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[img]https://i.imgur.com/ziR5Pse.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/kNmO8zV.png[/img]
[b][color=DarkOrange]wordcount:[/color][/b]  2015/1548 (+3)
[b][color=DarkOrange]Amaterasu: level 8[/color][/b] EXP: [color=DarkOrange]//////////////////////////////[/color]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// (33/80)
[b][color=DarkOrange]Location:[/color][/b] Fields of Gold
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 15 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color](240/150)
[b][color=Aqua]Rika: Level 11 [/color][/b] EXP:  [color=Aqua]///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color](186/100)
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Amaterasu casually cut her way through the lesser Yokai, while keeping an eye on the bigger fights to see if she needed to intervene. As it turned out though, these seekers could more than handle their own, it seemed, and so her only involvement with them was using her brush to repair damage done to the village. The damaged post was mended right back up, the damage to the road that the Rhinoggin caused while shoveling up dirt to cast rockslides was patch up, and so on.

To an extent, her main contribution to the whole event was afterwards, as she kept painting away, fixing things up. It was a mostly unseen kind of aid, and rather hard to spot even after the bombastic action was all over, and so she was a little more deliberate with her last act. Said act was to pad over the smashed up cart when its owner came to see what could be salvaged of it, physically shove it back onto its wheels, before giving it a restorative paint job so that by the time it was upright it was right as rain once again.

If there were going to be other people helping out around, then she’d need to do better at being visibly the cause of her own aid. That certainly worked this time, as the cart owner gave her a bow of thanks, and she gladly accepted the accompanying praise.

Compare and contrast this with the generally unhelpful koopa kids, who hopped down from the porch they’d been sitting on only after all the fighting was done, leaving the wasted pokeball laying in the dirt for someone else to tidy up.  

[color=SpringGreen]”Eh, don’t worry, we made those other ones. Plus those guys were lame anyway. What you want is like, more robots n cyborgs to go with your drones n whale away”[/color] Jr was telling his in a huff sister, before he raised up his staff and cast [color=SpringGreen]”Medica!”[/color], causing a circular burst of holy healing light to sweep across all of the seekers who’d been fighting, patching up any and all wounds they’d received.

[color=Aqua]”I guess. But it's not like those are just, like, walking round in fields like pokemon and stuff are”[/color] she complained

[color=SpringGreen]”Didn’t Blazermate say people used medabots to fight for em? Maybe that’d work”[/color] jr suggested, but it wasn’t really much of a solution given they’d no idea where they’d ever find any more like her.

They talked about it on and off for the twenty minute walk to their destination, while occasionally glancing at the wolf that had taken it upon herself to make sure they didn’t cause any more trouble till they reached town (something both found very annoying).

Still, as they got closer, all of their focus moved away from each other, and towards taking in their destination.

[color=SpringGreen]”Kinda top heavy with all the tall stuff up top. I guess they don’t want anyone on a lower floor peeking in?”[/color] Jr guessed, while Rika suggested that [color=Aqua]”I could just wall hop us up probably”[/color] which was an idea Jr gave her props for for sure.

Amaterasu meanwhile rolled her eyes. There was simply no way they didn’t have ways to keep track of who should be where, be it Yokai making a fuss, or the actual authorities. The first sign of the city’s way of policing the piles of fighters in it certainly made an impression that they did indeed have a way to enforce things, as it consisted of the two titanic cudgel wielding constructs. 

Any notion that they might put an end to the kid’s scheming about how to subvert the rules was quickly squashed as they started muttering about machines used by ‘Those Who Slither in the Dark’ to which these guardians supposedly paled in comparison, and how they could totally take them.

Possibly the only one able to pick up on this thanks to her canine senses, she decided to bluntly interject by padding close and giving them two barks.

[color=SpringGreen]”Hey, what is your problem Snowball?”[/color] Jr barked back, having been armed with the perfect mocking nickname for the irritating intervening goddess, while his sister remembered the rules of communication Pit had brought up, and asked [color=Aqua]”No what?”[/color] 

The divine wolf simply turned away, and pad towards the entrance while the kids proceeded to complain about her behind her back. Which was fine. It meant they were not running the risk of being overheard scheming by someone who’d bite rather than bark upon hearing it. 

Such as, say, the automatons themselves, who proved themselves to be entirely capable of thinking, even if their comments made them clear to be pretty close minded in her opinion. Were they intending to simply bludgeon someone who broke the city’s unspoken rules? That didn’t bode well. 

They could at least post a poster with expected etiquette outside.

She, at least, passed whatever criteria they had for the moment, or maybe they didn’t even analyze her given they couldn't see what she truly was, and promptly padded past them and into the city.

She spared the red hatted muscle bound man who greeted them a glance, but when it was clear he was focusing rather clearly on a specific subset she left him and then took it, and instead took in the city.

It certainly seemed to be a lot more mercantile than any she’d been in. Stores and stores galore. Then again with ghosts tossing money around to good fighters, then there was presumably a lot of money to be made by merchants, hence why their milkmaid had rode her way all the way here. 

Not everyone was so fortunate however, because in a competitive environment, there were going to be losers as well as winners, and unfortunately a love of the game didn’t fill a stomach. 

For the for D-listers and below, there was Homie Stock, which was a charity that ran soup kitchens for the needy. This being a city of fighters however, the needy weren't exactly meek, and so the line for soup played host to monsters like [url=https://i.imgur.com/vgBoC5Z.png]animated taffy[/url] and a burly [url=https://i.imgur.com/V6zGbcU.jpeg]snowman[/url] as well as menacing [url=https://i.imgur.com/CMCPLkj.png]exacutioners[/url], [url=https://i.imgur.com/yT4Zhaj.png]criminals[/url] and [url=https://i.imgur.com/0zHQZL3.png]psycho clowns[/url]. 

Self declared [url=https://i.imgur.com/BTwnEcq.png]girl genius[/url] and unicycle footed [url=https://i.imgur.com/nBcPHbg.png]metal head[/url] weren't exactly bringing up the respectability levels, even if they were mostly just rebellious rather than straight up monstrous.

Holding down the fort of civility then where a russian noble turned [url=https://i.imgur.com/0zHQZL3.png] acrobat[/url], a japanese college student in [url=https://i.imgur.com/25byiOk.png]traditional dress college student[/url] and a [url=https://i.imgur.com/xXrSteg.png]regular human man[/url] 

Them, and, of course, the legendary fighter [url=https://i.imgur.com/SWIEQZ8.png]Jun Kazama[/url] (who’s reputation preceded her via the whispers of several starry eyed yokai hanging around) who was currently serving soup. The sight of her bopping a trouble-causing killer clown on the head with a ladle in a perfectly smooth and fluid motion that harmlessly knocked him out in a single blow then promptly confirmed it.

Amaterasu had paused to take in this sight, and had been considering intervening for all of a heartbeat before the woman had perfectly resolved the situation without bloodshed even with the malus of Galeem’s influence making all fights fight to the finish. Needless to say, she was impressed.

Behind her, the watching Yokai cheered or groaned, before a spiritual currency called ergo exchanged hands, some of the watchers having apparently been betting in between themselves on the outcome of the ‘fight’. Not if any of the D-listers could take down Jun, mind, but instead which would be foolish enough to earn her ire today.

They were naturally next to earn it because of this, though the top fighter kept her next blow aimed squarely at embarrassing them as she called over “If you have money to spare, we’re always taking donations” even as she got back to work on her soup serving.

Amaterasu cocked her head at this, and then glanced over at the attached store, which as it turned out was a charity shop that was currently accepting donations in the form both of actual cash as well as items to sell. The wares on display weren't exactly the kind flying off the shelves, and were more the result of people using the store as a dumping ground for unwanted goods that they'd have otherwise thrown away. 

Which just would not do.

The divine wolf had intended to sell the treasures she’d acquired from the mansion, but this was a far more practical way of doing the charity she’d intended to do with the earnings of those. As such, she strolled to the side of the soup kitchen, and then raised up on her hind legs and front paw pushed down the handle of the shop’s front door to let herself inside.

Unfortunately for her, a wolf/dog letting itself into an establishment wasn’t exactly normal. 

A balled and mustached mii fighter behind the counter called [url=https://i.imgur.com/nJJy1lQ.png]Matt[/url] going by his name tag gave a careful “hello?” of greeting, and then frowned as she looked up at him but did not respond (because, of course, she could not do so). 

“Hmm, where’s your owner then?” he asked, assuming that she wasn’t a person based on her lack of response, before noting her bristling in response to this, and then glancing up at the snickering Yokai (who could see what she was unlike Matt) following the wolf into the store. Making an incorrect judgment, he told them “No funny business, you hear? I don’t care how you got this wolf in here, take it away or I’ll make it leave” while casually reaching for a training sword set behind the counter.

The divine wolf glanced back at the floating yokai, growling at them, which didn’t exactly help her cause, but fortunately someone who did was Jun Kazama, who stepped inside a moment later.

All eyes fell on her, as her own fell on Amataratsu, and she noted in an instant that “You're no normal wolf, are you?” and then instantly cottoned onto the answer of ‘no’ that was evident in the divine wolf’s body language.

“Well then, what can we help you with, ms. wolf?” she asked, to which the wolf responded that she wished to help her instead, before finding a somewhat empty space in the charity shop, and depositing an entire grandfather clock, a black-and-gold vase and an artful painting of a blue skull onto it.

“Oh. For us? Are you donating these?”Jun asked, and when the wolf’s stance on the matter was agreed, double checked  “are you quite sure?” as “Those look quite expensive” to which the wolf once again indicated her agreement

“Then you have my refund thanks for your generosity” She said with a hand clasped bow, before adding “if there is any small way I can help you, please, just let me know”

“Yeah, thank you, and sorry for misjudging you, Ms. Wolf” Matt added on to the end of this, having put his sword away as soon as Jun took over the situation, before saying to her “and sorry I almost let that get out of hand, Ms. Kazama”.

“Quite alright. Most people are not as in-tune with nature as I am as to be able to recognize that Ms. Wolf is not as she seems” she replied, before thinking for a moment and striding over to the counter. There she took a pen and a piece of paper, before quickly writing something down and then presenting it to Amatarasu.

“A letter of recommendation. My name won’t take you everywhere, but it should go far enough down here” she said, before apologizing that “I’m sorry that I couldn’t add your name to it, I imagine it must be frustrating to not be able to give it, but I’ve left a big space if you would like to try adding it yourself?”

The divine wolf blinked in surprise once, and then carefully took the letter in her jaw, being careful to avoid slobbering on it. She did so while twisting her head, such that when she tilted it upright again the letter was facing Jun. Then the world pause, her brush danced, and her name was signed in the space that she had been left to fill

“Amaterasu?” Jun said with a gasp, even as the paper vanished into the divine wolf’s inventory.

Assuming that it was simply amazement at the way she’d written her name down in a flash, Amaterasu simply expressed her gratitude for this gift, and then moved to leave, intending to seek out a dojo and to use her newfound person-hood proving papers to gain entry much more easily.

It was only after she’d gone, and Matt was expressing bewilderment at the whole affair, that Jun quietly informed him that “I believe we may just have just received a gift from a goddess”

[hr]

Compared to the charitable Amatarasu, the pair of koopa kids spared not a second thought for the needy, and were instead too busy looking at all the neat stores in town, meandering their way through the crowds, looking at this and that. 

As they where doing so Rika briefly slowed in her steps as they went, staring in confusion at a flotilla of [url=https://i.imgur.com/YtSkG3P.png]Shipshape Sailors[/url] yokai who where trailing in the wake of a pair of flashy looking [url=https://i.imgur.com/Ecv5Yrf.png]Admirable Admiral[/url] who they were begging for betting tips.

The boat boys in turn noticed her after a few moments, and the boat girl was not ready for them to start excitedly commenting about her by saying things like “Wow. Look at that new fighter! She’s got style!” “10/10 design!” “Finally, someone gets what the fans really want” nor one of them shouting “Hey miss, when’s your first match!” or another to add “I’ll put all my ergo on you winning!” over at her.

Feeling incredibly uncomfortable about this, Rika yelled [color=Aqua]”Never! Sorry! Going!”[/color] back before hurrying to catch up with her brother, leaving sounds of disappointment and calls of “but you gotta!” in her wake. 

Said calls were silenced as the pair of admirals put their feet down and started barking admonishments at them, only to then get into a shouting match of their own as their angles of berating, namely “Your scaring off the new talent you witless hullscrapers! That’s where the biggest winnings are to be made” and “Shut it you bunch of loyalty-less trend chasers! Stick to your guns if you want to win bets!” came at things from completely different angles.

[color=SpringGreen]”You got fans already?”[/color] Jr commented with clear envy when his sister caught up, envy which she did not at all get.

[color=Aqua]”that was so weird”[/color] she told him, before then realizing [color=Aqua]”wait if we did fight there’d be more of that?”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]”Huh? Oh yeah, loads. Crowds screaming your name and cheering you on, wanting you to write your name on their stuff, showering you with money, that kinda thing”[/color] 

[color=Aqua]”Oh”[/color] Rika replied, before pausing for a moment and then saying that [color=Aqua]”Then I’m glad we’re going to Shinjuku instead”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]”I mean yeah. But then we’re coming back”[/color] Jr pointed out, and then after seeing his sisters reaction to this adding [color=SpringGreen]”Buuut fine, yeah, we can skip the tournament stuff and just piggyback off of Sakura or whoever’s big wins”[/color] a little reluctantly, the little prince not really getting her aversion to all that attention.

[color=SpringGreen]”But let’s check this place out a bit first, yeah? Especially that”[/color] he said, pointing over at a store named ‘Clean Hits’ and saying that [color=SpringGreen]”Bet if anywhere knows about the tape scene over in Shinjuku it’ll be them”[/color]

[color=Aqua]”Why’s that?”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]”Coz you can use tapes to play music?”[/color]

[color=Aqua]”Wait really?”[/color] Rika replied, surprised because this had somehow never come up before, before thinking for a moment and saying [color=Aqua]”we should get some”[/color] to which her brother shrugged and then tacitly agreed before they headed off.

On their way there however, they got distracted by a shop called the Blast Zone, and specifically by a diorama of four action figures set up in the window of that toy store. As they watched a shirtless scarred brawler performed a taunt dance to ward off a scythe totting dark knight, who then turned and [url=https://i.imgur.com/kMQSA3l.png]stomp walked[/url] across the windowsill. On his way to the other side he walked under a [url=https://i.imgur.com/qXCHul3.png]flash kicking[/url] fighter with an absurd flat top hairdo (who then bounced off of the first fighter who'd done a synced up jet uppercut), before being turned back back around by a  [url=https://i.imgur.com/bJtIgbs.png]short slash[/url] delivered by a red coated and strange chunky sword wielding warrior and stomping right back.

[color=SpringGreen]”Soooo cooooool”[/color] Jr, face pressed to the glass, said as he marveled at the tiny figures, before groaning loudly upon seeing the extortionate price tags. 

Rika mainly thought these were [color=Aqua]”neat”[/color] while also wondering if they made little fighting robots that she could use to beat up pokemon with. 

After Jr dragged himself away from the display, they reached the music store, and pushed their way inside. 

They’d seen a few [url=https://i.imgur.com/9m7ZWqK.png]Mokujin[/url] running the stores in town as they passed them by, and this one seemed to be operating under mostly the same deal, though the figure behind the counter did seem to be a bit closer to a [url=https://i.imgur.com/7Fr1dAn.jpeg]wooden man[/url] than the other training dummies.

“Welcome to Clean Hits” the man of wood greeted them in a very synthetic sounding voice, before asking “Can I interest you in some high quality rips?” 

Jr responded to this by marching up to the counter (that he was too short to see over) and demanding [color=SpringGreen]”I wanna know what you know about Shinjuku. And tapes. And using tapes to turn into monsters!”[/color] while his sister meanwhile headed over more slowly as she looked around the room, before replying [color=Aqua]”Are ‘rips’ tapes? If so yes”[/color]