A/N: INSPIRATION! It wasn't from school either. I was thinking about how the planned plot for all these stories revolved around the baddie kidnapping someone's woman. I realized how stupid that was. Izanami needed to be a different kind of baddie than Sakane was. So I was playing Final Fantasy VI and I had a brainchild.

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Creatures of Myth: Sunlit Summons

Chapter Seven: Stirrings

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"Help me if can

It's just this is not the way I'm wired

So could you please help me understand

Why you're giving into all these

Reckless dark desires?"

"The Outsider" by A Perfect Circle

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It had been decades since Hakyu had last been to Takamagahara, but even he could tell that Izanagi's return had greatly changed the atmosphere of the place. There was peace.

During Izanami's reign, the plants in the garden had wilted, but now that Izanagi-no-Mikoto had returned, life once more found its place amongst the blooms. Hakyu sat cross-legged in front of a particularly well maintained patch of Violet Buttercups. It was just getting dark, and the fireflies were beginning to blink to life. Crickets sang in the dusky air, the brisk chill of nightfall doing nothing to repel the harmless insects. Izanami's claim to the throne had brought frost, but now one could find not even a speckling of snow.

Hands folded beneath his chin, thoughts fluttered about Hakyu's mind. He knew he shouldn't have told Rentaro about Chiume. Now, anything that happened to her would rest on his shoulders.

Any other time, Hakyu would've reacted to the sound of footsteps behind him, but he already knew who it was. He cleared his throat. "Amaterasu-sama," he addressed without turning to look at her.

There was a quiet pause, the only sound the chirp of crickets. Finally, she said softly, "Juniperinus, Raniculus Andersoni. Common name, Violet Buttercups."

He already knew that, but decided to humor her somewhat. "Oh?" Hakyu said with disinterest.

"It is also known colloquially in some parts of the world as the Snow Flower."

Hakyu choked, images of Mira erupting in his mind. Within seconds, he composed himself, and snapped: "Is digging into fresh wounds a hobby of yours, O Glorious One?"

Amaterasu sighed, but it was a happy sigh. "It makes me feel prettier," she joked, covering her cheek with her hand.

A sharp cackle escaped his mouth. Hakyu fell silent and the crickets once more were the only sound.

The Goddess's silence was thoughtful. After several moments, she spoke, "I have never been in love with another person, Hakyu. I don't know how you feel. I have no idea how I should console you." She took a breath. Amaterasu held out her hand and the fireflies flocked to her. "The closest thing I've ever had to love for another being is with my consorts. The only thing I feel real emotion for is my own reflection. I am quite narcissistic."

Hakyu snorted. "I hadn't noticed."

Amaterasu scoffed and whacked him upside the head. "Excuse you."

Rubbing his head, Hakyu chuckled.

The Goddess shook the fireflies off her hand and dragged over a wrought iron outdoor chair, sitting down regally. She exhaled. "What's eating at you, Shimizu?" she asked.

Hakyu closed his eyes and sighed. "I think that when I left, I ended up throwing a comrade to the sharks," he deadpanned, "The silver haired, purple eyed, fire sharks."

Amaterasu raised an eyebrow. "The Kitsune? I thought you were on much more friendly terms now."

He shook his head. "We are." Hakyu looked down at his crossed legs. "You know the circumstances behind my brief disappearance, correct?"

"Of course. You went looking for Terusai's assassin alone and were defeated."

"That assassin, though… I didn't recognize her at first," Hakyu smiled. "Chihana Chiume. I should've known the name." He turned to look Amaterasu in the eye. "She saved Hotaru's life and ended the Fifth Senka War." His gaze went back to the flowers. After a long moment of consideration, he looked up at the night sky, the pale stars that barely made it through the haze and illusion of Takamagahara's clouded atmosphere almost felt like they were calling down to him. Surely he could finally join them here. Shimizu Hakyu had lived a long, tiring life, and Takamagahara called to him like a fancy retirement community. Amaterasu had taken a liking to him a long time ago, a long, long time ago, and she would more than gladly accept him as a consort. What a lovely, leisurely existence that would be, to spend eternity until Amaterasu… took every last drop of energy from him.

Gods weren't self-sustaining, far from it, in fact. Only the oldest of the consorts figured it out. Hakyu knew due to his information circles. Gods needed adoration, worship, and undying love. These days, especially with the lessened belief from the human world, they needed it in more concentrated amounts. Amaterasu still had an entire country of believers, so she didn't require the same number of consorts and could afford to be picky. Tsukuyomi, on the other hand, had learned long ago that being picky wouldn't cut it. They needed love, or they would shrivel and fade similar to Izanami.

The only thing that Izanami had that the others didn't; the thing that kept her sustained was fear. Fear could be stronger than any form of love, especially when so much of it came from the gods themselves.

Afterlife for Youkai was to either serve or become fuel. Consorts? They were the fuel. Sure, it happened over centuries and occurred slowly, but eventually, a consort of the gods would grow old with the drain of energy from their emotions. Eventually, a consort dies from this drain, and because they've basically had their soul drained, there is nothing to reenter the cycle. Once you die as a consort, you die for good. That's it. Nothing after that.

Hakyu figured that sounded pretty good. Ultimate sleep. He knew he was one of the oldest souls ever to walk on any plane. He'd been a palace guard in one life, a serving Living World Tengu one life, a Daitengu in another… and human in his first. If he stopped and cleared his mind and remembered as hard as he could, he could remember herding cattle between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Hakyu wasn't just old, Hakyu was damn old.

He turned his gaze briefly towards Amaterasu and the absolutely amused look in her eyes made him want to groan. Gods weren't normal. The only god he'd ever seen a semblance of humanity in was Izanagi-no-Mikoto, and that had only been from a few moments in the throne room. That god, no, that man… something about him simply rang correct. Hakyu doubted he'd ever had a true consort even once in his life. That man loved someone other than himself, and perhaps that was why he was different.

Hakyu loved his daughter. Hakyu loved his wife. Hakyu loved Shiramae Mira. That was why he needed to take care of some business. It was also why Hakyu would never fall to temptation and go into Amaterasu's arms. It was why he'd serve once more. He'd serve for eternity if he had to, but he would never fade. No matter how tired he got, no matter how long he lived, he'd keep going.

"I am returning to Soul Society to speak in Chihana Chiume's defense," he said, ready for the goddess to refuse him.

Amaterasu had this dumbass little grin on her face as she shrugged. "Go right ahead. I'm going to tell you now, however, your efforts will gain you nothing."

Hakyu sighed. "I don't care. I'm not going to let them kill the woman who saved Hotaru."

She gestured behind her, indicating the castles gates in that direction. "Then go," she laughed, "I'm not keeping you here."

Her gaze said otherwise. "No, you just know I'll come back," he choked.

Her golden eyes narrowed, the smile maintained on her lips. It was a hungry look. "You will return to me eventually, Shimizu Hakyu, if not in this life, then in another. I have time," she hummed and raised her eyebrows. "Go. Before I throw you out," she giggled and turned, walking back towards the palace.

"Tell Ao I left!" he called as he stood.

"Um-hmm," she hummed pleasantly, waving.

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Night churned her mind, the suffocating heat of her bedroom made her want to hurl. Sakane tossed and turned on her plush futon, sweat coating her like a second skin. Nothing felt right. Whenever the erstwhile goddess closed her eyes, she felt like oceans were closing in around her and filling her lungs. Everything felt small, the walls closing in, and the sound of crickets deafening and screaming at her only added to the slow, crowding suffering.

Ichimaru Gin, Ichimaru Gin, Gin, Gin, Gin… She knew him; he killed her. Sakane could still feel the harsh blade rip through her chest. She could still hear the dying screams of her two sisters. She could still taste… blood. Flesh. Senka flesh. Her mouth watered at the thought of eating… flesh.

She kicked her silk sheets to the end of the bed and flipped over, her bare back and thighs damp with a heavy sheen of sweat. Her face buried in the pillow, she bit into the feather-filled cotton and shrieked as she felt herself relive her death again and again…

A hand clamped on her shoulder and Sakane started, flipping back onto her back and kicking upwards. Her ankle was caught in a delicate hand. "Shhh," Ame-no-Uzume soothed, putting her free hand to Sakane's forehead. "You're being awfully noisy, my dear." The plump goddess carefully felt Sakane's face and neck, continuing to quietly sooth her. "Your nightmares are turning into delusions, are they not?"

Sakane drifted, her consciousness retreating as Uzume continued to speak to her in a hushed but authoritative tone. She floated gently through happiness, and then felt herself rake through death again, but now, she faced Kurosaki Ichigo and cut him down. The sudden change in her memories hit her hard, both physically and mentally as she arched her back off the futon, her heels digging into the well-stuffed mattress and she screamed silently, her mouth open but no sound escaping. A weight settled on her, pinning her hips down and preventing her movement. Still, Sakane thrashed. A forehead touched to hers, and the rocking waves and storms ceased. Uzume spoke. The storms brewed. Sakane panted.

Reiatsu of the godly persuasion pressed down on her. However, it was welcome in comparison to the suffocating seas of her past life. Sakane's eyes slid closed and when a damp cloth touched to her face followed by a cold brush, she remained motionless. Uzume hummed lightly and Sakane found herself humming back. Quiet praises came from The Great Persuader's lips, lulling Sakane into a calm sense of security. The brush granted its chilled caress over her eyelids, they outlined her cheekbones, and ornamented her forehead. A larger coldness pressed over the numb scar tissue and smoothed. A long minute of this passed, and Uzume's quiet urging told her to open her eyes. The Fujin did, and saw… herself. Her face the way it should be, with sharp red around her eyes and a smooth face. Sakane grinned, a wide and toothy smile.

Her mouth watered. "Thank you…" she said softly, not knowing why she thanked the goddess…

Uzume stopped her quiet whisperings and set the mirror aside. "I'm glad you approve, Nazo Sakane." Her finger looped beneath the ribbon at Sakane's neck. "No goddess deserves to be collared. It's an aberration, don't you agree?"

Sakane hummed in agreement and Uzume leaned in close. "Isn't Susanoo a foul man?" Uzume postulated, "And all that meat… all that muscle…" The Fujin's eyes widened as Uzume's hands entwined her hair. "Wouldn't it be satisfying to get rid of him forever?"

"… Yes…" Sakane gasped. Laughter bubbled up in her throat. "Yes! Yes! Yes it would be!" she cackled.

Uzume smiled, her plump face radiant with happiness. "Have fun, my dear," she laughed.