Ryozanpaku

[Apollymi]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49583253452_551c5acb83_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ixv8Nd)

A large open mountain pass which holds the Youkai factions. In four directions each is held by a different kind of Youkai all battling for control of the entirety of the area. Floating lanterns light the always dark area and rivers flow off the sides of the mountains into the lands beyond. The whole of the area seems to have an old era Japanese feel. Everyone within seems to dress in traditional Japanese garb and Japanese traditions and lore directly influence the area. The area used to be a Dragon's Nest and is considered a port to the sky. After it was abandoned by the Dragons it was taken over by various factions of Youkai, as they were the only ones with bodies strong enough to withstand the extreme pressure of the Mana Rich Zone left behind by the Dragons who used to live there.

[Bloodedge]

It seemed that Kou also took in the look of this new place. Miki could appreciate it to, as a Japanese native. Imagine the food to be found in a place like this! It was as if thinking about food alone was enough to make the blonde lass' stomach growl expectantly. Miki managed to look a bit embarrassed but settled into floating atop her pillow after hearing the words of both Kou and Bulma. "Hisakawa let me know if you need anything for the repairs..." she said to that young woman who gave a quick nod. "Hai hai. This might be as high as you can go right now... I'll let you know if I figure anything out," Bulma responded. She looked at where they landed and it seemed to be a small island stranded in the middle of a lake with a large bridge leading into something which looked a bit more like a city.

In the meantime, Kou's words to Miki registered in her ear and she began floating towards the downed ramp of the ship, only to eventually take up on foot. Knowing that, as a Druid a connection to the land could potentially help in diagnosing this area. "Hai, sounds like a great idea. Besides... if the ship is a TARDIS we probably need to do something while we're here. We can at least get some breakfast before work~" she mentioned in a jokingly sarcastic way. A new bit of adventuring together couldn't really count as a date without downtime. And she didn't expect to get any downtime really until whatever was going on here was resolved. Still there was no reason for them not to enjoy the time here while they had it. Actually, there was something kind of exciting about this new place. Or maybe she was just still left over a bit pleased from the night before and it was spilling over into her proper wakefulness.


As if Miki's growling stomach wasn't enough on its own, Kou thought he could be satisfied with a bite or two as well. In fact, the rumbling in Miki's stomach managed to mask the lighter gurgle of his own. In the privacy of his own mind, Kou laughed at this coincidence upon seeing Miki's embarrassment. Hopefully, none had heard his in addition to hers. "I'm hungry too," he said, if only to not leave the blonde hanging as the only obviously-ravenous individual here. Besides... he saw this as an opportunity on multiple fronts. They could continue their time away from others, do something for the group as a whole, and even satisfy the needs of their stomachs the way their stomachs new best. "We could scout ahead, be proper good captains for everyone's sake? It'd be easy to bring back a bunch of groceries to have some quality Japanese food and..." He paused. There was a Japanese dish he needed to exist in these lands, as he needed it to be tasted by another. One could only hope, even pray, that it could be found.

Meanwhile, there was another set of individuals near the landing sight of the Grandcypher. One seemed to be inhuman... or rather, it was. A small, blue Slime was in the care of another. This odd ship was a curiosity worth addressing, he thought, so he had it in mind to be present when its approach ended. After only a short while spent watching the vessel, the Slime spoke. "What do you think they are? More members for Rengoku's Night Parade?"

[Apollymi]

Though Miki was quite embarrassed about her growling stomach, but according to Kou he could also go for something to eat. The crisis was averted as it always was, and Miki relaxed quite a bit as they took their first few steps away from the ship. She laughed it off and managed to smile genuinely, as they walked along. According to Kou, it would be easy for them to scout ahead and have some breakfast in this new place. He even suggested bringing back some groceries for what seemed to be home cooking. "That sounds excellent. Japanese food would be amazing right now... I haven't had anything from home in what feels like ages... I feel like it'd be so nostalgic!~" she said happily. "We can get anything!" she said excitedly agreeing to the purchase of groceries. Admittedly the girl known as Ashikaga Kimiko didn't cook her own food under normal circumstances. And when she did, there were very few dishes she had any reasonable understanding of cooking. Even so, she figured she could trust someone else to either talk her through it, or do the cooking if it came down to that. Meanwhile she took in the first view of the land and her left brow rose. "Actually, this place looks like Kyoto. I haven't been to Kyoto in ages..." she murmured, as they crossed the bridge and headed into town.

In the meantime, another pair of people had landed near the Grandcypher, and were coincidentally, headed off in the same direction as this pair of teens. The blue slime ball was being carried in the arms of a rather busty young woman with long black hair and a body dressed in dark feathers. On her back a large pair of wings and around her neck, a golden necklace with a strange symbol like an eye upon it. "They look like adventurers, maybe a young couple. Not quite official by the distance between them... but they show obvious signs of favoritism..." the lass' eyes narrowed only slightly as she looked towards the pair. Only with her gaze locked in such a way, did her eyes soon widen. She almost didn't recognize that blonde lass, due to two factors. The first of which being, the color of her hair, which was quite unusual for her, and the other being the smile upon her visage. The light of recognition passed through the gaze of this dark haired lass. She knew who this girl was, but alas, how she knew her was something which couldn't be discussed. As such she couldn't be too forward with what she knew, but still... watching this girl interact with this white haired boy was rather surprising. "They don't seem dangerous at the very least. You could probably speak with them, if you wanted to find out their plans..." she stated. Knowing this girl meant she had a bit more knowledge than she needed to. She could give advice but also had to maintain a certain level of distance. Even here, she didn't wish to break her code.

[Bloodedge]

"Yeah, definitely. I could really go for some nikuman... and onigiri... and soba... and─" Kou felt a sudden need to stop himself, as the hunger was quickly becoming ridiculous. Moreover, he didn't want to hype himself up over something that may or may not even exist in this region. It had the look, sure, but given places like Eonis... appearances didn't exactly match up to culinary selection. Maybe they would at least have something close enough to the foods he desired. If there was only one, and he could select it by some randomly-acquired mental ability... that would be perfect. "It does look a bit like Kyoto. I've only been a few times between school trips and family stuff, but... yeah."

The Slime, carried by this buxom and winged woman, seemed perturbed by the appearance of these newcomers. To call them Adventurers was fitting enough by their appearance, but his companion seemed a bit hung-up on their relationship to one another for a moment. If nothing else, they did seem approachable... and so, he'd approach by dropping into the winged woman's shadow, and reappearing through the shadow of... Miki. He was just a Slime; he could afford to be a bit devious. With that in mind, his ascension led him high, that he might land atop the blonde's head for the sake of grabbing attention.

[Apollymi]

"ONIGIRI!!" That was a sole excited utterance. Actually, Miki or rather Kimiko truly enjoyed that food, and it was one of few she knew how to make herself. She could enjoy some any day, and it was such a great snack. One of the few allowed by her many dietary restrictions. The idea of it making her mouth water for a second too long. Food was so important and had been at the forefront of her brain too long. She didn't want to set herself up for disappointment but she really was excited. It seemed, that Kou also thought this place looked a bit like Kyoto he mentioned a few trips in his life with family and for school. "I used to go there a lot... lots of old building and fun places to go. The school trips are always so boring because of the planned places they want to visit I've seen too many times..." she mentioned. She would have preferred wandering off on her own. Not in a travel group full of girls, who only wanted her in their group to keep her away from all of the guys who they liked.

Whatever the case, this world was exciting and new and they could explore and.... "Is there something on my head?" she said reaching tentatively up. A strange weight had interrupted her thoughts. It wasn't heavy, but she didn't expect it or anything. She'd reach up to poke it and find its texture to be odd. "Uhh... I'm kinda freaking out here!" she exclaimed unable to see the thing on top of her head, and that making it far scarier a situation than she would have imagined. All the while the winged raven-haired lass walked along shaking her head. "Not exactly what I meant when I said he should introduce himself," she mentioned, still she was a ways off.

[Bloodedge]

Among the things listed, onigiri apparently resonated with Miki the most. As they made their way, she showed her excitement over that particular choice. She also delved into the frequency at which she visited Kyoto, and why. It was interesting to note the differences between their lifestyles each time they rose, but this seemed less of an odd situation than most differences between them thus far. What was more odd than anything, though, was the girl's sudden freak-out. He turned to face her, walking sideways until stopping due to the realization of... exactly what she was referencing. He stared at the Slime, who did not yet reveal its ability to talk. After a few moments of looking, Kou's excitement began to build. "Fuck, it's a Slime! But... if one of those is in the city, and this place is like Japan... We must be in Youkai territory!"

How incredible, yet suddenly... how slightly frightening. What he knew of Youkai, implied that anything so far-flung from a spiritual being of their ilk did not receive very warm welcomes to their midst. If he was right about the type of place they were in, things could get dangerous rather quickly.

[Apollymi]

A minor freak out was being had by Miki, but alas it seemed fine. Apparently the object on her head was a mere low level creature. A slime. To be specific. Knowing this information she aimed to pick the creature up from her head and hold it in her hands and have a look at it. All while speaking about Youkai territory which is obviously where they were. "Oh? I always wanted to be a Youkai, admittedly I was a bit troubled by the implied faction war. I had a plan for a good one... but I still am not completely sold on species. It's...." she gave a pause. She was going to explain her lack of choice between being some sort of Nekomata and her desire to be a Kitsune. But... if she succeeded in looking at this slime her reaction would be one of instant gratification. While simulanteously being more outright girly than any of her other reactions to things all together. "KAWAII!! IT'S ADORABLE! I LOVE IT! I'M KEEPING IT!!" she gushed, over this slime as if it was the cutest plush toy she'd ever seen. Miki was a well put together individual. Ashikaga Kimiko was without such direct levels of desire in her day to day life, but something about this slime was absolutely adorable and she was content to hold and squeeze it and gush over it adoringly until the end of time.

All the while a knowing smirk came to the face of the black winged woman. She wondered what the lass' reaction would be when she found out the slime was actually a player, a male one at that. Right now the lad was being squeezed against the lass' body as if he was a simple plush toy.

[Bloodedge]

When Miki spoke of her intentions to try a Youkai, Kou began to wonder. If she knew anything about the object she obtained from Dreyfus, she could have easily acquired a seemingly great power derived from Ayakashi. He could do something about that, he thought. Unbeknownst to the lad himself, that development could fit right into her unspoken plan, with only minor tweaking and a bit of 'loose lore' exploitation. Ah, but now wasn't the time for that. Miki was experiencing the Slimes of this world first-hand, and giving a reaction more to what one would expect from a girl than she usually managed. Kou slid his pinkie finger into his ear, twisting it as his head tilted to the opposite side. Something was... odd about this Slime.

Odd indeed. As the tiny creature was squeezed and pressed against the lass' body, he eventually came up with something to say. It was a delicate matter, requiring a very specific approach. He was, after all, a Slime. Creatures such as this did not possess intelligence, the ability to speak, or even the power of sight. As such, he had to give a grand introduction; one which covered all the basics while revealing his identity as... more than the average Slime, as it were. After much deliberation, the small, blue creature chose his words with care.

"Yus!"

[Apollymi]

While Miki had her girly explosion about the slime which she was squeezing into her body, Kou looked strangely. She noted this, but figured it was likely because of her outrageous reaction. She pulled back a little, managing to look sheepish. She even started to clear her throat, though she was clearly still willing to squeeze the dear life out of this little slime. Until of course, it spoke. Her eyes widened as she looked down at it. All she'd said, and it'd responded to her. "Sou..." she said seeming to be filled with something akin to disappointment. It was still a rightly, adorable, cute little slime, but it was obviously a creature of higher order intelligence... and that wasn't natural for slimes. She'd move on to holding it out from her body and staring at it in disbelief. Her normal persona returned to her in seconds as she separated herself from what could have been even more epic amounts of joy. "You, could have spoken up sooner. I finally thought I was going to have a fun adorable pet," she said not having much if any emotion left. How sad. She felt almost deflated, never had she been so pleased and then so instantly crushed by a realization. She looked to Kou those jewel red eyes of hers steeped in her sadness... She needed rescuing from this emotion.

[Bloodedge]

True enough, this particular Slime was something beyond what they could normally be viewed as. By its ability to speak, or even make noise at all, it had to be a human from their world. "Sou ka. There was a super-difficult type that could be selected later in the game's lifespan. Slime was a choice that could be made to have infinite potential, but an almost impossible start for any real play without some ridiculous grind," he explained, surmising that this was a player before looking deeper into the matter. Of course, that was the case. "Edge Imp?" he questioned.

There was hardly a thing Kou could do to assist the blonde. Mostly, this was due to the Slime's own sudden reaction to her speech. "Well, don't let something like details stop you," the creature asserted while hopping from Miki's arms. Before reaching the ground, there was a bit of a metamorphosis. That small Slime grew into a humanoid form with long, blue hair that matched its original form, large golden eyes, and an attire consisting of black breeches with a flowing blue, tailed coat accentuated by a Kitsune-fur scarf. "I was having such a good time, too. Oh well. I, the Great Rimuru, accept all apologies that are sincerely offered!"

[Apollymi]

"That makes him sound like some kind of masochist. Like Bloodborne on waste of flesh..." mentioned Miki with some understanding. A distraction was just what she needed, to forget her lack of new pet and the fact that she'd been squeezing to death some random person she didn't know. What a shame, she'd actually have appreciated the little slime as a pet. Maybe, she was simply not meant to have a pet? She could deal with that... putting the thoughts away for some other time. The mention of the little slime's online handle made Miki's brow raise. She'd seen that name around somewhere... but which game? Ah... it was somewhere in her mind but lost to her just the same.

It was mentioned by the little slime that she shouldn't let the details stop her all before some strange transformation, which left him with a humanoid appearance with blue hair and golden eyes. He was even fully dressed, good for him. "Rimuru... huh? I'm not apologizing. You should have just said something. You should apologize for giving me hope," she said seeming to be slightly cross, in the moment her face fell back into its normal less than happy disposition. And it was with this that the black haired young woman received true confirmation about the identity of this lass. She reached the group and gave a gentle pause. "He's a bit of handful, and a tiny bit childish... There are many with such social deficiencies." mentioned the woman as she looked directly from Miki to Kou, but for some reason Miki found that comment biting and slightly familiar. "I'm... Kuroka. I've been partnered with him since my descent." she said strangely, making it sound as if this avatar wasn't her first and it wasn't her first choice either. Having introductions being made in such a way, Miki felt it was only right to introduce herself as well. "I'm Miki..." she said which brought a raise to the scantily clad woman's brow. How unusual, a name so close and yet so far away from either of her normal ones.

[Bloodedge]

"... Eheh~ yeah..." Kou laughed in a nervous fashion, agreeing to Miki's assertion while withholding just a bit of information. In truth, he had played the aforementioned game called Bloodborne, and had done so once using that very character type. Surely they could just move on without him having to admit that. This Slime introduced himself as Rimuru after the unveiling of a very familiar online ID, and there was a brief exchange between the lad and Miki about apologies. The blonde's demeanor returned to its normal state as a result, and Kou nearly found it laughable that such a thing occurred. However, there would be another individual entering the fray. Dark hair, dark wings, and the queerest of introductions marked the new woman's approach. Most specifically, Kou took an interest in her exchange with Miki. "Kou desu. Hajime...mashite," he stammered, staring at this newcomer with curiosity. The things she spoke were too odd, too specific at certain points. Her descent? This was the highest point the world could have offered, by his own approximation... aside from the sky. Her level seemed normal for a landlocked person, but it could have been a simple matter of a secondary Avatar... which seemed to be the case as well. Why did she have such a reaction to hearing Miki's introduction, as well? Too many questions, too easy an introduction. "If you're looking for a way back, a friend would be the best thing to confide in. What happened to the original?" he blurted out, only partially on purpose.

Rimuru, on the other hand, had no questions at all. What he did have, was an argument offered to the blonde. "Iia, iia! You're the one who gave me hope and snatched it away! If anyone should apologize, it should be me! I mean... you! Besides, you're both gonna die here if you just walk around looking like that─ no fake horns, tail, anything! You could at least offer a little more before you end up deleted!"

[Apollymi]

Kou's nervous laughter was acknowledged by Miki in a strange way. Mostly, given the situation, she didn't want to be found out for undertaking such a playthrough herself, she knew exactly how much of a masochist one would have to be to choose such a thing. She'd done it herself. Whatever the case, they could both be spared from too much thought, as the introduction of the Tengu lass seemed to put a different spin on the conversation. As Miki tried to figure out why this lass seemed so familiar, Kou introduced himself and questioned things much more directly. The raven-haired woman's eyes widened. She hadn't expected such a question, more over, for such a thing to come from a boy in the company of this lass, he had to be someone particularly special. She began piecing together information about him, while answering his questions in ways to illicit more information. "A friend would be nice. But I am not sure all use that word so freely," she said knowing that the girl known as Ashikaga Kimiko didn't count many among her friends and likely wouldn't see her as such. "As for the original, I deflected a finishing blow against a raid boss. And fell with them... doing so righted some wrongs and allowed me to dispatch a greater evil," she mentioned calmly. "But that form was lost to me in the process, I was only able to preserve it with his help," she said of the slime. "So, I used this form to help him, while locking away a piece of the evil I fought before," she mentioned touching the necklace she wore. No matter, it was a fair bit of information.

In the meantime, Miki and Rimuru were busy having a seemingly cross but cordial discussion. She listened to his words and frowned at him. He seemed to understand he was somewhat wrong, but still managed to complain, about things that didn't really make sense. "What hope did you have in us? And I didn't figure the faction war was far enough along for the to need to assimilate. I just figured out where this is exactly, we weren't aiming for here when we landed. Besides... I'm a Druid... we are always neutral in wars and can go where we please without issue," she said hands on her hips, she'd chosen such a build for exactly this reason. Still it was a bit disturbing. "Still, I'd rather not risk it, what do you know... maybe we can help each other out." She offered in an open ended manner. At the very least, getting an ample amount of information might make everything easier.

[Bloodedge]

Answers came, and with them came all the information Kou needed to finalize his thought process. Given what she had to say about friendship, he could only surmise that she did, indeed, know the one called Ashikaga Kimiko. "Sou ka. So, a not-so-friend associate you know counts just the same, right? Assuming you and said associate aren't on bad terms, I think they might end up being a person willing to help you out." There wasn't a question left in Kou's mind that this lass was a familiar face to Miki, whether she'd come to that realization or not. Since she hadn't clearly greeted the Tengu, it only further solidified this existence as a secondary Avatar. When Kuroka next spoke, she explained the situation surrounding this Avatar's birth, as well as information regarding the fact that her original self was not yet gone for good. "So, which one is it? Is the evil part of this Avatar, locked away with the other one, or something else entirely?"

The Slime sighed. He didn't have hope in them per se, but rather in the situation he had been introduced to. On the other hand, there was yet hope to have in a couple more players to help with this area's... issues. "You're the one who put me in the best situation! Oppai, oppai! I have standards that I hold this world to know, y'know?" he griped. Moving on, he chose to address her second and third clauses in unison. "Druid or not, we're way past that point. None of the Night Parades here care if you're neutral. Just the chance that you could be a type of power nobody else can have, is enough to make them kill you so the other factions can't get you even by brainwashing. They won't even take you in themselves, since you could be a spy. I get by because I'm a Slime; I can just pretend to be weak. Kuroka is a Tengu, and they're all over the place. There are four Kings here in Ryozanpaku, and it's going to take strength to keep them all from destroying each other over the idea that one of them could be ruler of all four corners."

[Apollymi]

Kou seemed to take quite a bit from the words spoken by Kuroka. It seemed he was indeed clever, with a mind that pieced together even minute details. "Sou ka, that is a very active brain you have. It can be just as much of a hindrance to think about so much from so little given information," she said, pointing out his tendency to over think from such a simple moment of interaction. "Still, that insight is very intuative and oddly diplomatic. I understand now..." she said, though the last bit wasn't for him. Initially she didn't understand what the girl behind this blonde Avatar might have seen in another individual. But he had some skills that she lacked not in game, but in personality, though they still managed to be quite similar by her knowledge and this very brief observation. But there was more to discuss than just this, when asked about the nature of her Avatar and the evil she stopped she thought to clarify. "My first one was injured... almost dead. I made this one out of a piece of something I claimed from the evil, if only to keep her from being able to reclaim it herself. There are still other methods she could use to rise again, but it won't include all of her former abilities. Neither of my Avatars is... that," she summarized the situation. By using a function from the PvP aspect of AoE, she'd managed to keep something vital to the formation of another Avatar. "It might be a bit much, but can you mention to her that she knows who I am and that I can't say. It would be much faster that way." Her statement finalized she was more than prepared to wait.

"Uh...huh, I'm not even concerned about that. Do what you like... we all got a free chance to start over on missed opportunities. I probably won't just cuddle you anymore though, it's weird knowing you like it," she said turning her nose up at the young lad. In the meantime, Rimuru gave Miki a quick rundown of the situation taking place in the Youkai subplot of the world and it was worse than she thought. If they were killing people already, it meant that the factions were already trying to out themselves as leaders. Given what she knew about the way such things worked, it also meant that there had to be at least a few players already attached to the different factions. "Ugh... this is going to be a pain in the ass, I just wanted breakfast and a taste of home. I didn't think it'd be necessary to quell a war before then," she said rubbing her forehead. Her mind already began to work, but this wasn't just her own thing. She and Kou worked together on such problems and it would likely take more than just their bodies to get this whole thing done.

[Bloodedge]

"It can be, and it always is eventually. Diplomacy begets solitude in the long run," was Kou's retort. He'd seen first-hand the issues of politics in all forms; none were without major faults to at least one end of the spectrum within. No matter. He couldn't exactly undo the way he was, as much as he hated the premise of it. Either way, he wasn't going to teeter around that topic. There was a tale to be told, and it was of Kuroka's original Avatar. She spoke of a very nonspecific evil that had been felled, but not by either specific method he questioned. Luckily, there was nothing tying that evil's existence to the fall of the Avatar he spoke to. If she truly came from above, such an entity would be quite troublesome to deal with, should it return. Ah, but there were still methods of return, it seemed... though Kou could assume such a thing to be manageable without fret. "The way you say she wouldn't have all of her old abilities, I'm guessing she should be easy enough to deal with. Anyway, why not mention it yourself? You could easily tell her what you just told me, right? That is, unless..."

Rimuru's arms were quite... all over the place, flailing wildly as he contested Miki's argument. "So it's fine if I don't like it?! That would be rape! Hentai! HENTAI!" he yelled, pointing a judgmental forefinger at the lass while his other arm continued its unnecessary movements. He even followed it all by crossing his arms, huffing, and turning his head away as if he were ashamed to even look at her. Even doing that, he continued to discuss matters of importance. "Anyway, Hentai-neesan, it's not that big a deal. Just make yourselves blend in, and you can get your breakfast or whatever. You're not required to help out everywhere you go, just 'cause you're Adventurers. Well... unless you're in that Guild─"

[Apollymi]

The boy's thoughts on politics and the nature of being truly diplomatic came to the forefront with a single sentence. Kuroka looked at the lad, her red eyes widening for just a moment. "That is oddly melancholic for one so young..." she said. It was a bit sad, but it was far from the first time she'd heard such a disposition from a young teen. In fact, the last time she'd heard anything like it, was in her last session with the girl being the blonde lass. The likeness between the personalities of Ashikaga Kimiko and this lad before her was uncanny. But perhaps she'd get to see more of that in action later. On the matter of that old evil once felled who might rise again, she had little to say. "Physically, it might be possible. Maybe even easy. But the problem wasn't the evil, but the ideas it spreads. If that portion still exists... it won't matter what abilities are present, the influence on the minds will become the problem," she said that sounded oddly ominous. But it was how she saw the future, quite literally in this case. But futures weren't set in stone, they could still be altered and changed. As for why she couldn't simply share the same information that she had with Kou with Miki she shrugged. "I cannot..." was all she said to the point. It was very important for a reason she couldn't explain, but it had to be Miki who recognized her and named her of her own volition. Anything else was an ethical violation of her code and that she could not tolerate.

Miki watched with wide eyes as the lad before her, waved his arms about like a madman. Calling her a Hentai and accusing her of rape due to the phrasing of her previous statement. She looked completely aghast, he couldn't seriously think that was what she meant. She now remembered fully where she'd seen this lad before, and if he hadn't already proven himself to be reasonable, she'd have assumed him to be some kind of troll. "Baka-shounen!" she exclaimed rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. "Absolutely no one would have interpreted that sentence that way. I just didn't want you getting the wrong idea about me keeping you around or anything..." she said seemingly huffy. A cuddling, spoiling and coddling a pet was one thing, but she wasn't Akaru Chiyo or anything, she didn't give people she had no romantic feelings for what she considered romantic attention. Potential friends were very different creatures as well, which was more likely where this lad would fall. "Don't call me that..." she snapped. "Ugh, I don't really have a way to hide myself besides my hood and I don't really want to go through having a secret breakfast just to have to wonder if I am being poisoned, mind-controlled or led into a trap," she mentioned her reasoning behind not immediately just wanting breakfast. "As for not having to help, that is very true, but you can't leave large groups of people to fend for their own interests. If this is my life now, I'll live it on my terms and, I'd rather not come back to some find of massacre, genocide or actual Demon influence because I didn't feel like dealing with something in the first place. Besides, we have plans beyond joining another guild, and it's better to have contacts and the like beforehand anyways..." she stated. It was overall much more beneficial to them as a group to deal with the problems of this world as they presented themselves for a plethora of reasons. She'd just hoped, neigh imagined, that she might be able to have some fun on what she had planned in her mind as a breakfast date, before anything crazy happened.

[Bloodedge]

Kuroka's assertion was noted, but it was nothing surprising to hear. He'd heard it before, yet not so directly spoken to himself. Regardless, there was a spark of hope, as well as one of dread regarding the aforementioned 'evil' previously quelled by this Tengu. An intimidating force to do battle with was one thing, but one which affected the minds of those around them... was an entirely different problem. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to encounter this threat at all. As for Kuroka's 'introduction' to her associate, Miki, she claimed to be incapable of doing it herself. The reason why was a total mystery even to Kou, but he'd offer a show of good faith at least.

Rimuru's arms unfolded, all for the sake of him pointing another accusatory finger at Miki. This time, he even gave it a wag as he chastised the young woman. Oh no, he wasn't having any of her nonsense! She was an abusive pervert, and he was onto her! "You were just disappointed because I had a brain! You like taking advantage of the incapable, don't you?! I bet you're one of those fat, smelly guys with... with... with square glasses and a bulldog mouth that's always drooling over kids on the internet! If this world has CPS, I'm calling them on you mister!" he said, going on a bit of a tangent. All in all, though, the blue-haired young male didn't seem all too serious underneath. "A hood probably won't do. Wearing one of those'll just make you look suspicious. If you wanna get by, you'll have to look like an ayakashi or something. Or... I could eat you, and you could just hang out inside me. That works too."

In spite of all he just said, he let such a statement fall from his mouth so casually. As Kou approached the pair, he seemed taken aback by the little bit he managed to hear from the Slime, but thought not to speak on the matter. "So... yeah... the Tengu knows you, by the way," he interjected in the most casual way he could manage. This introduction caught the eye of Rimuru, who stared with a furrowed brow at the white-haired male. "Why's a guy so damn pretty? My Avatar is androgynous, and I don't match up!"

[Apollymi]

Kuroka was content after speaking to wait for her introduction. Even so, it seemed that Miki was getting along with Rimuru about as well as the raven haired lass could have expected. To be fair, it was going much better than she originally thought it would. Perhaps, the girl behind that Avatar didn't give herself enough credit when it came to her own ability to deal with people, or maybe she'd been here long enough to learn the skills she'd lacked in her life. "Baka! I am an actual girl, this face is my face!" she said still seeming to be huffy. Whatever the case, they didn't seem to be having a very serious disagreement. It came off more like a sibling spat than anything else to Kuroka. This lad claimed that the hood alone wouldn't work and would make her more suspicious and she could instead either make herself look like an Ayakashi or be eaten by him. "You just said you could eat me? And you think.... that is somehow, less sketchy than me just walking around. How do I know you aren't one of those creepy internet pervs just waiting to get your hands on someone like me? Huh? Passing yourself off as a harmless little boy when you're some kind of sick deviant?!"

Ah, but there were things actually worth discussing coming up. As Kou mentioned in the most casual fashion that Miki knew the Tengu who'd accompanied the small smile. "I had that feeling talking to her... but I can't quite place it. So, you had him tell me you knew me, because..." she paused looking at Kuroka. Yep, nothing about that face seemed familiar at all, but her words and mannerisms were, so a process of elimination was necessary to get to the bottom of this one. "You can't tell me how you know me, without giving something away," there was a pause from Miki. "No one that works for me directly is under any such contractual obligation. That removes you from my main team. None of the lawyers hired by me fall into the category of one who would get sucked into a video game world. Sou ka..." she looked at the lass for several more seconds. "You... look nothing like yourself. I'd have expected something different from you..." Miki said frowning slightly. "Second Avatar," she said calmly. "But you really didn't just say what you were, it would have been so much easier. You still think such a thing still applies?" she asked frowning deeply. "Hai, as long as I am myself it will always apply," she said Miki looked to Kou and didn't really care. Something like this was a strange case but it wasn't really worth being so secretive about. "Well, I don't really care. Hisakawa and Kaiba are already with us. Would you like a proper introduction?" she asked of the lass she now recognized completely. "That is something you should do at your own discretion. Though it is interesting that both of them are here as well..." mentioned Kuroka. While Miki had a chuckle at the idea that Kou was indeed prettier than the androgynous slime, actually it was something she noticed often, not that she'd be mentioning that aloud, only a slight blush crossed her face as she turned her head away.

This Tengu was someone of previous high status in their own world. A high-level genius of a different sort from the ones already seen and mentioned, though with just as many feats of her own. With someone like this in the world, more than a few things could be shifted. Miki chuckled. "This is Kitera Ume, Shibuya's youngest practicing Psychiatrist. MD and Ph.D. She's around the same age as Kaiba and Hisakawa and is known for being 'the Doctor to Young Professionals'. Who apparently takes Confidentiality Agreements even more seriously than lawyers."

[Bloodedge]

"My ass you're a girl! Everybody knows girls don't play video games!" he retorted. Interesting that he'd say such a thing, considering he was found wandering around with a woman, but these were simply his mannerisms. "I'm not the one to be questioned here; you are! Trying to throw the blame on me is exactly what an online pervert would do! Just 'cause I look a little girly sometimes, doesn't mean I've got the parts for your weird, lesbo fantasies, buster!" Oh, he was really having a go now. Adding the realization of how Kou managed to be 'prettier' than himself merely sent him to a new level of fit.

Speaking of Kou, he was content to just be past this strange introduction for two people who already knew one another. Why the woman couldn't introduce himself, he still wondered. Perhaps he would understand in a matter of moments. In fact, he would. Miki went through her own process of determining who Kuroka was beyond the Avatar, and soon enough, she reached the proper conclusion. Kou would have rather not been left with the Slime staring him down during this time, but it didn't take too long. In mere moments, they were returned to a group discussion, and a proper introduction of the one called Kitera Ume. Kou could not fend off a wide-eyed reaction. Those titles were entirely unnecessary for him to know who and what she was; he'd met her once before. During a time in which she had not yet chosen to pursue being a psychiatrist, he had seen her as a doctor. Of course, that time had long since passed. It was the efforts of his father which led him to her during a sickly time, and the absence of that very same father which rendered him incapable of getting his sister treatment by her. Kitera Ume, the name alone, was the reason he sought jobs. She was the reason he stepped outside of his comfort zone for his sister's sake, because her reputation led him believe she could be of help.

It was all troublesome to think of here and now; he had to move on. Nothing could be done about the past, and at the very least, all was fine now in this new world. Still... there seemed to be an odd pattern of very capable youngsters appearing in this era. As he recalled, Age of Eternity was a game which featured a timeless world, boasting as close of a lifespan as possible to their own Earth. How were they all here, now? How did they all play this game, or any game at all in the case of some? "Kitera Ume, a gamer? I'd never have thought that possible..." he said, if only to test the waters and see if anything happened to be amiss with her situation.

[Apollymi]

A chortle. It was all Miki could manage at this slime's apparent outrage. Of course, girls played video games. It wasn't as if this wasn't an actual fact of real life, he'd obviously just gone a bit over the top while having is go. Actually, in a moment like this, she was reminded of the Demi-Human back on their ship. She wondered if this pair would get along and then immediately wanted absolutely nothing to do with the pair if they did. Hikari was already quite dangerous in her own right, adding this lad to the mix would spell a special form of disaster that Miki wasn't at all ready for. "You are saying a lot of words, to clarify further that you're a cross-dressing masochist and an internet pervert," Miki said curtly with a roll of her eyes.

Soon after an introduction was made between this group at large and the Tengu who was in fact a young professional from their own world. "Hai, nice to meet you... properly. And thanks, even with multiple Avatars I can't say my own name," she said with a nod of happiness. It seemed that Kou was prodding for information or at least, that is what it seemed like to Miki, even so, she had little to say about it so she was content to hold off for a bit. The raven-haired lass gave a casual shrug about the comment related to her and playing video games. "Everyone has hobbies. Without breaking any oaths, one of my patients mentioned this game, and I was looking for an activity to share with my brother and friend group. It ended up being this, I am still not entirely sure how long I've been here," she said in a clear explanation. It wasn't as if being a practicing medical doctor and psychiatrist took up literally all her time. And she had enough knowledge of the human psyche to know the importance of leisure activities. Still this knowledge was strange, because she was certain she'd not missed any of he appointments with this Doctor which meant she had to have gone missing the week prior to Miki ended up here... or sometime way after. Miki's face gained an intense look of concentration, which doubled as seeming a bit ornery.

[Bloodedge]

The insistence upon him being some sort of perverted masochist was about all Rimuru could handle. He huffed again, but instead of turning away, he used his abilities as a Slime to morph. He didn't look much different, but his eyes became green. His hair shortened and acquired a ponytail almost likened to the shape of a pineapple, and of course, his face became a bit sterner by way of expression. This was the lad's true form from their original world, created solely from the memory within the Slime. "There. Happy now? I ain't some fat, ugly pervert, and I ain't a cross-dresser either. Just a kid who plays card games and video games," he explained before returning to his previous form.

Now that the Tengu's identity was given, and the discussion progressed a bit further, Kou could keep a regular countenance. There was still the important matter regarding their time spent here in Ryozanpaku, and how they would go about it. If nothing else, Kou thought this to be the perfect time for revealing a bit of knowledge to Miki. "You know, we could roll new Avatars. That thing you got from Dreyfus? I can't be totally sure, but I think it's a Divine Artifact. If it is, you could source the code and become a Miko or something... and I'm pretty sure I can figure something out for myself," he said, having nothing more to speak regarding Kuroka's grand reveal. So long as he moved on from that topic, he could keep his memories from clouding his mind.

[Apollymi]

Miki was soon witness to a change in form by the blue haired boy in their presence. Apparently, he'd had enough of her biting commentary, and decided to reveal what his actual self looked like. Her eyes shifted over his form and his more stern face and she sighed. She wondered if her own face often looked like that, it was quite strange but this kid was kind of growing on her as a person. "Hai, you're a pretty cute kid. I'll concede that and really good at Card Games... you were a pretty fun doubles partner online, when I branched out a little. Loosen up that face though, you'll get wrinkles..." she teased only to shift her attention afterwards. Her words made Kuroka chuckle, she'd never thought this lass was quite this nice, but perhaps she simply didn't have the sort of people around her, that she could be nice to. That was a thought worth considering, whatever the case, the conversation was soon shifted to some new forms for the pair of them so that they could explore this place without issue.

Kou's words to Miki about the thing she'd taken from Dreyfus made her left brow rise. "Hm... Really? It felt pretty hefty but I don't have the room for Appraisal in my current lines so I couldn't be sure. I guess if it is something like that, it will help me decide between Nekomata and Kitsune, or maybe it'll choose something different," she said finally expressing her lost thoughts about her future build. Actually a Miko was about the sort of thing she'd had planned for her Youkai anyways, given her desire to not have one of pure brute strength but rather some sort of magic instead. "Alright, we can roll some new characters then. If you'll do me the honors of cracking open that object for me first..." she said. That plan was about as good as any. "Did you want anything in particular for your build... I have, a lot of stuff I picked up from Dreyfus..." she said freely offering the lad access to her current stores so that he could help them both create their new characters. This conversation, being had aloud made Kuroka's left brow rise again. She'd not seen this sort of thing before... this sort of sharing, was most uncommon... what could it mean?

[Bloodedge]

"Ho─" Rimuru quirked a brow. This one claimed to know him through a card game experience, and there was only one card game he could think of in which it could have happened. Through eyes that glittered with the light of the Nexus, he found her name to be something very familiar. Upon seeing it, a wide grin spread across the lad's face. "Ah! Fusion School, Moonlight! Sick combo back then between Death-Toy Daredevil and Moonlight... uh..." He seemed to have forgotten the name of whatever card Miki used in that particular match. Assuming she would fill in the blank, he moved on right away. "You're one to talk about a disposition."

Miki mentioned not having room for the Appraisal ability, but if Kou was correct in his assumptions, it wouldn't be necessary for anyone to have it. He had all the necessary skills besides Appraisal itself, so if he could simply make do with something else, he could develop his own method of awakening these Artifacts. "I can give it a go. After what I dealt with before, and seeing how Dreyfus does it, I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem for me. As for what I want..." He gave it a moment of thought, and considered quite a few things. What sort of creature would he be? There were so many options, so many combinations that could fit his preferences. He wanted something physically capable, with less of a magical inclination than his normal go-to options thus far. "I haven't done ninja shit in a while. Got kusarigama?"

[Apollymi]

It seemed the recognition was there for the taking, as she'd played a few good rounds in a card game with this lad before. They had indeed turned two completely different types of decks into an aggressive combination that mowed down their opponents. It was quite a thing to see, and in turn, he'd become one of a few she'd enjoyed playing with while she played that game. "Moonlight Panther Dancer!" she filled in finding the whole thing really amusing. Moving along from this point, he claimed she had no room to talk about disposition. This was very true, anyone who was familiar with the lass at face value, knew she has a surly disposition in general. "Yeah, yeah, but it's way too late for me, it's been years. I'm set like this... you still have a bit of time," she advised in a somewhat joking manner. It would be Kuroka who added to this for the first time in a while. "She isn't lying, her face is basically stuck like that..." she chimed in. "Oi, oi... I didn't need you signing off on that," Miki mentioned seeming to be cross.

Kou and Miki then continued their conversation he claimed that he might be able to do something about the artifact of hers, and claimed he didn't want much of anything except perhaps a Kusarigama. Miki's left brow rose, as she considered the things hidden in her secret room which she'd tagged as 'Weapons'. She'd collected dozens and knew herself to have what the lad asked for. In this moment, she'd learn something strange about the item she'd figured out the day before. Since it was on her person presently, it connected directly with her space as she shuffled through the items she had. Doing so opened two shimmering portals, one of which produced the still covered artifact they'd been discussing. The other, produced a long chained Kusarigama of decently high quality, with a heavy weighted chain. While these floated out of the portals, Miki's eyes widened. "I was just thinking about them... the... did you?" the question wouldn't formulate properly and Miki was unsure of even how to ask what she had in mind. Surely this lad didn't create a manner in which she could pull things from within her hidden space without the need of entering it without having to establish a place for the connection. Or... did he?

[Bloodedge]

Moonlight Panther Dancer; that was the name. Rimuru remembered it as a rather annoying card, but quite useful in a cooperative sense. He counted that event as one of his most successful matches in team play. If he had the ability, he'd return to playing that game here in this world. "I miss my deck," he mused in a moment of nostalgia. Miki claiming her face was stuck as it was, yet having something to say about Kuroka agreeing, prompted a tilt of the lad's head. "You do seem about the 'permanently bitchy' type. You know, like you'll get into a huff because I just said that sentence too."

Kou awaited the arrival of the tools he was to work with, and soon enough, they appeared via portals. The white-haired Saber took hold of the kusarigama, having expected this sudden appearance based on their ongoing conversation. Also fitting within the realm of expectation, was Miki's surprise at the goings-on. Indeed, yet another mystery surrounding the puzzle sphere had been unveiled. Reaching out with the intention of claiming the sealed Artifact, he offered his explanation in a roundabout way. "Every treasure chest needs an emergency key, right? This key just needed to be unlocked in its own way~" he said. In truth, this was possible only because Miki solved the helix puzzle he had stored inside her storage space during its creation. Now, so long as she was in possession of that puzzle, she could bring forth any object she had a proper vision of, so long as she kept it in that realm.

[Apollymi]

The lad seemed to be experiencing a moment of nostalgia and Miki was as well. She counted their interaction as one of a very few she had enjoyed in her cooperative gaming life. "Um-hm... though..." Miki gave pause. As she though about it, and given the types of materials in this world, such a thing as a card game could be very easy to make. In fact, she had access already to a great number of people who could help make that happen, including this blue haired lad. Besides being a very fun experience to be had, it could also be quite profitable. "Oi oi, I'm not taking this type of attitude off you, Gaki!" Miki exclaimed, she only didn't huff and turn up her nose because she was actively trying not to do so. It was a shame to have her personality understood at such a level by such a bratty child. "Resisting your natural mannerisms used to be exceedingly hard for you, you've been practicing," was all Kuroka had to say which made the lass' eyes widen as she turned away. "We're not doing this..." and just like that her pattern of behavior fell back into its normal setting.

Still, there were things beyond Miki's teasing, like for instance, the opening of portals which granted her immediate access to the things she'd been thinking of. Her almost unmentioned question to Kou was answered in a roundabout way that did indeed imply it was his doing by virtue of his extra present to her. "Sou... ka," that's what he'd meant when he said she'd find it more useful than the puzzle itself. But knowing the lad, she couldn't just trust that this was all there was. He'd done way too much already and just for her. How could she feel anything but adoration for something like that? The answer was she couldn't. Her expression immediately softened, replaced by sheer wonder and affection. And the smallest upturn of her lips. Kuroka watched this mannerism shift with the observant eyes of someone who was much older than her appearance let on. She'd been seeing this girl as a patient since she first became a doctor and had never seen such a positive change in expression on her face. "Maybe the conclusion was too hasty." Kuroka said, of her diagnosis of Miki or rather Kimiko's surly exterior. Perhaps it really was just a facade and now she could plainly see the crack that caused it. Such a thing made Kou or the boy behind him a person of interest and more observation was required.

[Bloodedge]

"Hehe! I totally won that duel!" Rimuru said with an inflated chest. Miki may not have done exactly what he predicted, but he could all but see the same reaction based on her words so filled with poorly-hidden bitterness. Kuroka adding her own two cents, so to speak, even furthered this. Satisfied as he was, this group's time here was somewhat limited. These two newcomers needed forms to blend in with the general populace, and they needed them before fully entering the city... or being seen by anyone randomly out for a walk, even.

Progress was, however, being made. Kou had both necessary items in hand, though the kusarigama would soon be affixed to his hip for later use. There was something he needed for his own new Avatar, and going out to take it would probably be a necessity. He could at least use the current time to aide Miki in her Avatar creation, though. He first attempted to interact with the object by funneling a small amount of Mana into his ring, forming from it a pin needle of sorts out of his energy. Sadly, this didn't do a thing. It was a strong Artifact indeed, and actually required a great deal of Mana compressed into a small form─ one that wouldn't damage the thing inside the casing. In truth, he had to approach it in a similar way to how he'd carved the treasure sphere. Luckily, having the physical body of a Witcher let him more freely use his Celestial energies for such a task. "Hm. This thing's really strong," he commented.

[Apollymi]

"Urusai!" this was all Miki had to say. She didn't actually argue whether he'd won or not, because in her own mind he had. It wasn't a matter of simply being able to push her a bit which made her think he'd won, it was the fact that the follow-up statement by someone unrelated had left her mood the same. Still, there were worse things than a random kid having good enough skills to access her mental status. And she didn't dislike him, so she could let all of that fall to the side very easily. She could almost count the lad among her friends with his understanding of her being so high. Almost. Or perhaps, she did. There was always that little bit of mystery in the way Ashikaga Kimiko worked, so essentially, only time would tell how she classified this blue haired boy.

For now, Kou's work on her object of choice began. And as it did, he had some strange commentary to offer. The softer expression she'd gained stayed, and she floated atop her pillow watching his work with large eyes, curious as she'd never seen him work on such a thing. "Hm, it seemed like it. Even in that other form, which lets me use any ability I can, I had to devote extra power and concentration to move it. It felt like it was resisting..." she said thoughtfully. Something that aimed to resist her form as a Ruler was likely something strong indeed. So, she couldn't really wait to see what this object actually was and figure out what kind of character to make out of it. All the while, Kuroka's interest shifted to Kou, for some reason, she began to make several assumptions and stared at his face with quite a bit of intent. His face was rather close to someone else's. One she'd seen before and looked at with her medical expertise. Was he a patient? Yes... that had to be it. But from when? Her mind began working backwards... deconstructing this avatar to find the person she recognized.

[Bloodedge]

Miki's order of silence gained nothing but the younger male's satisfaction. He was grinning from ear to ear as he toe-tapped with his right foot, and placed his hands behind his head. "Hehe~" he chuckled. This was about as satisfying as a victory in the very card game they so recently spoke of, but for entirely different reasons. He was having fun, simple as that. In some twisted way, he imagined there was a certain amount of fun being had on all fronts. Friends and the like behaved in such a way frequently, right? If one couldn't take a bit of almost-insulting behavior from a friendly face, the world was nearly destined to destroy them.

Speaking of destroying things, Kou received an interesting bit of information from Miki. The fact that she struggled to acquire this object using her ability as Ruler, was quite the interesting reveal. With that in mind, he was almost certain he could get away with much, much more. The Artifact was placed on the ground. Rising to his feet thereafter, he pointed his forefinger down at the object, and the Mana of his Celestial origin swarmed around his body until collecting at his fingertip while his otherwise free hand grasped his own wrist. "If it's like that, then this thing inside has to actually be really strong. In that case... REIGAN!" Unnecessary though it was, the lad chose to call out the name of an attack he did not possess. Regardless, he channeled the Mana at his fingertip, and unleashed it as a continuous, piercing shot at the center of the sealed Artifact. He intended to literally drill through the shell, which was something he managed... if only very, very slowly. That was fine, though; it taking a while meant there were cracks appearing around that center point. When he finally made it through, he imagined the rest would be a simple feat.

[Apollymi]

Kuroka watched as this pair of young teens seemed to be having a good time. Rimuru also was enjoying himself. His teasing nature seemed to not hit the blonde lass the wrong way, and it could be said with a reasonable amount of authority that Miki thought the boy to be a friend, whether she'd admit it or not. But for the raven-haired lass, there was something else more interesting and she was seeing it play out before her eyes. The interactions between Kou and Miki were paramount to a functional relationship. It was an amazing thing to witness, besides that she was receiving more insight into the lad by how he chose to act.

Miki also had insight on Kou, but it was more expected for her. In fact, he seemed to take her words about what it took for her to obtain the object to heart. For the second time, he uttered an anime attack name, while aiming to do something within his own power. Such an action caused excited laughter from Miki from her position atop her pillow. "Sugoi sugoi!" she couldn't stop herself from clapping her hands together like an excited child amused beyond all reason at the reference. "I loved that one. A bit too focused on the tournaments but the attacks were top notch..." that series had produced for her one of her first proper crushes. In the meantime, Kuroka couldn't help but analyze the situation. 'Anime references. What the laymen would call "nerd behavior". Both of them seeming to find it entertaining.' she thought about the whole situation, and came to the conclusion that Kou and Miki had compatibility at several levels. Their interests aligned and they had skills that made up for each others lack. Miki a collector, Kou a creator. Miki a business person, Kou a very obvious politician. It was like watching a matched pair of individuals move together through the world. But who in her patients list fit such a type, with the necessary free time to have the same sort of knowledge of anime and an overtly busy mind. People were being eliminated left and right as she sorted through the lists of her mind to find a name and a real face to attach to this lad's avatar.

[Bloodedge]

Though Kou would have offered at least a quip following his anime reference, his focus was on the Artifact. He had to consciously keep his Mana limited to a certain, steady output to continue drilling through the casing. Only the occasional pulse was allowed, and those were the source of the expanding cracks stretching out from the center. In due time, he managed to break through; that was the moment things took a strange turn. The outward pulse came and went with every moment of further penetration, but even the standard output was physically rejected by the Artifact beyond its casing. Kou realized he had broken through in the strangest way. Suddenly, his Mana was turned on himself, as if reflected. His eyes widened as blood began trickling from a fresh cut on his left cheek, coming as a result of this rebound.

The strangest thing was, it wasn't full force. The Artifact seemed to have absorbed some of his energy before returning it to him, and as the cracks led to crumble, it became clear why. Hidden away in that stone-like encasement was... a mirror, of divine quality. That very mirror now glowed with stolen Celestial Mana from Kou, but seemed very much usable. "Well... puzzle solved. Shinto Artifact: Yata. That's a super legendary drop, and I think it just stole a buff from me."

[Apollymi]

No backward quip? That was likely due to how much concentration was required for the task he was undertaking. And he found eventually that the energy he was putting into the Artifact was rebounded at him, at the point where it was opened completely. At this point Miki approached more directly, and doing so caused the lad to enter her sphere of influence gaining a boost to his regenerative abilities which was natural to her being. "Hm, it would be me to find an object that also likes to steal things..." Miki said in the same sarcastic way she said most things. He claimed this to be the Shinto Artifact: Yata. That would make things more interesting and also determine the kind of creature that would become the next Avatar of Ashikaga Kimiko. "Arigatou gouzaimasu..." she mentioned reaching for the lad's face to check the nature of his injury before even trying to claim this mirror.

Ah but Kuroka wasn't done yet. It was interesting to see the amount of care that Miki had for this white-haired lad's safety. That could also be considered a bonus but, not an important factor. No, now the important factor was... how he'd spoken when unveiling the Artifact. 'Puzzle solved'. That statement she'd heard before from a very specific patient. One she had a great memory of because he'd been one of the cleverer people she'd treated. And one full of odd mannerisms which were common to the type of child raised by those who sat at the peak of the social hierarchy. No. That couldn't be true, could it? Kuroka's red eyes moved quickly over the lad's face, and aged it down mentally. Took back the harder structures of aging and teen angst. Removed a tooth or two and softened the edges. She mentally recolored his hair to black and added... a pony tail. There he was... 'Aiba Yugi'. Ah yes. The boy with the mysterious set of symptoms that couldn't be fixed by over-the-counter medications. That came and went multiple times... of course she'd realized what it was a long term ear infection, which didn't affect his hearing, but instead caused several bouts of fever, sore throat and coughing because of a drainage issue. It'd been easy enough to solve. And the boy, despite being sick was generally a happy and well-rounded child. One with good general discourse and the ability to describe his own symptoms clearly. He'd been quite the model patient and had spoken that same sentence to her. 'Hm, that makes him the son of the disgraced Prime Minister...' thought Kuroka, and that was a scandal and a half. He didn't even have the Prime Minister's name for his own safety, a common practice among the rich and the famous. The light of recognition in her eyes was obvious, but would she tell anyone what she knew? Well... that was a question for another time.

[Bloodedge]

"Fuck. I don't think I'm actually missing anything I didn't cast off anyway, but... that backlash was way too weak for what I was putting into it," Kou explained. Luckily, there was no need to actively do anything about the wound caused, since Miki came into such close proximity. He could feel it healing with every step she took, though time remained a factor. He remained unawares regarding the mental progression of Kuroka, as his hand rose to make contact with the cut upon his otherwise unsullied face. It felt as if it would be fully healed in a very short amount of time, so he could continue ignoring it for a few moments. There was an interest sparked in his mind as well. He looked to Miki, his gaze lingering before he came to the realization that he'd been looking for a bit too long. Then, and only then, did he redirect his eyes to look upon the mirror. "Right, yeah... give it a go? You should be able to make something pretty ridiculous out of that."

[Apollymi]

"Still, it's pretty unreasonable. I'm glad you're okay," she said softly. She looked at the lad's face for quite a few seconds, as he healed the damages caused by the rebound of energy through the mirror. Apparently her proximity was indeed enough to let the lad heal a great deal and she was content to remain in her current form until she was sure he'd be left unmarred by this incident. Of course, this lead to a moment of extended eye contact between the pair of them, until Kou looked away. A small smile crossed her face at this moment as she figured such a thing would happen, 'Sou ka... baby steps,' she mused. The white haired lad averted his gaze before claiming she should give a try to making her new character. Miki chuckled then and nodded. "Hai hai, I suppose I might as well..." she said bringing the mirror to her person. And then would begin the process...

She began by touching her hand to the face of the mirror and beginning to write her new character using the base code of this object. She was enveloped in the light of the Nexus as she pulled apart lines of code and changed their order to create something new. It seemed the mirror itself did choose her form and it was connected to a very specific kind of being, one which she both enjoyed and was pulled from her being. What was more, the Celestial influence given by Kou seemed to add quite a bit of extra power to person. This would of course, end in the creation of a new person entirely. The objects around the girl disappeared aside from her mirror and what took their place was a set of Miko robes blue in color and with white, black and gold ornamentation. She had on thigh high black socks, and high wedge heels. Beyond this, unfurled on top of her head was a pair of fully lgiht brown ears. Out of her back three golden white tails hugely fluffy as well. Her hair long and pink seemed to drag the ground behind her. And when she opened her eyes they held the golden light of a higher order being. The creamy color of her skin was only further accented by how much of it was showing, as her cleavage practically spilled out. She was a Miko by look and a Kitsune with three tails. "Mikon! I guess I decided..." she paused her speech as it came out a bit more old fashioned than the lass was originally known for. She flicked her tongue over her canine teeth as four of them being present in her mouth was very different. "Oh... new teeth. That's strange."

[Bloodedge]

"Hai hai. Sankusu," Kou replied. With Miki choosing to take on her new form by use of the mirror. The gradual process of transformation was always something interesting to see, but this one in particular was worth gawking at for numerous reasons. That happened to be just what Kou was doing as the form came together with that long, pink hair, that traditional garb so open at the top, and that golden glow to its eyes. Kou experienced an intensity of appeal that went beyond what he knew as a person, touching even his soul as a Celestial. His mouth and eyes were all wide-open, and there wasn't a thought in his mind about letting his expression change. 'Fucking hell, that's... that's...' He didn't have a single word for it, but it unquestionably fit into a certain fantasy... or ten. There was an itch in his mind to reach out, and touch that creamy skin. Could he do that? No, that wouldn't be reasonable at all, would it? Perhaps there would be an allowance for such, but there were two relative strangers standing right beside them. Maybe there was a way he could broach the topic at a later time. Of course, that much would require a great deal of mental preparation, but... for the moment, it was consuming his mind.

[Apollymi]

Kou thanked her. Was this progress? Yes, it had to be. There were plenty of times before where the lad would have completely shied away from all attention she gave him. Now, he seemed to stand off just a bit less than before. She wasn't demanding public displays of affection or anything of the sort, so this was fine. So instead she was left to transform and concentrate. She stood and her feet touched the ground, and it was then that she noticed the shoes. She took a few tiny steps forward. Heels were fine but this was ridiculous. 'Oh? Walking in these is going to be annoying...' she thought only to begin to hover off the ground by just enough for it not to be a problem. 'Ah, that is way better,' her mind wandered. She was different and the same. Her outward appearance, needed appraising so she looked to the only person whose opinion mattered, Kou. The lad was openly gawking. Was this good? She moved a bit closer to him, gave him a knowing smirk. He couldn't reach out and touch her, but she could instead, all of that extra cloth would end up draped over the lad as she wrapped him up in her arms while they were still inside. "Mikon, you're staring pretty openly. Should I take that to mean this one suits me?" she asked in a manner most teasing.

All the while, Kuroka saw this transformation and noted it. Ashikaga Kimiko as a Kitsune was probably one of the most fitting transitions she'd ever seen. Beyond this, her general care for the lad known as Kou was something she'd not expected from the lass for quite a while to come. This world was apparently full of surprises including such an interesting pairing of people. 'Sou ka, she is more direct than he is... even when changing forms... she allows him the space to be himself...' thought the black haired lass. 'How interesting.' and that was that. This new Avatar of Kimiko's would come with a slight shift in personality which would be worth observing. She wondered how this lad would remake himself as well, though he obviously liked the form of this pink haired fox.

[Bloodedge]

It seemed an approach on Kou's side of things wasn't at all necessary. Miki, or whatever this new Avatars of hers went by, initiated a surprising moment of physical contact while Kou remained in that obviously-stunned state. She had a question, but... what was it? He was lost in the moment, upon being embraced. Despite all of that cloth, there was still so much of the lass' upper torso exposed. Since she was presently higher than him as well, the lower half of his face wound up pressed against her collarbone. There was such softness to that flesh, he mentally lost himself for a moment.

Oh... what she said was something about his staring, wasn't it? "Eto..." he murmured. Suitable was far from an apt descriptor of this new Avatar; it was essentially a dream of sorts. Several more moments of silence, or rather, attempts to speak, ensued before he actually managed something. "Uh─ yeah, definitely! It's pretty uh... foxy? I mean... it's uh..." The poor lad still couldn't manage to apply the proper words to what he thought of it. Oh well; the girl was clever enough that she certainly understood his intention, at least.

[Apollymi]

After wrapping herself around the white haired lad, she got no immediate answer to her question. The fox-girl seemed to think nothing of this initially. In fact, she was quite pleased at the contact she'd managed, and happy about the fact that the skin of his face was resting against the bare flesh of her collarbone. A grin crossed her face, and eventually the moment of silence was rewarded by the lad's words. As he tried, though failed initially to give an opinion regarding this new Avatar. He claimed, it was 'foxy' a grin crossed her face at this descriptor as she was sure she was foxy indeed. That word had multiple meanings and she would take all of them happily. She gave him a gentle shifting squeeze which allowed him to be pulled down a slight bit into her chest for a moment or two before she stopped squeezing. "Hoh? Hehehehe!~" she laughed in reaction. "I'll take your compliment in all the ways I think it works then..." she said winking at the lad and sounding a bit flirty. It seemed this version of the girl was quite a bit happier naturally than her disposition normally allowed her to be. She was full of giggles and laughter and a creator of her own open displays of affection.

This entire thing was quite interesting to witness for one such as Kuroka. It was only so interesting because she knew Kimiko's base personality. It was possible to see the pieces of her in the Avatar that had been created, but it was somehow a very specific aspect of her in this case. Still there was the matter of Kou needing a new Avatar as well before they could freely move about in this place as a unit. "Hm, this is a bit closer to what I expected from you..." Kuroka mentioned of the form, with an openness which implied a name could be given. This made the lass' attention go back to the group at large, but she still didn't fully release Kou. "Hm, Tamamo-no-Mae. Aww... but that is really long... Tamamo is fine... or Tama-chan, yeah I like both of those!~" she said introducing herself with shortened versions of her name, which caused Kuroka's eyes to widen slightly. She'd never heard this girl introduce herself so informally before this point, even when she was a child.

[Bloodedge]

Oh? As if his head wasn't swimming enough as it was, this new Avatar of the girl's creation seemed content to pull his face down into her chest, and even press him against it with a squeeze. What was this miraculous sensation plowing its way to his very core? Whatever it was, it could be counted as something he had no intention of letting slip away. But wait... there was something else that did slip by him, just a few moments prior. What was it? It wasn't until even later, when he was not so incredibly smothered in the plush bosom of this kitsune, that it registered... oddly in the middle of his clause addressing this one's name.

"Hm... Tama-chan. That's a─" And there it was. The heat that built up in his face just then was more extreme than it had been from the contact alone, both in intensity and in the speed of its increase. That perfectly-textured face of his had become red as the blood flowing through his veins. "... M... M-M-M-Mikon?!"

[Apollymi]

Ah, there was a certain warmth provided to the fox-girl while she held this lad's head against her bosom. It was satisfying in a strange way, and she very much enjoyed their interaction in this moment. It could have been a lot better, with no witnesses of course, but for the time and place it was quite fine. A smug smile crossed her face as the lad seemed to take her introduction pretty well. Kuroka at least also seemed to acknowledge her new name without much of a problem. Still, Kou's face soon became red as he was apparently planning to call her Tama-chan which she very much enjoyed, only to blurt out Mikon as if she hadn't said it a couple of times since taking this form. She looked into his face with the most devilish of grins, showing fangs with nothing but an amused glint in her eyes.

What would she do in response to his embarrassment? Well the answer before would have been to leave him alone, but... that wasn't who she was presently. No, such a thing was cute, and deserved teasing. "Hai, Mikon!~" she chimed as if it made the most sense in the world. It was obviously how she intended to claim her attachment to him, and she had no desire to change it at all. "You like it don't you? Or is there something else you'd rather me say with the same enthusiasm?" she questioned almost innocently, but that innocence didn't reach her eyes. Those eyes were smug and a little suggestive, like she was content to flirt instead of taking anything seriously. She wouldn't truly take no for an answer. No, instead she was going to push the limit, flirting with him, fawning over him, cuddling him... all things that were presently on the menu given her current personality. Kuroka had to look away, which was hard because this was rather funny. In fact, she was now simply wondering how the lad would respond to such directness from the lass.

[Bloodedge]

The results of this interaction were repeatedly blowing the young man's mind, and mostly due to his own thought process. Tamamo confirmed her earlier word choice, but there was much more to it than that. She met his gaze with one that was somewhat... seductive. Would that be the end of it? No; there was still more to it! As she spoke, the mind of Kou took the proverbial reigns. For her to say something else with the same enthusiasm she had spoken the word 'mikon' with... it gave many implications that may or may not have even been meant.

Aiba Yugi, in life was a shut-in, degenerate, virgin, teenage boy. It went without saying that when his mind raced with such provocation, nothing savory was filling it. He began having these strange... daydreams of a sort. It was almost real enough to feel, what he saw. This Tamamo Avatar and himself were stripped half - if not fully - bare and ravenously exploring one another's bodies. Within these visions, he heard many titles given to himself with that tone and cadence. Daddy, Master, Darling, and his given name all came to mind, and that was only a few on a very long list. If his face could be any redder, well... it seemed to be reaching its peak in those short moments. Was he drooling? Was his nose bleeding? Almost would be the answer to both of these questions. In the end, though, he seemed to be snapping back to reality. "Uh... no, um... that's fine─" he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. Even if they were completely alone, there was no way he could ever admit to the things he'd just thought. Those visions would have to remain as simple dreams to be used in recollection during his alone time. For now, he had to struggle against rather stiffening physical repercussions of even following that train of thought...

[Apollymi]

Tamamo looked at this lad while his brain worked and she knew it to be working overtime. He hadn't said anything, but the look upon his face, let her know that there were many things going on inside of his head. What did she think of this? Nothing negative at all. In fact, if Miki said she didn't mind the lad perv-ing on her, then one such as Tamamo demanded such an outward show of affection for her. No questions asked. Still, there was a moment she was waiting for, he needed to answer her inquiry. Did he wish her to say anything different? The light in her eyes never changed as the boy eventually regained himself and in a few words told her she could continue calling him as she did. "Hai!~" she chimed leaning into the lad once more. After all, she couldn't resist just one more tease, and it came in the form of a whispered short request for some other time... "Maybe I'll test out those other things you thought of... when it's just the two of us, Mikon~" she mused before finally releasing the lad. After all, he still needed a new Avatar and she couldn't well keep him from it, even if she did wish to tease him more.

In the meantime Kuroka had watched with neutrality on her face, but she'd come to several conclusions in the moment. The first of which was, that this Avatar of Kimiko's seemed to maintain her directness, while also containing the perverse nature of her teenage brain. 'I did say that overactive brain could have negatives...' she thought absently about what had to be a rather tense situation for Aiba Yugi. He was still just a teenage boy, as his silence meant acceptance long before he spoke it as such. And that they played off each other, even in ways that didn't directly involve their known skill sets. "Sou ka, I wondered if there was a stark difference in personality from Avatar to Avatar, since I didn't get to witness my own... this is becoming rather interesting," she mentioned aloud if only to help keep everyone on track in this. Rimuru had been surprisingly quiet for the time being, she wondered what the lad had gotten into in the last few moments to not have some kind of scathing commentary for the older teens.

[Bloodedge]

Kou said what he did for the sake of... well, avoiding any of the things filling his mind at the time. Alas, there was hardly a thing to be done after all. He accepted the title of 'Mikon' instead of anything else he had in mind, but Tamamo didn't seem ready to call it quits just yet. Did she know something was amiss, or was there something more? Another lump formed in the half-Celestial's throat as he considered the possibilities. Those glowing eyes had an air of intimidation about them, even if it wasn't necessarily a frightening one. It reeked of intent, and perhaps even of... desire? If the look wasn't enough to make it clear, her whispered words following it were a cue and a half.

"I... err... please don't tell me you can read minds," he pleaded. If she did have such an ability, then she heard everything he thought... and perhaps saw it as well. Ah, but... if that were true, didn't that mean she was accepting of the ideas racing through his mind? Would that not be a superior outcome to her simply believing there were other titles in his head? What a turn of events that would be. "Or... maybe you can, and─"

[Apollymi]

Kou seemed to have a problem initially figuring out the intentions of this fox girl. That was something which she found funny, if only because there was no way he could claim she wasn't being obvious about her intentions presently. He went on to panic mildly at the idea that she could read his mind. She looked at him strangely, her left ear twitching slightly as she seemed to have a canine like curiosity about her. She thought about her present set of abilities and chuckled. They were still speaking quietly, as such she could respond to him easily, that hint of mischief seeping into every word she spoke. "Ara ara, Mikon. You'd like that wouldn't you... if I could see all the things that played through your mind right then?" she questioned with a teasing quality. She reached out for his face to tilt this chin a bit as she floated just a little higher. She could think of a few situations in which she'd have this type of advantage over him, and knew for a fact he could do something similar. She stared at his face and smiled happily. "You really would, huh?" she said with a smirk.

Truth be told, it wasn't technically outside of her abilities to read minds. Part of her ability to bring good fortune to men and help women with their matches had to do with her knowing and understanding her targets. Moreover, she could have used such an ability easily in the moment, even inadvertently. But that wasn't what happened at all... no, instead she'd simply been looking in the lad's face and knew in the moment that he'd had more going on in his mind than he wished to let own. Her own devious mind filled in the blanks based on the sort of prodding she did. And she found herself imagining such moments between them in due course, as she always did. After all, her imagination was just as active as his. But was this something to admit? "The ability to read minds is one I can have if I try. What I said before was because your mind isn't the only one that wanders so. The likeness in our thoughts was similar enough that I could read it in your adorable face!~" she chimed softly to the lad. She had no desire to keep secret the sort of abilities she had, nor did she want him having the wrong idea about how she'd come to her conclusions. "So, then would you like me to use such abilities on you?" she asked for reference for now or for the future.

[Bloodedge]

Kou had become anything but stable, it seemed. There were already so many things going on in his head, he couldn't fathom much more. Speaking of things he couldn't fathom, Tamamo's rebuttal made a few interesting implications. What he first heard could have easily meant 'yes' in a roundabout, teasing way of saying so. That smile was almost unnerving as a result, but he'd be lying if he claimed he wouldn't have enjoyed mind-reading being the case in this particular situation. Could he be so openly truthful, though? It sounded impossible, and still sounded far easier than it actually was. Silence was the answer.

Interestingly enough, it was not at all the ability to hear or see his thoughts that brought this about. Tamamo herself claimed to have the ability, but specified that she had not been using it. No, it was instead the similarities between them which led her to such a conclusion. His face even gave it away? How repulsive it was that his own visage would betray him. On top of that, there was an unavoidable, horrible question. Did he desire just what he alluded to? If she saw his mind, would her reaction be the same? She wasn't wrong about their similar mindsets, but perhaps there were some key differences which stood out more than necessary. Giving proper consideration, there was but one conclusion─ one proper retort. "Well... what did you come up with, without using it? Step one is finding out if it's necessary, right?" It was a bit of a trap, his suggestion. On one hand, he could use it to avoid incriminating himself upon answering. On the other hand, he could fish for a fair bit of context.

[Apollymi]

A look of inquisitiveness crossed this lass' face. She couldn't help but wonder about his silence, but she could practically see the gears turning in his head. Using the same method she had to make the assumptions about his thoughts concerning what she called him, she began to work through how he would in fact approach what she'd said so recently. Those golden eyes of hers retained an amused light, and she appeared to be rather openly flirtatious regardless. She wouldn't actually mind answering his questions, but she had to maintain some air of dignity or she'd be too forward. But then did one really care about being too forward with their intended? These were the mental questions that Tamamo worked through, that plagued her own mind, and led her to the idea that the lad would indeed ask a question that wouldn't necessarily incriminate himself. And as she stared coming to that conclusion, he came with an answer that was more of a question. But not just a question, a question which would take more information than it gave on the side of the person who asked it.

"Sou ka, step one is a trap. The Akiza approach then... Mikon, you are asking a girl to reveal a lot about herself for so little in return~" she teased the lad about his question choice. This was indeed true, but it fit into the line of teasing she was content to take. This version of Kimiko seemed to have inherited her directness without the aggression of her Dragonoid form. "You'll have to make it up to me~" she chimed with satisfaction. If she was going to answer his question, she had to be quiet about it, still she wanted to be close enough to continue watching his face for cues. After all, there was still a base difference between men and women, perhaps in giving information she thought, she could find the line her directness couldn't or rather shouldn't cross, mediating a bit more of her own anxiety. "What was obvious was a few more words with two syllables that could be said with the same cadence. 'Darling' or 'Master' or 'Daddy' are the ones which come to mind first. There is always the fun of knowing and saying ones given name as well..." she said sufficiently. "But the words alone aren't all... there are the situations that come to mind when they could be said... in the heat of the moment, clothed or unclothed, in different positions..." she commented her mind had wandered in such a way. Hell, in her other form she had still been thinking actively about the windows on the ship. She could leave him with those whispered thoughts.

[Bloodedge]

Kou's plan managed to be perfectly interpreted by Tamamo. Was this the work of her Avatar, or her aforementioned mind-reading ability? No, that couldn't be quite right. The only ability to show itself was the normal workings of Tamamo, Tatsuki, Miki, whomever Ashikaga Kimiko chose to be; it was her natural mind at work. True enough, there was a certain lack of directness that would have been found in a Dragon, but this amount of forward behavior was still surprising every time it reared its head. She was now saying he'd have to make it up to her for making her reveal so much, for so little even. That wasn't quite true; his question was merely a leading one. The white-haired male fully intended to match whatever was spoken.

The names Tamamo listed, happened to be the ones most prevalent in his vision. If he didn't have faith enough to believe her earlier words, he would have thought she had been reading his mind after all. A couple of those things made total sense, while the rest were... quite specific visions that came to him as byproducts of seeing this Avatar. What made her follow the same train of thought? One could only wonder. The way Tamamo spoke, it didn't seem to be necessarily leaning toward an offer of any sort... but when paired with her clause that started all this, it could have been nothing else. She presented herself quite openly, at the end of the day. It even became something worthy of note that she was more entranced by the situations resulting in such titles being spoken. "A─ well..." he spoke, losing himself in thought once more. He wanted to simply answer, but there were also things he wanted to ask... and things he would rather have been doing, but that was neither here nor there. "Ho─ that's an unexpected list. It's weird though, isn't it? Like... what could even make some of those things appropriate, and all..."

[Apollymi]

It was fair that Ashikaga Kimiko's normal mind was the one at work beyond the faces of her Avatars. Each one seemed to have its own kind of problems... interpreting her will though. In the case of Tamamo, there was less of an overall problem with the interpretation. She got to be as direct as she wished without the extra anxiety associated with her saying the things on her mind. Perhaps there was a reason for this. Maybe, it was being a fox that simply made seduction feel natural? Maybe it was the previous nights activities and the extra flirting which made it more, alright? Maybe it was a combination of things, including the knowledge that the lad was interested in her forms and multiples of them even.

Whatever the case, Kou was working through whatever process and the words she'd spoken seemingly with some difficulty still. Tamamo unlike her other selves took this as further confirmation of his interest, "Oh? You think it was unexpected... it looks to me like you're comparing notes," she said simply, her tone still teasing. She didn't mind this at all. Actually, it would likely be better if she were as open as possible and he could decide what all he wished to share from that point forward. "Still, you would think it'd be pretty obvious. Situations like the one last night where we aren't just trying to fall asleep could easily bring about the use of a few new words or titles," she mentioned coyly. Of course, this conversation was rather intense for general purposes, but if he'd rather clear everything up in the moment, she'd do the same with that mischievous glint in her eye. "I mean, I can think of more than a few situations where you could ask me and I'd call you whatever you like. Or maybe, you have some specific things that you'd like me to call you based on who I am at the time or what I am wearing? I can change clothes pretty easily now~" she seemed to have started off pretty seriously but the teasing came back immediately. There was an openness to how she spoke and she meant all that she said. She had a fantasy or two she wished to explore and she thought the lad just the outlet. After all, what was Ashikaga Kimiko? A degenerate, an heiress, virgin, teenage girl with very direct communication skills and who apparently wanted the white haired lad she was interested in to indulge with her.

[Bloodedge]

This Avatar was becoming more and more... cheeky, to say the least. She picked apart everything he was saying; how? Had she managed to get him so flustered that he couldn't resist wearing his every thought on his face? Perhaps he had such an honest visage anyway, and this kitsune had a certain goal to read into the specifics. "That makes two of us then, doesn't it?" he asked in the end. Surely Tamamo, too, was doing nothing more than prying for information. While Kou's own prying was undoubtedly for knowledge and potential later use, Tamamo seemed to be more certain about everything. It almost seemed like, if they were not in the company of others and in the middle of a task, she would have seen the pair of them enacting one of their apparently shared fantasies. No, it wasn't so simple; that was exactly the case as he figured.

Hearing reference to the previous night was... quite interesting as well. Indeed, if it had gone differently, if the stars aligned, they could have approached things in far more interesting ways. What could he have heard from her during that time? How different would it be if he relived that exact moment with this Avatar? Bringing himself to request a particular title for the heat of the moment was a ridiculous concept to Kou, but he did wonder what she would come up with naturally. Could he wonder that for very long? No. Tamamo spoke of how easily she could change clothing, and his mind raced anew. What would this form choose to change into? Something classy? Something skimpy? Something that would make one's mother disappointed? The options were nearly infinite, which left Kou with a single choice. "Er... I guess I'm not sure. What would you even change to?"

[Apollymi]

"Hai hai," she said in confirmation of the idea that she was just checking their likeness. If she was being fair, it was one of the few things she did to make sure that this lad and her had similar enough interests. Beyond that point, she also wished for him to realize a bit that the direction of her previous Avatar was limited a bit by its existence. This version of herself was a bit closer to her usual self, and she needed confirmation of his acceptance.

It seemed her mention the previous night caused some strange shift in the lad's thoughts. She couldn't be certain, but it seemed that he considered they could do the same as they were now and have a different outcome. This was somewhat true as this version of the lass would be fairly direct about what she wanted. But she wouldn't get to dwell on this for very long. She spoke on the ease of her outfit shifts, causing the lad to begin thinking again. It was clear on his face that he had several ideas in mind, but he seemed to narrow down his speech to just asking her a question. "Oh, well anything... I could go for something more mainland you seemed to like that well enough," she said with a wink. "Oh, or school girl chic, that one seems like it'd be a bit of a winner. I also have a ridiculous amount of lingerie so all types of that as well~" she chimed the last in their whispered conversation. The whole of this time, Kuroka had been watching and she saw this interaction evolve and devolve several times. It was obvious to her whatever they were talking about wasn't meant for anyone else to hear, but it was obviously something very important. She thought about the things she knew of Ashikaga Kimiko and wondered if the lad fit all of her preferences, 'Well... he is a teen boy, it can't be that hard to find someone who will let her properly express herself... She still reads those manga too, she's probably developed a few deviant quirks. Hell the whole Youkai Fox thing is kind of Deviant when being played so obviously like a seductress.' the thoughts of the doctor raced a bit as she came to a couple of conclusions. 'Still, she seems to have focus. I always figured she would, that alone will stop another one of... those.' she cut her eyes thinking about a specific kind of girl that was the bane of the existences of all other girls.

[Bloodedge]

There were far, far too many possibilities for Kou's overloaded mind to process fully. The more he asked, the more this kitsune provided, and then some. What would the bedroom be like, he wondered. Could he truly make requests; nay, demands? Would they truly be so easily met? What if he desired one of the aforementioned outfits here and now; would she don it? Those weren't even all the questions on his mind. What if they went above and beyond? Preferred position? Ideal approach during the heat of the moment? Protruding tongue? What would happen?! Kou found himself desiring nothing more than figuring out the answers to these questions, right here, right now. He wanted to ignore the onlookers, to fully immerse himself in an experience. Alas, he could only stammer and blush as his urges manifested in every physical way possible. Most prominent, of course, was the tent he was pitching in a manner of speaking. Luckily for him, the other two present would not find it within their line of sight... as far as he knew. Was that a positive, though? Perhaps, or perhaps not. "Well... anything works, really. I've seen a lot of stuff, and I don't dislike much of anything," the lad clarified as he honed in on those golden orbs once more. "Surprises are fun as well, I guess─"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo's eyes glanced over the lad before her. He had all the signs and makings of a man who knew what he wanted to question and do. It was quite similar to the time she'd spent as Tatsuki most recently, whether she knew it or not, but also quite different. Tamamo had on offer anything the lad could like, she seemed to be rather open about what she wanted to do. In fact, she wanted to see all the things Kou would like, because she wished to engage in such things. She was also fair in her application of things, she hoped he understood that he could ask anything he liked of her, she she'd likely try it, but in the same vein, she'd wish to have whatever random thoughts or desires she had in her mind satisfied. "Hoh?" she questioned when the lad went on to mention what he'd like. His body, his face, all of him seemed to be on board with the ideas she presented. "You like surprises and have open enough tastes for it not to matter what I do... hm," she seemed to be thinking about it for quite a bit. "Mikon, we're going to have so much fun!~" there was a light in her eyes that was devious. If they didn't have anything else to do, she'd likely have been the one instigating something far behind this conversation. But as it stood, her body's placement was the only thing standing between this lad and exposure for his deviance.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, he could be considered a plan of pleasant surprises. Indeed, he was quite interested in seeing what filled this one's mind. Indeed, he was limited partially by the proximity of others, yet saved from being revealed by the proximity of Tamamo herself. What she intended with those alleged 'open tastes' of his was a mystery to be solved, and Kou could assume she very much meant to solve it. Fun? They were going to have fun? Well, it certainly seemed so. For the time being though, there was a task to be completed. Kou knew he had to acquire something else for his own Avatar creation. The kusarigama alone would never suffice for a proper youkai of any sort, and none of his existing Avatars had the proper source code to create one easily. Somewhere here, there had to be some sort of... museum, or a similar structure. An Artifact was all he needed; he could acquire one with just a bit of searching and... a bit of theft. Alas, he could not yet move without revealing his erect state to the others. What did he do to make up for this? Simply put, he merely continued conversing. "Y─yeah... I could use some help picking up an Artifact from around here too. That should be fun in its own way─" he said in a somewhat nervous fashion, doing his best to think away the stiffness to his manhood.

[Apollymi]

Everything about what this lad was giving off let Tamamo know that he'd be quite accepting of anything she offered him. Strangely, he seemed to shy away from it just now, but she took that to be a because of the others and their impending work and not simply a matter of turning her down. As if to confirm this, Kou himself began speaking about an Artifact he wished to pick up, one which he thought he could use to help create his new Avatar and help them along with getting into the Youkai area a bit more properly. "Hm? I can help you with that in multiple ways... what do you need?" she asked of the lad. The sentence came off a little more suggestive than she may have intended but... given their most recent conversation, she couldn't really be blamed for that. At this moment the mirror she had emerged from one of her large sleeves and she held her hand over it. She could use it as a catalyst for any magic and aside from that could use it make use of her witchcraft in various forms. As such the tool itself was one of the most useful that this woman had in her arsenal. At the same time, she was deliberately giving the lad as much extra time as she could, to avoid his embarrassment and give them both a chance to divert back to more normal conversation.

[Bloodedge]

It was an easy enough ordeal. So long as Kou could focus on the task ahead, he could do something about his visible situation before someone else saw. That, sadly, was not to be. Tamamo's every word sounded seductive in some way. When she said she could help in multiple ways, he couldn't help himself wondering exactly what ways she meant. That wasn't helping his situation at all, yet somehow, he... liked it? Well, this was a predicament. Maybe he was just reaching at this point, even expecting things and assigning undue purpose to certain phrases because of it. Either way, he had to do something. Tugging on his pants, he lowered where he stood. A sitting position with crossed legs was best, though he was only able to conceal himself then by leaning forward just a bit. Luckily, however, he managed this movement without being in total view of the others.

Perhaps this could become a more normal interaction from that moment forward, but... did he even actually want that? "Er... well, I need..." Oh no; it was taking quite some time for his normal thoughts to even return properly. Nevertheless, he seemed to manage in spite of a few upward glances. What an interesting angle─ no! It was time to think! "Uh! An Artifact linked to something physical... probably an Oni. Just... not a Kappa."

[Apollymi]

With her mirror floating out before her, Tamamo was left to think about how to help the lad in his endeavor. Strangely, or maybe not so, he took a seat. This was likely some kind of tactic to help out the physical signs of his arousal. Tamamo understood enough about male anatomy, or rather Kimiko did, to know that blood flow was rather important. She knew her words had been a bit too suggestive, but she couldn't help them, and she didn't really want to. This version of the lass, was more content to be open about who she was with this lad, so she wouldn't hide, even in normal conversation. Beyond this after he sat, he stole a few upward glances and she took note of them... oh then perhaps he really did like that up-skirt view he'd gotten of her blonde haired alternative self a few weeks ago. "Sou ka... something physical..." she wrote a talisman with her magic with the kanji for strength and sank it into the surface of the mirror which rippled like a still lake. "Oni" she made another with this word and sank it in as well. "Not Kappa," she dropped this one in as well after its creation. The whole of this took only a few seconds and even from her higher elevation she dropped the mirror before the lad's face reflecting it back at him. It was a still silvery shimmer. Each of the talisman's she'd made were infused with her body's own special form of magic. If he touched this mirror as well with his ideas in mind he would be lead to what he was looking for. "Make an offering... and then seek your fortune. You'll find what you need," she said with a knowing smirk. Such magic was strange to her but here it made total sense, an offering to a deity. And if he made an offering of himself in this moment, he'd be relieved of the pressure in his loins and it would be used as a catalyst for the magic instead of plaguing him in the moment.

After this 'offering' was made as a catalyst for the Dakini Heavenly Method, he'd see the Artifact he saw and where it could be found within the mirror. This spell was a basic plea for sight to a certain goddess who used Tamamo's body as an extension of her own Divinity.

[Bloodedge]

After hearing out his requirements for an Artifact, Tamamo inscribed her mirror with the specifics given. She went on to present him the mirror, though not without seeming as if she'd been made privy to his mental dealings once again. He really had to get his face under control if he was to continue in a semi-professional manner. Luckily for him, there was some sort of offering required to the mirror for the locating spell to function properly. What would it be? As vaguely as it was mentioned, it could be literally anything. As such, he decided his offering would be his urges for the time being. At the rate he was going presently, Kou knew they would return naturally with as little as a sentence spoken by the fox, but he could at least do away with it long enough to start moving again.

His erection faded, and with that fading came the gradual appearance of a vision. He saw a mask in the shape of an Oni skull, a single horn protruding from its left brow. This mask was under lock and key in a manner of speaking, stashed behind numerous curses and pathways within a temple. It didn't seem like it would be too much of an arduous task, especially considering the abilities likely possessed by Tamamo. "I can see it. It's in a temple to the east. There are a lot of small, dim corridors littered with magical traps, but... I think we've done way worse."

[Apollymi]

Kou made his offering and the mirror showed him what it was he wanted to see. The Artifact he searched for was apparently held within a temple to the east. According to the lad, the temple contained a series of dimly lit corridors and magical traps. That didn't actually sound that bad. She smiled, when he stated they'd done worse, and she could only agree. "Hai hai, I can think of several things worse than a few snug corridors. Actually, that sounds enjoyable!~" she chimed seemingly amused by the whole thing. Her eyes were still practically glowing and full of that devious light she always seemed to have. "Come on then, we'll get you all set. And then... breakfast~" she offered with a wink. She didn't really think about the other two people in this group right now, but that was pretty normal. Her line of focus was very narrow since taking on this Avatar. At this point Kuroka was still watching and seemed to think little of the entire scenario though it became obvious they were about to set off.

"If you've found what it is you need to make your next Avatar. I am not really interested in anymore dungeon crawling. I'll gather some more information about the situation here and we can meet up here when you are finished," she offered. Beyond not wanting to go into a Dungeon for an artifact that wouldn't be useful to her, she also thought the teens could use a little bit of alone time, not that she'd say that aloud.

[Bloodedge]

Of course she would find the mention of corridors to be an acceptable, even enjoyable one. If he was being honest, Kou could say the same. There was that one manga in which two protagonists were sealed in a house together, constantly being guided toward producing an heir to a royal lineage. The more he thought about that, the more his desire returned... and the more he realized how many similarities there were between that, and this new life of his, but that was an aside. "... Hai. It seems to have some puzzle elements to it," he said, though his expression would easily reveal that it wasn't the potential puzzle at the forefront of his mind. Instead, it was the vision of being in those snug places with nothing but flickering torches lighting the area.

Lo and behold, Kuroka's interjection implied that the pair would be alone in this endeavor. One glance toward an ever nonchalant Rimuru further confirmed this; that lad wasn't going to be going anywhere without his companion of choice. In fact, Rimuru was almost disgusted by the idea of accompanying these two, considering how they'd been interacting with one another these past few minutes. "Fair enough. It shouldn't take too long to handle it, so we'll meet up soon? I know where to go." Thankful to have avoided another erection already, Kou stood. He gave only a single nod to Kuroka and Rimuru before taking those first steps east, knowing just where to go for the sake of reaching the temple in his mind.

[Apollymi]

The manga Kou thought of, was also one which appeared in the mind of Tamamo. In fact, she found the entirety of the potentials of such an adventure worth more than anything she could receive from it. As such she was more than content to move along towards their new goal. Her mirror went back into her giant sleeves and she floated along her feet not touching the ground as she did. Actually thinking about it logically she was a lot like the female lead in that series. An heiress with at least one overbearing parent and an inability to make regular friends. Still the idea of a nice cozy puzzle filled dungeon with the boy she wanted to be alone with was plenty pleasing to the ear. "Hai hai, puzzles are fine too. I'm sure you're up to it!~" she said, happily and again a tiny bit more suggestively than would have been intended. A chuckle came to her as she looked at the raven-haired lass and the blue-haired slime and waved happily. "Ja ne!~" she chimed as the pair of them headed off. As Kou took his steps to the east, Tamamo floated alongside without a care in the world.

At the same time as the pair disappeared from sight, a sigh escaped Kuroka. She'd been a bit uneasy the entire time watching that pair of people speak to each other. It was quite obvious that they were interested in each other. She'd begun to wonder if they were exhibitionists and if she'd have to cover her eyes and those of the slime boy to avoid seeing too much of the pairing. Still, knowing who they both were in their previous world, she had faith in them to get their jobs done without fail. 'I don't envy them all of that extra energy.' she thought as she waited for the silme to decide on his course of action for the duration of those two's dungeon dive.

[Bloodedge]

And so, they were off. This didn't occur without an extra clause spoken by Tamamo, though, and that was just as filled with implications as everything else he heard from her this day. Already, he was sensing the return. What could he do about it, though? He certainly couldn't withdraw back into a shell after what they'd already been through. Tasks needed completing, but... he'd read and watched a few series in which the protagonists still managed an incredible job while fully fornicating the entire time they were meant to be working. All in all, he wondered if such a thing would be possible here...

Ah, but a statement required one in return. What to say, what to say... "Eheh... yeah─" he murmured, thinking it best to simply answer as close to honestly as he could. After all, she'd been picking her way through his brain through mere expressions all this time; there was no point covering on purpose while they were uninterrupted. "Well... I'm sure I will be soon, at least," he quipped. Sure, he meant that in the serious manner as well, though he was also well beyond doubting that he'd be 'up' in numerous senses again soon enough.

[Apollymi]

They left with little fuss and soon they were alone again. Somehow this felt like the right way for them to be, and Tamamo couldn't have been more pleased even if she'd tried. What could have led to an even more elated state? Kou. Specifically his rather cheeky commentary that managed to not shrink away from her own. What had the lad done? He'd responded in kind, not only taking her slight deviance at face value but managing to quip back to it. It caused her an untold amount of joy, which blistered out of her very being. She moved herself around him, slipping her arms around his neck, pressing her chest against his back and speaking softly against his left ear. The whole time she held a rather amused tone, but there was still that hint of something devious just behind her. "Ara ara, don't tease me with a good time, Mikon~" her words were left to settle against the lad's neck. She didn't know why she couldn't resist teasing as such, but it was a fair deal harder without having to keep up appearances. It was as if being acknowledged in such a way further fueled her behavior and she couldn't be stopped while being entertained.

[Bloodedge]

... And of course that would be her reaction to his quip. The more Kou spoke, the deeper the hole he dug for himself became. This specific Avatar, this specific Youkai, was going to ruin his very existence with her approach... and he was going to let it happen. It was up for debate whether this was a new low, or a height he had never before been able to reach. In little to no time at all, they were encroaching upon the temple which housed Kou's desired Artifact. What a dangerous place this was. Could Kou have been worried about the traps? Not one bit. What concerned him was, in fact, the potential for completing the task when he had a personality like that of Tamamo's alongside him. Regardless of what happened inside, they first had to make their way in. "You wouldn't happen to come with the ability to hide in plain sight, would you?" he asked. Interestingly enough, interacting with Tamamo thus far was beginning to make Kou himself think twice about every spoken phrase. He wondered, if she had such an ability, if they could have been sharing very different words mere minutes before this moment.

[Apollymi]

Her reaction to Kou's words brought out a strange trait in the lad. It seemed that with everything on the table, he didn't at all seem like he cared, if she acted this way. It was encouraging, in more ways than a few. To be honest, she didn't mind dragging him along on her fantasies, if they were ones he shared, or could benefit from. And Tamamo's personality, dictated that she didn't mind showing the object her affection, exactly how far that affection went. She offered herself fully to him. She was far from the only version of this lass to do this but, her direct nature led her to believe that he was fine with and even happy for her dalliances. His question once again brought a chuckle from the lass, as she squeezed him. Her eyes glowed an eerie version of the golden color they possessed and her tails shown with the warmth and vibration of extra magic. "Hoh? Feeling a little naughty... in plain sight do you want to be unseen and unheard? I wonder what we'll do with that~" she teased knowing how her code lines currently worked. She had a build that was... frighteningly similar to a certain 'Queen' from a series she enjoyed. She cast an illusory magic which would serve to keep them from attracting extra attention as they moved through enemy territory. "I have in my Mystic Code the ability to hide my presence and that of my allies magically from others. I used it with an illusion which adds the idea that looking at us is forbidden. So, they shouldn't want to view us, even if they sense something is off," she summarized the ability which definitely sounded a bit more science fiction than magical, but that was simply how she understood it best. She would leave it to him to test the full bounds of this ability, but this particular task didn't seem like one which would require her full attention. Instead she nestled herself into the lad content to offer her teasing commentary and gauge his reactions.

[Bloodedge]

Just as Kou had come to expect, Tamamo took his query in a devious way. Even though he had already accepted that Ashikaga Kimiko at least rivaled his own degeneracy, but these clauses coming from Tamamo managed to be both surprising and anticipated at once. Needless to say, a few ideas made their way into his conscious mind, especially when Tamamo described the ability she made use of. For them to essentially have a perception filter surrounding them, they could do literally anything they wanted without worry. Kou was familiar with this concept, and if things were the same here, even noises made would be ignored by passers-by. "Were you... thinking really hard about Naruto when you became this one?" he asked somewhat sheepishly. He had been doing his best to avoid caving under the sensation of Tamamo pressed against his back, and now, there were sultry thoughts plaguing his mind once more. Tamamo seemed rather familiar to a protagonist in the series he mentioned, who happened to be... quite promiscuous in nature. "You're uh... not seeming too focused on the quest, y'know?" he asked, mostly in rhetoric. Of course, he didn't have much of an actual complaint to offer. All things considered, he had even given a bit of thought to whether the quest was actually more important, or not.

[Apollymi]

Tamamo explained her abilities and had faith the lad understood all that she said. Strangely, or rather maybe it was expected at this point... the lad became more than a bit distracted. Was it her movements? Her words... her overly flirty nature? Yes. Probably all of those things, and they manifested in the form of a question. Of apparently her thoughts when she created this particular Avatar. Kou rather sheepishly made reference to a series that Kimiko was more than a bit familiar with. As Tamamo, she couldn't help but offer a teasing giggle as she thought to answer his query. "If I was, it wasn't an active thought. I do like Naruto quite a lot though... it definitely hits my top three," she said with a knowing smirk. "I thought that was pretty obvious though..." she said teasing just a little as she maintained her current position without caring at all how it was taken. The lad hadn't launched any actual complaints about her behavior and as long as he didn't, she'd likely carry on without deviation. His next statement was one which covered the idea that she didn't seem to be focused on their given task. "I am not... truth be told I'd rather focus on you~" she said rather directly, her face meeting the side of his as she rubbed against him like she was enjoying the feeling of their skin making contact. It didn't go past her notice that she was obviously distracted by her own work with the lad. At the same time, she didn't feel like she was truly in any danger nor did this task require a lot of her that she couldn't do easily. Still, the lad's words didn't seem like a complaint so she didn't take it as one. "Lead on, I'll help you in whatever way I can~" again, her words could be interpreted as overly flirty, but that wouldn't make too much of a difference.

[Bloodedge]

"Really? I'd have never guessed," Kou stated without an ounce of seriousness. Aside from choosing the form of a kitsune, having a pet Direwolf named Youko, and a few other key things, it couldn't have been more obvious that Ashikaga Kimiko favored that particular series above most others. In fact, it could just as easily be said that she had an interest in the character named Youko; that was a bittersweet thought. Could he measure up to that? Did it even matter, when that character was an imaginary existence? Why was he even comparing himself to a fictional being? He shook his head to try and shake off the thought, deciding to move forward into the old temple.

On the way in, Tamamo admitted that she hardly cared for the task at hand, and instead set her gaze upon Kou. Suddenly, his previous train of thought all but dissipated into the recesses of his mind. There was, of course, also a provocative hint to her offer of aide. What was he to actually do about any of this? All things considered, he could have probably gotten away with throwing himself at the lass right there at the temple's entrance; it seemed as if she'd have actually enjoyed such a thing, and he was physically on his way to being very prepared once again. As opposed to outright doing something like that, he decided simply to... continue bantering, and see what happened in the long-run. "Guess I can't complain about that or anything. I mean... that's the sort of thing that happens, right?" he asked. Things that they both read and watched would easily imply that any random pair of people could engage in coitus abruptly, even with other things on the line, and all would be well. If that were to happen here, though... who could know the true outcome?

[Apollymi]

Kou's sarcastic retort brought a giggle to the pink haired lass. "Hoh? What a cheeky reply..." she mused. It was nice to know that all of her habits weren't unseen even though the nicer lens of her other Avatar. She was quite fond of the characters in that series, in particular the male leads tended to have all of her attention. That being said, she could still almost see the lad's thoughts across his face. She wondered what he got out of comparing himself to fictional people. She might have done something similar herself, but... she'd taken the approach of becoming what she considered better versions of female characters she might have compared herself too. Ah, but that wasn't something which would be obvious for quite a while. Still the lad's thought pattern didn't seem to stay and he was eventually distracted back into banter.

As they entered this temple she gave a casual look around the place with her arms still wrapped around the lad's body. She couldn't help but chuckle at his statement. "Well no complaints is fine... but I might prefer when you seem like you are barely controlling yourself," the lass teased. Was this true? Yes. She definitely took some kind of satisfaction from the lad acknowledging his feelings for her. His physical reactions being the sort of thing she enjoyed the most. Being able to see on his face and body that he appreciated her actions and words was among the best feelings she had. She leaned her face into his in the moments and pressed her lips softly against his cheek. "You can take that as you like. Or me~" her voice was still teasing but there was a hint of seriousness in her that made it obvious that even in gentle flirty banter she was being quite serious in her desire to be with him.

[Bloodedge]

Cheeky, was it? He supposed so. As far as Kou was concerned, his retort was a simple part of standard progression in conversation. In this case, though, it was undoubtedly a bit... different from the norm. He spoke with intent, whether he meant to do so on the surface or not. There was an oddity in the works. What Kou thought within, and what he expressed outwardly, were being somewhat mixed up, as it were. The fault, of course, was Tamamo's. Every word she spoke was confusing, arousing, and generally exciting in addition to quite a few other things. Kou barely being able to control himself was constantly up for debate, and it didn't help when she added that closing statement about what he could take, and how. It couldn't have been more clear how many options he was being given; they were quite infinite in concept.

What sort of man could he purport to be if he didn't take advantage of a situation like this? Sure, there were things to be done. However, his mind, heart, body and groin were all locked in a heated argument over what held higher importance here and now. "Or─" he nearly repeated her clause fully, but his words were lost. It was far too late for recovery now; he was at full mast, standing still in the opening of the temple's first corridor en route to the treasure he sought. This was the moment he imagined. There were different types of youkai wandering the temple, yet none of them seemed to realize these two were inside at all. Even if they could be seen, there was nothing more than the light of well-spaced torches throughout the halls, and dark patches between each pair. What better time was there to break? "A─... can you really be that open about stuff? It just seems... I dunno..."

[Apollymi]

Once again, Tamamo could practically feel the lad thinking through his options. Even as they approached a poorly lit corridor she looked down it with nothing but thoughts of deviance. She didn't even bother trying to shake them off, unlike her other selves. Also, it seemed that the lad stopped his own statement once more, or rather the repeat of the one she just said. It seemed like the lad was at war within himself, what would win out in this case? It seemed at least his physical reaction said it would be his body but he posed another question to the kitsune which caused her expression to soften gently. She shifted around him in this moment. Once she was before him, she looked him in the eye closing the distance between their bodies and reaching out for the side of his face. "I said it before didn't I?" she asked though she had no problem reiterating herself so that there could be nothing but clarity between them. "I can be like this... with you," she said softly. "Rather, I can show you all of who I am and offer that to you~" Tamamo said while looking very directly at the lad, her golden eyes glittered with several emotions but the base didn't change.

Tamamo was simply more direct than her other selves managed to be because of her own disposition. She'd show him all of herself for a couple reasons, because she liked him and didn't want to be dishonest. She enjoyed knowing that he liked her and wanted to experience the things she fantasized about with him. Their current predicament was such a moment as one which appeared in her mind as a potential to be explored. So, why not goad the lad into a bit of fun, and help him and herself out in the process? Why couldn't they both have fun and get work done? "I know it probably seems like a lot, but... we are both kind of a lot," she said looking at the lad directly. Her basic premise was always the same. She offered herself to the lad, at every turn, this version of her, was just a bit more direct about what it was she was actually offering. The kind of person to not only take advantage of a situation that presented itself, but to make the situation if she wanted the experience enough.

[Bloodedge]

Tamamo said it before, and was content to say it again. Now though, she was even more direct, more literal about it. She continued shooting offers in Kou's directions, whether intended for the moment or not. No... it would be more accurate to assume they were all intended for whatever moment they were taken in, and the evidence was simply the way she looked at him. The hand upon Kou's cheek came with a surprising warmth, yet not in a true physical sense at all. Perhaps said warmth was merely a byproduct of arousal, or even adrenaline due to the present location being where they discussed these matters. "I'm guessing you mean that literally and metaphorically," he said with a sigh. At this point, it was impossible to believe Tamamo wouldn't literally and figuratively bare herself to the lad. With that in mind, there was only one thing worth doing...

Each incarnation of Aiba Yugi spent most of its time in this world acting as an Adventurer, even as a gamer and puzzle-solver. At what point would he behave as a man if he continued that way? They were both indeed 'kind of a lot' as Tamamo put it, but that was fine, wasn't it? At some point, there would be no avoiding the fact that he could not simply offer himself as Kou, as Akashi, even as Licht or Amakusa; true progress would require an offering of Aiba Yugi... at least in the mental and emotional sense. Resolve began to find him, or perhaps he found it? In a way, he made the executive decision to avoid the statistic of gamer guys who put girls off, before it became a potential. "... Alright then. You're the business-savvy one; what's this offer?"

[Apollymi]

With her hand upon his face, Tamamo found herself searching the lad's expression for any hint of what was going on in his mind. She found that she could read him rather easily, but since he hadn't given her an answer about peeking into his mind, she wouldn't use this to figure him out. He seemed to think she meant her offer in two senses... which was quite true. Or rather she meant it in every sense, to offer herself to the lad in every way she could think to do it. "Hai. Both of those work for what I mean..." she said softly. She realized that she was indeed a bit more than most people could or would want to put up with, but in the time they'd spent together (and what a long time it was), she'd come to believe in him a bit more than everyone else.

So, she watched him for a few seconds longer. He seemed to be coming to some sort of conclusion. Perhaps... making up his mind about something, but she couldn't quite read it off his face alone. It wouldn't be until he spoke that she understood what he'd been doing in his own mind over the last few moments. Her eyes widened a bit at his question. Strangely, she didn't initially believe such a thing would be placed back into her lap. Ah, but that was kind of how this dance between them went, wasn't it? One of them would put an idea out into the open, and the other would give a logical consideration of it before placing it back. Their negotiations were always argued from a point of fairness. Why should this have been any different? "Hoh? I didn't expect you to phrase it like that... well the offer is what it was always going to be. Equal partnership," she said still maintaining that same distance. Well, that was untruthful, she moved a bit closer, though just shy of touching him directly. "We can share all things with each other equally. We can have the spoils and make up any differences, as friends, as adventurers, as gamers... and as a couple. I don't mean just this face either, I mean... the actual me. I want to share all of me with you, as my equal..." she summarized. There was something very real about what this lass said. She intended to share herself with this lad, not just their adventures but their perversions and hobbies as well. They already had so much in common, they were already so much alike not progressing past this point, just seemed an unnecessary hold up. Did they need to have this conversation right just now? Not really, it could have waited but... since he brought it up, there was no time like the present.

[Bloodedge]

"No surprise there," he said. In actuality, there was a bit of relief to be taken from this confirmation. That alone did wonders for his state of mind, and interestingly, the same could be said of his physical state as well. What's more, Tamamo drew closer and closer yet while explaining the 'offer' he'd questioned. What she brought up was not, in this particular case, exactly what he meant. It was, however, relevant nonetheless. She offered the entity known as Ashikaga Kimiko. Was the offer for Aiba Yugi, though? Did she even have enough information to make that decision? Well, perhaps it didn't matter. Kou and his other forms were, in fact, making an effort to consider this world as the only remaining life for the rest of time; the other details didn't matter in that case.

"Well... that's not exactly what I meant, but yeah... I get it. Like everything else, it sounds like a fair deal," he said with certainty. Truthfully, he was winning the agreement in every way he could think of. If she saw enough desirable traits within him to think otherwise though, that was fine as well. "Sign me up then. I might've been confused, though; I thought that was just another innuendo at first. Suman."

[Apollymi]

It would seem that Tamamo brought to the forefront an explanation which wasn't exactly the answer to the lad's question. She had the right vantage point, to stare into this lad's face while he accepted the things she said. She watched him visibly relax as she claimed that both of his interpretations of her words were right. She also watched the gears of his mind turn as she made her proper offer to him. How strange was it that she'd taken this conversation so far away from just innuendo? Not at all, in her own mind. Perhaps this would require a bit more explanation? Definitely. But at the moment, it wasn't necessary. Kou, accepted what she said with no further prompting, claiming it to be a fair deal. He even apologized because he hadn't meant for her to explain everything she meant. The smile that graced her face grew to the point that the sharp canines in her mouth were revealed and she, stepped into him, pressing the soft flesh of her body into his after gaining his acceptance. "iie, I've said before, everything has to be negotiated from a point of fairness. The innuendo was intended and still stands... just like other things~" she said winking at the lad before allowing her rather devious gaze down his body. "But... it would have been unfair of me to take advantage of our likeness without fully explaining what I wanted, and giving you the opportunity to counter~" she said as she leaned into his person wrapped her arms around his neck in a manner most suggestive. "I'm a little... voracious," she said flicking the lad's ear with her tongue. "Take that as you like~" she finished up. What would they do now? Well her offers were open and at least one was accepted, and the physical aspect of her offer was apparently always on the table so to speak. So, at this point all she could do was wait to see what the lad would do in response to what she'd offered.

[Bloodedge]

She had a point, at least. Fairness was a thing viewed as necessity by both of these individuals, so he could very much agree with the notion. Either way, Tamamo considered this agreement beneficial enough for herself to offer it, and Kou saw every reason not to refuse for his own sake. Even though the relationship between these two became the primary point of focus, Tamamo thought to mention that the more devious meaning remained on the proverbial table. In the same breath, she made a very clear reference that could only have been about the second erection he was experiencing since this Avatar was born. Kou was destined to be overloaded by this incarnation of Kimiko, it seemed. They were now... dating? At least, that seemed to be what was meant. Oddly though, the Youkai's degeneracy appeared as if a step had never been missed. Oh, there were only two ways for him to take that. They were both hungry, that much had been established already.

In this case, however, Tamamo's offer for him to take it as he liked, led Kou to the clear conclusion that she meant something else entirely. With the lass in such close proximity, and given his current state... there were few ways this could go. Maybe it could be a simple matter, in which the Kitsune found satisfaction and became level-headed enough to continue with their quest. "So... breakfast really soon, yeah?" was what he wound up saying. Did he mean that at all? No. He knew what was being implied, and he knew what he would have preferred as well. There was even a thought as to what he should actually say in response to Tamamo's claim, but as he stood there sweating bullets with the lass' arms wrapped around his neck, his nerves seemed to have forced a different reaction entirely.

[Apollymi]

Still this lass continued to stare and study this young man's face. It was more than a bit obvious by now, that she was having a lot of fun, and more than a bit of it at Kou's expense. Even so, she'd meant every word she'd spoken about fairness and the shared bond between the two of them. Having gotten some sort of acquiescence to that wish, she could only push so far. After all, even Ashikaga Kimiko wasn't completely unreasonable. So, how would the lad take her offered suggestive words in a moment like this while she was pressed so close to his body? He'd mention actually getting the pair of them breakfast, which sounded like a grand idea to the fox girl. Though she hadn't forgotten her own appetites, one of them could be easily substituted for another. She continued to hold on to the lad, and would rather suddenly press her lips against his. "Breakfast would be great!~" she mentioned giving her consent to carry on with this particular mission. She'd shift herself back to his rear, leaning her head over his left shoulder as if amused. She couldn't honestly completely stop teasing the other lad, it was far too easy. "We could always take that breakfast date in bed though,~" she chimed. Ah, but there were narrow corridors to look into, puzzles to solve, an object to find and several other things to do first. She supposed she should find some other way to amuse herself completely, instead of sexually harassing what was her first boyfriend.

[Bloodedge]

Suddenly, Kou's lips were assaulted by those of Tamamo. Considering his experiences thus far, he was far from expecting such a forward approach. Clearly though, he didn't mind. In that short period of time, his own lips pursed against hers until the eventual withdrawal. Strangely, she commented on the actual mention of breakfast after doing that; he had once again anticipated something sexual. Was this going to be how things worked? Would he repeatedly be shocked by the development of these discussions, and the lass behind these Avatars as a whole? Time would tell, but the answer for now was a certain yes.

Ah, and there was one more suggestion added when Tamamo returned to the male's rear. He may have been willing to move forward, stiff member and all, but she was indeed back to her usual antics. That was fine though, wasn't it? If they were going to continue like this, such things would always come back around eventually. Breakfast in bed by itself did sound lovely as well, and if that had the additional implications he took from it... even better. What of now, though, he wondered. As they moved through these dim halls, was it worthwhile for Kou to address his physical situation as a point of importance? Tamamo herself seemed to have assigned some importance to it earlier, so perhaps. Then again, what of the task at hand? "Sou ka. I guess, yeah, that's a pretty good idea. Let me just... walk this off, and hopefully we can find that Artifact quickly in this dark ass temple."

[Apollymi]

When her lips pressed against Kou's, Tamamo was more than a bit surprised to find that the lad returned her gesture in kind. She'd figured he'd be a bit more withdrawn for a bit longer, considering their previous interactions. Perhaps, she could expect a bit more forwardness from the lad, at least in response to her own prodding. Speaking of prodding, after she returned to the lad's rear and made her suggestion about their breakfast activity, he didn't seem adverse to the idea. Even so, he apparently wished to get this aspect of their adventure over with, even to the point of mentioning wanting to walk off what was currently ailing his loins. Something intrinsic to Tamamo's being, almost disagreed with the idea of doing anything but putting such a tool to use, but... she could see how such a thing couldn't be immediately dealt with. She signed in response and pouted like a spoiled child being told no, "Hah... Hai hai, it's a date..." she said and with that she released the lad from her clutches to give him a bit of space without being further hindered by her physical imposition. She didn't stray too far though, as she was more than content to stay within teasing range. "So, did you see anything that would require real preparation to deal with in your vision of this place?" she asked of the lad, content to distract her own mind a bit, lest she fall back into her previously shown habits and have the pair of them end up in some strangely compromising position.

[Bloodedge]

They were in agreement, but this would not be the end of the current escapades. Kou had frankly been expecting a furthered approach on Tamamo's part, and when she proved otherwise for once, he nodded and began stepping forward. The corridors of this place may have been dark, but they were well-enough lit that he felt no need for additional lighting. A few Youkai needed to be passed on the way to the first hall's end; it was an easy enough task with a bit of simple side-stepping.

What could go wrong? Well, loads would be the answer. Kou was not giving due amount of consideration to this adventure at all, and he was even failing to 'walk off' his erection. By the time Tamamo questioned preparation, it was already too late. At a point where the hall split into three sections, there was a door behind which sealed itself, along with the additional paths. Small, was the space left between, and all just before he admitted that he hadn't seen anything requiring preparation. Was this apparently magical seal the end of the trap? Sadly, no. This tiny space no larger than the intersection between halls was fated to drop far lower into the temple's deeper reaches, and that wasn't all either. What sealed them was not physical doors, but rather a barrier that rebounded all forms of Mana raised against it. For those keen enough to invade the temple, this had been put in place to seal them away until their eventual deaths. Even greater darkness would surround the pair once they were underground, with the only source of light being the barrier around them... and other, more distant barriers containing the unlucky souls who came before. "Uh... well... This isn't a good time to say no, is it? For what it's worth, I did not expect this─"

[Apollymi]

Kou had expected continued teasing and naughty behavior, and Tamamo was content to get through this, to get back to it. That being said, neither expected what was to come next. A total of three different tunnels which were the end of this narrow corridor. Of course, that couldn't be all there was to it, and they would eventually fall into a pit of a trap, with both of them inside of a magic deflecting barrier. What was more, within this barrier there was greater darkness still with only the light of the barrier itself to give them any hint that true darkness didn't engulf them. Tamamo was fine with this of course, her vision was better than human normal and her senses weren't tampered with at all. That being said, it was obvious by the way they'd fallen into this trap, that it was unexpected on Kou's part. And she realized how much of a distraction she'd likely caused the lad.

"Kufufufu~" a giggle escaped her even in light of their current 'dire' situation. Noting that she'd landed directly atop the lad in what could have been considered a rather compromising position. Her legs on either side of him, tails gently shifting, she leaned in pressing her chest against his as she got her bearings. "Sou ka... I'd apologize but I think this is fun," she said with nothing but amusement in her voice, as she wiggled her hips slightly. The gentle light of the barrier reflecting off her eyes even in this darkness. "Ah, well... I doubt anyone just expects to get dropped into a dark magic reflecting barrier..." she ended her commentary. "So, what do we do? It's dark, we're trapped... it can't be good for the overall adventure~" she mused. No even in the face what should be eminent danger, she didn't seem to be capable of keeping the flirty tone out of her voice, nor taking advantage of their current placement.

[Bloodedge]

Stunned from the fall, Kou made a marked effort to rise through the pain of landing. "Hngh─" he grunted while finding himself incapable of elevation. After a wince, his eyes traveled back to the front. Then, and only then did he realize why he couldn't get up; Tamamo had landed atop him. The worst part, or perhaps the best, was that she wasn't simply still at all. She was straddling him, to say the least. If the fall would have caused his physical response to her advances to disappear, this was ensuring just the opposite as Kou's member seemed to have every intention of bursting through his pants. It should have been expected that she would also return to verbally teasing about this predicament, though the feeling of her bosom squishing against his own chest was quite a shock.

"I─ you─" What could he even say? Indeed, this situation wasn't good for the overall adventure at all... nor was it good for another situation being undone. Ah, that was it. If his mind hadn't been so flooded with perversion when he began moving again, this could have been easily avoided. As things were now, he couldn't even use his Mana without feeling it forced back into his body. "Definitely not good, no. It looks like the design is just to keep us here until we die though, so there's no major threat on the horizon. I just... hang on, I need to get my head on straight─"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo's movements soon enough came to a halt, if only because she wanted to give the lad beneath her a chance to catch his breath. Even so, she didn't remove herself from straddling his lap, mostly because he didn't actually ask her to move. He had no real response for her flirting, but did state that this particular trap was a bit more passive than most. It was simply meant to hold them hostage until they died. "That is an oddly passive way to kill people..." she said though it wasn't a complaint. She supposed the less outright danger the better off they'd be. Still, it was a bit odd for the pair of them to find themselves in a somewhat dangerous situation. It was likely due to their distracted state that such a thing happened in the first place, she sighed again. Concentration was necessary, but they weren't in any immediate danger. "Hm... I wonder if it will remain so easy?" Tamamo questioned aloud though she was mostly talking to herself. This speech had a dual purpose because it wasn't just about the puzzle but also about teasing the lad beneath her, which was surprisingly a lot more fun than she expected it to be, especially when he was so responsive.

Ideally she could use one of her curses to drain the magical source of the barrier into her Mirror. This would mean she didn't have to use her own magic, thus it would cause no harm to herself. But... she wasn't sure if she wanted to do this because it was likely that if anything happened to the barrier there would be an additional or new problem. Perhaps there was no avoiding the new problem, but she definitely didn't want to start a new problem without having at least some idea of what it was. Beyond this, there was the nagging sensation or desire for closeness with the lad beneath her, which made her want to take advantage of their current deviation from the path at hand. Ah, but she also didn't want to negatively influence his opinion on this kind of adventure between them. Such a difficult moment to get through, "If I release the barrier what are the chances that something worse happens immediately after?" she asked the lad, demanding his concentration while trying her hardest not to wiggle her hips and tease the lad further about his still obvious erection, especially given her current placement. Granted she was fairly certain she could do something about the barrier, did she really want to in the moment? Or would she rather abuse this current situation? These were questions the fox lass asked herself.

[Bloodedge]

Passive... what an interesting choice of words. When Kou looked to the other barriers spread out across the darkness, he saw just the opposite. Most cases seemed to involve captives leading themselves to death in desperate attempts to escape. "Well... it's definitely the most aggressive passive method I've ever seen," he commented. At this point, he was trying just as much to straighten out his thoughts, as he was to come up with an escape plan. Tamamo was making things exceedingly difficult, and she managed to do so by simply existing in close proximity. If the previous night with Miki had gone very differently, perhaps this would not be the case. Ah well; there was no point worrying about that now.

One major positive to the pink-haired Youkai, however, seemed to be an ability to use curses instead of magic. Having an eye for all things mystical himself, Kou understood that if anything could overcome a Mana seal, it was a curse, if not overwhelming physical ability. There was a question, though. What if something else happened when the barrier went down? There was no evidence of other bodies in the area, so either none had successfully escaped... or something else happened when they did. It couldn't be the case that there were successful departures, or there would be others patrolling to eliminate those who fell prey to the first trap. "Chances say there's something way worse in the space outside, and it's the reason nobody's already here to deal with us. We've at least got until starvation kicks in to consider our options, but..." He paused, scratching the back of his head as deep thought failed to reach him. "Ugh! I should know what this is!"

[Apollymi]

Aggressive? No, it was passive to let people die inside the barrier. The only way it could be considered aggressive, is if something caused enough discord to keep people from wanting to stay within the barrier or... if say something was capable of getting in and out of the barrier just not the captives. "Starving to death in relative safety is passive... the fact that this is the first thing that happened is pretty aggressive but... they really don't want anyone taking their stuff~" the fox girl mused. She could see the reasoning behind such extreme measures, especially given the information they'd already picked up from being within this land. In answer to her question of the nature of the barrier and the likelihood of a secondary problem, Kou seemed to think it was very likely. A sigh escaped the lass as it became obvious she should put an actual and decent amount of concentration into this leg of their adventure.

"Hm, this is bothersome. I was hungry when I got here so that's pretty troubling..." she mentioned, still actual starvation was a bit troublesome. When they got out of here, she needed to remind herself to create a proper food room in her treasury. It was best if she didn't run out of things to eat at any point in time in the future. About their current predicament, she watched curiously from Kou's lap as the young man rubbed his head and seemed to try and fail to think of what could be outside this barrier as well as the immediate ramifications of any actions to be taken. She couldn't really place her finger on it, but something about watching him be this level of frustrated was a bit amusing. He looked cute while trying to think of such things. It made her wonder what he'd looked like while thinking through the puzzles he actually found challenging. Ah, she could ponder that some other time. For now... she leaned forward again staring directly into the lad's eyes. "There there, Mikon. We have time to think things through... so take it. I'll start working on the curse to drain the barrier..." she said softly, taking the time to finally remove herself from his lap. Now that it had been done she took her mirror from within the folds of her robes and began writing upon it, leaving an ear open for conversation. "Do keep talking though... I enjoy your voice~" a tease, light though it was, ended the lass' speech. She began working on a partial solution to their problem.

[Bloodedge]

"Starving, yeah... but how many people, Youkai especially, are gonna let themselves starve? I don't think that's the purpose of this trap. Mana bounces back on whatever person uses it in these things, but why can't it be sensed from outside? There are a lot of barriers, so it should be, right? It has to have gone somewhere, which means the major purpose of the trap has to be what the barriers do to people─" Once Tamamo extricated herself from his lap, his mind began working just a bit more clearly. Sure, there was a bit of a hiccup as his gaze traveled over her rising form, but there was still development going on in that brain of his.

His forefinger was repeatedly tapping against his temple at this point. He was missing something, and it should have been obvious. Oh well; at least there would soon be Tamamo's curse to do something about the... "No!" he spoke hastily. She couldn't use curses, or rather, she shouldn't. "Whatever you do, don't start that... at least not yet. Ugh, but fucking why? This is reminding me of something. It's definitely a trap with multiple traps hidden inside, but... fuck!" The white-haired boy was legitimately disturbed by his own lack of realization. Even though he'd yet to reach any conclusion, he felt in the pit of his soul that this was something quite simple. "Steps... steps..." There had to be some. Every trap, every puzzle came in specific stages when broken down. Kou felt as if this one functioned more like a tree, but how? He had to think clearly, and the struggle to do so was just as bothersome to him as the lack of a conclusion.

[Apollymi]

It seemed that her moving from the lad's lap had the general effect of clearing his head a bit. Granted she'd still prefer to be in her previous placement she could let that go for now, in favor of eventually getting out of this situation. He kept talking and in so doing seemed to work through bits and pieces of what was going on here. "Ah? Well... if you know about the doom you don't go towards it. So, not being able to sense them is probably at least part of the trap. I have a pretty good handle on a lot of things magical within a certain area and I also didn't know they were here," she said after she got up. Still the lad was working through something and she'd give him time to do it.

He claimed that she shouldn't do anything to the barrier just yet, but he couldn't figure out why. A chuckle escaped the lass in this moment. "Not to worry, I had no intentions of doing anything until I was certain of the outcome~" she chimed, which was true, her previous statement was given so she had an excuse to leave the lad's lap though she didn't want to. This was part of her nature as well, not just Tamamo's but Kimiko's which was a definite hint as to why she didn't outright pursue the lad known as Kou as soon as she figured out she liked him. Little was left up to chance with this lass, and that included normal day to day things as well. He repeated the word steps a few times and she began thinking of the process this particular trap had taken them. "We fall down here, into a barrier we couldn't sense... which forces a certain kind of action to gain freedom... like a funnel," she said aloud thinking of how it worked up to this point. If the puzzle or trap was just meant to force a certain outcome it was meant to gain the creator some sort of advantage. Weakened/disoriented opponents, no magic usage, forcing a physical reaction, all steps taken to narrow the parameters of potential reactions. "Is there something out there?" she had no idea why she thought that, but if something with a large enough presence was in this area, then it could hide the barriers without setting off any unnecessary alarms. Besides that, it could be forcing certain things to happen in the hopes of gaining a certain potential reaction out of those who ended up here.

[Bloodedge]

Think, think. There was only one way to escape an untimely death, and it was to think. The method of death was relatively clear, but what happened afterwards was not so clear at all. It should have been; Kou should have realized what was going on by now. Tamamo offered brainpower of her own to help work through the situation, and in all honesty, she raised some interesting points. The things she listed were indeed steps, albeit not what he meant when musing aloud. There was another set... something to work through the current predicament in a manner some puzzles could be solved with. "Iia. That's a start, but there's something else. Steps... progression steps. This thing has a pattern, and I can't think of what it is─" he explained as best he could.

Was something out there? There could have been... or maybe that was impossible? What was it, what was it? Kou looked to Tamamo as she presented that question, trying to think of the answer. Sadly, his attempt was to no avail. The answer lay within the steps he was trying to remember, but as his gaze found the Kitsune, he let himself be distracted once more, just briefly. "Uh... maybe?" he answered. Strange; he didn't deal in maybes when solving puzzles.

[Apollymi]

Extra brain power was offered to the lad, and it all seemed in vain. Nothing seemed to be coming to his mind... well that wasn't entirely true. In all the time she'd known this lad since they'd come to this world, she'd never seen him struggle so much with something in front of him. Normally, he was absolutely the most reliable person to have on hand to help solve the mysteries of a puzzle, but right here and now, there seemed to be nothing in his head but doubts and distractions. She could see his struggle clearly on his face, and she realized the cause of it when he looked at her. It wasn't too obvious, but it was there just briefly. Even as he sat there, trying to think through the puzzle it was all but impossible and she realized when his eyes met her form that she was indeed a distraction for him. Ah, but it wasn't as simple as she thought... 'Hm, I figured, it was just by being a bit too close to him that I was distracting him. But... I guess I am just distracting to him in general now,' she thought as she tucked her mirror away again.

How strange... she didn't know initially how she should feel about this. On the one hand, she could take offense, as this different form would seem to be the cause of this level of distraction, but... what if it wasn't? They'd been doing a lot of talking, flirting, and the like... and the previous night, they'd even shared a romantic moment. Perhaps, it wasn't her mere presence that distracted him, but instead the idea that he could have her. She'd been around him for a long time before now, but perhaps, like her... he'd been holding himself back quite a bit. That probably allowed an amount of focus, currently unknown to his brain. A smug smirk appeared on his fox lass' face as she thought this all the way through. She felt somewhat empowered by the idea that she could cause him this kind of issue, and she'd likely always felt that way, given what she'd said the previous night. Ah, but to leave him in the wreck of his mind, when she knew acutely she was the cause of his problem... was that something she could do? The answer was of course, no. She wasn't a tease, she wouldn't string this lad along with empty promises. The innuendo and sexual tension she'd built up between them wasn't one sided, she'd just figured it wouldn't be satisfied until after their work here was done. But... perhaps that was the wrong way of thinking about it? The previous night, when she'd sat down to solve the puzzle, she'd offered herself release, to help clear her mind... perhaps this was needed before he could focus? Yep, that sounded logical enough to be factual. "Yosh! I have an idea, Mikon!~" she chimed happily as she approached him again. Instead of fully explaining the matter she simply lowered herself until they were at eye level, with her leaning into his lap, leaned forward in this way, he could see clear down her kimono to her ample bosom. "We have to get your mind in the right place..." and with that she leaned her lips into his and placed her hand atop his crotch again to begin rubbing it gently through his breaches. Yes, this was definitely the answer, release then answers... it made perfect sense.

[Bloodedge]

Second by second, Kou made a stronger attempt to keep his thoughts in order. It would have helped if he didn't keep letting himself be distracted by ideas of debauchery, but he was finding it quite difficult when the object of his desire was so clearly on offer right in front of him. Could he move on from this train of thought? Possibly, albeit after a long time of thinking. Luckily for him, this would not be necessary. Tamamo had an idea, and he had faith that it would be a functional one. If he was right, he would soon be able to think properly about a method of escape. What was her idea, though? Well, he'd be finding out just after she spoke...

To get his mind in the right place, Tamamo apparently thought it best not to remove distraction, but to give into it to clear his thoughts. That much was apparent the moment their lips met, when the most shocking occurrence became the feeling of a foreign, yet familiar in recent times, hand pressing against his clothed erection. Even though his lips accepted the kiss, his eyes were wide. He hadn't expected such a direct approach; Tamamo's teasing seemed to be the limit of her forward nature up to this point. Ah, but that clearly wasn't the case. She wasn't simply limited to openly flirting in the moment, and letting anticipation take its course until the optimal time. Kou remembered determining just that about the Kitsune earlier in their interaction, even though neither of them acted on the girl's approach. Now, though, there seemed to be nothing stopping Tamamo. Kou couldn't even comment on the matter, considering his lips were blocked by hers... but what would he have even done anyway, aside from meet those same lips in kind?

[Apollymi]

Kiss... accepted. That was good, but it was only the first step. The Kitsune considered that it was of the utmost importance that the follow through until the lad's release, to clear his mind of the thoughts about her which plagued him. Did she consider at all that doing such a thing might make it worse in the long run? No. In the long term, they could have each other without needing to handle every single problem this world had to offer. In her own mind, they could eventually fall into a nice day to day life and have nothing better to do than indulge. Having such thoughts of the future, made it so that she could in her mind carry-on, as such, this would be but a snack on their way to the full course meal. Her hand continued to rub against him as their lips met, a small break between their mouths would allow the lass to move forward. She was chasing a certain idea in her head, and this was about the start. She ran her tongue gently over his bottom lip, begging permission to take this make-out session to the next level. She didn't have much practice with this so to speak, but she read enough smut to know it would probably help along the process. If this summons was answered, she'd gently slip her tongue into the lad's mouth, aiming to wrestle hers against his and by virtue of that dominating this part of the interaction initially. Her cheeks flushed, though they'd kissed before and gone even farther, perhaps... these moments of increased intimacy were worth looking forward to. All the while she left her mouth open enough for exploration, if the lad was willing to try and navigate past her fanged teeth.

[Bloodedge]

Kou didn't have to wonder for very long what sort of progress was going to be made here. Though he had such trouble removing distraction from their very necessary escape, it seemed he had no issue at all letting his mind be wiped of the situation surrounding them. The moment their lips touched, the same moment she reached for his groin, his mind was all but wiped. One thing existed at present, and it was the moment starting within the barrier. Even though he couldn't react verbally, there was an obvious physical reaction pulsing its way through his member. In fact, it was almost as if the previous night never happened─ like he'd never even achieved the touch of another, even then. Tamamo's tongue prodding for entry to his mouth was a new and pleasant experience as well. With that being the case, he allowed that entry. Kou's own tongue met hers, massaging it with mimicked movements as his hand rose to touch the lass' cheek. What a lovely, wholesome moment... well, if one were to ignore Tamamo's additional touch. How far did she intend to go, he wondered. Whatever the case, it didn't matter much now. Something was going to happen besides a simple kiss, and Kou was keen to discover what that something was... while also carefully letting his tongue retaliate within the mouth of Tamamo, making every attempt to avoid cutting itself on those sharp canines.

[Apollymi]

Their kiss deepened. It seemed that Kou was fine with the way she chose to progress and she was even granted access to his mouth. She couldn't have been more pleased by this fact. A connection of lips, mouths and tongues was surprisingly refreshing to her... was this what it was always like? She couldn't help but wonder, but she couldn't focus on her own thoughts. Actually, those seemed to be melting away with every careful movement of this lad's tongue within her own mouth. It didn't help that she could feel within his loins the pulsing of his member, so familiar and yet, very foreign. It was strange, but it was almost as if the previous night wasn't as connected to her body as she remembered it from her other perspective. So, feeling this way, how far did she intend to go? The answer was simply... as far as needed.

Their lips remained locked, the dancing of tongues was also something without cease. At the same time, the distance between them was closed in by the lass in question, as they came closer together, she began work at his pants, as if she intended to reveal his manhood here and now. Was this strange? Maybe, but she did have something she intended to do, and something she wished to try, why not do both things at the same time? Her ample bosom pressed against his chest as she delighted in these sensations. If she succeeded in freeing him, she take a much more direct approach to stroking his manhood, all the while seeming to be deeply invested in their shared activity.

[Bloodedge]

It seemed these two had very different reasons for feeling as if this was a new experience. Whatever was happening on Tamamo's end, Kou was merely reaching a different sort of euphoria to the previous night. Still, there was the curiosity... but it truly didn't matter what the stopping point was; Tamamo obviously had no intention of ending this until some level of satisfaction was reached via release. As tongues rubbed against one another repeatedly, she made clear her intention of progressing. Kou could feel her fiddling with his pants, having zero willingness to stop or slow her progress. In fact, the shifting of his hips allowed for an easier slip to free his member of its confines. Up it went, no less stiff than the previous time this lass found it against her palm.

How strange. Kou, or rather Aiba Yugi, had no expectation of such a thing happening to him in life... yet here he was, experiencing it for the second time in under 24 hours. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. No, he was very sure he should feel elated... and that he was. Nothing held back the moan that escaped him due to the Youkai's touch, that little vibration building in his throat traveling directly into the pink-haired girl's mouth through his own.

[Apollymi]

Tamamo found a bit of help, in freeing the lad from his pants. Mostly, by virtue of him shifting his hips a bit even while they kissed. Soon after she was greeted by his bulging manhood, standing at attention within her grasp. What was more, the lad even gave her a little moan to work with, that small vibration into her mouth was something strange to the girl. It wasn't unpleasant in the least and made her feel strangely powerful in the moment. It would be now that the break between their mouths would happen, but she wouldn't allow too much space between them. No, she'd speak directly into the lad's face while beginning to stroke his manhood. There was an extreme amount of smug present on this Kitsune's face, and she had some cheeky commentary to offer. "Ara, ara... Mikon! You're pretty lively!~" she chimed. It was exactly as she said. One would have expected a bit of lag, but smut told her that when attraction was a major factor, physical limits could be overcome. While she had been speaking that gentle stroking of his manhood would ensue, with the same kind of light grip she always had as she slid her hand up and down his silken member. But... was she okay with this?

The answer was complicated. She liked doing this, and as a person, Ashikaga Kimiko had initially been unsure of this lad found her attractive at all. Perhaps knowing that he liked her, and seeing his physical response to her motivations did something extra for her outlook. That as an aside, she'd been teasing the lad and getting an understanding of his preferences. He didn't dislike a lot of things and enjoyed surprises. There was a certain something she could offer with her current body type that she'd always wanted to try out and it was sure to help along this particular aspect of their adventure. She leaned in once more and pecked his lips gently, as her own kimono seemed to fall around her chest exposing a new and ample bosom. But what would she do with this? Only time would tell.

[Bloodedge]

And so, that teasing nature of the Kitsune reared its head again. The very core of his being was literally in her hands, and she used that opportunity to speak on his liveliness. He couldn't quite call that strange, but it was certainly surprising every time such words passed her lips. What's more, it was a source of furthered arousal. "I..." He didn't have a single word in his vocabulary to explain himself. His groin, however, did all the explaining necessary. As Tamamo continued her stroking and pecked his lips with hers, her chest became bared. The moment after their lips parted was one which allowed him a full view of those... evolved breasts in bare form, and his manhood responded in kind. Throbbing was a normal response to any such stimulus, and had been something to occur all along. This time, however, was different. One pulse occurred, and held itself in place, as if his shaft were attempting to swell beyond its natural limit. Had he developed expectations? Perhaps. There were quite a few things that could have happened in the following moments, and all were quite pleasant to think. In fact, Kou's mind even traveled back to how the pair had initially landed in this trap...

[Apollymi]

Tamamo had exposed her own breasts while continuing to stroke the lad's manhood directly. How interesting was it, that he couldn't seem to find his words? Very, actually the entire thing was adorable to her. She found his flustered disposition and easily readable face to be one of his charm points. Right just now, his body was being much more forward than his words could have managed anyway, so it mattered very little. A throb within his loins made it stand even further at attention as if such a thing was even possible. And for an added occurance it seemed there were at least a few dirty thoughts running through his mind at the time of viewing her now more ample bosom. "Hm, one does wonder how far your imagination traveled in such a short time~" she teased the lad as she backed up just a tad. She released his manhood only to surround it on either side by the middle of her bosom and began moving her chest in an up and down motion, replacing the gentle stroking of her hands with the pillow of her bosom instead. This placed her in a strange position, one of service, but she didn't mind this at all, it actually gave her a great amount of freedom to view his face. His member still felt quite silken between her bosom. She may not have fully understood why characters with large breasts did this sort of thing, but she was starting to gain some idea.

[Bloodedge]

Quite far, would be the answer to the distance his imagination went. He saw not only the potential beginning, but the entire event that could have unfolded here in this barrier. Regardless of what he envisioned, he was mostly curious as to what Tamamo would do. Options were far from scarce, but her demeanor implied that any of them could become viable at any given moment. Something about that was both terrifying, and exciting as a prospect. Nothing would be deterring him from letting whatever happen, though; not at this point. Her choice, though? Well, it became very clear only a few moments after her speech, as she lowered her torso into his lap to surround his groin with her new, more sizable breasts. The lad always had an idea of what such a thing would feel like, but he learned here and now just how very wrong he was. A pair of fleshy cushions embraced his manhood, and wasted no time before adopting a stroking motion of their own. As far as sensations were concerned, it was less intense than what a hand could offer... yet that somehow made everything more intense in a different way. The touch was gentler, yet also all-encompassing enough to send tingles throughout his groin, from base to tip... especially the former. Even without lubrication, this seemed to be a non-issue. Firstly, going dry seemed to add a certain friction, but even that would soon enough be replaced by the slight lubricant leaking from Kou's own tip.

[Apollymi]

Still, there no arguments from the lad whose manhood she handled. To be fair, Tamamo didn't expect any real arguments anyway, given that the lad was very much in her care at present. Even so, she'd thought that there might be some limits he'd previously not known because they required action, but the one she took was apparently not on the list. She found his manhood firm within the middle of chest, and quite warm as an outside source. There was a bit of friction initially, but this was soon replaced by the light lubricant which beaded from the top of his manhood. As her chest moved up and down her cleavage became equally lubricated thus making the motion that much easier. What would she do with this newfound freedom of motion? She'd began moving her breasts in slightly independent circles. All the way up, and then all the way down the length of his shaft, causing its head to disappear at multiple instances, only to peek out from the fleshy bits once more. This new motion was one she enjoyed herself, if only because it required both less movement of her body and allowed her to keep stroking at the same time.

That being said, the real fun in being in such a position was the looking. She found herself stealing glances at Kou's expression, and oddly hoping to please him in this way. It was very strange given her base personality, but she liked the idea of doing this for him, of helping him through this strained ordeal. Besides, there was an element of danger here, of surprise, and also, exploration. She fully committed to the idea of exploring her sexual preferences with this lad and found their current positioning to be quite good for it. Even though there was nothing directly involved for her own pleasure, figuring him out in this moment was much more important to her.

[Bloodedge]

If one told Kou he would be experiencing this sort of attention mere days ago, he would have scoffed. Hell, even mentioning such a thing the previous night would have been considered far-fetched by the lad. Now, he couldn't fathom the thought of something as simple as 'touching boobs' as the younger males would say. What would Tamamo find when viewing his reactions? She would see the young Celestial quite lost in a thing called euphoria. He was in an absolute daze, with even his eyes being incapable of remaining still. Those orbs bounced between Tamamo's face and breasts as the latter encapsulated his manhood with alternating strokes. Small gasps were escaping him each time sensation spiked, and that only became a more frequent occurrence as time passed. Danger was far from the forefront of his mind. Kou's mind held a single thing, and it was that endlessly-building tingle in his loins.

[Apollymi]

Kou wasn't the only one experiencing the far end of disbelief at the activities taking place here. In fact, if someone had told the girl known as Miki a few weeks ago, that she'd be touching this boy's manhood she might have freaked out about it. She'd come quite the long way from the girl who'd had an internal crisis from accidentally touching the lad's member when she woke up before him. And it seemed this patience and persistence was being rewarded. How? By the outright euphoria displayed on his lad's face. All the sounds, the speedy breathing and even the reaction of the lad's manhood while it was sandwiched between her bosom. It spurred on her activity, she wanted and needed to see more from this lad and of course, there was her overall goal of helping him clear his mind. Her breasts and arms seemed to take on life of their own, as she began movements which seemed to shift with the pace of his breathing, her own work meant to help him get closer and closer to the goal of finishing this way. Tamamo hadn't seen much danger in such an adventure to start with, at this point, she didn't even care if someone saw them or they were caught, her singular focus was the lad and when his eyes randomly met hers, they were full of smug delight and deviousness. This was truly a fun experience for her, even though it did nothing physical to stir her loins. Perhaps this was what was meant by the idea of serving someone else bringing gratification to yourself.

[Bloodedge]

That cloud covering Kou's brain was going nowhere soon. Tamamo's movements became mindless, mechanical even, yet also responsive to the pace of his lungs. The dichotomy of it all produced an increase of that tingle he felt, forcing it to build until he could sense the explosiveness that would soon be upon him. His breathing had already begun hastening, but it was quickly becoming worse... or perhaps 'better' was the proper word, given the situation. Beyond more intense breathing, there was eventually a series of grunts and halted breaths as his hips shifted. It seemed for a moment as if Kou were trying to pull back, as if he meant to escape. Alas, he was against the barrier wall as it stood, so he managed nothing more than a bit of fidgeting. "Wait... it'll─" Lost words again, but with such a clear meaning. By the time his fidgeting settled, he had mere seconds remaining before a sudden expulsion of his reproductive fluids.

[Apollymi]

Tamamo was able to see more and more from Kou as she worked his manhood between her ample bosom. Her motions seemed mindless and thus freeing, giving her the ability to respond to every movement his body presented. This was true even up until the final moments of this lad's manhood as he fidgeted to free himself. But that simply wouldn't do, obviously, Tamamo had no intention of going anywhere and thus her movements followed even until his final emission. Reproductive fluids spurted outward and onto her chest even flying a bit onto her face she sat back finding the whole thing rather interesting. Another new experience. That which came from his body was warm to the touch and made her chuckle. "Ara ara, that really was more exciting than I expected. I don't hate it at all though..." she mentioned with mild amusement as she licked her lips. With this motion she received the gentlest taste of the lad's emission before it disappeared from her person... completely? No mess? Well, that was the truth, or rather... because of the goddess she was part of, it was taken as something of an offering, so it required no clean up of her own. It would also come with a certain set of bonuses applied to both characters. A blessing so to speak which was temporary and gave them extra protection against mind control.

"Sou ka... so, mind all clear now? Do you understand the puzzle?" she asked of the lad as she shifted her clothes back into place content to give the lad his moments of recovery. She'd remain quiet for a few moments thereafter wondering what exactly he'd come up with. She'd also leave him to his own clothing, unless, he decided he wanted help redressing.

[Bloodedge]

Over time, Kou's breathing began returning to a more normal state. The same could be said of his heartbeat, as he sat relatively still under the fox lass. Strangely enough, his excrement vanished before his very eyes. What a useful skill, and yet... he was also rather enjoying the sight of it upon Tamamo's flesh. Oh well; perhaps he'd have another opportunity to partake in such degeneracy, but for now, there was a question upon the table. "Hu─... puzzle?" he said, snapping back to the reality of this moment thereafter. Right... they were trapped in a barrier below the temple. That was probably something important, wasn't it?

"Oh!" Kou seemed to have become excited in as little as a moment, hopping up and pulling his trousers into place. "Steps! Attract with a prize, fill with diversions, and lead into the trap! The trap fuels the prize!" Whether his ranting made any sense or not, Kou was unsure. He understood it, though; it was a puzzle-crafting technique he'd learned many years ago. "There are Artifacts in this temple, but the temple isn't a place of worship; it's a vault. Security is low because it's no ordinary vault... it's also a fuel chamber. Random person finds out about an Artifact they want, they come to get it, they get stuck in one of these traps... and their Mana and bodies end up becoming sealed in of these barriers. I'm guessing then, that we'll eventually find the Artifacts inside things just like this... because the Artifacts used to be people who were all attracted to one thing. It's an Origin temple."

[Apollymi]

Tamamo found herself staring at the lad before her. She could still read his face pretty easily, and shared his interest in having a bit more fun with her 'soiled' look at a later time. Moving right along though, Kou was soon on his feet with a rather excited utterance to boot. He seemed to be genuinely excited, about the puzzle aspect. In fact, he was soon standing and putting away his manhood. Tamamo might have pouted about that, but he seemed so geniunely excited in the moment that she couldn't really hold it against him at all. She listed to him in the following moments as he explained how they'd been trapped and the kind of temple that they'd found themselves hidden within.

"Sou ka, so people come here looking for things, and instead of getting them become the things..." she said that was a pretty common trope in the adventuring type of anime and manga which had recently become popular. Like the lost old man instead of a dungeon or the one with a relic they have to pour their last into before they bequeath it to the next generation. That all made perfect sense, they were here because the plan of the temple was to turn them into to Artifacts. "So, there are some really good things down here besides what you came for, I'll be taking some~" she said with a knowing smirk. After all, she couldn't keep herself from expanding her Treasury at least a little bit. "Origin temples are pretty automated though right? So we shouldn't be in too much trouble if I free us from here? Then we only have to find the right thing for you, yes?" she asked, this all seemed much easier with everything out in the open. She supposed there was still the likelihood of having to fight a boss monster or maybe some automatons which protected the temple, but otherwise they should be pretty free to continue moving on from this point. It was more amazing to her that such a conclusion was reached after a minor deviation into debauchery. She imagined this could have gone much better if they'd simply started there... but perhaps she'd lock that one away for later.

[Bloodedge]

At long last, Kou was starting to piece things together. How odd it was that it took physical release to get him thinking properly, but once he achieved just that, everything began falling in line. "That's pretty much the gist of it, yeah. But then..." He took another few moments to consider the path ahead. If this was a trap to create additional Artifacts, there had to be contingencies as well, right? In that case...

Should Tamamo's curses be used to set them free? That would have been a simple solution to their problem indeed, since the use of Mana was impossible. Perhaps this answer would be too easy, though. "There shouldn't be trouble if you get us out, but I feel like that's exactly the reason there would be trouble," he mused. Just then, he came to another realization. There was a certain Artifact that functioned in... a certain way. It wouldn't even be much of a gamble to try it, though it would be revealing information he didn't intend to just yet. "You said you wanted to loot the place, yeah? You know...Space-Time Magic works differently. If you made openings to your storage from the subspace, then... I think you could extend that theft ability to whatever item is right at the gate that appears in this world─"

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Tamamo's assumptions about the current state of their affairs was spot on enough that she could begin to free them from this place with minimal worry. That being said, the gears of Kou's mind had begun working again, so she'd wait to hear him out completely. Of course, she was in no particular rush to get from this point to another, especially if it meant more potential danger than anyone needed before breakfast. Beyond this point, Kou claimed that though she should be able to free them without trouble, he felt that such simplicity was exactly why there would be trouble instead. "Sou ka... that's potentially problematic," she said. And true to her words it was, as she had no intention of doing anything without knowing precisely what the outcome of her actions would be.

Ah, but there was something else she could do while she waited to figure out more. Kou's words came with more information, in particular about the item known to her as her Treasure Trove. She knew it to work based on the lad's own manipulations of Space-Time Magic, but what he said gave the lass immediate pause. Her fox ears twitched at the words as her very advanced brain processed those words into what they seemed to mean. Her resting facial expression was replaced soon enough by a look out outright shock as she looked to the white haired lad. "Wait wait wait..." she said with great pause. "Are you saying... I can open portals and pull stuff from outside, directly inside?" she made it a question but it sounded outlandish, but that had to be exactly what this lad was saying. Her face broke into a large grin showing literally every tooth she possessed and she laughed near hysterically, with extreme light in her golden eyes. "Hahahahaha!~ That's so much~" she said. Of course, she meant to try this out, right here right now, so she did. She opened a portal to the subspace right in front of her using the mechanism of her necklace. Of course, from that point forward, she opened another one from within the room marked 'Jewels' to the barrier closest to them. This would in turn make another portal appear inside of the barrier they were nearest to, allowing her to pull into her treasury a collection of Magatama without causing any external disturbance. After doing this she blinked a couple of times and laughed harder.

[Bloodedge]

Tamamo seemed to understand what he was getting at, as far as her abilities with the treasure sphere Artifact were concerned. What she gained from it was not precisely right, but it was close enough. "Well, not exactly. Well... to be specific, you should be able to add stuff to the trove from a distance if you copy that ability's origin into it and use that one instead of the one you have naturally... then you can add to your storage, then pull from it as you like. You'd probably have to attach the ability to something else to make it work most effectively, but..." That was pretty much all of it. He rationalized it as creating an Artifact for the sake of obtaining others, when he had already created an Artifact to hold others. "If you do it that way, you should be able to collect things more easily while taking any strain off yourself. It's... maybe a bit much, yeah. I'd be lying if I said I didn't go a little crazy at the halfway point of making that thing."

[Apollymi]

Not exactly. This was the term used to clarify what Tamamo thought about the Artifact she'd been given by this lad. What was more, was that even as she went on to use in in the way she thought, his explanation became more in-depth and gained an extreme amount of clarity in her mind. He claimed that she could add her ability's origin to the sphere and its connection pendant, making it so that she didn't have to pour herself into it in order to use it. A grin passed this girl's face as this lad sheepishly claimed that he'd gone a bit crazy at the halfway point of creating this object. "Hahahahaha!~" she laughed hysterically. This really was crazy, but she could easily adjust what she'd been doing and would in the moment to take advantage of what she knew. "It's really crazy you know... to do something like that. Like, I don't even know how to respond..." she said as she pulled her new mirror straight into her hand. Of course, she needed to tie the ability to something else. "It's no wonder you weren't awake for almost a week, this thing is crazy. And knowing you... if this is it at the halfway point, it's probably really crazy beyond this," she said with a soft smile. She really didn't accept presents often, but this one had so much put into it, so much of himself placed in its creation and purpose. She could do nothing but accept it, and in turn him. She finished what she was working on, a magical connection to the Mirror she possessed.

"There, that should do it," she said softly she turned to the lad and came a bit closer pressing her lips against his cheek. "You really did a little too much ya' know. I don't dislike it though... it's different from how I am used to being," she said softly. This boy was one of her absolute favorite people, and strangely she enjoyed the idea of letting him take care of her... though it was normally something she strictly discouraged. She couldn't help but like the lad more in this moment. And now that her object had a connection directly to her Treasury, she created several portals. Through the mirror she could see every object of worth in the area and open a portal directly to it. "Hehehehe!~ This feels almost like cheating, Mikon!~" she mentioned as she began pulling random objects of various types into her treasury. Her intention to rob the entire Origin temple blind. In the mix, she'd also end up with the Mask the lad was looking for which she'd bring to her empty hand to offer it to him. "This is what you were looking for right?"

[Bloodedge]

"Well, you don't have to," he responded, regarding the mention that Tamamo didn't know what to say. After all, there was much, much more to the Artifact than what had been discovered, even now. In truth, there were about as many features to the device as there were arrays to its puzzle mechanic. He had indeed done far too much, but in the end, everything was alright. He'd managed to catch up on sleep, restore his energy reserves, and even acquire some new abilities as a result of it all. Moving on, Kou was soon being presented with one object among many, and it happened to be just what he sought in this temple. He took the object into his left hand, but there was more to be considered. The barriers had yet to fall; they should have. Something, somewhere in the list of Artifacts within this temple, had to function as a source, or the barriers would not have existed for so long. "It's definitely a cheat, and yeah, this is it... but there has to be something else. Since there's nobody here to keep up the barriers, there has to be an Artifact doing it. Anything you just took stand out?"

[Apollymi]

Kou made the claim that she didn't have to say anything, which was in fairness something he would always do. Still, the Kitsune couldn't help but swoon a bit more over the lad, who cared for her and put more thought and effort into her happiness than most people she'd ever interacted with. What an interesting relationship they were developing... but that was a thought for another time. It seemed though she'd provided him the item he was looking for without much of a problem but there was something else. "Hm, I suppose the barriers haven't come down yet. Then it has to be with the things I have, but what could cause the barriers to keep standing?" she questioned aloud, internally she began sorting through various items, looking for ones which could have such a Source Code attached to them. "Ah, it has to be this..." she said pulling from a portal a small glowing ball which seemed almost glass like in its creation. It swirled internally with yellow energy.

"Sou ka, it's a hoshinotama. That isn't good... there is a Kitsune missing this, and if its controlling all of this... it's really powerful, " she said her brows shifting. They definitely needed more information about the lay of the land.

[Bloodedge]

Kou began to inspect the Artifact in his hand. Interestingly enough, it was beginning to interface with him, without so much as a bit of prodding from Kou himself. He had to actively resist to avoid being consumed by its influence even slightly. Mere moments of staring at the object occurred before Tamamo found an Artifact she thought to be the source. Averting his gaze, he looked upon this strange, glowing sphere. If anything fit the description of these barriers' creator, that had to be it. "A Kitsune, huh? Let's see... factions at war, Youkai at each others throats to be specific... maybe the trap was meant for the Kitsune's faction? If that's the case, I imagine everything here would be undone if that thing went back to its original owner. Though... it might spark a full-on war in the process."

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Kou was having a difficult time with his new object. He spent quite a while staring at the object while Tamamo searched her treasury. Tamamo knew this because, even as she searched, she found herself drawn to him in a very specific way. Ah, but he still seemed to be enough himself for it not to be too much of a problem. He even had something to say when she mentioned what this glowing object was. She nodded her agreement to it with a little more to add. "It could be a trap specifically for the Kitsune, or anyone who'd want to abuse its powers. Holding barriers like this has to be a pretty niche thing..." said Tamamo thinking about it more. "Actually, it is probably for the best that it isn't in the possession of the Kitsune who owns it. It has to contain a large portion of their power. And if they can make barriers like this... if they actively wanted to trap all the other groups in their territories, they could without question..." she said knowing exactly why this had been taken. If you wanted to retain some semblance of balance, no one could have a power so overwhelming. Taking the hoshinotama from a Kitsune was one of few guaranteed ways to cripple them.

A frown came to her face. If a Kitsune was that powerful, and someone managed to get this object off them, they could have simply killed it. Draining the object which was essentially the soul and power of such a creature, could kill it from a distance with minimal risk. But they hadn't just used it to kill the creature, this much was obvious to Tamamo as she held it. She was certain the Kitsune this belonged to was alive, she could feel the pulsing realness of its energy. "Hm, we have to figure out how to get out of here, and I don't want to use this to do it... I don't want to kill another Kitsune if I don't have to. But... I also don't want whoever set this trap to know exactly how we broke out of it. And I don't want to alert the Kitsune this belongs to, that it's been taken, again... Lore says they aren't very nice to people who take these things from them. I can't have them getting the wrong idea here..." she said laying out the complexity of the issue. This one appeared to be more a people issue than a monetary one. Thus she'd wait for Kou's advice. That being said, he still hadn't created his new Avatar yet, she wondered what he was waiting on. "Are you going to make your new Avatar now... or put it off until we get back?" she asked first as that question seemed more important even than figuring out how to get out of here.

[Bloodedge]

As they discussed the orb and its origin, the gear's in Kou's mind began turning. He seated himself within the barrier, crossing his arms and legs while the Oni mask sat in his lap. There was much to think about indeed. Tamamo had lore-related information about Kitsune which made him have second thoughts about simply sending this Artifact back. Sparking a war was one thing, but handing over an almost-guaranteed win to one side could be a horrendous outcome indeed. What could they do, then? The clearest answer would be to avoid letting whatever Kitsune know where their Artifact was, but then how would they escape? Another question raised by Tamamo involved the timing of his next Avatar creation. While mulling over that matter, his thumbs mindlessly rubbed the mask in his lap. "Not gonna lie... I've been pretty nervous about actually making this one," he said, having come to a realization he was nearly 100% certain of after Tamamo's birth. "I noticed something about Avatar creation in this world. The core seems to stay the same, but everything on the outside seems based on events around the change. It works like regeneration."

In spite of what he said, he also knew he could influence his new Avatar, just as he'd done with Licht. Moreover, the mask in his lap seemed almost sentient. Perhaps it had an escape plan of its own? Exhaling a deep sigh, he slowly raised the mask onto his face to begin the change. Once he donned the Artifact, that golden glow overwhelmed his being. His hair grew out into an unruly style, protruding in tufts around his head with a low, messy ponytail at the rear; its color turned pitch black as well. He wore mostly black clothes that clearly belonged to an assassin, including a hooded cloak. One standout article was a cloth hanging at his waist with geometrically patterned squares in green, orange and yellow. The mask itself affixed itself to his head with a thick, red rope threaded through its left eye socket, allowing this new entity to slip the mask onto the left side of his head. His left eye was covered by the mask as a result, but his right eye opened to reveal a cold, deep blue iris that seemed devoid of all emotion at a simple glance. "... I know what to do," he spoke softly without the slightest affectation. "I'm going to use Mana to break the barrier."

[Apollymi]

Upon giving Kou the lore related information, Tamamo could see in his face that he completely understood the dilemma. Of course, there wasn't much which could be done about it directly, so the topic of conversation moved along. This time, they chose to keep speaking about the newest Avatar, and it seemed that Kou had a working theory about Avatar Creation. He'd apparently observed that the cores of the individuals remained the same, but the outside was overtly influenced by what was taking place around them when they were created. "Sou ka..." there was a pause thing as she gave it a reasonable bit of thought. Tatsuki had come into being at a time where she needed to be strong and superior to herself, thus she'd come out that way. Daiyu was created in a way that made her more like Kimiko's original self, as far as the business savvy part of her was concerned. Tamamo, seemed to be very much about her teasing and foxy nature when dealing with the lad she was looking at, which is what she'd been doing even before. "I suppose those that would make sense... when I imagined being a Time Lord, I don't think this was part of it..." she said softly. Even so, this lad claimed to be worried about it, which she could understand. They'd had some very interesting interactions recently so a being created in the moment could swing too far in either direction.

Regardless of his misgivings he went ahead with the new character creation. A golden light surrounded him, and when he emerged, he'd changed quite drastically. Long black untamed hair atop his head, seemed to be marked by the mask now worn to one side of his face. He wore dark clothing, like an assassin, aside from the geometric pattern on his cloak. She stared openly as he changed this time, seeming to not care much how this would be received, and when he finally opened his visible eye, he seemed to be like a deadened pool of blue. "Sugoi~" the lass chimed, seeming to take a moment to be stunned. For reasons she couldn't begin to explain, she was really fond of this new look, he seemed strangely normal but his look had a great appeal to it. He claimed that he even knew what to do, that meant she could return the jewel back to storage until the figured out what to do with it. Strangely, his voice was devoid of clear emotion. 'Hm... that's different,' she thought. "Hai hai, not doubting you or anything but you can do that?" she asked, they'd spoken about this barrier before and it'd initially been a problem that it would keep magic usage low, cutting it with Mana seemed like the sort of thing that wouldn't work at all.

[Bloodedge]

"... Hai." This was the simple answer given when asked if he could successfully break free using Mana. He had a semblance of an idea as Kou, and the transformation to this new entity seemed to have completed the thought with a bit of extra. Perhaps this was in part due to the mask, or even whatever being was the origin of said mask. He needed only a small amount of Mana channeled through the kusarigama he wielded. Water spewed from the blades, being kept pressed against them due to the effects of the barrier. Ah, the barrier... the exact thing he immediately hopped onto the side of... then onto another side... and another. He moved constantly, spinning with every shift to build momentum in a seemingly endless fashion. In doing so, the water torrent erupting from his kusarigama was eventually overcome by his own velocity, yet still attempting to return to the blades.

His idea? To shatter the barrier with overwhelming force, when it would otherwise reduce said force to something only physical before it struck. He darted around within the barrier, avoiding Tamamo at all costs until he came to the final movement. Perfect timing was required, and that was just what he utilized. As he hopped off the final wall back into the middle area near Tamamo, he threw one of his blades toward the wall ahead of him. In doing so, the full torrent which built up during his movements around the barrier followed suit, striking just before the blade finished bouncing off the barrier wall. The end result was enough Mana crashing into the wall at once, alongside the weapon, that it punched a hole in the barrier. With a hole in it, the barrier crumbled around the two as water poured into the open room.

[Apollymi]

Fewer words were currently being spoken by this lad, than at most times prior to this. Unlike the other times where his words were limited, this didn't seem to be a matter of discomfort. Instead he simply seemed a bit more stoic than previously shown. Whatever the case, his silence came with strength as he seemed to be quite capable in the moment. He soon used water, Mana and movement to launch himself around the whole of this barrier. She watched with wide eyes as he managed to miss her at every turn, but still seemed to be gaining more velocity which each movement. It was oddly precise, like watching a dance. And Tamamo gave a great deal of approval for such a method. Or rather, it likely wasn't her. It was someone else, the approving smug of a certain Dragonoid in her mind that was accompanied by the sound of rushing water if only for a moment. Still Tamamo stood in awe as he lad landed right beside her, "Sugoi, sugoi! That was a great idea! And excellently executed~" she concluded the same amount of teasing which always seemed to be present in her voice was still there. So, she was keen to figure out what was new in this lad's personality. Even so, she watched for a moment or two as the the water washed out of the barrier they'd been held in and out into the open space.

"Seems like we're in the clear... for the most part, breakfast?" she asked with a smile on her face. It seemed they had done all that was necessary here. Her Treasury had gained several new items and she'd gained a greater understanding of its mechanics. They'd both gotten Avatars that could blend in the area without drawing too much attention. And they had even gained a little knowledge about the faction war, and had access to a couple of people who might make more information easier. Whatever the case, she was pleased and only missing a certain piece of information. "Ara, ara, it slipped my mind, Mikon. What's this one's name?" she asked as she returned to her place pressed against the lad's back, floating off the ground without a care in the world.

[Bloodedge]

This new Avatar of Aiba Yugi's observed the aftermath of his efforts. He showed no signs of satisfaction, or even the slightest relief to be free of the barrier's confines. He did, however, glance over his shoulder when addressed by Tamamo. Would he say anything in regards to the compliment? No; the next words to leave his mouth were a rebuttal to her question. "I could eat," he said. With that, he was on his way, even as the Kitsune latched onto his back. This area underneath the temple could remain flooded and emptied of Artifacts; it didn't matter since the items were forged directly from living people anyway. He wondered who could have headed such an operation, though he knew... he'd always find out soon enough. En route to the upper reaches of the temple, there was another question offered. This one's name? Oddly enough, there was no readable name assigned to this one as of yet, unlike previous incarnations. There was... something there, but he seemed to reject it. What would he offer, then? Perhaps he could design a name in a similar fashion to Kimiko's original Avatar. Yes, that would do just fine. Deep inside, he could even consider it some sort of message. "... Giyu desu."

[Apollymi]

Tamamo was able to observe several differences between this Avatar and the first one. The most notable of these differences was the much quieter nature, he didn't seem to respond to much of anything. Her compliment didn't get too much acknowledgement, but he did at least answer her question about breakfast. Though not with anything that could be called enthusiasm. Perhaps, this one was simply a bit withdrawn, or maybe that wasn't the right way to phrase it. He seemed a bit more stoic in general. Tamamo had no mental problem with this, in fact, the stoic big brother type was one of many she enjoyed, more for its potential realism than anything else. How deep did that reach? The lass couldn't help but wonder, and beyond her own curiosity she also wanted to press against it, and tease the lad for the reactions she could get out of him. However limited those might be. He then gave a name, which was surprisingly short. It reminded the lass of her earliest Avatar but the connection being made in her mind was a bit farther flung. "Giyu, huh? I like that one~" the lass teased as she gave him a gentle squeeze and pecking his cheek from over his shoulder.

It was quite interesting that he'd mentioned regeneration like differences from Avatar to Avatar and made one that seemed capable of hiding his emotions after having her read the looks on the previous Avatar's face so easily. Perhaps, she shouldn't have done that with such zest? No, that wasn't the way to think about it. She was being herself even as they left this place, she wouldn't stop herself now. There was food to look for, and the whole situation around this land to figure out. "Hm, we're not currently hidden... will that be a problem?" she wondered as they ascended without issue currently, but that could lead to a potential fight with those who 'guarded' the temple. She wasn't afraid of this outcome, but she didn't want anyone impeding her breakfast date.

[Bloodedge]

Why did this one have such differences to his other selves; why was he so much more... serious? The reason may have been just what Tamamo considered, though perhaps with a few specifics applied. Being easily-read was not something he was used to at all. In fact, there was only one person he was used to being capable of seeing past his visage in whatever situation... perhaps two in some cases. No matter the case, there was mention of his name, or rather an acceptance of it as a decent one. Giyu said nothing in regards to this, though he did look over his shoulder once more. He was satisfied to hear such a thing, whether he showed it or not.

Tamamo claimed they were no longer hidden. This could have been some amount of issue, but as far as Giyu was concerned presently, it wouldn't be. Lo and behold, they would soon be at the temple's entrance again. Outside, there were various Youkai belonging to the faction of this area. The group consisted of varying types, though primarily of the reptilian variety. One particular Kappa aimed a spear at the pair, as if to incite a charge. "There they are! Get the─" A call started, and ended just as quickly. The Youkai seemed stunned, even afraid of what he'd seen leaving that temple. What could it have been?

[Apollymi]

Tamamo found the change in this lad's outward expression strange. There wasn't much to him at all, he was stoic, and what was more she couldn't really tell what was going on in his head again. She would have found it a bit disturbing given her own thoughts on carrying on in her obviously flirty manner were concern except for one thing. He turned to look back at her when she mentioned liking his name. And the look, while not particularly expressive gave her a clear view of his eyes for just a second. His entire face wasn't honest, and his eyes were blank and still blue, but looking into them for a moment she could almost see something. Or maybe she was imagining it? "Sou ka... it's a poker face, Mikon!~ A good one even," she murmured cuddled up to him from behind even as they looked out of the doorway. She had her own version of this face, so she understood it well enough, she supposed she'd gently nudge him over time to figure out if his mind was still as expressive even when his face wasn't.

Though, speaking of poker faces and hiding emotions, as they emerged from within the temple a gathering of Youkai who seemed to want to oppose them was rather easily determined. She looked at this group, and at the Kappa in particular who raised a spear at them. His charge seemed to be unwavering, though she herself wasn't really worried about a projectile of any time. It didn't leave his hand. She stared at him openly with curiosity on her face as he seemed to rethink the order he was about to give. It was as if he was scared. "Hoh? I do wonder how that sentence will end?" she said her voice slightly teasing. "Will I actually have to do something today? What do you think... Mikon?" she asked of the lad whose shoulder she was perched over. Did she worry about fighting these Youkai? Not at all... actually she was more than prepared to do just that, still she didn't aim to leave her perch the only thing that even hinted at something, was the gentle glow of her tails as she directed her golden gaze towards this Kappa and then flicked her eyes over the entire gathering before her.

[Bloodedge]

"If you say so," Giyu spoke about the apparent 'poker face' he possessed. He didn't think that was what it happened to be at all, but it was fine if she thought so. There was a veritable army confronting them when they existed the temple, and there Tamamo was, still latched onto him from behind. A certain amount of cowardice became apparent in the reactions of many Youkai ahead of them, and he had more than a mere idea what the reason was. "It's them," one said. "Two are awake," said another. The more statements he heard, the more certainty he gained about what their problem was. How would the Kappa's sentence end? Would Tamamo have to do something? What did he think? To all of it, there was only one answer. "The Nihon san dai youkai stand before you," he stated blandly, yet openly to the group ahead. That wasn't the answer to those three questions, though. He'd give that answer, and he'd give it as a command as well. "Run."

And run, they did. Weapons fell, and feet moved with haste. Some even managed to mutter their apologies before they vacated the premises surrounding the temple, but all disappeared nonetheless. Only when they were all gone, did Giyu speak once more. "I figured it out. The true name of this Avatar is the same as the mask's name: Ōtakemaru."

[Apollymi]

It seemed there wasn't agreement from the lad, nor was there disagreement. "Hm, aren't you an interesting one~" she chimed. There was still amusement to be had here, perhaps if she flirted a bit onesidedly, she'd be bound to get a reaction or two from the lad. Ah, but that had to wait didn't it? The small army in front of them seemed to be in need of direction. Of course, they seemed to be about to get it. The whispers could be heard quite clearly by Tamamo. They were identified. They were known here? But how? Well... she was about to find out, strangely... it would be Giyu who answered her mental inquiry. "Nihon san dai youkai? The amount of things that are lore friendly here is kind of ridiculous..." she murmured. This was the second time she'd encountered something strange that she had at least base knowledge of. Hell, she'd named her own character after something similar given the object that had been summoned with her.

The order to run caused a mass panic, weapons dropped and creatures of youkai lore dispersed much faster than even Tamamo expected. Whatever the case, the name that had been originally assigned to his Avatar was given and it only further confirmed the existence of the lore of the Youkai that she'd learned about from folktales on visits to Kyoto. "Ōtakemaru?! Sou ka... that makes a great deal of sense. That means, we're down one. And I even know which one," she said with a knowing smile. With no one standing before them, they were free to move right along. The object which had been born with her was one from the legend and she'd used it to name herself. That tv show they'd lightly been discussing, made her wonder if perhaps there wasn't a straight line of influence. But... no that couldn't be right, could it? She'd gone quiet after speaking, having her entire mind working towards a strange idea but disturbing its full creation because she couldn't have that happening logically.

[Bloodedge]

"It's lore friendly because it happened." That was all Giyu had to say about their current identities. The entities from which these Artifacts of theirs came were true historical beings in this world. They lived, they breathed, they seemingly even reigned supreme in a way. Deep inside, Giyu could feel the power of his Artifact's previous owner... or perhaps, the entity itself. The depth of said power was great, even godlike, and Tamamo had exemplified similar qualities already. There was only one left, and what the Kitsune said was slightly in contradiction to what he was certain of. "We're not down one. I can feel her; she's in your pocket." Of course, he did not mean pocket in the literal sense, but he knew where the missing member of the trio was. By association, he knew who could wield the missing link's power. "Otakemaru... Shutendoji. She's on the ship as well." He felt a calling of sorts. If there was someone who could properly bond with one who had an existing connection to Otakemaru, it was the sibling of his current host; he could feel that deep within his being.

[Apollymi]

"Well, I get that... it's just," there was a pause from Tamamo. There wasn't much she could say about this situation right now. How did she explain that many things she looked into outside of video game lore, existed in this world. Things like the Nihon san dai youkai, Enkidu and other storybook legends. How could she explain the thought that such things existed here could be due to the extra influence from their world. Or maybe they came the other way... or maybe it worked both ways. There were too many possibilities to narrow down. "Nevermind... it's all over the place. I have to narrow it down first," she said pushing aside the thoughts of her brain. There were too many possibilities for right just now. She needed a distraction. And she'd get one, in the form of a specific mention. "In my pocket?" she said thinking about it logically he had to mean her subspace. The connection was made rather easily so she moved on to more pressing matters. "Sou ka, two of those in the same place. Someone is bad at thinking about the worst case scenario," she said aloud. It seemed stupid to her to keep such potentially powerful items all in the same place. It could be taken by Giyu's words that he intended for the last piece of the trio to be a very specific person. "Hm, Hikari-chan... as the last member of the trio. That's good, she can look after you~" Tamamo teased. Given how these sorts of adventures went, they'd likely end up having to split up to cover more ground. Given this, she'd be happy knowing he had someone on his side to look after him a bit. She felt him more than capable enough but she still worried given his temper. "Should we get her set up then?" she asked content to hang over the lad and let him choose the direction.

[Bloodedge]

Giyu said nothing, but understood much. His statement may have been more vague than necessary, yet there was a long train of thought traveling through his mind. When he said 'it happened' previously, he actually meant it in a much broader sense. Two Oni and a Kitsune existed in this world's past, but it was not quite limited to this world. One could say 'the world' was an accurate term in a way, but he was only about 94% certain of that when viewing it from the current angle. Until that percentage reached 100, he would not bother giving it too much consideration. There was one thing he couldn't possibly be more sure of, though, and it came in the form of his reply to the number 'two' spoken by Tamamo. "Three." Indeed, three was the correct number. It made no sense for the two Oni to be found in one place, and the Kitsune to be found in another. All three Artifacts ones took refuge here, but someone had managed to free one of them in the past. Perhaps it was Dreyfus? Perhaps it was, instead, someone who brought the mirror of Tamamo to that blacksmith. Whatever the case, it didn't matter.

What did matter, was the completion of the Nihon san dai youkai... though even that didn't particularly matter at this exact moment. They could concern themselves with his sister later. For now, they had an opportunity to acquire the breakfast they had been speaking of prior to Giyu's creation. If nothing else, they could deal with 'setting up' the girl with her new form after finding food worth bringing back to the ship. With that in mind, he began walking in the opposite direction to the ship itself. "We agreed to get breakfast. We may as well bring it with us."

[Apollymi]

Apparently there was a small correction to Tamamo's line of thinking. According to Giyu, all three items of legend were originally housed within the Origin Temple they'd just cleared. Tamamo understood this, and a frustrated pout appeared on her face as she considered the possibilities. Someone had taken that piece out on purpose, Dreyfus was potentially a lot more adventurous than he seemed, or some other circumstance had taken place. Regardless of which thing it was, whoever was in charge of that Origin Temple was not one for making proper long term plans. "That makes it worse, not better... it's irresponsible to keep three objects that powerful in one place, it almost guarantees they will rise at the same time..." she said. Whatever faction was dominating the area, was lacking in the thought department, which in her mind would eventually make them easier to convince, or harder if they happened to actually just be dumb. Whatever the case, she was willing to let her own thoughts continue to travel.

According to Giyu, they'd already agreed to breakfast, so he intended to lead them there first and then they'd take care of his sister. "Oh right... I keep forgetting about that," the lass said having thoughts of breakfast slip her mind as she'd become distracted by a whole host of other things in the last few moments. Perhaps this incarnation of Kimiko had others of her bad habits just below the surface, "Oh, what do we get? I want so much!~" the fox lass chimed. All of her statements being related to food she wasn't quite sure what she wanted for breakfast, but she knew she was hungry. "Hm... actually I have a taste for rice and sweet red beans... oh oh oh!! I want Onigiri with red beans!~" the lass chimed. Unbeknownst to her, this was very much a side-effect of her most recent transformation, Kitsune had a great love for the things she just mentioned.

[Bloodedge]

"It is irresponsible. It's also a good decision," Giyu said, having no particular lean in either direction of the spectrum. On one hand, it was more than a great risk to place those three Artifacts in one place. On the other hand, however, it was just as much a boon to accumulate that amount of power within a single stronghold, if only for political merit in such a society as this. What were the chances that the Artifacts would have awakened, if not for these two appearing here today? By his calculations, no run-of-the-mill Adventurer would have succeeded in unleashing even one power source.

Putting those thoughts aside, he considered food while sniffing on occasion. He was some form of Oni in this state, and thus had a decent nose for consumables, so he let his nose guide him to the marketplace. There was a strange smell of... something sweet, yet almost meat-like. It was a curious thing, and oddly in contradiction to the food item he initially thought of. "Ohagi," he said. It was the first thought that came to mind when he picked up that smell. Surely the thing of Tamamo's desire could have been found in the same place, if ohagi was what he could smell. Oh, how very wrong he was. What he smelled and approached was actually... the smell of an egg, but no sort these two would have ever tasted. Giyu would see the smell's source shortly after they entered the bustling marketplace, as the stall selling these eggs was placed close enough to the edge of the street to catch the eye of travelers. Odd... this wasn't currently the sort of place that appreciated outsiders, but it seemed set up as if it did. Either way, these large eggs on display were oddly enticing. They seemed almost ethereal, and did not appear to be gaining sweetness from any sort of seasoning, despite the clear smell similar to sugar. "... Hmm. That's not ohagi."

[Apollymi]

"Hmm..." there was a bit of a pause from the thoughts of Tamamo. While she couldn't see the merits in having so many things together that could be lost, given Giyu's words there was an implication that having them altogether could have been good. With a few moments of extra thought, she came to the conclusion that having such a collection could have made one seem more powerful, and that if all the aspects has spontaneously risen having them on all one side could tip the balance in a business sense. "The risk-reward ratio still seems a bit slanted," she concluded. She wouldn't have taken on such a thing without knowing exactly what would come of her actions, but she was a bit more cautious than most. But that was simply her way, and she missed the ideal 'people' element of it as well.

Soon though, the man she was hanging on to walked towards the market place. It was quite familiar, as all market type places seemed to be at least to Tamamo. What was more, this one had a stall set up near the edges which contained some strange food that fit the desires of both people. "Ohagi? I haven't had that in ages..." she murmured, true enough such a food was a bit too indulgent for what she was normally allowed. This would surely be a treat. Her own nostrils flared slightly as she picked up on such a scent. It smelled sweet like bean-paste, but also kind of thick. Strangely, when they walked upon it, it didn't seem to be any kind of food she could readily identify. It seemed it wasn't familiar to Giyu either, given his concise but accurate lack of identification. Not the type to waste time or words, she'd aim to speak directly to the profiteer of this shop. "Oh? This all smells nice. What is this? And how much is it?" she said aiming to face said sales person with golden eyes still leaned over the shoulder of her companion.

[Bloodedge]

Slanted, she said. Perhaps she was right. On the other hand, such was always the case. Equality never existed; one side of the scales always outweighed the other. This was how Giyu's mind processed reality via experience. As far as he was concerned, true balance was only achievable when the scales were in constant motion, one never taking complete control of the other. At least... that was how things were in the current world, which existed outside of his ideal scenario. Maybe things could be changed in the world they currently inhabited...

The little stall in front of them was selling what appeared to be quite the 'tourist' attraction, or at least it would have been if there were any legitimate tourists. Tamamo seemed open enough to approach the keeper of this stand without any hesitation at all, grabbing the attention of a Nure-onna at the other side of the table. The black-haired woman sported an obvious serpent's tail that coiled around behind her, though her torso and above were that of a human─ even clad in a purple kimono. A slender hand shifted silky, raven locks away from her face as she gazed upon the pink-haired fox. "You've yet to try the egg of Yatagarasu, my dear child? You are in for a treat~. I offer you newcomers one to share in delight. Others, mind you, are not easily obtained. Demand is high, you see... so I will part with each for 2,400,000 mon," she stated plainly. Giyu's eyes widened ever so slightly upon hearing not the number, but the currency this woman mentioned. That number was ridiculous... and yet it wasn't. The truly ridiculous thing was that unit of currency, which he knew of through tales from his father from long, long ago in the world they knew. If he needed further confirmation of an earlier assumption, this was it.

[Apollymi]

Their philosophical discussion left by the wayside, Tamamo was left to begin her discussion with the Nure-onna selling the food they both seemed to be interested in. She was soon told exactly what this delicious smelling thing was and given a price for each item to be purchased. Strangely, the number given seemed to be outrageous. Tamamo's face shifted slightly as she leaned over Giyu's shoulder looking at this woman and mentally processing this new amount of money she mentioned. "Yatagarasu? The three-legged bird? Those are its eggs?!" she said seemingly surprised. She supposed she'd eaten more than her fair share of strange food so that wouldn't be so bad, still the amount of money she asked for left a lot to be desired.

Ashikaga Kimiko had traveled quite a bit in her life, but never had she come across such a specific amount of currency. The idea that something should cost 2.4 million of anything was a bit outlandish to her, even as someone who paid ridiculously high costs for nice things all the time. What was more this felt kind of familiar like a conversation or two she'd had with her father as a younger child. 'Well, there was that one time, Daddy and I were in Arabia and he told me the price of something but it was basically pennies to the dollar back home. Actually, I did a lot of math problems like that too...' she thought giving it a bit of consideration. Still this type of money hadn't come up in her current set of studies, so perhaps it was outside her current sphere of understanding. There was nothing she disliked more in life than not understanding money, as such she removed herself from the back of the lad she leaned over finding herself standing directly in front of this stall. Tamamo's golden eyes became intense a glare was present, but there was also the light of learning behind, she didn't ask a direct question, but instead for information so she could find her own answers. "What's the exchange rate with the lower kingdoms?" she asked rather directly. Whether the woman behind the counter told the truth or not, surely she wasn't the only person who'd been encountered who'd come from below. Most merchants would have to maintain some form of active exchange or it wouldn't really make sense. A single piece of information like that would be all the lass needed to know to convert mon into the kind of money she had in excess. The annoyance of such a thing, was why Kimiko enjoyed visiting Europe, with their unified monetary system. And why she'd worked to convert Atlantis immediately to the kind of money she liked handling... this kind of thing was always problematic initially. Still, something about this sort of exchange always made her heart race with untold excitement.

[Bloodedge]

"Indeed! You've never seen them? Such a surprise, hearing that from one of you," the saleswoman spoke. It was strange to hear this from a Kitsune, but there were odder things. This Kitsune and Oni seemed like a lovely young couple, so the woman was content to prepare the finest Yatagarasu egg she had available for their consumption. She wrapped what seemed to be a large, hard-boiled egg in a paper cone. Like all prepared versions, the top had been lopped off to expose the yolk. It had no need of seasoning, toppings, anything of the sort to display the full effects of its flavor. Even the ever-stoic Giyu saw the appeal of this egg, and he took it without hesitation. Meanwhile, the Nure-onna seemed rather... confused by Tamamo's query. "Exchange rate? We do not deal with these 'lower kingdoms' here, my child. If you do not have mon, you must earn it... or barter something of value." the woman said, while Giyu stared into the egg yolk. This thing seemed quite delectable, but he did not intend to partake of it first. As he recalled, it was Tamamo's previous form who first brought attention to matters of hunger. With that in mind, he held it out for her to try first.

[Apollymi]

"Oh? I suppose, it does smell really good to me~" Tamamo said with a happy smile. Of course, she couldn't help but have her mouth water just a little. After all, she hadn't eaten all day and something about this food seemed to appeal to her as a being, not just her currently empty stomach. Beyond this point she watched the opening of the egg which she was offered with wide eyes. Apparently her question about exchange rates caused confusion according to the Nure-onna, they chose specifically not to deal with the lower kingdoms at all. Instead, they either accepted only their own currency, work or items in exchange... this caused a scoff from the pink haired kitsune. "Cutting yourself out of markets means you make less money. Not doing business with other kingdoms cripples your output and your potential intake. Lack of unified coin is a special brand of annoying that cuts you off, though that isn't specifically your fault. And it's not that the potential war zone doesn't do the same~" her words came with a teasing tone, but not the same one she normally reserved for Giyu. "I'll give that advice for free..." said Tamamo with a frown on her face.

In exchange for the food though, there was something else, something that Tamamo had to give. She looked at the woman and searched her mind for lore related information. Nure-onna, were strange creatures, they fed on children's blood and enjoyed washing their hair. Creatures of water with snake skin in need of hydration, a gentle upturn of her lips came but then a portal opened and into her hand came a single object. A large bottle similar to the type shampoo would be made of, full of the waters she'd collected from a certain mermaid in the form of her tears. It was considered the cleanest water one could get, with special properties which protected and added shine. "How about this, in exchange for breakfast, for me and my friends... I'd need at least a dozen more, but if you think it's fair. I have an equivalent number of bottles to spare~" mentioned the fox girl as she leaned over to take the offered food with excitement in her eyes.

[Bloodedge]

This woman didn't seem concerned at all with Tamamo's business-related advice. Nothing said would be able to work in a place like this, where the land itself was split into four opposing factions. Others wouldn't deal with them, if they could even make it to Ryozanpaku in the first place. If humans even found their way to this place of Youkai, they were likely to turn their heads... if they survived. None of that bothered her, though; she was only here to sell these eggs for personal gain. These newcomers seemed to have been Youkai from foreign lands, and though that was strange, she didn't care about that either. A simple barter would suffice to earn them whatever number of eggs they wanted. What could they offer, though? Would they have anything worthwhile, or would they come back later after earning some of the local currency?

Ah, it seemed she had something of high value indeed. The snake woman's eyes glistened with anticipation as she gazed upon the offered fluid. "The maiden's tears? My my, you've come from a very distant place, haven't you? What you have is valued here at a million mon per droplet," she said, knowing that this particular faction held the tears of a Mermaid in high regard. It wasn't simply due to its qualities as water, but something... far, far greater in purpose. "We can do business, dearie."

[Apollymi]

It seemed the woman wasn't at all concerned with the business advice Tamamo had to give, if only she knew how much such information normally cost individuals. Oh well, Tamamo was certain of many things when it came to money and given this transaction went well, this woman would eventually find her way before her again. Whatever the case, Tamamo made the Nure-onna an offer which caused her eyes to glisten with a certain acquisitiveness that Tamamo herself was quite familiar with. The number she spouted off was quite large indeed, saying that a single drop of the fluid she offered was worth such a sizable amount, gave the fox lass all the information she needed to be able to do some quick math. 'A drop worth 1 million, a 4 ounce bottle contains 912 drops. The bottle itself is worth 9,120,000 multiplied by the number already existing, converts to 13,820,000 USD, which is... closest equivalent to the lower Kingdom's "Gold" exchange rate. That basically means each drop is worth 5 bronzes, which is crazy bit of inflation considering what the bottle is worth,' the lass said, she was thinking in their shared head space. "Damn, I could get a really nice car with that amount of cash..." she said with an off-handed smile. Now that she understood the conversion rate on this money type, she knew that she'd not have any problem bartering or negotiating while they were in Youkai Country. "Hai, we've been all over, and now I just really want some breakfast," she said content to now try and experience this new food of choice. "I'll give you two bottles for the rest of your morning stock, if you could wrap it up for us, I'd really appreciate it?" she asked as she began happily eating and placed two of the small bottles of Mermaid Tears onto the front of the stall before the Nure-onna. After this she was happy and would immediately have a taste of the offered food of choice.

A bite of yolk and her eyes widened immensely. It was sweet, and had a strange consistency but it was definitely indulgent and breakfast like in its creation. Her face was flush and her eyes were filled with a light of joy. "Omai!~" she squealed happily, she turned to Giyu who'd been waiting quietly this whole time and offered him some as well. "Mikon!~ Try it, it's amazing!~" she coaxed as she waited for her purchase to be complete.

[Bloodedge]

Giyu was addressed directly by the mind of Tamamo, but his facial expression remained blank as his eyes stayed fixed on the eggs. As he stared, he seemed to be inspecting them more thoroughly, if only to be certain there was nothing poisonous about them. Everything appeared to be fine, yet he went without reacting to Tamamo's 'speech' at all. While the lad was so spaced-out, the Nura-onna nodded her acceptance of Tamamo's offer. She certainly couldn't say no to two bottles of Mermaid tears all to herself. There was no hesitation from the woman before she began gathering eggs, carefully boxing them one after another. At that time, Giyu's attention was finally grabbed properly by the Kitsune. His gaze averted from the eggs, shifting instead toward Tamamo as she expressed satisfaction in the eggs themelves. Without a word, he reached out to claim the meal for himself. One bite confirmed for him that this was an enigma as a food item. An egg that was naturally sweet, happened to somehow seem creamy as well. Perhaps that was the spiritual aspect of the Yatagarasu? Whatever it was, it convinced Giyu to consume a quick second bite before handing the egg to Tamamo again. "It is. I like it."

[Apollymi]

Giyu had been quiet and seemingly spaced out? Whatever the case, his attention was soon on Tamamo as she mentioned he should try their new food of choice. She then got to happily watch as the lad tasted this new confection with her. A bright smile painted her face she was happy he enjoyed this. Happier still that she managed to acquire so many of them for them to share with their friends when they headed back. Egg back in her hand, she soon found herself back in the place she had been in the moments before, casually slumped over the lad's shoulder as she took another bite. "Hai hai! It's really good!~" she chimed her agreement. She seemed beyond amused, what an interesting breakfast. Always one for fairness she'd continue offering the lad bites after she took another, so that they could finish this first one between themselves. This would be enough to hold her over until they were able to sit for breakfast properly. "Did you want to get anything else before we head back?" she asked of the lad, it was strange not being able to see his emotions all over his face, still she wouldn't peak into his mind if he didn't expressly ask her to perform that task. Whatever the case, she was ready for whenever the woman finished boxing up the breakfast they intended to take back to their ship.

In the meantime, a certain raven haired, black-winged lass was waiting patiently just out of eye shot of the ship. She was quite near to where she'd met the two adventurers before and made the assumption they'd pass back through here at some point. She looked a bit bored as her eyes scanned the distance. 'I wonder what his new Avatar is like...' she thought to herself of the boy known as Aiba Yugi. She couldn't know, but she was one of a limited number who knew his legitimate identity.

[Bloodedge]

After Giyu handed off the egg again, Tamamo returned to her place against his back. He showed no signs of reaction again, but he clearly wasn't complaining about this approach. Time passed, eggs were boxed to order by the excited Nure-onna, and bites of the first egg alternated between Tamamo and Giyu. Soon enough, the boxing was done. The Nure-onna had her entire stock for the day on offer for Tamamo, and Giyu was taking one of the final bites from the first offered egg. Was there anything else? He could hardly think of anything he intended to do, besides acquiring something to eat. "That's all I can think of," he said between taking a bite, and returning the egg. Assuming Tamamo intended to use her Artifact to hold this incredible quantity of boxed Yatagarasu eggs, he was easily prepared to begin moving whenever the task was done.

[Apollymi]

Tamamo reclaimed her spot upon his shoulder with the utmost happiness and as they continued to share their egg of choice, it seemed that Giyu had no problem with their placement. Rather, the lad didn't say no, and his face betrayed no negative feelings. The pink-haired Kitsune was not really sure what all this lad's newest Avatar had problems with, but she'd mentally decided to take his acceptance with or without actual signs of it. As such she'd settled into position even more, wrapping her arms around him and seeming to find this position most comfortable. It also gave her easy access to the lad's ear leaving her face visible over his shoulder.

Moving right along, their order was soon boxed up, and unlike the problems of carrying this large amount of items, she might have had in her actual life, here, she had a much more efficient way of moving a large number of items. In this moment the fox girl opened up portals beneath the boxes and allowed them all to go into her storage space. They'd disappear after they were all ready. "Sugoi, sugoi! Shopping is so much easier now..." she mentioned happily. "Imagine the possibilities of all that extra free time!~" the lass whispered to flirt with the lad whose shoulder she occupied. She'd give a gentle wave to the Nure-onna and offer her thanks, "Arigatou na," she offered for her breakfast, knowing that Giyu would move whenever he was ready. He'd even claimed that he had nothing else he'd wanted to do besides gather breakfast so she assumed they'd be headed back in the direction of their ship.

[Bloodedge]

Their early breakfast came to an end, and the remainder was successfully placed in storage by Tamamo. Of course, their departure wouldn't come before Tamamo spoke another one of her flirtatious statements into the Oni's ear. His eyes alone shifted toward her in the moments following the clause of 'free' time, as if to acknowledge whatever possibilities she had in mind. This particular Avatar was about the task at hand, yet Aiba Yugi remained quite conscious deep within. He still had very little to say in response. "Yeah," was the only speech he offered before turning on his heel to move toward their ship. No acknowledgement at all went to the Nure-onna they were so recently dealing with, interestingly enough. No; he was on the move, and he wouldn't stop until he neared the Grandcypher... where they would encounter the two Youkai they met upon arriving in this place.

Rimuru waited with marked impatience, keeping to his Slime form atop the head of Kuroka. Even as a Slime, that blob-like form of his was drooping as if deflated by boredom. The ship those two had was nice, and so full of crew members, yet he did not have it in him to approach without the others' presence. Where were they? Well, he'd be seeing them in a matter of moments, though only one was immediately recognizable to the Slime. "Ugh... finally."

[Apollymi]

Having eaten, the flirty behavior of the Kitsune returned full force, and what did she have to show for it? A shift in the gaze of the Oni she physically occupied, this was all. He spoke, but it was nothing of great substance, instead it seemed to be acknowledgement. 'Ah, that clears things up doesn't it...' the pink haired lass thought. Whatever the case was with this lad's current Avatar, he definitely was less responsive overall. Still, she was quite certain that he wasn't simply ignoring her. Actually, this more stoic personality reminded her of Akashi, someone whose face didn't shift much but was still working beneath the surface. As such she'd remain content, happy to be around him, very easily wrapped around the lad's shoulders, even as they approached their ship. What was more this approach would lead them to seeing the pair of individuals they'd met upon first entering the area.

Kuroka looked up and saw the pair approaching, her left brow raising. She expected more than a bit of impatience from the Slime atop her head. After all, he had no desire to approach their ship without them. Strangely, Kuroka recognized both of these individuals with great ease, mostly because the lad now an Oni, looked enough like his physical younger self now to be readily identified by the lass. "Ohayou!~" chimed the Kitsune as she greeted the pair from her current perch, this raised the brow of Kuroka as such a development was well beyond what she expected given the amount of time they'd been gone. "Hello, I see you found what you were looking for..." she said absently, she left open her statement for introductions.

[Bloodedge]

Whatever clarity Tamamo got out of his retort, he had no clear understanding of. At least, he wouldn't be showing any. Any message he meant to confer, he trusted to be received properly without the necessity of words. They had already shared many moments in which verbalization wasn't an actual necessity, and in this state, he seemed to be relying on that. As an interesting note, Giyu wasn't quite sure what he looked like in this form yet; he'd simply gone with the flow when changing. Did he look like the Oni from which he drew his source? No, that couldn't quite be right. There was a light of recognition in Kuroka's eye, and that could mean only one thing; Avatar creation did work like regeneration. Indeed, Kou had been in a state of comfort, and had let loose enough of Aiba Yugi for the latter to influence the shift. The way he looked now, could have easily been the way he looked in life around this point in time.

"We have breakfast," the young man said as he continued moving forward. They did find what they were looking for, and so, so much more. Now though, the time had come to eat properly. Giyu met Kuroka's gaze for only a moment, before stepping past her on his way aboard the Grandcypher. In that very moment, Rimuru's impatience seemed to become something resembling annoyance. "Oh yeah, that's perfectly fine," the Slime said in a sarcastic tone. "Leave us waiting, come back in full emo mode, mention breakfast and keep moving~"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo found herself feeling a bit warm inside. What was this feeling? Acceptance. There was a certain amount of comfort which came with the idea that the lad understood and accepted her, even without using his words to convey that information. What was more, she found it amusing that she could say what she wanted just because she wanted to. With or without a reaction from the lad, she was quite sure he knew and understood what she meant, and because of this, she felt particularly giddy. Giyu for his part after her minor flirtation mentioned to the other two, that they'd brought breakfast. Kuroka seemed to take this information without any great outward sign to show that she cared one way or another. Of course, the moment of eye contact between her and Giyu was strange, she found the look to be worthy of a small upturn of her lips. 'Well, if we don't want to be recognized we shouldn't run around wearing our own faces,' she thought to herself. Of course, there was something rather strange about Kuroka, but perhaps that wouldn't be explained until later.

Tamamo had nothing of substance to say in the moment. "Leave him alone, he's super cute this way!~" Tamamo said in Giyu's defense and as a matter of light flirtation. In particular to the commentary directed at his 'emo' state. If she was being honest, she found this state just as appealing as any of his others, perhaps a bit more because of the 'realness' of it. Though she did enjoy looking at the otherworldly beauty that came from Kou. What was more she had a bit more biting commentary for the young slime. "If you're going to be like that you definitely need some breakfast, you're obviously cranky..." Tamamo said teasing lightly as was her way. This was basically an invitation to breakfast and to meet with the rest of the crew as promised. Of course, there were many reasons for this, but the small ones first. All the while Kuroka noted this new found closeness and decided further observation was necessary so she'd follow Giyu as he carried the Kitsune towards the ship, obviously it was fine if they went aboard in tow with this group.


Continue reading here (http://www.roleplayuniverse.net/forums/showthread.php?968-The-Grandcypher&p=13372&viewfull=1#post13372).

[Apollymi]

"Yes. Just like I'll liberate his head from the rest of him," Giyu said, managing to let a bit of spite leak through from his source. With that, he was off in the company of his (now in two ways) sister. They would go East in satisfaction for having each other's company again, and their journey would be... quite the epic one indeed.

Ah, but there was another epic journey beginning between two members of this growing group, even if they didn't realize they would be embarking on it together. Tamamo took a moment to react to Diva's approach, but she seemed accepting of his request in the end. He was resolved to find whatever reached out to him. Luckily, Tamamo had a method for him to follow along without attracting undue attention to himself, at least according to her. He could do as she asked; he could easily keep the pace without straying too far. "A...rigatou─" he managed to say. What was ahead of them, though? They would both be finding out soon after departing. Just along the path Tamamo herself needed to travel toward her chosen faction, there was... what appeared to be a simple boar with fur of ash, was struggling itself to death in an alley just within the city. This creature was exactly the one Diva sought, and exactly the thing that sought him.


"Fufufufu~" A gentle laughter would be all that was heard from the female oni in response to her twice brother's snarky behavior. Somehow, everything about this situation felt perfectly right and she knew she had much to look forward to on her next adventure.

Even so, it wouldn't just be that pair of individuals on an adventure. Tamamo, found herself in the company of Diva through his own volition. She couldn't help but chuckle at this offered thanks, because even with this face, she held no animosity towards this lad. In fact, she liked the fact that he was making his needs known and doing things for himself, even if he was still more than a bit apprehensive about speaking all the time. Actually, he reminded the girl beneath of a character she enjoyed, not for shipping purposes but that she liked because of his broken nature. "Iie!~ You definitely don't need to thank me for something like this. We've been through a bit together, I consider us friends..." the lass said in a passing manner. Oh? This version of herself was indeed without the filters and sense of self-preservation that her base self created. And she had plenty of time to consider this as they walked. Of course, she would only pause this line of thought when Diva stopped to examine something, obviously it had been whatever had called out to him. Much to her surprise it was... a boar? 'Ugh, it's always fucking pigs!' was the thought that passed her mind. Though her face showed no outward sign of disapproval. She wondered what question she'd answered that had ended with her seeing so many of this kind of creature at every turn throughout her adventures. Hell, even after coming here, she'd done a boar killing quest it was how she'd met the Geno Killer. She'd wait nearby as the lad handled this knowing that if he needed her, he had only but to ask.

[Bloodedge]

Friends. That word was so interesting, and so very foreign to one such as Diva. Even so, it struck his ear and warmed his heart when delivered. Sadly, there would be no acknowledgement of the clause. The dying boar called to him for a reason, and he needed to know what it was. Diva was soon enough on his knees before the creature, reaching out to glide his open hand along its hide. Blue eyes stared up at the lad in the creature's final moments, and it seemed... he understood what they wanted. This lowly beast was at the precipice of spirituality. He understood its plight without more than a moment of eye contact, and deep within himself, he even understood how he could help it. "I...need some...blades," he said, his voice trembling at every word, even more than normal. He had to finish the job of killing this innocent creature, but it was not as sad a thought as what it had already been through. Besides... killing by Diva would not be the end of its existence; not by a long shot. Something new would come of this, and the young Atlantean could just about feel exactly what it was.

[Apollymi]

Tamamo received no verbal response to her speech. Even so, it seemed this was something she was quite used to, she'd said what needed to be said. And that knowledge was comforting to her. Beyond this point the lad stroked this dying creature, and Tamamo even had it within her to feel a bit of pity for it. Her own annoyance at her adventure surrounded by pigs, would not cloud her general humanity nor her good nature. She quietly considered a great many things, when Diva's voice hit her ears. His general speech seemed to be working quite a bit better than before, even when long pauses between words he very clearly asked her for something. Rather, it was two somethings, blades. "Sou ka, hai hai..." she said with a gentle thought. She opened up one of those shimmering portals and from it emerged a matched pair of blades. These were a perfect set of katana fitting in with the theme of the place they currently within the shirasaya style mounting as they were being stored and not yet for use. Still the blades were in perfect condition and held a great gleaming quality. And with that she'd go on to watch the lad commit to his decision to put this sad creature out of his misery. Of course, she had no doubt that he had other motives in doing this, as she'd already seen him take similar action before.

[Bloodedge]

One task was all he had here. After mere moments of deliberation within his own mind, Diva was ready to commit to said task. Tamamo agreed to his request for blades, producing from her storage space a twin pair of katana not quite ready for use. Diva had never brandished a weapon, not once in his life... but he would not refrain from helping the poor creature beneath him. He took up a blade in each hand, and leaned down until his forehead met that of the boar. "Xekourasteíte mésa mou," he whispered to the beast. With that, he pushed the tips of each blade into its body, pulling them apart until the boar was split from nape to chops. It may have seemed a bit brutal, but the boar didn't feel a thing beyond the original penetration of its flesh. In fact, there was a gentle warmth traveling both ways through its body as its very soul transferred into Diva. Just then, something incredibly strange occurred. Diva, who for all intents and purposes belonged to this world, was enveloped in the Nexus' light along with the boar.

He developed a pale complexion with an extremely toned and muscular build, possessing large, defined muscles most notably over his stomach and arms. In sharp contrast to this, he boasted an incredibly pretty and feminine face, with large, wide eyes that were framed by an array of long eyelashes, their irises a dark to soft pale green, thin eyebrows and what could be a small, well-mannered mouth. His thick, black hair reached just past his shoulders, fading into blue at the tips and forming an unruly and uneven fringe that fell just above his eyes, puffing out before curving and thinning towards his forehead. His outfit in this form consisted only of baggy hakama pants, tinted a dark gray-blue, which he wore fastened around his hips with a thick belt of fluffy brown animal fur. In place of leg wraps, he wore what appeared to be knee-high socks of a furry hide which exposed his heels and toes, which also appeared to be what fastened the sandal-bases he wore on his feet. His most defining feature however, was the gray, hollowed-out boar's head and pelt presently worn as a shawl.

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Diva had no problem doing about his task. He used the blades he was provided to put the small creature out of its misery. It looked to be a rather brutal slaying, but Tamamo knew better. Or rather in this case, the lass behind those eyes knew for a fact that this lad was nothing but gentle with the deaths of others. The words he spoke, hit the pink haired lass' ears wrong. It was strange for her because she knew that part of her knew these words, but at present all she could do was know that it was warm and reassuring. But she didn't have time to consider this because the thing happening before her eyes was quite strange to behold. "Nani?!" slipped from between her lips. The light of the Nexus consumed this lad and he became someone else. Such a thing was outlandish to Tamamo, as all information she had previously led her to believe that Diva was born in this world as an Atlantean.

All known information said that people of this world, didn't maintain this sort of evolution. They couldn't make new faces, but here he was becoming a new sort of boy. A grew boar over his shoulders his hair bluish green. He was actually quite attractive, well muscled and all but why? How? How was this actually possible?! Tamamo's mouth opened and closed numerous times but she couldn't find it in herself to question this aloud. If he was from this world and this was completely normal than there was something amiss. If he wasn't from this world and he'd simply gone through the Atlantean storyline then he'd gotten the bad ending? Right that was the only way it made sense. Maybe that was it, he became too immersed and he forgot. She had to think this, because the alternatives were frightening, and inconceivable. "I... didn't know you could do that too. I guess there isn't any reason to hide you anymore," she mused as she dispelled the perception filter around him. She filed away her other questions as something to discuss with Giyu. Instead in this moment she'd ask the lad a different question. "Would you like to come with me? To meet the leader of the Kitsune at Mt. Kurama?"

[Bloodedge]

This new form felt... strange. It felt as if he could retain the energy of a well-rested warrior for consecutive decades without rest, though this was certainly untrue. That pair of katana remained in his hands as he looked around. Was that a stone on the ground nearby? Indeed, it was. Luckily, he needed such a thing to deal with a very specific issue. "Sure. One sec," he said in an oddly clear manner, albeit with a very grungy voice. He placed each katana on the ground in front of him, held one by the hilt, and picked up the rock he'd noticed. Repeatedly and with great force, he slammed this rock against the blade until he began chipping it away. This was a process he fully intended to make each blade jagged, more dangerous, and very... very... him. "Swords suck. Gotta have tusks," he announced. He'd definitely be joining on a path to this mountain Tamamo spoke of, but he wouldn't do it until everything about this form felt natural.

[Apollymi]

This new form was a strange one indeed, but Tamamo's offer was openly given to him. But Tamamo was in for even more surprises, as her offer was accepted. Out of this lad's mouth came the most coherent sentence she'd ever heard from him. Well, that wasn't entirely true, he was very comfortable speaking in the mother tongue of Diva. But this voice aside from its tone and audible texture came with the colloquialism of youth. Tamamo's response to this was a laugh, uncontrolled and very happy. "What? That's your first sentence!?" she exclaimed seeming to find this situation to be rather hilarious. She also got to watch the lad begin breaking apart his weapon, leaving chips along the edges of it. She could hear the blacksmith crying in her head at such destruction. Still, to her in this moment it was amusing. "Tusks huh? Alright, take your time then... though, what are you calling yourself?" she asked if only to pass the time that was required for him to finish the massacre of this pair of blades.

[Bloodedge]

"Yep," he said plainly. More and more, he chipped away segments of each blade. This continued until both swords were jagged from base to tip, made for shredding that which it cut through. Even though he seemed satisfied with the blades, he wasn't done with the rock. He placed the object beneath the fur worn around his hip, stood with both weapons in hand, and turned to face Tamamo again. With the boar's head resting on his right shoulder, there were two pairs of eyes looking in the Kitsune's direction. There was a question... What did he call himself? Well, there was a very simple answer to that. "Inosuke," he stated. By now, he was prepared to move on. In fact, he seemed ready to engage in combat if necessary; his physical energy was plentiful enough that he felt it needed to be utilized whenever possible. "Let's get going!"

[Apollymi]

Clear speech from this lad was hilarious, and very much appreciated. She had no problem with this lad's previous silence, but at the same time, having someone to talk to on adventures like this was nice. Given this she waited patiently for the lad to finish his work and he did, when he did she looked over the two blades now made extremely jagged by his work. What was more, he tucked away the rock he used to create them. She stared aimlessly but her eyes soon found the creature over his shoulder. Those bright blue eyes were a little on the haunting side, but Tamamo, or rather Kimiko was quite used to the pig species of this world, making her unbothered by this extension of the lad. She understood a lot about the spirituality of this land and of the lad himself, so she didn't bother pushing for information about the Avatar he'd created. No, she supposed she'd be fine to figure it out as they went. And soon enough they'd be off again. She began moving forward, at the lad's urging and received from him in response to her question, a name to call him. "Inosuke? Nice name!~" the lass mentioned thinking about it, she may not have introduced herself properly yet either. "Tamamo desu," she finished up before her movements began again.

As they walked the elevation of the land began to shift. Paths started going up hill and the mountains building around them shaded the area. The scenery was nice, and the air felt clear, abnormally so. A marked look of confusion passed over the girl's eyes, as if she could recognize the wrongness of this situation but couldn't really understand it. "There is something very strange about this place," mentioned the Kitsune. She should have known and understood it but she didn't and it was bothersome. Her ears twitched in frustration, even so on the horizon A large tea house came into view. It seemed to be something like the center of a small town. Several lights began to glow in the yard and a large tea pot marked the front of the building. It was a very classically built Japanese style building with stacking roofs and dim lighting. "Sou ka, tea house is a good cover for a Kitsune I guess..." she said noting that this building was directly in the shadow of Mount Kurama and was thus the place they were meant to go. Little did she know, in the shadow of one of these windows a body moved quickly, not giving itself away completely as it shuffled around making an approach towards the front of the building about the newcomers to the area.

[Bloodedge]

The two were moving again, and Tamamo offered an interesting choice of words. Hearing praise of his name, the male called Inosuke had little clue how to react. Was this lad, with his already abrasive personality traits, blushing? He was indeed; there was even a low grumble escaping him during this moment of confusion. "Uh. . ." He said nothing else. As they walked along, the boar head found itself atop Inosuke's head. It seemed he could see clearly through the boar's eyes, and this felt far more natural to him.

Their brief journey led the pair to a... tea house? Strange, but Inosuke didn't care. The trip had given him ample time to stabilize, both physically in this new form, and mentally from receiving a compliment he apparently didn't know how to deal with. Something was odd here, according to Tamamo. In fact, Inosuke could agree, whether the reasons were similar or not. The boar lad's senses were unnaturally high. Someone was here. Where? Close, he thought. Inosuke's demeanor was somewhat... unstable, by his natural wiring. Whatever this strange presence was, he could be certain as to what they wanted. His swords were at the ready within moments of smelling a foreign entity, and he yelled through the boar head as if it were the thing producing a voice. "Come on then! Fight me like a man!"

[Apollymi]

The embarrassed reaction of the lad made Tamamo chuckle. "Ara ara, that's a little one, you'll need to get used to much worse!~" she mentioned of her own teasing nature. That being said, no one received the brunt of her teasing more than the object of her affections. Even so, no one was truly off limits either... given that this version of herself was just more friendly in an open way. As they walked along, the lad eventually had the head of the boar atop his own and he seemed to be more comfortable that way. 'Yep, just walking side by side with a pretty boy hidden beneath a pig head. Totally a normal afternoon for me!~' thought the Kitsune as she continued to make her way forward.

Upon reaching the tea house the movements inside were met with rather obvious animosity from Inosuke. What was more, a woman clad in a blue dress of the mainland eventually made her way to the door. Around this pair, several balls of blue fire rose from the ground as if she was planning to launch an attack upon this pair. The words of the boy with the pigs head didn't go unnoticed. "I am not a man. This is fox fire, you'll burn before you move. I cannot afford to waste this kind of energy on... you?" there was a pause in this woman's speech. She'd been addressing Inosuke so much so that she'd not looked in Tamamo's direction until of course, her eyes came across the tails on her back. "Impossible. You can't exist here!" she exclaimed the magic of this area seemed to become more dense suddenly and that was when Tamamo felt it properly, the pull of the Leylines directly into this other Kitsune's body. She was frightened obviously and now each of her tails flashed with several different weapons. It was all show though, she was draining the energy she was using from the surrounding land. The feeling of the very life force of the land exiting made the animals across the nearby lands scream drove them crazy as they aimed to run away from this unnatural display of power. "Sou ka, that's what it is."

[Bloodedge]

Worse? How could things get even worse than what had just fallen from the Kitsune's mouth? At this rate, he would certainly revert to a nature he understood when receiving any sort of praise... and the only one happened to be one of violence. Speaking of violence, he luckily had a distraction from Tamamo's nature mere moments after arriving at this teahouse. Who was it? What did they want, and why was it to fight someone as incredible as him? The only result would be him showcasing his superior genes, his unrivaled ability in combat, and his overwhelming strength! "Hah! Hah?!" he grunted as he held out both swords, constantly shifting left and right at the drop of a dime, as if searching for his target.

It wasn't a man? Whatever; surely they could fight like one, and fall to him all the same. This woman's light show was nothing that seemed to concern Inosuke, but her claiming it would be a waste to use energy on him was infuriating. Without hesitation, he threw an absolute fit, pointing an accusatory finger with a shaking arm at the fox. "HAH!? Out of my way, Yamado! I'm gonna put that thing in the dirt before you get the chance!"

[Apollymi]

The lad now known as Inosuke seemed to be of a variable temperament. Whatever the case, he was soon distracted by the coming of a certain Kyuubi who seemed to be in charge of the Tea House as an establishment. Her words to the lad, apparently didn't sit right with him, and Tamamo got to watch as he seemed to be aggitated beyond what would be normal. The Kyuubi to her credit seemed to be exceedingly confused by the little boy with the Boar Spirit attached to him. That confusion played easily across her face, but still she prepared for battle, a tachi of incredible length materialized in her hand and she held it at her fore blade end facing upwards. In the meantime, Tamamo couldn't help but notice she'd been called by the wrong name and though confusion passed her face as well, it quickly disappeared behind amusement as she corrected her companion. "Tamamo. And do what you want. It would be better if I didn't do anything too scary right now," she mentioned casually.

The Kyuubi here didn't seem to think much of the statement made by the lass, but the name Tamamo was quite confusing, it was a known alias for a certain fox creature. But the girl couldn't be the same one right? That woman had died many years ago, and everything about her had been lost in the interim. "Tamamo? You mean like Daji? You can't be Daji!" exclaimed the golden furred fox. She couldn't trust the motivations of anyone showing up to her place, now she'd have to turn them away, apparently with force but she'd tried once more to get them to back down. "Last chance. Leave!" she exclaimed. Tamamo couldn't help but look at this woman. She seemed quite desperate. When the slime mentioned that the Kitsune were standoffish she didn't think that it'd be so bad. "Uh, well yes and no. My origins are a bit complicated... you shouldn't be tapping into the leylines like that, you'll ravage the land," she mentioned in an offhanded manner.

[Bloodedge]

What? Tamamo? Oh, he'd gotten the name wrong. No worries; he would easily fix that when his posture was righted. "Komero," he said in the most casual manner, as if there was no chance of him being even remotely wrong this time. Now, he could address the more voluptuous of the two foxes in the vicinity─ the one he intended to bury. Sadly, his target seemed more interested in Tamamo, and warning both of them to leave. "Hah?!" he grunted again, seemingly aghast after his threatening nature was so brazenly ignored. Who did she think she was?! Oh, he'd put her in her place... after he finished throwing a tantrum for the sake of preserving his ego. "She can see me standing here, right, Jiijuumo?! She knows we should be fighting, right?"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo's commentary about tapping the land made the enemy Kitsune's eyes widen. If she knew that much then it should be assumable she knew why it was necessary. She didn't have a real bluff to make now. It was obvious by looking at this young woman that her spiritual presence was unhampered even here. And though she might win a fight of pure battle skill and weaponry, once magic or spirituality were introduced, she'd lose without question. What was she to do, well? Initially she'd keep holding her weapon high all while some sort of strange conversation was taking place between the two individuals who showed here. "What?! That sounded nothing like what I said, Tamamo!" she exclaimed seemingly exasperated. She knew for a fact that new avatars were dice rolls as far as personalities were concerned, still she didn't really expect this lad to go so very off of his base personality. Unless of course, it was that his last avatar was the one which was off, and this was more normal. That would make things rather interesting but it still wasn't a thought she could give much time to.

Still the tantrum being thrown by Inosuke was just enough, even the older Kitsune couldn't help but chuckle at his antics, even as she tried to maintain some semblance of her threatening demanor. Once again, Tamamo was left to correct this lad's use of her name, which she'd do while explaining the nature of this situation. "That sounded closer but still wrong, Tamamo," she softly explained. "And yes, she should be fighting and she knows that. But as strong as she is, she hasn't simply attacked. Meaning she's bluffing," mentioned Tamamo which shocked the Kitsune across from them, but never one to simply jab one person she tossed another. "But I'm sure you realized that too!~" she teased happily. "And it's why you didn't attack either, Inosuke was bluffing to call your bluff," she gently prodded the lad giving him the brightest of smiles she could manage. Handing off credit for this de-escalation. In the meantime the Kitsune before them showed such outright confusion on her visage that she was unsure of what to say. The motivations of this pair were different, but their aura's didn't come off as menacing. Besides, it isn't as if the Orochi would work with a fox, so there was a good chance Tamamo could be convinced to join her side right? A Kitsune so strong would be able to help with the problem she had, potentially. The weapon she brandished slowly lowered and then shifted from her tail to her hand, and the pull on the land's leylines stopped as well. "I know I shouldn't pull on the Leylines so much. But I don't really have a choice anymore. I have to protect this place," she spoke softly, still skeptical. Tamamo knew what this was and shrugged. "I do apologize I didn't mean to ignore you so directly but I couldn't know what you intended. I have no doubt you're among the strongest to be found here~" she said directly to Inosuke, also flashing the lad a bright smile. It became obvious that the flirty nature of Kitsune's was a species thing and not just specific to Tamamo.

[Bloodedge]

"Yamero!" Inosuke said, taking it as the Kitsune's name instead of the request, or rather demand, that it was. Surely, he had it right this time... but who really cared anyway? It wasn't about names; it was about ability, and he would soon prove his to be supreme. What was the pink-haired one saying now? The other fox was bluffing? Well, of course she was; there was no way she could actually do as she implied without being felled in an instant by the boar lad. And, of course he realized she was bluffing! The only thing he could not agree with, was that he, too, offered only a bluff. "I wasn't bluffing! I'll bury both of you twice, right here!" he proclaimed. He still hadn't made a move to actually attack anyone, but something was wrong. Why was no one matching his energy? It should only be natural to be this hyper about fighting, right? Everyone else spoke so softly, so... disgustingly calm about everything.

The older Kitsune spoke of not knowing his intentions when she ignored him. That didn't make sense. The entire time, he'd made his intentions abundantly clear. He was the best of the best, and he was going to prove it in glorious combat, even if the only witnesses were corpses with furry tails! Little did he know, he'd be bested by the same ego which spawned such a demeanor. Suddenly, the ire he displayed became sheer arrogance. It seemed there was one sort of compliment he knew how to accept. "HAHAHA! That's more like it! I'm pretty amazing, aren't I? I'm pretty amazing, aren't I?!" he replied, pressing his fists against his own sides as his chest inflated.

[Apollymi]

Apparently this shift in personality in Inosuke came with some very interesting habits. One of which was apparently the lack of ability to call Tamamo's name as she'd told it to him. This time it came out as a command to cease which only made the pink haired Kitsune slap her hand over her face. "TA! MA! MO!" she emphasized each syllable separately. Maybe she'd just been talking to fast. Not really likely, but the lore about Orcs made her realize that such things might not be important enough to the lad she was currently traveling with. Ah, no matter, he also seemed incapable of more than standard reasoning. Claiming that he wasn't bluffing at all. A laugh escaped her, she knew well how such a fight would have ended for him, and couldn't help but find his attitude to be quite funny. Perhaps it really was more of this personality specifically, as Diva was definitely much more cautious but reasonable about his power. Whatever the case, the only thing the lad seemed to notice was that there was obviously not going to be a fight here. Instead he seemed confused until a compliment was sent his way, which he responded to in a way that made more laughter erupt from the pink haired lass.

"Ara ara, if you respond like that, there won't be any room for anyone else to compliment you, Inosuke!~" she chimed only to make the other Kitsune chuckle. "Iie, he really is great. Look at him!~" she said seeming to find the entire display cute. Regardless of Inosuke's intentions, he'd succeeded in diffusing the tension and easing them out of a fight against the Kitsune who owned this Tea House. "Why don't you both come in. I'll play good host and I'll serve tea while we talk..." she mused. "And you can be my guest of honor!~" she said specifically to Inosuke. The lad didn't know, but this particular fox had his number now and she'd likely continue paying him flirty compliments while she tested the waters with Tamamo. She motioned for the pair to follow inside and Tamamo could only shrug. "I guess I can't stop anyone from being a guest of honor or anything, and tea would be nice..." she mused seeming not to care, though she honestly didn't need to consume anything, she wouldn't turn down kindness now that it was being offered. They would be lead inside a slightly darkened building, lit by ghostly lanterns with soft glowing flames which floated aimlessly in the air. The entire place gave off the gentle hum of a barrier but seemed to be welcoming and warm blocking magical interference from the outside and keeping out any but the invited. She'd lead the group the grandest palor, with a low sitting old style Japanese table. In the middle a warming set of coals for a tea pot and on the back wall an alignment of tea and the related accessories.

[Bloodedge]

"Manako!" the boar lad exclaimed, seeming irritated by the repetition of a name. As for his obvious arrogance, what did the fox mean? Of course there was room for others to compliment him; there was always more to be said about his awesomeness! Inosuke was no simple beast, but a great boar, the ultimate creature! He'd headbutt anyone to death and flay them with his mighty tusks, he'd eat first and most, and he'd back down from nothing! What more could one expect? Either way, being hailed as an honored guest was something he could accept. Was it a trap? Likely. Again though, he would back down from nothing, and that included walking directly into a trap and emerging as the victor. Steam erupted from the boar head's snout as Inosuke steeled himself, staring down the older Kitsune. He was ready, for any and everything these people would throw at him. "I'll drink five times more tea than the rest of you! Start serving!" he yelled while pointing at the fox in blue once more.

[Apollymi]

"Ugh, I am starting to believe you are doing this on purpose... Tamamo," were the only words of actual frustration spoken by Tamamo. Soon after within this tea room she was seated at one end of the table while tea was being served. According to Inosuke he planned to drink more tea than everyone, this was fine with Tamamo considering she didn't even need to drink. A cup of tea in fine chine was sat before her, and one before Inosuke before the tea pot itself was sat on the coals in the middle of the table. Tamamo sipped the first of her tea, only after watching the older Kitsune do the same, the sip was enlightening, with a mix of citrus and floral flavors, similar to lotus tea but ever so slightly different. "Nice tea, so do you want to explain that little light show outside, Nee-san?" Tamamo asked gently as her eyes flickered over the top of the cup.

"Yare yare, forgive me. I am Kurama Kuono and I thought you might be the enemy. I've had some strange people come here lately and none of them want anything good. I also... lost something very important to me. I might have been a bit hasty in my assessment here though," she said softly. Tamamo waved off her apology and grinned as she reached for a single lotus shaped tea cake also found in the middle of the table. "Sou ka, well no harm done or anything... I'm not the kind of person who cares about that sort of thing. Who did you see that made you afraid and what did you lose?" she asked softly. A woman of her tier shouldn't have many problems, even while missing her Hoshinotama. So, her explanations here would be how Tamamo determined if she would help her. "A Jorogumo came here, she claimed she wanted to work. But... she really just wanted to take over and turn it into... well, a house of ill repute," she said settling on the most old fashioned reference Tamamo had heard in a while. "I told her no, sent her on her way. And my clients started going missing, the mountain pass became dangerous and people stopped coming except for her ambassadors trying to get me to turn this place over," she explained the situation in typical quest starter fashion. Tamamo heard it out, and could smell a fetch quest on the horizon.

[Bloodedge]

"... Tama─" Finally, the time had come. Was Inosuke prepared to speak the true name of the Kitsune he accompanied? It certainly seemed so, and only after half a dozen attempts or so. On second thought, though, perhaps it didn't matter at all. Such would be the state of mind belonging to Inosuke when he finally gave up, huffing as he spoke further. "Who cares anyway?!"

Into the teahouse he went nonetheless. Inosuke had a plan, and he intended to stick to it. Once he was seated before a collection of tea cakes, he aimed to have at as many as possible. In fact, the first one he snatched at happened to be the very same one reached for by Tamamo, along with another taken up in his free hand. Inosuke shoved an entire cake into his maw at a time, and each time grinned arrogantly in either Tamamo or Kuono's direction before he inserted another. The ongoing discussion was no concern of his, bar one specific thing. Spiders? That sounded quite interesting, he had to admit. Perhaps he'd soon have something worth attacking after all. . .

[Apollymi]

Hope! For a moment, there was shining, glittering hope... that the lad known as Inosuke was about to say her name properly. Ah, but then he foiled it. Dashed were her hopes and dreams as the lad questioned who actually cared about such things in things in the first place. Tamamo in the moment, visibly deflated. It seemed there were many kinds of wars she could win, and this simply wasn't one of them. "I care, because..." there was a gentle pause from the young woman. "It is my name." Moving right along, the tea cake she'd reached for was snatched up by the lad while they spoke with the elder Kitsune now known as Kuono. She watched as Inosuke shoved the cake she'd reached for into his mouth and then immediately took another. Perhaps the now pig lad was truly hungry. Tamamo's desires and hungers in a general sense were very different, she didn't need to eat. Beyond that she definitely didn't intend to get into any kind of eating contest with a pig of any sort. "Well, if you're hungry why don't you just eat as much as you'd like, hm?" she asked him pushing the plate across so that he could take his fill. She had no intention of munching on them happily if he was going to interrupt.

Kuono for her part, laughed at this interaction. It was surprisingly light-hearted for the sorts of things that had been happening around her business lately. "I could of course, hold the spiders off myself, without all the show, but the thing that was lost to me, was my Hoshinotama. I don't have to tell you how important those are, and mine had the meditation and memories of my last 600 years within it. It was really stupid of me, but I've only been able to track it to the Orochi Temple, but that place is full of booby traps and well guarded, I can't simply enter it. If you could bring it back to me, I could deal with this problem myself..." she said, pausing in a way which let Tamamo understand there were multiple quest options in this case. Beyond that she internally scoffed, she knew all about the Orochi Temple and it was already empty, not that it mattered much. "Or, you could take care of the Spiders as a whole. They're consorting with the Orochi is a problem for us all, not just me. He'd see all power claimed for himself, selfish jerk!" she said softly, giving more context clues for the mind of Ashikaga Kimiko to work with. "Sou ka, I was wondering about those options. You'd trust me to get back something so precious to you?" she asked of the elder Kitsune who hadn't trusted her at all upon her arrival. "Well, truth be told, if you actually managed to find it, and your intentions were anything but positive towards me, I'd know about it instantly." said Kuono who looked at the pink haired lass before. "Still I see it as a non-issue." she concluded. "Sou ka, so either I prove my allegiance and strength, by dealing with your pest problem. Or I prove it and my cunning, by returning something valuable to you..." Tamamo said aloud, obviously she'd be doing both things, but she had no intention of letting on. At least not yet. "And how do I know you won't just turn on me and try and wipe me out if you get it back?" she asked one last question to put all necessary information out on the table. "If you can return it to me, I'd consider you a trusted advisor, I wouldn't act without at least consulting you. You have my word. Besides you are Daji, or rather her newest incarnation, if I cannot have faith in you, then all is truly lost..." Kuono said, and there was a great deal of honesty in her eyes when Tamamo met her gaze.

[Bloodedge]

It was her name, she said. Well, that was as terrible a reason as anything else he'd ever heard. Moving on, it was time to demonstrate his vast superiority by consuming the most cakes. Alas... his plan went awry when Tamamo opted for an approach of... kindness. Disgusting. Every bit of displeasure showed in the bulging vein upon Inosuke's forehead. In a fit of rage, he flipped the entire tray of cakes in Tamamo's direction, flinging the pile toward the fox's face. What followed was the male looking away, chewing as angrily as such an act could be. How dare she present him with such a conundrum. Where was the fight? Where was the challenge? Where was his opportunity to prove he was the ultimate being?! These happy-go-lucky rebuttals were repulsive, and he would be having none of them!

[Apollymi]

It seemed the friendly approach was the exact opposite of the one which Inosuke wished her to take. It ended with the lad tantruming and flipping the plate of cookies towards the face of the pink haired Kitsune. Well, she didn't really intend to be hit in the face with confections. Besides, she could see herself sharing them later. Her reaction speed was just enough that she opened a portal before her own face to capture the confections before giving the lad she was with a playful wink. She could open these portals with the speed of her thoughts, and that was just a little bit much. Ah, but that was a thought for another time. "Ara ara, that's a bit too lively for so early in the morning. Keep it up, you'll have to take a nap~" the pink haired lass teased the lad before her, accusing him of childlike crankiness. In the meantime, Kuono chuckled and nodded her head. "I'd agree with something like that, if you'd like to sleep... I can prepare rooms for you~" she said happily. "A strong young man like you has to keep his strength up!" she added seeming to aim to entice the lad. Beyond that joking conversation, another portal opened before Kuono and out of it emerged her Hoshinotama. The pulsing glass baseball which fell into the hands of the pink haired fox lass. She felt from the lass immediately a purity of spirit which she couldn't deny, and more over, she knew that there was no one before her more trust-worthy than this girl. She could feel her divinity through her touch of the object connected to her soul. "You... already got it?!" she exclaimed seemingly shocked. "Hai hai, I had an exciting morning, and an even more exciting breakfast~" she mused in a manner most teasing. "I'll return this to you. I'll also take care of your pest problem, but we do things my way until I am ready to leave. Deal?" she asked of the golden fox. Kuono wasn't expecting any of this, if this lass had truly already done something so great, she deserved the benefit of the doubt, she'd trust her words. "Alright, whatever you want to do. I'll support completely." she said. And with that the object would pass back from Tamamo's hands into Kuono's. "Good. We do this on my terms, no making decisions until I say so. Also, I'm in control of our outer dealings, I'll fix up your tea house business as well. My group is probably busy setting up similar arrangements so we have some time to work on it." Tamamo said content to gently sip her tea, while the Fox woman before her radiated the power of her returned item. The barriers around this place strengthened as did the Leylines. She was no longer only drawing power, now it was an exchange.


At the same time, the lass known as Shutendoji was making her way in the company of her brother towards the encampment of the East where all the Oni were known to be housed. It was a steadfast military encampment with high walls and a sturdy structure. It was backed on three sides by steep cliffs but within the crater there were houses, open spaces and a large circular ring. All around there were mighty weapons being clashed, hand to hand fighters sparring and military formations being practiced. Noticeably to the lass there was no magic being used or practiced. "Eh, Nii-san, does all this practice just seem, hollow to you too?" she asked of him her noting of this land made her more disgusted than she had been previously.

[Bloodedge]

Madness. How dare this fox think herself fit to avoid being assaulted by confections as he saw fit? To then be offered refuge in this pompous city was infuriating, even enough that Inosuke huffed and puffed as he kicked the chair from beneath himself. He wouldn't be having any of this. If nothing else, he would simply storm off and find a pile of hay, or something similar worth resting his head on. Or... perhaps he'd do no such thing, and choose instead to sharpen his tusks for the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the new Assassin Avatar of Aiba Yugi walked along in the company of his 'twice sibling' for a bit of a... special quest of their choosing. High noon was nearly upon them as they set foot in the quadrant of Ryozanpaku inhabited by Oni, and those the current leader of Oni considered worthy companions. How repulsive. Giyu's origin remembered this area, and it had been nothing like this. Shuten was right as well; something seemed very off about the area. "It's not just hollow; it's purposeless. Where's the fighting? Nobody cares to even train anymore?"

[Apollymi]

Shuten found herself looking at the area and she had to agree. It didn't seem like anyone cared about strength, not in the proper sense anyways. She didn't know when Oni became so... docile but she definitely disliked it. Well, that was the wrong word, she was disgusted by it. It repulsed her, to the very depths of her being the core of this new individual and this old individual didn't like what they were seeing. "Eh, you aren't wrong about that... the might of Ryozanpaku, definitely isn't here," she said only to have her face shift into a much larger smirk. "Fufu, or rather it wasn't before we stepped foot here!~" she said with a devilish giggle. There were a few movements here and there which caught her eye, but they still didn't seem to be what she would have expected of the once great Oni Empire. "So then, what do we do?" she asked, though her former self would have made an example of the leader without question, striking fear into the hearts of all present. This current version of the young woman, had a slightly softer approach, though the end would be just as vicious. Still this pair walking through was starting to gather attention, a girl who looked mostly human was walking about with a piece of bamboo stuck in her mouth. She had radiant pink eyes and seemed to scurry along without stopping, but the aura of these two made her pause those eyes of hers narrowing, her claws sharpening. Her instincts telling her that this pair of individuals were worthy of her attention, she would have snarled if such a sound could have passed her lips.

[Bloodedge]

"If it's not here, it's not anywhere. Nothing to worry about; we'll get their shit together," Giyu proclaimed. These lands had become sick, and were in need of healing. What better place to start than here, where its unbridled strength should have been? The only question now, was one involving what they would do now that they had reached this quadrant. There were a few reasonable options in the mind of Giyu. What he chose, however, was up for debate for reasons other than usual selectiveness. That irksome sense was beginning to bother him again, prompting the male Oni to stop in his tracks as if suspicious of something nearby. He was hornless in every right, bar the singular horn on the skull plate of a mask he wore. By that simple fact, he should have been considered weak by the current standards of Oni; he could tell that much just from the obvious changes in modern times here. With that being the case, why were there eyes on him? No, that wasn't right... there were eyes on both of them, but none more intensely than one set. "What we do... is make our Great Lord notice us," he said, waiting where he stood. If the current leader received a challenge, he figured it would be just an ordinary day, something rejected by virtue of perceived 'weakness' in certain potential opponents. If they drew attention, however, there could be no such cop-out by the man in charge; it would already be public knowledge.

[Apollymi]

"Hai, of course we will~" the purple haired lass mentioned. Her horns were small and slender judging by the looks she was being given, this probably made her look weak as well. In fact, her horns were fleshy extensions of her body, not the boney outcroppings which seemed to have become the standard of Oni kind. As her brother came to a stop, looking around she caught slight of a pair of pinkish eyes. A young woman also showed no signs of horns seemed to be marching her way towards them. Each step being taken came with a none too gentle stomp in the ground. The girl was only a bit bigger than Shuten who was quite small by all appearances. And she stood before them with a silent stare and a meanacing visage. "We should probably start with this one!~" she said looking at the girl. Shuten felt no animosity towards this person, in fact, she found it all too strange. Why was a girl with such a human looking demeanor being gagged by a piece of bamboo which kept her mouth from being able to properly open or close.

"Rengoku-sama noticing you won't end well, unless you have a really good reason to approach. He noticed her..." said as an arrow was shot between the black haired girl and Giyuu meant to stop this pair from coming to close together. "I've told you before not to immediately approach strangers with that kind of aggression. You give off the wrong impression," she said to the black haired girl, whose visage softened just a bit. She shrank down in size and ran over to the white haired lass instead. Her eyes lost their sharpness and she still looked back at this pair and then made a strange set of gestures, her arms flapping inside of her pink kimono, which was interpreted by this white haired Oni. "Sou ka, well, if you think so..." said this lass who was now eyeing the two strangers with a familiar twinkle within her eye. They widened immensely before she turned her head. "Carry on," she said to the younger lass who ran back over and grew back to her previous size. The white haired young woman for her part in this took a meditative seat underneath this tree, and waited knowing that she couldn't interfere too quickly.

[Bloodedge]

A girl? Interesting. She seemed rather aggressive, much like any Oni his source would have encountered so many generations ago. Shuten was right; they could have started with her. Why was that pointless thing in her mouth, though? The fangs of this girl must have been considered a danger of some sort, but the reason was lost to him. One could only wonder why Oni would reject one of their own strengths. "I guess we shoul─" Giyu silenced himself abruptly as an arrow zipped between Shuten and himself. His eyes followed the 'warning' shot's path, finding its source just in time to hear the white-haired Oni's speech to the siblings, and to their... host, so to speak.

What this woman had to say... it was interesting. The one called Rengoku was not what one should seek the attention of without great purpose, but the important thing spoken was that he noticed the gagged, hornless Oni among them. Giyu set his gaze upon this new face, piecing together small bits of information. Surely, there was something she noticed about them. What then, made their situation comparable to that of the gagged girl? 'Think, think,' he mused internally. His source did recall something, one strange reason a young Oni would be gagged. If they had particularly powerful abilities of a magical nature, they could sometimes manifest in dangerous ways before being controlled. Perhaps then...

"... How did you keep him from noticing you, while managing to get so close?"

[Apollymi]

The extra movement of this group was stopped. That was good, the white haired lass didn't want them doing too much right now. It would be bad for them to go forwards without knowing the risks. Besides, she'd barely gotten away with talking Rengoku into sparing the child before them, she doubted her own ability to spin a pair of strong magically inclined Oni to Rengoku. Shuten looked at the arrow as it went past, it was obvious to her if no one else. "Fufu, it seems like someone thinks we'll get ourselves into trouble here," said Shuten, still nothing made enough sense. If this girl was gagged why wasn't the arrow shooting one? She was obviously more powerful and just as different as one of them. Actually, there was a certain assumption that Shuten was entertaining, one which she'd make obvious, if and only if it was necessary. Though she knew for a fact that her brother was clever enough to figure most things out on his own.

As for the question posed by Giyu to the white haired woman, she gave a gentle shrug. This boy was quite clever, she liked clever. Maybe, just maybe, this could go well. "I've been here for quite a while. There was no way he wouldn't notice me," she said softly. "So, perhaps, I am accepted because my powers are shown as an extension of his?" she said carefully. It wasn't the truth, everything about her, was of her own design. Even so, if a person of this world, believed that she wasn't simply powerful of her own accord then she'd be allowed to live in peace, and beyond that, keep others like herself alive. "And maybe as an extension, my opinions are considered so I can negotiate on behalf of those who can't for themselves," she said a knowing smile, while the girl with the pink eyes nodded her head thoroughly. "You two don't really fit that bill, you can definitely take care of yourselves. Though you're both a bit under level," she commented absently. "And she likes you by the way. She wasn't being aggressive in her greeting, she recognized you as kindred, Rengoku will not though," she said of the girl with the bamboo in her mouth, who opened and closed her arms gesturing more than saying anything but her method of communication wasn't clear to Shuten. There was a grand sweeping towards the black haired lass with open harms like she could welcome them by comparison. She likened their powers to her own which made both of them the sorts that she'd want her other friend to help look after. She'd growled and shown aggression because that was simply her first reaction, it wasn't negative though, it was simply her way as an Oni.

[Bloodedge]

"A lot of them will think that. That's the point of proving them wrong," Giyu stated plainly. This woman had a few oddities about her already, and he was keen to discover all of them in due time. Now was not that time, though. For now, there was a simple matter of her unnecessary warning toward these two. Of course... there was also the way she spoke of her 'hiding' in the presence of the current faction leader. "Extension, huh? Sure," he spoke, sighing within the confines of his own mind between clauses. "You sound like a lawyer." Indeed, her methods reminded him of a very specific lawyer who worked for his father in life. It was almost repulsive to think, but given this woman's choice in approach when having such an ability to manipulate information, he couldn't detest her for it.

Shared information had reached Giyu's necessary quota. The one called Rengoku was no more than a phony shell of Oni from ancient times, and he would soon be exposed as such. In fact, watching he gagged girl flail about with her random gestures would have made other versions of the male laugh. One thing was clear to him, simply by the fact that she had such a tool keeping her mouth sealed. "Our levels and Rengoku are nothing to be concerned about. That hornless one is stronger than him," he said without having much reason to believe so, other than his own assumptions. Perhaps she wasn't literally superior to Rengoku, but his source knew better. She could be far more powerful than one who shunned the spiritual side of their kin, and if she had the means of accessing her abilities, she likely would be already. "Are you bringing him out, or do we need to cause a scene?"

[Apollymi]

"Hai hai!~" the purple haired young woman said. The words which came from the white haired young woman under the tree did indeed sound like the words of a lawyer. But they also seemed to be a lot lighter than that by Shuten's approximation. Perhaps she as a different sort of legal expert, she definitely wasn't outright manipulative. If she was, she'd likely already be in charge, and they definitely wouldn't have met a strong outcast like the hornless oni currently in front of them. The Oni with the reddened horns scowled at the mention of lawyers, why did people always think that. "You, sound like my boss, which is surprising. Still, I resent that. I am not so crass as to bend the truth to get people out of things they've already done," she said softly as she stood. She'd been sitting under the tree to concentrate, because the sign she had to send Rengoku was a special one. "I'm an Image Consultant, specifically a PR Representative. Public faces are important and I advise those faces... against actions which could negatively influence their outlook, this is all," she said. This was indeed how she'd gotten the girl with the bamboo in her mouth gagged instead of killed. And how she'd managed to keep her own power while being obviously a different kind of Oni from the standard. She stood very still pulling a bow from her side and holding it before her. It began to glow heavily and an arrow exactly like the one she'd fired earlier came to be in her hand, but this one, immediately caught fire.

She'd heard what this lad had to say about strength and she had to say she agreed. Still, she'd been waiting for this girl to be ready to lead and she wasn't that. Instead she'd waited for someone to show up who was capable of it. Right now, these two 'lesser' looking Oni seemed the most capable so she'd back them, if they managed to win against Rengoku. "Causing a scene and bringing him out are the same thing. This will actually make him come here though..." she said and then she fired the arrow. "Good Luck!" she mentioned as the arrow rocketed in the air. Bursting into a small sun-sized ball of gas in the air. This of course, should signal Rengoku, at the very least it would make him consider that someone showed up who was worth more than a warning shot. A sign that 'true power' was needed at the grounds would be enough to bring him forth. Of course, this show of power was also quite high, and would have made it obvious to most that she could have taken this place on her own, but something was keeping her from it. The pink eyed lass walked closer to Giyu tugging gently on his kimono she looked up at him her eyes shining with determination on his behalf and then she scuttled off to the white haired one for the show of the century.

[Bloodedge]

Of course this woman wasn't a lawyer. If she had been such a thing, he would have referred to her as exactly that. Still, that changed nothing about Giyu's assertion. "Working in PR just means you're a pre-lawyer. Get people out of things they haven't even done yet, whether they do them or not. Nothing's wrong with that... depending on who you decide to work for," he asserted, moving on from the matter then and there. His eyes traveled toward the gagged Oni, who seemed oddly attached. Perhaps she had a decent enough sense for the similarities between them, or perhaps there was something else. No matter what the case was, the matter of importance was the one called Rengoku, or rather how he would be dealt with after arriving.

Following the heralding ritual performed by the Archer, a torrent of flames crept across the open sky above. A bit of a light show ensued before said flames spiraled downward to the ground, giving way to a tall, male Oni with shoulder-length blonde hair featuring red accents. He sported a crimson kimono, and showcased a strange pair of horns. Both horns were protrusions of flesh, though the right was rather short and seemingly split, while his left horn was very long and seemed almost molten in a way. A very long pipe filled his right hand, and his left hand rested upon the hilt of one katana among two kept on the small of his back. "Yare yare, Gozen. What's this you've brought me now? Outcasts?" he asked. This particular Oni seemed more lax than legends may have claimed, but Giyu appeared skeptical of such a demeanor. "I guess 'outcast' is one way to put it. . ."

[Apollymi]

The white haired young Oni seemed to be slightly displeased, even so, she went on with this aspect of the conversation. She was having the strangest sensation of Deja vu talking to this young man. He really wasn't the first to say something this blunt to her, the person she acknowledged as her boss had similar feelings about her choice in profession. Technically speaking, it was her responsibility to make sure that person was appealing to the public regardless of how their actions could look. "I feel like I should be bothered that you know the difference, it's a pretty thin line..." she said of the lad before her, his words indicated a fair bit of knowledge he had a strange air about him, she couldn't quite tell what it was yet. About her job though, she had only one real thing to say. "Being the social conscience for the right person is a fun job. I do miss it..." she said with a strange amount of nostalgia. She was basically doing the same sort of job now, but her link to her new 'employer' wasn't quite the kind of thing she liked. HIs methods didn't suit her, and though he wasn't bad, he wasn't necessarily the type of 'good' she preferred to deal with. She liked those who were misunderstood, whose intentions were clear and whose consciences guided their actions beyond mere survival. Rengoku didn't necessarily fit such a bill and his methods required more curbing than her normal employment dictated.

The ritual she'd performed heralded the arrival of the Oni they'd been discussing. His demeanor seemed very calm to everyone around. Even so, the gagged girl growled when he showed up hinting to Shuten that her dislike of this man wasn't completely unfounded. "Iie, Rengoku-sama... I didn't bring you anything. I can not speak for two who speak for themselves..." she said with the same tone she'd maintained. Still, she was curious as to what this pair would do when faced with Rengoku. He was a formidable individual, as she looked him over she remembered her own awakening here. She'd figured out how to preserve her own existence and that of a few others, even so this man, born in this world was something else entirely. In the meantime, Giyu answered Rengoku's words, but they made Shuten scoff. Something about her overlayed personality didn't let his words sit well with us. "I don't like that. We're not outcasts... we belong here," she said, motioning between herself and her brother. That sentence was one which belonged to the original the one whose memories were slowly blending with the rambunctious personality of Aiba Yumi. Shuten-Doji had no intention of being called an outcast in land that belonged to her.

[Bloodedge]

"There's no such thing as a thin line. All lines are as thick, or as thin, as the angle they're viewed from," Giyu stated as plainly as possible. He had no qualms with the existence of a PR Representative, and this one in particular didn't seem to be questionable at all. Her current employment was something of an issue, but perhaps the fault was Giyu's own source. More of a problem though, was the blonde Oni standing before the group. He thought Giyu and Shuten were outcasts, and the latter seemed to take exception to that claim. She had a point; they did belong here. On the other hand, they also didn't belong at all. "This isn't where we belong. This entire place is a phony representation of what we created," he said, also speaking more as his origin than as himself in this moment.

Rengoku viewed the young Oni, sensing little physical might in their forms, and feeling no intimidation whatsoever as a result. With a cheeky smirk upon his face, he averted his gaze toward his associate. "Wrong. You brought me out here because of them, and isn't that the same thing? If I have to get up every time riffraff is running around, I'll never get to rest," he said, sparing no glance at the growling, gagged Oni. "Funny. I thought the same thing once, and now riffraff is in charge of my city. Shuten, what should we do about this now that we're here?"

[Apollymi]

"Now who sounds like a lawyer," she said with a click of her tongue. This lad's ideas were a bit strange, perhaps lawyer wasn't the right word, but it was a gateway into the sort of 'job' that such a person would normally come from. What he said was almost diplomatic, and what were diplomats if not lawyers for social reasons. Whatever the case, their conversation would be cut short indeed. It seemed the youngest of these Avatars, took exception to the way that Rengoku viewed them. "Semantics, I don't care what he turned it into, he took advantage of our absence to make it. I'd commend him if it wasn't in such a shit state," said the purple haired lass. Oh, the base of that Avatar was full of malice, hidden just below the surface of that girl's visage. She was almost at the surface but the actions of this 'head' oni bothered her core too deeply for it to remain quiet. And Rengoku himself seemed to be the sort to ignore them completely choosing only to talk to the white haired lass before them.

"In this case, Rengoku-sama, they aren't riffraff, and how you deal with this, will have a great effect on what happens in the future. And you rest enough already," said the white haired lass. "But as always you can do what you wish," she mentioned. This was indeed how she felt. She'd seen way more active youths take a greater interest than this man did. His way of keeping order was outside of what she liked to do, but she was just enough of a decent person to not want to leave this place to fall simply because of incompetence. "There are only two real options, the first of which is for him to hand over this place without fuss and do what we say. And as a reward for keeping it together, even in this state, he can continue his annoying but useful existence. The second is we fight him for it and kill him and take it, as punishment for not acknowledging his betters," she said, these words were definitely that of a mob-like boss of the Oni. And there were more to come. "That being said, if he continues to act like he doesn't understand, we can always take him apart piece by piece as an example to all the riffraff, fufu. I'll start with his jaw."

[Bloodedge]

"Of course they're riffraff. The same could be said of everyone below me, bar the few I lay claim to," said Rengoku as he stepped closer to the white-haired woman, reaching out to her chin with a hand after abandoning his sword's hilt. Lax hardly began to describe the demeanor of Rengoku, but he did eventually set his sights upon these intruders to 'his' territory. "I'm feeling good today. I think I'll even let you into my den today, Gozen. Oh... but first, I guess these two things need to be dealt with. One chance, kneel or be wiped out. I don't tolerate weaklings, but I might keep you two around to clean my den. You can even start tonight; right, Gozen?" he said, laughing as his clause reached its end.

Giyu scoffed, then sighed. This was what counted as a leader among Oni in this era? Disgusting. Perhaps it was best to go with the latter plan presented by Shuten. "Our descendant thinks we're weak, and he obviously hasn't even fully grown yet. Take care of him," he said, gesturing openly toward the blonde male. If Shuten wished to rip away the man's jaw or anything else, she was free to do so. After all, there was little point in both of them doing anything, and he'd yet to directly observe his sister in good health within a scenario such as this one. Her abilities were clear, but how would she approach single combat? Giyu's curiosity had been piqued for quite some time; no opportunity could be better than this.

[Apollymi]

Rengoku's words were indeed ones this white haired lass had heard before. She was so used to his bad behavior that she didn't even seem put off by his approach to her person, still as he reached out to touch her face she gentle moved his hand out of the way. This invitation to his den was one she'd never take willing. He wasn't at all her type. "I'll politely decline such an invitation, as I always do. Besides, I am pretty sure I already have plans," she mentioned, having more than a gentle idea of how this situation would turn out, but leaving her words open enough to save face regardless of the way it ended. With that out of the way she gently left him to what could potentially be his fate this day and it would strangely come at the hands of the purple haired young lass who was dressed rather scantily. "Kneel?! Who the hell do you think you are?" this was a question it came from the seething form of the purple haired lass. On was she on the verge of a tantrum the likes of which this world had never seen.

Normally speaking her brother would hold her back from such an outburst, but in this case, he made the claim that she should take care of him. A smile came to her face as she approached gently her magical powers seeming to come out of her person. They weren't very obvious before but something had changed drastically in the last few moments and she wasn't sure what it was. Whatever the case, her connection to this land was stronger, she could feel extra energy prickling across her skin, perhaps a show of dominance was all that was required here, if not she'd go for something worse. Yeah, that was a good early lesson, nice first because no one will believe you are being nice if you open up too scary. Soon enough she was standing before the blonde man with a sigh which caused the smell of fruit to permeate the area, it had the effect of being immediately intoxicating enough to subdue even the rowdiest of Oni. Strong enough as a magical charming effect to overcome all but the highest tier magical defenses. "I'm no servant. I don't clean dens, I don't kneel, and I only accept genuine apologies which you should offer me as your leader, fufu~" she giggled but the sound was ominous this time. What was more, there was a stealthier magic at play, if he happened to be immune to the effects of her magic, and took even one step towards her, she'd use the more aggressive of her abilities in that instant extracting a single bone from his body without causing an obvious injury. This bone would be his left knee cap, which would likely cause him to fall should he put weight upon it, but that would only take place if he didn't fall victim to her charms.

[Bloodedge]

Having his hand pushed aside didn't seem to bother Rengoku much at all. He still wore that same grin as he looked to Gozen through the corner of his eye. "As always. I like that about you, Gozen. If you just agreed without hassle, you'd be boring rubbish like all the others," the male said, being without a shadow of a doubt that he would consider Gozen riffraff as well, if she were to actually throw herself at him. He couldn't trust that sort of reaction at all. What he could trust, was the attitude being presented by a particular, seemingly-lesser Oni with purple hair. "I think I am the most powerful Oni to exist since Shuten-doji himself. If he were still alive, I'd even prove I'm superior."

This one claimed to be no servant, but the same could be said of his other servants. She wanted him to offer a genuine apology? What would he apologize for? If anything, he owed an apology to the divines in the near future, for sending such a petulant creature to them before its mental maturation. Though... looking at this one, he could see many uses, should he keep her alive. "You'll make no form of leader here, I assure you. Or is that your way of proposing to me? You're pretty small, but that might actually be more fun than I give it credit for. I'll test you out when we're done, if you live~" he proclaimed. With that, he drew one of the katana he wielded from its sheath, holding onto it with a reverse grip as the crimson blade was unveiled. The smell of fruit struck his nose while a small amount of fire encased his blade. He didn't appear willing to assault the girl at all, whether it was an effect of her ability or not, though he also made no steps toward her. No, he was far more willing to stare her up and down, as if viewing a fine meal presented to him. "I'm in a good mood. One more chance, we can test you out and see if you're concubine material."

[Apollymi]

Gozen, as she was being called was indeed always different from the others. But she also wasn't of this world, she had no intention of binding herself to one with a personality like Rengoku's in such a personal way. No, her own preferences were too much of a difference. But of course, like all men of his type, he seemed to take her lack of interest as some sort of challenge instead of as the rejection it was meant as. This was both positive and negative given that her continued existence without having to fight and assume control of this place was dependent upon this oni's graces currently. "I am sure you think so, whatever the case... one step at a time," mentioned the white haired young woman. In the meantime, it seemed that Rengoku was content to explain who he thought he was, claiming to be the strongest Oni since the famed Shuten-Doji. He claimed to he'd prove himself superior even to that person which made a look of surprise cross the purple haired lass' face. She giggled in response to this assertion. "Fufu, that's funny, you're talking a lot for someone who doesn't know what my name is," she mentioned in an off-handed kind of way.

"I am a better leader than you..." she said firmly with no doubts in her skills whatsoever. It could be noted that this man hadn't actually made the move to attack her, and that his words came with more passes made at her person. These were so obvious she couldn't ignore them and what was more there was an extreme malice which developed from her person. Was it because she was a girl and found such things disgusting coming from complete strangers? Or was it instead because she was Shuten-doji and found any pass made by this runt to be offensive? The answer was simply... yes. And for this exact reason she moved forward. Whether he would attack her himself or not no longer mattered. She wouldn't give him anymore chances because he no longer deserved them, her aim would be to immediately remove the bone from his left knee, the small plate to be flipped around in her fingers if he was without the proper equality in existence to resist. If she succeeded in this he'd be brought to his knees before her and she'd look at him with outright disgust. "Never in a million years will someone like you, lay a hand on me."

[Bloodedge]

Some very interesting words were shared with Shuten. Of course, by interesting, Giyu would mean something more along the lines of... atrocious. He just about regretted not assaulting Rengoku himself, but alas, he knew the demeanor of his own sister. When capable, whatever she did in response to such an approach would be far worse than any beating the lad himself could deliver those deserving punishment. As such, Giyu was content to continue playing the role of an observer.

Ah, the name of this young maiden was a mystery indeed. Rengoku couldn't fathom why her name mattered after his reference of Shuten-doji, but he didn't seem to care either. Her claim of being a superior leader to himself was laughable, but one thing he would soon experience was just the opposite. Rengoku's eyes widened as the purple-haired Oni became... taller? No, she wasn't getting taller; he was getting lower. Not only that, but Rengoku's angle was shifting at the same time. His left leg had given out? Rather, a very important piece of his knee was missing, and being toyed with by the girl in front of him. As quickly as possible, he had to support himself using his right leg, all to remain standing. Given his positioning at the time, he actually needed to jab his sword into the ground for added support. "Kisama! What the hell sort of magic do you think you're bringing to the land of Oni?" he asked as the flames on his blade grew in intensity. At present, the flames themselves would swarm around both Rengoku and Shuten, aiming to burn her to a crisp with heat boasting great intensity even for Oni who retained an affinity to fire.

[Apollymi]

Gozen watched with wide eyes as Rengoku was brought to one knee before the coming Oni. Her words, though slightly cryptic were very clear. It was obvious enough to Gozen that this lass was the current incarnation of the once legendary Oni, Shuten-doji. But apparently this wasn't as obvious to Rengoku. The man was reduced to stabbing his sword into the ground holding himself up, she chuckled aloud only to turn her head and cough quickly to cover it. 'That's a girl I can get behind, actually...' she gave a gentle pause and viewed this lass under her Nexus vision, alas she wasn't the individual she was reminded of, but that was fine too. Whatever the case, the pink eyed Oni stood at her side in awe, her eyes shining in this moment. She'd not seen anyone actually stand up to this man, it only further cemented her ideas about this new duo. She moved closer to Giyu gesturing at him as the flames increased around the pair in front of him, wondering if he would defend the lass.

A smile came to Shuten's face even as this man aimed to burn her to a crisp while asking her a question. She waved her hand about through the flames aiming to slap the man hard with her right hand across his face, which he definitely deserved at this point. If nothing else, he'd stop speaking to her like the boorish brute he was presenting himself as, this attitude was absolutely unacceptable. Unlike many others, his flames weren't nearly as effective against her. If only because she maintained a certain state of being known as Divinity, increasing her magical resistance by a great deal. An Oni without Divinity, could barely make her uncomfortable, much less deal any real damage to her physically. "Fufufu, is that all you have?!" she asked of him disgusted by his current showing. The entire time the look on this lass' face hadn't changed, there was something devious in her eyes, and menacing. She was now making an example of him, if only because he'd spoken so rudely to her in the first place. "I am bringing nothing new, this is something old... older than you. No other Oni past or present possesses this skill, I'm sure you've heard of it, Bone Collector~" she said as she aimed to rip the bones from the hand which held his sword, not bothering with the precision of her previous use of the skill, her aim this time was to make him rue his behavior and extract that genuine apology. If she succeeded in taking these from him, she'd ask a very simple question. "Who am I?"

[Bloodedge]

Impassive as ever, Giyu sighed while observing the interaction between his sister, and the head Oni of this region. He knew where this was going, and he knew about how long it would take to reach climax. At most, it was going to be an annoyance... but there was something else amiss. Shuten had an interesting bonus to her ability, and he could feel one welling up within himself as well. They weren't the only ones this applied to, though. Rengoku seemed just connected enough to this plane to receive a similar shift, greater in magnitude than the two Adventurers, yet only in application to his lesser existence.

Speaking of lesser existence, the blonde Oni was finally beginning to realize what sort of difference existed between this outsider and himself. She possessed a quality unseen in these lands for generations, and he could hardly rationalize what it was beyond thinking it could only be one thing. Had she achieved deification? No, that wasn't possible, even if the leylines of the land had clearly been made more open. She was a deity in some respect already, and only now could he sense it. Perhaps it was the fault of her buff, or perhaps his own increase in potential had made him more aware of this presence. There was also that name, belonging to the strange magic used by this girl. Indeed, it was a skill whose infamy knew no limits among those versed in the history of Ryozanpaku, and deeper yet... Mount Ooe. As he felt the dislodging and shredding of bones from his sword hand, the trusted tool fell, and so too did his hopes of maintaining rule over the Oni here. Rengoku was shaken in a way he'd never thought possible, yet he still didn't seem to fully grasp the goings-on. "That's... not possible. You're a descendant of his? I should be the only remnant of that era; that power should be mine!"

[Apollymi]

The bonus to Shuten's abilities was indeed noted by the girl, even so, she figured it had something to do with their fellow adventurer. Regardless she trusted in herself and knew her dominance over the head Oni here was something which was inevitable. She found herself floating more bones, these from his hand while he obviously had just enough power to note what she'd done. It seemed that Shuten's legend was indeed famous, as he recognized her for what she was, at least to some extent. But as was always going to be the case, he denied a bit of the truth that was right in front of him. He claimed her to be a descendant of Shuten-doji and exclaimed that he should be the one with such a power as the last relic of that bygone era. Shuten reached out in this moment and aimed to slap this man with her left hand right across the face, this was an action taken by the lass underneath as her general way of dealing with this level of potential whining from individuals, she'd done the same thing to the princess in Eonis. "You are owed no power just for existing. We're Oni prove your might with blood and sweat. Don't fucking whine about it..." she said seeming to find something annoying about this man's disposition and disbelief. The look on Shuten's face shifted, why should he be the only remnant of that era? What had he done or not done to make him have such a belief? "I am no descendant of anyone. My name is one you and everyone else should know and I am the only one. Now then, my name and that sincere apology..." she said, her smile slightly evil and with a smug superiority which could only belong to a powerful individual. She wouldn't utter another threat, it should be obvious by now that she was serious. She'd kill this man for disrespecting her if he continued, but she was also kind enough to forgive his ignorance if he admitted it.

[Bloodedge]

As his irritation at the situation before him grew, Rengoku was forcibly reduced to a lesser state than some simple loss of his bones could manage alone. She dared slap him? His head turned with haste in response to the movement, and he sat in shock for several moments thereafter. Even a descendant of Shuten-doji could not have the gall to do this! Ah, but this was no descendant, according to the girl herself. He didn't want to believe this, clearly, but the evidence spoke for itself. That beast of an Oni had reincarnated? Madness, yet so very real. "Shuten-doji, demanding an apology from me. . ." He was without a kneecap, without bones in one hand, and brought low before the height-challenged lass. She had overcome his flames and outclassed him in a very succinct manner, though Rengoku did not seem to have given in just yet.

"I am Rengoku Kyojuro. Even against you, I will not kneel," he said while forcing himself to rise using the strength of one leg alone. The fire previously encasing his blade erupted from the pipe he held in his functional hand, and from his very pores after a matter of moments. The intensity of these flames was much greater, and growing still. The ground beneath him went beyond scorching, stones melting and boiling under his feet as his fire spread outward. "I don't need your fucking bone-ripper skill. I am a true Oni! I am the unquestionable ruler! My blood burns hotter than any, and even you won't stop the flame that knows no equal!"

Giyu had no intention of interrupting this moment; he was content to stand at the sideline and be annoyed by the wait. Deep within his core, however, there was another who took exception to the words of Rengoku. He felt an immense heat, but it was not the heat of the Oni's flames─ it was something far, far more furious building up within his soul. Claws scratched at his mind, and a roar filled his subconscious. It seemed the Dragonoid Akashi was not pleased by these claims to the strength of another's fire.

[Apollymi]

"Step one," said the lass at the mention of the fact that he'd named her properly. It seemed the slap she'd delivered to the Oni had done what she intended and reoriented his brain. But there was much more that needed to happen in this moment. The abject smug on one such as Shuten-doji wouldn't be stopped for one such as Rengoku. In this particular moment, she stood with hands on her hips as she watched this man get his life together before her. "Fufu, a true Oni?" she questioned this man as if he was a child standing before her throwing a tantrum. Still, the look in his eye and the feeling of his power was much better than it had been before. Though she stood high above most things, she could admit to the improvement in quality of this man's flames. Though she was quite sure it wasn't enough. "At least your attitude has improved, I can't stand whining..." said Shuten that smug smile on her face. In her hand she produced a gourd, blue and jeweled which seemed to be quite large. As she clasped her hand around it, it produced an intense noxious gas of poison that aimed to smother the flames and infect. Instead of burning things to nothing, it would melt the flesh that it touched that it seeped into leaving only bones behind for those without the ability to withstand it. It seemed the child gloves were off in the face of these supposed flames. Strangely both the white haired Oni and the girl with the aggressive pink eyes seemed fine in the wake of all they were witnessing. "Blood and sweat, remember. Keep it moving... regardless of what you say I'm in charge here," mentioned Shuten as she calmly looked over this man. She'd still be receiving her apology or at least that was her aim.

[Bloodedge]

If it was an apology she was truly waiting for, Shuten would be seeing the end of her days once again before receiving it, even if he could not prove himself the superior Oni in this encounter. She could at least keep trying. More than anything else, Rengoku offered credit to the Oni of old for being able to injure him. Alas, the power this one presented still did not match what he would have expected from the original. She was not quite a shell; that cutthroat attitude remained just under the surface in a way. As far as application was concerned, however, there was something... lacking. Sure, her Divinity kept her safer than any other could even imagine being against his fire, but her own output was lacking in the strength he would have truly feared. Flames were smothered by the gases of Shuten's gourd, only to continue pushing against those gases and igniting the air around Rengoku, burning gas away before it reached his flesh. "You'll never be in charge while I live. Blood and sweat? Wasn't it your own that you had spilled at the fall of your era? I won't meet that fate, ever. Magic has no place here; Oni will be strong, or be gone!"

"You heard the funny little man," spoke the voice of... not Giyu at all. The male Oni was still physically there, but those dead, blue eyes had become a blend of gold and crimson. His hair was becoming red over time as well, and small tongues of flames were emerging from his body to burn away his clothes while the ensemble of Akashi replaced them. "Cull the weak, before I take your moment just to prove a point."

[Apollymi]

Shuten was content to fight this 'boy' of an Oni into submission. Much to her own surprise, he went on to claim she couldn't be in charge while he lived. She didn't like having her hand forced in such a way, and she intended at least initially to keep him alive. But there would be more than one male in Ryozanpaku forcing her hand this day. At present, her stoic brother became his less stoic self. Her eyes narrowed slightly and his words hit her ear causing a slight amount of annoyance. "Fufu, now you've woken a Dragon. That's a problem and a half," she laughed but it came off as bitter. "Urusai! I'll do as I please," she said to the Dragonoid, knowing full well she would have to kill this man now or he'd suffer a worse fate yet. Perhaps he'd take the moment to rethink it, whatever the case, with the gases she created being 'outburned' she took a casual set of steps forward. Power pulsated beneath the surface of her person, and the gases created by her interacted with the fires creating a rainbow of colors surrounding this pair of individuals. "Fine, if you wish to die so badly, go and take your regrets with you. Maybe next life time, you'll behave yourself like a good little subordinate," she mused. When she did this, the gourd in her hand shifted downward in size becoming a short blade which became an extension of her power and the mark of 'Bone Collector' ability. She'd use it now, pushing the blade forward, but in multiple pointed strikes, extracting Rengoku's bones from his body, from the bottom up. Each one would allow the man to feel himself melting under her power and as it was an assassination technique it was made with enough precision to slip past the senses, until of course, she'd inevitably claim his skull. If successful what was left of the bones in his body would be left at her feet and she'd sigh while throwing the blade over her shoulder, with the horned skull of the Oni upon it.

All the while as Akashi made his appearance, the lass known as Tamamo paused mid-conversation. Those golden eyes of hers looked up from her tea cup and her tails all shifted in the breeze. Ever so softly in the back of her mind, she felt a rush of water like a riptide occurring. "Ara ara, someone woke other other Mikon," she mused gently knowing that the Dragonoid Akashi was awake.

[Bloodedge]

"Heh," the Dragonoid chuckled as his form completed itself, his tail, wings and horns erupting from his body in a blaze of fire. In his time spent napping, he had almost missed the 'bite' possessed by this lass in her previous form. Currently, she seemed a bit closer to Dragon kin than before, as difficult as that was. While he had many, many quips to offer the Oni of fire struggling to move about before them, there was a bit of an itch in his mind. Someone in the distance was aware of his presence, and he knew just who it was... though this one was quite different to the senses. "H'oh? You're free to come watch, if you want," he said, eyes glazed over, and his energy pulsating, all with the knowledge within that his intentions could be felt from afar by this one. Damned be the fate of the Oni who brought him out, if he could find out the nuances to this one that his other selves failed to bring forth.

In the meantime, Rengoku's attention was brought to the Dragonoid. His shock was clear, but his attention was required elsewhere. Shuten, what was she saying? The next life? Did she think herself capable of actually killing him? Well, he would be remiss to discover that she could do exactly that. Of course, he was far too stubborn to make it a simple task. His flames were consciously intensified to their maximum output to force against the gasses. Even as bones were being repeatedly and agonizingly torn from his body from toe to head, even as his flesh began feeling the effects still taking place from her earlier use of that damned gourd, the fire produced solely from his blood burned true. "You think it's going to be so easy, Shuten-doji?! Rengoku-sama will never fall to a shadow like you! I a─" What was the matter here? Well, it just so happened that he was without a jaw to speak with. In that very moment, at least his tirade was brought to an end. That was it, wasn't it? It was all over, even if he managed to burn her away as well.

... That is, it was almost over. As if experiencing salt applied to an open gash, there was one final thing Rengoku saw before he could no longer produce flames. That thing, was it... a skull? It was a skull. It was his skull, made obvious enough by the strange form of its horns. Jellified and melting away, what remained of his body for the time being had this to behold in its final moments. Akashi viewed this even while distracted, and could feel nothing but disappointment. "Yare yare. I expected more bark for the bite; that was just boring. Consider that beckoning more than just an offer," he said, clicking his fingers and conjuring flames of unknown purpose around the bones of Rengoku.

[Apollymi]

The Dragonoid known to Shuten-doji as Akashi seemed amused by her antics. This wasn't really surprising, even when they'd first been introduced he seemed to be less annoyed by the sort of things she did. Whatever sentence he uttered next, the words didn't appear to be for her. She didn't even feel the pulse of his energy aside from knowing that it happened so she couldn't know what he was doing or rather, who he was talking to. That being said she did hear the last words of Rengoku and they came off just as whiney as his first ones. Still there was much amusement to be taken from the lad's inability to finish his sentence. "Fufufu, I need... a drink after all of that. I'm parched," the lass mused. This statement and the gentle sheen of sweat upon her person, the only inclination that Rengoku had managed to get under her skin, even a little. His power was great by comparison to some of the weaker people she'd come across, even so it seemed to pale in comparison to her own. She wondered in the moment how he'd gotten so weak, and how he'd been allowed to believe he was strong while players existed in this world.

Ah, but there was still the matter of who Akashi had been speaking to. In the teahouse across the city the fox lass with her pink hair still looked over the rim of her cup with those golden eyes of hers alight. "Oh? Well isn't that enticing?" she mused to herself. The woman with her seemed to find these words spoken not to her very strange. Still a subtle pulse of energy would leave the lass as she considered the offer presented to her. Of course there were issues with going to the lad immediately, not the least of which was the idea that being too close to him could raise her own dragon. Of course, a few short moments after this the energy and the words which seemed to be transmitted changed a bit. It went from something inviting to a demand for her presence. "Ara ara, I guess you refuse to be ignored even for a short while..." she said excusing herself from this spot. "It seems I have a date!~" she teased before taking a few casual steps which weren't casual at all and would put her before the Dragonoid Akashi in a matter of seconds even across the whole of the city. "You called, Mikon?!~" she asked in a manner most teasing, seeming to have no problem with this lad's shift in being. Her body floated gently off the ground in her flowing blue robes with long pink strands of hair trailing behind her. Each of the three tails seeming to wag in excited unison as she greeted the Dragon before her, not even bothering to be upset about the pile of bones and whatever magic the lad had going on.

[Bloodedge]

A drink? Something alcoholic, surely. Perhaps Yugi would have had some issue with this coming from his sister, at least in their original world. In this world however, and especially in the form of Akashi, he didn't particularly care if she had a drink or twelve. In fact, his other selves had partaken quite a few times by now. If she wanted to drink, he had no concerns at all. Perhaps she would rather wait, though. Those flames of Akashi which enshrouded the Oni's bones were, in fact, akin to the Fire of Creation in this world. Rengoku's body was being restored over time, due to his Origin being reignited by the fire. Akashi didn't speak of this; no, his attention was elsewhere already.

Tamamo made quick work of the trip between her starting point, and here. Akashi expected to be standing in wait, tapping his foot until the Kitsune's arrival, but lo, there she was standing before him. "Fast. Enthusiastic?" he questioned. With such haste being made in the approach, he could only poke at the sudden arrival of Tamamo. That wasn't too far from his expectation, though; he figured she would hardly take time to remove herself from wherever she was at the time. "This place is boring. There's nothing here, other than a lighter trying to be a flamethrower."

[Apollymi]

In a moment or two it seemed whatever Akashi was doing had spread to the fallen bones of Rengoku. So much so that Shuten walked over to the pile and casually dropped his skull upon it. "I don't know what you're doing, but I don't really care..." she stated only to have her eyes widened by the rather sudden appearance of Tamamo?! Is that who the Dragonoid form of her brother had been speaking with this entire time. She did indeed show up rather suddenly, and also didn't seem to really be thinking about the other people in the vicinity.

"Hai hai, fast and enthusiastic. I wouldn't have wanted to keep you waiting.~ Unless of course, you'd rather wait..." Tamamo said with her usual teasing quality. Still, the man's words about this entire situation seemed to make the pink haired Kitsune's eyes shift around quite a bit. He claimed to be bored and that there was a lighter trying to be a flamethrower. She could assume taking charge of the Oni had gone well, though at least one act of violence had been committed here, it wasn't by the hand of Akashi himself. "Ara ara, if you're bored why did you bother waking?" she asked of the Dragonoid, this whole situation didn't seem to require him in any immediacy. "Not that I'm not always happy to see you, Mikon!~" she added in that same quality. Strangely, the Kitsune had no problem shifting herself to the Dragonoid's attention. Maybe it was because her other self had a decent bit of interaction with him, or maybe it was simply because he was more forceful to begin with that she could be the amount of soft and flirty she seemed to be in this moment. Still, there was a certain amount of magnetism to be found here, as her floating brought her ever closer to the lad before her, and she wasn't that far away to begin with.

[Bloodedge]

Bit by bit, the pieces of Rengoku were coming together. With the return of his skull, meat could begin materializing around his bones, flesh could return properly where it belonged. He would soon be born anew, with even the memory of his death intact. By Akashi's plan, the Oni would be brought back to life repeatedly, until something amusing happened. Ah, but there was more amusement to be had without the involvement of any Oni. Interest at present could only be found in the pink-haired fox girl who so urgently answered his call.

"I planned on waiting, but since you're here─" he started, eyes glancing over the Kitsune as his arms remained crossed over his chest. "I woke because that thing over there wouldn't be silent. I thought I had a chance to stretch my legs, but it isn't worth it. That's why I called you here; I need something else to do, and we have unfinished business." He imagined it was very clear what he meant by those final words. He'd said something similar to Miki, and would say the same to any other Avatar belonging to Kimiko. He had business with the other Dragon living within her, and thus, he had business with every form she took. This one, especially, was appealing. "The dance is waiting. You seem more prepared for it than the last one would have been."

[Apollymi]

"Fufufu, you're bringing him back?!" there was a decent bit of shock in the purple haired lass who was now standing with a large sake cup in hand and pouring herself a drink from another Sake Gourd she had on her person. She couldn't help but seem a bit upset, but still, she'd drink without thinking too much about it. Whatever the case, the Dragonoid form of her brother, was at present having a conversation with the newest incarnation of Ashikaga Kimiko. 'Hm, he is bringing this guy back to life and brought his not girlfriend here. I suppose the Dragon one is a bit more upfront about what he wants. I don't know if I should count this as a win or a loss...' Shuten thought with deviousness in her eyes as she sipped from the large cup in her hand. All the while the white haired archer watched in stoic disbelief. "So, are we just not talking about him becoming a completely different Avatar and bringing Rengoku-sama back to life after letting you kill him, horrifically?" she asked of the girl who seemed to only shrug at the information. "If we talk about it, we have to deal with it. We should probably wait and see where it goes. Don't get too attached to him though, if he..." she gestured to the pile becoming Rengoku. "Interrupts that conversation he's going to have a bad time," she said of Rengoku and his potential rebirth and the outcomes of it.

And what a conversation it was, from not very far away a discussion was taking place between the Kitsune and the Dragon. She received the answers to her questions about the nature of his waking and in return was given a rather open stare. A grin came to her face as she had something rather cheeky to say in light of his statements. "Hoh? I am pretty sure I felt you a bit before now and it wasn't your legs you were trying to stretch~" the fox girl mused only to giggle soon after, thinking about the fact that she'd felt this Dragonoid's eyes open when she'd sat in the lap of his previous visage. He claimed that they had unfinished business, which could only be taken as one thing, given his reference to a 'dance'. She found this amusing along with the mention that she was more readily capable of it than the first face that this man encountered. True enough she had way fewer problems interacting with this man than her other self did, but she still didn't intend to hand herself over to her Dragonoid either. "Ara ara, you can't say that literally every time you see me, Mikon... I mean our business will always be unfinished," the fox said, speaking of her own desires as well as those of all faces known and unknown. She reached out in the moment, aiming to lay a hand against him, whether his flame cloak was active or not, she'd rest the skin of her palm against his exposed torso without recoiling. This Avatar possessed a high tier Divinity as well as an affinity with a flame related deity, there were fewer things for her to worry about in this interaction. "But, I can't say I wouldn't like to repay the favor and spoil Mikon too~" she mentioned with a casual roll of her eyes and a gentle flick of her tongue over her lips. It went without saying that she had no intention of becoming a dragon for this moment. But there was a sense of fairness that meant that neither of these individuals would likely allow the other to show them up for very long. Combine this with the rather servile nature the lass currently had and it was becoming very easy to say that she would indeed do just as her words implied.

[Bloodedge]

Indeed, Akashi had made the decision to restore Rengoku's life. He would only suffer the fate of a repeated, potentially more agonizing death if he did not show improvement of some sort, but that was all part of the potential amusement. Consciousness returned to the Oni before his body finished its regeneration cycle, and he was plagued with the sensation of muscles threading together and flesh stretching itself out. It felt as if he were growing from infancy all in the span of a few moments, and it was quite the ordeal. "Hngh─ how... You. . ."

While Rengoku struggled his way back into existence, far more entertaining things were on the horizon from Akashi's standpoint. He found it interesting how much more complacent, even forward with her perverse nature. She was right as well; there was something very different he intended to 'stretch' as it were. "Well, anything I have the desire to stretch isn't attached to me at all, is it?" he questioned. Indeed, he would stretch his legs as necessity. Other things, however... may have been a different purpose entirely. As for their unfinished business, yes, it would forever remain unfinished. Alas, they had yet to get started, and that was tantamount to a grave sin. The little tongue-lashing over the Kitsune's lip after mentioning the return of a favor, happened to be a point of great interest to the Dragonoid. Surely she could mean only one thing, and if he was right about what it was, then he was also certain about one thing. "Ho─ spoiling is the plan, is it?" he asked while tapping the side of his head, reaching into the memories of his other selves regarding this Avatar. "If that's the case, where's the rest of that outfit list? If this is the whole memory, I think maid service is missing from what you mentioned before. Mindful where you set the bar, though."

[Apollymi]

"Oi oi, at least wait until you can formulate complete sentences. We're busy here..." said Shuten as she took another sip of her drink. It seemed she had no patience left at all for the newly rising Rengoku, not when there was this new aspect of her brother and his not girlfriend to observe. In the meantime, Tomoe looked at the reforming Rengoku with something resembling pity. She could only hope he gained some form of humility since his death, or else he'd be experiencing it again with haste. Regardlless, there was indeed a new element in the area, and that was the fox known as Tamamo. She'd not been introduced yet, and given the intensity of the conversation happening between the Dragonoid and the Kitsune it would probably be quite a while yet. Though something about that lass' visage seemed familiar. "Hai, I'll keep it in mind. I am seeking new employment anyways and it seems we are under new management," she said casually. "Yeah, yeah, all of that. Does that look like flirting to you, too? I need to make sure he's not crashing and burning..." the lass said of the heated discussion taking place between the Dragonoid and the Kitsune.

In the meantime, Tamamo was able to have a particularly frank and open discussion with Akashi which hinted at the man realizing the true depth of her current nature. What was more, the Dragonoid was much more open about what he wished in these moments and about his thoughts, leaving her able to respond to his suggestions with greater ease. Not only was she simply making offers of herself and interpreting this man's reactions. She was being given much more direct commentary she could herself react to. Not the least of which was his statement about stretching which came with a level of perversity which should have made the lass blush. She didn't. Instead that same wicked grin spread across her face as she considered his words. "Oh? I suppose it wouldn't be. Still, I can't say it isn't flattering. All this trouble over little old me~" she mentioned seemingly in jest, but there was a certain level of deviousness present in those golden eyes of hers, which made it obvious that her words were anything other than joking. On the matter of potentially spoiling the Dragonoid before her, the desires presented by Tamamo were simple enough to be interpreted. "Of course, I won't be shown up for long. Even if it benefits me directly..." she said, and such was her attitude about all things. In this case though it was simply a matter of getting to act out a fantasy or two which would be reward enough.

The next commentary from Akashi was about her clothing list, technically the ones previously discussed between herself and Kou. Yet, he seemed to remember enough of it, to know that things were missing from it. She paused as that extended hand of hers brushed against this skin until meeting the line of his belt only to look up at his address of her offered clothing choices. "Ara ara, I can't really be blamed for that, Mikon. I only meant to tease a little and the given list alone had that version of you almost fainted," she teased gently, knowing she'd fully pushed several limits with Kou and that lad had been utterly distracted by her. So much so that his immediate next incarnation was made as if he wasn't meant to react at all. "But this version of you is more prepared too. So... just the apron or would you prefer layers?" she said leaning just a bit closer. "Your pleasure is mine, Goshujinsama!~"

[Bloodedge]

"Che─" was all Rengoku managed to muttered as his physical state returned to something resembling... normal. His eyes darted around the vicinity. Who was the cause of this? The only answer coming to mind was that blasted Dragonoid who took some offense to his earlier claims. Should he eliminate said Dragon? No; that wasn't possible. This individual had the power to restore his Origin at what seemed like a whim, and it appeared there was nary a thing he could accomplish, bar annoyance, against the one known as Shuten either. What could he do? Returned to proper form, he stood with a firm grip upon the hilt of his sword, and an equally firm grip around his pipe. "What the hell... are you things even doing here?"

Who would answer? It wouldn't be Akashi; his attention was focused, and he didn't intend to rip it away. Tamamo claimed she wouldn't be shown up for long, regardless of the benefits that would present to her. "By all means then, try not to let me show you up," he said as his clawed hand rose, taking hold of the Kitsune's wrist as that same hand reached his beltline. What to do? The promiscuous nature of this fox was unrivaled by any other identity belonging to Ashikaga Kimiko, and of all the faces this male wore thus far, Akashi was most keen on taking advantage of that fact. The others were, simply put, a waste of what this lass had to offer. "That one isn't here anymore. Never hold back against a Dragon," he insisted. As for the options offered, the Dragonoid found himself just slightly indecisive. "It doesn't matter which; that isn't even the important part. What really matters, is what you're going to do with it. So... dealer's choice. Be one with the Dragon, and take the presentation of yourself into your own hands."

[Apollymi]

To answer Shuten's previous question, Tomoe looked to the pair and watched subtly the way they spoke her eyes widened and then closed. "Ah, flirting... yeah that is a good way to phrase it," she said aloud in a quiet but perfectly correct manner. What she actually meant to say was something more like. 'We should hide the kids cause they might start doing something inappropriate where everyone, rather anyone can see...' but that simply wasn't her way. "Good good, I can stop looking now..." she said turning her back on this whole situation, feeling that the awkward teens above didn't need her staring at them in the moment. Tomoe would continue having a look or two in the direction of this pair, as the female who'd recently shown up looked familiar to her. Shuten would empty her cup and pour herself another only to have her ears assaulted by the voice of Rengoku who thought to pose a question. Luckily enough it went unheard by the Dragonoid and the Kitsune, it would be Tomoe to speak again before Shuten could finish her next sip. "Perhaps, Rengoku, it would be better to think of a more polite way to address people who have already proven themselves capable of killing you at their own discretion," she said softly, very easily shifting herself from referring to this man as the one in charge. "You should also be more specific and less annoying. And nicer, before you draw the wrong kind of attention. Unless you have a secondary death wish," Shuten also gave a light warning. "Do you mean us as a group in general, the Dragon, or the San Dai Youkai?" Until he pushed the wrong buttons she was at least willing to be cordial.

Ah the challenging nature of Dragons appeared in this moment as he claimed she should then try not to be shown up by him. Luckily enough, even this version of Ashikaga Kimiko was enough herself to rise to such an occasion. "Hai hai, I'll do my best~" she said knowing she meant it. Soon enough, the Dragonoid's hand met her wrist and she found herself meeting his eyes in a challenging fashion. She'd once been told not to play chicken with Dragons but what happened with a Dragon played chicken with a fox? "Ara ara, I wouldn't dream of holding back when facing you, Mikon. It was simply about your preference," she said softly a teasing quality in her voice as she gave consideration to how best to appeal to this lad. She had plenty of material to work with, given the kinds of media they both ingested, she had a pretty reasonable set of ideas. "I have a good idea of what to do~ I'm a fast learner after all!~" the girl mused not at all worried about anything resembling chemistry between the pair of them. As for her presentation, well, that would require a bit more preparation. "Though to take care of the presentation, I might have to keep you waiting just a little. Though that is probably for the best, I'd hate to be interrupted, again..." she said with the softest pout crossing her lips, her desires in this moment rather obvious.

[Bloodedge]

"Rengoku?" the blonde questioned without so much as a moment of hesitation. What was this lack of formality? Had it been determined that he, the greatest Oni to live for generations, no longer carried the power to rule this land? There was still so much for him to do─ so much victory on the horizon in this seemingly endless faction war. Being questioned by Shuten as if she were his commanding officer was... strange. In truth, she always should have been, and he knew that. How could he even think to accept her, though, given the negative connotations applied to her final moments in the past? Such weakness could not be tolerated in this era. "I said what I said. You come back from the grave looking like a little girl, and for what? Just to uproot my rule and try your hand at success again? Your time is over, and nobody wants it back."

"I'm sure you will," said Akashi when Tamamo spoke of doing her best. With that said, he released his hold on her wrist, as if granting her full clearance to do as she pleased. What would she do with such freedom? Well, her following statement gave the implication that there would be an unknown passage of time prior to an action being taken. "Another wait, is it? Dragons aren't made of patience. What good will it do me to avoid having what I want right now, and burning anything that gets in my way?"

[Apollymi]

The immediate questioning of Tomoe's use of Rengoku's given name was met with a sigh. It was as if he never listened to anything the young woman said to him, unless it somehow suited him. In this moment she repeated herself if only to help him remember their earliest discussion. "I told you upon meeting you, I only call one person 'taishou'. I would however defer to you all respect of your current position. That is what we agreed upon. It is clear now that your current position, affords you no extra respect..." she concluded. Tomoe never minced words and was very specific in how she chose to speak to Rengoku to begin with, he had to realize her specific way of speaking would eventually come back to haunt him. "Fufu, are you sure you aren't a lawyer. That's splitting hairs... not that I disagree or anything," mentioned Shuten who found the entire exchange to be funny. Tomoe's specific references being what they were she was sure he'd get the point. What was more, it seemed he was having trouble reconciling his current position with whatever he thought of the past. His words made Shuten scoff. "Your idiocy is making my sake taste bad," she murmured only to look up at the man with a hand resting on her hip.

"You don't know enough about my death to make any claims about it. Only what you were told and obviously what you were complacent enough to accept. But if keeping pissant kids away from battlefields and getting myself killed in the process results in my death again. I'll gladly accept it." said Shuten knowing that their previous self died in a sham of peace talks undertaken without the already slain Daiji who'd been their advisor. "Success is assured now, more so than ever, because none are missing here and now. So long as the rest of you know your place," she said with full use of the memories she had. Her previous death was after all something of a sham something that happened under the pretense of keeping the young out of an endless war, something someone as young as Rengoku couldn't understand. "Besides, one could say your time was over as soon as you died, there were witnesses to that and everything. No rule is without critics but history has been far kinder to me than it would be to you if you'd been left dead," she said knowing full well the lad had nothing to show for his time as ruler than the extreme decline of Oni Kind. "You can't choose to accept and dispute logic only when it suits you. Especially not when a continued faction war, and the decline of Oni-Kind is all you have to show for your time as leader, Ren-chan." Shuten spoke those words and then took her sweetest sip of sake yet.

In the meantime, Tamamo's wrist was released and she'd be allowed to do as she pleased. As such she'd hook her index finger into the lad's belt and pull herself into him, bringing them closer together. "Ara ara, I didn't expect to see the Red Dragon of Purgatory pouting..." she said with deviance in her eyes. "There is nothing to stop you, but behaving tends to yield better rewards and more uninterrupted time. I'm sure you remember how much extra alone time we were afforded between activities in Atlantis," she mentioned as she leaned a bit closer. "Besides, set up and presentation are important and some things are worth waiting for~" she mentioned while giving her most devious look yet and in typical Kimiko fashion with so much freedom she took a little more and leaned her lips into his own. All the while, Shuten got to be woefully ignorant to the goings on, as she was facing a completely different direction.

[Bloodedge]

His current position? How incredibly low the mighty Rengoku had fallen, to be without the respect of his most trusted follower. Worse yet, there was Shuten to deal with. This flimsy-looking little girl had the ability to kill him, all because she was a reincarnation of an Oni from a bygone era. She was sickening to look at for multiple reasons, not the least of which was the fact that his raw might and blood strength had not outgrown the power of that era. Perhaps there was another way to get around this ridiculous gap in ability. Could he develop magic of his own? Was it worthwhile to forego his own ideals for the sake of power? No. In fact, he wasn't even allowed to think about it for very long, as any reality he had left was quickly torn asunder by mention of his rule resulting in the Oni's decline. Was that what he'd done? Had he entered this era of physically overpowering Oni, just to weaken them in the end? Oni were no longer the mighty force they once were, but surely that could be blamed on the factions not cooperating. It had always been Rengoku's goal to lead Oni into an absolute rule over Ryozanpaku, but... there had yet to be success. "Tch. . ."

There was a long pause from the male as he attempted to process everything going on, as well as any options he had left. Who failed to be privy to this? Akashi. "Ara?" he questioned with a smug grin when addressed by Tamamo. Was he pouting? No, that would be nonsense! "Are you telling a Dragon to behave? I could create an eternity right here, right now if I wanted to lift a finger, but I'll hold you to the notion of making it worth the extra wait," the Dragonoid spoke with confidence, extending a hand coated with flames that seemed nothing but warm, even inviting. "A contract. Give me a time frame, and be ready when it's over."

[Apollymi]

Was Rengoku without the respect of his most trusted follower? Yes, but this was simply because he often chose not to listen to her, this time leading to his untimely demise and resurrection. Of course, it went without saying that Shuten was enjoying her sake to the highest extent by the time the man before her went completely silent. He seemed to be weighing his options. This was good, a bit of quiet reflection often came with the territory. The Princess in Eonis didn't speak for almost 24 hours after she was slapped but when she finally did, her words finally made sense. "Anytime you're ready by the way. I mean, I have sake so I'm pretty patient... Nii-san and Nee-san probably won't be whenever they're done nerd-flirting," said Shuten with an obligatory eye roll. In her current form, she wanted nothing more than the rise of the Oni, and to right the wrongs of Ryozanpaku, at the same time, she'd rather be having a meeting with the rest of her group about the 'situation' between their leaders.

In the meantime, the 'situation' she was thinking was being held up, was actually progressing quite rapidly given the personalities of the currently present Avatar stats. The current faces of Kimiko and Yugi were indeed flirting. They were actually making some very indecent plans if anyone would have heard them speaking. "Of course I am, who besides me could get away with such a thing?" the fox lass teased, knowing she took several liberties with this Dragon that others wouldn't survive. "Besides, behaving will be rewarding for you, Mikon!~" mused Tamamo as if she hadn't done a thing wrong. Those words specifically could be taken many ways, but Tamamo had innate knowledge of her other selves, she knew of the boldness of her other personalities, and though she was outright less demanding than her Dragon's face, she was still a good 'wife' and happy wife, happy life, was a pretty accurate saying after all. "Of course it will be," she said after backing away from him a tad. Strangely she found his hand extended towards her warm flames inviting her touch and offering a contract. "Hoh?! A contract you say, now you're talking my language, Mikon... let's see," she thought for several moments. What did she need in order to present herself properly to this Dragon by the methods he'd mentioned and his own apparent like of her current disposition. A secluded space, she could get easily, a maid outfit, also fairly easy she was already setting up her connections. There were still the smaller matters of Ryozanpaku as a whole to deal with, but she could be ready for her alone time with Akashi bar any major hinderances in the world. Tasks such as quelling the war and fixing a seated council should take a week, but she had a specific goal in mind and she planned to meet it, with her own hands even. They'd still need to set this place straight overall, but assuming nothing went abhorrently wrong she knew the amount of time it would take. "No more than three days. And I'll be ready for you~" she said placing her own hand within the warm flames presented by him. "Anything specific you require of me between now and then as part of this contract?" she asked, negotiations were important after all, she wouldn't want to miss any important clauses in her excitement.

[Bloodedge]

And lo, it seemed sake was all it took for this beast of a girl to remain patient. Time to think was one matter, but there was a separate mention of the other two in the vicinity. Shuten may have killed him previously... but that Dragonoid in the distance had brought him back from a pile of bones; there was no arguing with the power of a Dragon there. The third one as well, was something to be concerned about; she was clearly something beyond the Kitsune he knew. Those three couldn't have been what he thought they were, could they? The Dragonoid was previously Oni kind, at least somehow. Two Oni... and a Kitsune. As he thought this over, Rengoku realized the phrase had already been spoken. They were the three of legend, of history even. Whatever he thought he could accomplish against one, he certainly could not even dream of if all three were alive again. Defeated, he hung his head and ground his teeth. "Do what you want. If Ryozanpaku falls, leave me out of it."

"H'oh? What about the other versions, then?" Akashi questioned, almost to spite the fox's alternate personas. The lass spoke further, carrying in her tone the amount of promiscuity he'd come to expect from this incarnation. It seemed she was keen to accept the idea of a contract formed for their arranged degeneracy, much to his expectation, and the time limit was to be three days. Akashi absorbed these words, and a glow overtook his eyes. She was confident in the amount of time she'd offered; not an ounce of untruth filled her voice. That part of the deal would be set in the agreement, then. "Seventy-two hours maximum. If the time comes sooner, make the call. Present yourself, and have no doubts or withdrawals before Ascension takes place. Your requirements?"

[Apollymi]

Another sip of sake passed the lips of Shuten-doji and she couldn't have been more pleased. Unlike their earliest meeting it seemed that Rengoku was ready to at least think through is behavior a bit before making anything resembling a decision. This time, it seemed he took in all the necessary information to make this decision. And the conclusion he came to, while still disappointing was far better than his previous actions. "Huh? Going that route then Ren-chan... that's still a bit disappointing. Good on you for not wanting to fight all of us, but you can do better," she said with a knowing smirk. She'd keep talking and perhaps he'd come to understand, "It's a bit lackluster for you to talk all that shit and not actually try and do anything helpful... " she mentioned with casual deviousness in her eyes. "It makes me wonder, if you'll want credit when it rises?" the purple haired lass questioned. After all, they couldn't do all they planned to set this place right, to come back and have it on the decline again later. If he really wanted what was best for his people, he needed to learn how to work with others, whether he wanted to or not. Shuten considered this a lesson in humility for this particular man, unless of course, he was simply willing to admit he wasn't up to the task, in which case, they could always try and find someone more suitable.

In the meantime, the conversation between Tamamo and Akashi seemed to be growing in depth, gaining even a teasing quality as he jabbed at her other faces with his words. A smirk came to this Kitsune's face as she chuckled seeming to find this statement amusing. Still there was the gentlest flash of red in her eyes, as if her faces wanted to merge for just a moment. But this disappeared as soon as it happened and the golden supremacy of the Kitsune remained. "Yare yare, Mikon, you know better than most that even the softest version of me will do what she wants when it comes to you," she said unable to keep the amusement out of her voice. She knew what even the least open version of herself had managed in the company of this Dragonoid, but his teasing wasn't unwelcome "You need only allow it," she said with a knowing smirk. "Besides I, or rather we have all been very sure of ourselves for quite some time," she stated with reckless abandon. Tamamo was a version of Kimiko with only as much restraint as was presented by the male counterpart she was with, here and now she had little to hide because she knew this one wouldn't withdraw from her at all. Akashi's words came with glowing eyes and a deeper understanding of her words. The upturn of her lips remained as they negotiated their terms. "Hai hai, that all sounds fine. Ascension makes it sound like there are hidden extras here, but in your case I mind that less than I should," she said without knowledge of the terms but knowing the male before her would only give her positives she had no fear of their agreement. "As for what I want, it is very simple. My name, you'll call me that. I've missed it since I last heard you say it~" she said with light in her eyes that was both seductive and innocent, and knowing that her statement was absolutely what she wanted.

[Bloodedge]

A lackluster retort was the last of Rengoku's worries. It could even be said that he, at present, didn't care. That cursed trio of old had returned, and if they sought to rule these lands once more, there was hardly a person above himself who could stop them. Shuten did have a point, though; he could technically do better. Alas, doing better was exactly his intention. He would step away, but he would not run away. Among Oni kind, he believed his was the only power capable of reaching the infamous Shuten-doji's caliber. As such, he would have to strengthen himself while not functioning as ruler of their people. Shuten's era resulted in failure, and if his own was to do the same before the old era's mistakes were repeated, he would take it upon himself to reign in a newer generation greater than all of its predecessors... even his own. "We're done here," was all he said the moment he turned away from the lass.

That spark in Tamamo's eye could not go unseen by Akashi. He saw, even felt the versions within the Kitsune, yet watched as she maintained her own presence over theirs. This was good; even the Dragonoid Tatsuki remained at rest. Titillated, Akashi let loose a flame to engulf the pair of them while this contract began the forging process to bind their very Origins to every word agreed upon. This maneuver was a simple effort to keep others from approaching, or even seeing the two within a sphere of hellfire. "There can be whatever extras you like. I'm as willing to experiment as you clearly are," he stated factually, managing to return the flirtatious nature of the fox. Another 'line' was formed in the contract the moment he spoke, and then... another when his mouth opened again to follow Tamamo's request. "Your wish is granted... Ashikaga Kimiko. One more term; make it a good one."

[Apollymi]

It seemed at the outset that Shuten's words didn't reach the man known as Rengoku, but still, there was nothing but light amusement in her eyes. "Fufu~ Whatever you say, Ren-chan!~" she mentioned as she finished her cup of sake. The white haired lass seemed to take in all of this conversation in stride as well. While she'd initially been certain that these people had better temperaments than Rengoku, she was quite surprised at exactly how different they were. "Hm, I have to wonder though what is the main plan here. You've done part of it now what?" she asked of Shuten who seemed to give it a moment of thought. "Nii-san and Nee-san will eventually explain the rest of this. Given how quickly she got here, I'd say Nee-san is done with the Kitsune, whichever way she went about that. Two of four factions brought to heel before lunch so, for now the rest of the alliance has to do their parts," she said in a general manner. There were still a couple of others who had their individual prospects to handle. Shuten looked back for the first time in quite a while in time to see a ball of flames in the space her brother and his not girlfriend once occupied. Her left brow rose, "What the actual hell?! Here I am rushing through a battle and they are just having more nerd time..." she quipped, but the more relaxed nature of the original Shuten made the lass simply pour herself another drink, if she was to wait, she might as well enjoy it right?

The flames which came from Akashi and surrounded them both seemed to be no bother at all to Tamamo. This appeared to happen soon after she'd quieted her otherselves who'd tried to rise in the moments of her teasing. But she'd put them at ease, as they'd all come to realize what was important here, simply that all of them were the same and would do similar enough things if they were here now to remain unbothered by any of her personal actions. Beyond this point, Akashi's words were quite tantalizing, he seemed to grasp exactly what this face of hers was about, perhaps he even realized that it wasn't simply this face, or maybe... he'd learn that bit later. "Hoh? That's good news, I do love extras after all!~ Feel free to surprise me," she said with the same amount of snark and promiscuity she'd maintained. It seemed the last choice the last term or condition applied to their contract was hers to chose, how... strange. Such a statement was accompanied by the lass' name and beyond that a statement that her wish was granted. "Ara ara, if you start granting wishes so earnestly I might make more. Or rather, I might not let you stop..." she teased. Usually at the offer of a contract, the ideals of it were in mind long before the actual negotiations took place. Hm, what kind of condition would one such as Ashikaga Kimiko put on their endeavor. "Letting me chose the last term is a bit much Mikon, but I can't turn it down at all..." she mused as she drew closer. Was there something else she needed out of this exchange? Not really... she would be satisfied with the indulgences she'd been lacking alone. Was there instead, something else she wanted?

[Bloodedge]

The annoying tone in which his name was spoken by Shuten was not something Rengoku would allow to irk him, though each time it struck his ear, there was a rise to the heat in his body. No matter; there were other matters to attend to. It was high time he found solitude to train, and perhaps to even try a more magical approach to strengthening himself for future events. From what he'd seen thus far, there was no fending off that power with might alone, after all. As such, he was off. This quarter of Ryozanpaku was not his place at present, though he certainly believed his time would be coming when the return of an old era reached its end again.

"I'm sure you do. I'll have to keep that in mind," said Akashi. As they continued speaking, existing 'lines' of the contract continued expanding themselves in greater detail. Each agreement was not necessarily made more specific, but became more solidified over time whenever addressed. One part in particular opened up a bit when Tamamo teased that she wouldn't let him stop 'granting wishes' as it were, lining up with Akashi's own follow-up query. "Oh? Will you make more? I'll take that as your word, but will you refuse to let me stop?" Ah, something he was compelled to ask. He felt as if this contract needed to be as firm as possible, and even he didn't know the precise reason. When Tamamo drew closer, there seemed to be an amber glow overtaking his gaze. She claimed she couldn't turn down selecting the last term, yet she hadn't spoken it into existence just yet. That couldn't stand. "So, the term?"

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Rengoku was at least a little bothered by the way Shuten said his name. Though it wasn't something physically obvious, she knew this well enough having lived with her older brother for so long. He had a similar amount of annoyance whenever she greeted a group of people the way she liked to. "Fufufu~ My days are going to be entertaining at least..." she mused knowing full well she could get a kick out of at least annoying Rengoku whenever he popped up again.

In the meantime within the the flame veil of privacy created by Akashi, Tamamo and the Dragonoid in question were discussing the details of a very specific kind of contract. The more they discussed the more solid the contract became. There were several points of agreeance between the pair, with Akashi even offering to keep her desire for extras and surprises in mind. His questioning of a specific line of teasing made the fox lass' left brow raise, a chuckle ensued but she had no issue clarifying her meaning, "I will only make as many wishes as I am willing to give in return. I am not so selfish as to make such demands unfairly," she said with surety. In the case of the rest of his clause she had only one more thing to add. "I would refuse. There no need to downgrade in comfort or pleasure," she stated noting the change in his eyes. Her existence was beyond that of any of her other incarnations, she knew to a greater extent the kind of thing she was actively doing. Perhaps beyond that, she was a bit closer to someone else farther ahead. The last term she sought was going to be something simple, something she'd liked and had an idea about in her other forms but something she couldn't or rather wouldn't have readily asked for in the time period they'd initially had such dealings. "A shared bath," she mentioned as a casual extra term. Of course, something as simple as sharing a bath wasn't her intention, but it was exactly something she wished to share with him again.

[Bloodedge]

Fairness. That was about what he could expect from the one called Ashikaga Kimiko, and something that should not surprise him in future. Alas... that was the future. At present, Akashi seemed slightly shocked that she would offer such a thing as equality while being presented with the sky itself, free of charge. It was such an endearing trait, though. At the same time, the lass even agreed that she would refuse to let him stop presenting 'wishes' so freely. This, too, would become deeply engraved in their contract. Now then, what was it she wanted to add? Options were aplenty, and Akashi seemed complacent enough that he would agree to most conditions. What she presented was something open to interpretation, yet also so very specific that it brought a grin to the Dragon's face. "A bath?" he asked rhetorically.

"Ha... Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" That Dragonoid male with hair of crimson found great amusement in the fox's request. She didn't have to say anything; it was obvious how much was left open in her demand. The sky itself was the limit, and that was exactly where matters would be taken when the time came. "As you like. I'll be the heater to your bath." With that said, the contract which formed inside this sphere of flames wrote itself to completion. A strand of intertwining Mystic Codes passed through the hand of Akashi into Tamamo, and the same applied in reverse until all terms were written into the very 'souls' of all involved parties. That amber glow remained in Akashi's eyes; this power was not his own, but one even he had yet to understand within the body of Aiba Yugi. Perhaps one day, all would become clear... but so many other things would occur first.

[Apollymi]

Perhaps one day, it would be utterly clear the kind of individual that Tamamo or rather Ashikaga Kimiko had always been. In addition to her degeneracy she was always one to seek that which she could not give herself. She sought intimacy from this lad. Not specifically in a sexual context, though she obviously wasn't against it in any way. No, what Kimiko sought, what she enjoyed was the closeness. It was something she lacked in her daily life and something she could only experience with someone like him. The ability to bond with him, to be close to him, while being herself, was a comfort she couldn't deny herself now that she had it. There was no extra complexity in how they interacted now and this was exactly what she wished for, and as such it was well within her range for her request to be something which gave her the opportunity to bond.

It seemed that her condition, while open-ended was met by Akashi, with... laughter? Of course, he found it funny, she supposed from an outside perspective if a girl could potentially ask for anything it'd be quite shocking if she wanted something immaterial. But one would easily find that Kimiko could always provide herself any material thing she wanted, she even prided herself upon this fact... but she couldn't give herself the things she sought from the man before her. "Ara ara, it isn't as if I'd downgrade you to an appliance. I'm just a girl of simple desires~" she chimed. Her hand was open within his, accepting terms which wrote themselves into her at a level she'd not expected. This power, was beyond even what a Dragonoid could present. It made her wonder what else he could become. Too bad, though this character was very well-designed for its purpose, she was missing a specific 'Mage' skill which would normally have allowed her some foresight. Perhaps she'd manage to fix with a different face... but at present that wasn't a thing to consider. She looked into the Amber glow of Akashi's eyes and felt at ease, her own seeming to glow as well, if only for a moment as their contract was finalized.

[Bloodedge]

"And by simple, you mean plentiful?" questioned the Dragonoid. For the duration of this discussion, the flame sphere these two resided in had been rising higher into the sky, until it reached the pinnacle height of Ryozanpaku. From just above the highest building in verticality, they began to descend again while Akashi removed his hand from Tamamo's. Did that hand return to his side? No. He chose, instead, to lift it until its gentle, heated touch graced the Kitsune's cheek. There was the slightest rub to this moment of contact, as his fingers glided their way down and across, his thumb trailing along her bottom lip while he leaned in to speak. "That's also fine. No matter how plentiful your desires are, I will make sure they're fulfilled." Something was off; the Dragonoid meant to offer a very specific name, only to be stopped by some unknown force yet again. Whatever it was, it was beginning to become irksome. Alas, there was a distraction in the form of Tamamo's glowing eyes. Whatever lay beyond that gaze, he was interested in seeing for himself. One day. For now, their gradual descent toward the ground was joined by the equally gradual return of the male's previously-used Oni form.

[Apollymi]

"Well, I didn't say all of that.." the Kitsune joked, but she could see how her words could be taken as such. Her desire for things which were simple, meant that she had a great many desires which went unsatisfied by her normal life. Her former life was full of things but not necessary the sort of things she wanted, because of this, she began to value more, things which simply couldn't be bought. Time, patience, intimacy, friendship... these things were worth having, more so to the lass than the material or frivolous things she could acquire all on her own. It was a hard thing to explain, but it seemed, she wouldn't need to do that at all...

Akashi's hand was soon removed from her own, but it didn't return to his own body. As they rose up above Ryozanpaku and then began their descent, he set a gentle warm hand to her face. She couldn't help but curl into the touch, to enjoy the moment. She was elated by this affection, so freely offered, so she found it easy to accept. He even claimed that regardless of what she desired, he'd make sure she was fulfilled. Surely, he couldn't know what such a thing would mean to this girl? He wouldn't have offered it so easily if he did. It was most certainly a bargaining chip he should have held much closer to his chest. A trump card he could have revealed at any point in the future to gain an advantage over the lass, one with a lasting effect. Too bad he chose now... too bad she was still at her core a greedy person, one who hoarded all she treasured. "You know I'll hold you to that right?" she asked him, her tone was light but as those glowing eyes of hers settled they were all too serious. She'd been very honest when she'd admitted that she'd settled herself on the idea of him quite a while ago, and she intended to keep him. Soon enough though, he fell back into his previous face, that of the serious Oni whose emotions were well hidden behind still blue eyes. She didn't mind this at all. She enjoyed that he had to offer, even this less expressive face. "Hoh? Not stuck as a Dragon this time... how interesting~" the lass mused, but everything was fine. She wondered if this lad remembered his time as a Dragon this time, unlike times previous.

[Bloodedge]

True enough, she didn't say al that Akashi took as implication. On the other hand, however, the implication was there in the pink-haired lass' general demeanor. The moment at hand was no exception, but was the Dragonoid complaining as he faded away? No; it was a point of anticipation. The grin remained upon his face until it took the form of Giyu's visage, whilst clawed hands became the more human variants possessed by the Assassin. With the Dragonoid's departure went all concern for whatever he'd offered, whatever consequences he'd signed himself ─ and his other selves ─ up for. He certainly didn't know exactly what this agreement would entail, but if he did, one such as Akashi would have offered regardless. Alas, the Dragon would be away for now. His replacement came in the form of one who was less likely to make such arrangements, but whom Akashi had resigned to the same fate unknowingly.

He may not have been 'stuck as a Dragon' as it were, but traces remained for some time. Tamamo offered another teasing query, and Akashi would not leave it unanswered. "Do it. We're looking forward to it," he spoke through the mouth of his other Avatar. He had a major point to get across on behalf of his other selves who seemed hesitant to speak their truths, and with that statement alone, he would drive that point forward. Only then would the hand of Giyu begin drifting away from the Kitsune's face.

[Apollymi]

The kitsune was unaware if the Dragonoid's other selves would be as alright with their arrangement as he seemed to be. Regardless, she couldn't help but take what he offered without much thought or hesitation. It always seemed to work out this way for her. Akashi showed up and was way more forward and forceful about that which he desired of her, and she found herself unable to deny him at any turn, instead meeting his every advance with one of her own. She really and truly couldn't help this. Initially, she'd thought herself crazy for such behaviors. It had taken her a while to come to terms with the fact that she desired this man, rather the person that he was, well beyond what she normally desired of anyone. As such the teasing nature and the truth of her existence was shown by her teasing words even as he disappeared. As the warmth of that clawed hand faded, she'd mentally resigned herself to return fully to being the aggressor. She was prepared to look crazed as she chased him down if only to keep that which she wanted close to her. There would have been a bit of sadness in her eyes, but it disappeared in an instant and was replaced by excitement.

"Hoh?!" It was shocking for Akashi to refer to himself along with his other selves so casually. Beyond this, she could take those words exactly at face value, that regardless of which face was presented by the lad before her she could count on them to give her what she wanted and needed from them. "Hai hai!~" she finished up with grand excitement. Even as the lad's hand turned back to human and fell away from her person, she couldn't help but feel satisfied with her endeavors and more than motivated to get to work and get back to the real 'adventure' at hand. "Alright then, back to business, Kuono and the kitsune will do what I say. I do need to take care of their pest problem though, how are things here?" she asked not missing a single beat of their work as a now drunken Shuten took the descent of her brother and his not girlfriend to mean they could get back to work. "Fufu~ Nerd Time done? Can we get back to it... Ren-chan ran off to sulk or brood or whatever dudes like him do after getting beaten up."

[Bloodedge]

And with that, the transition came to its ultimate conclusion. Giyu regained full control of the vessel, with only the vaguest of memory that Akashi had ever appeared. Even so, he realized the proximity betwixt Tamamo and himself, and assumed something had occurred between them. What could it have been? Oh well; it didn't matter much at all. All things considered, the Dragonoid couldn't have done much that he wouldn't have done himself... right? "Did you─" His question went unfinished. It seemed there had been a few developments since he became another Avatar, including the eventual departure of Rengoku. Whatever he'd been missing, he could assemble the missing pieces later. For now, it seemed they were essentially done here... bar one important thing. "He's probably not sulking," Giyu stated. "Either way, there's a hole in the hierarchy. Ryozanpaku can't function this way; someone has to be appointed before our job is done."

He spoke truth, not his own, but the world's. If Ryozanpaku was minus one of its leaders, things could only become worse. What they needed here was not quite a figurehead, but a legitimate claim to the power structure of Oni kind. Shuten could have managed such a thing, but her eventual absence would have simply recreated the same problem; the very same could be said of Giyu himself. "The others should be about done by now, as well."

[Apollymi]

It seemed that Giyu had a question to ask that he went without fully divulging the information. Tamamo or rather Kimiko was more than aware that under most circumstances the lad liked to work out information for himself, so she didn't bother explaining. She figured if he had issues with anything that had taken place, if he could remember he'd bring it up whenever he felt it necessary. Still ever playful a little wink came from the lass, with her fox ears wiggling in response. Instead of the words which addressed their private conversation, he addressed the words of Shuten-doji. In response the purple haired girl scoffed. "Whatever, amusement lost. If we are just replacing leadership, we should just hand it over to her... and then we can drink and celebrate!~" she said with a gentle inclination of her head in the direction of Tomoe. "Iie, I am not at all interested in running this place or any other," she said staring at Tamamo for several seconds, her speech slowing considerably. "Oi oi, if you aren't also interested in leaving that's a bit annoying. We can't stay here, we're on an adventure and all..." said Shuten, as she finished another cup of sake. A gentle shake came from Tomoe. "I'm a PR person. I work for people, usually those who are more suited for a job than I am. I'll stay on and moderate, if someone worth following is chosen," she mentioned casually, with the same kind of word play she'd used to trap Rengoku. "Uh-huh so who do you think is worth following then?" this question came from Tamamo who knew where this sort of thing was going. She knew someone who talked a lot like this.

Ah, as a discussion was being held here, what were the others in this case up to. Well there were two other people who'd gone to two other places. The Tengu, Kuroka had gone to the west to find out the motivations of a certain player snake lad. She had no issues looking for him, as the entirety of the west was currently in a bit of an uproar. News of the break-in or rather out of the Origin Temple had made its way around. given this there was constant movement throughout the area with no one paying attention to the raven haired lass as she walked about the place. Measured steps and a quiet nature allowed her to directly observe and being a path that would put her in the right direction. 'If this boy did indeed wish for a new order, he likely wouldn't be too worried about anyone breaking in or out. He'd have to pretend if he was called upon, but he'd have no real reason to fear anything as he could be relatively certain the original break-in couldn't be connected to him. So... where would he be?' she wondered internally. She kept her ear to the ground and her eyes peeled for anything which could reveal the location of the boy she sought. She'd need only a few minutes of his time to understand his motivations.

[Bloodedge]

When Shuten mentioned handing leadership over to Tomoe, Giyu quirked a brow. He knew better. Ones such as that woman were not built for leadership, but rather for situations such as Shuten's own. She could 'lead' from the shadows by pulling the strings of a puppeteer, but in the spotlight, she could not shine with her own strengths. He didn't have to say anything regarding this, though, as the woman spoke of her own volition against the subject. Now then, there was the matter of the actual replacement for Rengoku. Tamamo presented the proper question. Soon enough, they would have the proper answer.

In the meantime, there was a certain traitor being sought by a peculiar Tengu, Kuroka. Did she realize the truth of her current predicament, though? Time would tell. In truth, her arrival was heavily anticipated. As she traversed this quarter of Ryozanpaku, she caught the eyes of many. Kuroka's observers were not quite Youkai, but simply... snakes which lightly populated the quarter. Soon enough, one of these serpents would be slithering out into the open, just ahead of the intruder. It would be making rather direct eye contact as its tongue protruded from its mouth. As it seemed... this snake wanted the woman's attention.

[Apollymi]

Having said what was on her mind, Tomoe looked to those around her. She could see in the faces of both Giyu and Tamamo that they understood her desire to remain within her realm of expertise. Her words however seemed to bring something of an impatient scoff from Shuten. "Ugh, you're one of those. Fufu, I suppose I should have realized no one who talks around subjects so easily without directly addressing them would want to actually deal with leadership. At least, not while maintaining anything resembling reasonable intentions," said Shuten seeming to understand where she'd went wrong in her initial suggestion. For her part in this Tomoe quirked her head to the side and flipped her white locks over her shoulder. "Hai hai, just as long as you understand..." she mentioned. But that wasn't all, the newest person to enter this area, asked just the right question. It was the same young woman who'd caught her eye a few moments ago. The kind of person who knew exactly what kind of question to ask. "Oh? You picked that up pretty quickly. I might have a suggestion or two in mind," she said with the light of the Nexus in her eye for just a moment as she inspected this newcomer. This was a username she recognized along with her face which while surrounded by a mountain of different colored hair and fluffy fox ears she was essentially the same person. The only thing that had thrown her off was the lightness around her visage, the happiness in her eyes and lack of surly expression. "Taishou!~ Being in this world softened your face a bit!~" she exclaimed she took several steps towards Kimiko crossing her hands over her chest and managing in the moment to look completely recognizable to the lass. "Did you start snacking regularly? Or did you just get better at hiding your face?" she asked wondering if her advice had something to do with it. Recognition shined in Tamamo's face. "Sou ka, I suppose of all the faces I would meet here yours makes more sense than others. We can catch up later, business first. Who do you find to be worth following here?" Tamamo reinforced her question. This brought a chuckle to this white haired lass, there was the impatient girl she worked for right below the surface of this foxy lady. She'd obviously changed quite a bit but that wasn't worth commenting on at present. "Rengoku Ibaraki, she has the right credentials and the right background to work as leader here. She'd young enough to not have her opinions set in stone. Doesn't agree with the way things were run previously, and she takes advice as needed. And before you arrived, I was fairly certain she would have tried to fight Rengoku though she wasn't quite ready yet."

Meanwhile, Kuroka soon found herself in the company of several serpents. She'd been aware she was being watched, this much was to be expected. After all, this faction was known to have eyes and ears everywhere. Besides all of that, she figured the lad who'd gone without getting into trouble for the initial break-in, likely had something to do with the amount of security this place had. Soon enough, there was a white snake before her, crawling along with strange intent. It looked at her, and once it had her attention she gave a little bow. "Lead the way then. You know what I am here for," she said calmly. She wouldn't discuss the specifics of her wanderings but she knew the only person who would have time to not be concerned about the break-in could only be the one who had something to do with the original one.

[Bloodedge]

It took some time, but the Oni who formerly represented Rengoku produced a recommendation. Before she gave it, though, there was the reveal of her connection to one Ashikaga Kimiko. Giyu had an inkling, but he'd yet to give any proper consideration to this as a plausible outcome. Alas, the truth unfolded before his eyes. How strange it was that so many faces who knew this girl were here, dragged through this game, where an obviously secretive gamer in their circle happened to be as well. Stranger yet was the fact that none of these individuals seemed surprised by Kimiko's presence in this world. Her associate in Atlantis seemed close enough to know of a hidden hobby like this, but the others, bar Kaiba Seto, made so little sense. Could he have been wrong about the type of gamer she was? Perhaps. If he was, though, he'd be quite surprised. Whatever the case, a name was finally given. Rengoku Ibaraki was a strangely familiar name, but why did he remember it? Moreover, was it the memory of Aiba Yugi, or that of Giyu? Time would tell.

Speaking of time, the time had come for a certain Tengu to meet with the Youkai she sought. The ashen serpent slithered off, forging a path through multiple alleyways along a path littered with ne'erdowells. Of course, these various Youkai were alerted to the Tengu's presence, but the peculiar snake she was in the company of resulted in none of them batting an eye. Soon enough, the outskirts of the city would be reached. A small marsh harbored a stone cave shrouded in darkness, within which Kuroka would see the glow of two eyes, one golden and the other a deep green. "Tadaima, Kuroka-san. I thought you would find me before I had to send for you," spoke the voice of a young male, somewhat muffled as if his mouth were covered beneath the shadows.

[Apollymi]

'Of course.' A gentle clicking of the purple-haired lass' tongue happened as there was yet another crucial piece of information revealed. Tomoe knew Tamamo outside of this world, and the person she'd been speaking so highly of working for was in fact the travelling companion of her brother. This world was far too full of coincidences for Shuten's liking. Was Kimiko's gaming habit a secret or not? Did being an idol excuse her shut-in behavior or were people willing to overlook it due to the monetary incentives? Perhaps she'd end up questioning Tomoe about it later. Too bad for both Giyu and Shuten the answer to all of their queries was simply... yes. Ashikaga Kimiko was a secretive gamer, that was a point of certainty. But she allowed just a little of herself to show while she was acquiring certain individuals of her staff. This one in particular had worked previously for a gaming company owned by the Animusphere. So, while she wasn't aware of Kimiko's secret life as a secondary Geno Killer, she did at least know the girl was better than average at video games. "Really Olga, you don't have to keep us in suspense," she scoffed moving right along she turned to address Giyu directly. "Gomen gomen, Taishou, I know you aren't one for patience. She can be summoned as well if you'd like to meet her," Tomoe mentioned happily waiting to hear one way or the other. "I can take her at her word for this if she says that Rengoku Ibaraki is someone who can run this place in the absence of you two. I believe her..." she said with a casual shrug. This was a compliment from this lass in more ways than one. The first of which had to do with Olga getting a vote of confidence which wasn't always clear with someone like Kimiko and strangely the ability to defer a bit to Giyu whom she obviously had more than a bit of romantic interest in.

Kuroka found herself following this white snake all the way through town and clear through to the outskirts. Here in a stone cave after passing several others with not so much as an awkward glance being cast in her direction. It wasn't until she reached this place that she found herself looking into two different colored eyes. "Heterochromia interesting choice," mentioned Kuroka who was greeted not as a potential hostile entity but instead as a potential ally. By his own words at some point he would have sent for her, if she hadn't come looking for him herself. How intriguing. "You planned to send for me? I can only wonder what for... after all, I didn't know I was coming here until a little while ago," the girl mused softly. Of course, she was well aware she was mostly just fishing to make sure this lad's motivations were on the up and up as far as the adventurers she'd joined up with. If this was the case, she could extend an olive branch if not... well they'd have a very short discussion.

[Bloodedge]

Giyu was content to leave this matter in the hands of those used to dealing with one another. He had faith in Tamamo's opinion on the matter at hand, but it seemed she decided to defer to her faith in him as well. Turning to him, the lass expressed her belief in the white-haired Oni. The ever-stoic Giyu seemed slightly surprised by this notion, and he was in fact in a state of disbelief. Why did it matter for her to state this? "If you think it's best," he said during the following moments of recovery. There was hardly another thing to be spoken in this case, but he was compelled to answer the girl somehow.

As for answers, Kuroka had an interesting response to finding the young male in charge of her guiding snake. Clever as she clearly was, she chose to question the notion of him sending for her before she knew she'd be coming here. He had a rather different concept of reality at present. "That couple you met were obviously in charge, and you were the most capable and knowledgeable of the area. It was obvious you'd be the one best fit to come here," he claimed. Ah, but there was so much more. Kuroka had a great deal of involvement here; that much was required for true victory. "You're also the third best of your group when it comes to suspicious activity, and that's what I need ─ someone sketchy, but not more than myself. You're less at risk when it's time to overthrow our... government."

[Apollymi]

What a strange interaction was the one currently being witnessed by Shuten and Tomoe. These two individuals the Oni and the Fox were busy having a conversation about the future of Oni Kind. Faith being placed by both of these individuals was easily seen and interpreted by those present. Giyu's emotionless eyes met Tamamo's and he seemed compelled enough to speak of trusting her judgement. One might have thought it unnecessary for the extra consultation, but Tamamo and more importantly Kimiko had no intention of over-ruling or taking over the lad's plans for this area. She only meant to help out a bit if she was needed. If she could speed along with outcome at all, she'd do that keeping her on track for the goals she had personally put together for herself. Besides, they were partners and she always intended to be fair in how she dealt with the lad, whether something would be easier for her to complete on her own or not. "Hai hai, bring the girl then. Let's find out how she feels about all of this..." Tamamo said finally. It was better to find out all necessary bits of information and given this Tomoe gave a little bow and turned on her heels. She opened her left hand and a large flaming spear appeared within her grasp along with the same bow she'd been using so far. She turn on the spot, aiming for Mt. Ooe off in the distance and drew back her arrow only to fire the flaming burst of a thing off in that direction. Unlike Rengoku Kyojiro, this girl in particular had been off training on her own, well outside of the general population of Oni. Beyond that she'd taken quite a few of the 'lesser' desired Oni with her keeping them safe from her brother in the meantime.

As the Oni Kind were being worked on by the group of adventurers at large, the insider Kuroka was now meeting with a certain Snake Lad and having a conversation which piqued her interest quite a bit. Every word spoken by this lad let her piece together his personality bit by bit. She was wondering if he was more or less the type to properly handle what was going on here. In answer to the questions presented by the pair of Adventurers she was content to follow, she was finding this lad's motivations to fit rather nicely into their overall plans. "Sou ka, you also think they are a couple. They decided to send me here for those same reasons, so mentally you fit the build of one they would work with regardless," she said softly thinking about it logically he'd come to some good conclusions and one couldn't overlook his observational abilities. "You're seeding a revolution. We thought of that... they both will have no problem with this. What is it you think you need of me though, and why am I only 3rd best in the group?" his answer to these questions would be the best way for her to tell exactly what this lad would be doing within the realm of this place. She knew by personality alone that no one would be trying to live in this place, they were instead only fixing it up so they wouldn't have to deal with it later.

[Bloodedge]

And so, the group in the Oni-dominated quarter of Ryozanpaku would await the arrival of one Rengoku Ibaraki. Tomoe called upon the new prospect for leadership in this quadrant, and in due time, the others nearby would understand why she would recommend this person. Firstly, there was the matter of distance this arrow of summoning traveled. She shared a family name with the former leader, so why was she so distant? The ideal answer in Giyu's mind would automatically make her an ideal candidate, and figuring this would be the outcome, he was already on his way to satisfaction. Alas, there was one problem. "Rengoku isn't the name of a powerful Oni," he stated, sharing this thought with the one person among the current Oni who possessed more than a single name to solidify a power structure.

Meanwhile, the serpent lad's guest was upholding an interesting discussion with him. As they conversed, he slid out of the shadows that otherwise concealed his identity. Not much was accomplished by this, as he wore white bandages that covered the entire lower half of his face, even as his messy lack hair showed itself up top. A black, military-style uniform was draped over by an oversized haori featuring thick, black and white vertical stripes. The white serpent he sent after Kuroka rose from the ground, spiraling around the lad until its head hovered over its master's, granting a proper showing of its impressive size. "They are a couple," he corrected. This lad had done more than his fair share of espionage during his time in this world; he knew the truth about those two before they knew it themselves, from only a short time observing them. "You're third because those two are masters of hiding themselves. I can't even tell what type of thing they're hiding yet, and that's a feat. That's also why you'll work best. Less secrets means I can trust you more, so it's ideal because... a revolution won't work here. The Snake of Ryozanpaku is a hidden Hydra; just taking off its head will only make it stronger."

[Apollymi]

At Mt. Ooe, there was a large spear flying through the air. This flaming show of a think would come spiraling past the head of a blond young woman whose horns stood pround and true. Her hands a monstrous bloodstained red, reached up with claws to pluck this missile from the sky. And what was more she didn't even seem to mind the fires that coated it. They dissipated around her fist and she chuckled. "Hehe! Seems like its time for my return. This time I'll kill him if he crosses me!" there was something of a huge grin on her face. The last time she'd been summoned, she'd been part of the group to convince her idiot of a brother into not trying to kill some random strong Oni girl. He was so short-sighted, ill-tempered and the like. If they didn't look alike, she'd almost assume they weren't related at all. Whatever the case it would take a few extra moments as she headed towards the spot, but she had to let the group know that she was on her way back, so a scorching heat encased this spear and the girl's arm grew even more monstrous. Here and now she'd throw back that same spear with her own power emanating from it. In the meantime, it would be Shuten who shrugged off her brother's commentary. "Name? Well, that one's easily fixed by ones like us right... if she's wort..." her sentence was cut off as she jumped out of the way of the flaming spear which landed direct beside her. Something of a snarky grin spread across her face as she saw this thing and felt the flames which belonged to a different Oni than Rengoku. "Fufu, well hello there~" mused Shuten knowing when this girl showed up, she would most definitely like her.

The words of this lad became more and more entertaining, even to one like Kuroka. She always found conversations with other clever people to be interesting and this lad seemed to be one of the smarter she'd had contact with. The size of the white snake, as well as the boy's true form were revealed in the next few moments. What was more, he was quite adamant about the idea that the pair of Adventurers he'd been monitoring were a couple. "Observational skills, patience, deeper understanding of the land. The ability to grasp the nature of this faction and understand the deeper problems surrounding you... good." Kuroka's conclusion came with a certain amount of insight. This lad was indeed on the same side of this problem as the Adventurers. Beyond that he had extra knowledge they'd definitely find useful, and he intended to use her as a bridge, because what those two hid, even he wasn't quite sure of yet. That showed a decent amount of planning and a proper bit of caution. "Caution can be rewarded in this case, if you don't plan a simple revolution, then what is it you need from us? I can without much extra information be certain that those two don't simply plan to take a head, they are here for something more complete so they can leave in good faith," she said softly. "I already agreed to do what I can to help, so I can help you as well."

[Bloodedge]

As they awaited an arrival, they were instead given a return message. Just in the middle of Shuten's retort to Giyu, the former was interrupted by the same projectile sent to Mt. Ooe by Tomoe... except, it was engulfed in flames as it struck the ground between them. Giyu watched the object smolder until he reached out to feel the flames for himself. There was a different quality to these than what the male Rengoku's abilities offered, and it was quite a bit more impressive if he had to judge it. "The one magical Oni even he wouldn't get rid of completely," he surmised. No matter the world, the bond of siblings was a mighty one, it seemed. Surely that Oni knew of his sister's capabilities, yet she could not have received the same treatment as the others while remaining so easily accessible.

"Good, is it? I only do it out of necessity." With that said, the lad seemed interested in moving directly onto matters of importance. What he needed from this group was what he'd been searching for over the course of several months. He sought assistance in the form of a stealth unit, and what better could he ask for than a Tengu? What's more, a full set of 'players' taking on the task were bound to have decent success rates. "I also want to leave, but I'm stuck here by my connection to the Orochi. I've been thinking the only way to deal with him is going to be a seal, but... the one item that could do it is one that I haven't been able to find. I'm sure your friends could help with that, if they haven't already."

[Apollymi]

"Siblings are always so weird," this was a passing assessment from Tamamo who always had this opinion of brothers and sisters in the ways she saw them. She might have though tit awkward that she always saw such sibling groups, but she'd spent her life watching groups of siblings interact and from an outsider perspective, they were always very strangely bonded. Whatever the case she was content to wait around while Tomoe and Shuten also did the same. Within about 20 minutes a blonde haired lass would make her way to this group. Her hair well and truly yellow as it hung down to her waist. She wore a slightly oversized Yukaka and had demonic looking hands and feet with black talons. Red in color they began to blend up into her knees and elbows in the form of tribal tattoos. This girl paused among the group, her horns large and starting black but ascending into crimson color. She stood on one foot seemingly taking in the sights, she directed her gaze to Tomoe and scoffed in addition. "Don't tell me that idiot brother of mine was threatening this group too..." she almost demanded while her hands rested on her hips. She could tell just by looking that no one in this group was truly weak, what was more there was a Kitsune here as well. Ugh, she could only imagine her brother inserting his foot into his mouth at every turn in front of such a group. "Or did you call me first?" she asked surprisingly her brother was missing from this group and she'd fully expected to find him pompously acting like he planned to get rid of a bunch of obviously magical looking Oni. "Rengoku isn't anything to worry about right now, this group took care of that..." said Tomoe softly which made her the blonde girl's brow raise slightly. "EEEEEHHH?!!!"

The lad before her claimed that 'good' wasn't exactly what was going on here. He was instead reaching out as a matter of necessity. This too was fine, "We are all slaves of necessity, knowing your motivations makes it less concerting," she said without any real emotion in her voice. Of course, it wasn't the case that she didn't have to wait very long to find out this lad's long term goals. He seemed to be in need of an item and wanted to leave this area as well, but couldn't because he was connected to the Orochi. It wasn't so strange if he played the game and ended up stuck right here because of his works before being put here. "Sou ka, if it is an item you need, they are very likely to be able to get it. If they don't already have it, if you have a plan to deal with the problem at hand. They will likely have no problem helping you out with it," she calmly said. If the lad was looking for an item to seal the Orochi with, it had likely been inside the Origin Temple. She knew by virtue of knowing Tamamo's true personality that the girl had likely taken everything from there and would have access to whatever this young man needed. If her only goal here was to broker a bit of an exchange between groups, she had no problem making that happen.

[Bloodedge]

Twenty minutes of veritable silence ensued, then at last, the one called Ibaraki showed herself before the group. She was quite small, but so clearly the sibling of the male Rengoku. Upon her arrival, the blonde Oni immediately made the assumption that her brother had been up to no good, which was close enough to the truth in a manner of speaking. Rengoku had been rather bothersome since they met him, but Giyu believed that would no longer be the case. This girl, however... was just slightly bothersome in a very different, less concerning way. Oh well; Giyu could ignore that itch in the back of his mind, all in favor of progression. Something deep within did urge him to begin passing time with efficiency, after all.

Slaves of necessity was how Kuroka referred to all parties. The young male shook his head in disagreement, following the gesture with a clear clause. "Not all of us. Some are slaves to freedom," he said, as if to imply possession information he likely shouldn't have. Did he possess such information? Perhaps he did; perhaps he didn't. Either way, this woman seemed just as amiable as he expected. This group would be of use, and he could provide the means to an end for them if they only had access to the proper tool. "Then all that's left is to wait for your last member to finish. The one that was with you... I think he's going to make a lot of commotion."

What could the serpent lad have meant? Well, it just so happened that Rimuru had reached his designated quarter some time ago as well. He seemed to be wandering around aimlessly in his humanoid form, but he had already started yelling openly for the ruler of this region. He wasn't going to go about this patiently; he'd be done with this creepy, ghost-filled area as soon as possible. Much to his dismay, this was his first trip to Ryozanpaku's most mysterious faction... and he could understand exactly why, every time he felt a sudden chill whilst being normally unaffected by temperatures of any sort.

[Apollymi]

Ibaraki's questioning was met by a sigh and the words of Shuten would be the next heard. "Yahello!~" she greeted lifting up her cup and inclining her head. This singular word resonated within the very soul of the lass known as Ibaraki and whether she realized it or not, she'd eventually be using that same greeting herself. "I didn't much like his attitude I ended up killing him..." she mentioned. "No worries though, Nii-san brought him back a couple of minutes later," she said with a gentle nod. It was such a random thing to hear that Ibaraki's face went pale, what was she to make of this, her brother had been murdered by a tiny... girl. Oh, no that wasn't just it this girl was quite powerful to say the least. How spirit breaking that must have been for him, like having all of his deepest fears confirmed, death by tiny girl, though probably not the one he imagined. "BWAHAHAHAHA!~" there was intense laughter from the girl. "I mean that's all well and good but why am I here if I don't need to do anything about him?" she questioned more directly. "Nii-san, exposition is your thing... chop chop!~" Shuten mentioned in a haphazard way. She didn't know exactly what all this lad and Tamamo planned for the area, she'd do whatever was necessary to see it through and get them on their way again. Tamamo for her part in this, had remained quiet. She was busy with thoughts of a completely different nature.

"If freedom makes you a slave it probably isn't actually freedom. But I digress..." these were the words spoken by Kuroka. Whatever this lad meant, it could mean a great many things and she didn't currently have enough information for it to make much of a difference. He did however share the idea that a certain child slime would be making a bit of a commotion and that they were only waiting on him to finish his work. A thoughtful look came to the Tengu's face. Of everyone she knew from this world and the other, Rimuru was the most likely to take an approach which would be considered 'unconventional'. "Sou ka, well... there isn't much to be done about it now. As long as he accomplishes his task, everything else will work itself out in the end." She finalized her statements seeming quite sure about them, though... knowing Rimuru there would likely be something of a 'problem' given his more abrasive nature.

What was going on in the lad belonging to the ghostly cold? Well, there was a youngish looking boy or girl? Making a lot of noise. A young woman was very slowly coning into being nearby. She had light grey hair and large piercing blue eyes. In addition to a rather ample bosom. She seemed to be thinking very hard about this situation. "You know she isn't just going to show up because you're yelling? She's a bit busy..." the lass mentioned seeming to float over towards this noisy person without much thought. What he couldn't know was that technically the woman he was looking for was present, but by virtue of being too close she made many uncomfortable. Here in her solid white kimono she looked upwards towards the highest hilltop in the region. And though it generally avoided the gaze of mortal eyes. She could see clearly the ghostly temple she normally called her home and knew her own ability to speak on behalf of the woman in charge here.

[Bloodedge]

Progress at last, and yet, there was another bump in the road ahead for Giyu. He could have left natural progression in charge, or even let Shuten continue to shine as the facilitator. Alas, he was chosen by Shuten herself to present the exposition. Of course this would be the end result. Even healthy, that darling sister of his was content to throw him under the bus at every opportunity. "Kisama," he muttered as narrow eyes found their target in the form of Ibaraki. A sigh escaped him prior to the explanation of why Ibaraki had been summoned. "You're here because your brother isn't fit to rule the Oni. You should know by now that metaphysical powers are necessary for our kind to grow. There must be an Oni in charge, and that Oni must show fairness. We were told you would be a suitable candidate, and I'm guessing you've known all along."

"You're not wrong... assuming it's your own freedom that keeps you occupied," the boy retorted. Moving on, it seemed Kuroka believed her companion would manage in the end, in spite of his rambunctious nature. If that were the case, it was worthwhile to have snakes continue observing things under the Yuki-Onna's area of influence. Rimuru was even being met at the time being, not by the woman he sought, by by some representative of... interest, so to speak. The lad paused his yelling to view the culprit, only to then pause whatever rebuttal he had to... well, continue viewing. "Holy─ Will something else show up if I yell? I know a hundred guys who'd be trying to 'get busy' right now. Anyway, if me yelling isn't gonna do the trick, then you yell. I've got major Adventurer stuff to do, chop chop!"

[Apollymi]

Did Shuten throw her brother under the bus? Yes. But... in her defense, she had to keep him on his toes and if it was obvious that her brother wasn't pursuing the course of action she thought he should, well there was no harm in her bothering him from time to time, to handle things. A chuckle came from Ibaraki as she witnessed this interaction, she needed to learn from this purple haired lass, who obviously knew something about handling one's older brother. The explanation she received made her eyes widen just a bit, she hadn't expected such a thing. Of course, she did consider herself a proper better fit than her brother, but she'd intended to earn such a thing, not simply have it handed over to her by veritable strangers. "Sou sou, well... I mean I probably am better. But if I don't prove it, it won't be worth anything... I can't just take a handout and expect other Oni to follow me," she said already showing a great deal of understanding. "Blood and sweat. Earn it then, and I'll give you something nice as a coronation present. A gift from an old leader to a new one~" these were the words of Shuten who seemed to have some understanding beyond even the girl behind the Avatar and tied to the original Shuten Doji. The very quiet Kitsune perked up. "If you need a proving, I might be able to provide you the means to do so, and build your future alliances with your own hands..." Tamamo mentioned, knowing that if she could get the Oni to eliminate the Spider pests of the Kitsune, she'd be able to free up more of her own time for the preparations of her fun. And while that served her purposes, it also worked out for the long term goodness of this place. It was a win-win, a great and fair deal, "Taishou, I knew you were always prepared to make a deal, but even for you this is a little fast..." mentioned Tomoe, who knew the pink haired lass to be trustworthy above all others. She gave a gentle nod to the questioning gaze of Ibaraki as if to imply it would be fine if she heard out at least what the Kitsune had to say.

In the meantime, Kuroka and the snake boy were content to wait on the outcome of a certain slimes activities. And after meeting a Yuki-onna he seemed to be a bit lost for words and quieted himself quite a bit for a moment or two. Soon enough though his words made this lass' brow raise and a look of confusion spread across it. "No, they'd die before reaching that stage. No matter. I am the light which dwells in this darkness," she said almost cryptically but she soon giggled slightly crossing her arms under her ample chest. "If you're an adventurer then you are probably here about the problem of this place. If that is why you are here, you need only speak your truth. All is heard here..." she said easily. Depending on how this lad answered, a certain other individual would begin to become visible to his eyes. She was taller with pure white hair. She wore a perfectly white kimono with red and white crystal decorations and had dead looking deep blue eyes. Like all of the leaders she was clearly very tied to this land and as she appeared the spirits which dwelled in this place would become more clear as well. Simply tying them to this place was taking all of this lady's energy and as such she could barely take manifesting in this place, much less could she facilitate the manifestation of the rest of the spirits. They whispered about the deceptions long coming, a problematic serpent and even about the rise of the three.

[Bloodedge]

Of course it had to go this way. What self-respecting Oni would take an offer to become ruler of their lands, as opposed to claiming their own glory as rightful ruler? This Ibaraki possessed all the makings of a true leader among Oni kind, but this left Giyu no less annoyed that he had to continue looking upon this pitiful excuse for a faction in modern times. Soon enough, things would be right... but 'soon' was far too slow at present. Perhaps it was time he took a page from Akashi's book, and removed himself from the equation for a spell. Already on decent enough terms in the area, he hardly saw a point in being an Oni just to get by around these others. As such, Giyu reverted to the form of the half-Celestial, Kou, leaving only the Oni skull mask in place on the side of his head. "Fuck. That's better; all that attitude was starting to build up," the now white-haired lad spoke as those starry, purple eyes of his looked onward. "That one isn't willing to wait around for... uh... the boring part? I'm a better fit for this, I guess. So, what's the job?" he asked of Tamamo.

Others would die before achieving anything by way of this Yuki-onna's physical form, so she claimed. Rimuru showed visible doubt upon hearing this, though he shrugged away the notion nonetheless. He wasn't here to debate over some random girl's breasts nor what would or wouldn't be done with them, though his gaze was fixed upon these nonetheless. Now then, her claim was that all things were heard in this place, and that he needed only to speak 'his truth' to receive the attention of the area's matron figure. Well then... there was only one thing for him to say, and he'd speak only the truth to the open air. "I don't care about the problems in this place; I'm just here to make progress. There are only three things I care about right now: moving forward, clearing this area, and knowing what the hell kind of bra fits those things!" he exclaimed, pointing directly at the young Yuki-onna's chest.

[Apollymi]

Giyu's distaste at this situation was soon made palpable by his change in appearance. It would seem that the male Oni was done waiting around for things to happen and reverted once more into the Half-Celestial with whom most of the group was familiar with, a chuckle came from Tamamo as she shrugged off the attitude the lad was talking about. "He did seem like he was done with everyone~" she chimed of his alternate personality. Not that she had a problem with this, as it was more than obvious she came off the same way more often than not. A knowing smirk came to her face as she allowed her imagination to dip just a bit, but there was something more important to be spoken of in the moment. "Okaeri, Mikon!~" she welcomed him back to his present state of existence before telling him of her plans. "Ah, well Kuono said that she's been having a problem with an infestation of spider Youkai. They've been descending from the mountains, killing her customers and trying to take over her business and turn it into something... shadier than she'd like," she quickly summarized. "If Ibaraki here is looking to establish Oni might, and claim a spot as leader, it would serve her best interests as well as Kuono's if she took care of it," she finished.

Everyone present thought over the terms and came to similar conclusions Shuten would be among the first to voice her considerations. "Oni get to establish physical dominance, gain an alliance with the Kitsune, Ibaraki gets to prove herself worthy. There don't seem to be any downsides," she said with a nod. "I mean all that would be fine, but if the kitsune aren't worth being allied with, I'd be tipping the balance in their favor for no reason. It's no secret that the power of the Kitsune has waned even more than the Oni." These were Ibaraki's words but there was a bit of information missing, something that should have been felt by all of the Oni present. Something that started with the small influx of energy to the land when Kuono stopped sapping it to feed herself and instead started cycling the energy back into the lands. Tomoe knew that the woman she worked for wouldn't have offered an unfair deal, even one she negotiated between two separate parties. If she offered this up, then at the very least these two factions were on equal terms.

Beyond all of this it seemed that Giyu wasn't the only male experiencing a breakdown of sorts. Rimuru was having an issue as well. He was to speak his truth and they'd be shared with the woman he sought. He claimed he didn't really care about the problems of this place, information confirmed by the spirit world. He claimed that he wanted only to progress, this was the truth also accepted and also he wished to know the bra size of the young woman who'd greeted him first. The pale face of Fubuki appeared with a giggle inside of the white kimono she was wearing. Her angular haircut shifting easily in the breeze. "These truths are very different. Moving forward is already happening, the end is clear and much nearer than it had been before. They will need to know about the cataclysm to fix the problems of this place. And H-cup whatever that means," said Fubuki. "That question was invasive you didn't have to answer it. Geez, what happened to privacy!" The silver haired lass found herself blushing intensely becoming immediately shy and turning away to hide herself gently, something she hadn't done in quite a while.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm not sure 'done' is how I'd describe it," Kou claimed. As Giyu, he cared only for completing the task at hand before moving on. The amount of stagnation in development was worth his ire, and nothing more. As Kou, however, he felt he could take this time to relax... and mull over a strange, vague memory he had from the time he recently spent as Akashi. He was meant to uphold a promise of some sort; that much he knew. What was the rest, though? As he mulled this over, he set his curious gaze upon Tamamo. Whatever it was, she was involved... but how exactly? Perhaps he'd have to ask later. Now though, the primary concern of the entire group should have been the suggested trial of Ibaraki. It seemed the young Oni had an issue with helping the Kitsune's faction, a notion to which Kou could only sigh and shake his head. "That's the point of it all. Before we leave this country, there won't be a balance to tip. All of Ryozanpaku's existing power structure should be consolidated, not kept separate enough that there may as well be walls between areas. There should be equality among factions, and that's the plan here."

In response to the 'truth' of Rimuru, there was the appearance of... another buxom woman. Well, he'd certainly come to the right place out of the four options if this was going to be how everyone greeted him. "The hell is this? Is everybody in this section just a king-sized pair of honkers with a MILF attached? The two of you could feed six armies, what are yours if she's an H?!" The androgynous lad seemed well and truly upset by what he was seeing. In fact, he hardly knew which woman to stare at. One seemed a bit more provocatively-dressed, but the other was clearly closer to his size and age range. What to do, what to do? Ah! The thing he was meant to do, was... deal with Ryozanpaku's problems. Right. "Alright, so... what problems does this area have that all these milkers can't solve? If it's a guy, has either of you tried popping one in his mouth? That'd probably calm him down... or kill him, whatever."

[Apollymi]

"I don't know, he seems pretty much over everything if there isn't action afoot~" this was Tamamo's observation. To be technical about it, Shuten could only agree, Giyu as a person didn't really seem to be interested in the small talk or adventures. If Shuten thought about it, Giyu reminded her of a specific aspect of her brother. One she hadn't seen in quite a while, but that was easily attributed to him nonetheless. The more immediate problems of Ryozanpaku though, were being discussed and it appeared that Kou was at least familiar enough with what Tamamo had proposed to try and sway Ibaraki into doing a task that would set her up properly. "A united Ryozanpaku is a pipe dream, the cataclysm sunk all hope equality. There isn't anyone around who can consolidate and restore that kind of power..." Ibaraki mentioned, and she included herself in this. "Well, we've been here for only a few hours and we seem to be doing alright. As an aside, Kuono is right now one of the strongest natives here. I saw to that myself, I'm sure you can tell if you try," Tamamo's words were to be taken at face value. Any who used their powers post Kuono recovery of her hoshinotama should have understood the kind of burden she'd placed on the Ley Lines here. A moment of quiet came from Ibaraki who gave consideration to everything and used her own senses to find the truth of the words spoken by both of these people. As far as she could tell, this group was more powerful than anyone here and beyond this she could feel the surge of power from the land directly through her feet. This strange amount of energy had been missing before and the restoration of the Kitsune would explain this. If they'd managed so much, what did it matter if she helped or not? Ah, that's right they were discussing travel plans, they didn't intend to run this place directly so establishing order and then leaving was their game. "Alright, then your idea is what to have the Oni police the area while getting the others on their side?" she asked trying to piece together what had to be a very strange plan.

The excitable slime seemed to be well within his limits. He found the land of big bosomed ghost ladies and would have been living a dream if not for the amount of annoyance he seemed to be experiencing. Because of the truthfulness of his questions though they were answered by the woman known as Fubuki at every turn, even though it was somewhat comical to hear some of the answers. "Only females of the lines show such beauty. It is a blessing from the Gods though their power has all but faded," she mentioned of their apparent beauty and rather buxom figures. "Double H, is what I am told the measurement should be, but I don't understand this method of measuring... " Fubuki seemed confused but it didn't really matter. She shared all necessary information to the lad's outbursts meaning she would literally answer any questions he presented her. As for the problems of this area, it was both simple and complicated. "The cataclysm, disrupted the door to the Spirit World. It is harder to hear and harder to plan. It takes all of me, just to hold open enough space to hear the whispers of the spirits. The spirits power all, they give life to the Ley Lines, they feed the tree. But it is wrong now and it is all I can do to maintain what is current. Does this make sense?" she asked of the lad, wondering if these fragmented words would help him at all on the journey he was taking.

[Bloodedge]

"Well yeah, but..." Kou hardly had a better way of explaining the situation with his other self, at least not without incriminating himself beyond what he saw fit. Moving on, Ibaraki saw no potential for equality in Ryozanpaku. How foolish. This was always the train of thought shared by the masses. Equality could never be achieved, and this much was true only because there weren't enough bodies standing. What was the point, though? If no others would move, what difference would adding one more yelling peon make? Her mentality shifted enough after being presented with a bit of evidence, but it seemed she still wasn't managing to catch up just enough. "The Oni as a police force is ideal in most cases, but not all. The plan isn't just to restore the structure Ryozanpaku once had during the time of the Three, but to create something better. Three can't rule five, and five shouldn't rule one divided nation. That spot in the middle of this map needs a sort of... convergence. That can be cleared up after the Fox's problem is dealt with."

One annoyance came after another in the place Rimuru visited. He wasn't even sure whether he should be annoyed, or going through more puberty than he thought possible. H was the size for one, and double H adorned the torso of the other? Ridiculous! "Blessings from the gods, alright. What it means is, your rack's big enough to turn two heads per body for the next ten kilometers." He spoke another truth. This Yuki-onna had a truth of her own, however, and it was quite a doozy for the young male. He stared at the white-haired specter, blinking intermittently until she finished speaking. At the end, she asked if all she said made sense. To that, Rimuru had so little to say. What more could he say? His level of understanding in this matter was definite. Clarity was not in question for the lad, and a single phrase summed it all up.

"About as much sense as how you two can stand upright with those meat bags trying to tip you over."

[Apollymi]

There was no apt rebuttal from Kou about his differing personalities. Tamamo figured that this was the case because he normally hid part of himself from everyone. Whatever the case, she was fine with this. Ibaraki seemed to be working towards a proper answer, though she hadn't made it all the way through. In the moment, it seemed that Ibaraki herself was waiting for the explanation which came from Kou in a much more patient manner than it'd come from Giyu. "Sou ka, use the same base, make something bigger and better," she seemed to be processing this whole thing well enough. "I use this Kitsune problem as a way to prove myself and help get in on this 'reformation'," she said with a nod. "Fine, fire's great for killing spiders!~" it seemed she was fine with her current level of involvement. If she wasn't going to be relegated to policing alone, she was fine with helping out as long as there was actually something in it for her. Such was the nature of herself as an Oni.

The slime's questions were ones which were answered by Fubuki as a voice of the spirits. It seemed that the lad was quite enamored with the size of their bosoms. "A blessing comes with nothing other than itself. Figures such as ours were the standard of beauty. The goddess herself has such proportions," she mentioned in an offhanded manner. Perhaps one day such standards would shift or maybe become irrelevant. But for now, this was what she and many others had to work with. Beyond this point, the lad didn't necessarily understand what she said to him about the nature of the problem here. "Well, at least you know the information. I cannot explain it further, Mizore accompany him and explain in my stead. See if we can be restored along with the rest," said Fubuki and just as easily as she appeared her body began to dissipate. She wasn't lying holding this area was quite taxing for her, but she needed to remain, to keep listening, to help. "Hai hai, as you wish, Fubuki-sama," the blue eyed lass mentioned more than content to go along with this entire situation. She understood the nuances of the issue but didn't know if the woman would go along with it. Her communication with the spirits meant she was waiting for that specific moment to converse and knew who could and couldn't be trusted. Mizore often turned others away as Fubuki would only speak to those the spirits trusted.

[Bloodedge]

"... Sort of." That was all Kou currently had to say about the new order that would soon be found in Ryozanpaku. At present, the important thing was paving the way for such an ideal country. Blood had already been paid in a few locations, and blood would have to be shed again. A good start would be this alleged spider problem, which Ibaraki was clearly content to deal with after some contemplation. "Burn them if you like, I guess. While that's going on, I think I need to do some stretches or something. All this shifting is starting to feel weird," he proclaimed as he placed both hands against the back of his head, twisting his upper body to and fro. "Anybody else feeling stiff?"

"That can't be right. That's more than just one thing. Meat, there's got to be milk in those things too, and probably some sort of divine essence or something's all mixed in. Seriously, how has nobody else showed up here with these super important questions?!" Rimuru was aghast, but he had to move on. Alas, there was no further explanation to come from Fubuki herself; any further information would come from the first Yuki-onna to meet him here. Oh well; one chest with a person attached would perhaps be useful in this adventure. "Alright, so... that explanation? Let's go, Mizo, we've got some land to clear of whatever the hell's wrong with it!"

[Apollymi]

"Good enough... I'll go up then. It's over up Mt. Kurama yeah?" she asked of Tamamo, who nodded. "Hai, the western mountains are the problem there. I was told to be wary of the spider, as it seems to entrance men, but I doubt you'll have such a problem," Tamamo finished up without any questions. "Fufu, I have nothing better to do right now, I'll come with," mentioned Shuten who was content to go along with Ibaraki and oversee the lass' progress and skills with her own eyes. With that her eyes held a twinkle. According to Kou he was feeling pretty stiff after switching Avatars. "Nope, it's all you... always you. Ja ne, Nii-san!~" said Shuten with a chuckle. "Iia, Mikon, I haven't switched as many times in so short a time span though. I could probably take it from you if you'd like~" she said on open offer as she always was.

In the meantime the last ramblings of Rimuru were soon leaving. Of course, soon after Mizore was accompanying the slime boy along. While they were walking she was asked another question about a more specific explanation. "Eh, the basics of it are... that an event called the Cataclysm happened here. It disrupted the alignment of all the places. Because of the misalignment the 'gate' which the spirits come through is obscured on Fubuki-sama's end. As such it is taking all of her power to keep everything in place. A bunch of other things are apparently out of balance as well. We have no idea how to fix it on our end, but Fubuki is certain it has something to do with the tree in the neutral zone. She's also certain that the action so of the Serpent set off most of the current problems, he's the reason no one can trust each other." she gave a gentle synopsis which was more like that of a player who got stuck at a certain point in a puzzle than that of an AI.

[Bloodedge]

Kou's stretching continued, though it seemed as if his problem was just as much an internal issue, as an external one. Perhaps his core was strained. According to Shuten, he was the only one with an issue. Tamamo also reported not having this problem, but offered to take the strain away if he desired. Frankly, Kou wasn't quite sure how to take such an offer... as per usual. Did she mean to claim the sensation via magical means, or was this yet another advance made by the fox? No matter which thing it was, there were more positives than negatives, he supposed. That still didn't take away the hint of nervousness in his retort. "Uh─ well, yeah, I guess that's cool. Magic stuff again?" he asked, though his eyes were constantly moving as if he intended to see if Shuten and the others were watching.

Exposition met Rimuru's ears, and those ears seemed deaf. Moving about and actively doing anything but listening, he continued to inspect the bosom of this Mizore girl as if questioning its very existence. She couldn't have been that much older than him, so what was the deal with those things? It couldn't be more clear that she didn't belong to this world. Was this just a boy who became a young woman due to the Avatar he chose in game? Perhaps. That reaction, however, was not at all up to par for such a thing. "Right... I caught none of that, besides bad snake is bad, big tree in the middle is somehow important. I'm pretty sure at least half of your problems have been fixed by now, and I'm guessing the rest will fix what's going on with Spirit Boobs?"

[Apollymi]

Tamamo got to watch was Kou continued to try and stretch and her offer played out very clearly for her across his face. She couldn't help but giggle just a little as he seemed to be quite unsure as to what it was she was offering, even so he still seemed keen enough to take it. That being said he still seemed a bit nervous and as such the lass couldn't help but tease him a bit further. "Ara ara, you don't have to seem so skittish. I don't bite you know..." she said with a knowing smirk. "Unless you decide you'd like me to~" she whispered to the lad as she crafted her next spell. More magical things were indeed in order she reached out for him and found a strangely open interpretation to her abilities. She used the same principles she'd originally used to rid him of a certain physical expression of energy to remove his fatigue. She wrote a charm across a small tag and then rather gently applied it to the lad's body. It would in a moment lift the lad's fatigue and apply it to the tag itself and she could use at a later point. After a moment when the tag lit up she'd ask a question. "All better?" she asked happily.

Though Mizore had no problem giving this young slime the information, she found his eyes upon her a couple of times. Even so, it didn't seem that he fully grasped what she'd been saying. Rimuru claimed that his understanding of this situation was minimal at best. "Sou ka, you really think some of this has already been fixed. Even with such a narrow interpretation of it. I can't believe someone actually got the drop on such a situation. The tree is the key, it will fix everything." Mizore seemed to find this entire thing to be strange. Who could have actually done anything about all the problems of this place. The answer wasn't really surprising to those in the know but for these new people, it would seem that the works of this pair of adventurers were fairly well talented.

[Bloodedge]

And of course, the nature of Tamamo reared its head officially. While Kou had no issues with this internally, the more reprehensive side he always felt scratching at the back of his subconscious did still exist. She certainly had a way of getting his brain going. What if she did bite him? Would that be pleasant? Things he watched and read implied that it could be, but... no, that wasn't the point here! Was it? While Kou's brain was all over the place, Tamamo went about applying a seal meant to solve the issue of his stress. It did appear to function, at least partially. He could immediately consider himself under less physical strain, though it soon began returning gradually. "Better yeah, but... not really? It's weird, like it's just starting up again from nothing now. It doesn't feel serious or anything, just a bit of an annoyance," he explained. His speech was a bit slower than it normally was. The fault, of course, was the racing brain he had around this Avatar of Kimiko's. He was certain that with a single phrase, he could talk this one into a very interesting experience. Instead though, he wondered if he should even be considering such an attempt.

Something was wrong with this player. Had she accomplished so little as an Adventurer, that she truly thought a quest line at this level could be completed with a single goal? Rimuru didn't know everything about this area, but he knew of the 'grind' in this world. That tree may have been the final problem, but it would either be solved as a byproduct of the other issues, or it would be something that presented itself only after the others were solved. "Yeah, sure. We'll just... fix the tree. Just like that, job's done. Sorry, I'm dumb; I should have just told everyone else that before we split up to deal with all four factions in this horrible quest line."

[Apollymi]

Tamamo watched as this lad tried his best to work through the things she said. She might have felt a bit bad about always putting him in the situation of having to mentally work his way through her offers, but it was far too amusing ot her to watching his brain flip back and forth. "It's far too easy to tease you, Mikon. I can't really help myself~" she mentioned with a happy giggle. She didn't really mean to have fun at his expense but she wasn't about to really stop herself either. Could she really be blamed? The mention of things sexual and not always seemed to have a resounding effect on the lad before her. In his present moment she could almost see within her mind's eye, this lad trying to rationalize the idea of her biting him. Beyond this she could also see in her own head the lad trying his best to figure out the level of seriousness she possessed in such offers. The words Kou gave to describe his feelings were strange to the lass she looked over the charm created by interacting with his body and found herself a bit confused as well. "Hm, that's weird. It seems to only apply partly. There aren't many things that are beyond my reach currently," she murmured mostly as an affirmation of the idea that something about this lad's current status was a bit beyond her normal methodology. She could help a little but not constantly and not everything, how strange.

While Tamamo and Kou discussed the strange occurrences around their interactions, Rimuru was busy being upset by the simplicity of a certain Yuki-onna. "You can't honestly mean the people you are with are actually trying to fix every faction as they go. That's mad!" exclaimed Mizore. Of course, she understood a bit of the gameplay but she also understood that what this lad was talking about was an extensive questline. The entire reason she hadn't done anything more was because she wasn't sure which of the other factions could be trusted. The whole thing was a headache and a half and her own powers as a Yuki-onna weren't outright helpful in figuring out the extra information. "You're very sarcastic by the way. I figured everyone who was in the area, would have been working on a different part of the area, not simply trying to fix everything. That's a huge undertaking and not one I could figure out how to commit to at all. " Mizore had her own problems in this game, after all, she hadn't signed up for something quite so intense as the warring factions plot line. She'd ended up here before fully figuring out everything and hed been left to sus out the details all on her own.

[Bloodedge]

"Well uh... if that's pleasant for you, I guess─" he replied. Kou had almost forgotten what it felt like to be in this form, dealing with this Avatar. It was a strangely exciting experience, which he could not anticipate the outcome of. Would any random interaction like this remain in a state of flirting, or would it suddenly evolve into outright fornication in whatever spot they happened to be conversing? The more consideration he gave it, the more he decided it never really mattered how things ended. Either outcome could be considered preferable. What wasn't preferable, was the simple fact that Tamamo's abilities could not solve his current problem. Oh well. "Nothing to be done about it then. It's fine; I've been dealing with building stress for almost two decades now, so I can keep dealing with this if there's no fix for it."

Rimuru sighed. She really did think it ridiculous that a group would come here with the intention of clearing all sections, never once considering that such a thing would be the location's requirement. "Of course we're fixing every faction. I'm here to check this one, others are at the other ones. Geez, you'd think those jugs would come with an extra pair of ears each at that size," he quipped, apparently content to continue prodding at Mizore's torso. "If everybody does their thing, then everybody fixes the biggest problem in the end. That tree you're talking about won't accomplish shit if the whole place is still at war when we get to it. Besides, I'm pretty sure that's the end goal of those guys anyway."

[Apollymi]

Tamamo looked at this lad. Of course, he'd simply let her carry on in such a way as one which entertained her when she was busy with him. This was nice to know, she often felt like she was a bit too pushy, her other forms had slight problems actualizing their thoughts because of this. But Tamamo held no such restraint, she only showed as much as she was shown, an act of fairness. "Hai hai!~ I'll make sure to take advantage then!~" the fox lass mused. She obviously had every intention of amusing herself at this man's expense, if he was alright with it, that just made it an easier activity to commit to. Obviously there was something else she could commit to as well, "Iia..." she said about it being fine since he'd been dealing with building stress his for his entire existence. "Managing your stress levels is my responsibility. Share some of that burden with me, let me take care of you..." she mused unable to keep the flirtation out of her tone, but there was also a certain level of adoration in her voice. She saw the way this lad operated, he gave so much of himself to everything, she wasn't at all surprised if he was constantly experiencing some level of stress. As his partner and as his girlfriend, she wished to share his problems and help him in any way she could. There was something wholesome about what she was saying even if it came with a flirtatious overtone. She'd already reached for this lad, her hand resting against the side of his face. She did of course mean this, there was no reason for him to suffer alone if she was here to ease him even a bit. She wanted to be a reliable partner, not just in the physical sense, but in the emotional sense as well. This was almost entirely due to the fact that she fully gave as freely of herself as she wanted people to give to her. What was hilarious about this, was that such a cute moment wouldn't be witnessed at all by this lad's sister, no she was quite out of the way, going with Ibaraki to Mt. Kurama.

Apparently the slime was busy berating the Yuki-onna. Explaining that each and every person he was with was already taking care of different aspects of the same problem. "Eh, I was a solo player, I didn't expect to get technically trapped in a co-op questline. The couldn't have already been here though, I would have heard something about that by now..." she mentioned. She knew a couple of other players were peppered around this place, but none of them were making the kind of progress that was being boasted by the slime's group. She couldn't help but wonder what kind of group he was part of? When did they arrive? How did they know what to do? Why wasn't he certain what the goals of his group were exactly. "Wait wait wait... do you mean you don't really know what your group's plan is? They sent you out without giving you all the information?!" the lass seemed shocked. Why would a group of players not share every necessary bit of information. Basically they should be functionally like game guides, unless they were winging this whole area and that couldn't possibly end well, right?

[Bloodedge]

What an interesting offer there was coming from Tamamo after Kou's previous assertation. A burden shouldered by two... Yes, that was the point of things like relationships, wasn't it? That was a part he'd have to get used to, but he was somewhat excited by the prospect of such development. "Sou ka," he spoke gently, taking a moment to reach out and grasped the hand which cupped his face. By the wrist, he claimed the arm entirely and stepped forward. "That's a hefty contract to sign. Any conditional clauses?" he joked while his free hand rose to the fox's cheek, a simple return of a paid gesture. "I guess it doesn't matter though, does it? Onegaishimasu." By this point in the interaction, it seemed Kou didn't care where the eyes of others were. Of course, he didn't know they were already gone, nor did he realize he'd suddenly begun speaking about contracts and the like in a casual manner.

As the Yuki-onna spoke further, Rimuru continuously pinched the air with his thumbs and all fingers, as if replicating a moving mouth. "Solo player, blah blah! You think that's an excuse? I'm a S L I M E! I didn't even get the choice of playing with other people until my whole build was ready for the endgame, but you know what that teaches people? Gamers can do crazy things. This wouldn't have to be a co-op thing, but it would have to take ages to do alone. Splitting up to handle everything is just more effective. Even the Great Rimuru could use a hand every now and then! I may allow you to join my harem of servants too, if you're good enough!" Naturally, there was a grandiose gesture ending with a flourish to accompany this statement. Sadly, his lack of information didn't lend very well to his claim of supremacy. Did they have a plan? If they did, he must not have been paying enough attention. Well then, improvising would be the answer. "Experts don't need to plan everything out! Working with me requires the ability to think on the spot and take action as needed! You've failed the second test after passing the first!"

[Apollymi]

An offer of fairness. This was always going to come from one of this girl's faces. Tamamo seemed to simply be the best voice box for the girl's lesser known tendencies. Giving this lad some attention was the highlight of her day, watching him excitedly process this offer was indeed something she was pleased about. What was more, this process seemed to go a bit further, the comfort she offered him was reciprocated without much hesitation. The warmth of his hand was found against her wrist as he stepped forward, this moment was one which was quite cute from the outside. His hand was soon upon her face, and she rubbed against it relishing in the feeling. "Really enjoying contracts today? Any conditional clauses can be renegotiated at your leisure~" she joked as well, but she was quite truthful. Strange as it was for this lad to mention contracts twice in a day, she was far from being upset about it. Actually contracts were quite important and she couldn't hate anything concerning them. She was content to take on any new challenges and help him in anyway she could. For now, they were quite free to do whatever it was they wished to do, as they pieced together this Youkai country.

Mizore was apparently being chastised for her slow reaction time. "You're a slime?! Who does that to themselves on purpose?! Masochist!" there was outrage from Mizore who seemed to not even care about what the lad was saying. Though that wasn't entirely true, she did at least understand what he was getting at. If she'd put in more time, taken each aspect herself she probably could have done something about it. That being said she had no real desire to carry on in such a way. She wasn't brave enough to adventure out on her own, but perhaps joining up with the sort of people who could fix this problem would give her a bit of courage. "I'm not into harems of any sort. You're on your own for that one... but this group might be worth joining. Even if they don't tell you the important stuff~" she was at least a little clever, enough to see around the big talking slime. Whatever the case, they were content to move on to whatever was next.

[Bloodedge]

Contracts? Had he said something about those prior to this moment? Now that Tamamo mentioned it, Kou did have a strange sense of familiarity. Why this was, he didn't know, but he could imagine there was a certain Dragonoid involved with the earlier instance. Either way, he seemed legitimately confused for a moment or two. Ah well; he could move on from that quite easily. His hand moved just slightly as his mind worked, rubbing the fox's cheek until it trailed upward into her hair, even rubbing against one of those canine ears. "Contracts are cool, I suppose. Both ways then? You're obviously nowhere near stress-free either, whether you wanted it to show or not. I'll share the heat."

"Hardcore MLG guys like me; that's who!" Rimuru wasted no time before responding with bravado, taking pride in his current existence as a Slime. Speaking of his identity, it was high time for the third 'test' as he put it. With a single hop, he returned to Slime form and floated toward Mizore. Would she do that which she desired when the squishy, blue Slime came toward her. He would ignore the clause about not being told important things by the group, focusing on the idea of being the one in charge of this organization. "It's alright if you don't want to join the harem. By size alone, you might even be able to earn a special spot outside of the normal rankings! Now, onward! To victory!"

[Apollymi]

There was some mild confusion in Kou about his contract mentions. Perhaps he was having trouble separating his different personalities actions? Tamamo could see that being the case, but it didn't really matter so much, their conversation could continue. Beyond the continuation of their chat, Tamamo was being petted in a way that was both platonic and strangely fulfilling. She couldn't rightly explain what it was she liked about this, but perhaps a couple more animal themed Avatars would be making an appearance before too long. "Mmm-hmm, contracts are cool," she mentioned with happily as her tails wagged in the breeze. "Of course, I'll share with you whatever you like~" she mused more than happy to turn over pieces of herself to the lad before her. That statement had come out a bit more flirty than she'd expected, but she still meant it regardless. If they agreed to sharing the burden of each others stress, they could likely find themselves much happier overall.

"MLG? You are a strange one..." Mizore mentioned. Soon enough this lad was in slime form and floating towards her and she couldn't help but open her arms and squeeze him into her body. This was quite the cute creature after all. "Awww, sugoi sugoi!!" she chimed seemingly amused with the plush toy like slime. Perhaps this is was the real reason he chose to be a slime. So women would have no problem coddling him. "Onward to victory? I just want to say I have no idea where we are even going... I was... kinda just following you, so in this case lead on," she said content to carry around this lad as a creature until they reached their destination.