Moving aside to let them in Ashi smiled down at the kit when he blinked wide eyes up at her. Sticking a thumb in his mouth he tugged on his mother's light yellow kimono. "I've never met a human before. Are you nice?" Scratching her head the god giggled, he was just too cute.
"Well I think I'm nice but Tomoe may say otherwise." Turning back to the elder foxes she gestured down the hall towards the common room. "Please make your selves at home while you're here. I'm sorry, Foxy didn't tell me you were coming or I would have been more prepared." Waiting for them to take a seat at the table she sighed seeing Mizuki already making tea in the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink or eat?" Looking at her for the first time the male spoke, a deep friendly sound.
"Tea will be fine." Wobbling around the table to sit beside the human the kit smiled showing he was missing one of his fangs. "Yuu do not bother her." Waving her hands in front of her the goddess grinned.
"I don't mind. He's adorable." Feeling her hand twitch she had to remember that this kitsune weren't Tomoe and wouldn't take too kindly to her petting them. Looking at the golden fox in front of her she cocked her head. "I'm sorry but Tomoe isn't here as I'm sure you've noticed. Once Mizuki has served the drinks I'll go get him." Raising an eyebrow at the human Tenshi looked at her mate Akki.
"Where is he?" Tapping her chin in thought she watched the kit mimic her actions.
"Well he said he was going to the Red Light district yesterday. My guess would be he's still there. The Tanuki girls just love him." Frowning at her son's actions the female fox flicked her tail, calming only when Akki reached behind him and ran his hand down it. Carrying a tray in with him Mizuki set a cup in front of each demon before setting on Ashi's other side. Pushing to her feet the goddess felt a little sorry for the snake, leaving him here. "If you'll excuse me?" Pulling a sticky note from her pocket and a pen she scribbled what she wanted before tucking it inside her shirt where it wouldn't fall off. The same demon disguise she'd used the first time the god had journeyed to the demon world shimmered into place, leaving a glistening vixen tail and ears on her person. Wiggling her fingers at the demon trio she exited the room looking for Kotetsu and Mori to be her guides in the nether world. Marching through the crowded streets of demon town the deity soon found herself in front of the Tanuki girl house. Lowering her ears Ashi slid the door open spooking the cat demon behind the desk.
"Oh no not you again!" Giving a pitiful meow he stood. "Tomoe is in the back just don't light my hair on fire this time." Wincing she remembered doing that as a joke not realizing her black foxfire actually worked in this form.
"Sorry about that, I was having a bad day." Starting towards the back she paused. "He's not in the middle of something is he?" Blinking large golden eyes at her the neko twitched his nose.
"No, he's been sleeping for a while now." Asking her guides to wait for her she sniffed following his spicy scent. Finally reaching the room he was in she pushed the door open locking eyes with the lounging demon in the room. Crossing her arms she pouted.
"When I told you have fun, I meant have fun but be home by morning." Setting up the kitsune fixed his clothing eyeing the vixen in front of him.
"What are you doing here? And where's Mizuki?" Catching his arm she led him out of the building waving her fingers at the neko on her way. Leaning her head on his shoulder and wound her tail around his unaware of the image they created.
"Your parents showed up at the shrine this morning looking for you." Humming the fox paused.
"Wait. They're at the temple now? With Mizuki? Are you insane?!" Scooping her up into his arms Tomoe darted away. Sliding to a stop just outside the common room moments later he threw the door open stopping as his mother's laughter filled the room. All eyes turned to them as he set Ashi down.
"Mother. Father. Otouto." Yuu gave a happy yip before jumping onto Tomoe who gave a growl as the kit climbed all over him. Unable to contain herself the goddess squealed.
"Aw that's so cute. Forget the baby crow demon I want a kit now." Clasping her hands together the deity giggled. "You don't happen to have any other brothers that are unmated and not babies?" Pulling the red headed kit away by the back of his kimono Tomoe frowned.
"What are you doing here?" Standing the golden kitsune walked over to her son. Smiling Tenshi wrapped her arms around his middle before pulling away.
"You never visit. You maybe grown but we'd still like to see our first kit once and a while." Sighing he slumped.
"Yes mother." Shaking her head Ashi retook her seat laughing as Yuu plopped down on the overly large pillow beside her only for the wild fox to flip it over and take it himself. "How long do you plan to stay?" Elbowing him the goddess scowled.
"Don't be rude, Foxy. They can stay as long as they want; hopefully they'll be here for the festival this weekend." Raising a silvery eyebrow he pulled his fan from his robe tapping her on the head.
"What festival?" Snapping her fingers she pulled her notepad over showing him her brainstorming ideas.
"The one I told you about yesterday." Scowling she tugged his ear gaining a look from the other kitsune. "Do you ever listen to me? Really what's the point of me talking if you-" Trailing off she sighed knowing she was just wasting her breath as Tomoe ran his claws through her hair. Looking at Mizuki she smiled. "At least you listen." Turning from watching the kit wobble around the shrine the snake blinked.
"What did you say?"
"No one loves me anymore." She cried flicking her tail, feeling the weird sensation she looked back momentarily forgetting about the sticky note still stuck to her. Grinning she watched it wave around behind her. "That's so weird how do you even remember you have a tail half the time?" Letting it flop over her head she blew the black fur out of her face. Tomoe had to admit she did look kind of cute like that. Pulling the sticking note from her shirt she pouted.
"You are crazy." Sticking her tongue out she grinned. Seeing the human reach for her son's tail Tenshi raised a claw.
"I wouldn't do that…" Looking between the two as they both raised a questioning eyebrow at her the female fox demon frowned. "You're playing with his tail? And he's not ripping your arm off." Placing the fluffy appendage in her lap Ashi nodded running her hand down it through the fur.
"This tail thing again? Is it really that big of a deal?" Akki sighed.
"Yes fox youkai instinctively protect their tails. For the kit to let you pet it means he must trust you." Nodding the deity smirked.
"Well he should I've only saved his life a couple times now. Though in all fairness it was my fault in the first place…" Laughing she swatted the fox's hands away when he pulled her hair.
Yawning Ashi shuffled over towards the table Kei and Ami had taken for their group. Sliding in beside Kurama she waited for Mizuki to take a seat next to Kei. "Okay I've asked you here because I'm planning a festival at Mikage shrine." Looking up from her phone the brunette flipped it shut.
"Why would you do that? Aren't you swamped enough with school work, it is senior year." Letting her head hit the table she groaned.
"Since my mom left I've been living at the temple. I don't have a job and the owner is letting me stay there as long as I help." Lifting her head she rubbed the sore spot. "No one comes by though because it was abandoned for a while." Tearing up Ami patted her hand reaching across the tengu.
"I'm sorry Ashi. This year must have been so hard on you. We'll help anyway we can." Watching the others nod she smiled.
"Thank you guys! I have a few more friends that can help but they won't be able to come until the day of the festival. Also costumes are welcome; I'm going as a kuro kitsune. Apparently those are almost as rare as silver kitsune." Pulling her notepad from her bag she laughed when Kurama looked around.
"Where's the wild fox?" digging for her pen she looked up when she found it.
"Tomoe's parents showed up at the shrine yesterday. He's sending time with them." Running a hand through his dark red hair the crow laughed. "Yea at least now I knew why Foxy is so short. Tenshi is shorter than you Ami-chan." Blinking the pinkette smiled.
"Really?"
"Yep, so I was thinking that I'd run the compatibility booth, where couples can see how likely they are to end up together. Tomoe gets the kissing booth; kami-sama knows that horny fox will like it. Mizuki volunteered to do a snake show; it's safe because none of the snakes are poisonous or aggressive. Himemiko offered to do a Kagura dance for everyone as well as lend some of her kimonos so girls can dress up. Tomoe and Sukuna are dueling after that." Sipping his drink the tengu tapped his cheek.
"I suppose I could sang. You'll have to be back up Ashi you're second to me in choir." Paling the teen waved her hands frantically.
"No! I don't do very well in front of crowds. I'm surprised I haven't passed out in chorus yet."
"I could sing back up." Nodding the goddess agreed whole heartedly.
"Yea Kei should do the backup thing…."
Stopping by the bulletin board in town Ashi sighed tacking up the beautifully made poster Tomoe had worked on that morning along with Yuu his messy handprint on the corner was proof of that. Suddenly an orange haired man floated down in front of her. "I'll give you a C for looks, agility D, intelligence C, spiritual power C. Your god aptitude level overall is a very low C. Really you're as weak as a common shrine spirit." Huffing she crossed her arms.
"Well excuse me for being average. I like the fluff by the way and the belt, it looks nice on you." Pausing the wind god giggled.
"Really you think so? Wait no back to the task at hand. If you wish to hold a festival in Mikage's name you'll have to pass the test first." The world faded to black. Groaning she rolled over as something poked her. Swatting it away the goddess set up.
"What happened?" Looking up she yelped seeing it was twilight already. Jumping to her feet she raced back to the shrine spotting Mizuki playing with the gold fish in the newly dug koi pond she waved.
"Ashi!" Being pulled to a warm chest from behind she froze. 'What the hell!?' Arms wrapped around her middle as a cold nose buried it's self in her hair. "Thank Kami-sama, you've been gone for hours!" Pushing the kitsune away she frowned not recognizing the aura coming from the fox.
"Okay who are you and what have you done to Foxy? Your energy's different and he'd die before doing any of that." Frowning the illusion disappeared with a puff.
"Shot I thought that would work for sure, it is after all what your heart desires." Cocking an eye brow she laughed.
"That's crazy I don't like Tomoe like that." Shrugging the wind god pulled a stamp from his shirt popping her on the head with it.
"As much as I hate it, you passed. Now return to the right world." Her vision went black again before she shoot up gasping scaring the little kid that was about to poke her with a stick. Scowling she pushed to her feet slowly making her way back up the shrine steps.
"Ashi where the hell have you been?! The Hebi got back an hour ago." Sighing she tweaked his ear before slipping off her shoes and walking around the fox.
"A crazy wind god tested me to make sure I was worthy of holding a festival under Mikage's name." Turning back to the kitsune she smiled. "By the way you're running the kissing booth at the festival." Blinking at her the demon frowned. Maybe she needed a day off…
Sitting back from trying to set up a booth by herself Ashi wiped her forehead. Feeling a familiar shiver go up her spine the goddess pushed to her feet waving as Kurama stepped into view on the sandou. After Tomoe had explained that even though she wasn't aware of it she maintained the holy barrier around the shrine she had dropped it when Yuu had started to complain. The little redheaded kit was still young and prolonged exposure to a holy aura could really hurt him. Speaking of the kitsune she glanced around just in time to be tackled by the giggling fur ball. Letting him climb up her shirt to her shoulders the deity met the tengu halfway across the temple grounds waving a scowling Tomoe away to go back to talking to his parents. Sticking his thumb in his mouth Yuu sniffed the air before burying his nose into the marriage god's hair. "He smells funny." Laughing Ashi grinned at the crow.
"Yea he does kinda smell weird." Running a hand through his hair the gray eyed demon stuck his nose in the air.
"That is the smell of success; you should enjoy it while you can." Giving a sniff of her own the goddess wrinkled her nose.
"Smells like bird shit to me…" Seeing his mother waving him over the kit jumped off Ashi's shoulders running off. "You're the first one here. Ryuu-Ou and Himemiko should be here any minute." A sudden mist appeared over the shrine. "Never mind they're here." Slipping her shoes off on her way into the temple the god she side swiped by a purple haired catfish princess.
"Ashi! It's been ages since you've visited." Waiting for the catfish demon to pull away the deity smiled.
"I'm only here because my mate made me come. She's gone off to make another kimono." Frowning Ashi placed her hands on her hips.
"At least you have a loving mate be thankful. I'm the god of marriage and I'm single." Looking at his claws in a bored manner the dragon huffed.
"If you weren't so impertinent maybe someone would want you." Blinking a sneer crossed her face before she started to march forward only for Tomoe to left her up by the back of her shirt.
"Let me go! I'm gonna rip his other eye out and feed it to my dog!" Feeling the snarl vibrating through his body she paused in her thrashing to look back at his red eyed glare. Pushing her into Kurama's arms the fox let his claws extend.
"You will not disrespect my goddess like that." Back peddling the ryuu paled. Having felt his son's rising youki from outside Akki appeared in front of the silver kitsune growling low while Himemiko swatted Sukuna on the head with her fan.
"Ashi is my dear friend; I will not have you insulting her like that." Pouting the dragon king sit back down eyeing the still furious fox across the room. Pulling free of the tengu's hold the deity touched Tomoe's arm.
"Foxy, really you don't have to be mad. It's true after all." Seeing his eldest was once again in control Akki released his other arm wondering at the fact Tomoe calmed with just a touch. "On a lighter note the festival is tonight! So I hope everyone is ready." All the youkai nodded. "I don't really know how many people will show up…" Tapping his nails on the table the crow sighed.
"I may have mentioned something about this little festival on my website and at my last show." Gasping the god dashed forward pulling the blushing bird into a hug unaware of the look Kurama was getting from the fox.
"Oh thank you! Thank you!" Pushing her back he patted her head.
"I couldn't leave you with these ignorant demons could I?"
'Damn that goblin. Showing me up like that.'
Rushing around with only a few minutes to spare before Ami and Kei would arrive the goddess was panicking. Waving her over Tomoe smirked before letting his aura expand and blanket the temple grounds enchanting the area and making it look like a real festival. Spinning in a slow circle she smiled hugging the silver kitsune. "You are so awesome, thank you Foxy." Reaching up to rub his ear she frowned remembering her own costume. Pulling a sticky note from her pocket she scribbled on it and stuck it inside her shirt. Licking her new fangs she laughed when Yuu wobbled by following after Akki who was on his way to Tomoe.
"Not bad, Kit. Keep it up and you'll have your second tail before the end of the decade." Blinking the deity felt her hands twitch. Two tails? Hell yeah she'd enjoy that! "Ashi why do you have silver strips on your cheeks? Only royal youkai have them." Running a hand over the jagged silvery marks she frowned.
"Do they look bad? One of the Anime's I watch has demons in it and one of the main characters is a Taiyoukai." Smiling the redheaded kitsune shook his head.
"No they look fine." Standing to his full height Akki winked at Tomoe when Ashi looked down at Yuu as he tugged her kimono. "Tenshi and I are going to have a death mask booth if you don't mind. My mate has been trying to make me get rid of them for half a century now." Wrapping her fluffy tail around her she smiled.
"That's fine. I hope you two have fun too." Nodding he disappeared back over by Tenshi who giggled as he scooped her into his arms. Sighing Ashi gazed up at the moon before looking back at the wild fox who was staring at her. "Your parents seem happy." Snorting he tugged her hair running a claw down the velvety ear poking out of her midnight tresses. Shivering she shut her eyes.
"They have been mated for over 500 years, it is to be expected."
"I want that. Someone who will except me for me and love me despite my flaws." A flickering caught her eye. "Are all those lanterns kitsune-bi?" Hugging the fox before he could reply the goddess leaned on him for a second. With all the commotion lately she hadn't had time to let the pain in her chest bother her but it was finally catching up. The pills were supposed to work. Why weren't they? Slowly letting his hands rest on her back Tomoe inhaled her scent frowning at the pain in it. She had been acting funny since venturing to Ryuu-Ou's palace; he'd have to ask her about that.
Wal-lah Hope you enjoyed this chapter!