Chapter 5

The trip home was a unique one, not because of the fortune sitting in the trunk but rather what was sitting in my lap. Yuki had been stuck at that property for hundreds of years. So taking her with us was like taking her to an entirely new world. I could barely keep up with the barrage of questions of "What is that?" that she excitedly asked.

She had no idea what cars were let alone what cell phones or the large electronic screens displaying advertisements were. She giggled and gasped at the new wonders she saw, as she saw a world so bright and colorful around her.

There was something amazing about showing her the new world. Watching her large eyes grow wider with wonder and joy at each new thing. There was a twinge of sadness in my heart when I realized I couldn't spoil her by introducing her to things like ice cream because she had no body.

Due to usual Tokyo traffic the trip was a long one. Much to my surprise suddenly the little girl in my lap leaned against me and fell asleep. That concerned me.

"Ah, I was wondering when that would happen." said Inari, trying to reassure me. "You see I showed her how to use her energy to affect the physical world but that takes a lot of energy for a ghost. Thankfully I lent her some of my own energy or she would have slipped through you and the car."

"So she is going to be alright?"

"Oh yes, don't worry about her, she'll be fine, she just needs to rest."

"Oh I see…. There was something I wanted to ask her but it can wait until she wakes up."

"Oh is that so? Care to share what it was you were going to ask." Inari asked, her ears perking up.

I looked upfront at Mitsuko driving the car. "Actually I actually need to talk to you too but not just now. It will have to wait until we get home. It's a bit private?"

She gave me a smile "Oh a private talk. I hope it's something good."

I had felt a little nervous about the talk we were going to have. "Yeah, me too." I answered, which drew a curious look from Inari.

I was grateful when she let the subject drop. The rest of the ride home was rather uneventful.

Despite the long ride I was kind of dreading it when we pulled up at the house. I took Yuki and Inari followed me close behind. Mitsuko got out and began to gather the luggage. I offered to help but Mitsuko refused quite sternly. For her it was her duty to do so and she wouldn't shirk it.

I sighed to myself wishing she weren't so stubborn about such things. With her magic she had enough strength to handle everything but it was still awkward to see her grabbing a huge amount of luggage with one hand and then slinging the box of treasure over her other shoulder even though it was much heavier than she was.

With everyone out I turned my focus to my home. It was funny how accustomed we had grown to being the only ones here. Soon my parents would return from their trip and the entire dynamic would change. It would be interesting to see their reaction to the little one in my arms.

"Say Inari, any Idea how long she is going to be out?" I asked her.

Inari rubbed her chin thoughtfully and crooked her head examining the small ghost.

"I would say probably a couple more hours. She used up a lot of energy that she isn't used to. However if you want I could give her a little more energy and wake her up now."

"You could do that? If it wouldn't cause you any problems I would appreciate it."

"No problem." She said simply and put her hand on little Yuki's forehead for a moment. Her hand glowed and Yuki began to squirm and her eyes fluttered open.

"Ah where are we?" she asked with a small yawn.

I smiled "We are home. I know it's not much for now this is where you will be staying."

"Ah ok." She said with a bright smile.

Inari got the door for us and we walked in.

I set Yuki down and immediately she began to explore her new surroundings.

Our house was a small two story house. Pictures of a younger version of me as well as the rest of my family decorated the walls as we entered the foyer.

Yuki immediately headed for the living room gasping in awe and asking what everything was.

"Careful about using that trick I showed you Yuki, You'll wear yourself out again if you interact with too many things." warned Inari.

"Okay" Yuki cheerily called back, seeming to not take any mind of the warning as the picked up and looked at a photograph.

"Umm Yuki, Inari, would you two mind coming with me for a minute. There is something I would like to show you." I asked. I was a bit nervous.

"Hai." Said Yuki happily Inari raised an eyebrow but nodded.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly and then headed for the closet.

"What?" began Inari when I pulled out a key and inserted it into the lock. There was a click and the tension in me rose a bit.

Yuki just watched happily but I was anxious about Inari.

Inari had seen the closet before it was just an unremarkable crowded closet.

However when I slid the door back there wasn't a closet anymore.

There was a huge dark room. Actually it was more a building on to itself. I reached in and found the light switch and halogen lights lining the ceiling hummed to life.

It was a huge, mostly empty building made out of grey cement. Lining the walls were metal Shelves.

At the far end of the building there were two doors. There was one door on the left and one door on the right. I knew those lead to specialized additions to the building. On the far left in the corner there were two tubes large enough to fit a person. They looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, each of them had a control panel and a monitor attached to them at the side.

This was my cosmic warehouse, a gift from my benefactor so that I might lug junk from one world to another. At the moment it was mostly empty as I hadn't been filling it with much but I intended that to change.

I walked in and motioned for the others to follow.

Yuki gasped and was amazed "Wow it's so big!"

Inari raised an eyebrow "What a peculiar Authority…" she began as she entered then stopped and looked around then looked curiously at me.

"This isn't an Authority… not like anything I have ever felt. I don't feel anything." She said seemingly confused.

I gave a forced smile. "Yeah I am afraid I have a lot to explain. We are going to have a long conversation in a few minutes but do you mind if I start with Yuki. This conversation should go easier."

Inari's arms were crossed as she examined me "Very well I can wait, Though I imagine I'll have a lot of questions after this."

"I'll do my best to answer all of them."

I leaned down to be closer to eye to eye with the little girl.

"Hey Yuki…" I began trying to think how to put this.

"Umm… in a while, a decade I'll be leaving this place. I'll probably be going someplace completely different. There will be tons of new people and new things. It could be good or it could be bad I can't say yet however I can't say if I will ever come back here again."

Tears formed in the little girl's eyes and she threw her arms around my legs "I don't want you to go."

My poor heartstrings could barely take that response.

"Well… It's complicated… but I don't have to go alone." I assured her.

"Ah?"

I smiled "I promised you that you could come with me didn't I? Well how would you like to come along when I leave this place?"

"Ah really?" she asked happily.

"Yeah I just need you to get in one of those pods over there." I pointed to the sci-fi looking contraptions.

She crooked her head then nodded happily.

I looked over at Inari and she seemed rather shocked. I could feel the tension at the conversation I had building. I would have to handle that in a few minutes.

I sighed and walked to the pods with Yuki in tow. Inari stayed where she was watching us.

I pressed a button the front of the pod opened raising until it was parallel to the ceiling and mist rolled out of it.

Yuki looked at it curiously "Ah what is this?"

"It's a stasis pod. It's something that we don't talk about outside this room ok?"

"Why?"

"Just please it has to be this way."

"Alright." She said happily.

"Alright just climb in, the door will close for a minute and I'll get stuff set.

She nodded and obediently climbed in. I pressed a button and the door to the pod closed. The screen registered an occupant which I had been a little worried about. Then it asked me if I wanted to align it to her. I hit yes and Yuki was officially a podded companion capable of coming with me to the next world.

I pressed a button the pod opened up.

"Ah are we done?"

"Yep."

"So I can come with you now?"

I nodded and she hugged me.

I smiled and hugged the little girl back before turning to Inari.

Inari looked as if she were trying to take all of this in and trying to guess what was going on… and not having much luck.

"Well I think that should be enough for this room for today." I said, taking Yuki's hand.

"Say… Inari, would you mind if we had our talk in my bed room."

"You know I had hoped your inviting me to your bedroom would be a lot more fun."

"Heh yeah…"

We walked out of my cosmic warehouse

I closed the closet door, did a quick reopening of it to check, yep it was back to being a slightly overstuffed closet.

"I take it this is going to be a private talk that we are going to have." Inari commented looking at Yuki.

I nodded "Yeah I guess I can have Mitsuko watch her for a bit."

Inari smiled "Here let me help." She said and held out her hands, In them appeared a small very young white fox. It was honestly adorable.

Inari commanded the little fox to play with Yuki and keep an eye on her. It nodded.

Yuki and the fox became fast friends as she picked it up and hugged it. The fox didn't seem to mind.

I went to Mitsuko who was finished unloading the car. I really wish she had let us help with that "Ah hey Mitsuko. Inari and I have to talk privately for a while. Do you mind looking after Yuki for a bit?"

She blinked and nodded "Very well Raven-san I shall do so."

I was relieved a bit to have that taken care of.

I led Inari up to my room.

My room was surprisingly clean mostly due to the efforts of Mitsuko. I was grateful for that at the moment.

I sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to me for Inari.

"So… I bet you're wondering what all the stuff I said to Yuki was about."

"Yes, you could say that."

I sighed and began to explain. I told her about the benefactor who had given me this life, I told her about my previous life.

"So beyond being a Campione you're also some kind of… Jumper was what you called it."

"Yeah."

"And in about 10 years you will have the option of leaving this world for another life in another world."

"Yep."

"and you're going to ask me to come with you now." She said rather pointedly.

"Yes but before that I have to make confessions, you may feel differently about me after hearing them."

"Oh?"

Here it was the moment I was dreading. With a little sigh I forced myself to continue. I had come this far and I couldn't chicken out now.

"You see as part of this bargain I get perks and drawbacks, One of the perks I took makes women crazy about me. One of the drawbacks makes them crazy about me and possessive."

"Why would you ever take something like those?"

"I have insecurities and for the drawback I needed the points."

"Very well… and the reason that we have not consummated our relationship is because you are afraid that I am under the effects of these perks and drawbacks and you didn't want to take advantage of me."

I could feel the warmth of a blush in my cheeks as I was filled with shame and embarrassment, I merely nodded.

"and these only work on females?"

"Yeah."

"Well for one thing I am a goddess I am sure those mere perks couldn't work on me for another… let's do a little experiment." She said getting up.

She stood up tall and her body shifted and for the second time I was face to face with the very male aspect of Inari.

He smiled and leaned in taking me in his arms and kissed me with a deep and passionate kiss. I was surprised but couldn't help but return the kiss.

He pulled away and smiled. "Well now I am clearly male and not affected by those perks or drawbacks but my feelings for you haven't changed."

I nodded suddenly feeling relieved. "Well now is there any other reason that you have been turning me down?" he asked and I shook my head

Our lips met again in a soft passionate kiss. Breaking the kiss and panting softly Inari said. "Mitsuko can watch Yuki for a little longer."

At the moment I couldn't agree more.

The moment had taken us as all my reasons for holding back had vanished, Soon clothes were coming off.

We were soon in the middle of making love when there came a knock at the door. Awkward does not go far enough to describe how I felt at that moment… also a little frustrated.

"What is it?" barked Inari. She was less than pleased.

"Ah I am sorry Inari-san, is Raven-san in there?" She sounded tense I would imagine this was every bit as awkward for her

"Ummm yeah I am. Is something wrong?" I asked as I got myself untangled from Inari who gave me a pout.

"Yes I am afraid there is. Amakusa-san called from the Historical Compilation Committee. It's an emergency they need your help."

Inari actually swore.

"Ah… ok give me a couple minutes I'll be ready to go."

"Very well, They will be sending a car for you soon."

"This had better be the apocalypse or someone is going to pay." growled Inari.