IQ 26
~0~
Vishnu-Flynn roared; those who had died from the Wretched Darkness returned to life. And Nyalatothep shuddered in fear, remembering how, in one of its previous lives; a Lion, an ancient Lion, the true king of the forest and savannah had once killed it and ate its flesh.
And Nrihari-Flynn would once again perform this act.
The newly anointed Shaktiavesha avatara drew in all limbs until four were left, he didn't need more than that to give mercy to the poor fool.
But... Well, there was nothing wrong with having four plasma swords, something he'd seen when he was still friends with Jonathan and Walter, watching a visual epic by the name of 'Star Wars.'
What an odd name. Nevertheless, the... Lightsabers had been something that was elected residence in his consciousness and Flynn never had the heart to oust them from here.
And... it seemed that the Lord had been willing to over indulge the revived samurai, who only wanted one.
But nay, to complain about it would be grossly ungrateful toward his eternal well wisher.
Drawing his sabers, Flynn lunged at the writhing beast, carrying in his heart the Lord of Lords, the Supreme Friend and protector, God himself! He charged, his first objective in sight.
His Divine Master's servant, the lost Yaksha who was abandoned by his Apsara mother one winter as they passed over the mountains in Nihon.
This one soul whose Karma had dragged him around behind the chariot of misery, and whose great fortune knew no bounds...
With this in mind, Visnhu-Flynn jumped from one of the lotus sprouting from his footprints, lifting off from the ground like a tiger hunting for slow flying birds.
Nyarlatotehpe tried to stop him, whipping him out of the sky with his numerous tendrils, shooting him with elemental and less defined attacks, but the Divine Samourai wearing the Armour of Gods very form shrugged all the attack and began to cut down the slimy darkness that had once killed him.
Needless to say, it was extremely cathartic, it was therapy in movement.
The Lionlike Flynn, his luscious hair, now holding the same curls that glorified Keshava's own had fun, Lord had given him powers... so many powers.
And the Sanity required to wield such power.
With his beautiful nails, Nrihari-Flynn proceeded to rip away the numerous masks that covered Nyarlie's body, his ink-like blood flowing like a river as those trapped conditioned souls attained personal liberation by the touch of the Lord's nails alone.
What a sight to see, a full host of Vishnu-duhtas and their wives shedding away their material form and ascending back home on Golden Vimanas driven by Lord's Narayana's personal attendants.
It was so glorious. 'So... this is what it means to be an Instrument of Mercy.' Flynn thought as the Lord controlled his movement, freeing more devotees caged in the dark and foreboding fortress. An unlimited amount of bliss filling the Samurai of revived Hope.
And then... he realised that this joy... Was Also Bhagavan's joy.
The Lord's greatest pleasure was to share loving pastimes with his devotees following the devotee's desires for Mellows.
The Lord could do anything and everything; and yet, he respected boundaries. And because of that, his devotees were ready to destroy those boundaries for his pleasure.
The Lord never demanded them to do as such, and yet, was incredibly indebted to those whose ecstatic love for Him couldn;t be held by any boundaries.
It was a beautiful exchange of divine love, a competition in which everybody loses blissfully, even God himself.
Flynn lost himself in the bliss of freeing souls and watching them. ascend the scream of Nyarlathotep had lost their anger, and to Vishnu-Flynn's sounded like the desperate plea of a fallen conditioned soul for salvation.
But before this poor soul could be freed from his sunfull body, The shaktia-vesha avatara had another purpose; he had to find Navarre and Riyoji-san, those souls had the chance to practise Bhakti even higher than the one that lead the soul to Sri-Narayana's eternal abode.
Those souls, along with Yuki-kun, had the chance to embark on an amazing journey on the path of Vraja-Bhakti; the most precious gift God could have ever given to humanity, along with Srila-Prabhupada.
And thus, Vishnu and Flynn dived in the corrupted sea of souls, digging and hunting down fallen souls until they arrived at the nexus of all personas.
There, Messiah hung on a cross, on his back...
"My Lord, who is this... Semi-Goddess on his back?"
"This... is Mochizuki Ryoji, or what used to be him. They have shed their previous identities and have fully embraced the personality of Nyx... the guardian of Yuki and Navarre's courted one." The Lord revealed, and Flynn raised an interested brow.
"Dear one, you do know that I am aware of the past, present, and future, I know what I am doing with those two. Trust me on this."
Vishnu-Flynn grinned happily as he remembered a pastime he heard when he once was a brave and virtuous Dog, about how Krishna had set up the marriage of Arjuna with his little sister, Subhadra. Despite Balarama, Krishna's older brother's (and also Krishna as the servant Godhead.) initial disagreement, wanting to marry Yoga-Maya to Dritahastra, of all people.
Drhtahastra, The ass who stole Bharata-Varsa from their rightful owner, the Pandavas, who insulted and almost raped the five brothers saintly wife, who ignored God when he came to him with the Pandavas' humble request for a measly five villages.
But then again, Krishna has a knack for dramatic plays, and Balarama was always in for it eventualy.
"I see." The Shaktiavesha avatara thought as he began to rip the bindings around Nyx, catching her before she fell.
"Mother of the Night, are you awake?" The Black and Golden Deity asked.
No, he was not Omniscient like his Master, he was but a Jiva, a Marginal part and parcel of God, not the full thing.
Nyx raised her head (She still had some masculine features, leaving Flynn a bit flatfooted.) and stared.
"Who... Flynn? Is that you?"
Flynn was about to ask her if she wanted him to answer that philosophically or in plain meaning when he was blindsided by a black massed with a cape of chained coffins.
The Avatar of God only had the time to identify it as one of Yuki's most disturbing personas when it struck again, its wicked sword striking the marble like flesh of Narashima-priya, making sparks fly.
Of course, since Vishnu-Flynn was not but a mere marble deity, the blade of death left not a scratch upon its mirror like skin.
He also took this opportunity to take stock of the humanoid representation of death, his name escaping him.
"It's Navarre."
Oh...
Oh...
"Navarre! Snap out of it!" Flynn demanded as he manifested his shield. "Get yourself together, Samurai!"
Of course, this did nothing, for he was well and truly taken over by Nyarlatotehp.
Of course, for Flynn to free him was rather easy. Some may call him overpowered, but God was not known to calculate a little bit of power very well.
He had two hands, God, Hari had an unlimited amount of hands, when Sri-Hari wanted to reward you, you never had enough hands.
Calling his very own Conch Shell, greeting her like the old friend she was. Vishnu-Flynn put the purest bones in the world to his lips and blew.
The sound of the sacred conch was loud and clear, the very sound of victory for all who had a shred of piety, and for those demons.
They heard it as a death knell, when really it was the sound of the fabled trumpets preceding the ascension of those fortunate souls on their way to the Brahman effulgence. To once again become one with the light of the Lord.
Of course, for a devotee, this was even worse than going to hell/ facing the illusory delight of the heavens, since you couldn't serve Krishna at all.
The Conch, glad to be of service, blew away all Darkness, the one using Navarre as a puppet, and the one keeping all of those souls captive.
Many of those fortunate souls attained the four arms form of Narayana, leaving the phenomenal world filled with death and suffering on their Vimana, going back home, back to Godhead.
And then... all became quiet.
Until.
"Flynn? Is that you?" Navarre, who still looked like Thanatos, the Greek god of peaceful death. His lime green plume waving in the wind? "By the Axiom, what happened to you?!Wait... are you still Flynn? Where are we? Why ARE WE FLOATING IN THE SKY O LORD HELP!" The terrifying form of Thanatos panicked and desperately clung to Flynn. Reminding the...
'Wait, I'm still a Samurai?' Flynn wondered as he half listened to Navarre's repeated beseeching to be put down. The Avatar of Vishnu then glanced at Nyx, only to realize two things.
One, all were free.
And two...
The Night mother was holding Yuki's body in her arms protectively, and beside her, the youth's ghostly form hovered close.
And the demon... was gone for good.
It was... over.
~0~
"Is it... really over?" Krishna-Kripa asked as he walked beside his mother. "Thought it would be more... you know, epic with all of us using the power of friendship to kill the guy, you know?"
Mukhara let out a tired, fond smile. "Beta... sometimes final villains don't have to die in a spectacular way."
"But mom, it was a spectacular way. First Mohini-devi revived us all, then she revived Flynn who is now apparently a shaktiavesha avatar of Lord Narashimadeva. Then Sri-Vishnu-Flynn began ripping all of those ugly masks, and freed those souls from their material bondage-then-"
"Yes, Kripa, I know, I saw it happen, I was there, after all." Mukhara chickled fondly as she led the group out of the ruined 'temple.' and out toward Caffee Florida. And despite Kripa's enthusiasm, it was a rather subdued walk of triumph.
While He had been saved in body, Yuki's mind was still in pieces, the blue haired youth was unresponsive, it was only the raising of his chest and his strong, steady heartbeat that assured the group that all had not been for naught. He was currently carried by Merkebah, the angel's perfect brows were knitted as a few of his eyes looked at the unconscious youth with pathos, flying beside him, Mai was gently singing the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra.
For Kripa... this was... he felt his Krishna there, in the sound vibration. He could hear his voice, his flute, smell his aroma, taste his sweetness...
but oh, this wily thief had cheated him, He had yet to appear to Krishna-Kripa's sight, and Kripa's hands were devoid of the fresh softness of His Lord's Lotus feet.
But... who was Krishna-Kripa to demand such an intimate audience with Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Master of all universes and in whom all rested, the source of all potencies, the maintainer of everything, the cause of everything the-
he was suddenly tackled to the floor by Gaston as a fireball struck the wall he had been in front not even a second ago.
It was then that the bestial screech, Merkaba and Mai erected a shield around them.
The rain of flame bounced harmlessly on the manifestation of grace, rendering everything around it into cinders.
"Man, now this feels like home." Radha mumbled as she manifested a few skull shaped evil spirits. "why did Zong-kun have to get liberated, the guy would've gotten rid of whatcha ma called them-
"Anamelech." Mukhara said absentmindedly as she drew out her shaku. "She wants to kill you, Beta... for killing her husband. She wants to burn you alive and eat your flesh." She warned.
"Like every other demon, then." Kripa could not help but smirk... "Is she like her husband? Like, with-'' His queston died on his tongue as a wall of flames erupted around them, making the air dangerously hot for the part plant.
Thankfully, Mai was there, her wonderful wings offering Kripa the cooling isolation he needed against the blaze that Peacorn 2.0 was raining on the group.
There was a demoniac screech, and Radha-Shyamasundara then reminded everyone that, despite having been elevated to a celestial, she still came and lived in hell, and that her body was made of literal fire.
"ALRIGHT, BITCH. GET BENT!" The hell cat screeched as she pounced on the Mesopotamian God...
...
" Say, Merkaba... any Idea why Anamelech looks like her husband?" The Dryad askes the Seraph as he watches the cat fight from a safe distance.
no... it was not a sexy cat fight since Radha-Shyamasundara had taken her demoniac form, and Anamelech...
Dang, what had Adramelech done to the poor woman! She was but saggy skin and crooked bones.
"I... Honestly, I have no idea, for all we know, she could be his sister."
"Oh mayhaps the... crusaders and inquisitors gave her this form... better yet, they are of the same species." Mai added as she moved away from the fiery being. "But... is she a deity-" She winced as Radha turned into her true form and bit the demon's head off, then dragged the sinful soul to hell, incinerating the body in the process.
The group stared for a moment.
"You know." Kripa spoke up after the ashes settled. " I feel like... none of us are fighting much?"
"Kripa... first of all, no one is truly fighting."
"Right, Like what Barbari saw." The greenette spoke with a sagely nod.
"Second... Radha should not have been able to go to Hell like that." His mother informed him, her mouth set in a straight line and her eyes glistening with unsettled concern.
" Fuck, really?" Ken asked as he clenched the Lance of Longinus, now snapped in half.
The rest of the troupe gathered around her, Krishna still hanging out with the true angels.
"Unfortunately." The Saintly hermit spoke grimly. " I doubt Stephen let go of his playground this easily. And..." She frowned. "the only reason for this to happen so suddenly,and without a fight."
"Again." Toad grumbled, his guns still cold.
"... I believe something... or someone killed him." Mukhara said grimly. "And... I know for a fact that whatever killed him..."
"Is Op as fuck." Nozomi expertly summarized, and for once, Mukhara didn't complain.
It probably helped that she was reviewing the codes that made their world.
...
Krishna-Kripa did his best not to think too much about how the world that saw him grow was basically a video game.
"Beta..."
"I'm-"
"You're not okay, Beta... don't try to fool me, I've heard enough."
Despite himself, Kripa broke...
either from the years of complete bullshittery and pain at the hand of a cruel DM... or the fact that Yuki had yet to awaken or...
Well, he had a long week, and he was still a teenager, he had the right to experience a mental breakdown or two over nothing.
And, let's be honest... With Nyarly and Stephen gone, the two biggest threats were basically gone, all they needed to do was some cleanup.
He managed to keep it more or less together, Mai, Merkebha and Gaston surrounding him as he walked close to Flynn, still in his Vishnu-rupa and Yuki... hopefully sleeping form.
Flanking his old friend and brother were two figures he'd never expected to see again Thanatos and Nyx, and the two were walking beside Yuki and Flynn as if they were meant to be there.
Krishna-Kripa still remembered the past, when he had been in the body of Ananda-Manjari, Aigis the robot.
A Robot designed to kill the night mother and end the...
'No wait... who the fuck... no, I had... Ryuji... was he Nyx? Was he... Thanatos? Was Thanatos Nyx's Persona? I'm so confused.'
"Beta." Mukhara spoke as she floated closer to her son, placing a doll-like hand on his shoulder, she put her mouth close to his ear and spoke slowly. "I know you're confused, but as in every lie, illusions and sight are used to make people believe things that do not exist."
"A confused man thinking a rope to be a snake, and a snake a rope."
Mukhara ruffled his expertly styled hair, causing the teenager to whine about them.
Hey, it was the one thing he's permitted himself to have!
"From what I can hear from the two natives, Nyx... used to be Ryuji... but apparently, this layer of personality is gone, and only Nyx is left. She's... I'd say this is the first time she's not bound by the Plot's demand, but she does desire for Yuki to get better and to have... some time with Navarre."
"Navarre?" Kripa asked a bit louder than intended. "But... I thought he was Thanatos."
"No, Thanatos may have been something else, maybe a slave ghost or another illusion like those 'demons' running around and looking all the same."
Kripa hummed. "Yeah... actually, if I remember correctly; Personas are, or were, Shadows, basically mooks that had been trained and tamed."
Mukhara's eyebrow reached up to the rim of her glasses. "You don't say."
"I just did... so... what's up with them?" Karuna asked. "my memory as Aigis may be pretty spotty, but I've never seen Personas with... well, a personality... not that Nyx was a Persona." He amended.
no... she was the death mother, the fall made human.
"Hmm... I may be wrong, but I believe Nyx now only wants to see Yuki awake and whole, same for Navarre..."
beside kripa, still keeping him grounded with his powerful arms, gaston turned to Thanathos… Navarre with narrowed eyes.
no… it couldn't be.
The conversations petered out. And all made their way back to Cafe Florida.
Yuki didn't wake up then... and Krishna-Kripa knew that saving his body was only the beginning of the fight.
Who, in their right mind, would let 'Krishna' in their shelter? And if they did, how much could they trust the other hunters?
'Krishna' was in the most vulnerable state ever. And... Did the hunters see 'him' kill Flynn?
Kripa could honestly not remember, the adrenaline coursing through his veins meeting Krishna again and realising that his current 'persona' Mohini murtIi was none other than Him.
Who would've thought God, the Supreme controller, the man! The One! The Absolute truth, the Father of All Religion and the protector of religion... to indulge in crossdressing.
And Kripa had to admit... He killed it!
And the whole fight with Nyarlathotep... the spreader of darkness and most cruel of the Old Ones.
If it hadn't been for the Goddamned (He had heart Krishna muttered about how he disliked the celestial vault, saying how the underside of Govardhana hill was way nicer than this pale facsimile.) death trap, then yes, Kripa would've sparked the asshole to Kingdom Come. But, unfortunately, the last thing he'd wanted had been to bring Mikado (he'd heard from Miss Isabeau and Flynn that there were people living on top. No way Kripa would commit a genocide... and no matter how hard he'd tried to remember, he didn't remember Krishna asking for one either.
...
Nope, not in the Mahabharata, not in the vedas, not in any Canto of the Srimad-bhagavatam and definitely not in the Chaitanya-charitamrita.
God was love, and God loved all of his creations…
well, there was the whole Mahabhrata war, but those had been the demons mother eart, bhu-devi had pleaded the lord to dispense with.
but Krishna had been the one acting, not Arjuna, and no other heroes, as confirmed by barbari.
No, wait, there was this one time he requested Arjuna to let Agnideva eat a forest of medicinal herbs after he (the god of fire.) had been fet to much ghee in a sacrifice, giving him indigestion, and Arjuna was asked to kill whatever demons and animals that would run away, and this one demons preventing the forest fire.
Of course, Krishna was physically present at the time, meaning that all those 'animals' simply shed their animal skin and took on their eternal spiritual form.
'Krishna killing you is the same as Krishna saving you... He's absolute.
"Alright, ducklings. We're back home." Nozomi drawled as she gestured at the ever lovely entrance to cafe florida.
And, as if on cue, hunters, civilians and angels all poured out of the stronghold and rushed at the group, all of them singing loudly and jubilantly the Holy Names of Krishna, the Supreme and Absolute Truth.
(from the Corner of his eyes, he saw Radha-Shyamasundara slip Yuki's body in a body bag, the second one, and load what was hopefully not an empty body on her cat-cart, disappearing to Krishna knows where.)
The next thing ne'd knew, he was dragged into the cafe to celebrate Sri-Vishnu's victory.
~0~
"It's over... Holy crap, I'm so done." Krishna-Kripa whined as he flopped down on the bed in his mother's room. He was tired, the fight had been... technically, he had died again, and God had to send an Avatara down.
Also, Flynn looked good in his black Kurta, white dhoti and red satchel... and were those cat ears peeking from his now curly hair? And, just like Krishna-Kripa golden Tilaka marking covered his body, along with the six auspicious weapons of Lord Nara-hari tattooed on his chest, arms and back.
(they took a shower in the communal one... dang. Divine empowerment looks good on the true Messiah.)
Still, as hot as Flynn was, the original was miles above him, since not only was Krishna hot (he was the source of all heat and light too.) But he had this sweetness that Lord Narayana and all of his awesome expansions lacked.
He was the performer of numerous sweet pastimes. For example, in the twelve Cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Narayana and His other Avatars have but a handful of appearances, a chapter only and at those times, the Lord appears to give his blessing, or to kill a demon... and he's gone.
But not Krishna.
Krishna's pastime lasted the whole tenth Canto, about 4,000 verses of nectar describing Krishna in his most sweet and intimate form.
In Vraja-Bhumi, the Lord wasn't sitting on a throne, but the lap of his mother and father, Yashona and Nanda. And while he had servants; he also had friends, parents and lovers, the Vraja-gopis. He didn't wear shoes because he was in the mood of a cowherd boy, a Gwal living mostly in the forest and only returning home to eat and sleep...
Well... not quite sleeping, the nights were filled with other pleasures for him to taste.
But the point being that... Virnshu didn't have friends, Krishna did. Vishna only had temporary parents... the same couple that had incarnated beside him. But Ultimately, only Krishna enjoyed a full on childhood in which he got to play the role of the sweet baby boy of King Nanda and Mother Yashoda.
And out of all the Avatara, only Krishna danced the Rasa Lila with those...
'Wait... was it sixteen thousand a hundred and eight gopis or eight billion?' He wondered as he turned on his back, trying to figure out the actual number... and why did Krishna send him those super obscure details on something his mother didn't even tell him yet...
" The Guru gives divine spiritual knowledge through one's heart also, Kripa." Krishna said from Krishna heart... or maybe the lime green couch he's managed to have moved here.
It still smelled like his Krishna despite a full week having gone by, and how could Kripa not remember his beloved sitting on the back of it nonchalantly, holding his dumb flute to his beautiful, ruby shaming limbs, so moist and sweet... like a pair of ripened fruits.
Suddenly, someone knocks on the door. But Before Kripa could tell them to go suck someone else.
"Aegis, it's me, Fujiwara..." The leader of all the hunters sounded from the other side of the door.. There was something about his tone.
Krishna-Kripa hated that... it gave him... a bad gut feeling.
"I need to speak to you but... Fuck." he whispered under his breath.
Kripa got off the bed and padded to the door, sliding it open. And indeed, Fujiwara was at the other side of the door... but man, he looked like a fucking mess.
"Fujiwara-san... what happened?" Kripa asked.
Fujiwasa looked at the son of Yuthika and Mukhara and sighed. "You will need to sit down for this..."
"... Dad died, didn't he?"
Fujiwara opened his mouth... and then closed in in a thin line, his furrowed brows aging him ten years over.
He sighed and went into the room, sitting down on Krishna's couch... only to sit up, staring at the Son of Yuka with deep seated fear.
Kripa jerked his head toward a rickety chair. No way he would let the boss of all bosses stink up his Krishna's couch.
God sat in it, meaning it belonged to him now.
Now sat in the uncomfortable Chair (Kripa was definitely enjoying the mild look of discomfort of Fujiwara a bit too much.) Kripa was all ears.
"How did you know?" Fujiwara asked. "Did..."
"Yeah. Krishna, the real one, comatose in the infirmary, is in my heart." Kripa said as he sat back on his bed. "It's... not really talking but... it was a gut feeling." The green haired Vaishnava explained as he grabbed his Mother's Japa, fingering the beads anxiously.
"Well... it's a very on-point gut feeling you had there." Fujiwara admitted as he removed his hat. "I'm just surprised you're not devastated by the news. Your sister's devastated."
"I'll say." The Vaishnava said as he leaned back on his hands and let his legs stretch out. " Well... It's... not like I'm not sad. I am, trust me... but I knew... Listen, in my previous life-" Fuhiwara let out a put upon sight. "he ran... he tried to run over my mom, Mukhara in his van." He explained as he flopped down on the semi-lumpy bed. "He... he hated us Hare Krishnas... just because we were different... and because we are a cult... Not a bad cult, trust me. Aigis and everyone are treated well enough, and no one is forced to do anything, it's all voluntary... but Junpei, he hurt Yuki, he hurt Koromaru when he went to live with us. Sure, he was a dog but... he was the greeter Dog of our Tokyo branch, holding a basket filled with sacred sweets and pamphlets for the guests. Kids loved him... everyone loved Koromaru... they would call him Madhumangala because he was such a Laddhu Addict."
"... He sounds like a good dog." Fujiwara interjected, knowing that this was something weighing heavily on Kripa's heart.
Krishna-kripa sniffed as he scrubbed at the tears gathering at the side of his eyes. "Yeah... he was the best... Koromaru... Koromaru was the best dog ever... so sweet with kids." He sobbed a bit as he remembered his best Dog friend, a Devotee despite his canine birth. "Junpei... gave him chocolate. like, enough to kill him."
Fujiwara stared in horror at the Dryad. "He what?! Why?"
Kripa shrugged. "I don't... I don't really know. But considering he tried to run over Mukhara with his van, I guess he got it in his head that all Hare Krishnas were evil cultists and that he was doing Japan a favor by trying to get rid of us."
"Holy hell..." Fujiwara ran his hand in his graying hair. "So that's why he was so good at tracking down Gaean and Maruans."
"Maruans?" Kripa Parotted.
"Basically, it's a bunch of people who follow this one cult leader, his name Maruo." Fujiwara explained with a crooked smile. "His whole shtick was all about greed and lust. You ate how much you wanted, more than your stomach could handle, had sex with whomever you wanted, even if they said no or were unavailable."
"You know, this was one type of Atheistic cult Srila-Prabhupada warned us about. The guys were all about this 'yolo start eat the food you want, don't settle with oil, you need ghee and steal it if you need to."
Fujiwara grunted. "So this Maruo's cult's not a new thing."
"Nope, that's like the most demoniac cult you can have, it's all about exploitation and selfish desire. You do it for you, you take what you want and fuck those that just happen to be in your way." Kripa said as he slipped his hands behind his back. "Now, that cult of personality... yeah, no, those of vile and hell, like... the head of those cult is usually a big ass Asura using a bit of magic and fancy words jugglery to mesmerize the poor sheeples, and those wanting to be cheated."
"Nobody wants to be cheated."
"Oh, they do want to be cheated, since if those people really wanted true spirituality, they would Worship Sri-Krishna and go back home back to Godhead. And worshipping Krishna's not something recent. We're talking about the beginning of the universe type of long." Kripa spoke as he felt his energy return to him.
"Alright, if you say so." Fujiwara dismissed. "But... this doesn't change the fact that your adoptive father died and... I still have no idea what you were trying to say." He admitted.
Krishna-Kripa blushed. "Right, sorry... I got hit with some... memories, you know." He didn't wait for the older man to answer. "Anyway... Junpei... Junpei basically did the one thing to have God smite you out of divine anger."
The greenette practically heard Fujiwara's eyebrows go up. "So, you're telling me God, Krishna, this young cowherd boy you guys are worshiping with love. The one whom your mother just told me had a butter soft heart and who would die if a single blade of grass in Vrindavan would die... killed Iori Junpei... smote him just like those feathered assholes do to us?!"
Kripa shrugged. "What can I say, Krishna loves his Devotees. He can take all the bullshit we throw at Him, even the stinking ghost hog shit. But my Krishna can't tolerate when someone's not happy seeing his Servants, and Iori-san... He... He killed... two."
Fujiwara closed his eyes. "I see... you know, as sad I am over his death, he really should've known better than to mess with a Deity's property."
Kripa shrugged. "Hey, we're in Kali-Yuga, the age where Asuras are free to do whatever they want." His eyes fell to the sky, whipping away the tears there. "He... he still raised me right, he housed me when he had nothing... he and Mama-Chi, I hope Nitiananda will give them... and Nikari and Manabu, his Causeless Mercy.
"It... It sucks ass but." His voice broke...
"I hate this place... I want to go home."
Suddenly, through his tears and his stuffed up nose, he realised that his Mother had entered the room. Gesturing to Fujiwara that it was time for him to leave.
The leader of the Hunters Association took this as an order and got up. "Right... I get you, I also hate this place... Mother Mukhara, when do you think we can start evacuating everyone to the real world?"
Kripa snorted, causing Fujiwara's head to once again wipe to face him.
"Don't mind him, Vaishnava In-joke." his mother wisely waved off. "Usually, evacuation can take up to a year, more for those who are covered with a skin, like some of those 'demons' 'gods' and 'angels'." She explained. "Now sometimes, we can find some actual demi-gods and other higher beings, since hermits are on the same level as Sages whose prowess Includes planetary creations and perfect illusion of life."
"I see, and I suppose this will take some time."
Mukhara nodded. "Indeed, I will have to see if we could evacuate the people to Tokyo to Mikado and go from there, since Mikado has everything one would need to live, and fields are abundant."
"Yes..." Fujiwara nodded. "Now... I have some things to take care of. Let's talk more tomorrow?"
Mukhara nodded. "Yes, tomorrow afternoon sounds like a wonderful idea."
And with this, the two leaders bowed to one another; and Fujiwara left the Vaishnavas alone.
Mukhara's smile left her face as she floated to her son's side, sitting by him as he finally gave himself the time to grieve properly for all he had lost.
She let him, giving him the silent support he needed and desired.
~0~
In another part of the underground complex, a curious meeting was in session between three individuals.
It was a decently sized room with a few couches, tables, and chairs. Really, just something cobbled up together quickly so that three men, three comrades could have a long overdue talk.
It was between Flynn, Jonathan, and Issachar.
The avatar of Narashima-deva, Merkebha and Shesha.
The atmosphere was tense, to say the least.
The three stood... well, sat on different couches. All had much to say, no one knew where to start.
Until Flynn, still dressed in his black kurta and golden dhoti, broke it.
"Issachar," he addressed his friend. " How are you, old friend?"
Issachar raised his head, his red snake eyes blown wide open in surprise. "I... You still consider me a friend?" he asked meekly.
Flynn nodded, softening his eyes. "Of course."
"But I... I went to the Kabal, got turned into a wretch and..." He closed his eyes. "You may have forgiven me, Flynn... but... I can't forgive myself, not after..."
"What happened to me?" Flynn ended. "Issachar I-"
"And I must apologize too, Flynn." Jonathan interrupted as he jumped to his feet, and performed Dogeza to the 'new' Avatara of the Lord. "I... I fell to the angel's trap, inebriated by their sweet words and-"
"Jonathan." Flynn said as he picked up his old companion from the floor, hugging him to his chest. "You are forgiven, for powers beyond our scope where at play.'' Then he opened another arm, inviting Issachar to participate in the embrace.
The revived youth hesitated for an instant... only to throw himself in his childhood friend's arm, letting his tears flow.
Flynn also added to the torrent...
true, he may be detached from what happened to him, for he knew this material world to be transient by nature and the ultimate source of all mysteries.
But...
These souls... were still his friends. Friends that had returned from the depths of Hell and the bank of the Styx...
Beloved friends Flynn had missed more than he'd cared to admit.
After some time, the three released each other enough that their forms could be distinguished, holding hands as they coped with their reddened glance.
"It's... good to have you all back." Flynn addressed the two.
"Indeed... it's good... to be me, again." Jonathan agreed as he wiped away the tears still staining his cheeks. "but... we are not the same as when we started our adventures, aren't we Flynn... Issachar?"
It caused the slit eyes man to blink a few times. "Hey... I reckon you're right, Luxuror... Flynn, are you aware that you now bear cat-like features?" Issachar asked as he imitated the speech of those who lived in the city.
it was hilarious, and Flynn shamelessly whipped away the tears from his eyes.
if there was any more reason to worship his Lord…
Well… of course there was. but for now, Flynn would accept the small token of love with due gratitude.
"Yes, Issa. I have the ears of a cat, and a fluffy tail too." the Servant of God said as he reached his tail.
It was so long and fluffy, it was a great tool to deal with anxious thoughts and haunting images.
Yes, this tail was a gift of God, and no one could say anything otherwise.
This caused Jonathan to chuckle.
"Alright Jonathan, what's so funny."
"I don't know if you have any recollection of our time as samurai apprentices … I may have forgotten the location but… I believe Walter was quite adamant I was acting like a cat you…"
"I removed my pants because the stitched fabric is unclean, and, since all of you were acting beyond odd, I wanted to calm my mind and thus, I did a few pranayama, starting with the anulom-vilom." Flynn explained…
Really, having this type of knowledge should have clued him in on his true nature.
his two friends. (he had two friends again.) looked at him as if he had grown fived wholly different brains.
"I believe you were saying that I was the cat now?" Flynn asked with a knowing smirk tugging his lips and a flap of his velvety soft years.
Issachar looked at the two Samurai, one who used to serve YhVh, now Converted to Vaishnavism, and his mate, his pale, his sworn brother, his pappy…
now a Legit avatar of God.
…
"Say… does serving God… both of your sound quite… ah… mind… touched?"
The two servants of the Lord turned to the snake man named Shesha… and burst out laughing.
"Ah… Guys?"
Suddenly, the door opened, and Radha-Shyamasundara peeked inside, a mischievous smile on her cat-like lips.
"Actually, we do have a bunch of Saintly madmen, Avadhutas we call em." She explained. "The Adi Avaduta's none other than the Avatar or Gauranga; Nityananda, who's the Source of the original Shesha." The human shaped feline gave a meaningful glance to Issachar.
This caused Flynn to burst into laughter.
Well played, God. Well played.
~0~
"Flynn!" Isabau practically threw herself to her long-time Partner, happy to see him alive once more.
It had been three days since the gnarly Nyarly had been dutifully slain (Liberated by an Avatar of an Avatar, no less.) and between the remaining Samurai (Sans Gaston, since wherever Kripa went, he would be present. and Kripa was in no hurry to go out, not after the death of his adopted dad and the funerals held for those he knew.) a decision had been taken.
Lucifer was the last threat, and had to be taken out.
Radha… did her best to remain like that of a stone. She had just entered her heat, and Flynn…
Holy Lands, he was perfect.
She had heard from Odin (the guy wanted his kitty back, and had apologized to her about the whole murder thing and how he felt like his light had come back. Poor guy, how could Radha say no, especially when he was appreciative of Bhakti?) all of Flynn's numerous prowess.
Apparently, the guy's four eyed crow was the best spy ever, and the (not so) All-Father had regaled the HellCat about all of Flynn's prowess in this land of meat-eating demons and boy.
Boy, wasn't he perfect!
Even for a human, she may add.
And now…
Holy land, he had the most expressive set of ears Radha had seen in her long life, and his tail movements were clear and precise, yet lax and playful. And what to say of his smell.
No, he didn't smell like a cat… he smelled like God, literally. With his natural human-turned-Cat smell.
And didn't it give Rin the desire to raise her butt to his face while meowing as loud as she could for him and only him.
But, Radha-Shyamasundara wasn't just Orin; the horny hellcat. She was a Vaishnavi in training, and as a Vaishnavi, such wanton actions were viewed as disgusting and wrong.
Bhakti was above the animal platform, and those who practiced it absolutely abhorred the thought of Mundane sex life, finding it tasteless and gross.
no, it wasn't like those overly prude Christiens and Catholics… and other religion that hated sex, calling it the work of the devil while ignoring the fact that repression led to explosion, and that Sex was still needed for progeny, and that feeling of shame over this vital act would only cause more misseries for all.
No, Vaishnavas hated useless sex because they could not use it for Krishna… but those who where still attached to their bodies and where of the more sensual type where not necessarily ostracised, since they would used sex to bring them pious souls down do earth, like demi-gods and great sages through the method of Garbhadhana samskara, or the consecration of one's womb on expectation for the great soul that would take shelter there.
Really, in all of her years, Radha had never even thought that sex was anything other than a fun distraction to a way to make more hellspawn. Until she learned that there was a whole lot more to it.
Unfortunately, she had no taste for humans (save their flesh, that is.) She was a cat, a Kasha, and thus she was attracted to those who had the same body as her.
Unfortunately… Again, all Kasha's of hell hated the Idea that God was even a thing, and all would rather hunt, kill, and maim than turn to Vaishnavism and finally get the hell out of Hell. And to enjoy eternal life as Krishna's servant.
but no, they served no one… but their mind and senses like the animals they were.
And thus, you had a rather sexually frustrated Kasha who, despite all the prayers she did, could not find the one.
Until now.
She had heard of Flynn, for sure.
Great warrior, regal, powerful, smart, well loved and respected even by the demons (those were not all demons, most were just programs but sure, let's go with that.)
The actual first time she had met the handsome man was when she was dragged out by this fake Ganesh to be thrown in the ocean of poison. And the guy was obviously not in control of his body.
But it was clear that he was a vanilla human. A powerful human that could easily beat the crap out of those fake demons, but a human nonetheless.
He didn't even look good to eat, to be honest. Save the fact that he had been dead for a few days already.
But… he was cute, and she was sure his heart friend would mourn him bitterly.
Now, after his fiery resurrection?
He had the most expressive ears ever, his tail was long and warm, and he smelled like the perfect cat.
oh, and Narashima-Deva's altar and a fire of sacrifice.
and the way he would look at her… not like a piece of meat but, as a soul, as a woman…
As.. a human, perhaps?
…
No, the guy saw everyone as a spirit soul stuck in a body made of gross matter and mentally moved by the three modes of Material nature. But call her crazy, he seemed to look at Radha with fondness.
Flynn was currently talking to Shesha Das, Joe, and Owin, his designated Waifu (Don't get Radha wrong, she was a nice girl but…) apparently, they were planning a raid on Lucifer's stronghold since, after the (Dry yet delicious.) Anamelech had attempted to attack her KK.
You just don't do that and expect to live. No way in hell, where the asshole will end up.
She would make sure of that.
"Alright so… Can I join in?" Radha asked as she manifested her favorite evil spirit. "never got the chance to properly hunt…"
Lady Hawk gave a gentle smile, but Radha knew she was… lukewarm about the whole thing while Shesha das, Owin, Boo… and Jonathan looked at her like another valued addition.
And Flynn?
he was giving Radha plenty of slow blinks…
Welp… She was screwed… or saved.
After the debriefing (apparently, Lucy was made from two peeps. One was this chick named Hikaru and the other was another Mikado samurai called Walter.)
The process of his turning had been willing, for he felt that he would truly be happy in the world where the strong were in control.
Well… he wasn't wrong, for this was the desire of all conditioned souls in the material world.
in the Spiritual world, the Strongest and only true man is Krishna… of course, the Vedic gender meaning was different then the Atheistic one.
The male, Purusa, was the controller and enjoyer, and the Prakrti, the female nature was the enjoyed, the maidservant, the pleasure giver.
So obviously, demoniac man desired to control her with their greater power, but jokes on them, the supreme Prakrti was Maya, Durga, the wife of Shiva… the one whose depicted drinking the blood, Mother Kali, in whose womb the material world resided and was destroyed and generated by her will, held them all in the dungeon of her very self, beating them, and killing them all over and over again until they finally get a clue.
'Poor rascal, hope ya learn yer lesson.' Radha thought as she let her eyes drift at the handsome man taking charge, her mouth opening as she took in his scent…
…
"Miss… Kaenbyou?" The delicious human of the party addressed the kasha. "Is everything well?"
What was her name again? Lady Hawk (right?) asked her with a slight crease between her brows.
"I dunno, how do you feel about sharing a lion eventually?" She asked the clearly infatuated human woman, still smelling like a child stuck in a war…
Of course, this one was over eighteen, so she wasn't the most egregious example of a child soldier, not by a long shot.
Lady Hawk stared at the cat. "I… beg your pardon?"
"You are Forgiven." and Radha meant it, as she felt the numerous sins accumulated during unlimited lifetime dissolved.
She was a Hare Krishna, it came with the wings and Halo, practically.
But the red eyed girl (a descendent of Reimu, perhaps? not that Revati had any since she was blessedly Ace and so Aro, even Cupid was begging forgiveness.) just gave this slow, confused blink to the cat. (and wasn't this sending the Kasha some major mixed message.)
"Flynn, our divine lion. I can smell you want him. And I don't want to take this from you… but at the same time, I've spent decades waiting for Mister Right … and boy, he checks all the Boxes." She purred before growing sober again.
"... I won't bug you, though. I know he started off as a human, so he'll have his eyes on you, Lady Hawk. And you guys went to Hell together. He gave you strength, you gave him support. I'm new to his life, barely knew him for a few hours and here I am imagining him being my Groom." The Kasha let out a heavy sigh, careful not to let her flames out. "Listen… I'll settle with one child just… just one night, that's all. then I'll be gone and no one will have to hear of me again." She finished quickly, only to realize that she must Have put her litter filled back paw in her mouth.
Ashamed of her actions, the kasha took her cat form and jumped in a very surprised, yet elated Odin's arms. Hiding her face in the crook of his elbow.
She was burning in shame, how could she even dare say that.
'it's the hormones, it has to be… Fuck this material body, why can't I have better control of it!'
Unknown to her, Izabau's eyes never left the cat, a delicate fyet confused smile printing her delicate features.