions I had when I first became your Chosen One? All the lifetimes I witnessed, always ending with me in your arms, destined to be with you until the end?"


    Inara nodded. Before Akari, she had never known that such a fated ending was part of being Chosen by a god, but knowing that wouldn''t have changed Inara''s decisions in the slightest.


    Akari continued, "Most of those visions included the other girls there at the end, Inu and Seshi and Hebi and Usagi. And sometimes others who I didn''t even recognize. They were all there to comfort you, to be your companions and friends and lovers. To show you joy again after I leave."


    Akari had to take a deep breath to settle her nerves before she continued, "But the visions I''ve had this week¡­ they''re different. You and I always have each other, but we''re otherwise alone. The other girls have all moved on, found new lives elsewhere. Then when I die, you don''t have anyone at all at your side, or in your heart. And you''re so committed to me and my memory that you refuse to let anyone back in. You go mad with grief and loneliness, and it dooms the world."


    Inara lowered her head, then whispered, "And you think that''s the true problem? That we need to keep the others from leaving? I''m sure if we just tell them¡ª"


    "No!" Akari nearly shouted.


    Inara flinched, but said nothing.


    "If we tell them they need to stay at your side to keep you from ending the world, they wouldn''t have a choice. It wouldn''t be their love that keeps them in your life. It would be obligation. It wouldn''t be genuine care and support, and it wouldn''t solve anything." Akari spoke as though she had seen that approach attempted, and had seen it fail.


    For once, Inara was the one who was lost, scrambling for answers. "So, what do we do then? Hide this from them while working to keep them happy? How will we know if any of this is even working?"


    Akari smiled and it was a welcome ray of sunshine in such a bleak conversation. "As I said, you don''t need to do anything. Just trust in me. Every night, I''ll use my power and see how my actions that day changed the future. And when my death doesn''t cause you to pull away and shut down, I''ll know it worked."


    "Easier said than done," Inara said. "Do you even have a plan beyond that? Do you have any idea what you''d need to say to the other girls to change their futures?"


    "I have a few ideas. And if those don''t pan out, I''ve got eighty years to experiment." Akari''s smile in that moment was so confident, so determined and genuine, that it burned away all of Inara''s lingering doubts about the plan.


    "Eighty years¡­ Is that how much longer you''ll live, Akari?" Inara asked. She had never dared to use foresight to check that particular detail. She had been terrified of the possible answers.


    "On average, yes. I know it''s not long, compared to you, so I want to get this end-of-the-world thing figured out soon. So we can spend our remaining time being happy."


    Inara pulled Akari closer, staring deep into her eyes. "Why wait to be happy? Let''s start now."


    She kissed Akari passionately, both fearfully and hopefully. And as Akari returned the kiss, the fear began to fade until only hope remained. Inara chose to trust Akari, to believe that she could find the path forward.


    "I love you, Akari," the goddess whispered.


    "And I love you, Inara-hime."

 Ch 48 - A Little Push

    "Hey, Akari, I think you should join me for a workout," Inu said from Akari''s doorway. She was already dressed in tiny blue shorts and a matching sports bra. The outfit looked good on the dog spirit, as natural as a second skin.


    Akari closed her laptop and smiled back at Inu. "Oh, sure. But why''d you say it like that, like it''s a doctor''s orders? You know you can just ask when you want a workout partner."


    Inu tipped her head questioningly, as if her reasoning should have been obvious. "Because something''s been off with you lately, like you''ve got too much on your mind. And exercising is a great way to work through that stuff."


    Akari had never been great at keeping secrets. She could avoid revealing the secret itself, but she knew people could usually tell that she was hiding something. And now that she was dealing with something as significant as her best friends'' futures and the fate of the world, she could believe that her distracted behavior had been especially obvious.


    "Huh, I guess that''s true," Akari admitted. "I''ll join you. Just lemme get changed."


    "Yep. Meet me in my room. Still a bit chilly outside for a run," Inu said. She turned and her fluffy blonde tail wagged behind her as she left.


    Akari blushed as she made a realization: between Inu''s skimpy workout clothes and that ''meet me in my room'' statement, an outside observer could easily assume something lewd was about to happen.


    But Inu and I aren''t like that, even if we both love the same person. Inu''s my dear friend, and that''s all I want.


    Akari arrived at Inu''s door a few minutes later in workout clothes of her own: purple shorts and a loose pink t-shirt. She asked, "So what are we working on today?"


    Inu waved her into the spartan room that contained barely more than a bed and exercise equipment and answered, "Legs: lunges, squats, the works."


    Akari winced. Leg day was always pretty brutal, but she knew it was worth it.


    Neither of them talked much after that, perhaps because Inu was trying to give Akari time to work through her thoughts. Or perhaps because the exercise was heavy enough to make chatting difficult.


    But Inu must have been pondering things of her own, because she eventually broke the silence. "I''m worried about the shrine''s safety. Now that the shrine is open to the public and displaying valuable works of art, there''s a chance people will cause trouble."


    Akari welcomed the pause in her reps. She sat down on the floor and replied, "No one''s done anything bad yet, have they?" As soon as she asked the question, she pondered the answer herself. The closest was Watanabe during the festival, and the scene he caused was pretty minor, all things considered.


    Inu shook her head as she continued with her exercises. Unlike Akari, she wasn''t winded at all. She said, "Not yet, but that''s not proof that they won''t in the future."


    Akari smiled. "You''re a good person, Inu, always looking out for the shrine and protecting us."


    Inu finished a set of squats, then sat next to Akari. She stared down at her hands and said, "I wish I could do more for the shrine. I don''t have any spiritual power, so I can''t really handle a troublemaker without escalating things. I wish I could just punt them right out of the grounds and make them forget they were here, like Inara can."


    "What about superior spirits, like Seshi wants to be? Could they do that?"


    Inu tipped her head in thought for a moment, then answered, "Yeah, I think so. I''ve never met one, but I heard that a few visited the shrine before my time. Usagi or Hebi would know more."


    They resumed their workout after that, but Akari''s thoughts stayed on that track for the rest of the day.


    <hr>


    After dinner, Akari stuck around with Usagi to clean the kitchen, and she took advantage of the opportunity to pick Usagi''s brain.


    "You''ve lived here with Inara for a long time. Have any superior spirits ever come to visit the shrine?" Akari asked as she gathered all the dirty silverware together. Six women could go through a lot of dishes in a single meal, especially when it had so many excellent sides.


    Usagi nodded. "A few. And there were likely more who just chose to hide their true nature from me."


    "Superior spirits can do that?" Akari asked in surprise. For all of her love of Shintoism, there was so much about it that was still a mystery to her. She''d been given a rare gift that let her see into this spiritual world, and it was all unexplored territory.


    Wide hips in tight pants waggled distractingly as Usagi moved around the kitchen. "They sure can. And in turn, a higher being like a goddess could hide from them if she wanted to."


    Akari forced her eyes off Usagi''s admirable body and busied herself by gathering and sorting dishes for Usagi to wash. "What were they like? The superior spirits you''ve met?"


    Usagi''s cute button nose wiggled as she thought. "Hmm, there was a wolf spirit that was far too intense for me, so I mostly avoided him during his visit with Miss Inara. He had worked his way up from a major spirit, and I got the impression he had killed other spirits to do it."


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    Akari shivered at that. I''d avoid a murderer too, if one came to visit.


    Usagi continued, "But I spent a lot more time around a wind spirit named Kanashimi. They had come into existence as a superior spirit, so their attitude was much more carefree and they treated me very kindly. I even learned some of my cooking skills from them."


    As curious as Akari was about this intriguing wind spirit, she was on a mission for a specific kind of information. "With their spiritual powers, could Kanashimi steer a human away from a place without harming them? Like if a troublemaker wandered into the shrine?"


    Usagi gave a strong nod, sending her rabbit ears bouncing. "Oh yeah, definitely. I think even Seshi could do that with her current power if she really tried, since she''s so skilled at illusions. But Inara''s always been the one we call on if someone wanders up here. She can even alter memories if needed."


    The gears were already turning in Akari''s head. She had the start of a plan, but she needed to refine it. "Thanks for answering my questions, Usagi!"


    Usagi smiled as she dried off her hands. "Thank you for helping out in the kitchen. Things are always better with someone at your side."


    <hr>


    That night, Akari dreamed the same prophetic dream yet again. She saw herself die of old age, and no one was there for Inara afterwards, not even the loyal Inu. Then, just like before, she watched as Inara''s sorrow eventually brought about the end of the world.


    Despite the emotional drain of watching yet another minor variation of the same apocalyptic vision, Akari awoke feeling energized because she finally had a plan. She got dressed in workout clothes, then followed the rhythmic sound of Inu''s weight bench.


    "Want a workout buddy today?" she asked from the open doorway.


    A sweaty face smiled back from beneath ruffled blonde hair. "Always."


    Akari joined in as Inu''s spotter, but she waited a few minutes to put her plan into action. In between sets, she said, "So, how do you feel about your previous name?"


    "Michi?" Inu responded. "I treasure it as a reminder of my past life. Thank you again for rediscovering it for me."


    "But do you want it to be your real name, instead of Inu?" Akari asked, leaning close.


    Inu went still for a long moment, then finally answered, "I don''t know. I''m worried that being named would change me, and I like how things are now."


    Akari put a hand on Inu''s shoulder. "But don''t you want to be stronger to protect this shrine and Inara? A name could help you do that." Inu didn''t react, so Akari continued, "You could become a superior spirit. Seshi even offered to help you, right?"


    Suddenly Inu pushed Akari''s hand away and stood up. "I don''t know! I''m not ready to think about that stuff right now. We''re supposed to be working out, anyway."


    "Of course, sorry."


    It seems Inu doesn''t respond well to being pressured. I need to take it slower.


    <hr>


    Later that afternoon, Akari checked in with Inara, inside the goddess''s soundproof bedroom. Inara was still the only one that knew about her plan to change the future, and Akari valued her guidance.


    Inara wrapped Akari in a warm hug, then asked, "How is your plan going? Any luck at stopping the apocalypse?" Before Akari could even respond, Inara continued, "Please tell me the visions haven''t gotten worse. If this meddling is causing your death to come even a day sooner, I order you to stop right now."


    Akari nearly giggled at how much Inara was fawning over her, but she knew Inara was truly concerned. "No, no, I''m fine, Inara-hime. Nothing has changed yet, but I have a plan. It just needs some time. If I rush things, it''ll push Inu away."


    Inara''s eyes sparkled. "So you''re starting with Inu?"


    "Yes, and I wanted your opinion on something. Does she do well with sudden responsibility? Like if something is thrust on her that has no choice but to take on? Would she step up and do it, or get upset?"


    Inara smiled mischievously, already seeing where Akari was going. "Oh? Thinking of naming her, so she can''t keep refusing to make progress?"


    Akari nodded. "Yes. She loves her old name and I''m pretty sure she wants to be a superior spirit, but she doesn''t want to be named yet. Would forcing it on her make her angry?"


    "Oh, she''d definitely be grumpy for a few days, but I''m sure she''d rise to the occasion and handle it quite well. Some people need a push from time to time, then grow to fill the demands placed upon them. Inu is definitely that type."


    Akari took a deep breath. "Okay. When the time is right, I''m going to go for it. Can you back me up if things go sour?"


    Inara hugged her again and pulled her down onto a large cushion next to the window. "Yes, I''ll be there for you, my love."


    Akari snuggled into Inara''s arms and quickly fell asleep in the afternoon sunlight. After so many vision-filled nights, she both needed the extra rest and appreciated the dreamless sleep.


    <hr>


    Two days later, in the early afternoon, the time felt right.


    After a jog around the clearing, Akari tossed Inu a bottle of water and said, "I really treasure my time with you, Inu. I love the way we can talk and hang out and it all feels so natural."


    Inu caught the bottle, then glared at Akari. "Where''d this come from? I mean, I like you too, but you''re making it sound like you''re moving away or something."


    Akari smiled, her purple eyes fixed on Inu. "You''re my best friend. You''re family to me, and I love you, Michi."


    Inu''s cheeks flushed and she looked away. "Yeah, I already said I like you, but my name''s not¡ª"


    A low rumble, like distant thunder, echoed through the shrine clearing. It built and built until it was almost painful to bear, then faded away, leaving a peaceful calm in its wake.


    The dog spirit went silent, then turned and stared right at Akari. Her orange eyes burned like twin suns. "Did you just¡­" She trailed off, unable to voice the words.


    "Feel any different?" Akari asked with an awkward smile.


    Michi''s jaw tightened and her face turned red and she stomped up right in front of Akari. "I said I wasn''t ready for this! What the hell, Akari?!"


    Akari dropped to the ground and bowed deeply, pressing her forehead to the dormant brown grass. "I''m sorry for forcing this on you, but I felt like you just needed a push to reach your goals." After a second of tense silence, she added, "And Inara agreed with me."


    Wordless, Michi clenched her fists and pivoted on the spot, then sprinted away in a hurry.


    She didn''t talk to Akari the whole rest of the day, and she avoided deeper conversations with anyone else. Neither Michi nor Akari told the others about her new name, but they suspected what had happened. After all, it would take something unusual and significant to drive a wedge between such close friends.


    <hr>


    That night, Michi slept in Inara''s room, curled up at her side like a puppy.


    And that night, Akari''s dream was different. When she died, someone was there at Inara''s side, with long, wild blonde hair and a muscular physique. Tears streamed down her face, but she practically glowed with spiritual power.


    Akari wanted the vision to stop there, to have a happy ending. But time moved ever forward, and Michi wasn''t able to fill the massive hole in Inara''s heart on her own. It took an additional decade, but despair eventually ate away at Inara''s will, and her sorrow still corrupted the world.


    Akari had more work to do.

 Ch 49 - Teach a Mouse to Cook...

    Michi was newly named and profoundly grumpy about it, and she barely left her room the next two days. But even a terrible mood couldn''t break her workout routine, and each morning the rhythmic sound of her weight bench echoed throughout the shrine.


    "So, you named her?" Usagi asked Akari over breakfast. Hebi and Inara were there too, but the night-owl Seshi was still asleep.


    Akari slumped to the table. "Yeah¡­ and I think she hates me for it."


    Hebi swallowed a huge bite of omelette rice, then shook her head. "No, she doesn''t hate you. She''s definitely pissed, but she still loves you."


    Akari pushed some pieces of omelette around her plate. "How can you be so sure?"


    "Because she''s not out here yelling at you. In fact, she''s probably staying away from you so that she doesn''t accidentally say something she''d regret." Hebi flashed a small smile. "She''ll cool down soon."


    Usagi nodded. "Inu¡ª I mean Michi, might even thank you. I know she''s secretly wanted this for a long time."


    Inara let out a small giggle, earning everyone''s gaze.


    "What''s funny, Boss?" Hebi asked.


    A smirk bloomed on Inara''s lips. "I''ll just say that your hearts are all in the right place, but your read on the situation is a bit off."


    Akari leaned forward, her half-eaten breakfast forgotten. "How so?"


    "I have it on good authority that Michi''s not angry anymore. She''s hiding because she''s embarrassed."


    "Embarrassed?" Akari asked. "By her new name? Or by how she reacted to it?"


    Inara lowered her voice slightly, but it was still well above a whisper. "A bit of the second one, and a lot more of a new thing. Being named made her more powerful, and with that power came with some new instincts." As the goddess spoke, she tugged her royal purple kimono off one shoulder and revealed a wide expanse of bare skin.


    The other women all went completely silent at what they saw. All over Inara''s shoulder and neck and chest were thin red scratches, dark purple hickeys, and more than a few bite marks.


    Usagi swallowed hard and very slowly said, "She hurt you?"


    Inara smiled and waved a hand side to side. "Oh no, this didn''t hurt at all. I quite liked it, actually. And I haven''t healed the marks away because I want to remember the sensations a bit longer."


    Akari felt her face burning up, and Usagi''s expression was stuck halfway between a scowl and a pout.


    Hebi just ate another bite of her second helping of breakfast, then said, "Friendly reminder that Michi can probably hear this conversation from her room."


    Inara raised her voice to normal levels, then said, "Oh, I know. I''m hoping she hears it and realizes that we all still love her, and that her new instincts are wholeheartedly accepted."


    "Speak for yourself," Usagi grumbled, her eyes still fixed on the marks on Inara''s upper chest.


    "Oh, that reminds me, Usagi," Akari started, her voice loud and chipper. "Nezumi and Shika wanted to spend some time with you. You and Shika hit it off at the party, right?"


    Usagi narrowed her eyes at Akari. "That''s not wrong, but how exactly did the Michi thing remind you of that?"


    Akari ignored the question and said, "They''re doing really well repaying their debt, and they''re getting better at interacting with humans, but their home situation is¡­ really bad. Can you visit their place this weekend? For their sakes."


    "Hmph, fine. I''ll drop by, if I can travel in human form." Usagi glanced hopefully at Inara with her bunny ears perked up. In the past, the only way for Usagi to appear human outside the shrine grounds was with Inara at her side.


    The fox goddess smiled. "Oh, sure thing. After seeing the novel way Shika and Nezumi manage it, I''ve improved at supporting human forms, so I can give you a solid eight hours on your own. And you can borrow some of their charms for the return trip if things run longer than that."


    Usagi''s ears completely wilted. "Oh, alright. Thank you, Mistress."


    Akari nudged Usagi with her elbow and said, "I bet Shika would love to see one of your seasonal outfits. She''s really into fashion, you know."


    "Yeah, yeah." Usagi stood up and untied the apron around her waist. "There are lunch bentos in the fridge for everyone, so I guess I''ll head down now. I''ll be back before dinner."


    Akari bowed deeply. "Thank you, Usagi!"


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Usagi took a deep breath, then stepped under the red torii gate that marked the edge of the shrine grounds. Miraculously, she didn''t turn into a rabbit and her clothes didn''t topple to the ground. Inara''s new technique had worked, and Usagi could still feel the warmth on her cheek where the goddess had kissed her and imbued her with a bit of spiritual power.


    She continued down the trail with a bounce in her step and a grey beret hiding her ears. She wore a loose white sweater off one shoulder and over her tail, with a checkered charcoal and green skirt below that. It was strange being outside the grounds by herself, and stranger still to be visible to humans, but their appreciative glances felt wonderful.


    Look all you want, humans, but this body belongs to Inara-sama, Usagi thought at the people she passed on the street, many of whom were openly staring at her substantial chest. And thanks for confirming the quality of my ensemble. I was right to be proud of it.


    Usagi''s good mood nearly evaporated when she arrived at her destination, the so-called Fieldhouse. It was even worse than she''d feared, and she hadn''t even been inside yet.


    Beneath a two-lane bridge over a ravine, embedded in a concrete wall covered in graffiti and dead moss, was a weathered steel door. Usagi could sense Seshi''s power on the door; a charm to keep humans from lingering around or looking too closely at the recently replaced door knob and hinges. There was some plastic trash scattered around the gravel-covered ground to make it look abandoned, but nothing that would rot or rust.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She knocked three times in quick succession and stepped back, bracing for the worst.


    A smiling face between two long brown ears greeted Usagi as the door opened. "Hello again, Usagi! Thank you for coming to visit!" Shika cheered. She was dressed in a slim tan sleeveless dress that made her look even more slender than she already was.


    "Thanks for having me," Usagi said far less enthusiastically. A spark of jealousy flared up at Shika''s supermodel physique, something that surely made buying clothes a breeze, but the fire died out when her eyes settled on Shika''s modest breasts. Usagi smiled and thought, I have her soundly beat in the butt department too.


    Shika threw the door wide and beckoned. "Come in, come in. I know it''s not much, but it''s our lovely little home."


    Usagi tried to keep a straight face as she took in the repurposed maintenance room. The walls were raw concrete, partially obscured by posters and wall scrolls, and the floor was covered in various scraps of salvaged carpet. A frameless mattress occupied one corner, and racks of clothes, boxes of supplies, and a computer desk filled the rest of the small space. The computer, bedsheets, and clothes all looked expensive, but everything else was either cheap junk purchased from a convenience store or literally scavenged from dumpsters.


    "Oh, it''s nice," she lied. "But I''m sure you can do better, now that Nezumi got those contracts."


    Nezumi, who was sitting at the computer desk in a baggy sweatshirt and tiny jean shorts, shrugged and said, "Yeah, but we''re not in a hurry. A lease would really tie us down and drain our coffers."


    Shika unfolded a small chair and set it next to the concrete wall. "Take a seat, Usagi. I''ll get some tea going."


    "Thanks," Usagi said, resisting the urge to wipe the seat off before she sat down. Nothing in the tiny home appeared to be dirty, but it was setting off alarm bells in her head just the same. This is a summertime hideout for preteen boys, not a home for working adults, she thought.


    She tried a new tact. "Think about the advantages of an apartment, though. Hot showers, a proper stove¡­ The best thing about being an animal spirit is getting the best of what human society has to offer."


    Nezumi quickly responded, "As long as I can ignore the parts of society I don''t care for. I''d be a terrible mother to anything more needy than Emily."


    Shika giggled as she poured tea from a portable electric kettle. "If you loved our child as much as you love that drone, we''d do just fine."


    "Whoa, hold up." Nezumi waved her hands frantically. "Don''t go tossing around ''our child'' like it''s real or anything!"


    Usagi couldn''t resist asking, "What would you even do? Adopt a human orphan?"


    She didn''t mention that the idea had crossed her mind more than once over the last few decades. Usagi had a natural need to care for things, like her garden, her housemates, and Inara. But Inara didn''t demand much of her, and neither did the garden or the other girls. It left her feeling more than a little unfulfilled.


    Shika giggled again, her melodic voice filling the small space and echoing off the walls. "That, or mentor a young spirit who needs guidance. The world''s grown more hostile to spirits with the rise of technology, but Nezumi''s got that stuff all figured out."


    Nezumi blanched. "Uh, first of all, human tech is way more diverse and complex than you know. By the time I figure one thing out, it seems like they''ve already advanced to something else. And, I don''t think we''re in any state to mentor someone, not when Usagi''s here to mentor us."


    Shika''s ears sagged. "Right. Thanks for coming by. We''re still pretty bad at this human stuff." She took a deep breath, then added, "And friendships. We never had friends before Seshi and Akari and you."


    Usagi blushed. She had never had a friend outside her shrine family. "Happy to help."


    Then she frowned as something occurred to her. "Wait, since you don''t have a kitchen here, are you eating out for all your meals?"


    Nezumi answered, "Yep. We get fancy stuff sometimes, but usually we just eat pizza and other fast food. Oh, and we have instant ramen we can make here."


    Usagi stayed quiet, but couldn''t contain her scowl.


    Shika noticed and frowned. "Is that bad?"


    Usagi let loose. "You may be spirits, but you have living bodies now and you owe them more than junk food! That settles it. Tonight I''m making you a week''s worth of meals with proper nutrition, and once you have a real apartment with a kitchen, I''m teaching you to make real meals for yourselves."


    Nezumi shrank into her chair, but Shika bounced on her toes, saying, "Oh, you''d do that for us? That''s so kind of you, Usagi. Thank you!"


    "Yeah¡­ thanks¡­" Nezumi grumbled. Usagi could tell that Nezumi had resigned herself to moving into an apartment, now that Shika was excited for it.


    "Actually," Shika started. "How about we solve both problems at the same time? We''ll help you make those meals for us, and learn how to cook for ourselves in the process."


    Nezumi''s big ears twitched. "We''re going back to the shrine?"


    Shika nodded. "Yeah, that was the idea, at least. Is that a problem?"


    "No, I guess not. I just don''t know if Inara-sama and Inu even like me¡­"


    Usagi raised a hand. "Inu is actually named Michi now, and I think everyone liked you just fine. Small warning that Hebi is a lot more severe when she''s sober, but that doesn''t mean she has a problem with you."


    "Oh! What lovely news," Shika cheered. "We''ll have to bring a gift for Michi! She likes sports manga, right?"


    Usagi blinked. "Yeah, but I''m surprised you know that."


    "Heh," Nezumi chuckled. "Shika''s a pro at learning people''s interests. I bet she already knows what gift she''d give to you, Usagi."


    "Yep! I''ve got some things in mind, but I was hoping to refine the list after seeing your kitchen and garden again."


    "Uh, oh, okay," Usagi stammered, surprised at Shika''s kindness and consideration. "Well, can one of you contact Seshi or Akari and let them know you''ll be coming over today? You can stay for dinner too."


    "On it," Nezumi said, already typing away on one of her many cell phones. Judging by all the phones in labeled plastic bags on her desk, she was still doing phone repairs in between her big government contracts.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    That afternoon, while Usagi carefully coached two complete amateurs through kitchen basics, Akari snuck away to her room for a quick nap. She wasn''t tired, but she wanted to look forward into the far future, something too involved to do while distracted.


    This is going even better than expected, Akari thought as she laid down on top of her sheets and closed her eyes. I just wanted Usagi to make some friends outside the shrine, so she''d be less focused on Inara, but I think she''s getting even more out of this.


    Then she opened her eyes again and stared at the ceiling. Is it wrong to check on her future so soon? Will I interact with Usagi and Shika and Nezumi differently if I see that they''ll be close friends in the future? If I see that Usagi will be there with Inara at the end, what do I do next? Leave her alone, out of fear that I''ll knock her back off that path?


    Then something else occurred to Akari: she was guiding the actions of others without getting involved herself. She was standing on the sidelines like some sort of crossing guard or air traffic controller, directing other people''s lives and hardly living a life of her own. And each time she nudged someone down a path, she ran off to check the eventual results at the end of that path, like an impatient reader skipping to the end of the book.


    Akari sat up, thinking with conviction, This is no way to live.


    She hopped to her feet, brushed the wrinkles from her shirt and smoothed her hair, then left the bedroom. If a vision comes tonight, so be it. But I''m not going to miss out on my own life, no matter how long it ends up being.


    She strode into the kitchen just in time to hear Shika say, "I noticed that this recipe makes twelve servings. That''s fine for making a week''s worth of meals, but what do I do for a single dinner with just the two of us?"


    Usagi''s ears stiffened and she didn''t seem to have an answer for Shika''s question. Akari had never seen Usagi make just two servings of anything; even when she was cooking for just Inara, she tended to go bigger than necessary.


    But Akari had done it herself more times than she could count. She cleared her throat and said, "I can help you with that. I used to cook for just me and my dad all the time."


    "Oh really?!" Shika looked almost too relieved, like the thought of preparing too much food had been truly terrifying.


    "Yeah. I can show you some tips and tricks, and I''m pretty sure I''ve got a ''cooking for two'' cookbook you can have." Then she turned and smiled at Usagi. "I hope it''s okay that I''m stepping in here?"


    Usagi returned the smile. "It''s quite welcome, Akari. Thank you."

 Ch 50 - Pillow Talk

    "Attention, please!" Seshi called out to the line of shrine visitors, all waiting to see Akari. "Keep your questions about the near future. And the clearer your question, the clearer her answer can be."


    "Um, miss?" started an older woman near the front of the line. "I just want to know about an event nine months from now, my husband''s birthday. Is that near enough?"


    From the woman''s worried expression and the lack of said husband at her side, it was obvious that she was concerned for his health.


    Seshi smiled kindly, a rare but not impossible occurrence. "That''s just fine, ma''am."


    Then she turned and jogged to the front of the line, where the resident seer was sitting at a small covered booth. "Hey, Akari. I''ve got somewhere to be. Want me to send another girl out, or do you got it from here?"


    Akari leaned over to look down the line. It had been capped at fifty people when they started and she had whittled it down to less than ten people. Akari would have happily given more fortunes that afternoon, especially since the vast majority of guests'' visions were pleasant, but Hebi had insisted that the shrine should curate a sense of scarcity by limiting the number each day.


    "I can handle the rest," Akari answered. "Thanks for the help, Seshi!"


    "Kickin''. I''ll seeya around then!" Seshi called back, already jogging toward the big red torii gate that marked the edge of the shrine grounds. She was still dressed as a shrine maiden, but she could fix that on the way.


    Partway into town, when the path was clear of humans in both directions, Seshi conjured a new outfit. The only witnesses were birds in the trees and some wispy minor spirits, and Seshi couldn''t care less if they spotted her naked or using magic. In fact, aside from the consequences with Inara, Seshi didn''t really care if humans saw her changing.


    After changing, she pulled out a palm-sized mirror from the small black leather bag that hung at her lower back. She eyed herself, adjusted her makeup and hair, and started walking again. A few steps further down the hill, she stopped and checked the mirror a second time.


    Gotta win her over without any illusions or deception, to play by Inara''s rules. And as a personal challenge, Seshi told herself. It definitely wasn''t because Kasumi was different from her past lovers, or anything like that.


    She arrived early at the meetup spot, a little karaoke place that was built above a takoyaki stand. She immediately ordered some fried octopus balls so they''d have time to cool down enough for her sensitive tongue, then leaned against the brick building and waited.


    "Wow, that''s not a look you see much these days," came a voice from a few paces down the sidewalk.


    Seshi turned and smirked at Kasumi. "You a fashion critic now? Didn''t realize that came with sculptor territory."


    Kasumi shrugged. "It looks good on you. Really suits your overall energy."


    Seshi was wearing pale jeans so torn up they were barely holding on to her body, a baggy black tank top with a silhouette of a cat in front of a crescent moon, and a crop-top leather jacket studded with short chrome spikes. She raised a fist and struck a pose like a rockstar trying to hype up the crowd. "Thanks, babe."


    Kasumi''s eyebrows lifted above her sunglasses for an instant, then her face returned to its standard cryptic and nearly expressionless state.


    Seshi didn''t notice, because her eyes were busy drinking in Kasumi''s outfit. If Seshi had come to sing karaoke as a vintage punk rocker, Kasumi was here to belt out something hip and edgy. She wore a gold-trimmed black jacket over a deep purple blouse, a frilly black skirt, and black leggings. It would be right at home in one of those J-pop-Metal fusion bands that were all the rage.


    Long before Seshi could tire of the view, Kasumi nodded toward the entrance of the karaoke place. "Let''s get this show on the road. Too many eyes on me out here."


    Seshi opened the door and waved Kasumi in with the hand still holding a paper tray of takoyaki. "Yeah, sure. I know you don''t like to stand out."


    "Then why''d you ask me to come dressed up like a rocker?"


    "A test, mostly. To see what ''rocker'' meant to you, and to see if you''d go outside your comfort zone for me. Ow! What was that for?"


    Kasumi withdrew her elbow and answered, "I had hoped it was because singing while dressed up would be more fun."


    Seshi grinned. "That''s true too."


    <hr>


    They stumbled out of the venue a couple hours later, quite tipsy and so hoarse it was hard to speak. But they could giggle, and apparently drunk Kasumi was a giggler.


    "You really didn''t know any recent music, Seshi," Kasumi rasped. "Like, did you grow up in a time bubble? Hehehe, no, a mini-disc recycling building!"


    "Don''t knock the mini-discs!" Seshi countered, ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat when Kasumi said her name. "Best invention in your lifetime."


    Kasumi was quiet for a moment, then shook her head and said, "So, where to next, babe?" She tried to keep a straight face at the dated term of endearment, but quickly burst into giggles again.


    "How about some pizza?" Seshi asked. "There''s a place I haven''t tried yet, but my friends keep ordering from it so it must be decent."


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    At the back of Seshi''s mind, she knew that Kasumi was a keen observer, and smart enough to pick up on and puzzle out every stray piece of evidence. And Seshi knew that Kasumi had some spiritual aptitude, the ability to see a little of what other humans couldn''t.


    Seshi knew she was playing with fire by being so carefree around a human. But she didn''t care. She wanted to spend more time with Kasumi, just being herself instead of someone else. And every time Kasumi said her name, it made her feel vulnerable and different from her past self; she had always used fake names back when she slept around town.


    What Seshi didn''t know was what Kasumi would do with the clues to Seshi''s secret, how the clever artist would react to the impossible truth her brain was assembling.


    Even Kasumi wasn''t sure what to think when she noticed Seshi''s clothes flickering at the edge of her vision, when she remembered the strange feeling of being observed during that visit to the shrine, just before she met Seshi. Kasumi knew at a fundamental level that something unnatural was happening, but then again, she had moved to Shinj¨­ to get closer to the Mori-jinsha Shrine and its mysterious patron. Was it a bad thing if one of its shrine maidens proved equally intriguing?


    <hr>


    A week later, after a chain of successful dates at bars and parks and even a makeout session in Kasumi''s new sculpting workshop, they ended up inside Kasumi''s apartment.


    Seshi had been holding herself back all week. She was used to one-night stands, or sex on the second date at the very least. Waiting for Kasumi to make the first move had been torture¡­ Satisfying, worthwhile torture.


    "This is what you want?" Seshi asked, crawling onto Kasumi''s plain white sheets, in Kasumi''s minimalist white-walled apartment. Their clothes had been shed, peeled off in a clumsy frenzy of two pairs of hands.


    Kasumi''s smile shined up at her. Rare. Radiant. "It is. Relationships are new to me, outside my comfort zone. But I want this. I want you."


    "Oh thank god," Seshi blurted, almost collapsing onto Kasumi as the tension in her muscles unwound in relief. "This is new to me too, and I was so afraid of pushing you too far, too fast."


    A mischievous glimmer sparkled in Kasumi''s green eyes. "Oh? You struck me as someone with a lot of experience."


    Seshi glanced away, then met Kasumi''s gaze again. It was so easy to look into those eyes that were nearly the same shade as her own, to fall into them like the reflection on a moonlit pool. Then she answered, "With sex? Yes. Relationships, not so much. Or at all, actually."


    Kasumi reached up and twirled a lock of Seshi''s hair around one finger. "You''re doing just fine at the relationship part. A bit awkward, but always fun, always genuine. Now show me what you can do when you''ve got experience backing it up."


    "You got it, babe."


    A few minutes later, in the throes of passion, Kasumi opened her eyes and blinked several times. She reached up with one hand and grabbed Seshi''s ear.


    "Mmm, that feels good," Seshi mumbled without slowing her own busy fingers. Then she went completely still. The ear that Kasumi had grabbed was furry and triangular, and should have been completely hidden. Her twin tails had also been flicking excitedly through the air.


    Oh shit. I let my transformation slip, but my illusion should have held. This never happened before. And if Kasumi knows what I am, Inara might have to erase her memories and¡ª


    "Don''t worry. I suspected for a while, and your secret''s safe with me." Kasumi''s voice was soft and steady, completely unafraid. She rubbed Seshi''s ear gently. "Inara''s secret too. She''s a super powerful spirit, isn''t she? A real goddess?"


    Seshi could only nod as she panicked inside. Inara already knew Kasumi was special, knew that she''d see through me eventually. She won''t wipe her memory, right?


    "And let me guess¡­ Akari can see spirits, even better than me?"


    Seshi laid on her side as she felt the fear melt into relief. Inara probably planned all this, or at the very least approved of it. She let a smile return to her lips and answered, "Oh yeah, she''s super sensitive to spiritual energy. Even more since she became¡ª" She cut herself off.


    Kasumi blinked, her expression so curious, so engaged. It was part of what Seshi loved about her. "Became what?"


    "Not sure I should say."


    "I won''t push you, but you can tell me. I promise I''ll never reveal anything about this spiritual stuff to anyone. It''s a brand new world to me, full of wonder and inspiration, and I don''t want to ruin that. And as my biggest customer in my new hometown, Inara is basically my boss."


    The erotic mood was gone, but Seshi didn''t mind. She snuggled up to Kasumi and started to talk about Akari, and the other spirits, and herself. And when she revealed that she was actually a 200-year-old nekomata, Kasumi just giggled and said, "That explains so much."


    <hr>


    "Inara?"


    "Yes, my love?"


    Akari''s cheeks flushed with warmth. She loved Inara''s pet names and pillow talk. They made her feel amazing, like a blooming flower with all the sun and rain it could ever need. It also helped that Akari was still riding high on endorphins from a little roll in the hay just moments prior. Inara shared her love with multiple women, but tonight, it was all Akari''s.


    Smiling in the dim light, Akari continued, "Sorry to kill the mood, but I''ve been wondering¡­"


    Inara nuzzled close and wrapped Akari in her soft, fluffy tails. "Hmm?"


    "Why aren''t there any other gods in my visions of the end? I only ever see you and a few spirits. Could we ask other gods for help averting your apocalypse?"


    "Wow, when you call it my apocalypse, it sure puts a harsh spotlight on me¡­" Inara said. Then she let out a light laugh and kissed Akari on the cheek. "Just kidding. I own my role in this, and I appreciate you keeping things honest. As for your question¡­"


    Inara hummed in thought for a moment, then said, "It''s because there aren''t actually many gods left. Even now, belief has waned or been split across the thousands of minor Shinto gods; most humans just aren''t that devoted to any single god anymore. And without worship, without belief, the gods weaken. By the time of the apocalypse, all the other gods will have all grown too weak to hold physical form, or faded away entirely."


    Akari frowned. "But why are you still around, all the way until the end?"


    A long sigh escaped Inara''s lips. "It''s because of my domain: Progress. When this world becomes uninhabitable, humanity will need progress more than anything. And in some ways, mankind is addicted to it, they cannot help but pursue and worship progress, even to their own detriment. Their reckless lust for knowledge and advancement brings them harm almost as often as it helps, but they chase it nonetheless."


    Akari opened her mouth, but she couldn''t find the words. Had she been the one to doom Inara to that fate, by suggesting Inara''s new domain? Was this all her fault?


    Inara continued, answering the questions Akari had yet to ask. "But my old domains would have done the same. Agriculture and harvest, industry and fertility, they''re all core to the human experience. Even now, I receive some power from those aspects, from the people who hold true to the old ways and worship the pieces of Inari-okami that still fit me."


    She was quiet for a moment, then finished, "I am one of the oldest gods, and I was always destined to be one of the last."


    "I''m sorry," Akari whispered, holding Inara tightly.


    "No need to apologize." She squeezed Akari back and kissed her forehead. "We''re in this together now. No blame, just teamwork. Just finding the solution, together."


    "Speaking of solutions¡­" Akari started, once her anxiety had faded in the radiance of Inara''s warm embrace. "According to my visions, Seshi is already on the right track. Just let her grow, and let her go when she asks to."


    "Really? She''ll come back to us?"


    Akari nodded. "As a full-fledged superior spirit, a powerful one. The vision never shows me the path she took to get there, but the result is nearly overwhelming."


    "Oh? I can''t wait to see it with my own eyes, after all this is over."

 Ch 51 - Meddling

    February arrived, and with it came Toshigoi-no-Matsuri, a low-key Shinto festival dedicated to praying for a good crop. The Sakura Creek Shrine in town hosted the event, but Akari and the major spirits all helped out while in the guise of red and white clad shrine maidens. Inara''s control of her power had grown with practice, allowing her to hide all the spirits'' animal features and mingle with humans for the full six-hour event.


    Akari also used the opportunity to start rolling out the name ''Inara-hime'' as a replacement for Mori-jinsha''s ''nameless goddess'', by mentioning it in conversation to the priests and shrine maidens. And since ''Inara'' was now tied to the supernatural, Inara started using a new name while pretending to be human.


    "Kitsuna? Really?" Seshi said while blatantly rolling her eyes. The neko-miko was carrying a box of repacked supplies back to the hosting shrine''s storage shed.


    "I think it''s very pretty and fitting," Inara said with a nod. Even the regal goddess was helping clean up, albeit in a limited fashion since her movement was rather restricted by her gray kimono.


    "I think it''s lovely, too," Akari added.


    Seshi looked doubtful. "Sure, but it''s not really obscuring much. Any bloke with half a brain''s gonna put two and two together." Seshi let her jaw go slack and affected an exaggerated rural accent. "Huh, that Kitsuna lady from the Inara-hime shrine sure is perdy. Perdy-er than my sister and mom combined! And her name is real close to ''fox''. I bet she''s really a goddess in disguise!"


    Nearby, Michi scoffed aloud and quipped, "Not seeing it." In the time since her naming, the dog spirit had finally settled back into her familiar rival-slash-senpai relationship with Seshi.


    Then Usagi shook her head and said, "In any case, Inara eventually wants to reveal herself to the most devout followers. Better to have some clues out there ahead of time, so they aren''t completely blindsided."


    Seshi leaned close over Usagi, blinking down at the shorter woman. "Whoa, you''re sounding awfully ''Hebi'' today. Filling in as our resident schemer while she''s busy helping the head priest with his budget?"


    "Oh, is that what she''s doing?" Michi asked. She grunted with exertion as she lifted a heavy crate from the ground, then said, "I thought it was weird that she wasn''t around to help us out."


    Akari opened her mouth to say, ''We''re almost done anyway,'' but a different thought crashed into focus. It is incredibly weird that Hebi is never around in my visions, Akari thought. She never even visits after my death, even though she''s so committed to Inara right now and so content at her side¡­


    "Akari?" Seshi started. "You trying to one-up my slack-jawed-yokel impression? ''Cuz I think you''re overshooting just a bit."


    "Huh?" Akari blurted. "Sorry, just lost in thought."


    Michi lightly punched Akari in the arm. "I think you need a map, because that''s been happening a lot lately."


    "Ha ha ha, so many comedians at this year''s Toshigoi," Akari countered lightly, but her thoughts were still heavy with concerns and unknowns.


    <hr>


    Akari stared at the ceiling above her bed for a long time, until the subtle cracks and bumps in the old paint started to blur into constellations and silhouettes. The one that stood out the most was a long, winding snake that reached almost from the door to the window.


    Hebi had been on her mind for days, and the vision Akari had just awakened from yielded no new clues. Nor had her gentle questioning over dinner the night before. She had asked everyone where they''d like to visit at some point, and then what they wanted to accomplish someday.


    Their answers hadn''t been surprising, for the most part. Michi wanted to watch a soccer game in person, and eventually become a superior spirit now that the major milestone of getting a name was out of the way. Usagi wanted to spend a summer in another country learning their recipes. Preferably a tropical place, with beaches and sun.


    "I bet you''re only saying that because you''re tired of all this snowy weather," Seshi had guessed. "You don''t strike me as a beach-bunny kinda girl. But if you''re going to Canc¨²n during spring break, I''m so in!"


    Before Usagi could contest that, Hebi had answered Akari''s second question. "I''d like to travel around the world. A single lap by airplane, just to say I did it."


    Akari couldn''t get that answer out of her head. That wouldn''t even take that long to accomplish, and it wouldn''t keep Hebi from Inara.


    So why does she always leave us?


    Akari''s search for an answer led to researching lucid dreams, hoping that she could steer her nightly visions toward a new perspective. After three more nights of trying, she had learned only one new detail: in 30 years or so, Hebi leaves to travel the world for one year, then never returns, not even when she receives word of Akari''s death. Akari tried again every night after that one, but the visions never revealed anything else.


    But then, one rare sunny morning while Akari was jogging with Michi and enjoying the feeling of getting stronger together, she had a strange thought. A thought that just might lead to something.


    Getting stronger¡­


    She slowed to a stop, then said, "Sorry, Michi. Gonna break off early. I need to ask Inara something."


    Michi jogged in place while she replied, "No problem. Seeya later."


    Akari went straight to Inara''s bedroom door, too excited to bother rinsing off the sweat of the morning''s exercise. She knocked and said, "Inara-hime? Got a moment?"


    The door opened within seconds, and a radiant beauty filled the frame. Behind Inara, a blur of tails settled into five. "For you, Akari, always." She gave just the smallest glance to Akari''s sweat-soaked clothes, then waved her in and asked, "What''s up?"


    "I''ve been thinking about Hebi, and her goals and dreams. Do you know what she wants from life?"


    Inara sat down on a cushion, then patted the one next to her. "I don''t, actually. Her inner thoughts have always been a mystery to me, and I''ve never even developed a sense for when she''s lying, thanks to that silver tongue of hers." She waved one hand and clarified, "Not that I think she ever lies to me about anything important. I trust her completely, and I know she cares deeply for all of us."


    Akari nodded slowly, piecing together what she wanted to ask next. After a moment, she said, "I think it''s fair to say that Hebi isn''t very interested in becoming a superior spirit."


    Inara nodded, so Akari continued, "Other than that, is there anything else in the spirit hierarchy between a major spirit and a goddess, at least in terms of power? I''m pretty sure Hebi doesn''t care much about social status."


    Inara hummed in thought for a moment, then answered, "Many things: minor deities, some chosen ones, aspects¡­"


    Akari''s eyes sparkled as she took in the new information. "Let me guess, a minor deity is something like the kijimuna of Okinawa, a location-based spirit with a tie to the people and land around it?" Akari had visited the island of Okinawa as a child, and she''d had been surprised when she saw glimpses of small red-haired spirits there, so different from the wisps she was used to. Only later did she learn they were called kijimuna or bunagaya, and they were mischievous and fickle beings who sometimes helped humans in times of need.


    Inara smiled and nodded. "Yes, exactly right."


    Akari continued through Inara''s list. "And I guess a chosen one could become really powerful."


    "You already are," Inara said softly. "Foresight like yours is a very rare gift."


    Akari felt her cheeks grow hot, but she stayed focused on her goal. "But what''s an aspect?"


    Inara was ready with her answer. "Aspects are pillars of a specific concept, usually working underneath a god of that domain. Aspects go beyond normal spirits and embody a domain so perfectly they often go on to become the god of that domain themselves, given enough time. For example, I briefly employed the aspect of brewing, a spirit who loved alcohol to the exclusion of all else."


    "Oh!" As much as Akari wanted to know more about that aspect who used to work for Inara, there were more important matters at hand. A plan was coming together in her head, and there was no reason to wait.


    She leaned over and gave the goddess a quick kiss on the cheek, then hopped to her feet. "I''ve got a plan now. Thanks, Inara-hime!"


    <hr>


    Hmm, how to handle this? Akari asked herself as she paced up and down the hallway in front of Hebi''s bedroom door. Hebi''s so much better at this than me, so she''ll see right through any lies or schemes I try to pull. And she seems to appreciate straightforward information.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She clenched her fists and knocked on the door. Then I''m gonna play this straight.


    "Please, come in," said a low, smooth voice, causing the memory of Akari''s first arrival at the shrine to leap to mind. She had heard all the spirits'' voices before she saw them, and Hebi''s had been so distinctive.


    She really does sound like a snake, Akari thought with a smile. Then she opened the door and stepped inside.


    Hebi was seated at her desk. She gently closed her laptop and pushed it aside, then beckoned Akari to come closer. "Sorry I don''t have another chair, but you''re welcome to sit on the bed."


    "No problem. That works for me just fine." Akari sat down, took a deep breath, then set right to it. "I just learned about aspects, spirits who embody one of a god''s domains completely. Have you heard of them before?"


    Hebi nodded slowly. "I have indeed. But why would you go so far out of your way to mention it to me?"


    Then her eyes widened ever so slightly, giving a tiny glimpse of her silver-gray irises. "Do you think I could become one? Is this related to your recent attempts to adjust everyone''s future paths?"


    Akari blushed. "You knew about that?" Then she shrugged and said, "Of course you knew. But yes, it''s related. I''m trying to help everyone find a future for themselves that also includes Inara."


    Akari paused for breath, then continued, "Because someday I''ll die, and I don''t want her to be left alone. Through my visions, I''ve seen what happens when she''s all alone at the end, and I¡­" Tears started to well up in Akari''s eyes and she trailed off.


    Hebi moved to her side, then patted her on the back. "I get it. She''s never been the most stable of gods, especially since she split herself into nine, and she''s taken to you stronger than anything I''ve seen in all my centuries knowing her. You are her first and only chosen one, after all."


    Then Hebi smiled wryly. "So, you think I should look into becoming an aspect, for her sake and mine?"


    Akari nodded, thinking, Hebi''s so clever, I''d be surprised if she hadn''t already considered this. But I had to try¡­


    Hebi looked up at the ceiling. "Well, I''ve thought about it a little, from time to time. But I always determined that I didn''t have anything I was passionate enough about."


    Akari raised a hand, like a reporter at a press conference, then she asked, "How long have you been handling the shrine''s finances?"


    "Since before I started living here. As far back as 500 years ago, I would audit their finances every time I visited."


    Akari hadn''t expected that at all. "Even when there were priests working here?" she asked.


    "Yeah, none of them were any good at accounting, so I had to do it." She pointed with her tail in the general direction of Shinj¨­ and added, "Judging by the guys at Sakura Creek Shrine, that hasn''t changed."


    Akari saw an opening. "You had to do it, or wanted to?" Without giving Hebi a chance to answer, she continued, "I''ve seen how much you enjoy managing all the finances for our festivals. And then there''s the contracts, the investments, your line of collectible sculptures and that redeemable ticket scheme. You really like commerce."


    Hebi glared at her for a long moment. Her expression was as unreadable as always. Then she said, "You think¡­ I should become the Aspect of Commerce."


    "Yes," Akari said flatly.


    Hebi twirled the tip of her tail around her finger, coiling and uncoiling it as she deliberated. "Hmmm. Answer some questions about my future, and I''ll consider it."


    Akari blinked. "Sure. What sort of questions?"


    Hebi smiled, the line of her lips cutting a slow and menacing path across her face. "Nothing you wouldn''t answer for a visiting worshiper. Let''s meet up this evening in the bath. I think best while my body is warm, and the sunbathing this time of year is far from prime."


    <hr>


    Akari arrived in the bath first, a circumstance that gave her an uninhibited view of Hebi as she washed herself and climbed into the steaming water of the pool. Her body was remarkably appropriate for a snake spirit, so slim and slender and sleek and svelte. And probably some more slithery-sounding words that Akari just couldn''t think of at the moment.


    How had Usagi phrased it? Akari thought to herself. A spirit''s body is a reflection of their soul?


    "I''m glad you were gifted with foresight instead of laser vision," Hebi said with a smirk, "or your stare would burn a hole right through me."


    Blushing, Akari bowed her head and said, "Sorry, I was just noticing how snake-like your figure is. It''s very fitting." She paused for a beat, then decided to add, "And beautiful."


    Hebi nodded and put a hand to her chest. "No matter how much time passes, my original nature is still in here, somewhere." Then she smiled subtly. "I''m proud of my origins. I worked my way up from nearly nothing, after all."


    Unsure of what to do with that reply, Akari switched gears. "You wanted to ask me some questions about the future?"


    "Straight to business? Alright." Hebi scooted closer in the bath, until she was seated just to Akari''s left. Her slender form was a stark contrast to Akari''s softer figure and wide hips: a serpent and a pear.


    "To start things off, if I start trying to become an aspect, when will I reach my goal? One year? Ten?"


    "Good question. I''ll take a look." Akari closed her eyes and planned out her approach to this vision. She knew from all her fortune-telling for shrine visitors that it was often difficult to find exactly when an unknown moment would arrive, but she had learned a trick to work around that. She could pick a future point in time, take a peek, then work her way forward or back in large chunks until she saw evidence of the change she was looking for.


    Let''s start at one year from now.


    Thankfully, with Toshigoi as a chronological landmark, the next step was trivial. Akari just recalled the end of the festival, still fresh in her mind, then ''remembered forward'' to the next one. The vision that came to mind was a bit fuzzy and it was hard to make out individual faces in the crowd, but one thing was immediately apparent: Hebi was there, and she looked happy and vibrant and full of life, to a greater degree than Akari had ever seen.


    She shook herself from the vision, then said, "Well, I can tell that a year from now you''ll be a lot stronger. I think that means you''ve become an aspect?"


    "Oh, that''s good to hear," Hebi said.


    "Want me to look in the nearer future, to narrow down when it happens?"


    "Nah. That''s close enough for me. Next question." Hebi lowered her voice, then asked, "Are my bonds with Inara, Usagi, and Michi still intact in one year?"


    Aww, she''s worried about her relationships! I guess it only makes sense to be worried about a big change impacting the things you want to preserve, Akari thought. Then she said, "You looked really happy, so I assume so, but I''ll check just in case."


    Returning to a previous vision was easy, at least if she did it quickly before the dream-like memory could fade. Akari closed her eyes and found herself back at next year''s Toshigoi. Everything was clearer this time, as if she was wearing prescription glasses that she''d lacked in the previous vision.


    Hebi was seated at a park bench near the festival but outside the busiest areas, and she was talking to a man in a very formal business suit. She wore a shrine maiden''s outfit, but somehow looked just as formal as the man. She was also very attentive and focused on their conversation, right up until she spotted Usagi waving from the festival area.


    Hebi raised one hand. "Sorry, but I have to put this on hold for now. It looks like my dear friend needs my assistance."


    "Huh? But this is important." The businessman looked surprised and irritated.


    "Again, I apologize. Let''s resume this tomorrow. Please take my card, and call me at the hour of your convenience. I will make time for you." She bowed and presented a business card, then jogged away.


    Hebi reached Usagi''s side, gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and asked, "What''s up? Need my help with something?"


    "We''re all deciding where to have our post-festival meal, and we couldn''t leave you out of that conversation. Michi''s vote is for Korean barbecue, and Mistress Inara is leaning that way as well. The other girls don''t care." There was a worried undertone to Usagi''s voice, a subtle cry for help.


    Hebi read the situation instantly. The resident vegetarian was obviously not too keen on the barbecue option. "Hmm. That does sound good, but I''d prefer noodles tonight. I''ll take the Boss and Michi out for barbecue tomorrow."


    Akari considered that enough evidence of Hebi''s relationships, so she let the vision fade until she was back in the warm bath. She grinned and said, "All clear. Still as close as ever, from what I can tell."


    "Excellent. One last question¡­" Hebi paused for a long moment, then asked Akari, "Are you happy that I lured you here to this shrine? Are you glad I intervened in your life?"


    Akari didn''t need to use her power or even think very hard to answer that. "Absolutely. I still don''t know why you did it, but I''m so happy you did. Whenever I think about what my life would have been like if I never followed those fox statues, I nearly break down into tears. Thank you, Hebi."


    "You''re welcome," Hebi said simply. "And I''m glad you''re meddling in my life."


    "You know my reason for meddling, so¡­ are you gonna tell me why you lured me to the shrine that day? I get the impression even Inara didn''t know what you were planning."


    Hebi just smiled, her narrow eyes revealing nothing at all. "Nope."


    "Bah, okay. I''ve lived this long not knowing," Akari said as she stretched her arms over her head and relaxed into the hot water. Then she turned and faced Hebi. "So how about the aspect thing? Going to pursue it?"


    Hebi sighed and slipped down in the water until only her face was visible. Slowly, her smug smile melted into a disgruntled frown. Then she huffed and said, "Fine, you win. I admit that it sounds like exactly my forte. I''m just so frustrated at myself for never seeing it sooner."


    "Sometimes you need an outside perspective," Akari said. "And Inara allowed me into this family for just that purpose, to keep this place from stagnating or losing touch with humanity." Akari grinned. "Maybe that was why you lured me here."


    Hebi didn''t reply, so Akari kept talking. "So, what do you need to make the transition? Approval from Inara? Or a name from a human follower?"


    Still mostly submerged in the water, Hebi shook her head. "No. After all the groundwork I already laid, after all the centuries of business and accounting¡­" She paused and took a large breath, her slender chest inflating, then slowly settling as she slowly let it out.


    "All I need to do¡­ is accept it in my soul."


    She closed her eyes, then the water of the bath went strangely still, its surface becoming a perfect mirror. Hebi stood up, and the water remained as smooth as glass. The drops that fell from her sleek figure just passed through the surface like it wasn''t even there.


    In the reflection of that mirrored surface, Akari thought she saw something. A foggy apparition, a glimpse of another world or a possible future. Everything looked the same: the bathing room, Hebi''s figure, and even the serene look on her face. But Akari sensed that on the other side of that looking glass, things would never be the same.


    Then, with a whip-like CRACK, the calmness broke. Concentric rings rippled outward from Hebi, originating from the three points of her legs and tail, propagating and bouncing off the walls until they had filled the entire bath with a complex mesh of circles and curves. It reminded Akari of a celtic knot pattern, or a pit of vipers.


    Akari blinked several times until her eyes could properly focus on the sight before her. Hebi''s appearance seemed to be the same, but she felt different somehow. More powerful, more physical, more real.


    "You''re an aspect now?" Akari asked.


    Hebi sat back down and the water cradled her slim body once again. "I guess so¡­ I thought it would feel more different."


    Hebi seemed a little puzzled as she twisted around and surveyed herself and tried to identify exactly what had changed. It wasn''t until two weeks later that the two women learned that Hebi could now make herself visible to humans without Inara''s help, and it even allowed her voice to carry over the telephone.


    The vision of Hebi handing out a business card and asking the man to call finally made perfect sense.

 Ch 52 - Moods

    Akari awoke from a dream, or perhaps it was a vision. In any case, it retreated from her mind quickly, as if fleeing from the gentle voice that was calling out to her in the distance.


    Inara''s voice! Akari thought. Her thoughts were slow and sluggish, and her body even more so. She willed herself into an upright position and rubbed her eyes. She squinted against the morning light that slipped through the gaps in the curtains, then finally saw Inara peeking through the slightly ajar bedroom door.


    "Sorry for waking you, my dear," Inara said upon making eye contact. Her gold eyes shined and a gorgeous smile blossomed across her flawless lips. "I have a bit of a surprise for you, if you''re free."


    Akari scrambled to get her thoughts in order. "Uh, yeah, I think so. Let me get dressed."


    Inara somehow managed to smile even wider as relief and excitement washed over her expression. "Dress warm. We''re going into town, and it''s a bit chilly this morning."


    Then Inara withdrew from the room and closed the door, but Akari could sense that the goddess was waiting right outside.


    Alright, don''t want to keep her waiting. Akari hopped to her feet, shed her pajamas in a flash, and started digging through her dresser drawers for an outfit.


    Warm was a requirement, but she also wanted to look nice. It wasn''t every day that Akari got to spend time with Inara in public. But she also felt the weight of urgency on her actions. Inara was waiting, and seemed to be in a hurry for some reason.


    Maybe she''s got a reservation at a breakfast place? The thought kicked Akari''s movements up considerably, like a foot slamming down on the accelerator. Not that Akari had ever driven a car. The closest was a racing game at the arcade.


    I bet Hanako likes the arcade. She never closed off her inner child, like most people. I should ask her to go sometime.


    Akari shook that line of thought away. She had more pressing concerns, like the lovely goddess waiting for her on the other side of that door. She threw on her selected outfit and started for the door, planning to complete her look in the bathroom.


    Already sensing Akari''s thoughts, Inara called through the door, "I''ll be out by the torii gate when you''re ready."


    A few moments later, Akari had to catch her jaw when she saw Inara''s ensemble in the sunlit mist of a gorgeous winter morning. The fox goddess wore a long seafoam green sweater that contrasted wonderfully with her fiery orange hair, along with a swishy chocolate skirt that reached her ankles, but only after first clinging tightly to her wide hips and flaunting them for the world to see. Akari could clearly imagine the gossiping voices of her former classmates were they to see this sight, and the word on all their imaginary tongues was ''MILF''.


    Akari forced herself to keep moving toward the torii gate while trying to walk smoothly and elegantly to show off her own outfit. A black long sleeve shirt and a puffy white vest kept her top warm, and a mid-thigh length purple skirt over black leggings protected her legs. Short black and fur-topped boots would keep her footing sure on the walk into town. Her purple hair was parted off-center and tucked behind her ears, cute and youthful.


    "You look perfectly lovely," Inara said as Akari closed the distance. "And modern in a way I appreciate but can''t quite imitate yet."


    Akari''s black and purple color scheme gained another color as her ears and cheeks flared hot. "T-thanks, Inara. You look very beautiful today." Before she could babble on about how Inara looked beautiful every day, she quickly added, "Or I guess I should call you Kitsuna while we''re in public."


    "Good point. I''ll hide these too." Inara''s ears and five tails vanished, then she offered an elbow for Akari to hold. "Shall we? We''ve got a reservation to get to."


    Their destination was a cafe that specialized in breakfast and tea, and the reservation had been quite necessary since the place was both popular and tiny. A black-haired waitress in a crisp black and white uniform guided them to one of just a dozen tables, and she looked a little surprised when the two women sat together on the booth seat on the same side of the table.


    Inara cuddled close to Akari''s side while they looked over the menu together, then insisted on being the one to tell the waitress their order of two hot green teas, two quiches, and a European pastry sampler to share.


    "I''ll have that right out for you," the waitress said. Then she got a knowing look in her eye and added, "Are you two recently reunited? This is exactly how my mother is when she comes to visit."


    "Uh." Akari had very mixed feelings about that mistaken interpretation. Yes, Inara often acted very motherly toward her, but they were lovers. And there was the matter of all Akari''s unprocessed feelings about her actual mother, and the hole that her passing had left.


    "Oh, no, that''s not it," Inara said gently, waving one hand. "We''re not related. Just very close."


    The waitress squirmed a little in embarrassment. "Right, of course. Sorry for presuming. Be right back with your tea."


    Once she was out of earshot, Inara let out a quiet laugh. "I may have gotten carried away doting on you. My apologies."


    Akari found herself giggling. "It''s fine. I kinda like when people misread our relationship. It''s like we''re in on a secret together."


    Inara smiled a fox''s grin. "We share far more than just one secret."


    <hr>


    "Oh, Michi!" Inara''s excited voice rang out across the clearing. Michi slowed from a brisk run to a stop.


    "Yes, Miss Inara?" the dog spirit called back from the treeline. She walked back toward Inara, who was closing the gap with a large canvas bag in hand.


    "Since the weather''s so clear today, I would like to invite you for a hike up a nearby mountain and a picnic lunch," the goddess said. She was already dressed for the task, in a pink t-shirt, a gray cotton hoodie, and tight red and black leggings. She had likely conjured the look from an image she found online, but Michi thought it looked pretty good on her.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Michi''s ears perked up. "That sounds awesome. Can I invite Akari?"


    Inara gave a soft smile. "I''d prefer it to just be the two of us, since I haven''t spent any private time with you lately." Inara winked and four tails swished behind her, and the smile took on new meaning. "And we can have some fun on the picnic blanket later¡­"


    Michi glanced around and saw they were alone. Workouts tended to get more than just her heart excited. Her hips and tail moved on their own, wiggling eagerly.


    "That sounds better than awesome," she panted.


    <hr>


    "Mistress Inara! What a pleasant surprise," Usagi said. She''d just finished washing herself and had been about to get into the bath for a soak when Inara entered the bathing room.


    Inara smiled back, then sat down on a wooden stool in front of a faucet. "Usagi, would you be a dear and wash my back?"


    "Of course!" Usagi pivoted and beelined for Inara''s nude figure. Once her eyes had taken in that amazing hourglass shape, she couldn''t help but notice the two tails barely covering the goddess''s bottom. Two tails meant Inara was in her dominant mood, Usagi''s absolute favorite.


    "Is this water a good temperature?" Usagi asked as she ran a soapy sponge across Inara''s back.


    "Yes, it''s lovely. But scrub harder. Put your whole body into it."


    Usagi''s heart was hammering in her chest, and she was sure Inara could feel it through the large breasts pressed against her back. "Like this?"


    "Yes, that''s perfect," Inara breathed. "And make sure to get my front too."


    "Your front?!" Usagi gasped in hopeful disbelief.


    "And everywhere else," Inara answered simply. Suggestively.


    Usagi went still. "What if the others walk in?"


    Inara let out a low chuckle. "Don''t worry about them. I have measures in place."


    Then Inara''s twin tails wrapped themselves around Usagi''s butt and pulled her close, pinning wet skin to wet skin. "I never said you could stop scrubbing."


    <hr>


    "Thank you for coming, Hebi."


    Hebi gently closed the door behind herself, sealing the room. She turned to face the goddess, who was kneeling on a cushion in the center of the expansive bedroom. "Of course. What''s up, Boss?"


    Inara bit her lower lip and said, "I''ve been¡­ causing trouble. Nothing terrible, but nothing good either. I think I need some¡­ corrective discipline."


    "Oh?" Hebi circled the goddess, reading her expression, her posture, and her three fluffy tails. She was in a submissive mood, but a feisty one too. "Tell me your transgressions, and I can create a plan for correcting them."


    Inara''s cute little pout became a bratty smile. "It''s a secret."


    "A secret¡­" Hebi hissed.


    Inara lowered her chin and peered up at Hebi, fluttering her eyes. "Maybe I''m still being a bad girl. What are you going to do about it, Mistress Hebi?"


    Hebi smoothed her skirt down her thighs, took a deep breath, and set to work. A subtle smile stayed on her face the entire time.


    <hr>


    "Where the hell is everyone?" Seshi grumbled to herself as she climbed the front steps of the shrine. She was dressed in a standard miko outfit, conjured by her magic on short notice.


    I can''t believe I was the only one around to explain our shrine''s whole deal to a curious elementary school teacher, Seshi thought. I think I did a decent job, but still.


    Seshi continued into the spacious front hall, which was kept dark outside of visiting hours.


    When did she say she wanted to bring her students to visit? Thursday, I think? This one or the next? Seshi shrugged. Eh, I''m sure it''ll be fine either way. There''s only what, five or ten kids per class?


    Suddenly, Inara was right there at Seshi''s side, and she slipped an arm around Seshi''s waist. "Looking good, Seshi," she said.


    "Oh, thanks."


    Inara followed the compliment with a whisper. "Can you sexy up that miko outfit a bit? Just for me."


    Seshi raised an eyebrow, but happily did as asked. Huge patches of cloth vanished, leaving just a strappy framework of red elastic and white silk that was nothing more than miko-inspired lingerie. She swirled around to show it off, but didn''t even make a full turn before Inara grabbed her around the hips and started kissing her bare shoulder, right there in the main hall.


    "Whoa, what the crap, Inara!" Alarm bells were ringing in Seshi''s head, louder than the little voice that was chanting, ''hell yeah!''


    Golden eyes glinted in the low light. "What can I say? I''m in a mood for passion, for fun, for you¡­" Inara''s seven tails writhed behind her like a showgirl''s feathers come to life. "I can change my outfit to match yours."


    Inara''s regal kimono vanished, leaving scandalously skimpy lingerie behind, white and gold and lacey.


    Seshi liked the look, what little she could see of it mid-embrace, but she had bigger concerns.


    This ain''t normal, even for Inara''s passionate mood, she thought. And since I''m kinda going steady right now, it definitely ain''t cool to go any further without Kasumi''s consent.


    Seshi had been meaning to have a conversation with Kasumi about open relationships, but it hadn''t happened yet. And Seshi wasn''t going to take any chances.


    The cat spirit wriggled out of Inara''s grasp, then stepped backwards toward the shrine entrance. "Oh, sorry, I''ve got plans with Kasumi already. Relationships sure are a pain, ain''t they?"


    With a flash of magic, the sexy miko lingerie was replaced by a full coverage punk-rocker outfit full of black leather and spikes, then Seshi jogged away. Her boots left heavy echoes ringing through the hall where Inara stood alone.


    Inara''s face fell and she chewed lightly on her lip as her hips wiggled with need.


    <hr>


    Seshi did actually have plans with Kasumi, but not until much later in the evening. And she couldn''t drop by early either; Kasumi was busy with a sculpting project and took her deadlines very seriously.


    So, to kill some time and get Inara''s ''passion mode'' off her mind, Seshi made her way to the so-called Field House, Shika and Nezumi''s temporary dwelling. She texted Nezumi to say she was dropping by, and was surprised by a near-instant response.


    Great timing. Got a strange issue here and need help. Hurry.


    Seshi rushed over, using a light glamour to avoid startling any humans with the sight of a sprinting punk rocker. Then she opened the weathered steel door to the old maintenance room and went stone still.


    The room was small enough to take it all in within a single glance, but Seshi was having a very hard time processing everything contained in that glance. Shika and Nezumi were there, as expected. But so was Inara.


    How''d she get here before me? Seshi wondered for about a half-second.


    Inara, with one fluffy tail sticking up behind her, was up to her shoulders digging around in a large box of phone and PC parts while a frazzled Nezumi gently tried to stop her. A few feet away, another Inara with eight tails was sitting on the bed and watching Shika attentively. The deer spirit seemed to be entertaining ''innocent'' Inara with a story while ''curious'' Inara found her own entertainment among the tools of Nezumi''s trade.


    Seshi blinked and failed to speak for a moment, then said, "Oh. Yeah, I can see why you wanted help."


    Two sets of black-tipped ears swiveled her way and two pairs of golden eyes took Seshi in.


    "Hi there, Seshi," said one.


    "Hello, Seshi," said the other. Then they both went right back to what they''d been doing. Eight-tail was looking up at Shika with near reverence, like a child admiring her older sister, and one-tail Inara had moved on to another box, now with a handful of phone parts clenched in one hand.


    Nezumi gave up on trying to keep one-tail out of her stuff and approached Seshi. "So, got any ideas? Has Inara ever split into two like this before?"


    The poor mouse looked beyond frazzled and more than a little terrified. She had a natural fear of predatory animals and powerful spirits, and Inara was a whole lot of both.


    Seshi frowned. "Uh, I''m pretty sure there''re more than two of her right now. Seven-tail Inara was grabbing on me back at the shrine just a few minutes ago." She swallowed. "And I get the feeling there could be even more of her right now, out with the other girls."

 Status update: Where the heck is Natron77?

    Where the heck is Natron77?


    First, I need to apologize for the complete lack of communication for the last several months. So many times I have wanted to explain to my readers what was going on, but even that proved surprisingly difficult. I¡¯ve been dreading writing this message for too long, finding excuse after excuse not to start, but no more. I can do this, even though it¡¯s strangely terrifying.


    Basically, I recently acquired some pretty intense anxiety, and it completely derailed all my writing habits and passion. The pandemic was definitely a major factor, but job stress and regular old life responsibilities also contributed.


    I¡¯ve never suffered from anxiety like this previously, so I was caught entirely off guard. Social anxiety, I can manage. I¡¯ve done that since high school when I discovered I couldn¡¯t breathe while in front of a crowd. But this new anxiety was something else. I would be perfectly fine one minute, then shaking and panicky the next, even while doing things as simple and mundane as loading the dishwasher. I was pretty worried about this sudden change, which made my mental state even worse.


    The stress of delivering Patreon rewards and commissioned work was simply too much to handle on top of everything else, so I regretfully paused all that stuff. Unfortunately, those commitments had been keeping me on my daily writing routine, and soon my writing dried up entirely. Even when I unpaused Patreon, I failed to deliver on the advertised rewards, and for that I apologize to my patrons.


    Writing has long been my primary creative outlet, so once my writing routine fell apart, things got worse (or perhaps they simply revealed their true state, now that I wasn¡¯t hiding from them by distracting myself with commitments). This was when I visited a doctor to see what was going on.


    My doctor couldn¡¯t pinpoint why I acquired such strong anxiety so far into adulthood (other than the obvious factor: the state of the world lately) but she was able to offer some options. I ended up on a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication, and it immediately stopped the panic attacks, which was a huge relief. I didn¡¯t seem to suffer any major side effects either, apart from occasional minor fatigue. Over time, however, I started to feel a more subtle side effect: motivation became significantly harder to find.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Pushing myself to do the things I know I should do has become more difficult. It feels like I¡¯ve had to relearn how to be motivated by long-term results (completed projects, reading fan comments, etc) rather than just short -term benefits (having fun, feeling good in the moment), and I¡¯m still actively working on that. After ¡°growing out of¡± ADHD as a kid, I believe now that I had simply learned a bunch of techniques to work around the issues it presented, and those techniques are being disrupted by my medicine. The biggest consequence here, and the loss that hit me hardest, is the hit to my ability to simply start writing. Finding the motivation to sit down and write has been so hard/rare that it feels nearly impossible, even though I truly  want  to write. That leaves me with frustration and dissatisfaction, further discouraging engagement with the idea of writing entirely.


    So what am I going to do about this?


    Obviously, I should explore other prescriptions that can address my anxiety with less problematic side effects. I¡¯ll talk to my doctor about other options that might work better for me, making sure to mention how it feels like my ADHD has returned. I will also continue experimenting with techniques to motivate myself, avoid procrastination, and enforce a routine again. I still want to finish my stories in progress and to begin brand new adventures, and I believe that I can succeed.


    In the short term, I¡¯ll be focusing on getting back into a writing routine,  without  making any commitments to publish anything. I need to relearn how to walk before trying to run, so to speak. So I¡¯ll be pausing my Patreon again to give myself the space to get back into writing on my own terms.


    ¡°Our Goddess¡± in particular has been in the forefront of my mind, and it deserves a proper conclusion after making it so far and so near the finish line. It  will  be completed, I just need to get back in the writing saddle first.


    Thanks for sticking with me through this long message, and for staying around after such a long gap in productivity. I truly value everyone who reads my writing and seeing your interactions reliably brightens my day. I hope to earn your readership once again. Thank you.