"Honored Toramaru, how did you acquire the jeweled pagoda in the first place?"
"Ah, Sir Yuutamo. I have never been asked that before, possibly because of the length of the story I give in response. Though, if you would like to here of how I came to be a God, you are welcome to a cup of tea while we chat!" And, so, two cups of steaming hor tea and a mountain of pillows later, Shou began.
"It really all begins with my appearance to Lady Hijiri as a cub. You see, she has always had an affection for animal Youkai like Nazrin and myself, so she couldn't help but take me under her care. And so, I simply was a pet to her and Myouren, almost like a housecat, instead of a vicious beast people feared tigers to be. Later on, as expected, I did eventually grow to become a young girl, who was utterly loyal to Lady Hijiri.
And also to my newly appointed Master, Nazrin.
Though, she did look very different from the small mouse you see today. She was, and still is, a proud, silky eared mouse, commanding an army of flesh eating mice. It was a tad strange that I, a feline, had been put into her servitude, a mouse. Yet, it worked out wonderfully.
She began to teach me the basics of Buddhism, and, along with Hijiri, I soon became a priestess to the God Bishamonten. Nazrin was still the current Avatar, and held the Pagoda of Bishamonten herself. A regal figure she was, indeed.
Though, she still had time to comfort me in my difficult training to replace her as she got older.
We prayed together, shopped together, and even bathed together. I was close to her from the very start, species did not matter. I respected her, as well as loved her. That has not changed, though our appearances have. It's very peculiar, actually, how all of this went down.
One day, she simply came to me, stating she was to be 'relinquished of her avatar duties'. I, being merely a child, did not quite understand this at first. What I did understand, though, was that she suddenly trusted me enough to bring me to where Bishamonten himself lay, secluded inside the farthest reaches of the temple. It was not an easily forgettable sight, a sturdy, male figure, with an ermine that spouted jewels of every color around his neck. And, in his hands, the Jeweled Pagoda itself.
Silently, but sternly, he called me over to him, but I was too busy groveling in the ground to notice until Nazrin urged me forward. I felt as if I was walking into a vicious, flaming sun as I took the last step towards him. We were face to face now, and I was trembling in my shoes.
He whispered one, single thing into my ear, that I cannot forget no matter how much time passes. 'You are ready.' And, from that moment on, I was suddenly the figure of a god that was loved, even being a youkai, humans adored me, calling me their protector. I saw why Nazrin always had a frown on her face - they saw gods as something entirely different than Youkai, though, they are practically the same. Such as your Tenma, if she was not seen as a youkai, humans would surely recognize her as a goddess of wind!
Moving back onto the topic, my apologies. Oh, wait, are you asleep! Oh dear, what to do..."
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