[the pink barrier dissipates briefly as tetsuya passes through the gate.]
i will send word to lord ninetails that you’ll be meeting them later. i cannot leave my post here to guide you, but the restaurant where lord ninetails will meet you at is this building on the left with the haunter lantern. you can also find lord ninetails’ shrine past the gate at the other end of this road. if you need any other directions, please feel free to ask any of the villagers.
[many of the villagers seem quite curious about their new visitor, especially one who seems to radiate a heavenly aura while others seem content to observe from a distance or shy away completely. as inari nears the restaurant, they are greeted by the haunter lantern tetsuya pointed out before, as well as a braixen holding a tray. she ushers inari inside, leading them to a separate, fancier-looking room with the sliding doors open to a garden. after showing inari to the table, the braixen leaves them with the menu and some tea, bowing politely before taking her leave.]
[a few minutes later, a serious-looking nickit enters the room, bowing their head in greeting. they look like just a child, probably around the same age as the braixen waitress.]
good afternoon, esteemed guest. i'm masaya, the head chef. lord ninetails will be here shortly, but in the meantime, please allow me to take your order personally. though, lord ninetails has personally recommended you try our kitsune udon. it's their favourite dish to order, but of course you're free to request something else.
[as masaya continues to talk about the menu, ranging from sushi to hand cones, from ramen to rice bowls, a subtle rustling emerges from the garden.]
[remaining out of masaya's view, kon slinks around the bushes, seeming content to wait until masaya takes their leave.]
i see... to have your own realm seems both fortunate and lonely, to be honest. i believe it much more rewarding for gods to live closer to their followers - after all, some may find it harder to believe in something they can never see, hm? of course, everyone has their reasons, but i imagine that for those who live near-infinite lives, it must get lonely... in any case, i admire your boldness. you make it sound fun, exploring other universes.
[kon grows quiet then, snout tipped downward. something about their aura changes, their appearance shifting ever so slightly.]
thank you for your honesty. i admit, i have not been truthful with you, but i'm sure you understand my caution. allow me to reintroduce myself.
i am known as lord ninetails, but i believe i can trust you with my real name. please, call me koun.
[koun tilts their head with a playful smirk.]
i'm sorry for deceiving you. i was actually so curious about you, i skipped work to come greet you myself. i just couldn't help playing a little trick on you, hehe.
[koun's many tails wag in excitement, though they are soon interrupted by the sound of the door being slid open.]
lord ninetails, did you come in from the garden again? you're going to get the tatami all dirty.
ah, m-my apologies.
...whatever. i've brought your food.
[behind them, masaya tugs a small trolley where they take various dishes and lay them out on the table. garnished with pickled radishes as red as the maple leaves drifting outside, the fried tofu used in both the udon and the sushi have been prepared in a way that resemble fox ears. the sake and condiments follow afterwards along with napkins and utensils. across from inari, koun eyes their own bowl of udon with an eager twinkle, though they at least wait for masaya to leave the room again before lapping at the broth.]
eheh... please, enjoy the meal. masaya is a very talented chef, so i hope it's to your liking. if you have any more questions for me, i would be happy to answer them. i'd also like to get to know you better too, hm?
of course, i will start preparing it right away. if you need anything else, just let any of the staff know. they should be just outside the room.
[with another bow, masaya takes their leave. almost as soon as they do, kon slips out from the bushes and climbs into the room.]
mind if i join you for a moment? i'll just sit here until lord ninetails arrives.
[as if inviting themself, kon takes a seat across from inari with a sly smile.]
how are you enjoying the village so far? it seems the villagers are quite curious about you. it's not often that gods walk so casually among the common folk in this realm, after all. in most places, there are as many dangerous spirits as there are friendly ones, and some would be more than eager for a chance to devour a god.
ah, but that is no way to talk before a meal. and besides, you are quite safe here. i was actually wondering more about where you come from, if our humble home is in any way comparable to your own. i get the sense we share similar cultures, but your curiosity thus far has caught my attention. the other gods from your realm, are they much like you? would they deign to take the time to meet the commoners of other realms? you've also mentioned that you live separately from your followers, what is that home like? here, most gods inhabit the same realms as everyone else, though usually they keep themselves away from the public eye. the only exception is kami - our arceus - who has a realm all their own. is there something like that where you're from?
[it doesn’t take long to get adjusted to the gloom of the forest. a couple of zoruas spot inari from further down the path, but they immediately scatter into the bushes. probably some of the lower-ranking kitsune considering how they shy away from inari’s presence.]
[it’s pretty obvious the zoruas are still watching from the bushes, but there’s also something else. it’s hard to tell whether this other presence is friendly or not. soon enough, the leaves somewhere above inari rustle, almost purposefully loud.]
[the zoroark nearly blends in with the shadows, and they take a moment to observe inari.]
this is unexpected. you’re here to see lord ninetails? they’re quite busy, you know. i can sense that you indeed have the power of a god, but you must understand we don’t just let anyone into our village. what is a god doing so far outside their realm, anyways? i find it hard to believe you have nothing better to do besides strolling between realms just to pay us a friendly visit.
[kon stares silently at inari, studying them for a long while. only the sound of wind rustling the leaves takes up the silence before kon straightens up and rolls their shoulders.]
well, as long as you keep to your promise, then i’m sure it’ll be okay! and look, it seems you’ll be allowed in the village after all.
[further down the path, a trail of fireballs begin to light up one by one, winding around the trees and through the dense underbrush.]
if you would please follow the kitsunebi, it’ll lead you right to the gate. i’ll go ahead and let the villagers know about your arrival. bye bye!
[with a sudden cheerfulness, kon waves casually before leaping back up into the trees. it doesn’t take long for them to disappear among the foliage, leaving inari alone once more. it’s easy enough to follow the fireballs, and despite being so close to flammable material, nothing catches fire. even being close to them doesn’t feel hot or painful. eventually, the trees begin to thin out, the fireballs stopping at a clearing.]
oh, excuse me! you’re lord inari, right? i’m tetsuya, and i humbly welcome you to our village. but first, please take this.
[tetsuya lowers his head in reverence before producing a charm that he offers to inari. the symbol adorning it appears similar to the marking on tetsuya’s shoulder, as well as the one on kon’s flank.]
this is a charm that will allow you passage through the forest and entry to the village. lord ninetails would like for you to have it. i was told to ask if you’d like to meet them at their shrine right away, or perhaps at the local restaurant, if you’re hungry? oh, but if you just want to walk around first, i can send a message to lord ninetails if your meeting isn’t urgent.
those berries you mentioned are appreciated, but let me at least introduce myself. please call me kon, one of lord ninetails’ many eyes and ears. and don’t worry, i’m sure you’ve already caught their attention.
they may not be able to show themself right away, but i’ll be notified when they’re ready. in the meantime, let me try to answer your questions.
[kon leaps down from their branch, landing next to inari. remaining on all fours, they circle around a spot on the ground before sitting down once more.]
let’s see... first off, i would say lord ninetails also answers the desires of mortal and spiritual beings, though a bit differently. they’re known as the god of fortune, both good and bad. essentially, they have the power to manipulate one’s karma. offering prayers to lord ninetails can improve your luck, for example, but at a price. ‘luck’ has to come from somewhere, so while you may have a moment of good luck now, you will most likely have a moment of bad luck in the future. aside from that, i think lord ninetails would also like to know more about you if you want to find similarities between the two of you.
now, about our village - it’s quite small, i would say there’s around 40 kitsune living there. the community is close-knit enough that everyone knows everyone, but of course there’s both pros and cons about that. we have a few tenko and kuko, if you consider those ‘elders’ - funnily enough, two of our tenko have never evolved despite being around much longer than most. most of the villagers serve lord ninetails, but while those who don’t are more than welcome to stay, they tend to end up leaving to forge their own paths. being surrounded by kitsune who still serve lord ninetails can be pressuring, i suppose.
we do trade and export outside of the village - kitsune aren’t the only ones who worship lord ninetails, after all. though, we try to keep the location of exchange outside of the village unless it’s with someone we trust. there’s demand for things like charms, artwork depicting lord ninetails, and other auspicious items, and our trees are coveted by some because they have the blessing of lord ninetails. we don’t have much in the way of produce that you can’t find anywhere else, but we do have some recipes that have only been mastered by our very own villagers. if you’re given permission to enter the village, maybe you’ll have the chance to try something made by lord ninetails’ personal chef?
anyways, many of the spirits living outside of the village are nogitsune, who are either uninterested in serving lord ninetails or refuse to, but they are more than happy living off of the poor victims who lose themselves to the forest. you’ll also find that the other spirits living out in the forest are fox-shaped, like the onibi and jubokko. neither are technically kitsune, but it’s probably an effect of the forest’s enchantment. ah, and about the kappa you mentioned at the statue - we have no reason to protect nor endanger him, but we’ll ensure he is unharmed at your request.
[kon pauses at the end of their explanation, as if talking about themself amuses them.]
i... hm. yes, i would say i’m happy here. i enjoy a little mischief here and there despite my more serious colleagues. it’s in our nature, no? but enough about me. may i ask you a few questions as well? like... where do the kitsune in your realm live, if you don’t have a village like ours? do you know very many other gods? i’m sure someone like you must have friends, but what about enemies? anyone who might, say, know how to find you if we let you into our village?
