(edit, years later...)
So, if you're reading this, and are going to keep reading this, I happen to have a discord now! Join in, maybe chat with me and some of the readers: aKAQg4bnYu
Chapter 29
Of course I didn't make it home on time.
Not for lack of wanting to. After Welf and I split up, him heading towards one of his favourite watering holes, and me for home, I took no detours.
Even with the idiocy going on outside the walls, the town was exactly as it was. Shop keeps and stand owners wound down for the evening. Adventurers new and old walked the streets, some more tired than others, but alive and looking forward to getting home. Townspeople waving to passerby politely. Business as usual.
Until, as I made the second last turn that would lead me to the front of Hearthstone Manor, the Hestia/Takemikazuchi home, I found myself facing a half dozen people. Just like that. The magic lamps were just starting to come on with the descent of evening, casting odd shadows that gave even my eyes a bit of trouble adjusting, but after a couple of blinks I was able to focus on them all.
From their mode of dress, they looked like a samurai entourage. In the lead was a bear of a man, with raven black hair, grey and dark blue armour and the traditional 'long short' katana/wakazashi pair of blades at his hip. Spread out behind him were a mixed lot of similarly dressed people, all with raven black hair, grey and blue armour and paired blades. There was only one who stood out as different, a woman who wore a sort of battle kimono like I had at one point, with all the softer spots filled with fine black chain armour that was almost hiding the pale skin underneath. Of them all, only the one in front was my height, the rest just a little shorter.
And all of them, each and every one, had ears and a tail, like mine.
Or rather, ears like mine, and a tail like Haruhime's.
And very serious expressions.
I sighed, giving up on getting home on time right about then. "Can I help you?" I asked, their formation basically blocking the fairly narrow street, and limiting my options to either backing up, jumping over, or breaking through. Still being grounded, and not wanting to just be 'Kodori who hit things' I tried diplomacy.
I could only make out one word of the reply from the man in front. Well, one and a half. "Speak ... language" I assumed the middle word was 'Eastern'.
Rubbing my hand over my face for a moment, I did my best, "Sukoshi azuma ni hanasu." 'speak little east.' I think I said, mimicking the word they had used for what I thought was 'Eastern'.
There were a few strange looks from them, their golden eyes blinking with puzzlement or shock. The man in the lead grumbled a moment, then spoke something else. Again, I couldn't really make anything out past a couple words, so I simply shook my head, and made to move past him.
"Kochiradesu." I said, the same line Haruhime used when I followed her to her room. 'This way.'
One of them made to get in my way as I moved past the man in the lead, his hand falling to his katana, saying something I guessed was 'know your place'. But I stopped in front of him, and said "Doke." Move. He looked maybe a little older than me, but it was hard to tell.
The lead man grunted something, and the one in front of me moved aside.
"And that's why I'm late." I said to Hestia as me and the six Eastern Renards stood before her in the kitchen.
After a moment she looked at me, then back at them, then to me again, then lifted her hand and pat my head. "I forgive you."
Everyone else in the kitchen was somewhat dumbstruck with their presence. The orphans were sort of going 'oo' 'ah' at them, being new and interesting, and in the better lighting, very well armoured. The fighters of Takemikazuchi Familia including Mikoto were surprised there even existed this many black haired Renard, and that they were here. Haruhime was actually bowed to by each of them, even though she was now trying to hide behind Bell. I could see the gears in Lilly's head turning as she tried to figure out why they were here and Bell himself was holding Chime, blinking at them with a mix of worry and confusion.
"This way this way!" One of the orphans was tugging a smiling Takemikazuchi into the room, his lean face smiling at the youthful enthusiasm of the child pulling his sleeve. "See! More fox brothers and a sister!"
As one, the six of them turned and bowed deeply to Takemikazuchi. Well, at least they knew him.
His near perfect calm returned a moment later, "Rise, please, relax." They did after a moment, though he looked at me questioningly. I did my best to shrug respectfully. "Tell me, why are you here?"
A quick but respectfully toned reply.
Hestia blinked in surprise at the reply, her hand capturing mine suddenly. "They want to take you home with them." She translated for me.
"This is my home." I replied, Hestia repeating for me.
The conversation, as it evolved from Takemikazuchi presiding, Hestia translating back and forth, and Haruhime serving tea, went something like this.
They were representatives from what was left of the Black Renard clans. They had found out about me during my rather explosive appearance at the war game. Some of the clans thought I might be a lost child or some such, and wanted to bring me back to the East, where I 'belonged.' There was some back and forth about that last point, but they were rather insistent on it.
I actually found myself getting a little angry at was basically a flat refusal to let me choose. Hestia told them no, they ignored it, saying that I didn't know better. I only really noticed just how much it bothered me, when everyone except Chime, who I was holding, and Hestia who was holding my tail, started to inch away from me slowly.
"Calm down." Hestia said to me quietly, rubbing my back, "You're starting to... That's better."
"Sorry." I mumbled, handing the rabbit monster to Lilly. "It's late, I'm hungry. It's Mikoto's turn to cook right?" I looked over to her, who was holding Haruhime close, and she nodded. "We can open a guest room or some such, feed them, and send them away in the morning."
They kept to themselves mostly after dinner. Mikoto, understanding the language, showed them around, gave them access to the baths, and showed them a couple of our guest rooms. The entire situation made me rather grumpy. I didn't know them, I didn't want to go with them, and that 'we know best' attitude was probably my biggest pet peeve.
"Kodori..." Hestia tried to get my attention. "Stop pacing?"
She had the tip of my tail in her hand, letting me move about two short steps in either direction of her. "Sorry... I'm just... You know, I'm not sure why I am even this bothered by all this."
"Come here." She brushed my tail with her fingers instead of tugging it. "Lets go talk about it in my room. It's also been a while since I updated your status."
"Okay."
My tail now wrapped around her shoulders, we walked to her room. It had changed a little since I'd been in there last. Her sleepless nights while I was away the probable reason. The nice canopy bed in the middle, that Welf and I made, and Bell and Lilly bought sheets for was still the centrepiece of the room. But now the walls had been painted, making the plain stone look softer with a just barely blue tone. More shelves had been added, a small collection of stuffed animals and more books sitting on each. The magic stone lamps were brighter. It was a testament to our two Familia working together and being successful.
"We really are doing well aren't we?" I said, sitting in 'The Chair'. 'The Chair' was another of Welf and I's custom bits of furniture for our Goddess. Low backed, so we could either sit in it, or sit backwards and lean over the back comfortably, with a narrow enough seat that was comfortable to sit in either way. It was just right, and had taken three attempts to make it so.
"You all work very hard." She said, sitting at the end of the bed while I sat in The Chair. "You seem tense. Something is wrong, not just those Renard, but..."
"Everything I am, is sort of mirrored on my back." I started, reaching back and tugging my shirt off. "How hard I've worked, what I've done, my magic, my curse. It's all there. It isn't everything. I am more than just numbers. It has no reflection of my friends or thoughts."
"That's right. I don't know everything, but learning along side you, my children, I know it's only just a fraction of what you are." She put her hand on my back. I felt no dampness, so she must not have started the ritual. "But yes, it's just a dim reflection of what you are. Some children are kind, others cruel. Some are happy, others cold." She used both her hands to lightly scratch my back, making me push back into her hands slightly. "I'm so proud that all of my children, even those I'm won't be keeping, are kind and warm in their own ways." She giggled as I found myself not quite purring, the sound like a sputtering motor.
"But..." I said as she stopped, "I... Kind of don't want this update. I know, that every time I go into the dungeon, I kill monsters. But that's like... A butcher slaughters animals, a hunter brings down game, part of the job." I had my eyes closed as I spoke, "Because they are dangerous, we kill them quickly. There is no room for 'taking your time' when you deal with monsters."
"You're thinking about what happened... Before you went missing?" She asked.
"Yes. I only remember one thing." I opened my eyes, holding up one hand, as if I were holding the side of some one's face, "A single blue eye, looking terrified at me, as I hold the side of their face." I looked back over my shoulder, "Nothing I hold gets away... and I had willingly let my darkness go. For me to have won that fight, to have been able to murder some one. A living, breathing, thinking person... who was two levels over me..."
I hadn't tried to think too hard on it, but as I looked back, over my shoulder into Hestia's crystal blue eyes... I felt...
Violence. Pain. Rage. Pure elation. Both my hands felt slick with blood. My heart was hammering in my chest with a combination of adrenalin, potion overdose and primal joy at being free. With nothing to hold me back, with nothing between me and my opponent. My hand reached for that face, intent on pulling the skin and muscle away just how I'd done it when I had grabbed her upper arm and she tried to throw me off her with all her strength, the flesh tearing itself off from the bone like well cooked meat.
"Kodori... Please... Don't..."
Hestia lay underneath me on the bed, my one hand on her bare shoulder, the other over her face, the eye framed between my thumb and forefinger looking up into my eyes.
Not with fear.
But with love.
"Shh... Come here..." For all my strength, Hestia only needed her two slender arms to pull me down into her embrace.
I had destroyed The Chair, so I sat on the edge of the bed while my Goddess sat behind me. Already Bell had knocked on the door about the noise, but she had turned him away saying she was fine.
"Sorry..."
"It's fine." She shushed me, the tip of her finger tracing over my back. "You can just buy me another dress."
My sudden recall of what had happened, down on level nineteen, and partial reenactment, had left bits of her clothing thrown about the room. As well as a broken chair, a shelf, a stuffed animal, and a pillow. Had Hestia been taller, or wider of shoulder, my hands might have grabbed her instead of random bed decorations.
"Shh. No, don't do that." She used her other hand to hold my tail, which had gone slack, and put it in her lap. "No matter what, don't blame yourself." Her finger lifted from my back, the familiar just under the skin warmth lifting out of me. I heard the ruffle of paper followed by her small hands pressing it over my back.
"I know... It was all I could do. Even if I tried to run, she would have caught me, or the dungeon would have. But, she was alive. A person. No matter her flaws." I replied, the paper lifting off of my back, to be replaced by Hestia as she leaned on me, passing the paper over my shoulder.
"I won't tell you not to feel guilty. Or not feel like you could have done differently. But, you saved all of my children, yourself included..." The fact she was basically naked as she hugged me did not escape me, yet, as I looked at the sheet being dangled in front of my eyes, I felt as if her body was the only heat in the room. "Congratulations."
Kodori Level: 3 4
Power: S 940 I 0
Endurance: S 969 I 0
Dexterity: A 859 I 0
Agility: A 821 I 0
Magic: S 923 I 0
Congenital Magic: Self Re-enforcement
Through will alone, boost basic stats and magic resistance.
-Home of the Goddess: Uses Congenital magic to grant natural armour.
-Judgement of the Goddess: Uses Congenital magic to grant increased strength.
Boost is greater in the defence of others.
Curse: Weapon's Bane
Weapons used to attack will break upon impact.
Titan's grip
Grants an unbreakable grip.
Titan's stance
Becomes immovable when Titan's grip is active.
Kitsune Manifestation
Grants bestial form.
Grants a boost in all stats.
May lose control.
Fire resistance
Is immune to most normal fire, and some magical fire.
Mage: F E
Crafting G F
Developmental ability choices.
Magic resistance
Spirit Healing
Fist Fighter
Strong Defence
Abnormal Resistance
Insanity. Once again, I'd gained a level. I understood that I had done something that most would think impossible. I'd broken limits, overcome a great obstacle, and protected my Familia. No mater my feelings on the matter, that I had murdered someone to achieve this... There it was, written in divine ink on my back.
But that wasn't all. My 'rage' had changed. Me letting out my inner demon had changed the ability somewhat... But I wasn't sure I wanted to find out how.
"Don't... Don't tell them yet." I said, my tail curling around Hestia's back. "While I don't want to hide it... I need..."
"I understand."
"Thank you." I sighed, gently prying Hestia's arms off me and standing. "Now... How are we going to deal with our guests?" I opened up her wardrobe, getting her favourite pink pyjamas.
"Well... I know they are, sort of your people?" She was suddenly acting a little nervous, her fingers playing with one of the buttons on her pyjamas.
"I'd never willingly leave you." I said firmly. "If my actual father and mother showed up, at best, I'd offer them a room to stay in." Considering my actual mother and father were back in my old world, and I didn't even know if I had them in this world... "I'll only let two people tell me what to do, and they are both in this room."
She smiled, my heart feeling lighter suddenly. "You know I'd never command you like that." I smiled back, and she laughed one of her rare wicked laughs, "Besides, you're still grounded."
"My Goddess is kind." I chuckled.
"Before you go..." She started as I stood and found my shirt again. "I... Want some advice."
Even in the partial gloom of the room, I could see her start to blush. "I've sworn to be neutral when it comes to 'who gets Bell'. But, advice is free."
Had I not been 'experienced' with such matters before I arrived in this place, I think her way of handling 'Bell has female admirers' would be much different. But my presence, and insight, however limited, on matters of relationships seemed to have tinted her view on things.
She herself admitted to being a 'virginal Goddess'. It wasn't that she couldn't love. Far from it. I'd never met anyone with such a capacity for care, forgiveness and acceptance. Even her 'adoptive' Familia members received the same treatment. Even as we expanded, she just... opened her arms a little wider for a group hug.
But she also told me her fears. They were immortal. Ageless. Who would only 'die' if they were totally forgotten. As an adventurer levelled, their 'vessel' or 'body' becoming closer to 'divine' with the experiences from our life, we too enjoyed a longer life.
But it would end eventually. No mortal in history had ever managed to gain immortality. So even if a God and mortal were to become partners, there would be no 'ever after'. There was also the issue of children. No God/mortal pair has ever managed to conceive together. To me that was rather surprising, considering all the legends from back home.
Though, considering Apollo and Ishtar, I should have guessed that already.
Hestia just didn't know what to do about it all. She wanted Bell, that much was plain. But She didn't understand what that meant. Would it be unfair to him, to never give him children, to never let him enjoy a family? Would it be better to just let him go and try and stop herself from feeling what she felt for him? She knew, from how I acted about the complicated circle of 'Bell's female admirers' that being insanely jealous was the wrong way to go about it. But She also admitted that it was her first reaction when she saw anyone other than herself near him, well, except me. I'd already made my stance clear on that matter.
Being who she was, and what she was, she was locked in a paradox of the heart. Could she continue being who she was at the expense of the happiness of those she loved?
In the end, I didn't manage to give her advice. But I did say, "Being mortal is about change. You give us the divine gift of 'falna'. We give you the mortal gift of 'change'. You understand why I treat you Gods like anyone else? You're just people. You might not have a tail, or live a short life, but you live and learn, just like us. Especially now, since you're down here with us."
I'd left her thinking on that, getting one last hug before returning to my room.
Haruhime cuddled close to me as I got under the blankets, opening her eyes just enough for me to see the emerald of her iris, before closing them again. And as I closed my eyes, I wondered what I'd do about the news of me reaching level four. And how to handle the 'extended family' that had come to take me away.
It should have surprised me more when the 'extended family' decided to kidnap me. The scent of what ever it was they had drugged me with was still lingering in my nose as I opened my eyes to the dim interior of what looked like an empty storehouse. I was thankful for the lack of driving headache from what ever Ishtar Familia had used, but instead of being strapped to a bondage table, I was bound like a spring roll in my own comforter.
My moment of panic as I twitched and tested my bonds, my adrenalin trying to wake me up faster, got my captor's attention. I heard two of the men speak quickly, before the deeper voice of the lead man spoke.
My kindergarten Japanese skill weren't able to keep up with any of it, but I soon found myself being sat up and faced toward the lead man. Glancing down at my legs, I noticed a tight coil of rope wrapped around me to hold the blanket in place. I wondered if they had any idea of what I was capable of.
"Kodori-dono..." The tiny voice of Haruhime spoke from the other side of the room, followed by a muffled scream as she realized what was happening. Some one had clamped a hand over her mouth.
The room started feeling much smaller all of a sudden. "Let, her, go."
The big man and I looked each other in the eyes, and Haruhime was brought over next to me. As best she could, since she was also tied up, and wrapped up in my sheets, she leaned on me. The lead man said something, paused as Haruhime nodded, then continued.
"He's sorry, but he had to do this. His name is Kuroyuki, and he must bring you back with him." She translated for me.
"Before that..." I said, looking at her, "Are you okay?" She nodded, twitching one of her ears over my cheek, "This is my home. I will not leave it behind."
"There is so much for you back East. More of us. More of your people." He replied through Haruhime's translation. "We have broken tradition to come all this way, to find you."
One of the others, the one I told to move aside, said something irritably. "Why are we even bothering to ask?" My faithful little translator mumbled the last part to me.
My hands I found, had been tied inside the blanket I was wrapped in, making it hard to get a sense for how to undo them. "All that I am is here in this city. I owe nothing to your traditions or people."
He sighed gustily, like an old man trying to talk sense into a teenager. "Our race is slowly fading. We must bring you back, for our own survival as well."
It was my turn to sigh. Isolationism, and trying to keep the blood line pure. Ages old problems from back home, when Japan was a very isolationist country. And I was sure he meant that last part because I was a woman.
"You would be the matriarch of your own bloodline. And we will bring her back as well, as the foundations for a branch family." Haruhime's ear heated up against my cheek as she repeated the words, but she kept her voice from faltering. "Kodori-dono?"
I had to stop myself from getting angry. It really wasn't their fault, I could understand why they were doing this. But I really had to remind myself that I didn't want to be known as 'Kodori who hit things'. Because I really wanted to shake this man. This time, I used my own words, calling out for the woman I saw earlier.
"Josie doko desuka?" 'Woman where?' I caught motion from the the side, and the lady slipped out of a shadow and into the dim light around Kuroyuki and I. "Kochi kochi." A kind of short form for 'this way'.
She looked to Kuroyuki, then to me, then back, the big man nodding to her. "Yes?" She said as she knelt down.
"Is it true?" I asked, Haruhime translating for me again, keeping my voice low so she would do the same. "No daughters?"
"Not many. Fewer every generation. I cannot bear children, or I'd still be at home." She said sadly, also quietly. She was very pretty, and still young looking, but there was a deep sadness behind her eyes.
"You were sick, and could no longer..." I guessed, not saying it outright to try and save her feelings. She nodded, and looked shocked as I smiled slightly. Turning my head, and blowing gently on Haruhime's ear so she'd turn it towards me. "Tell her, I think we can solve this problem for everyone."
The lady leaned down further so Haruhime could whisper my message to her. I figured, since this was a more 'personal' matter, it might be best to keep it between the ladies, so to speak. The younger man snorted impatiently, but from the happy swish of the lady's tail, Kuroyuki took the hint and told him quite firmly to shut up.
After a moment of fuzzy ear telephone, the lady surprised everyone by undoing the knot of my blanket, followed by Haruhime's. The other five men in the room made a mix of noises, from surprise to anger, but after wiggling around a bit and making my blanket into a robe, and helping Haruhime do the same, I spoke.
"I won't go back with you." I put my arm around Haruhime as she translated, "But, I know, that in this city, there is a means to help. Even, no, especially you." I looked to the woman. "Here in this city, you will find all manner of magic. And within your life time, you will see your clans grow again."
Kuroyuki was about to say something but the young man interrupted again. "We should just drug her and take them back. With the fighting going on outside, it would be easy to slip away, just like it was to get in."
"We are not objects." I said, looking at him as my words were translated. "My body is my own." Haruhime said that line with just as much feeling as I did, "I offer a solution that helps all of us. It will not be cheap, but the alternative, is I throw you all over the city walls myself." I kept my voice cheerful as I looked back to Kuroyuki. "Is this acceptable?"
Beside me, the woman we had talked to looked hopeful. She kept her posture as calm as possible, but as people had told me before, 'your tail is honest'.
"Yes. I offer my deepest apologize for not considering another course." Even sitting on the crate as he was, he bowed deeply to Haruhime and I. "The fox is wise."
Haruhime and I shared a laugh, leaving the rest of the room curious. After a moment I said, "If anyone asks tomorrow, I was showing you around the city. My Goddess has grounded me, and I don't want to worry her any more than I have to."
The next morning, some what sleepily, I managed to pull myself out from Haruhime's embrace, and got myself ready for the day. The six of our guests were there watching us train, bowing respectfully to myself, Hestia and Takemikazuchi as we made our appearances.
"Hey Bell?" I said as we did our warmups. I'd skipped the last couple of days, not including my week long disappearance, and it felt good to warn up with the rising sun.
"Good morning Miss Kodori." Damn, he was saying it again.
"Ready to see what I've learned from Lord Takemikazuchi?" I asked, getting the attention of Mikoto and the rest of his Familia.
"But Mister Welf hasn't replaced your gauntlets has he?" He replied, stretching out his shoulders with little pop noises.
"That's why I asked Lord Takemikazuchi to teach me." I smiled, "Still, I have things to do today, so try not to punish me too much if I miss."
"Yes Miss Kodori." He grinned back, the rest of them forming a loose circle, leaving Bell and I in the middle. "Ready?"
I got my arms up, relaxing them almost to the point of zero tension, and nodded.
It was strange. As we started to spar, his two daggers trying to weave in and out of my guard, the red and black metals moving so fast they almost looked like comets in the morning light... It wasn't that he was slow, not by any means, but as I kept my defence up, my arms only becoming rigid upon contact, my elbows and wrists bending and rotating, trying to grab onto Bell's wrists or forearms, that I actually felt like I was his equal.
It was obvious to me, more than anyone, that he was training harder than ever. But as I started to warm up my inner magic, feeling my strength and speed become something more, it was like I now had an edge over him. I had surpassed my rival.
At least, so I thought. In that one instant of pride, as my hands locked onto his wrists, he knelt, upsetting my balance as my taller body bent over him, and with a quick shuffle of his feet, my stance was destroyed, then with a quick twist of his arms, he sent me spinning to the ground. I was still holding onto him, but if I didn't let go, he could simply start flailing my body around like a club, or reverse his grip on his daggers and cut my arms.
But, since we did like each other, we stopped, let go, stood back up properly, and bowed to each other.
"WOW! It was like you were never away!" Bell said excitedly. "The way you moved your arms! It was even harder to stop your hands from grabbing me this time. I will have to work harder!"
Our six guests, Kuroyuki holding Chime, who was nibbling on a bit of his armour, were looking at us in awe. "Sugoi..." One of them said, before they collectively shook their heads.
"Lady Hestia? Could you?" I said, stepping out of the circle, letting Bell spar with his next partner.
Yawning, she smiled, "Sure." She said, coming to stand next to me, my tail migrating to rest in her hands.
"After our talk last night," I said to them, letting Hestia repeat, "I have decided to take you to a friend of ours. It is my hope they can solve all of your problems, and that I will no longer be needed to go East with you."
"Again, we thank you... And we believe you now... About throwing us over the wall." Kuroyuki said, his bear-like shoulders shaking with a laugh. "Please, take care of our wayward daughter. Oh sorry." Hestia stumbled as she realized he said that to her, not me. "Yes I will, though, she really takes care of us too... Friend!" She pointed at Chime, who stopped trying to eat Kuroyuki's armour. "Good rabbit."
My trip to Nazza's, with the lady of the group, was a little awkward. I knew what we were going there for. SHE knew what we were going there for. But neither of us could really talk about it at all. Language barrier aside.
The men of the group at least had an idea of what the trip was for, but they at least had the tact to let it stay a 'personal problem'.
I also found out her name was 'Miyuki'. It was kind of funny when I thought about it, considering the leader's name was 'Black snow', and hers was 'Pretty snow.'
"Oh, Kodori, and... You have a sister?" Nazza asked as we walked in, my guest looking around thoughtfully as we entered.
"I don't think so?" She and I didn't look alike aside from the hair and ears at least. "But..." I looked around to see if she had any other customers. "Okay... So here's the problem." I started.
Cassandra and Daphne came down some time during my explanation, and were listening in as they started setting up for the day on the complicated looking alchemist equipment behind the counter. By the end of it, the three of them were listening raptly at my story of 'distant relatives trying to kidnap me and not getting thrown over the wall for my troubles.'
"Wow..." Nazza said with her lazy smile, "I'm surprised you can ask that with a straight face."
The two former Apollo Familia members nodded, both of them blushing slightly. "Well, can you help her?"
"Sure. That one is fairly easy..." She turned her back, reaching up with her left arm into a cupboard, "I should have everything here, might take half a day." She handed some bottles to her two assistants, "Half spoon of this to boil, two spoons of this after, and mix in two vials of the green base to make it drinkable."
"Yes Ma'am." They said, turning towards the equipment.
"And the other one?" I asked.
"Are you sure this is just for her?" She teased, "I mean... You and Bell would make cute puppies."
The thought of albino fox children popped into my head suddenly, all of them climbing over Haruhime like a jungle gym. "Haha! No, not happening. But seriously?" I chuckled a bit more, my mental picture adding in Bell, and then Hestia who had one of the albino fox-Bells on her shoulders playing with her twin tails.
"Well... Maybe. I'm sure I can mix one for..." She blushed slightly, lowering her voice, "I know that the Gods and us can't have children... But I'm going to fix that one day." The normally laid back Chienthrope had a look of nearly burning determination, for a second or two anyhow, "But I know I can make at least part of it work."
"Good." I lowered my voice as well, "And you have no idea how much some people might want that... Good luck."
We shared a smile, both our tails swishing happily for a moment, "I'll have them delivered by tonight. I'll just add it to your tab."
"Oh... Do you have any really simple recipes?" I asked, signing a little bit of paper saying that I would in fact pay her the sum of... well, we could earn that...
"Looking to try your hand at mixing? I can sell you a small set to get started with too. And give you some simple reading material to get started." She added a number to the bit of paper.
"Yeah..." I said... knowing we could earn that as well, eventually.
As promised, as evening rolled about, Nazza herself stopped by, her hidden right hand holding small wooden crate tied up with string.
"Hey! You're just in time for dinner, if you want?" I said, still under house arrest. "The rest of them should be back soon too."
"No no. That's fine." She said as I let her in, "But I think we might want to translate some of this... Just for you, as a favour, since you're one of my best customers, I included the recipes for the two your friend wanted. No extra charge."
"You're amazing." I said making her tail swish back and forth happily, "Yes, lets get that done then."
So, with the help of Takemikazuchi, Miyuki the lady Renard, and Nazza, we translated the two recipes and made sure they could actually be made with what was available that far East. After Takemikazuchi had done so, and gotten kneeling forehead to floor bow from Miyuki, we gave her the small vial for her little problem. She gave Nazza the same bow, much to the Cheinthrope's embarrassment, and me a hug, calling me 'dear sister'.
The men of the group were then let back into the room, Miyuki happily hugging Kuroyuki, speaking a long string of words. Takemikazuchi smiled, "Let it never be said, you are only 'Kodori who knows how to hit things'. You've done a great deed here today." He said to me as He Nazza and I watched the six of them have a very reserved celebration. "As much as you worry about your darkness."
"It won't erase what I had to do. But maybe one of them will name a child after me or something." I shrugged, watching Kuroyuki as he walked towards us, kneeling, the others following suit, and bowing, head to floor in front of us. "DÅitashimashite." You're welcome. I said to them.
As one, each of them reached into their armour, and removed a trio of thick gold coins. Much like the ones from the history I remembered. Without raising their heads, they stacked them neatly in front of themselves.
"You're the expert Nazza... How's this for payment?" I let my tail wander over to hers, the fuzzy appendage curling around her own tail. From the way it was trying to wag happily, I figured it was more than enough. So to Takemikazuchi, I said, "One each, two from Miyuki-san. It's hard to put a price on the future, after all."
Nazza pouted a little as I plucked one of the thick gold coins from each pile, and a second from Miyuki's. From the weight, I guessed each coin was about two, maybe three ounces each. "No fair..." She complained quietly, my tail uncurling from hers.
Again to Takemikazuchi, I said, "Use some of that to enjoy the city, and return home." Again he repeated for me, the six of them nodding and straightening again, returning the coins to their hiding spots within their armour. "And that dinner is in about an hour."
The six of them actually worked together to make a dinner for us. And by the time rest of Hestia and Takemikazuchi Familia returned from the dungeon, it was all laid out on the table. It wasn't the same as Mikoto's cooking, but it certainly wasn't bad.
After dinner, Welf pulled me aside, "Hey sister... Come to the shop with me."
Notes.
So, in the spirit of book eight (I'm sure someone is tired of hearing my say this sort of thing), I'm doing some mini stories. Book eight is actually eight different sort of linear stories, starting with Ares trying to lay siege to Orario. In those stories, our original author, Fujino Omori, spends time on character development. Like, serious development. Eina, our favourite guild employee gets a story. Lilly gets one. Welf, too. But also Syr, (remember her?) and even Mikoto.
But since this is all first person, and Kodori can only be in one place at a time, you will instead see only some of those, as she deals with some of the edges of their stories, and they mix in with her own.
So, hope you enjoyed, as I always do, and I hope you continue reading.