Foxside: The Temple of Inari 52 - Nine Years of Foxes

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven's hair stands on end (mostly metaphorically, or else he'd look terribly silly) as the entity approaches. His hands and ankles shake just a tiny bit, but he appears at least to at least be trying to keep his cool.

"Actually, yes. They were the first things weak enough that I've taken down on my own. Previously that honor was held only by various deer who weren't good at dodging bullets. They were of a select few." he hisses.

In his mind,
Holy Tamamo, patron of shadows...
Uh....
Okay I'm honestly too terrified to come up with something proper and rhyming right now, so uh, Send Help. Soon. Please. Thanks.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline does not leave. She doesn't even move particularly.

Izanami arches an eyebrow, but her grin is the rictus grin of death

Heh... alas. And my apologies to your most dreadful prayer, sir Steven: but I ate it, as is my right for malformed prayers.

She turns to Certain with a smile

Ah... and here she is: hello, Certain - I have heard so much about you. Do you know who I am?

Caroline hisses

Izanami!

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven frowns.
"I would say that 'malformed' in this case is entirely subjective. Regardless, I doubt you came here to simply mock us, and I doubt you came here to pay me back for your lost toys. Even you know the repercussions of attacking a goddess' followers in her own temple."
From what he understands, she is still part of the pantheon's alliance, as tentative as it may be for her.
"So, what is it that you want?" he asks, scowling.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain frowns, the red-haired angelic mage saying, "I can't quite place you, no. But it doesn't matter who you are, or how powerful you are...It is my duty, as Inari's Angel of Vengeance, to ensure that justice is served...And that the people here are protected."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Izanami chuckles at Steven and Caroline

I'm afraid that if I am paying attention, then your syllabic and rhymic structure do indeed matter. It was set down by MY parents as a requirement and even Malukhar cannot overrule it: I have a right to EAT the prayers that are not in the proper form. But you are quite right - I am not here to attack anyone.

She turns back to Certain with a smile.

Certain: my dear granddaughter Inari would surely not countenance your attacking her grandmother! And you had such a proper career ahead of you, too... Tell me, though, Certain: how much vengeance do you think RICE regularly needs, hmm?

She gestures at Caroline and Steven

At least, what vengeance that these eaters of rodents and fowl do not already provide? Do you know they openly support Magtok, and have their own army based partially in this very facility?

She smirks: a dreadful sight

Do not mistake me: surely my granddaughter will help you avenge yourself on that pathetic loser... and then she will lose interest and you can pick your thumbs here with everyone else.

Or not.

Perhaps someone older and wiser than my granddaughter might help you see out your vision just a little better, hmm? No: you don't want to kill ALL the gods - that would be silly. But there are quite a few who are asking for it, and not just that particular offensive individual. Would you let them go free just because they are not "immediate" threats?

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven rolls his eyes.
"Right. She'll lose interest the way she lost interest with her foxes after ten billion years. Vengeance? There was need for it plenty in just the last year. But I doubt you came here to mock your granddaughter's followers and lecture her angel, Ma'am. " he says, his fear giving way to frustration as he attempts to steer the death goddess to the point so she can get on with it and leave.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain frowns, and looks sorely tempted, but then shakes her head and says cooly, "I'm already contracted under Inari, thank you. Nor do I have any particular desire to change that, for now. Come back in a couple decades and we'll see."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Izanami smiles at Certain - a terrible sight to behold

I have time, dear. Wait a thousand years in my granddaughter's garden as a stone statue: it means little enough to me. My debate with my former husband has gone on all this time, what is a little longer to mean? A thousand a day on one side, fifteen hundred a day on the other - overpopulation and death by starvation is guaranteed so long as I am denied my vengeance.

Then she turns her decaying glance to Caroline and Steven

I'll let your friends discuss the repercussions with you, Certain. As Caroline said, I am Izanami no Mikoto, oldest of the gods worshipped by mortals. Your dear Inari is my granddaughter, and while she is a sweet child, she lacks understanding of a great many things.

And so, as I leave, I will grant you a boon: Tamamo: your children are frightened. Perhaps you could come comfort them?

And with that, she is no longer there. Only the slightest fraction of a heartbeat later, Tamamo is there herself: resplendent in her dress of woven shadows and looking both concerned and the tiniest bit frightened

Oh no...

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven sniffs as the goddess leaves. He's had quite enough of her.
"Falsities and grandeur. Even I know that the former husband she mentioned is older than her." But then he remembers his audience, and turns and bows low.
"Apologies, Your Holiness. I wish we could have met the first time under....more pleasant circumstances." he says, before letting out a long and heavy breath that he'd been holding for minutes.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain glaces nervously as Caroline ans Steven once Izanami leaves and says nervously, hardly even picking up on Tamamo, "Um...Just curious, any ideas as to what she meant be 'repercussions'? That is rarely ever a good thing...Especially out of the mouth of a god."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline bows to Tamamo

Your Holiness

Tamamo doesn't seem particularly interested in formality right now

What did she want?

Caroline shakes her head

I think she wanted to recruit Certain... but our newest angel turned her down. Though she left with a vague threat.

Tamamo sighs

Ugh! First Keiko goes messing, now Izanami is going around stirring up trouble... Did she touch you, Certain?

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven gives the goddess a funny look.
"Wait, Keiko went missing? I mean, I'm sure she's just making mischief somewhere, but isn't she generally watched for that sort of thing?" he asks.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain shakes her head and says, "No, of course not. If she did things would have gotten much more violent. Why? What would have happened?"

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Caroline facepalms at the news about Keiko, and Tamamo explains

Tsukiko let her answer a prayer, but she went with the worshipper out of the temple and we haven't seen her since...

She trails off and looks like she is listening to someone else talk.

Oh. She's just lately been seen in Trog's.

She shakes her head

We'll chase her down later.

Certain: Izanami is a powerful ancient goddess of creation and death - that's not a happy combination, if you think about it. I'm not really sure exactly what she could do... but it's best to stay out of easy striking distance.

She's been picking a fight with Dad over this whole weird pony thing, and she's rather a lot on the petty and vindictive side... it looks like she's starting to expand her scope.

She turns back to Steven

We're going to need to talk, Steven: I just might need you to step into some of your new role sooner rather than later, and having you physical and mortal here in the Nexus will make several things easier.

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven half nods and half bows, stumbling over his words a bit.
"Oh, erm. Yes of course, Your Holiness. I'll do my best." he says.
And that's really the best he can offer, considering how many things he's been doing. Most of them are actual duties too, like the literature thing Caroline's mother brought up.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain nods and says, "I see...Great. The only thing worse than normal family drama is godly family drama..." She sighs, then shakes her head, saying, "Worry not, though. I am grateful enough to Inari that I will not betray her as long as she holds my contract."

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Tamamo smiles to Certain

No kidding about the drama. And we're all really grateful, Certain.

So, here's the thing: you three are all Messenger class folks now - Angels, if you like the term better. You have abilities of your own that you'll always be able to draw on, and you in particular have been focusing on that lately, Steven.

Besides that, though, you can all draw directly on our divine power. But there's a catch to that: you have to either have been directed by your superior, or asked by a worshipper: you simply can't use it otherwise - it just won't work. But if Inari or I give you instructions, or a proper worshipper in good standing makes a request, you have a great deal of leeway in fulfilling it: and you don't have to draw on your own abilities. No reaction sickness, no daily limits, nothing.

And of course, if you want to do something without the caveats, you can use your own abilities up to their limits. That's why Keiko complains so much about her allowance, by the way: she was only 16 when Tenjin killed us, and she really just doesn't have any abilities of her own. So I give her some discretionary power when she earns it so she can go get small treats or go out for fun.

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven nods. He doesn't exactly feel like someone with Angel status. And he's not sure if he'll ever feel like he's really earned it. But he's going to play with the hand he's been dealt, and he's not turning it down now.
"I understand. It feels a bit like being handed the keys to the kingdom, but I promise to be responsible." he says, just a little bit of mirth in his voice.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain nods again and says, "I see. Well...That's pretty useful information. Thank you." She bows, and then, if nothing else of import is said, she turns to leave.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Tamamo chuckles and shakes her head

No, Steven: you've been handed the keys to the limo, but you only get to drive it if one of the children wants to be taken somewhere...

There's one last side effect for you and Caroline to be aware of: as Messengers, you are required to answer a properly formed and delivered prayer addressed to you - even if in your discretion the answer is to tell the worshipper "no". Random requests are up to you - answer or ignore as you see fit. Now fortunately, since you are mortal, that means that the person has to actually ask you directly and in person since you have no facility for hearing them otherwise.

And never forget: "no" is an answer, even if it is one the person might not like.

She turns to address Certain

That does not apply to you, Certain: you are not here to answer prayers - though you can if you choose to. I am not sure about it, but I suspect that your trigger would be learning of or witnessing some sort of injustice. And regardless, your duties do not apply until you are ready for them to be.

She turns back to Steven

You, however, I will need to start helping out. Noriko will be gone longer than anticipated - we learned belatedly that there is a temporal mismatch between the place she chose for her honeymoon and the Nexus, and so what was supposed to only be a month will be more like a year. My other Messengers are already assigned to other locations except for Keiko, who has taken a liking to the Nexus, but is of limited help overall. Tsukiko has the lightest duty and so has been helping out, but it is still a burden for her to work two assignments.

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Oh, dear. No one tell Steven's mother that if she phrases her voicemails certain ways he has to respond.
Steven, half-joking, half-horrified thoughts aside, nods to the goddess.
"I understand. I don't think that it would be proper for me to start eavesdropping on people, though. So...I suppose getting the requests to me will be a bit of an issue. Handing my phone number to the worshipers sounds a bit inefficient and silly." he says.

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain stops, nodding as she says, "I see. I suppose I'll find out when I get around to dealing with this demon. Any suggestions on that while you're here?"

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Tamamo looks back to Certain

Unless I am mistaken, the man you converted must still obey you: he should not be a problem. The question will be who else might have found him in the meanwhile... It might be wisest to do some reconnaissance first. I have some shadow-imps here in the Nexus, you could take one with you.

Back to Steven

No, I think we will keep it as I said for now: "directly, in person." Very nearly all of my worshippers here are in this Temple, and Tsukiko can handle the few who cannot come see you directly.

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven nods.
"Well, people praying to me is going to get extremely awkward, but I'll do my best, Your Holiness."

[Ionbound]

[Sanctuary]

Certain nods and says, "I see. Well...I might as well get too it. I'll be back soon." With that, unless stopped, she heads outside and takes off flying towards Inside.

[Recaiden]

[Sanctuary]

Winds stumbles in, looking rather the worse for wear. His black hair is tangled, his outfit is tattered, and he immediately leans against one of the columns, not even going up to the altar right away. The guy is smiling though.

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Tamamo nods to Certain... and then? Another guest!

Um... hello. Can we help you?

Nope. Nowhere NEAR as formal as Inari's folks.

[Deathkeeper]

Sanctuary

Steven settles himself a bit and takes a better position by the altar for the person suddenly entering.
"Uh, yes, what she said." he says simply.

[Recaiden]

[Sanctuary]

Winds shivers. That's a god-thing talking to him. He should....something? Not the dwarf-guy. Be polite, he supposes?

"Ye- uh, I'm doing some work for Malukhar- he created me, just a few days ago- but I think I need help. This was where he was. There's this door we have to open, Alexil and I. It's got four bars over it, holding it shut. She went up and took one of them off, it didn't like that. Some magic happened, she burst into flames and then vanished. I can't-"
He taps the side of his head.
"-I don't know what happened to her. Best I could do, I think, is get off another bar, but that'd only be halfway. So if you know any wizard who could, say, like, maybe, tell what's up with that seals?"

"And maybe you could find out what happened to her? Make sure she's okay?"

[Fenric]

[Sanctuary]

Tamamo considers... helping someone finish one of Malukhar's requests might be useful. She looks at Steven

Any idea where Frederick has gone off to? I know... his major was History, but he's not bad at Acrane Analysis.

For the second half..

Plane of Earth, she's wandering around looking for... um... newts?